photography Archives - Heiko's Blog

Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L Review

I’ve used the Peak Design Everyday Backpack V1 (the original) for a little over 5 years. I’ve seen the pros and cons of the backpack, and I’ve seen it fail. But before you draw conclusions, hear (read) me out.

Nikon Z8 Review

If you’ve read some of my camera reviews, you will have noticed that I take my time before I write a review. This time I’ve used the Nikon Z8 camera for 12 months before writing this review. I feel comfortable enough now to get good results, and also know what to expect from the camera and lenses.

Nikon Z8 with FTZ and AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, 1/2000s, f6.3, ISO 720: Black kite (Milvus migrans) flying near the fish ponds of Tirat Zvi

DSLR to Mirrorless – is it an Upgrade?

I have used Nikon DSLRs for two decades. About three years ago I first bought a Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera, switched that for a Canon EOS R5, and later sold the Canon gear and got a Nikon Z7 II, all within about a year. Last summer I added the Nikon Z8 to my collection of mirrorless cameras. Was the switch from DSLR to mirrorless cameras an upgrade?

Nikon Z8 with Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens: Former Nova festival main dance floor with signs depicting victims of the Hamas massacre as well as the hostages held in Gaza

Nikon Z8 Bird Detection

Last Saturday I got a chance to quickly try out Nikon’s new firmware 2.0 release for the Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera. I was anticipating this firmware upgrade since the firmware upgrade to the Nikon Z9 flagship camera.

The following are my first impressions of the new bird detection feature in the Nikon Z8 and how it can help capture sharp, in-focus photos of birds. This review is by no means comprehensive and doesn’t even address BIF or “birds in flight”. Yet I believe it may be helpful in determining Nikon’s improvements in the focusing department.

Choosing a Camera System

Whether newcomer, enthusiast, or professional photographer, I bet you’ve run into the dilemma of choosing a camera and lenses, or switching your current system to another brand. It may even be more far reaching, such as choosing a different technology.

Nikon D850: Tel Aviv sunset, Israel (click for larger view)

The Importance of Choosing the Right USB Cable

Updated March 28, 2024

I already wrote about my trip to Spain and Europe and choosing the camera. Traveling with the Nikon Z7 II was definitely the right choice for me. What I haven’t mentioned was that I packed the wrong USB cable.

Traveling to Spain with the Nikon Z8 or Nikon Z7 II?

In June this year I embarked on a 6-week photography trip to Spain and other places in Europe. A few days before the departure I received the brand new Nikon Z8. I wanted to travel light, only a small camera backpack and a boarding trolley. But which camera should I pack – the Nikon Z8 or Nikon Z7 II?

The dome in front of the mihrab of the Great Mosque of Cordoba

Nikon Z7 II Review

Half a year ago I replaced my Canon R5 and RF lenses for the Nikon Z7 II and some selected Z mount lenses. Both mirrorless cameras feature a 45 MP sensor, weather sealing, and are in many ways comparable. But a closer look shows substantial differences between both cameras and lenses.

This Nikon Z7 II review attempts to not only show the pros and cons of the camera and the lenses I own or used, but I feel also able to compare it with the Canon R5 and some Canon lenses. I will also share some impressions on how the Nikon Z7 II works with the FTZ-II adapter and the Nikon 200-500mm/f5.6 F mount lens.

Canon: Why Make Shutter Count Inaccessible?

Yesterday I finally decided to part with my Canon gear. I tried everything to make it work but it doesn’t work for me. See my Canon EOS R5 Disappointment post.

So, the first thing I thought a potential buyer of a camera might want to know is the shutter count. It is kind of the milage of the camera. Mechanical shutters have a maximum life expectancy that is published by the camera manufacturer. My Canon EOS R5 has an impressive shutter life of 500,000 actuations. That is a lot even for a professional camera body. Compare that to the shutter rating of the Nikon D850 with a mere 200,000 shutter actuations.

Camera Manufacturers: Please Use Accurate Time Stamps for Image Files

Update: October 4, 2023

My Canon and Nikon cameras use either the exFAT file system or the (older) FAT file system for image storage on their SD, SDxx, CF, CFexpress or XQD cards. In theory, the exFAT file system supports accurate time stamps up to a precision of 10 milliseconds. The FAT32 file system, in contrast, just offers 2 second accuracy for the modification time, or 10 millisecond for the creation time.