NIKON Z7
This new camera has nearly all of the best bits of the D850, and plenty more besides
Nikon’s new Z7 mirrorless model blows both Canon cameras out of the water for megapixel count, almost matching that of the EOS 5DS and 5DS R. Indeed, the 45.7Mp image sensor delivers exactly the same maximum picture dimensions as from the D850, but gains a crucial advantage in the shape of 493 phase-detection AF points. It puts these to good use, almost matching the D850 for autofocus speed in the latter’s viewfinder shooting mode, and being streets ahead of it for Live View and movie capture.
One perennial problem of both handheld and tripod-mounted shooting with ultrahigh-resolution cameras is mirror bounce. Indeed, you’ll often find that slight vibrations will degrade the capture of very fine detail with cameras like the D850. The Z7 has an obvious mirrorless advantage, as well as offering the option of a motionless electronic shutter, as also featured in the EOS R. However, the Z7 goes one better in the stability stakes, with five-axis IBIS that’s rated at up to five stops. Better still, if you mount a VR lens with optical stabilisation on the camera, the two systems can work in tandem to deliver optimum stabilisation.
The Z7 leads the group for maximum burst rate, at 9fps, although the D850 can match this if you fit the optional battery grip and EN-EL18B battery, as used in the mighty D5. It’s worth noting that even with the single, standard battery fitted, the D850 can fire nearly six times as many shots as the Z7, which only has a battery life of 330 shots.
The flip side is that the Z7 has more stamina for movie capture. The 9fps burst rate is good for action photography, but the Z7 has more noticeable shutter lag than the D850.
Image quality is virtually identical to that of the D850, with one important exception. High-ISO images captured in low lighting conditions tend to look a lot cleaner with less noise than from the D850.