Is it Nikon?
Nikon also entered the mirrorless market with Canon in 2018. Nikon released the Z6 and Z7, which are both excellent cameras. Nikon has recently updated both models with Mark II versions that have slight improvements over the first models.
Nikon is on the verge of released the Z9, which should be a top camera on the market (although more geared towards sports/wildlife shooters). But, a high resolution Z camera is also on the way.
Nikon simply makes great cameras, they really do. If you’re a landscape shooter, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better system – for wildlife? Harder to say.
Pros
- Excellent image quality – The Z7 and Z7 II have incredible image quality. The dynamic range, noise handling, color quality, and detail are perhaps industry leading. Although Canon’s colors are excellent, many professionals will tell you Nikon has the best files.
- The best ergonomics – in my opinion, the Z series ergonomics are the best, with Canon right there. The Z bodies just handle incredibly well. They feel great in the hands and many settings can be easily changed in a logical manner (i.e. dials and buttons just feel natural to use).
- Price – The Z series offers great pricing. Although the Z series pro lenses are expensive, you can get a Z6 or a Z7 at a great price. Less than that of a a7R IV or a R5/R6. Nikon’s pricing on cameras is great.
Cons
- Lenses – this is a huge bummer for Nikon right now. They just don’t have the native lens selection and it’s causing users to switch. For instance, Nikon has no good telephoto option right now beyond 200mm. Sony has many. Canon even has the 100-500mm and a 70-300mm. Nikon is not supposed to release a new lens until 2022 at this point as well…
- Autofocus – Nikon has fallen behind with the AF system on their mirrorless line. It is great, it just isn’t at the level of Sony and Canon. If you’re shooting static landscapes, that doesn’t really matter, but birds in flight and fast-moving wildlife is a whole other story. Look for the Z9 to take a major leap in AF capabilities though.
- Video – video doesn’t matter to a ton of people, but fact is that mirrorless cameras are actually excellent hybrid cameras. We’ve seen Sony and Canon make cameras that can excel with stills and video. The Nikon downside is the inability for Z cameras to record 4:2:2 10-bit internally. Sony and Canon cameras can do that. The Z series is also pretty limited by frame rates, where the R5 can do 4K120. To unlock the video capabilities of the Z series you really need an external recorder.