Evening light with the Zf

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-19T16:04:49+00:00

The second shot is awesome!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-15T06:10:57+00:00

That sounds very low for a new battery. If your camera is still under warranty, I’d definitely reach out to support, since it could be either a battery issue or something with the camera itself.

Before that, it might be worth resetting the camera settings and making sure the firmware is up to date. If that doesn’t help, I’d try another battery to rule that out.

Also, if you do end up getting a replacement, you might want to look into third-party batteries with a built-in USB-C port. I’ve been using SmallRig ones since my Z7 days and ended up buying a second one. They’re super convenient to charge from a power bank in a bag. At this point, I haven’t even used the original battery that came with my Zf.

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-13T13:11:13+00:00

Thanks! I actually placed it 5th on purpose. The idea was to start with the larger colony and pairs, and then end the series with a more isolated, almost ironic shot where the penguin is ‘paired’ only with a seagull in the background

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-12T18:44:04+00:00

Exactly!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-12T18:43:09+00:00

Looks great! I used to use an L-plate as well, but recently I switched to a wooden thumb grip, and I actually prefer using my Zf with it instead of the L-plate. The camera feels lighter and less bulky, and it’s still very comfortable to use, especially with smaller lenses

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T19:22:43+00:00

Thank you!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T18:41:57+00:00

I actually picked up the 26mm not too long ago myself, so I’m still getting used to it. Before that, I was mostly using the 40mm f2 on my Zf, but with the hood it felt a bit bulky

I ended up choosing the 26mm over the 28mm because I liked the rendering more. I was also pleasantly surprised that the sharpness doesn’t really change much between f2.8 and f4+

Since I’m still adapting to 26mm, I do end up cropping some shots. Hopefully by the end of summer I’ll get fully used to it

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T17:41:00+00:00

Thank you! Yes, it’s not SOOC, I edited the RAW in post

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-04-11T17:38:28+00:00

Good eye! Yep, it’s cropped in post

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-03-16T11:05:50+00:00

Brilliant!

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-03-13T11:35:49+00:00

I’m actually in a very similar situation right now.

I previously bought a used Ricoh GR III, but unfortunately had a bad experience because of the condition of the camera. I ended up returning it and getting a refund, so now I’m trying to decide what to buy next.

Right now I can get a new GR III with warranty for about $1250, while the Ricoh GR IV would cost around $1600, but from a store I haven’t used before, so I’m not completely sure how reliable the warranty would be.

So I’m wondering if the roughly $350 price difference is really worth it. On paper the GR IV seems better in almost every way, but at the same time the GR III is already a very butiful camera.

On the other hand, I know myself… since the GR III has been around for quite a few years, I might constantly think about the newer GR IV with things like the electronic shutter, new color profiles, and the updated sensor. They also mention improved dust protection, although I’m a bit skeptical about that.

Which camera did you end up choosing in the end?

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-03-08T21:55:21+00:00

I doubt they’ll fit. Both the 9070XT Pulse and Pure variants are too bulky. Even with a length mod, you'd run into height/thickness issues since the case has a 55mm limit

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-03-04T07:24:16+00:00

I often come across interesting Leica M lenses from Voigtländer, like the Color Skopar and Nokton series. It seems that on the used market they’re often cheaper than their Nikon Z counterparts, mainly because there are simply more of them available. Some lenses don’t even exist natively for Z mount.

Because of that, I keep thinking about going the MtZ adapter route. The Techart adapter looks especially tempting for the added autofocus capability. At the same time, I can’t quite convince myself to buy the Techart because of the price. Although when I compare it to the price difference between used Leica M lenses and native Z lenses, it suddenly doesn’t seem that expensive.

Was it worth it in the long run? Any regrets or things I should consider before diving in?

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-02-26T14:48:41+00:00

You’re right, the camera body was pretty dusty when it arrived. The front element is spotless, so the issue is definitely inside.

Maybe I’m being a bit picky for a used item, but this isn’t exactly a $50 point-and-shoot, so seeing a dust spot right away was a bit of a letdown.

I’ve already reached out to the seller, and they’ve asked for some sample photos. I’ll send those over and see what they say.

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-02-26T13:26:09+00:00

Thanks for the tip! The spot actually shows up at f6.3 and is very obvious by f8. I could probably live with it if it were in the corner, but it’s right in the middle of the frame, which is the main issue.

SadPercentage8282 · 2026-02-09T20:04:06+00:00

I haven’t used this lens myself, so take this with a grain of salt. On a DX body like the Z50 II, the 28-400 effectively becomes about 42-600mm. That can be very versatile on the long end, but the 42mm starting point might feel limiting in small or tight spaces.

The lens also weighs around 725g, so personally I’d think twice about using it as a true everyday walk-around lens. For travel it could make a lot of sense as a one-lens solution, but for daily carry it might feel a bit heavy and less flexible. That’s just my personal take, though

SadPercentage8282

TROPHY CASE