Joe Mcnally
Joe gets some out-of-this-world shots with Nikon’s new out-of-this-world mirrorless…
For an out-of-this-world experience you have to see what Joe has done with a diner, an elderly couple and the Z7…
When the new full-frame Nikon mirrorless camera, the Z7, was launched I was thrilled to be a part of it. My mandate for the assignment was to have fun, challenge the camera, work in an environment filled with details, mixed light and shiny surfaces. Basically, stuff the Z camera and lens combo could crunch on. And to create a tableaux involving aliens at breakfast. Did I mention having some fun?
Again, me being the product of comic books, bad novels, adventure yarns, and lots of awful (but highly entertaining!) movies, I submitted a notion involving extraterrestrials, but not the evil type here to consume our water supply or engage in other forms of planetary subjugation. It was mostly about a pair of elderly aliens, out for a bite at what for them was a not-so-local diner. At camera, I did some directing, but basically it was about putting a few strange pieces on the board and sitting back to watch what happened. Preparation, special effects, lighting and camera angle were all key here.
Our aliens, Nik Pjeternikaj and Jeanne O’brien, were admirably designed by SFX artist Catrina Grieco and her team Tiffanylee Adorno and Briana Trischitta. But the star of the show was definitely the preproduction Z7. I adapted almost immediately to the EVF – so much information at my fingertips, literally. Focus grab was certain and fast. I shot with both the native 24-70mm f/4, and the FTZ adapter, coupled to a 19mm PC. Both approaches were precise and sharp. And, the truly beautiful thing is you’ve got 90% of the viewfinder covered with AF points – truly amazing! The FTZ adapter gave no signs of image degradation or loss of edge sharpness.
The lighting was a mix of big lights and SB-5000 Speedlights, controlled from camera with the WR-R10 transceiver, which plugs directly into the camera body. I had total radio control over all my small flashes on the set. There was a lot of bouncing and filling with my Speedlights, and when I needed a beautiful but subtle accent, I went with the Lastolite Ezybox Speed-lite 2 Plus – it’s the best small light shaper I’ve used.
I have many miles to go with this camera… I envision my road pack now being a mix of DSLR lenses, and a D850 with a Z7. But the beautiful thing is, all my glass works seamlessly with both styles of camera. The Z7 is light, fast, and will be a tremendous field camera. The D850 will continue to be a wonderful production, studio and portrait camera.
I’m incredibly lucky to have the best of both worlds in the same camera bag.