Nikon Z6III Camera | One Month Assesssment with Video & Photo Examples

Summary

In this video, the host shares a month-long experience with the Nikon Z6 III, discussing its dynamic range controversy and showcasing photo and video results. They address the camera's noise issues, design flaws, and freezing incidents, while praising its ergonomics, robust build, and compatibility with Z-mount lenses. The Z6 III is seen as a valuable addition to the Z series, offering impressive readout speed and high-quality video capabilities, despite some drawbacks.

Takeaways

• 📅 The speaker started using the Nikon Z63 one month ago and has used it for various types of photography.
• 📷 The Nikon Z63 has been a topic of controversy due to its dynamic range, which has been tested and discussed by various reviewers.
• 🔍 The dynamic range of the Z63 has been measured by different sources, with some suggesting a slight advantage in dynamic range at higher ISO settings.
• 🎥 The camera is praised for its excellent video specs, including 6K recording capabilities and various frame rates and codecs.
• 📊 There is a discussion about the trade-off between the fast readout speed of the stacked sensor and the dynamic range.
• 🎞 Historically, film had limitations in dynamic range, and professionals adapted their techniques to work within those constraints.
• 👀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding exposure and lighting to make the most out of the camera's capabilities.
• 📸 The Nikon Z63's ergonomics and build quality are appreciated, with a deeper grip and well-placed function buttons.
• 🔧 Some issues were noted with the camera, such as noise during operation, a design flaw with the strap ring, and a freezing issue during a video shoot.
• 💡 The speaker suggests that the Nikon Z63 is a tool that should be chosen based on the specific needs of the job, comparing it to other models like the Z9 and Z8.
• 🌟 The overall impression of the Nikon Z63 is positive, with the speaker highlighting its capabilities and value for money in the current market.

Q & A

What camera was unboxed at Victoria Park and how has it been used since then?

The camera unboxed at Victoria Park was the Nikon Z63. It has been used regularly, if not exclusively, for a variety of shoots including both photo and video since it was acquired on June 25th.

What has been the controversy surrounding the Nikon Z63?

The controversy surrounding the Nikon Z63 revolves around its semi-stack sensors dynamic range, or the perceived lack thereof, which has been a topic of discussion and testing among photographers and reviewers.

What are the video specs of the Nikon Z63 that the speaker finds excellent?

The Nikon Z63 has excellent video specs including 6K up to 60p in N-RAW, 30p in ProRes RAW, 5.4K up to 30p in ProRes 422 HQ 10bit, and 60p in H.265, as well as 240p HD.

What is the reported dynamic range of the Nikon Z63 according to Gerald Undun's early tests?

According to Gerald Undun's early tests, the dynamic range of the Nikon Z63 was pegged at around 10 just under, in the medium range signal to noise ratio of two as he put it, clean stops.

What did William Jlf's data indicate about the base ISO of the Nikon Z63?

William Jlf's data indicated that the base ISO of the Nikon Z63 is at 10.4 stops, and it looks like the semi-stack sensor also has a dual gain with a jump at 800, suggesting a slight advantage in dynamic range at 800 ISO over 400.

What was the dynamic range result when shooting 5.4k on a 4K 24p H265 with the Nikon Z63?

When shooting 5.4k on a 4K 24p H265, which is one of the settings the speaker was interested in, the dynamic range result was in the medium range signal to noise ratio of two again, equaling 11.6 stops.

What are some of the speaker's likes and dislikes about the Nikon Z63 after using it for a month?

The speaker likes the Nikon Z63's dynamic range, video specs, and build quality. Dislikes include the camera's noise during operation, the strap split ring design, and the flippy screen preference over an articulated screen.

What issue did the speaker encounter with the memory card when shooting with the Nikon Z63?

The speaker encountered an issue where the Nikon Z63 froze up when using the Nova chip 660 GB Extreme CF Express Type B card, which had been performing flawlessly in the Z8. The issue was resolved by switching to a different card.

How does the Nikon Z63 compare to other cameras in terms of build quality and ergonomics?

The build quality of the Nikon Z63 is described as robust and professional, and it has excellent ergonomics with a slightly deeper grip and well-placed function buttons, although the grip design was not universally liked.

What is the speaker's perspective on the Nikon Z63's dynamic range and how it fits into their camera collection?

The speaker views the Nikon Z63 as having plenty of dynamic range for their needs and sees it as an excellent addition to their collection of Zed cameras. They consider it a tool and choose the right tool for a given job, with the Z63 being particularly useful for its weight savings and video capabilities.

Outlines

00:00

📷 Nikon Z63 Unboxing and Initial Impressions

The script introduces the Nikon Z63 camera, discussing the author's first encounter with it at Victoria Park. The author shares their experience using the camera for various shoots and promises to provide an overview of its features and shortcomings. The script addresses the controversy around the camera's dynamic range and semi-stack sensor, referencing early tests by Gerald Undun and William Jlf. The author emphasizes the camera's video capabilities and plans to share their thoughts and sample results from using the camera since its release.

05:02

🎥 Dynamic Range Testing and Practical Use Cases

This paragraph delves into the dynamic range of the Nikon Z63, referencing tests by Gerald Undun and William Jlf that indicate a dynamic range of around 10 to 11.6 stops, depending on the ISO settings. The author discusses the practical implications of these findings, mentioning the use of noise reduction and the camera's performance in challenging lighting conditions. They also reflect on their own experiences with film and the importance of understanding and exploiting the tools at hand, suggesting that while the Z63 may not match the dynamic range of some other cameras, it is still a capable tool for professional use.

10:03

🖼️ Field Experiences and Image Editing with the Z63

The author shares specific experiences of using the Nikon Z63 in the field, highlighting its performance in high-contrast situations. They describe editing two images, one of a cyclist and another of a deer, to demonstrate the camera's ability to recover details from shadows and highlights. The paragraph emphasizes the camera's flat profile setting and the author's satisfaction with the dynamic range and skin tones achieved through post-processing.

15:03

🔧 Critiques and Operational Issues with the Nikon Z63

In this section, the author lists several critiques and operational issues they've encountered with the Nikon Z63. They mention the camera's noisy operation, the design flaw of the strap split ring, and the preference for an articulated screen over the flip-screen design. Additionally, they recount an incident where the camera froze during a shoot, which they attribute to a card compatibility issue. The author also comments on the build quality and ergonomics of the camera, appreciating the deeper grip and well-placed function buttons.

20:06

🛠️ Final Thoughts on the Nikon Z63's Performance and Value

The author concludes their initial assessment of the Nikon Z63, reflecting on its performance, value, and place among other cameras in the Z series. They highlight the camera's robust build, improved ergonomics, and the impressive readout speed, which has been demonstrated in various tests. Despite some operational quirks, the author views the Z63 as a valuable tool, especially when paired with high-quality Z Mount lenses. They express their intention to continue using the camera and provide updates on its performance over time.

Keywords

💡Nikon Z63

The Nikon Z63 is a camera model by Nikon, which is a central subject of the video. It is a high-end mirrorless camera designed for professional photography and videography. The video discusses the camera's performance, features, and the user's personal experience with it since its unboxing in Victoria Park.

💡Dynamic Range

Dynamic range in the context of photography and videography refers to the ratio between the brightest and darkest elements that can be captured by a camera sensor. The video script discusses the controversy and testing results regarding the Nikon Z63's dynamic range, indicating that it may not be as high as some competitors, but still sufficient for practical use.

💡Semi-Stack Sensors

Semi-stack sensors are a type of image sensor technology that combines elements of stacked sensor designs with traditional sensor layouts. The script mentions the semi-stack sensor of the Nikon Z63 and its impact on dynamic range and readout speed, suggesting a trade-off for faster readout capabilities.

💡ISO Settings

ISO settings on a camera determine the sensitivity of the image sensor to light. The video references different ISO settings, such as base ISO and ISO 800, and how they affect the dynamic range and noise performance of the Nikon Z63.

💡RAW

RAW is a file format that stores unprocessed image data directly from the image sensor. The script discusses shooting in N-RAW format on the Nikon Z63, which allows for greater flexibility in post-production, including noise reduction and dynamic range enhancement.

💡Log Curve

A log curve, or logarithmic curve, in videography is a specific type of transfer characteristic that compresses the dynamic range of a scene into a video signal. The video mentions that a better log curve could potentially improve the dynamic range performance of the Nikon Z63.

💡H.265

H.265 is a video compression standard that offers improved data compression over its predecessor, H.264. The script mentions the Nikon Z63's capability to shoot in H.265, which allows for high-quality video recording with smaller file sizes.

💡Noise Reduction

Noise reduction refers to the process of minimizing the amount of noise in an image or video. The video discusses the use of noise reduction in post-production when working with the Nikon Z63, particularly when shooting in RAW format.

💡Exposure Tools

Exposure tools are features on cameras that help photographers and videographers evaluate and adjust the exposure of their shots. The script mentions the importance of advanced exposure tools like waveforms and false color for working with challenging lighting conditions when shooting video on the Nikon Z63.

💡Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body and its movements comfortably. The video script praises the Nikon Z63 for its ergonomic design, particularly the deeper grip, which is more comfortable for extended use.

💡IBIS Lock

IBIS stands for In-Body Image Stabilization, a feature in cameras that reduces blur caused by camera shake. The script mentions that the Nikon Z63 has an IBIS lock, which might be the source of some operational noise that the reviewer finds noticeable.

Highlights

Unboxing of the Nikon Z63 camera at Victoria Park and its regular use for various shoots.

Introduction to the Nikon Z63's video specs and the promise to showcase results from June 25th.

Discussion of the controversy surrounding the Z63's dynamic range and semi-stack sensors.

Early tests by Gerald Undun indicating a dynamic range of around 10 stops.

William Jlf's data suggesting a base ISO of 10.4 stops and a dual gain sensor with a jump at 800.

Practical use of the Z63 in various lighting conditions and the recovery of details in high contrast images.

Comparison of the Z63's dynamic range to film cameras and the importance of understanding exposure.

The Z63's video capabilities including 6K up to 60p in N-RAW and various other high-quality formats.

The importance of advanced exposure tools like waveforms and false color for video shooting.

Examples of editing high contrast images captured with the Z63, demonstrating its dynamic range capabilities.

Critique of the Z63's noise during operation and comparison to other Z series cameras.

Design issue with the strap split ring and its interference with the card door.

Preference for the articulated screen over the flip screen and its impact on user experience.

Incident of the Z63 freezing during a video shoot and the subsequent troubleshooting.

Compatibility issues with certain CF Express type B cards in the Z63.

Ergonomics of the Z63, including the deeper grip and well-placed function buttons.

The Z63's robust build quality and its comparison to other Z series cameras.

Final thoughts on the Z63 as a valuable addition to the Z series lineup and its performance in various scenarios.

Transcripts

it was just one month ago by a day or

two anyway that I sat at a picnic table

in a Victoria Park to unbox the Nikon Z

63 I've used the camera regularly if not

uh exclusively for a variety of shoots

so let's get to the results Ponto

without too much introductory chatter

later I'll add an overview of stuff I

like and uh don't like rather than a

technical Deep dive of which there's

plenty online already and I guess I feel

compelled to respond to some of the

controversy surrounding this camera or

its um semi- stack sensors dynamic range

or lack thereof but let's leave that for

later and as promised show you some

results that I've made since I got the

camera on June 25th both photo and video

because this camera has some excellent

video specs so let's get right to those

and if you stick around I'll meet you

back here for some thoughts on the

camera itself

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hi Ray here back in the studio with the

25 megapixel Nikon

z63 now there's been a lot of discussion

surrounding the dynamic range of the z63

or lack thereof and originally I had a

lot of notes that I was going to use uh

to add here at this point I feel like

that's been Beat to Death so I'll just

talk about my experience so far but just

to

summarize hang in there fellow Canadian

Gerald undun I believe started the

discussion with his early tests released

on June 17th when the Embargo on such

things lifted and he pegged dynamic

range at around 10 just under actually

in the medium range uh signal to noise

ratio of two as he put it clean stops

that you'd actually want to use a lot of

people were initially waiting as well

for photons to photos to weigh in and

thanks to William jlf we have that data

at our fingertips he measures base ISO

at 10.4 stops but this is interesting it

looks like the semi- stack sensor also

is kind of dual gain with a jump at 800

so according to this data at 400 you

might as well jump to 800 for a slight

advantage in dynamic range assuming

you're controlling such things but I

don't think it's useful to spend a lot

of time analyzing these charts I don't

know about you but I don't work in that

world when all's said and done what are

we talking about uh assuming these tests

are accurate and I'm not suggesting that

they're not but some people are

agonizing over what a stop of dynamic

range at some settings when it comes to

video specifically and that's what

Gerald undone was examining briefly

again because I don't want to get bogged

down in this technical argument he

filmed what's called a zyla 21 High

dynamic range test chart run through im

a test program so he shot varying

flavors of n Raw on varying

timelines 6K 4K at a base ISO of 800

with and without noise reduction and got

12 stops with noise reduction in post

now if we shoot 5.4k on a 4K 24p h265

which is one of the settings that I was

interested in and eager to use with this

camera CER then his results were in the

medium range signal to noise ratio of

two again clean stops you'd want to use

equaled 11.6 stops of dynamic range and

a better log curve than nikons might

help he concluded and I'll examine an

alternative in a future video he noted

noise Improvement at ISO 6400 as well

for my use case this works well

perfectly fine we might forget that this

is available in camera but but what this

amounts to ultimately uh what it looks

like on paper is that there's may be a

slight cost in dynamic range with these

fast readout stacked sensors in exchange

for that readout so uh no the z63

doesn't seem to have quite as much

dynamic range as say the Z8 at certain

ISO settings now I happen to be old

enough uh to have shot film over three

decades in fact when professionals did

everything that they could to squeeze

the last ounce of dynamic range out of

the film they were using from the film's

characteristic curve so after careful

exposure we use developing methods to

exploit the full curve in black and

white

especially like for instance uh pushing

or pulling the development time water

bath development to control shadows and

highlights as the development progressed

when it came to unforgiving film like

transparency slides if you're her

understanding exposure and how to use a

light meter were pretty important kod

Chrome for instance the 64 and 200 ASA

versions had just eight stops of dynamic

range ASA 25 was beautiful and had a

dynamic range of 12 stops but really it

wasn't practical without a tripod or in

very bright conditions I see that recent

tests were performed pitting modern

Cinema cameras like the ARA Alexa and

red against film cameras and big

surprise the digital cinema cameras beat

the film cameras hands down when it came

to dynamic range not the film holdouts

like quent and Tarantino care

because professionals have never been

hog tied by dynamic

range they know the tools that they work

with they know the limits within which

they

work they know the pallet if you will

from which they paint

they understand

lighting and look the semi stacked

sensor of the z63 was as I understand it

produced to answer some of the

criticisms of the Second Generation Z 6

like focusing but Nikon absolutely would

want to offer a lot more than the z62

they'd shown in the flagship z9 and its

more affordable sibling the Z8 what the

xeed 7 processor could do then we got

the Retro futuristic ZF that is just a

fabulous camera albe it with a wee bit

less in terms of video as in just 4K but

beautiful h265 10bit nonetheless in the

Z 63 we get 6K up to 60p In N raw and

30p in prores raw 5.4k up to 30p in

prores 422 HQ 10bit 60p and

h265 and so on all of which is beautiful

to my eye and I should also mention 240p

HD a lot of choices to meet a wide

variety of lighting and subject

scenarios I think a lot of the confusion

comes in relation to exposing for video

especially when it comes to raw and log

footage or

hlg speaking for myself I'm pretty lost

without advanced exposure tools like

waveforms and false color personally I

just wouldn't go out of the studio

without a monitor that includes these

jees the waveform that Nikon has

included in recent cameras from the z9

forward while helpful it just doesn't

cut it in challenging lighting

conditions and at the risk of repeating

myself it would be nice if Nikon could

give us false color after all if Canon

can do it why not Nikon I want to refer

to a couple of my example images to

illustrate practically what my

experience has been with the z63 in the

field and then I'll get to more uh

General likes and dislikes okay I just

want to talk about a couple of images

that you saw earlier in the first um

Gallery shall we say this one here of

this cyclist which I very much like I

just love the way he's uh he noticed me

this is shot with the z63 of course and

the 85 mm

f1.2 Zed mount lens not a lens that I

usually use for sport I usually use

zooms but I wanted to try this out I

should mention that this is shot in the

flat profile that's the profile that I

always use so you can see here the

helmet is blown out and his face is in

deep Shadow totally back lit sun is over

here you can see it's just poking

through on the end of his nose anyway

quite a contrasty image that would help

with high dynamic range so let's get to

my edit this is my first edit I'm quite

happy with it though and you can see

we've recovered the helmet and the

Shadows look quite nice you can see it's

a very hot day he's sweating and we've

managed to pull his face up looks really

good I think and you can see over here

uh I chose the profile camera portrait

actually I thought it worked well in

terms of both uh what it did with the

dynamic range and the skin tones now

let's have a look at this image of the

deer with his antlers all covered in

felt once again this deer was hiding

under a tree from the hot sun the back

back ground was obviously brightly lit

love these grasses here and this was a

mixture of leaves and sparkling in the

Sun and some patches of bare Earth that

were really bright so what did I do with

this well let's take a look first of all

again this is shot in the flat profile I

changed to camera neutral and I did

isolate the subject so that I could

bring him up a bit but the point here is

once again very very contrasty scene

dark subject and let's just go back and

take a look that's how we started out

this is a the second exposure but I mean

I was shooting um I don't know maybe 10

frames a second here short little burst

and this is what I ended up with so I

hope that shows that the Nikon z63 has

quite a bit of dynamic range certainly

enough for situations like this my

exposure is fairly good I decided that I

was confident I could bring those

Shadows up that was my exposure and

that's what we ended up with okay so

after a month with the Z 63 here's what

I don't like about it it's noisy not in

terms of signals and noise but compared

to any of my other Zed cameras it makes

a lot of weird sounds during operation

even accessing the menu it makes a kind

of clunk

same when it goes to sleep it wakes me

up I'm guessing this has something to do

with the Ibis lock now this isn't a real

problem only that it is noticeable

compared to my other Z series cameras

like the ZF which doesn't have Ibis lock

but uh a regular viewer also asked me

about it contacted me because he was

surprised how much noisier it is

compared to his

z62 and my original Z6 is as quiet as a

most in comparison to this

camera this strap split ring I join a

lot of other viewers in saying this is a

design faux paw it gets caught on the

card door unless you have it strung on a

slap strap I should say um even then it

can get tangled clearance on the Z6 and

I presume the Z6 to is tight but

completely functional with a z 63 you

have to learn a kind of new thumb flip

trick to fully open the door luckily I

rarely use a strap I use a video rig

cage more often so this comes off to

accommodate and stabilize a cage but I

don't know how this made it by the

design team quite frankly the flippy

screen I don't like Flippy screens I

prefer the articulated screen of the z9

uh than Z8 and I was disappointed with

the choice to add the flippy screen to

the ZF and I feel the same about it on

this camera but that's just me I admit

occasionally in some circumstances it

does come in handy and I know a lot of

people really like it it's one of the

reasons they're attracted to the camera

so stop winging r one of my first video

shoots with the z63 the camera froze up

no it was it was was a really hot summer

day I mean the camera refused to respond

I couldn't turn it off or perform any

functions at all I was using the ZF as

camera 2 so I thought maybe I'd just

have to shoot with it shoot just 4K and

accept a lot more jump Cuts I did

consider driving back to the studio to

pick up the Z8 but everything was set up

and my wife assistant didn't want to

stay behind alone in be country luckily

this was just a YouTube video

nonetheless uh I was on a deadline for a

promo in that video and I'll now always

carry a backup for the main camera

YouTube video or not in the end I pulled

the battery tried it again same result

seemed to be a card issue I was using

the Nova chip 660 GB extreme CF Express

type B card which has been performing

flawlessly in my Z8 for almost 6 months

the z63 Apparently objects to that card

now I've come across at least one other

z63 owner who has had this freezing

problem with another card I switched to

a 128 GB manfroto card that I've used

with no problems in several of my Zed

cameras uh going on 2 years yes I had a

spare card in battery and I switched out

the battery for good measure and the

rest of the shoot went without problems

started working again it was fine I'm

going to do more tests uh on this

compatibility issue which hasn't

happened with any other card that I used

in the camera camera but here's a list

of compatible cards from

Nikon the build quality is as robust as

previous z6s it's what I call

Professional no it's not z9 level but

the z9 costs $5,500 us 7,000 Canadian

before taxes but I expect that it will

equal my original z6s which have

withstood some rough weather and and

handling some of the things I've noticed

and like once again for my hands Nikon

absolutely hits it out of the ballpark

for ergonomics I love this slightly

deeper grip not everyone will in fact at

my original unboxing I handed it to a

photographer who was out scouting

locations for a calendar shoot and she

immediately rejected the new design

saying I'll stick to my Z 6 fair enough

but that's the only complaint that I've

heard about this new uh slightly larger

body larger than the original Z6 that is

the two function buttons they're really

well placed no difference there I've

seen One reviewer go out of their way to

make it look awkward to use the top mode

dial it's in the same position as the

original functions the same way as the

last two iterations it has this lock or

unlock button so you don't accidentally

Change setting sets it's simple to

operate mostly stays at M on my camera

so unless you're looking for something

to criticize I don't see it as any kind

of an issue at all my very first shots

and video made with the Z 63 on shipping

dat I got mine on June the 25th on that

day in very high contrast conditions so

contrasty that it pushed my Z8 used as

the main camera to its limits in video

but I was shooting 10bit SDR and yes I

might have shot in 12bit raw or at least

used log but my perspective is that of a

photographer who also owns the z9 Z8 and

ZF I view all these cameras as tools and

I try to choose the right tool for a

given job if I need the best in terms of

burst speed and yes 20 frames per second

raw is good enough for me then I'll pick

up the z9 or the Z8 and I'll choose the

z9 particularly when I want a vertical

grip incidentally the new MB n14 grip

for the Z6 3 $360 us $480 Canadian is

also compatible with the z62 and z72 so

in summary the Z 63 is an excellent

addition to my Zed cameras I appreciate

the weight savings especially when I'm

hauling what amounts to a full Studio

setup into the forest in future for

shoots like that what I foresee is

carrying the z63 as my main camera uh

that 5.4k is awesome

love it the ZF maybe as the second angle

maybe even throw in a Z6 as a spare or

even third angle I haven't mentioned the

new Nikon Imaging cloud service and

that's used for Imaging recipes photo

transfer and firmware updates because I

haven't used it yet and I'll keep you

updated if and when I do use it the z63

is a camera that just a few short years

ago would have been hailed as

revolutionary and it is if you look at

what it offers at this competitive price

now it's not chump change I paid over

$3,800 Canadian after tax but again

dollar for dollar I think it challenges

other cameras in this class the readout

speed is very good we've already seen

the tests of uh swinging bats and

speeding balls so the electronic shutter

is impressive this assessment for me is

based on just one month of regular use

and as I have with my original Z 6 I'll

be returning with updates uh recently I

added a 5 years with the original Z6 um

that was in April but my first

impressions of this camera are positive

put this camera together with any of the

superb Zed Mount lenses and well it's in

a league of its own The Zed glass is

fantastic I just love every one of my Z

Mount lenses Nikon keeps adding more

options and we have an ever expanding

Choice from third party Brands the

future looks bright plenty of dynamic

range in this camera if you choose to

see the light so if you found this video

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meantime take care cheers well see you

later