TOKYO, May 12 – Nikon has announced the release of its latest full-frame mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z 8. This camera condenses the advanced functionality and performance of the flagship Nikon Z 9 into a compact and lightweight body while maintaining superior robustness and reliability. The Z 8 is ideal for a variety of image creators who seek new possibilities for visual expression in a wide range of genres and subjects, such as landscapes, wild birds, airplanes, portraits, and weddings. The Nikon Z 8 is designed with comfortable operability that is ideal for diverse shooting situations.
The downsized body incorporates the advanced functionality and performance of the Z 9 while retaining the easy-to-hold grip and comfortable operability. This allows agile and stable camerawork in a wide variety of shooting scenes, even with a super-telephoto lens attached. The camera features a 4-axis tilting monitor that delivers high operability when shooting from high and low angles in both horizontal and vertical positions. For video recording, the Z 8 can record 12-bit RAW and 10-bit Apple ProRes 422 HQ video in-camera, allowing users to take advantage of a minimal video recording system that does not require an external recorder.
The flexible combinations of shooting equipment suit various shooting styles to streamline operations. With the MC-N10 Remote Grip (sold separately) attached, solo videographers can take advantage of having more control over how they can operate the camera, in a way that was previously difficult on their own. Furthermore, by taking advantage of the wide-ranging accessory lineup and high compatibility with products from accessory brands, users can operate the Z 8 as comfortably as if it were a dedicated video camera. The Z 8 is also capable of securely capturing decisive moments. It can record up to approximately 125 minutes in 4K UHD/60p and up to approximately 90 minutes in 8K UHD/30p.
This is a great benefit for a wide range of shooting situations, such as for documentaries or wedding shooting, where extended recording time is required. The camera realizes high-speed, high-precision AF performance equivalent to that of the Z 9, and can also detect subjects down to the low-light limit of -9 EV. These features support the improvement of autofocus for subjects in dark environments, as well as the effective focus on subjects in backlit situations, by separately controlling the exposure of the live-view image and the AF image. Additionally, the Z 8 features Pre-Release Capture, which allows the capture of images up to one second before the shutter-release button is fully pressed.
This feature is particularly useful for still shooting, where the exact moment a subject moves or takes flight can be captured even if the user only fully pressed the shutter-release button after the subject moved. The Z 8 also supports the HEIF format, which records high-quality still images while reducing the amount of file data. This file format enables the impressive expression of scenes that have rich tones, such as sunrises and sunsets, as well as scenes that feature highly illuminated subjects, such as nighttime parades, by utilizing 10-bit rich tonal gradation.
In addition, when shooting HEIF images or playing the images back, the user can get a good idea of how those images will look on an HDR (HLG)-compatible monitor with the camera’s 3000cd/m2 compatible EVF and 900cd/m2 high-luminance image monitor. The Nikon Z 8 is a versatile and capable camera that can help photographers and videographers push their creativity further. With its compact and lightweight body, comfortable operability, and reliable performance, the Z 8 is sure to be a popular choice for a wide range of image creators.
