Why Today Z9 Is The GOAT? Nikon's Flagships | Matt Irwin 🐐

#nikon #z9 #goat

With yet another important firmware update the Z9 continues to grow, yet is still the most affordable 35mm FLAGSHIP in the market.
Do you think it's the goat? 🐐
Z8 too?

This is version 5.1 download it here

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00:00 Flagships
00:10 2 z9’s what is better?
00:30 FW 5.1 for Z9
01:20 History of flagships
01:45 F5-Z9 the full brief history
05:00 What did the D850 show Nikon?
05:35 Development announcement for Z9
06:25 D1 and D2x
07:15 Choose the flagship you want
08:20 Z9 / Z8 is the summation of the past
09:45 Flashes in the mirrorless era
11:00 ‘F’ Flagships vs ‘Z’ Flagship
13:00 Z mount gateway to the future
13:50 The summary of the 2 ‘flagships’
14:30 Z9 the eye to the future
16:10 Your turn to comment

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[MattIrwinPhotography]

What's your favourite flagship? Is Z9 the GOAT?

[Abdallah_yusuf]

Nikon's Dynamic range is amazing. I own D850 and still a beast

[robertholloway]

Z9 for nearly 3 years, definitely a flagship, bought the z6 on release, didn’t like it so sold it, on the Z9 announcement bought a Z6ii and the trinity of lenses. Now have Z9 and Z6iii and 9 lenses including 400 4.5, 180-600, 105 macro to mention a few. I’m in my 70s and don’t find the kit to heavy. 11 days in the Scottish Highlands and Mull, a week in the Yorkshire dales and I’m still here. Happy Christmas to you Matt and all your subscribers and viewers.

[jorsetti]

Z9 is definitely the GOAT! But I recently bought a D4S with a low shutter count in mint condition and I love its dynamic range and beautiful rendering. I use Z9 mostly and D4S as a suitable backup for the work I do in jazz clubs. Fun video Matt!

[maxmueller]

I've shot over 7, 000 frames in one night before on my Z9 when a baseball game went to extra innings and still had a lot of battery left over. The camera has been astounding to use

[peterrussell]

Well Matt, as a photographer who is old enough to have bought a new Nikon F at the start of my career, and progressed through all the F series apart from the F3 which I hated and the F6 which came too late in my change to digital, I agree with your assessment of the Z9 and whatever comes next. I bought a Z9 as a backup to my Z9 as nothing else really came close! I’ve got a couple of Z6 bodies still which are on stand by, or there to lend to others, but Nikon mirrorless revolutionised my photography, my approach to photography and what I found that I could achieve that earlier D series could never offer me. If one is working on the technological limits for much of the time, even a small update can make a huge difference; certainly the latest firmware hits the spot for video users. The older I get the younger I feel!

[GaryKFroehlich-jhmm]

Amen, and very well said! In my opinion the Z9 is the flagship of all flagships—and I’ve owned and used most of them extensively. My first flagship camera (after switching to Nikon) was the F2, followed by multiples of the F3, F4, and F5. Switched to digital in 2005, owning and using multiple copies (and all of the variants) of the D2, D3, and D5 (as well as the D200, D300, D500, D810, and D850). Went all-in on mirrorless after getting my first Z9, and really haven’t looked back since. Hands down the best cameras I’ve ever owned—the flagship of all flagships!

[genegao]

As an amateur, after I got my Z8, I was seriously thinking about selling my Z9. But every time I picked it up, I was amazed by its build quality which sets it apart from Z8. IMHO, Z9 deserves a spot in every photographers' collection forever.

[AMGOSUK]

Good job Matt - Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

[cynvs]

You of course talked about the Z-Lenses being superior to the old F Glass, but I think many people really don't seem to realize what a big jump that is.
Even the somewhat ghetto Z 35 f/1.4 is significantly sharper, and shows less chromatic aberrations wide open, than the expensive 35 f/1.4G for f-mount.

[dct]

The D6 is still worth buying if you need a very low light camera, mechanical shutter, warranty and prefer an Optical View finder over an EVF. Definitely the best DSLR ever made if you understand exactly what you're getting. D850 is a close 2nd, and the Canon 1Dx III 3rd imo.

If Nikon is to 1up the D6, and Z9 they'll need to get its ISO up to 51k and 102k even if they need to engineer ai denoiser in camera Raw files above ISO 6400. They could also just give it 4x base ISO. 800, 1600, 6400, 12, 800. Reduce the rolling shutter further.

Who am I 😅 I'm not buying one. Too chunky. I'd prefer a pro APS-C Z body with at least 32mp and a medium image size of 16mp and small 10mp.

[ian-nz-]

The F4 was a genuine game changer! For someone roughing it around African game parks the contrast with an F3+drive as night and day. The advanced metering alone saved me a ton of film (no more bracketing!), the built in drive saved size a weight and was faster. I traded in a load of older gear to afford one the day it was released and I have never regretted it.

[cohoonatube]

Great history overview, thanks Matt! Having started on the EOS 650 (darkroom days), I actually went through a depression when digital hit. Finally bought a D200 to enter the DSLR days added a D5600 and ran into a similar dilemma when MILC's hit. Waited out the MILC wars and bought a Z6ii, but the AF was not what I personally needed. Jumped to Sony from that point eventually landing on the A7RV which is outstanding. I still prefer Nikon color science and files, but the non 3-way variable screen actually kept me from the Z8 when upgrading to the A7RV... I personally require a variable tilt LCD for my work. If the Z7III has the same form-factor as the Z6iii, I may come "home". Nikon users (including yourself) still compromise my favorite community. Nikon is now the King of "Kaizen" and with their acquisition of RED I'm even more optimistic of their future. I would still recommend Nikon above all other brands for their price-point, support, and current platforms. That said... I love the versatility of the A7RV, being able to use "Crop Mode" with a 26mp output gives every lens a dual functionality (1.6x Zoom). Love your channel, thanks again!

[AndyAstbury]

What a cracking 'trip down memory lane' that was, Matt! As a stills-only shooter, I'm slightly underwhelmed with the latest v5.1 firmware; but, as you say, the Z9 allows me to do things I could only dream of, using my beloved old D4 or the D850.

Looking to the future, a Z9II; I'd expect a global shutter, though that would not bother me one way or the other. But AF cross type sensors have got to be in there; or do you think they'll nail dual cross types?

[thomaschamberlin]

I took my F5 out last week. With 100 ISO film (shot at 50 ISO because it is long expired) everything had to be shot on the tripod. A reminder of how far we have come. All of the new releases on other brands makes us forget how great the Z9 still is. Glad you showed it some love.

[andrewmason]

Yes, the Z9 is the GOAT imho, Matt. Although I tend to leave my Z9 all rigged up for video and reach for my Z8 for stills. I just wish the Z8 had a 3rd function button at the front to mirror (pun totally intended) the Z9.

[RaymondParkerPhoto]

LOL! Nice one Matt! As I said, I'm still waiting for the "quack" shutter release sound for the Z9 ... but now I think I'd also like your excellent imitation of the same. Thanks for the history lesson; I'm sure it'll be appreciated by the uninitiated. My favourite flagship is the Z9, since it's the first I've ever owned after nearly 5 decades using Nikon cameras. Before that, it was the (prosumer) D800 which was hard to part with as a trade-in on the Z9.

[DaBraveheart]

One of the biggest advantages for me personally is the size and weight difference. For someone with smaller hands as myself, a full frame mirrorless would equate to an APS-C DSLR. The lenses are lighter yet they produce far better images than F-Mount lenses. Nikon's work is amazing.

[MikeMcIUK]

Thanks for this great video, new subscriber here... I have always used Nikon dslr's so when upgrading to mirrorless it was an easy choice for me and I went for the Z8 as the Z9 didn't fit my needs.
The Z8 is a beast, I have to say it took a lot of getting used to, but once I started to get my head around the settings... oh wow!

[duncanwallace]

I had a D4, Z7 then Z9 and really love the camera. I used the D4 for a long time and was thinking of getting a D850, but decided on the Z7 because of IBIS and because I wanted to experience the new mount and lenses. The Z9 took everything to the next level.