3 Reviews of the Nikon Z7’s Full-Frame Mirrorless Performance

After months of rumors, Nikon announced their new full-frame mirrorless camera line with the Z7 and Z6 as another potential mirrorless competitor to Sony A7s and the rest of the full-frame 4K mirrorless pack.

Now, with the new line of cameras and lenses having hit the market in late September, the unboxing videos and hands-on reviews are starting to roll in. Let’s look at 3 in-depth reviews of how the Nikon Z7 is performing for interested videographers and filmmakers.

First though, some quick technical stats on the Nikon Z7’s video recording capabilities.

• 45.7MP FX-Format CMOS Sensor

• UHD 4K Video Recording at 30fps

• Full HD Video Recording at 120fps

• 64-25,600 ISO (Expandable to 102,400)

• 3.2” Tilting Touchscreen LCD

• 493-Point Phase-Detect AF

• 8K Time-lapse Mode

• XQD memory cards

• Nikon Z Lens Mount

Quick 4K Video Recording Test

While Brent Rose may be more interested in the Nikon Z7 for its photography exploits in his review for Gizmodo, Rose was able to test out the Z7’s video capabilities in his test video above. The video looks sharp and shines in the stationary moments with its brilliant 4K in bright daylight. However Rose seems to have some issues with some focus tracking consistency and the face tracking technology.

Extensive Video and Darkness Test

In this extensive review by Tutto Digitale, the Nikon Z7 is put through a more rigorous video test which showcases the camera in different light conditions and at different ISOs and bitrates. For cinematography-focused videographers, the Z7 looks good capturing cinematic landscapes and exteriors during the day and into some beautiful magic hour colors. The low-light recording though, which is a big part of Nikon’s marketing for the Z7 up against Sony’s powerful A7s capabilities looks good, but a bit grainy at higher ISOs. However, Nikon does offer its own log recording which this video doesn’t use due to its external recording requirements.

120fps Recording in Action

Finally, the folks at DPReview take the Nikon Z7 on set and try it out as their primary camera for a full music video production. The big takeaway from the behind-the-scenes production seems to be the flexibility the Z7’s auto-focus technology looks to afford a smaller crew. The built-in focus peaking and highlight display tools are helpful, and the 120fps recording in action at the end looks solid in small doses when maxed at 1080p (when mixed with the 4K footage).