You were always going to be the first channel I watched regarding the Z8 this morning Matt, and you did not disappoint! The Z8 is going to be my first mirrorless camera (moving from my D800E)!
i had the D800 and D800E. And right now I have the D850 and the Z50. I think I will switch as well next year with a cashback event hopefully, but not to replace my D850 and Z50.
Matt! Nikon are just getting started! I work in live broadcast and I am trying to convince the outside broadcast companies that I work for to use the Z9 (and now also the Z8) instead of presently used Sonys for special cams such as gimbal cameras! The MC-N10 is unique in that it allows for full control of the Z cameras (especially focus) on a gimbal without having to touch the camera should it need to be refocused on the subject (which I see time and time again from the Sonys)! When you shoot live there is no excuse for losing focus when we now have the possibility of full control! I also think that at some stage in the future Nikon will hook up with a company like SKAARHOJ so we can gain full professional camera control which is imperative for use in a multi camera broadcast environment. If BM, Panasonic and RED can do it there is no reason why the Z9 and Z8 should not be able to do it!😎
Will jump in and agree🙂 looking forward to using them as a pair. Both will have there place, kind of like having two different size hammers, both do the same job but each are better suited to different jobs 🙂. Had thought of second Z9 but the Z8;offers more flexibility. . Like many out my pre order in right away.
Do you work with HSS and have you had any problems with banding? It's the main thing holding me from placing a preorder. Most of my jobs are action with flash
Back in the DSLR days I was planning to upgrade my trusty, old and slow D600 to a D850, but that was put on hold with the Z cameras. The Z7II looked like what I wanted but I was spooked by focus issues and I wanted a faster camera. Long story short, I've purchased the Z8 and I couldn't be happier. This is a massive change and I'm struggling a bit with the learning curve, but the results when I do everything correctly are staggering. The possibilities that have opened up for me are really exciting. Anyway, Matt, thank you for your enthusiasm around the Z8. It helped me pull the trigger and I'm so pleased to no longer be waiting and to be making great images, and now video.
Mine is on order. I’m just an enthusiast, but I shoot a lot of action (grandkids playing soccer, football, basketball, softball, and competitive dance) and wildlife. I think this camera is going to give me much more ability to capture the photos and videos that I’ve always wanted to share with my family and friends. I can hardly wait for the delivery.
I have been waiting a long time for the Z8, watching your channel for news. I ordered my Z8 Kit today. So I will be shooting Z8 and D850, what's not to love.
Great first look, Matt! I was really looking forward to hearing your take on it, and unquestionably this is an incredible camera, and exactly what people have been waiting for. Cheers! -Chris
I waited for the Nikon D200 to come out when I got my first Digital Camera. It was to wait until the technology improved. Now I waited for the Z8, when I will get my first mirrorless camera.
It is fantastic that Nikon hasn't put any false limitations into the Z8, and made it as close to the Z9 as possible. I think the Z8 will be very popular indeed, especially with the great Z lenses! If I didn't already have a magical Z9 machine, I'd get one.
Excellent ergonomics and superior weather sealing is what separates Nikon Z9 and Z8 from its competition especially Sony. I've personally seen how the Sony A7R4 and A1 do not handle inclement weather very well. That to me is a huge important feature that often gets left out in many camera reviews. Thanks for the video.
I would get one too! Nikon released the Z9 first because if the 2 had been released together no one would have bought the Z9. Why hold that heavy brick when the Z8 does exactly the same and is cheaper?
Thanks for the great review. Yes indeed - I’ll be ordering one. I have been cranky for a while, about Nikon’s big glass production taking so long. I have just received a 400/2.9tc after a 1 year 8 month wait. I was also able to pick up an 800 used a couple of months ago. So the Z8 will make a good 2nd body and the savings of a pound will be appreciated. I did add a Sony platform to my kit whilst waiting for Nikon to deliver the goods needed for wildlife/birding. So, now I can compare the A1/A7rV - 400, 600, 200-600 to the Nikon versions. There are things I prefer with the Nikon around usability and color science - and the tc is very handy indeed - but the Sony is. Bit better at AF - including speed, accuracy, and locking on the bird’s eye in a complicated scene. I’m convinced Nikon has the hardware to close the gap and perhaps beat Sony’s A1. It’s just a matter of s/w now and the good news is that can happen with a firmware release. It should be an interesting competition between the brands. Please keep up the reporting on the Z8 and all things Nikon!
The moment many of us has been waiting and looking forward to…and…finally it looks like I can now move with confidence from my workhorse D850 to my new Z8, exciting times ahead and thank as always Matt.
Your video's are excellent Matt. You are the first place i looked this morning after i woke up in California. You remain such a huge voice of reason. I was waiting for the details before i ordered a Z9, now its tough to justify with the Z8 filling all my wants. So $1500 can go to glass.
Great to see your enthusiastic first look at the Z8 Matt, I thought you would have had one for a while! I am excited about it ,I have been waiting for a few years for my next camera to go along with my Z7 and this certainly looks like it, the Z7II was not enough of a step up for me but this one certainly looks like it, one thing I am wondering about is except for the front magnesium plate they are apparently using a new synthetic material in the body so hopefully that will stand the test of time, I will more than likely be preordering one soon, looking forward to more on this for sure!
@@steventhomas231I don't think it really matters. AF alone does not define the system (well unless it's really bad wich is not the case and never has been). I can only guess why Fro is so obsessed with it
What a camera, perfect for me, always wanted a smaller Z9. Too bad that the 23rd I'm going to travel for 3 months and I believe they start shipping it the 25th in Europe...! Would have been the perfect travel companion.
Thank you for the comprehensive coverage on this despite it being very similar to the Z9 and for breaking it up in chapters. Looking forward to the live session.
J'aime la nouvelle forme de ce boitier, il est très beau. J'espère que les futurs boitiers Z5 II Z6 III et Z7 III auront la même esthétique en plus petit et plus léger. I like the new shape of this case, it is very beautiful. I hope that the future Z5 II Z6 III and Z7 III cases will have the same aesthetics in smaller and lighter.
Hi Matt. Thanks, as always. Exciting times to be a Nikon shooter. I have pre-ordered my Z8. Will be my second body to go along with my Z9. Looking forward to your more in depth review.
Hey Matt, what a stonker! A great companion to my Z9 at last. My need for two Z9 bodies has now evaporated and I’m going to order one shortly. Keep up the brilliant work 👏🏼👏🏼
Many thanks Aussie Matt the great (8) Zed ! I wait until next year never buy in the first year and still on Kiddo in the last year on University Priceless .Many thanks Matt .
Great review Matt! I have a Z6 and wanted to upgrade but the Z9 was too big. I preordered as soon it was announced this morning. I wish it had GPS but I lived without it on the 6 so it's not a big deal.
Don’t think I’ll buy one. I’m just an enthusiast, still loving my Z6. If there ever is a Z6 I would almost certainly buy one. That said, this mini Z9 is quite an accomplishment. There will undoubtedly be plenty of pros shooting a Z9 with a Z8 backup. Nikon is looking very competitive now. And the glass is amazing.
The fact that it has a dedicated PD usb-c port, that indicates it supports fast charging. Best feature I’ve notice so far. Think of it this way, why carry or buy extra batteries when you can charge your camera 50% in 20 minutes.
Well, I preordered my Z8 the day they announced it from my local camera store... I received a call today that mine will be in the store after 2:00 pm on the 25th... I have to say I am a bit excited about it...
Great preview Matt, your excitement is palpable! :) I have to say, my wishlist for what the Z8 would embody has had every item checked off here and one I didn't really expect...the additional USB port for power. And the price...I had a feeling that Nikon would lay down a new price/performance statement and darn if they didn't. Ordered one from NikonUSA as soon as it opened up this morning...and given the sluggishness of the checkout page, I was not alone! :) I've had my Z9 for over a year and love it, but I've been suffering through the withdrawals of having a second body as I had with a D850/D500 combo for a number of years. Thanks Nikon!
I was stuck in a meeting at work when the camera was announced. At 8:15 am I was rushing back to my office, quickly reviewed the specs and ordered one at 8:18. My Nikon digital cameras are as follows - Coolpix 990 in 2000, D200 in 2006, D800 in 2012, Z6ii in 2022, and now the Z8. I have been purchasing a lot of the Z lenses during the past year. Hope mine gets shipped close to the May 25th time frame. I have a vacation planned for late May / early June. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the videos Matt. Cheers! Kirk in the USA.
Matt, thanks as always for your efforts have been bouncing around all day from either watching livestreams and videos to being on a livestream, think I'm getting tired. Great job as always and I think Nikon is in a better situation to fulfill orders as well.
You recommended waiting for the Z8 (at the time no one was sure what it was actually going to be.) Having purchased a D850 six (6) months before Nikon announced its first mirrorless, you suggested patience in upgrading right away. You said to let the technology finess, etc. So, I did and I have to thank you for your advise. I have a great D850 and I love it and may not sell it...but I have already ordered the Z8 and I can't wait to experience mirrorless. I'm sure it will be different and take time getting used to, but I am soooo ready. Thanks again for your enthusiasm for Nikon!
I’m super excited Matt - I pre-ordered direct from Nikon yesterday 🥳👏🏻 I really put a lot of thought into deciding between the Z8 and the Z9 over the last few months. The Z8 is a perfect match for me right now. And I can always grab a Z9 down the line too. My Z6II will stay so I’ll finally have two capable bodies 😎📷📷
Mine is on order ! To me this is perhaps the most appropriate Nikon for me at the moment, as a Z6ii user I need improved AF options. The Z9 is a monster - far too large to carry around all day, so a none starter for me. The more compact size and weight plus AF are most important features for me (along with good low light performance and compact gear). If the Z6 had the Z8 AF that would be ideal, but guess that may be a long way off if at all. The main omission is GPS
USB-C connector - For a couple years we see it being used in computers as alternative connector for monitors/displays. Next to HDMI and DisplayPort. Unfortunately HDMI drops the bottom and top values in a 256 bits colour channel, DisplayPort does not. In that sense, the USB-C port might do a better job. If it can do that in a Z 8 will depend on firmware that must be able physically and logically to shift the LiveView bits to this connector.
Hi Matt, my Z8 is on order. It's going to be shipped to me from Vistek in Toronto by the end of the month. I also have the Z 400mm f4.5 S lens on order. It's been on back order for a few weeks and there still isn't an ETA. I look forward to being back in Australia in November. Perhaps we will visit Melbourne? We will be in Noosa and Sydney sight seeing as usual.
