BF Hammer
Senior Member
I guess the admins will just have to migrate this thread over after a new Z5 topic is created. Hint, hint!
I have been doing a gradual shakedown of the new Z5 I bought. Between work, healing my bad back, and some gloomy weather at times I have not been photographing much.
Something I have learned quickly is that even though you see a subject good with auto-ISO on in a low-light scene, the autofocus will struggle more than I expected. Even more pronounced adapting F-mount lenses with higher smaller apertures to work with. Switch the same lens back to my D750 and it will grab a focus with more authority. But my testing outdoors today shows this is not the case with better light. To my relief I may add.
What I bought this month is a new Z5 body, a new FTZ-II adapter, and a used Z 24-70mm f/4 lens as my starter kit. I went that route because the used lens was available in the store I was buying at and I felt that was a much better normal lens option than the Z 24-50 f/4-6.3 or Z 24-200 f/4-6.3 that was offered as a bundled kit. My roadmap for new Z lenses will be a 14-24mm f/2.8 next, followed by a 105mm f/2.8, then a 70-200mm f/2.8 and either pick up a fast 50mm or update to the 24-70mm f/2.8. I already have an F-mount 70-200mm f/2.8 to work with, thus the lower priority.
I have no complaints with the 24-70mm. It's a constant f/4 lens and fairly compact. When I finally got the animal eye autofocus to grab on to the eyes of my boss' very camera shy dog, it did good.
Really my biggest concern has become adapting 3rd party lenses. I discovered the hard way that my Tamron 90mm macro is not compatible with the Z system. It apparently requires a new circuit board inside and firmware installed by a service center. This is why I have a Z 105mm lens high on my lens roadmap. My 2 Sigma lenses seem to be working OK though.
Today the sun was out and I tried to use my Sigma 150-600mm with the FTZ-II adapter. Happy to report that the focus worked snappier. Unfortunately the birds and squirrels were napping or something. A lone crow flew overhead, and that was not enough to conclude if I can track good with the viewfinder. It seemed a bit jerky compared to using an OVF. Never caught focus.
But a solitary leaf still clinging to my maple tree did come in focus after I switched to single-point focus mode. Auto-Area mode would only bring in the branches for focus.
A couple of objects around the back. Details are good.
Then a jet finally appeared in the sky. Don't know it's altitude, but it was high enough to make contrails. The angle from the northwest implies it came from Minneapolis, and was at least aimed at Chicago as it passed overhead. Suppose it could be going to Charlotte or elsewhere (my location being near Madison, WI).
Looks like I have to clean the sensor already. Cropped-in we can at least see it is an Amazon plane, if not actually read the logo wordmark.
Yes I have quite a bit more to learn with the switch to the Z mount. I can see where I will want to still use my D750 (like with macro work). I am eager to try the Z5 with astrophotography but I want to get a USB-C charging cable first.
I have been doing a gradual shakedown of the new Z5 I bought. Between work, healing my bad back, and some gloomy weather at times I have not been photographing much.
Something I have learned quickly is that even though you see a subject good with auto-ISO on in a low-light scene, the autofocus will struggle more than I expected. Even more pronounced adapting F-mount lenses with higher smaller apertures to work with. Switch the same lens back to my D750 and it will grab a focus with more authority. But my testing outdoors today shows this is not the case with better light. To my relief I may add.
What I bought this month is a new Z5 body, a new FTZ-II adapter, and a used Z 24-70mm f/4 lens as my starter kit. I went that route because the used lens was available in the store I was buying at and I felt that was a much better normal lens option than the Z 24-50 f/4-6.3 or Z 24-200 f/4-6.3 that was offered as a bundled kit. My roadmap for new Z lenses will be a 14-24mm f/2.8 next, followed by a 105mm f/2.8, then a 70-200mm f/2.8 and either pick up a fast 50mm or update to the 24-70mm f/2.8. I already have an F-mount 70-200mm f/2.8 to work with, thus the lower priority.
I have no complaints with the 24-70mm. It's a constant f/4 lens and fairly compact. When I finally got the animal eye autofocus to grab on to the eyes of my boss' very camera shy dog, it did good.
Really my biggest concern has become adapting 3rd party lenses. I discovered the hard way that my Tamron 90mm macro is not compatible with the Z system. It apparently requires a new circuit board inside and firmware installed by a service center. This is why I have a Z 105mm lens high on my lens roadmap. My 2 Sigma lenses seem to be working OK though.
Today the sun was out and I tried to use my Sigma 150-600mm with the FTZ-II adapter. Happy to report that the focus worked snappier. Unfortunately the birds and squirrels were napping or something. A lone crow flew overhead, and that was not enough to conclude if I can track good with the viewfinder. It seemed a bit jerky compared to using an OVF. Never caught focus.
But a solitary leaf still clinging to my maple tree did come in focus after I switched to single-point focus mode. Auto-Area mode would only bring in the branches for focus.
A couple of objects around the back. Details are good.
Then a jet finally appeared in the sky. Don't know it's altitude, but it was high enough to make contrails. The angle from the northwest implies it came from Minneapolis, and was at least aimed at Chicago as it passed overhead. Suppose it could be going to Charlotte or elsewhere (my location being near Madison, WI).
Looks like I have to clean the sensor already. Cropped-in we can at least see it is an Amazon plane, if not actually read the logo wordmark.
Yes I have quite a bit more to learn with the switch to the Z mount. I can see where I will want to still use my D750 (like with macro work). I am eager to try the Z5 with astrophotography but I want to get a USB-C charging cable first.
