Anyone here used a Z7 II underwater yet?
Oct 13, 2021
I'm just pondering the day when I finally move on from my current Nauticam D850 rig. I currently shoot with the 105vr and the 16-35vr, and I have shot my 60mm micro as well.
I see the 105vr is being discontinued here and there, and should I flood my rig and need to replace things a year or two from now, a Z7 may be my only realistic choice at that time. Unless a D880 comes out (which I would buy in a heartbeat, assuming it added decent Live View autofocus for video).
So I'm wondering, how good is the Z7 ii for these specific tasks (replicating what I do with the 105vr and 16-35) and what are my lens choices? The 105s macro seems a no-brainer, but I don't know what to do about the 16-35, save perhaps the FTZ adapter. The 14-30 seems the closest choice, though I would prefer something like a 14-50 as the long end here becomes very handy underwater. I'm shooting through a 230mm dome.
While I need hair-trigger fast and accurate AF for macro shots, I don't need to shoot faster than 2-3fps, usually just a single shot at a time. I purposely turn the camera to Cl (Continuous Low Speed) for diving, so I don't need sports-like-tracking at 8fps. Which is a big reason I don't feel like getting a mirrorless camera in general.
I've just started doing underwater video (or video of any kind) with the D850, and the AF there is almost hopeless, not the least because it's loud in the video, as is physically adjusting ... basically anything on the rig while shooting video. (Slow, noisy.) I have little doubt the Z7 would be far superior here. But I do wonder if it can focus fast enough for those blenny shots in current surge for stills.
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Phoenix Arizona Craig
www.cjcphoto.net
"I miss the days when I was nostalgic."