THE ForceZ IS STRONG
Recently I got myself a nifty Nikon Z50 mirrorless camera.
BACKGROUND
The "dark side of the force" of Stars Wars is akin to the camera/photography space.
I started out as a DSLR enthusiast using my Nikon cameras.
However, on April 14, 2019, whilst I was doing street photography my Nikon D7000 started acting weird. When I reviewed the images, my camera's shutter curtain malfunctioned/failed or reached its end-of-life.
So, from global lockdown to the present all my camera gear, lenses, accessories, et cetera remained in hibernation inside my dry box.
WHY DID I GO MIRRORLESS?
Day in day out as tides of time keep technology in a dynamic state, and thus, I have
to try and embrace newness and stay updated with the present time in terms of cameras.
Secondly, I enjoy the best of both worlds using my favorite old-school DX lenses (F and G) with Nikon Z50 DX mirror-less platform.
MY PRESENT-DAY USE CASE
My present-day use case for the Nikon Z50 is as follows:
I own a varied array of Nikon, Tokina, and Sigma lenses.
Now I decided to go for a middling level priced FTZ adapter (firmware upgradeable).
Enter the Viltrox NF-Z camera mount adapter for Nikon Z50.
The
above-mentioned adapter enabled my Nikon Z50 mirrorless camera to mount
Nikon non-z lenses, and third-party lenses like Sigma, Tokina, et cetera.
The Viltrox camera mount adapter works excellent in autofocus with my DSLR Nikon and Sigma prime lenses as follows:
Nikorr 50 mm AF-S F1.8G; and
Nikorr 85 mm AF-S F 1.8G
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 fixed HSM Art lens
What I love with the Viltrox camera mount adapter is a USB port for firmware upgrades enabling more camera-lens compatibility.
PREPARATION
Whilst
both the Nikon Z50 body and Viltrox NF-Z lens mount adapter then were
in transit, I moved forward by doing self-study/learning via YouTube
videos.
I decided that the Nikon Z50 will be my primary go-to "EDC" (everyday carry) camera.
The Nikon Z50 items that come in the box are as follows:
Nikon Z50 camera
Nikon battery
Nikon battery charger (with international adapter)
Nikon Z50 camera strap
A USB cable
The Nikon Z50 will be my primary go-to "EDC" (everyday carry) camera.
So, lightweight thus, no carpal fatigue, and great for traveling especially in the great outdoors when mountaineering.
The
design was targeted mainly at vloggers in mind. The ergonomic
design/features facilitate ease of use for photo/video enthusiasts and
speed up the learning curve.
I'll keep the camera strap for posterity purposes and instead use my existing Peak Design camera strap.
The
original battery is lightweight and prompts me to purchase in the
future two more so I won't run out of juice whilst on the field.
The battery charger is handy.
The USB cable is essential.
For international travel, a battery charger prong adapter is a must. 
PET PEEVE
USE CASE
First things first, I charged the batteries in full.
Then secondly, format my SD card.
Thirdly, I updated to the latest firmware of the Nikon Z50.
Thirdly, I updated to the latest firmware of the Nikon Z50.
PET PEEVE
One
of my pet peeves is an incomplete accessory that was not part of my
purchase of this mirrorless camera, which is the hot shoe protector. I
hope Nikon always provide this little piece of important detail in all their Z cameras.
So,
as of writing, I decided to purchase a cool hot shoe protector for the
main purpose of shielding this "always-open" port from the element of
water/dust and wear and tear.
USE CASE
The Nikon Z50 will be my primary camera for the following use cases:
- Landscape photography
- Street photography
- Portrait photography
- Et cetera
The following forthcoming accessories on my bucket list for purchase are as follows:
- Godox trigger for my Nikon - SB700
- Extra Nikon batteries
- Possibly a light tripod/monopod combo
Here are a couple of images I took using this camera using the above-mentioned Nikon DX old-school lenses and Sigma.
Enjoy!
 |
| Choir's Loft |
 |
| Coastal Blooms |
FACTOID: My Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 fixed HSM Art lens in the above photo weighs 810g / 28.6oz. is HEAVIER than the Nikon Z50 weighing only 14.0 oz. (395 g) .
P.S. Almost negligible post-processing. I manually set the white balance setting of my camera.
CONCLUSION
As Nikon D50 puts it:
"Little but fierce
Super social
Your smartphone's new BFF
Shoot remotely
Apps like it too
Not afraid of your pets
Eye catching in many ways
Extra-creative filters and effects
Your vision multiplied
Oh, what a viewfinder
Silence is golden
A touch of genius
Chic ergonomic
Z mount. One size fits all.
Go live! with the Z50
Your camera, your style."
Super social
Your smartphone's new BFF
Shoot remotely
Apps like it too
Not afraid of your pets
Eye catching in many ways
Extra-creative filters and effects
Your vision multiplied
Oh, what a viewfinder
Silence is golden
A touch of genius
Chic ergonomic
Z mount. One size fits all.
Go live! with the Z50
Your camera, your style."
I concur.
By the way, this is PART I of the Nikon Z50 blog series. More to come on Part II.
All of the above images are in jpg fine format.
If you like this blog,
Until the next blog post.
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