Nikon Z7 Review: Capturing Life’s Moments with Precision, Detail, and Style Like Never Before

The Nikon Z7 is the most fully-rounded camera that the business has produced to this point. It is just as well equipped and designed for video capture as it is for still photography, and the quality of both types of media is excellent. In addition, the Z7’s design provides a shooting experience that will be familiar to those who already use Nikon DSLRs but in a more compact and lighter body designed on the brand-new Nikon Z-mount.

This is Nikon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera. It is a 4K-capable machine that incorporates variations of the D850’s 46MP BSI CMOS sensor but adds on-sensor phase detection AF pixels and mechanical stabilization. As a result, this camera is Nikon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera. However, according to our tests, the one area in which the Z7 falls a bit short is in terms of the focusing system’s dependability and usability, two areas in which Nikon’s DSLRs have always excelled.

Nikon Z7 Price

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Body & Design

When comparing the two products for the first time, there are apparent parallels between the Nikon Z7 and more recent models of Nikon DSLR cameras, such as the Nikon D850. This was, without a doubt, done on purpose.

Nikon’s design and technical staff intended the Z7 to have the same familiar feel as other Nikon cameras. This is accomplished by placing the buttons in prominent positions, giving the shutter release a similar feel, and giving the grip a similar surface and shape.

Key Specs

• BSI-CMOS sensor with on-sensor phase detection and 45.7 megapixels full-frame resolution
• Internal picture stabilization on all five axes (rated to 5EV)493 PDAF points, with 90 percent coverage across both the horizontal and vertical axes of the frame
• ISO 64-25,600 (expandable to 102,400) (expandable to 102,400)
• Photographic rates of up to 9 frames per second (JPEG and 12-bit Raw)
• 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder
• 2.1 million dot tilting touch screen LCD OLED display on the top plate
• Single XQD card slot
• UHD 4K captures up to 30p
• N-Log output in 10-bit 4:2:2 format via HDMI
• Internal video capture at speeds of up to 100 Mbps H.264 8-bit
• The SnapBridge Wi-Fi system also has Bluetooth and can transfer data to a PC.

Although they are comparable in many ways, Nikon’s full-frame DSLR cameras are noticeably larger and heavier than the Z7. The grip and a few buttons have been shrunk to a more manageable size. The Z7 may seem undersized to specific users. In our opinion, the proportion of its size to its usefulness was rather satisfactory.

Electronic viewfinders have come a long way over the years, and the one built into the Z7 camera is easily one of the nicest we’ve ever used. It is an OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) with a 0.5-inch display, 0.8x magnification, and 3,690k dots.

The final effect of having such a high resolution and magnification is that the shooting experience will seem more natural to the user. Even though electronic viewfinders (EVFs) were formerly looked down upon, there are many reasons why shooting with the EVF on the Z7 is a good idea.

The camera has additional excellent characteristics, including a superb LCD on the rear. The screen has a high quality of 2,100k dots and is 3.2 inches diagonally, which is pretty massive for the body of a tiny camera. On the other hand, the screen is relatively straightforward, has a wide viewing angle, and can be tilted both above and downwards.

In addition, it has a touchscreen; nonetheless, Nikon’s touch-based user interface still has room for improvement in certain areas. For example, the camera has a touch AF and touches shutter, which operates effectively; however, you cannot utilize the back display as an AF touchpad. This means you cannot use the electronic viewfinder (EVF) to take pictures while concurrently adjusting the AF point using the rear display. However, you may change the point by using the joystick designed explicitly with the autofocus system, which works well.

Image Quality

The sensor of the Z7 is entirely new, yet it offers image quality comparable to that of the D850, including dynamic range. The Z7 does improve upon several aspects, such as better control over the sharpness, richer colors, and stronger contrast than the extremely popular D850.

The performance at high ISO is likewise quite similar to that of the D850, which is to say that it is perfect. The Z7’s photographs print exceptionally well, and even at ISO 1600, they can produce prints that look good up to 30 by 40 inches in size. Even more impressive is that it can make a good print of 24 by 36 inches at an ISO setting of 3200 and an excellent eight by ten photo at an ISO setting of 25,600. That is outstanding in every way.

AutoFocus and Performance

The Nikon Z7 has an all-new hybrid focusing mechanism in its design. The camera incorporates 493 focusing points, covering approximately 90 percent of the frame’s horizontal and vertical space. Compared to the specialized phase-detection AF system found in the Nikon D850, this is a significant advancement in terms of the number of points and its coverage.

Although its low-light autofocus performance varied quite a bit depending on the subject you were photographing, What settings you used? The Z7 quickly focused and did an excellent job in difficult lighting situations. Regarding speed, we found that the Z7 was relatively short to concentrate on and generally did a fantastic job in difficult lighting situations.

(You need a dedicated Low-light AF mode to focus in meager light and turn off the Z7’s exposure simulation if you don’t want the camera to use the selected aperture when focusing unless you’re shooting wide-open.)

The Z7’s continuous autofocus performance was quite good; however, compared to the D850’s real-world testing, it did not appear as adept as the D850 in subject tracking.

Conclusion

The Z7 is a significant model for Nikon because it is the company’s first full-frame mirrorless camera. In addition, the camera incorporates various innovative features and technologies, such as a brand-new Z mount. This amount is significantly smaller in flange back distance and has a larger diameter than the mounts found in the company’s SLR cameras. This allows Nikon to move beyond the limitations of the F mount, which has been used for the past 60 years.

In-body image stabilization, a first for Nikon, and a new hybrid autofocus system are two innovations the Z7 brings to the table that Nikon’s DSLRs do not have. Because Nikon has been under increasing pressure from rival manufacturers of mirrorless cameras over the past few years, the company was forced to pull out all the stops to launch its new mirrorless system in the most successful way possible.

Nikon Z7 Specifications

Price
MSRP	$3399 (body only), $3999 (w/24-70 F4 lens)
Body type
Body type	SLR-style mirrorless
Body material	Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution	8256 x 5504
Other resolutions	5408 x 3600 (DX crop), 6880 x 5504 (5:4), 5504 x 5504 (1:1), 8256 x 4640 (16:9)
Image ratio w h	1:1, 5:4, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	46 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	47 megapixels
Sensor size	Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	Expeed 6
Color space	sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 64-25600 (expands to 32-102400)
Boosted ISO (minimum)	32
Boosted ISO (maximum)	102400
White balance presets	12
Custom white balance	Yes (6 slots)
Image stabilization	Sensor-shift
Image stabilization notes	5-axis
CIPA image stabilization rating	5 stop(s)
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Fine, normal, basic
File format	JPEGRaw (NEF, 12 or 14-bit)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive view.
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	493
Lens mount	Nikon Z
Focal length multiplier	1×
Screen/viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3.2″
Screen dots	2,100,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	0.8×
Viewfinder resolution	3,690,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/8000 sec
Exposure modes	ProgramAperture priorityShutter priorityManual
Built-in flash	No
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe)
Flash modes	Front-curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, off
Flash X sync speed	1/200 sec
Continuous drive	9.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2, 5, 10, or 20 secs)
Metering modes	MultiCenter-weightedHighlight-weighted spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 144 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 144 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 144 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 144 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 144 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 56 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 56 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 28 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 28 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 28 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	XQD card
Connectivity
USB	USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec)
USB charging	Yes
HDMI	Yes (mini HDMI)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	Yes
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11ac + Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (via MC-DC2 or smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	EN-EL15b lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	330
Weight (inc. batteries)	675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz)
Dimensions	134 x 101 x 68 mm (5.28 x 3.98 x 2.68″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

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