Great pics! Im impressed eith the tracking on those bird in flight photos. Looks like every shot in the series is sharp! Nice natural looking edits too

👍

Jonny, excellent and that makes me happy because I am a nikon guy.  The tracking really appeared  to be much improved.  That 600 PF is unbelievable. I would have liked seeing some hummers thats my favorite.  The killdeer were beautiful. I was very rigid about my 850, but I like what I see with the Z8.  Super video as always thanks.

I rewatched this because I just ordered the 600 PF. Might have to order that 1.4 TC too! :)

Thank you very much for this review. I got this lens last week and now I'm excited to get the TC-1.4x. I've always been a little shy about teleconverters, but this looks wonderful.

Great images and a great lens camera set up.

Nicely done John! Great job James. The Z8 is a great camera and Z glass is off the hook. I have owned the Z9 since its initial firmware and have updated firmware to current and each time the camera experience and performance has improved with firmware to make it seem like a new camera! The AF on the Z9 is much better now. I have been amazed at the Z 800PF and the Z 180-600 lenses as well. Keep shooting!

the best gear is what you got for sure, my grandfather is still using his old Nikon camera from I think 2006 and his photos are better then my own with my 70D.

Top Drawer

Great images John!  As always, loved the video and photographic conversation!  The does look like a really nice set up. I guess we just need one of those  all terrain fat tire e bikes. We could load all our photography gear on it and explore, sand, snow, rough terrain, whatever. I’ve actually thought a lot about that. 🤔. Anyway, beautiful location. ❤️😍

I am a Canon shooter by history, but recently moved to Nikon due to better availability of good lenses in the middle of the price range and the Z8 price to performance value. I really wanted a camera with very low readout speed, high megapixel and consistent AF. I think the Z8 now has all of that at a better price. So I moved to Nikon initially paring the Z8 with the 180-600. Very satisfied after the first day shooting birds. The difficult part always is to adapt to a very different menu. I am still learning. Thank you for your video!!! Very good job John!

Very cool! The R5 Mark II better be really special or I might just buy a Z8 instead. :)

If I was starting with wildlife photo, I I think I would have just put everything into that set up.  😌 And a smaller fast zoom.

Been with Nikon since 1972 and Flippy Screens are for Consumer Cameras for Blogging IMO. My Z8's screen is perfect for Portrait and Landscape  Set  Up in Wild Life Photography. You will enjoy the 600 as its Mid Priced light and manouverable >> something Canon doesnt have. Z8 (Camera of Year 2023 ) has the Same AF as Z9. I am a Wild life Amateur Photographer based in S Africa use the  Z8 and 180-600 Fantastic Lens Lower F stop F6.3 @600mm and Internal Zoom . Canons Much more expensive 100 - 500 is F7.1 @500mm and telescopes when zooming >> no good in Dusty Africa

Great footage!  Nikon has 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 but it is not the S grade glass (Canon has L grade glass), but it is not sharp at 600mm.  I have been thinking about the S grade glass 600mm f6.3 like you have on your Z8 and I hope its price will be going down a little bit.  Thank you so much for sharing. ❤

Did you use the Z8 with the most recent firmware update? Have you used a Nikon Z9 with the most recent firmware updates? I’m curious about whether your previous assessment of the Z9 and its capabilities was due to the limitations of the older firmware.

I use this lens with Z9. Great lens. However 6.3 is not the best setting. I would prefer to have 5.6 instead.  Cannot imagine to use with TC like my 600 F4. But the lens is amazingly light and sharp. A tripod is not needed. Recommended.

If 800mm is your favourite length you really should try the Nikon Z 800 PF f/6.3 lens.  Yes, it will be a bit heavier than the configuration you are trying in this video BUT, the images will be sharper and you have more light to play with - win, win!!!  I am a Nikon shooter with a Z9, Z8 and a Z6iii.  I also have the Z 800 PF lens and the Z 180-600 - range and flexibility.  I also love bthe programmability of all three of the Nikon bodies i use allowing just one button press to instantly change the whole camera from a set up useful for slow moving mammals to high speed birds in flight - perfect for any wildlife photography situations.

Nicely done 👏👏👏 What did you shoot this video with? Another camera/Gopro? Mic? Can you share? Thanks!

I shoot wildlife (mainly birds) with both Nikon (Z9 & Z600/4 TC) and Canon (R3 & RF800/5.6) systems. Don’t think you could compare apples to oranges as Nikon and Canon’s offerings are rather different.