The Nikon Z7 - Have Nikon Finally Entered The Mirrorless Game?

I'm no stranger to the mirrorless system. In fact, if I had a pound for everyone who asked if I was planning on going mirrorless, I'd have about £4.

Still, having played around with Fuji’s mirrorless x-t100 some 2-3 years back, I couldn't help feel that it just wasn't quite there. It’s slow, there's way too much menu digging, the ergonomics just didn't feel right (coming from a Nikon) and the focus was, well... painful. I knew mirrorless had potential… but that wasn't it.

So when Nikon released the Z7, it caught my eye, I wanted to believe this was Nikon’s answer to my puzzling question of is mirrorless the way forward but, I was too quick to dismiss it...

Seriously, Nikon entering the mirrorless game this late into the competition? We all know Sony has dominated it up until now. How exactly can Nikon compete?!

Christmas came early and the amazing guys over at Hireacamera UK sent me a Nikon Z7 and 50mm Z f.1.8 lens to run through its paces. So let's begin...

First thoughts of the Z7?

I'm impressed.

I'm not going to lie, it’s small, lightweight and the form factor just felt right in the hands. I can't say I'm surprised that Nikon hit the ergonomics on the head (well.. kind of.. more on that in a later blog) but it certainly is leaps and bounds ahead of the Fuji I previously used. I sound surprised, though let’s be honest, after shooting primarily Nikon for the last (nearly) 10 years, you get used to certain things.

So I plugged in a battery and powered it on... eager to get going…

As I took my eye to the EVF (Electronic View Finder) and began to spin the oh-so-familiar dials and buttons, I fired off a few frames and I couldn't help but feel the smile begin to creep across my face, and there it was...

Was I falling in love.... again?!

Truth is, nothing has given me that sense of inner warmth and a general sense of ‘f**k yes!!!’ since I first laid hands on the Nikon D850 (at this point, noncamera nerds will think I'm weird, but I can live with that). I knew it’s going to take one hell of a camera to even come close to Nikon’s flagship DSLR. 2 years on after shooting countless frames with the D850, it still gives me that feeling to this day!

So, that left me with one question...

Are Nikon (too) late to the game or have they been working behind the scenes patiently waiting to drop the ultimate game-changer at the exact right time in the market? Because hell knows, some have already jumped ship to Sony.

Is the Z7 the answer I've been looking for?

There’s only one way to find out and over the next couple of weeks, I fully intend to put this through its paces.

But for starters, here's a quick run around the garden, churning out some dark and moody vibes... yeah.... it underexposes nicely!

(all images shot in jpeg and tweaked in post-production to taste)