Nikon Z6 Review (excellent image quality, great FF MILC, ePhotozine)

Nikon Z 6
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Nikon Z6 at a glance:

  • 24.5MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
  • EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine
  • UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
  • 273-Point Phase-Detect AF System
  • Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction
  • 0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics
  • 3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • 12 fps Shooting; ISO 100-51200
  • Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot

ePhotozine completed their comprehensive review of the Nikon Z6.

From the conclusion:

If you don’t need the 45mp of the Nikon Z7 and want the higher continuous shooting speed, as well as better noise performance, then the Nikon Z6  would be a great choice. Image quality is excellent, with great noise performance, and Nikon’s tried and tested colour reproduction.

It’s a shame the battery life isn’t better, and there will be people who will find one memory card slot an issue. There will also be those that prefer SD cards due to the wide support for them (for example, built-in card readers in laptops), but with the purchase of an XQD card reader, this is quite easily resolved.

Focus performance is very good, with a high success rate, thanks to on-sensor phase detection focus points, although the lack of eye detection focus will be disappointing to those who have used it and seen the benefits. Read the review…

Nikon Z6:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon EOS R vs Nikon Z7 vs Sony A7 III Mirrorless Camera Comparison

Canon EOS R
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The Slanted Lens compares the Canon EOS R with the Nikon Z7 with the Sony a7 III.

Dynamic range, tonality, sharpness and detail, high ISO, auto focus, and video in 4K and 1080p modes, they’re all put under scrutiny. There is one camera that apparently fails on a lot of categories. Guess which?

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L Review (Highly Recommended, Optical Limits)

Canon RF Vs EF 50mm F/1.2 EOS R System
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Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L at a glance:

  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
  • One UD Element, One Aspherical Element
  • Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System
  • Customizable Control Ring

Optical Limits (formerly known as photozone.de) reviewed the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L lens for the EOS R system.

From the conclusion:

[…[ it is quite obvious that the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 USM L is an awesome lens … with a similar awe-inspiring price tag. In relation to other lenses in this class, the performance is already superb at f/1.2. Yes, the outer image region is not truly stellar but it’s impressive nonetheless. The image quality is extreme at medium aperture settings – across the image frame that is. Low lateral CAs contribute to the very high image quality perception. Image distortions are generally no issue. Vignetting is though – at least in its uncorrected state. There is some heavy light-falloff at f/1.2 and f/1.6 but to be fair – that’s to be expected. Most users will not (should not?) buy the lens for its sharpness but for its shallow depth-of-field capabilities. While not truly exceptional, the bokeh is very good with a smooth rendition in the focus transition zone. Out-of-focus highlights are nicely rendered in the image center, less so towards the image corners. However, that’s a physical limitation really. We were also very impressed by the very low bokeh fringing. Yes, you may spot some traces at f/1.2 but it’s not really relevant anymore from f/1.6 onward – and that’s a very rare characteristic. Read the review…

Optical Limits gives it a “highly recommended” rating.

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon EOS R Review (Canon quietly innovating, D. Abbott)

Canon Eos R Firmware Update
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Dustin Abbott completed his exhaustive review of the new Canon EOS R.

From the conclusion:

Like most new Canon cameras, the initial reaction for many is to be underwhelmed.  It is sometimes easy to overlook the areas where Canon is quietly innovating (the sensor protecting “shield” and control ring on the RF lenses/adapter are genuinely useful innovations) because of the obvious areas where Canon is lagging (no IBIS, video quirks, lower frame rate, single card slot).  Typically Canon cameras prove to be better cameras than their specs, however, and I do think that will be the case here.  What’s somewhat atypical, however, are the ergonomic fails of the EOS R, as that is typically an area of strength for Canon.  In this case an attempt to be innovative (the touch bar) actually proved to be a fail (at least from my perspective).  If you are using a camera on a regular basis, however, you typically learn ways to get it to do what you want it to do, and Canon has allowed for a higher degree of customization on this camera than is typical for them.  The excellent touchscreen also helps in this regard.  I also think that Canon has implemented the best grip I’ve found in a mirrorless camera yet.

Dustin’s review comes with a huge set of sample photos and all sort of tests and analysis. If you prefer to watch the review, the video below tells you everything Dustin has to say about the EOS R.

Canon EOS R world-wide order links:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF mount lenses world-wide order links:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Oldie But A Goldie: Canon EOS 7D Review (build like a tank and a bargain)

Eos 7d
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Canon EOS 7D at a glance:

  • 18.0 Megapixels
  • 3.0″ LCD
  • HD Video Recording
  • Selectable Video Exposure + Frame Rates
  • Dust & Weather Resistant
  • 100% Viewfinder
  • Self Cleaning Sensor
  • High Sensitivity (ISO 12800)
  • 8fps Burst Mode

Carl Garrard of Photographic Central reviewed the original Canon EOS 7D. The EOS 7D was a revolutionary camera in some sense, and started Canon’s professional APS-C DSLR lineup.

The EOS 7D was released in September 2009, still has a more than respectable specifications sheet. It’s still a camera that’s worth your attention, especially if you consider you can get it for as little as $260. And it’s still the rugged and rock solid camera it has always been. Say’s Carl about the build quality:

[…[ it’s a camera equivalent of a tank. It’s construction is almost 100% magnesium alloy, and feels indestructible and built to last a lifetime. Judging by the huge amount of available second hand 7D’s on the market, it seems this is completely true.

canon eos 7d
The Canon EOS 7D has a magnesium alloy

About the image quality:

So long as you don’t push shadows in the 7D too far, and get your exposure right, it’s capable of some great quality images for the price. I’d say that this is the area where the 7D shows its age most of all, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make excellent images with it.

He concludes:

So overall the Canon 7D offers a great entry into the semi pro camera world, and you can do so without emptying your wallet. In fact, I’d recommend anyone considering getting into photography to go the used camera route first (after doing some reading and homework) before spending a lot of money on a system. These days you just have too many excellent options to choose from, but if Canon is a system you are interested in, the EOS 7D is definitely worth a look.

Read the review…

You can find used EOS 7D bodies at Amazon, eBay, Adorama, B&H Photo and KEH.