Year End Photography Update – Nikon Z8, Z50, D5600, iPhone 15 Pro Max

This year I have added a Nikon Z8, Nikon D5600, and an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Z8 replaced a Nikon Z7, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max replaced an iPhone 14 Pro Max. The D5600 was added used and I bought that as I was always remembering how much I liked my Nikon D5500 from a few years ago. The last couple of days I have gone out and used all these cameras and the smart phone on the same subjects to see what the ease of use was and of course the quality of the photos obtained.

These photos above are not a fair comparison but my words are. I had the Z8 on a tripod and it was very easy to get this shot. The Z8 immediately focused on the flower front stem. I tilted the back screen on the camera up and then took a glance through the viewfinder before taking the photo. The iPhone was so hard to use with one of my tripods I stopped using the tripod and shot by hand hold. Tripods are cumbersome but when you have a good camera on one you can set up the shot exactly as you want it without trying to hold the camera steady. 

The Z8 was the easiest to get good focus and good color. Punchy reds and focus on the part of the Hibiscus you want it to is easier with the Z8. The iPhone renders the colors quite a bit differently than the Nikons. Basically on the Nikons you shoot raw, edit simply with Lightroom Classic, and export a jpeg. The Z8 color was good with just the application of the Nikon “camera landscape” base setting. I then brought up the exposure just a little. The Z50 took a little color adjustment on top of “camera landscape” base setting and exposure. 

On all three Nikons I shot in raw and adjusted the exposure down -1 stop. The three Nikons were all shot with raw. The Z8 has 46 mega pixel raw files (approx), the Z50 has just over 20 mega pixels, and the D5600 is 24 mega pixels. The Z8 is full frame and I used a Nikon Z 85mm f1.8 S lens. The Z50 I used the kit 16-50mm zoom lens. The D5600 I used the kit zoom 18-55mm P lens. The iPhone I used the best lens the 28mm. 

Conclusion on these four cameras for close up botanical shots. Overall the Nikons and especially the Z8 did better with this subject. The Z8 and Z50 have a focus adjustment to a very small focus point which works for close ups better than the older D5600. The iPhone is much harder to hand hold and shoot flowers. If you put it on a tripod you can mostly get the focus right. When you hand hold and try and shoot low shots you may have to get very low to the ground. On the Nikons you just tilt up the rear screens and you can magnify the subject to make sure you have proper focus. I also find Lightroom to be much better to use for editing photos than Apple Photos. In this set of red flower photos the iPhone was at a disadvantage due to it being latter in the day when I took them compared to the Nikons and the sun was brighter. 

1. The Z8 camera does the best of these four in color rendition. 
2. The Z8 camera has fantastic focus. 
3. Nikon full frame Z lenses are great. 
4. The Z8 is the natural evolution of the Z7. The Z8 is a much better camera than the Z7 I had. It is not as small and light as the Z7 though and costs over a thousand more. I love the fact the sensor gets covered now and is not out for dust to gather on it. However, with my Z7 the cleaning system it had worked very well. 
5. The Nikon Z50 is a great, light, small, do all camera. Very good photos and video. It is mirrorless and so what you see is what you get in the viewfinder. The kit lenses are excellent. The size is just right and about the same as the classic cameras like the Olympus OM film cameras. It also has a built in flash. Mine is three years old now and still excellent. You have to watch out for sensor dust though. 
6. Nikon D5600 This is a classic 24 mega pixel DSLR. Very good auto focus. Touch screen. Very easy to use. Live view works OK with stills, but not so well with video. This will do video in a pinch but an iPhone is better. 
7. iPhone 15 pro max. Does photos and video excellently, but with all the drawbacks and advantages you get from this form instead of a classic camera shape. Very light and in your pocket most of the time. Exposure is usually right on. Results from such small lenses and sensors is a miracle. Does it replace regular cameras, no. If you are going someplace or doing something where you can carry a bigger camera like any of these Nikons paring the traditional camera with an iPhone works well. Much of the time I put a prime lens on a Nikon and then use the iPhone for super wide angle or telephoto. But then some of the time when doing outdoor shooting I put the 24-200mm zoom lens on the full frame Nikon and can do wide angle to telephoto.