NEWS & NEW PRODUCTS

As we head into a hopefully brighter 2022, there’s plenty to look forward to, including the arrival of Nikon’s Z 9 mirrorless flagship, plus more Z-mount lenses. As usual of late, it’s new additions to the mirrorless camera lens systems that are making most of the headlines and – along with Nikon – there are freshly-minted models from Canon, OM System (the brand previously known as Olympus), Panasonic and Sony. Along with all the arrivals, a departure. After 75 years, the Australian Institute Of Photography (AIPP) has been forced into administration due ongoing declines in membership and the subsequent loss of income.

We knew quite a bit about Nikon’s

Z-mount flagship before the wraps came off officially, but one big surprise is the absence of a traditional mechanical shutter. The adoption of a stacked-type BSI CMOS sensor, with what’s claimed to be the world’s fastest image scan rate, has enabled the reduction of rolling shutter distortion to the point that it’s virtually eliminated. In the words of Nikon, this “equals that of a mechanical shutter”. Additionally, of course, the electronic shutter has no mechanical wear-and-tear, which is an important consideration in a sports camera that quickly accumulates a very high shot rate. The speed range is from 900 seconds

(i.e. 15 minutes) up to 1/32,000 second, and the very fast scanning rate allows for flash sync up to 1/250 second. The sensitivity range is equivalent to ISO 64 to 25,600 with extensions to ISO 32 and 102,400.

The sensor actually delivers two data streams – one to the EVF and monitor, and one to the processor. Consequently, the viewing stream is unaffected by any processing, recreating the look of an optical finder – completely blackout free. In place of the mechanical shutter, the Z 9 has a shuttertype shield that closes to protect the sensor when the camera is switched off. However, the sensor also has a fluorine coating to help reduce the attraction of dust or grime.

While the sensor’s effective resolution of 45.7MP is the same as that of the Z 7II, it’s obviously an all-new imager and is mated with Nikon’s latest-generation Expeed 7 processor. This allows for continuous shooting at 30fps with JPEG capture and at 20fps with 14-bit RAW files (both with full AF/AE adjustment). It also enables 10-bit 8K UHD video recording internally at 25/30p and 4K/60p UHD, with a 100/120p frame rate for slow-mo clips. It’s also possible to record 11MP stills – described as being “press ready” – at 120fps should you have a need for such a high speed. Remarkably, full AF/AE adjustment is maintained. Two new ‘High Efficiency RAW’ capture modes use more efficient lossy compression algorithms to deliver close to the same image quality as an uncompressed RAW file, but at either one-half or one-third the file size. However, the uncompressed RAW capture mode is deleted.

The AF system samples at 120fps and uses the same ‘3D Tracking AF’ capability that made Nikon’s top-end DSLRs so superior in this area, and it’s now linked to new AI-based ‘Subject Detection’ algorithms able to recognise a total of nine particular objects – including humans, animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trains and aircraft – so it can stay locked on even very fast and erratic types of movement. There are three ‘Dynamic Area AF’ modes for designating frame areas best suited to subject types, and three adjustable focus area sizes. The hybrid phase/ contrast-detection AF system uses a total of 493 measuring points (405 of them available in the ‘Auto Area AF’ mode) with low-light sensitivity extending down to EV -6.5 at ISO 100 and f/1.2 (and down to EV -8.5 in the camera’s ‘Starlight View’ mode).

8K video can be recorded with 8- or 10-bit colour using the H.265 codec, 8-bit colour with H.264 or with 10-bit ProRes HQ (the lowest compression option); 4K video at 24/25/30 fps is oversampled from 8K. N-Log and HLG (HDR) recording with 10-bit colour is also possible internally. Nikon claims 8K recording is possible for a duration of 135 minutes without overheating becoming an issue. A free firmware update, coming in 2022, will add 8K recording at 50/60p, a 12-bit N-RAW highp-efficiency format ,and 12-bit ProRes RAW.

Like the pro-level mirrorless sports cameras from Canon and Olympus, the Z 9 has an integrated handgrip with a replicated set of vertical controls. Consequently, it’s significantly bulkier than the Z 7/7II models, but still both smaller – Nikon says by 20% – and lighter (but only by 8%) than the D6 flagship DSLR. It uses the same EN-EL18 battery pack, but a new ‘d’ variant that has a higher capacity to give around

740 shots when using the EVF or up to 170 minutes of video recording. Overall, the control layout has many similarities to the D5/D6, as these users are obviously a key target audience. Backlighting for key controls is carried over from the pro DSLRs. The 1.27cm OLED EVF has a relatively modest resolution of 3.69 million dots, but

Nikon claims it’s the brightest in the business. The 3-.2-inch rear screen is interesting in that it offers a four-way tilt (i.e. up or down in the horizontal and vertical planes). Resolution is

2.1 million dots.

In-body image stabilisation uses five-axis shift and correction for camera shake and, via ‘Synchro VR’, can combine with the optical image stabilisation in selected Nikkor Z lenses. The camera’s dual memory card slots each support both CFexpress Type B and the older XQD devices.

The body is magnesium alloy and sealed against the intrusion of dust and moisture (to the same level as the D6), plus it’s insulated for shooting in subzero temperatures down to -10º Celsius. The styling is recognisably Z series in terms of the EVF housing, but there are many elements that are more D6 than anything else. The interfaces are USBC, HDMI Type C, stereo audio in and out (3.5mm minijack connections), PC flash, 10-pin RC, and 1000BASE-T RJ-45 Ethernet. Wireless connection is via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE 5.0, the latter using Nikon’s SnapBridge app for image transfer, remote viewfinding, and remote camera control. A GPS receiver is built-in. Introduced with the Z 9 is the NX MobileAir app for FTP uploads to a 4G/5G smartphone via USB and NX Tether which, obviously, allows for tethered shooting. Both can also be used with a number of other Nikon mirrorless cameras and DSLRs.

The Nikon Z 9 is priced at $8,999 body only and should be available locally by the time you read this news piece. It’s backed by a two-year warranty if purchased from an authorised Nikon reseller.

For more information visit www. nikon.com.au