Nikon is one of the most trusted brands when it comes to cameras and their lenses. They carry some of the most impressive new cameras today based on the older releases such as Nikon Z7ii Vs Z7. The close brothers are not exactly the same but too similar to each other and you probably ask whether it is wise to buy the new camera or stick with the older. Here we will compare the two so you can choose which of them will be the wiser choice.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What to Upgrade in a Camera
- What are Nikon Z7II and Z7
- How are the Design of Nikon Z7II and Z7
- How are the Processor in Nikon Z7II and Z7
- How are the Video Ability in Nikon Z7II and Z7
- How are the Memory Slot in Nikon Z7II and Z7
- What else Nikon Z7II and Z7 can offer
- Nikon Z7II Vs Z7
Upgrading Camera
Unfortunately most of us will have to upgrade the photography equipment at some point for various reasons which can be to facilitate your growing skills, upgrading the image quality, or looking for features not available on the older gear. But, everytime we are facing the same question whether to buy a new camera body or investing on more expensive, high-end lenses. Of course both great camera and expensive lens combo are what we want but, we also need to think about the budget.
When deciding to buy a new gear, it is wise to consider what you want to achieve with the equipment and what plays a bigger role in your image quality for now. The choice can vary based on individual preferences so there is no wrong answer here.
Camera Body
For the camera’s body, this is like the control board of your system since this is where all functions are located. It is the container that holds the sensor which will affect how your image is sized and cropped, lens, along with some electronic controls. They are the one that will decide your dynamic range, amount of noise when capturing on low-light, autofocus, fps, and the megapixels are what is noticeable or commonly referred to on the body itself. Overall it affects the amount of pixels and how fast you can shoot.
Considering the body is what we hold in practical use, they will affect how the user is handling and operating the whole equipment. This is why shape, size, and weight are also often noted by photographers, especially if you will be holding them for a prolonged time.
Camera Lenses
Lens on the other hand is attached to the main body and in ILC they are interchangeable as long as the mount matches. It is the gear that gathers and focuses light as it strikes the front surface of the lens and passes through the glass construction. The difference when you invest more on a good lens is the latter will do a better job in producing properly illuminated or sharp images. Just like how camera bodies vary, lenses are also produced with different focal length, aperture, type of glass, etc.
| Nikon Z7II | Nikon Z7 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 5.28 x 2.74 x 3.96 inches | 5.3 x 2.7 x 4 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 1.9 pounds | 1.29 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
When talking about the end result of an image taken on a camera, the lenses are what decide how the image will artistically look like and have greater control over the image because aperture, focal length, and sharpness are decided by the lens. For example by pairing a cheap camera body with an expensive lens and an expensive camera with a kit lens, the end result will favor the high-end lenses in most cases.
About Nikon Z7II and Z7
If the area you want to improve is located on the body, it is wise to improve the camera itself and vice versa if what the camera can offer is adequate but lenses are still modest, we can invest in better or more expensive ones. For example for those who want better autofocus or just need a camera that can capture fast moving objects then upgrading the body will be a wise decision. Cameras are always upgraded so chances are you will find a newer one after a year or two.
What increase the options are the alternatives from other brands but it all depends on what system you are familiar with or what lenses you already have in the collection and want to keep using them. Among them Nikon is one of the most popular not only on the DSLR range but also on the mirrorless area. Yes, it seems companies are more interested in improving and releasing new mirrorless now including this brand so expect to see many more in the near future, especially for both enthusiast and professional lines.
The example is their original Z7 mirrorless camera which garnered a great impression by users when it was first entering the market in 2018. It was an all-rounded option with modest price and pretty much working for everything whether you want still images or videos. Back then in October, Nikon finally released the Z7II about 2 years after the original camera. As a new addition in the family, many are expecting the camera to be the new standard of 2021 yet somehow it is too similar.
With a price gap around $600, both Nikon Z7II and Z7 are not interchangeable options even if this is your first camera. However, it doesn’t mean the two are exactly the same either because the upgrades are located on some of the hardware and mostly on the software in which one of them is the image processor itself. In comparison, there is definitely an improvement but personally we don’t see it as a huge upgrade over the previous camera.
Nikon Z7II and Z7 Design
Before going for the main part of Nikon Z7II and Z7, let’s see the unit first. Physically, the two are identical as you can see on the sample above. We also can’t set them apart quickly if not for the labeling on the body. They are still comfortable to hold, perfectly sized for comfort and good overall construction quality with weather sealing ability. The buttons layout stays the same so you will get everything that exists on the original Z7 such as dials, AF-on button, joystick, and trio buttons at the top plate.
The new camera also brings the same screen as well into the system with a 3.2-inch, 2.1 million dots tilting display which means modest resolution and easy to use for different settings though we did hope now it is articulating, a tilting screen is certainly not bad. Basically, everything is the same on both cameras that the two are looking like the same unit. Read also: Nikon Z7II Vs Sony A7RIV.
Nikon Z7II and Z7 Processor
Now for the most important part, let’s see what set the Nikon Z7II and Z7 apart the most and in our opinion it is the processor because the Z7II is coming with two EXPEED 6 processors instead of one. This upgrade improved the camera’s overall performance including buffer, autofocus, and then continuous shooting speed. With the new processor, now the camera can shoot continuously 1 FPS more than its older unit; a very humble upgrade for the price if we may say.
What’s significantly better is that the Z7II is also capable of shooting in 12-bit lossless compressed RAW at up to 77 images while the original camera is limited to 23 RAW images. Considering this speed, users should be able to capture for almost 8 seconds with 10 FPS rate before the buffer starts compared to how Z7 can slow down in just a few seconds.
Nikon Z7II and Z7 Video
Another great improvement brought by the new processor is meant for hybrid users because now you can record at a more modern 60fps compared to 30fps on the older camera and yes, this is applied for the 4K resolution which is more like a standard in nowadays devices. But, if you want to capture faster moving objects, the 1080p at 120fps are still available on both cameras. For 4K video, the crop for 60fps will be 1.08x while 30fps is at 1.0x.
Nikon Z7II and Z7 Memory Slot
For older cameras, there are some complaints that we often heard especially when compared to the newer releases so between Nikon Z7II and Z7, we are glad to say that the heavily criticized HDMI port is now can send HLG and HDR which is lacking on the Z7 along with memory slot where you can now find two of them in Z7II. The first slot is taking the CFexpress and XWD memory cards while the second slot is receiving both UHS-I and UHS-II memory cards.
This way, you get the advantage of Nikon high-end cameras since we can use two types of media for different purposes whether to overflow the cards, using one as backup or using one to save RAW files and the other for JPEG files.
Nikon Z7II and Z7 Additional Upgrades
Lastly we also want to mention the annoying issue on the original Z7 which are the display mode and the oversensitive EVF. Now the display mode is cleaner and easy to use while the EVF is no longer engaging automatically when the rear LCD is tilted open. They may be minor issues but we do think the upgrades do take user’s experience as input and fixing or at least addressing them to improve the overall comfort and ease of use of the camera.
Nikon Z7II vs Z7
Both cameras are pretty much the same when it comes to image quality so it is not groundbreaking to begin with. The prominent part is speed since the Z7II is faster and overall more reliable but also without a huge margin, especially if you already have the original camera. What makes the experience better is now it has a new processor, better firmware, as well as some minor upgrades, including slightly longer battery life.
Conclusion
You can go well with any of the two even as a first camera but the price gap is too far for these upgrades. Personally we will recommend sticking with Z7 or picking this camera between the two as your first gear, or waiting for the new alternative from Nikon.