Z6 back from Nikon service

[Randy]

AF issues continue but appear a little better. The camera struggles to focus anywhere near MFD. IQ continues to be great but AF is a serious problem. I may get a 24-105z when they come out and make this my new travel combo and I may sell it. Not sure yet
Nikon wants me to send them the FTZ and 500pf. I doubt I will

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[Allan]

These look good, especially the bb.

 

[JW53]

IMage quality does appear to be great. Is the Af issue just when you initially focus close up or distance and then try to focus at a medium distance. Maybe sell it and get the Z6II.I'll test my Z7 see if I have the problem with the 200-500.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Shots look really good to me, at least at this size.

My batting average with Nikon service is about .500. Among the successes: back in the D200 days I sent in my camera body and two lenses to have them CLA'd and focus calibrated together. The results were very good.

 

[Randy]

IMage quality does appear to be great. Is the Af issue just when you initially focus close up or distance and then try to focus at a medium distance. Maybe sell it and get the Z6II.I'll test my Z7 see if I have the problem with the 200-500.

the problem has changed. Now it's initial focus acquisition on the near perch and sometimes only after a good near, good far and then dead. I think turning shutter sound off has improved the problem and maybe Nikon did something, it was a B1 repair which is just a clean and reset to factory settings. As Arbitrage (aka Geoff) on FM said, all mirrorless bodies do this some but maybe the Z6 does it more. The shutter sound of the Z6 is so much less than the D5 the birds didn't seem to mind it. But after 2 weeks of shooting the D5 I can't go back to the Z6. IQ is closer than you'd think but the D5's AF is 10x better. I've already heard the Z6II is not better and I'm not in the mode to buy one thinking I might have to return it. If the 24-105 is an S lens and is f/4 I will keep the Z6 since it will be great for everything else (although I wouldn't use it for BIF, not because I couldn't make it work but because the D5 and D500 are so much better)

 

[Randy]

These look good, especially the bb.

it does make good IQ

Shots look really good to me, at least at this size.

My batting average with Nikon service is about .500. Among the successes: back in the D200 days I sent in my camera body and two lenses to have them CLA'd and focus calibrated together. The results were very good.

they rock on my 27" 2540 LCD and even eyes at 100% are impressive. The one thing the Z6 has over any of my DSLRs is focus accuracy. When I put the single sensor on the birds eye 100% of the shots are critically sharp and at 1/250 (so VR on the 500pf + IBIS on the Z6 work great together. way better than just VR on the lens)
Always tradeoffs

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[drr1531]

Another awesome bluebird shot. You've really been nailing them. That perch and BG work great. The guy behind the camera does ok too.

 

[Randy]

i can't decide what to do with the Z6 + FTZ
If i keep it i will rarely use it since im stuck home but i dont need the money and i got a great deal on it new. im leaning towards selling it. i wish i new if the 24-105 was going to be an f/4 lens. i shot the z6 since June but after just 2 weeks shooting the D5 i cant shoot the Z6 anymore, in my backyard anyway.
Thoughts ?

 

[Mike Buckley]

Thoughts ?

Maybe keep the Z6 as a backup to your D5.

 

[Butlerkid]

Maybe keep the Z6 as a backup to your D5.

Really? The D850 is my backup to the D5. But the Z6 might be a very good travel camera system......assuming we get to travel again soon!

 

[Mike Buckley]

Really? The D850 is my backup to the D5.

Yes, really. I have no idea what cameras Randy owns. Thus, my suggestion was phrased as maybe.

 

[Randy]

Maybe keep the Z6 as a backup to your D5.

the D850 then the D500 do well as backups. My current travel kit is the D500 + 16-80 so I'd keep the Z6 if I could put a native z lens on it but I hate the 24-70 range. Where is the 24-105 already

 

[Randy]

Yes, really. I have no idea what cameras Randy owns. Thus, my suggestion was phrased as maybe.

3 but I do use them all, I always sold when upgrading

 

[Phil K]

Images look very good, when AF is working.

I haven't done enough bird photography to see if my Z7 is okay.

 

[Lance B]

Superb images, Randy! Great detail.

 

[Replytoken]

My apologies if I missed an earlier thread describing the AF issue, but I am not really certain I understand the Z6's specific problem. Was this described somewhere else?

--Ken

 

[Randy]

My apologies if I missed an earlier thread describing the AF issue, but I am not really certain I understand the Z6's specific problem. Was this described somewhere else?

--Ken

I just came back in after more testing and the problem is unchanged and almost a show stopper. AF accuracy is still better on my Z6 than anything else

Ken the problem is focus on something close, then focus on something far away, then try to focus close again and the camera struggles to ever focus. I have missed many shots while looking at an OOF bird in the VF and trying to shoot. Today I tried it on the naked 500e on a tripod so it was easier to stay focused on the perch

 

[JW53]

I wondere if this is a Z6 issue...Just ried with the Z7. 1st with the kit 24-70 S f4. At the 70mm end of the lens focused on some books probably 4ft away then out the window across the cul de sac on some trees 60-100 ft away then back to the books. No struggle or hunting, found focus quite quickly. Tried the same with the 300 f4 AFS with 1.4 tc on the ftz adapter. Aperature at f6.3 , Close focus on a box with lettering ,then the trees and back again. Not as quick as the native 24-70 and it did hunt a second (user error) when I tried focusing on a just the portion of the box without contrast. As soon as I switched to the blue lettering on the box it came into focus. Repeated several times focusing (close - distance -close) just insuring that the close subjects had some contrast such as the lettering. Came into focus each time.

 

[Palouse]

I wondere if this is a Z6 issue...Just ried with the Z7. 1st with the kit 24-70 S f4. At the 70mm end of the lens focused on some books probably 4ft away then out the window across the cul de sac on some trees 60-100 ft away then back to the books. No struggle or hunting, found focus quite quickly. Tried the same with the 300 f4 AFS with 1.4 tc on the ftz adapter. Aperature at f6.3 , Close focus on a box with lettering ,then the trees and back again. Not as quick as the native 24-70 and it did hunt a second (user error) when I tried focusing on a just the portion of the box without contrast. As soon as I switched to the blue lettering on the box it came into focus. Repeated several times focusing (close - distance -close) just insuring that the close subjects had some contrast such as the lettering. Came into focus each time.

THat's been my experience with Z6/7 with the 70-200 f/4 F lens on the FTZ. Does what it is supposed to do, albeit a bit slower.

But I'm am not a BIF shooter.

 

[Randy]

I'm probably keeping it for focus accuracy. I'm using single point and focusing on the eye. The Z6 seems to never miss, producing critically sharp images. There's no disputing the pure IQ it delivers.

I shot the Z6 with the 500e for about 20mins today, wide open at f/4, on the Wimberly it was easier to stay focused on the perch