Goodbye Sweet Love, It was fun while it lasted...

It was a love affair that lasted from around the late 1980’s through to this year, 2021. Not a bad run I think you’ll agree. But something changed. Was it me, was it them? As with all affairs of the heart that come to an end, questions were asked, accusations were made, plates were flung… wait, no, I’m getting carried away here…

Questions were indeed asked though, by me and my requirements in a camera system going forward. I feel a little history is needed to get a grasp on why saying goodbye to Nikon as my choice of camera system is such a big thing.

If you know me, or have seen a picture of me, you’ve probably noticed I’m missing a couple of bodily parts… nothing essential, just half an arm and some digits. Now, when someone asks me ‘what camera should I buy?’, which when you’re a photographer, is a question that gets asked surprisingly frequently, my first and most important answer is, “The one that fits you”. Wait, what? What sort of answer is that Neil? I know, you were expecting me to suggest a brand, or a minimum number of pixels, or one that gives you the ‘most’ for a certain amount of cash. But the honest answer, is that if you’re going to invest in a camera and system, then it needs to be one that fits you like a glove. You need to be able to lift it to your eye and take the shot, without worrying and fussing about where the dial is for changing a certain setting. It needs to be like an extension of you.

So, when I was in a position to buy my first ‘serious’ SLR in the 80’s (for younger readers, there was no ‘D’ in front of SLR those days), I did the correct thing and physically went into a camera store (remember actually going into stores?…) and tried all the brands that fell into my budget. Pentax, Canon, Minolta and of course, Nikon. Eventually, Nikon was the clear winner for handling, button and dial positions for me. None of the others seemed to sit right and there was always a handling compromise which, like I said, didn’t make the camera feel like a part of me. Anyway, that’s where it started and it kind of snowballed from there. I gained spare bodies and a range of lenses to suit my requirements and upgraded as and when it was suitable or circumstances necessitated me to do so.

I can honestly say, that in the 30 or so years I’ve used Nikon equipment, shooting for magazines, private and commercial commissions, the equipment has never let me down. I’ve shot in some incredibly inhospitable places for precision optical equipment too; hanging off boats at sea shooting racing yachts, up damp and windy mountains, in muddy forests with rally cars flying (sometimes literally) past, hanging out of helicopters over New York and I’ve shot in deserts and the Arctic Circle and the only time a lens or body has faltered, is through user error or simply wearing it out.

At the beginning of March 2021, my camera bag contained 2 D850’s, and 6 fast Nikon lenses both prime and zoom. But time, as ever, is changing and so, as ever, is camera technology. Mirrorless technology is matching and exceeding the size, quality and capability of DSLR’s such as the D850, and last year I was enticed by the look and specs of the forthcoming Nikon Z7II. Lighter, faster, full frame sensor, video capabilities and an adapter that promised I could still use my ‘old’ lenses. It was a no brainer… It should have been a no brainer.

My mind was made up. It was time. This dinosaur was switching to the new and very capable technology of pro mirrorless… So what was that annoying tapping on my subconscious shoulder? First it was the lens adapter. It didn’t seem to matter how many assurances I was given about how well the camera and adapter worked with older DSLR lenses (and when I say older, I’m only talking a couple of years), questions kept sticking their head above the parapet… These lenses were specifically made to sit a certain distance from a DSLR’s mirror and sensor. By adding an adapter between the new body and lens, surely a difference would be there? Also, my pro lenses are built like tanks; with such a smaller lighter camera body, how unbalanced will the camera be or just feel to me? And because I wouldn’t be using the Z lenses specific to the new system, I wouldn’t benefit from the new and improved image stabilisation technology.

Then the supply delays started to appear. Sure, COVID had delayed production a little between release and distribution, then the border issues with Brexit added further complications, but by the beginning of 2021, supply was not looking any more positive. The curiosity of this, was that at the same time as the announcement of the Nikon Z7II, the Z6II was announced and this was already being sold in the UK… I’m writing this towards the end of March 2021 and my favoured camera store is still awaiting stock of the Z7II and adapter…

Ok, quick time hop back to the late 90’s early 2000’s. There was another camera system I absolutely loved using. Medium format photography was definitely a more technical affair. Not quite as slow or as hit and miss as large format, but it definitely made you slow down and ‘savour’ the process. The negatives, transparencies and prints you were rewarded with were a big step up from 35mm and the costs per image and equipment were reflected in that increased quality. Unfortunately, the magazines and clients I supplied didn’t need or want to wait for medium format images. My clients mainly wanted quick supply and 35mm digital was starting to take off. And so slowly but surely, my medium format equipment was sold off to help me get on the ladder of digital.

I’d often looked at going to digital medium format over the last few years as my photography style and subjects have changed, but cost has always been the factor holding me back. To see a step up in quality and output from my Nikon, I’d need to be spending significant money. It would be easy say goodbye to over £20k on a system from Hasselblad, second hand… and Hasselblad's aren’t exactly a nimble system to use.

Fujifilm were starting to bring medium format camera systems within reach of mere mortals. A couple of years ago, I’d attended a talk on the Fujifilm stand at Photokina (RIP). They were just releasing a medium format camera that wasn’t much larger than a DSLR, the GFX system. There was the flagship GFX100 at over £10k for just the body and also a GFX50 for a little less. The output quality and handling of the system looked incredible. I drooled a little, but pulled myself together as I didn’t have the kind of money required.

And then something shiny caught my eye just into this new year. News around the web was that Fujifim were about to release a game changer. A 102MP medium format camera that was the same size as my D850 (45.7MP), weighed a little less and cost almost half of their flagship GFX100. Everyone and I mean everyone, who’d tried the demo models absolutely raved about just how good this camera was. So, medium format, mirrorless, 4K video capable, incredible image stabilisation system, hugely positive feedback and with trade in, ‘relatively’ affordable. Ok, i’m talking in comparison to similar spec medium format systems from other brands ‘affordable’, but you get what I mean. The other important positive to me was that when I enquired about availability, the store was completely transparent and said they wouldn’t be able to supply me until probably end of March, early April. There and then I agreed to it. I could wait for that kind of camera specification and company honesty.

As it happened, my kit arrived in the middle of March, I’ve given it a couple of test runs and my first commercial shoot is next week.

Since getting rid of my Nikon equipment, I’ve had more time to reflect on why I wasn’t champing at the bit to get my hands on the Z7II system. The biggest thing that keeps niggling me is - ‘Meh!’ It just didn’t light any fires. When I changed from most of my other camera bodies to the newer and better option, there was always something to excite me. Faster, new features, higher resolution; but the Z system just didn’t have that wow factor. So, sorry my old flame, it’s time to move on. It’s not me, it’s you. The passion I once felt for you and your brand just isn’t there anymore. I hope we can still be friends…