Author: Richard

A new named lens from Nikon, the Z mount 135mm f/1.8 Plena. We are promised no vignette and beautiful rendition and transition to the the out of focus areas.

From what I have seen from the preproduction models, that is what we have gotten. A stunning lens, not to big, about the same as the 85mm f/1.2 and yes if your asking, f/1.8 at 135mm is more then fast enough to blow away the background and get impressive subject separation.

That now leaves me with a dilemma; the 85mm or the 135mm first?

So its arrived, the retro full frame Zf. Was it a Z5 or Z6 in a different shell as many were expecting? Certainly not.

This is an all new camera, it has a sensor from a Z6 but reworked, more auto focus points and it has the power from the Z8 and Z9 new Expeed 7 processor. So video and focus that can only be bettered by the Z8/Z9, better stabilisation at a claimed eight stops.

This is a real powerhouse.

I love the quick black and white selector, and the ability to use face and eye detect with manual focus lens is brilliant really making this a great camera with manual lens.

The question to ask is this what the Z6III will be or will that add anything else.

Colour grading can be noticeable but not over the top like in this shot of Jasmine.

Again in this photograph of Helen, I have been quite heavy with the colour grading but it’s still reasonably natural looking. The eye excepts it.

Sometimes its fun to just go crazy.

One can also use tints to match clothes to give a overall colour theme.

Play and have fun; if using destructive editing techniques then work on a copy, or if working non-destructively, like a product like Adobe Lightroom

Nikon has a strong history of iconic manual cameras like the original F and F2, the FM and FM2. I own and use a FM2.

Since the world went autofocus, camera design has evolved to what we have today. Cameras like the Nikon Z9 or Canon R3; amazing cameras that can be highly customised so that every function you personally need can be accessed quickly with the camera still at you eye, so you never need miss a shot.

There is a lot of nostalgia for old style cameras, and certainly for Nikon, the F mount Df was their first step back into their retro heritage. It was basically a Nikon D4 in a retro style body and while never hugely popular it was loved by the few that wanted it.

Fuji have really made the traditional dials and retro look popular, I think Nikon had a surprise success with the new Nikon Zfc. You can see a lot of people using them with the new chipped manual focus Voigtländer glass. It makes a great setup for people wanting to go old school. I see photographers using a Z7/8/9 and the best Nikon Z glass for their professional work and a Zfc when having fun.

Its been rumoured now for over a year that with the success of the Zfc which is a Dx crop format sensor, we will see a full frame version.

It’s likely to happen, but Nikon have some tough choices ahead. Will people pay for a real metal body. Performance wise, keep it cheep with a Z5 sensor and focus, or go higher end, Z7 sensor and the new computing power of the Expeed 7 processor.

Each nice to have drives the price higher. A tough one for Nikon, where do they price this?

Is it any surprise that there is a Leica in my list of cameras I love but do not own. I think the reason I do not have this, is the lens. While I like 28mm for me I would want a 35mm for a general walk around camera like this.

The handling and focusing of this is simply brilliant. Once of the best compact cameras available but it is expensive.

With the release of the Q3 and its 60MP sensor for many gets round the limitations of just having a 28mm lens, cropping to 35 or 50mm still gives you a relatively large file size.

So much to love, build quality, the way you can auto or manually focus so well, just the price against it.