The D6 is still my choice, although I did add an Z7 II and grip and the new Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S! For me the D6 still is my favorite camera, but I’m a photojournalist first and a wildlife photographer second, or mainly it’s a passion/hobby. Anyways, thanks for another great video Steve, I agree if you’re already with one brand or system you should stick with it. I switched a few times between Nikon and Canon over the years and lost a lot of money…chasing small advantages here or there. Nikon has also won for me over the years, if only slightly, I too prefer Nikon due to the glass. My main lens is the Nikon 500mm f/4E VR FL. It’s lightweight and I can handhold it, it’s incredibly sharp and takes the TC-14E III like a champ. Giving me an excellent 700mm f/5.6 that retains fast AF and excellent IQ. One tiny aspect you overlooked… (in my opinion) is price! The Sony A1 costs about $1500-$2400 more than the Z9 when you compare the cost of adding the Sony vertical grip, second battery and the two pricey CFexpress Type A cards. Whereas for a lot less money the Z9 comes with built in grip and the cards are cheaper. Although as you said the A1 technically has an advantage in that or can go without the grip, giving you a smaller/lighter option. But either way you slice it, the Z9 is at least $1,200 or so more than the Z9. That’s enough to get a nice lens or really nice tripod setup, whatever, you know? So price should have been a consideration in my mind. Either way I think this is by far the best comparison between the two. Built in teleconverter’s really are a game changer, I’ll agree with you there. While I don’t covet a new 500mm f/4, I do wish my lens had a built in TC. So my only question that remained unanswered here in the video…is, are you now exclusively shooting Z9/A1 alone or with a secondary body option? For me I’d definitely be using a Z9 and D6 in tandem, as the D6 absolutely has an high ISO advantage! So do you still use your D6 ever, when the light gets bad? I know you had or have a Sony A9 II, so I wondered what you’re doing when you get up into the 6400 range? Thanks again!

First of all just an amazing video… Your pictures are just an inspiration for me… Thanks a million for sharing them… Z9… Have been a Nikon shooter since the beginning… When I moved into the mirror less world I sold all my f mount glass and got Z glass… It was like buying a new system… I think it was a sort of brand loyalty that kept me with Nikon… For me it wasn’t between Nikon and Sony but Nikon and canon… Got the Z6 initially… I wasn’t a wildlife shooter before… have started since I got my z9 (after selling my z6)… Started with the 200-500… sold it after a year and now have the 400 4.5 (so light weight and sharp)… Was confused between the 800pf or the new 600 f4… have put in my order for the 600 f4 TC after watching your video on it… I personally agree with you… The new Z glass is just very nice… Sort of game changing… the lightness of the 400 and the TC for the 600… really nice…

I've been a Nikon shooter for decades and decided to stick with Nikon. My chance to switch was before I bought my first Z-mount body. The FTZ adapter kept me in the system. In retrospect, the Sony system mount is open to all the mirrorless glass being introduced by Sigma and Tamron on which I used a lot. The Nikon system is basically closed to this innovative glass. Oops (I didn't know.)

@@mzeeshanch Congratulations and I hope your new 600mm will ship sooner than later. When I bought my 500mm f/4E VR FL…I actually had intended to buy the 180-400FL. Except Nikon NPS and even big stores like B&H didn’t have any at the time. The 500mm was my second choice, but now that I’ve had it and I’ve been shooting with it…I’m absolutely in love. It’s actually better IQ wise than my 400mm f/2.8E FL was. The weight savings was shocking at first, I mean so was the 400FL compared to my old 400mm f/2.8G VR. At first the 400FL was great and the loss of weight was noticeable, however it wasn’t quite hand-holdable. Whereas my 500FL is absolutely hand-hold-able! I actually sold my $2,700 tripod setup, and I rarely use my ($900) monopod. I pretty much just sling my D6 and 500FL or Z7 II with 500mm over my shoulder. I actually covered an “Air Show” in Huntington Beach, California a few months ago and I hand-held my 500FL for hours. Sure I was absolutely sore the next day, but I got a lot of shots that others missed due to fumbling with tripod/monopod setup’s! The ability to hand hold a lens, especially with 4-6 stops of VR…is amazing! The only time I even bring my monopod along these days…is if I’m going to be stationary for awhile. Like during an MLB game or other sports event. For covering breaking news…I’m now using pretty much just a D6 and Z7 II combo. I always used to use two D5’s or two D6’s…however Nikon has no great lens for a “do it all in one” setup. Whereas with my Z7 II and 24-120mm f/4 S…I can cover almost anything. I can DX crop (Z7 II) and get a similar FOV to my 70-200mm. I used to typically use my D6 on my long lens and a second body with either my 24-70mm VR or 70-200mm FL, sometimes I’d actually have all three. I have a D500 backup and so for certain situations I do use three bodies. However since I got the Z7 II and new 24-120mm f/4 S…I now just use two bodies. This allowed me to save a lot of weight and I’m so confident and satisfied with this combo that I sold my 24-70mm and I may eventually sell my 70-200mm! The only downside is now I only have two F-mount lenses and I can’t put the amazing Z-mount 24-120mm on my D6. But outside of that obvious limitation…I’m extremely happy with my setup. I do hope though that Nikon gives people like me a true “replacement” for the D6. Either a 20/21mp sensor or 24mp BSI sensor that does 30/40/120fps, etc., etc.! I actually sold my Z9 for a profit (I got one early on) and I’m so glad I did, I was not happy with how noisy the Z9 files were. I shoot in near complete darkness at times and so the D5/D6 absolutely have an advantage…at high ISO. I know there are ways to lessen the noise, I use Topaz DeNoise A.I., but it’s not the same. Anyways I’m not trying to put the Z9 down and for most people it’s absolutely the better choice. However since I’m a a photojournalist…the D6 is still king, especially in low light! Plus the D6’s autofocus is maybe even better than the Z9’s! I know there have been major updates since I’ve last used the Z9, but I definitely felt the Z9 cost me shots, I’d have otherwise made. It probably also helped me get a shot, or two which the D6 maybe would’ve missed. However the D6 just felt a tad more “sticky” and tracks amazingly fast. I shot an US Air Force F-35 Lightening coming head onto towards me at 750+ mph, breaking the sound barrier and the D6 didn’t miss a shot. The guy next to me with a new Z9 and 400mm f/4.5 S missed a bunch of shots as the jet got closer or was filling the frame more. You’d think the Z9 would do better in that situation since it has so much more AF points and a wider AF coverage, but nope. The D6 did an phenomenal job at the Air Show, I don’t remember missing any key shots if any at all, but aircraft are pretty big/easy targets…so there’s that. However my buddy next to me did miss some key shots or opportunities and also his Z9 locked up like Steve talked about. Powering down the camera and removing and replacing the battery fixed it, but that’s not great. I haven’t had a Nikon camera lock up or freeze on me since like 2015, when my D4s occasionally would. One last important aspect of the D6 is it takes the WT-6A, an accessory vital to what I do. The built in wireless on the D6 and Z9 is not bad, it works (usually) but it’s range is limited and it’s just not 100% reliable. The D6 with WT-6A transmitter is not only 100% reliable but it also has an 650ft range, vs. like 30th on the Z9? I’ve actually been using both this WT-6A and before that WT-5A’s since 2013 and I’ve only ever once had an issue. The Nikon (WT-6A) wireless adapter is absolutely amazing, it’s well built and takes abuse and just always works. Being a photojournalist, it’s freeing to be able to transmit from anywhere and get my shots in before the competition. The D6 and WT-6A allow me to do this and it’s one less worry or hassle. Plus when everyone else is stuck in one spot while tethered with Ethernet cords…I’m mobile!

a1 due to 3rd party lens options!

Thanks so much!

Not to mention expensive!

You win. I have only been shooting with Nikon since 1976.

Thanks so much!

I had d500 and used also 200-500 and I cannot really pick one major thing that would be bad about the setup. Not much more to dream about, realistically :)

D500 + Nikkor 200-500mm is still a really nice team for wildlife!

I shot that same unbeatable combination at raptors for years. Absolutely love my D500 (and the 200-500 - at it's price every Nikon shooter should have one). Just realized my dream of the 500mm PF lens (thanks to covid), and I love it too. The weight and length differences are major. I will probably go mirrorless someday just to get the 800mm PF, the 500mm is that great. Anyhow, kudos to you - I know you're getting great shots with that combo. I did.

@@_systemd The 200-500 is not weather sealed.

to me there is no replacement yet to the combo you have and that's the best one .,hold on to it forever,,for video purpose I moved on to other for video purpose but that D500 or D850 is way beyond anything when int comes to wildlife and sports ,,just search that combo in any picture sites like FLIKR

Thanks so much!

Electronic for both - I honestly forget the a1 has a mechanical shutter I use it so infrequently.

I loved my D6, but ended up selling it after really only taking on a couple of trips. Tech moved on too fast :)

Thanks for the purchase!

Thanks so much!

Thanks so much!

It does indeed. I am using F glass on my Z9.

In the US maybe, not necessarily true in the rest of the world.

that's wrong... z9 owners need that giant battery because the camera is so inefficient, but most a1 owners do not use a grip... z9 costs add up, for instance a back-up battery for the z9 is $200, vs. $78 for sony; you can't get an f/2.8 z supertelephoto prime without the integrated tc, so it's $2500 more than sony every time, etc.

@@DragRacingTV Sony fanboy wisdom? I never heard in any review that the Z9 is very innefficient and you obviously didn't watched the video from Steve Perry where he was measuring the battery lifetime. Watch Gerald Undone he was measuring video recording time with the battery, too. There is no evidence for your nonsense.

@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas steve perry just proved how inefficient the z9 is, the a1 with two batteries lasted far longer... hilarious, but typical nikon fanboy reaction.

@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas the z9 looks good in cipa ratings because its giant battery is over 2x the capacity/size/weight of the a1 battery... since both are lithium-ion, both have similar charge densities... watt-hours is the true measurement of battery capacity; amp-hours is the runtime, it does not account for the differences in voltage: z9 with en-el18d: 36 watt-hours, 10.8v, 700/740 a1 with np-fz100: 16.4 watt-hours, 7.2v, 430/530 a1 with two np-fz100: 32.8 watt-hours, 7.2v, 860/1060 the real ratings are slightly higher than that, because two sony batteries added together is still short of the 36 watt-hours rating of the nikon battery.

I too like the option for using the grip or not. There are times the small body is the better choice :)

It's changed the game for me. Although I love both systems, I find myself getting aggravated when I'm using the Sony gear and am in a situation that requires frequent TC changes.

LOL, that post sounds just like one of my rants about the banks!! I agree, because they don't save your baselines, I don't use them at all.

My current camera does keep saved settings in the banks, which is a hindrance in a way, as for example despite the amount of light that moment etc, my quick or my slow bank remembers their value that is often not appropriate and needs to be adjusted upon every switch or a bank. On the contrary the banks of d500, that I preferred to consider "virtual cameras", where always adjusted perfectly to current conditions and shooting once I modified them for the first time or continuosly while shooting, by adjusting the needed setting for that situation. Then I would just switch between them fluently. For me it worked great exactly due to not hard saving settings and I would think that that was the reason why there were there. Not to store settings but to allow for the quickest adaptation to a shooting scenario.

Thanks so much!

Sounds fair :)

It was close for sure, but if I was going on a once-in-a-lifetime shoot, I just know I'd take that 600 TC. It's all about the system. :)

I don't think there's a bad choice and the Sony system has advantages for what you're doing, no doubt about it.

You and me both!

56?? That's a lot of glass!

@@backcountrygallery I started my photo journey with a Pentax K1000 in 1974 I was 14. After two years with the camera My eyes went to Nikon. Got the F-2 A, what a camera thats when I started collecting Nikkor glasses, and also many other Nikon camera models. In 1998 When Canon launched the EOS autofocus system it really got my attention. Too bad that Nikon did not follow up with Canon. I went to Photokina 1998 and man what a surprise! Canon launching the EOS 3 with 45 autofocus sensor with eye activation! I was in awe when I saw that. Poor Nikon they had just launched the Nikon F-5 with 5 autofocus sensor and the squicky electric motors on the lens. Canon had patented the USM motors what a huge difference! I new I was going to switch to Canon systems and I did. After several years later I started to see that Canon sensors compared to Nikon were not as good. When Nikon launched the D3 it kept me thinking about switching back to Nikon. Nikon D4 wonderful when they launched the D5 together with the D500 I rented both to try and I was sure I was going to go back to Nikon and I did. Nikon D500 won the race. still with my "old" glasses and now buying the "new" ones. When Nikon lauched the Z6 with all the splash they made I got one and I was really frustrated to see that the autofocus system was not even near the D500. Oh well, I was happy with the D500 for BIF and purchased many other DSLR models as well. Still waiting for a decent autofocus body the Z9 was not there yet until the firmware 3.01. Man when I saw that I then new was time to pull the trigger. So all these years, I never sold my Nikkor glasses. I have the many Ai-S and VRs and the FLs. Like I said. Nikon has made so many awesome glasses. They really innovate when they want. Problem is they have to loose a lot to step down from their proud altar. LOL. Pentax was once the king as well. Look what happened. They have invested hard on new lenses and the Pro model LX remember? Right before Canon came up with the EOS USM technology. Olympus the same thing. Too bad Pentax and Olympus did not pay attention to what just happened to the auto-focus photography world. Man! Canon took over like a tornado! Gone Pentax, Gone Olympus, Gone Minolta (started first on auto-focus) Nikon had to pay Canon patent to make their own silent motors! otherwise they would also gone bankrupt! But they took too long to innovate. I am actually very happy that they flip the table after loosing so much. I thought they were going to bankrupt after the Z6/Z7 gimmick. So happy that they are now up on their feet and doing well. Any ways I wrote a lot! LOL happy shooting Steve! Thanks for your reply : )

Thanks so much!