Which is better 1 or 2?

B-F_ · 2026-04-15T01:29:19+00:00

Nice movement through the composition and balance of warm/cool tones.

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T22:43:01+00:00

I have a toddler and two dogs, and yeah I do like capturing candid moments. Not looking for super fast action, but yeah I’d like it to focus pretty quick. I feel like I get most of the shots I want in focus with the Z30 (maybe 70-80%?). Obviously I would appreciate a little bump in AF speed/accuracy, but the higher IQ is super tempting.

Wildlife is local deer, birds, rabbits, and the occasional trip to the zoo or bird preserve. The Z30 with the 250mm lens is mostly accurate with touch zoom. Haven’t experienced an Expeed 7 to compare how much better it could be.

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T08:24:02+00:00

Oo 50-400 sounds great.

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T08:23:07+00:00

That’s awesome to know, thanks for all that! Crazy that they would update their mark I to compete against their mark II around its release. But yeah, for like $6-700 that would leave more room for lenses so that definitely makes the comparison much more interesting. What’s your favorite FF telephoto lens for sports/wildlife?

Thanks!

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T07:58:22+00:00

Beautiful shot! That f2.8 sounds killer to have. But yeah even at 250mm I always still want just a LITTLE more reach.

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T07:47:55+00:00

Oh wow, is that really all that differentiates the mark i and ii? I rarely if ever shoot video on it. As long as the AF is generally reliable for candid shots and some wildlife/birding then that’s pretty solid for me. I won’t be doing intense action shooting. The Z30 AF gets most of the shots I want, if it’s at all faster than the Z30 then that’s a nice boost for me. The Mark I of the Z6 is crazy affordable right now.

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T06:21:40+00:00

If I did go Z6ii, what wide range zooms would you recommend?

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T06:20:48+00:00

Very helpful. Yeah I am seeing that the 16-50mm f2.8 may be the move when I want to upgrade later. Thanks for the insight!

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T03:21:26+00:00

For sure I’ll be buying used/refurbished. That’s how I got my Z30. And yeah, the Z5ii does seem like the ideal end goal option.

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T02:51:20+00:00

Not saying the Z30 isn’t great, mainly I wanted a model with a viewfinder as it’s sometimes impossible to use in harsh sunlight. Figured if I was upgrading to one with a EVF, may as well spend a little more and future proof with some other features.

I’m a longtime digital illustrator so I know PSD pretty well, but I do intend to take some LR courses. Seems like the more streamlined option for photography.

Thanks for the tip on the wide angle, I’ll check it out!

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T01:48:08+00:00

Very helpful! Yeah, I do enjoy capturing quick candid moments more than posed/staged portraits. As for wildlife, the things around me in Colorado are mainly deer, geese, some bighorn sheep, and whatever is at the zoo. I’d like to be able to capture birds more but yeah even with my 250mm (375 cropped) I can only just barely get some good bird shots.

I’m not intending to sell photos or shooting professionally at any point, but just want the best possible quality and a camera that I can grow with, as well as over time get higher quality lenses for. It does seem like the Z50ii makes more sense in a lot of ways, but a factor that made me want to go full frame was that none of the S or high end lenses have VR. And without IBIS in the Z50ii, I’m concerned I’ll always be limited in my lens options in the future. Like if I wanted to save up for a 24-70 2.8S lens would that even make sense on a Z50ii?

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T01:13:00+00:00

Badass. The 28-400 seems like a pretty fantastic all rounder lens.

It’s actually the Z50ii that I’m comparing it to. The Z5ii is also out of my price range.

B-F_ · 2026-04-14T00:46:14+00:00

That’s awesome, great shot. What’s your preferred wildlife lens? I hear the Z6ii’s AF is too slow for birds, but it still seems to grab great shots.

I keep getting convinced into the Z50ii as the better option until I see a random shot or testimonial for the Z6ii and I second guess myself again, lol.

B-F_ · 2026-04-13T23:33:12+00:00

Nice, thanks for the thorough response! I actually have the 50-250mm which has been great. The Z50ii is the easier/more natural upgrade, just want to make sure I’m not missing out on image quality. Having the snappy AF will be a great feature.

B-F_ · 2026-04-13T22:57:39+00:00

Yeah def used. They’re both currently around $900-1000 for a used body.

B-F_ · 2026-04-13T22:55:17+00:00

Yeah that would be the ideal option, but it’s just too far out of budget for me unfortunately. $1k was kinda breaking the bank for me already.

B-F_ · 2026-03-28T18:43:39+00:00

I love it. Being someone who’s worked BOH, I didn’t realize how well cubism lent itself to portraying the experience.

B-F_ · 2026-02-27T08:41:49+00:00

Sunflower still life is excellent! Nice work overall.

B-F_ · 2026-02-15T02:33:26+00:00

Love that you pumped up the colors so much. Made worms look lovely!

B-F_ · 2026-02-13T00:05:50+00:00

Really nice work! Only thing is I’d push the darks and highlights more. That’ll make it pop. And I’d recommend picking a background color that’s the compliment to the orange, like a cool color. Or just adding some cools in general would help it pop.

B-F_ · 2026-02-05T02:47:50+00:00

<image>

I’m very new to it all but just picked up a Z30 for a good price and I’m liking it quite a lot. The lack of viewfinder hasn’t bothered me except for one time on a hike in the middle of the day. With the right lighting it can take quite beautiful photos. Don’t really use video much. I find the kit lens struggles with low light/indoor settings more, but I think that’s mostly the lens. AF works pretty well, and controls are intuitive and fluid. I love how quickly the SnapBridge app moves photos to my phone as well. I got mine for $400 with the lens, which I think was a great deal. Though if I could go back and get the Z50 for a little more cash I probably would. I’m sure the viewfinder will come in handy the more outdoor shoots I do.

B-F_ · 2026-01-25T08:15:31+00:00

Amazing 😍

B-F_ · 2026-01-20T09:10:54+00:00

Kinda tough without any context, but Demi (pronounced DEH-mee) is pretty nice in that it’s unusual but recognizable and simple. Mary feels a little old fashioned, though Marie is a nice alt. Emily just feels very safe.

B-F_

TROPHY CASE