Nikon Z8 Launched

Often when people say "build quality" they means "feels tough and/or luxuriously made" - this isn't exactly the same as build quality. My Pentax K5 feels incredibly solid, tough and well made. You could imagine hammering nails with it. Yet it broke, shortly after I bought it. Something went wrong with the screw drive AF mechanism. It was whirring away but not focusing. Had to be sent back for repair. It hasn't caused any issues in all the years I've had it since but build quality can be more subtle a thing than you might think.

Thanks. I hadn't really spent any time objectively sorting out the differences, but I do know that the D700 was certainly well built and very nice to use.

No, it is not. I'm still trying to maintain a respectable distance from Nikon so I can say that I'm not beholden to them in any way. Selling an image(s) to them would cross them over to being a client, and that would introduce the appearance of bias, even if there wasn't any bias.

Nikon hasn't put any conditions on my getting cameras prior to release other than to not disclose details prior to launch.

I'll have more to say (and possibly demonstrate) in my presentation tonight. But generally, the Z8 seems robust, much like a D850 seems robust. Obviously, field use will be the true determinant. But Nikon is promoting the weather sealing on the Z8, and clearly there is more sealing on it than on a Z7 II.

This is not exactly true.

The D800 "frame breakage" occurred at the back of the body. As examined by metallurgists I and others consulted, this was absolutely a bad frame design with a bad pour. Essentially, the material was getting "pre-cracked" due to the bad linkage in that particular area. Nikon changed the frame design with the D810 in that particular region as well as making other changes.

Also "plastic" is not the right term for monoque technique Nikon is using. Originally it was carbon fiber reinforced, but today I believe it's completely carbon fiber. Nope, it's still Sereebo, the carbon fiber infused material Nikon has been using for awhile.

It seems that Nikon Z8 does not have the same sensor as Z9. It might be even faster than Z9.

I’ve heard multiple Nikon reps — factory reps, not ambassadors — claim that it’s the same sensor on various video streams I've consumed since the launch. I’d question the accuracy of this (unsourced) screenshot.

source Nikon Japan website - translated via google.

You can translate this www.nikon-image.com/products/mirrorless/lineup/z_8/features03.html#a1

Maybe something was lost in translation — either from Japanese to English or in the conversation between engineering and the marketing graphics team. The claims of “same sensor, same processor” have been clear and consistent in everything (else) I’ve seen or heard.

It says same Expeed 7 as Z9, but "similar" sensor. Could be mistranslated by Google. But given claim its fastest as of 10th May, it seems an updated sensor.

They do claim it’s the world’s fastest, but they don’t explicitly state that it’s exclusive to the Z8 — nothing said precludes the Z9 from having the same sensor.

Again, I think you’re reading a lot into a translated slide, and this claim is contrary to everything I’ve heard or read. However, I can’t say with absolute certainty that it’s incorrect.

Like the flagship Nikon Z 9, the Z 8 is at the industry apex of speed and versatility. At its core, Nikon’s powerful EXPEED 7 image processing engine has been combined with the proven full-frame (FX-format) 45.7-megapixel BSI stacked sensor with a scan rate so fast that no mechanical shutter is needed.

ᔥ ULTIMATE HYBRID PERFORMANCE. AGILITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE. THIS IS THE NIKON Z 8.

From a press release available on the Nikon USA site. No translation required (for me). The emphasis on the word proven is mine — indicating to me that this isn’t a new sensor.

Edit to add:

~www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/mirrorless-cameras/z-8.html#

IMO there were no such mules or prototypes.
For the Nikon Z8 to be delivered to users in May, it has to have been in manufacturing already for some time.
That means it was in testing for several months - Ricci said he has been testing for 2 months before announcement. It would have been in testing in Japan several months before Ricci got it.
That means that the design and build was finalized probably last year.

how does that prevent testing other prototypes last year ? same body - different Sony Semi tech sensors (either off the shelf or custom made for Nikon specs)

If you look closely enough, you can find at least one picture of a Z8 mule that circulated. While I won't say exactly when certain mules/prototypes were in others hands (it might give away the source), those happened last year ;~).
Moreover, you misunderstand the use of mules/prototypes. They're often used to verify decisions that need to be made. I know of a couple of instances now where a product was already starting to move to manufacturing, but an internal electronics change was decided upon based upon mule/prototype evaluation. You can design the digital board size/shape prior to locking down a few decisions that go on the board. In the case of the Z8, deciding upon using the Z9 electronics essentially intact was easy enough to have ready quickly.
The real long-lead item that locks down first is image sensor. The lead time for being on fab is enormous. You really need to lock that decision as early as possible because these days, ILC sensor runs on the fabs are tightly constrained because you're not making a lot of them. The Z9 image sensor, for instance, probably had fab runs of 50k units or so in its first year. Perhaps it was more if the yield was low, but the fact that we're now seeing the same sensor used in a product that will easily outsell the Z9 seems to indicate that yields are under control.

I doubt it very much that Nikon had any other plans for the Z8. Lots of fakes were circulating and IMO some deliberate misinformation to lead people astray.
It is more likely that Nikon had their hands full trying to reduce the Z9 to Z8 dimensions without creating massive heat issues with 8K.
I imagine also that they had to redesign the internals to ensure that almost all of Z9 capability could be squeezed into a smaller body.
Apart from that timing is everything - so they had to keep it quiet to avoid impacting Z9 sales, and only announce when they had already got production going. As any delay in delivery will massively harm Nikon.

It is more likely IMO that they are testing 60+ mp res Z7 II replacement (no stacked sensor). And maybe the Z6 II replacement. But these are not in the same category.

It is extremely unlikely Nikon had other stacked sensors to play around with for the Z8.