Good deal – The Nikon Z8 “5 star” camera body at €4,099.00 (-11%)

With its Z9, Nikon struck a major blow by offering an ultra-complete body with an imposing size. By releasing the Z8, the Japanese firm is back with the same device, but redesigned. Integrated into a more compact chassis, it has everything to become the ultimate photo body.

The Nikon Z8 is a pretty impressive device. It renews all the advances of the Z9 and gets rid of the few “defects” that could be attributed to the Japanese monoblock. It is an expert device, very versatile in both photography and video, which easily competes with the best sports and studio hybrids, all with an aggressive pricing policy. That being said, the Z8 is still more bulky than its competition, especially equipped with large Nikon lenses for hybrids. But once you’ve tasted it, it’s hard to do without it.

Strong points

• Ergonomics and customization functions.
• Resistance to humidity and dust.
• Responsiveness and sensitivity management.
• AF detection and tracking of faces or eyes in photo/video.
• Sensor stabilization.
• Bursts at 20 fps, and even 120 fps in jpeg.
• Full video mode with 8K and 4K 120 fps recording.
• Unlimited recording without cropping in 4K and 8K video.
• Complete connectivity.
• Double slot for storage.
• Shooting while feeding.

Weak points

• Still a bit cumbersome.
• Complex expert handling.
• Limited exposure latitude.
• Viewfinder less sophisticated than those of the competition.
• No ball joint for the screen.
• Maximum buffer memory perfectly usable only with a premium memory card.
• No direct recording to SSD.

NB: The reported price drop is calculated by comparing the lowest price of the day with the average of the lowest prices charged by all merchants for the product last month, with security rules to exclude the prices of stores whose the VAT policy is not clear (so-called “gray” stores, typically in the case of imports from China).

Alternatively

While using the same – very good – sensor from the A7R IV, the Sony Alpha 7R V (A7R V) gives its predecessor a little old-fashioned look. Revised body, refined ergonomics and ever more impressive AF tracking, the A7R V is a demanding, but ambitious and efficient device. Its main fault remains rolling shutter far too marked in electronic shutter, whether in photos or video. It nonetheless remains a formidable device which still demonstrates all of Sony’s know-how in photography.