Hi William - welcome to Nikon Mirrorless! I switched early - bought a Z6 just to play around with, but found that within 6 months it had fully replaced my D750 (a great DSLR as well). Since then, Nikon mirrorless has really imporoved and now with the Z8/9 it has arrived. I shoot most my pro stuff with the Z8 and most my for fun/travel stuff with the Zf (which is a beast in its own right). Thanks for making this video - now is the time for all the fence sitters to make the move. The Z8 is a true replacement to the D850 - it is better in almost every way, and where it is not better (strictly speaking - like IQ) it is on par. All Nikon DSLR shooters should now transition to Nikon mirrorless: If Z8 is too expensive then Z6III (to be released very soon) will be at the right price point. With the FTZ adaptor you will be able to use all of your F Mount lenses and your G and E F mount lenses are literally better on the Z system than they every were for DSLR - they now get 3 axis IBIS and focus points across the frame - not to mention subject detection. I still regularly use my 105 1.4E lens, 28mm 1.4E and 58mm 1.4G lenses on my Z8 and they are better and more accurate than they ever were on the DSLR's. The Z mount lenses are also second to none in the market. The Z mount allows for the theoretical adaptation of lenses from any system. Currently there exists adaptors that adapt Sony E, Canon EF, Fuji X, Leica M to Nikon Z with native to near native functionality - so its also time for those from other systems to make the switch to Nikon as you can use your current lenses from all these systems - I'm. sure we will see an RF to Z adaptor soon - especially now that Nikon owns RED. Nikon is truly at the forefront of the industry - they only lack the marketing engines of the others and as such most in the general market still think that Sony's and Canon's are better- a brief list of why this is not the case follows - Nikon has superior: 1) Build quality 2) Ergonomics 3) RAW files 4) Mount (shortest flange in the business 16mm and largest throat diameter 55mm) - this allows for the best lens designs (look up angle of incidence as it relates to optics - also allows for the adaptation of all other lenses. 5) Cutting edge video - Z8 does up to 8k 60 in RAW - something that is not done to this day as well for the others and this camera is well over a year old 6) Best native lenses - other makers do not compare with Nikon's telephoto Z line-up for example. Other lenses that are unmatched are Nikon's Z 24-120 f/4, and of course 135mm 1.8 Plena that has optical characteristics that other manufacturers cannot match due to the physics of the mount. 7) New RAW compression algorithms that make large files much smaller with virtually no loss of IQ The list could go on, but you get the idea... If you should Nikon DLSR - as William points out - it is now time to move to mirrorless - this is undeniable. I'll go a further - if you left Nikon for Sony in the last 5-8 years, its now time to come back to Nikon, and finally no matter what you shoot, Nikon is the best hybrid system for FF period - come try it and you won't go back. -PD

Congratulations on getting your Z8. I also loved my D850, and I wholeheartedly agree with your stated reasons to switch from the D850 to the Z8. There are two or three other reasons to make the switch, one that you alluded to: 1. You mentioned missing the "thunk" of the D850 versus the quietness of the Z8. Actually, that's one of the primary reasons I made the switch. I shoot thousands of frames at conformation dog shows and used my D850 with the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack which increases the D850 frame rate to about 9fps from the camera body only 7fps. It was fun when people noticed the Gattling Gun explosive thunks from the D850, but less fun when the occasional dog would get freaked out by the sound. 2. When shooting movement, the 9fps of the D850-with-battery-grip is pretty good, but the 20fps of the Z8 is much better at getting the perfect motion capture. In fact, I usually dial it down to 15fps and get great results. And, 3. Personally, I like the Z lenses much more than the old F mount lenses. To me, that alone makes the switch worthwhile. I recognize that some may prefer the "character" of the F-mount lenses, but the Z lenses are exceedingly sharp, and I like it that way. A little tweaking of RAW files in post (I use "Neutral" Picture Control".) and I have the character I prefer. In my view, the Nikon D850 is the best DSLR ever made and can create beautiful images, but I have no regrets for making the switch to the Z8.

Nice video. I came to the same conclusion recently after dipping my toes in mirrorless. Finally sold my 850 and moved on. No regrets.

Spot on analysis! Excellent production!

I picked up the habit of having the camera off all the time untill I'm going to shoot too from my DSLR days. It's a very good habit to have, never had a battery life issue. Most everyone else in a group battery dies on a photo walk and i'm still at 4 bars.

Thank for this very sympathetic and authentic video.

Great video , I always hear people bring up that talking point about battery life and it’s only because people can’t find a single other thing to say about it in a negative way . I’m like you coming from different Nikon dslr I too always learned to turn off my camera even if it’s for 5 minutes and I rarely need to use a second battery . It’s a beautiful professional camera and if you know what you’re doing you can take breathtaking photos with it.

I am conflicted. Been a Nikon DSLR owner in my professional career for 20 + years. I own a D4 and a D5 and love them and they are work horses. The Z8 is really tempting but not sure if I can move on to it just yet.

I just switched from D850 to Z8 3 weeks ago and it is soo much better.. love it so far and in built image stabilisation is the bonus we didn't have on the 850.

As to the menu system, my simple approach is to go into the on-line reference guide and copy the entire menu list with default values from there, and with a few smart operations get that into a spreadsheet. Here I go through the entire list and determine my "deviations" (from default). Mark these next to the defaults and when the entire list is done, I set these in the camera, going top-down through the list. Now I export the menu settings to card and can distribute these settings to the other cameras.

I have a Z8 and a Z9 as my wife and I both shoot A LOT, so how is it no one mentions the IBIS image stabilisation as a HUGE difference over the Nikon DSLRs? My D850 was gifted to a relative who loves it, but my biggest takeaway with the Z8/9 was the ability to shoot slow shutter speeds with great results. Was blown away when I shot photos at night, on a moving boat, under the Sydney Harbour bridge and got tack sharp images that were 1/15th hand held at 16,000 ISO. Removed noise with Topaz and my happy snap of the bridge and Opera House became Iconic. Z glass is exceptional and the amount of fails shrunk significantly with the Z cameras. Rarely miss focus, rarely have lens blur. The Z8 battery does let it down a bit as a full day shoot needs 2 batteries minimum, unless you avoid reviewing images, which I can't.

Great video. The photos you took look like being there in real life. That’s hard to do. Thanks for the video.

I love the customizability!!!

I have a D850 since it came out in 2017 . When the z6-7 came out I decided to wait until the Z8 and I’m extremely happy with it but I’ll be keeping the D850 for many reasons including the ability to digitise color positive -negative and b&w negative all in camera. Also I hear the valuation that some friends have to trade in their cameras that made me decide to keep mine. Thanks for the nice video…

I love my z8. One thing you didn't mention is that there's no screen blackout in burst mode. That's one of the main reasons why I bought one. It's hard to track moving subjects when you can't see them. A lot of people are buying red dots (like you put on a gun) in the hot shoe and using that to aim with. The stacked sensor makes this possible. I think that's why a lot of DSLR people held off on switching to mirrorless. That and the focus tracking. The z8 takes care of both needs. The auto focus for video on the d850 is horrible from what I understand. I love my z6 II as well but it has some limitations. It's better for stills than action. I've never used the video on it. The Nikon 70-200mm is nearly half the weight of my f mount Sigma sport. It's the only f mount lens I have left and I plan to replace at some point. I bought the 24-70mm at Christmas when I bought the z8. It's an incredible lens. Most of the z lenses are sharper corner to corner. There's little to no chromatic aberration or focus breathing. Some of the z lenses are about as sharp at f/2.8 as some of the f mount lenses are stopped down to their sharpest aperture. There's more benefits to going mirrorless than staying with a DSLR. It really comes down to your budget and if you're happy with what you currently own.

Fantastic tube, thank you!

great analysis of Z8

Would love to see a video about using your older lenses with the Z8

I’m waiting for my Z8 to arrive. I’m a sony shooter and plan to test the megadap pro adapter with my g-masters and maybe get the tamron 35-150 native z 2-2.8. I wonder what autofocus mode to use since i’ve heard there are so many options. i shoot mostly models

Sold my D800. My Z8 is arriving this week. Can’t wait.

First off, your Z30 footage looks really good. Are you using your own profile or one out of the camera. Really nice shots also.

Had opportunity to try Z8. Was not impressed with ergonomics. Saw they took out lots of buttons - didn't liked that. Saw Z lens - got digital screen instead analog - didn't like that either. Have tried panning with Z8 and saw ghosting. Decided to go for D850. Clients love the big bulky things that go CLICK. That way they feel they paid for something good. If you take out camera and there is no sound, client will start to think if he could do the same job with the iphone.

Thank you for the great video! Question to other recent Z8 users. I'm planning to get a Z8 (currently have a D5500). So, yes, a major upgrade. The price is a shocker and I plan to do some birding stuff and the prime 400mm or 600mm lenses look amazing, but their prices are a shocker too! I guess, I have to just bite the bullet and splurge on these? I love photography! What are your favorite Z lenses? Thank you all.

I have a d850, d610, d500. I previously owned a d5 and d750. I went digital early, with the z6. If I am shooting people, I prefer the z6 over any other. The auto focus is miles better, and the in-camera stabilization is also a key difference maker. Going forward, I am very interested in the z8 but won't make a final decision until I see what the expected z6III brings.

Long-time D800 shooter here, dipped my toes into mirrorless with the Z5 since I only shoot professionally part-time. I did a few side by side tests of the D800's 36-megapixel NEFs with the Z5's 24-megapixel NEFs using identical focal lengths (AF-S Nikkor 85/1.8G and Z Nikkor 85/1.8S respectively) and was blown away by the sharpness and lack of chromatic aberration on the Z5 NEFs. I believe, as other commenters have mentioned, the Z lenses are likely the major contributor to the superior optical results.

Almost all Nikon DSLR screen (liveview) autofocus system is contrast detection systems which are too slow in comparison with phase detection.

Hi William : Do you think the dynamic range of the Nikon Z8 is as good as by the D850 ..? What about aspect ratio : there is no 3x4 or 4x5 at all ..? Thank you so much . Regards.

I bought the Z9 when it first came out, previously shooting the D850 with the battery grip. The D850 with the battery grip is one fantastic tool. In short, the Z9 is a D850 on steroids. This would also apply to the Z8 compared to the D850. In regards to image quality, both are the same, with the D850 edging it slightly in dynamic range. By the way, I still have the D850 and still use it from time to time. Not planning to get rid of it anytime soon.

Great video, and good food for thought for me as a D850 owner. Only one little remark: I believe that the Z8’s AF is much better than the D850’s. But honestly I shoot quite a lot, also fast moving subjects, and it happens very, very rarely to miss the focus. (Of course I am not talking about the live view mode, where the contrast based AF of the D850 is catastrophic!)

I miss DSLR like I miss vinyl. Not at all. It is great seeing with no problem what the camera sees in darkness. What the last picture looks like without removing my eye from the view finder. Not taking a picture in quite with everyone hearing it. Seeing a lot of information again without removing my eye from the view finder. Being able to take movies without, you know. I'm 75 and I don't miss file.

I left the DSLR world when the Z7 came out ... 6 years ago now? I did not get the Z7 ii because I tried the Z9 and knew they were up to something fun with the Z8 rumors. Bought mine new on day #1 something like 1.5 years ago now and never looked back. Put a grip on it and realized it was bigger than a Z9 at that point, so I often thought about just getting the Z9 , but I like having the option to make it smaller by taking the grip off and putting a small lens on like the 26mm pancake, for taking on hikes, etc. Recently, I tried a D850, as I never had one of those, only had a D750, and compared to my Z8, it felt archaic and slow, especially the AF. The AF control in the Z8 and Z9 are completely stellar and always impressively fast, at everything. I finally sold all my AF-S and F mount lenses and am totally all in with the Z-mount lenses and those too are a step up in being lighter, faster and sharper. It's evolution taking place right before our eyes, folks. You won't regret it.

I concur 100% with your review, then Some...

Great video on the Z8! I agree, the main difference in Quality over the D850 are the new Z Lenses! WOW are they great! Could you do some videos on the Z30? I am thinking of getting one! Thank you.

One way to stretch the battery life is looking at Smallrig who does an official EN-EL15c USB-C Rechargeable Camera Battery which has a bit more power at 2400mAh. Another way is using an usb-c powerbank to drive the camera.

Viewfinder vs back LCD: * With the DSLR, they are completely different: OVF and Live View * With the mirrorless, they are identical outputs to two different size monitors. [Using the LCD more is generally a bad thing, please avoid becoming a Sony shooter with the camera out in the right hand and the left hand in the jeans pocket. The Z8 owner's manual says to use the viewfinder. Ergonomics says to use the viewfinder.] How do you find the menu system different? The systems seem almost the same, with a few additions with each iteration: D800/D810/D850/Z7/Z7II/Z8. With a DSLR, turning it off is less significant. With the mirrorless, it is a big benefit, since the mirrorless camera is a full-time video camera and TV. Do you miss the D850 thunk more from the shutter or the mirror? Where does the Z7/Z7II fall on the satisfaction scale? I agree that the mirrorless cameras motivate video more than the DSLRs. Even without using video AF, being able to use the EVF while recording video is sometimes a win. One of the wins with the Z-mount is lens adaptability. Without getting a Leica camera, being able to put one or two 'special' Leica M-mount lenses on the Z cameras is really cool. Especially when comparing the price of some used Leica lenses with new Z lenses. Yes, operationally, apples and oranges. But for image rendition, the advantage sometimes goes to the older Leica glass. As others have mentioned, in-body stabilization is another big win for the full-frame Z cameras.

What lens and picture control settings do you use on the z30 to get the video looking this way? Also, have you noticed that when you compare what you see in live view on the z30 to the image you see in playback, the colors are different?

Mirrorless is the next big thing!!!

Lack of mirror and shutter makes this camera (and Z9) much sharper than any Nikon DSLR, due to no microvibration during the shot.

I think the ZF is the BEST VALUE NO COMPROMISE camera there is today...the Z8 is still rather expensive to most, granted it is made for Pros but they could've just easily omitted some features to cut cost.

LOL, after years of using solely mirrorless cameras (Fujifilm X) I recently... got back to classic DSLRs (like the fantastic D700) - purely due to more "analogue/traditional" vibe they give me, and it's fun!

Thank you for this video. I agree for the most part, but I will bring my D850 to my grave (and it will probably outlast me)

How about the preview on the viewfinder? The autofocus is amazing. Did you steal that line from Nike. "Just do it"

Hi - does the sensor cover actually keep dust off the sensor

the 850 has a more dynamic range. you can sense it especially if you shoot GFX. the 850 is a lot closer to the GFX than the Z8, or Z9. as far as photos goes the d850 is a beast. Get a D850, Don't look back. if you shoot video, events or birds.. get a z8, z9.

one thing you may not be aware of is that the mirrorless system makes still cameras a thing of the past. It's basically a video camera that allows you to take excellent stills! I'll tell you what I don't understand, is how the Z8 can win "camera of the year" awards, when everyone knows its a cut-down version of the Z9 (my camera). I like the huge battery, extra weight and that bump at the bottom, it makes for easier handling. Welcome to the world of mirrorless (and shutterless).

Ha I learned something new. I didn't know the evf has a high speed mode.

what lens are you using with the z30?

Good video. You covered features important to me. My current camera is a Panasonic DH3 that I’ve had for several years and am looking to replace. Since I was looking for another combo cam, my first choice was the Sony A7CR. Size was pretty good, but I kept finding “warts” - limitations that I could not accept. Next was the Sony A7CR. Much better, but after digging deeper, I found warts there too. Technology was great, but the combination wasn’t fully baked for me. Then I found the Nikon Z8. At first glance, it looked “boring”. But digging further, it looks very well baked - well thought out. Smoothly integrated photo AND video features. Straight-forward features that don’t require a lot of thought to figure out which combo can work together (especially in video). What appears to be different with the Z8 is that the important features for me are all there, well integrated, and work well. I’m still open, but a Z8 and Nikon lenses will be my next camera system.

Is it just me, or is that Z30 in the intro shot focusing on your teeth and not your eyes? Your irises just seem soft by comparison. Feels like another miss of the Nikon Z AF system before the glorious Expeed 7

Sold my D850 1 month after I got my Z9

I got a D750. Used a Z8 in a shop, then picked up a D850 in that same shop. To be honest the D850 felt much more like a "real camera" to me. But the Z8 no doubt is much more capable. I'm just not sure it's for me. I'm not a professional. I mainly do photography when I travel. I went to Costa Rica with my D750 and 3 zoom lenses including the Tamron 100-400. The combined price I paid for that lens and the body (used) is the same as I paid for my iPhone. I kind of like that. However I will say that not all the shots were accurately focused. But as I said, I don't do this professionally, and the Z8 is somewhat bigger and heavier than the D750 as well. I do like the sensor shield, and it's been discounted. But still, it would be a lot to spend on camera gear. And then I also have to think about insuring it. Another thing is that there is no direct replacement of the Tamron 100-400 in Z-mount. I'd probably get the Nikon 100-400, but that's heavier. This is actually steering me somewhat into the direction of a D850 again. Yes, it's even bigger and heavier, but I can mount that lens without an adapter, and get good cropping ability (assuming the lens is sharp enough). And it's much cheaper. But right now I want to wait and see what Nikon will release next. And in the meantime I got Steve Perry's DSLR autofocus book to work through, so that maybe I can improve my hit rate even on my D750.

Got a Z8 and a Z5, I prefer the Z5

I dont think there is any difference in image quality between D850 and Z8 or Z9. For me as the owner of two D850”s there is no reason for upgrade. The main thing is that I don’t want 20fps with 46mpx size of images if I want to use a new AF system for a wildlife. Nikon got a huge gap in Z line up. I would be really happy to see another Z flagship camera with fast AF and fps but with no more than 20mpx or 24mpx. Like a Canon and their R3 or upcoming R1.

Battery life. Geeezzzzzzz, Remember all the film one had to carry and spend money on for one use. One can't carry a couple of extra batteries, oh the horror.

Thanks a lot William. You just cost me a lot of money 😢

While the Z8 is a better camera than the D850, I much prefer the build-quality of the D850, and the design of the D850 body, because unlike Mirrorless cameras high-end DSLRs have beautiful curves and contours; while Mirrorless cameras especially Sony ones have ugly hard edges and are very linear in design; why the hell did Nikon and Cannon conform to these bad design elements for their Mirrorless cameras?; the most beautiful camera designs were high-end DSLRs like the 5D MKIV, and the D850. Lastly the all Magnesium-Alloy body of the D850 was more durable than that of the Z8.

Z8 is good, but EVERYTHING in that system is literally double the price of the old F-mount system.

Not wanting to be critical, you make the case that switching from the D850 to the Z8 was worth it, hold the front page thats a shocker. You dont make the case for someone who doesnt own a shelf full of Nikon glass (like whats in the background of your video) , as to why they would switch to the Z8. Overall best image quality + autofocus prize currently would fall to Sony's Ar5 . Sports /Nature Action would be a split decision between Canon's R3 / Sonys A9III. Best Hybrid would be the Panny's S5IIx. Before the Z mount the F mount glass was the best reason to pick Nikon. Now Z mount not so much. Is there a stand out reason for the unbiased to pick the Z8 ? BTW I've owned the D3, the D750 , 7100 so Im not a Nikon hater

Dont be fooled , the images are no better ! Not only did i keep the d850 i bought a new one in 2024 , its all the camera il ever need . People are conned into think theyre being left behind . Any photographer knows what his shots will look like because the screen shows them ,

FFS “put it through its paces”, really?

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