Learn & Explore - Z Series
Nikon Z 7 × Street
Surprising Ease of Use When Shooting
Photographers often say that physical mobility, speed and AF performance are key factors in street photography. As you walk along the streets, you might encounter something of interest and release the shutter, before continuing on your journey once again. After all, this is Hong Kong, a city that never sleeps. In this article I will share the shooting capabilities of the Nikon Z 7 as experienced by a photographer who is so captivated by street photography that he has made it his life’s work to capture such scenes. (Report by Koji Ueda)
Nikon Z 7/ NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S (FL: 70mm)/ Aperture-priority auto (f/8, 1/500sec, EV -0.3)/ ISO 100/ WB: Daylight
I rode on a ferry and photographed Hong Kong Island. The image quality was so good that you wouldn't think it was taken with a standard zoom lens. You can see that image is captured sharply right to the very edges.
Nikon Z 7/ NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S/ Aperture-priority auto (f/1.8, 1/200sec, EV +1.0)/ ISO 64/ WB: Daylight
A cat that I encountered in a market. I was amazed at the high level of depictive power of this 35mm lens at maximum aperture. You could say it is a truly excellent lens that also produces beautiful bokeh effects.
Nikon Z 7/ NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S (FL: 70mm)/ Aperture-priority auto (f/7.1, 1/200sec, EV -0.3)/ ISO 400/ WB: Daylight
At a tram stop. A street photo incorporating the form of a pigeon that came swooping down. The Nikon Z 7 made it a cinch to take this shot, thanks to its high speed continuous shooting and extremely smooth electronic viewfinder (EVF).
A dependable companion that offers both physical mobility and image quality
Physical mobility, speed, and autofocus (AF) performance are all important factors in street photography. The Nikon Z 7 satisfies all of these. The EVF is without compromise, providing a natural yet bright and detailed view right to the edges, which allows you to concentrate on the shoot. The deep grip allows you to shoot for long periods of time without getting tired. This shoot was of the streets of Hong Kong, which is the subject of my life's work.
The first suprise is the image quality obtained when using the camera together with a Z mount lens. Thanks to the large mount diameter and advanced lenses, images are resolved sharply right to the edges of the screen. With the new lenses and EXPEED 6, the Nikon Z 7 has achieved never-before-seen clearness and sharpness from the foreground right into the distance, with images having a three-dimensional feel.
In street photography, autofocusing is a key point, with the Nikon Z 7 focusing with a degree of accuracy pretty much similar to the D850, from backlit to low light conditions. In addition, the ruggedness and superior dust and drip resistance are the same as for previous models. Although it was frequently raining during the shoot, I was able to continue without any worries thanks to a dust and drip resistant design on par with that of the D850.
As for the battery performance, I felt that I was able to shoot for relatively longer than what was listed in the catalogue specs. It is sufficient to have two batteries on hand when shooting from morning till night. With the release of the Nikon Z 7, street photography will become that much easier.
Favourite feature on the Nikon Z series:
Stylish images with Creative Picture Control
A newly added feature is Creative Picture Control. Simply put, it provides images with a tasteful, stylish effect. Another good thing about it is that you can adjust the effect level applied in the advanced settings. This photo was taken using the Graphite effect.
In the i menu, select [Picture Control] to access [Creative Picture Control]. You can adjust the effect level for 20 types of effects.
Recommended lenses for the Nikon Z series:
For street photography, a standard zoom lens and 35mm lens are sufficient
NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S
NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S
Z mount’s S-Line lenses are best for taking advantage of the high image quality of the Nikon Z 7. Using a NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S in combination with a NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S lens will allow you to handle most of the scenarios you might encounter during your street photography.
Koji Ueda
Born in Hiroshima in 1982. He studied in San Francisco, USA, and produced works for TV programmes, commercials, short films, and so on. He developed an interest in portrait photography after purchasing a DSLR camera, and aimed to become a professional photographer. After returning to Japan he started working as a professional photographer. He currently contributes to digital camera magazines as well as other magazines and websites.