Nikon ZR: A Game Changer for Video Lovers

Nikon, renowned for its photography, is making significant strides in the video realm with the introduction of the Nikon ZR. This full-frame mirrorless camera is challenging high-end cinema cameras, offering exceptional features at a more accessible price point.

Key Features

First Consumer Camera with RED's 12-bit RAW Format: The ZR is the first consumer camera to utilize RED's 12-bit RAW format, providing unparalleled video quality.
Advanced Autofocus: Unlike RED's expensive Hollywood cameras, the ZR boasts fast and accurate autofocus.
Design and Build: The ZR is lighter than Nikon's Z6 III but maintains a solid feel. Its boxy design is smaller than some competitors, with a smaller grip optimized for use with rigs and handles.
Large Display: The ZR features a massive 4-inch display, the largest on a mirrorless camera. It's bright, sharp, and flips out for vloggers.
Ergonomic Handling: The camera includes two shooting dials, a joystick for autofocus, and five customizable buttons, ensuring a comfortable shooting experience.

Video Capabilities

The ZR offers a plethora of video settings, including:

RED's RAW R3D NE Light Codec and Nikon's N-RAW
6K RAW Video: The camera can shoot 6K RAW video continuously for 125 minutes without overheating.
24MP Sensor with Dual ISO: The sensor features native 800 and 6,400 ISOs, providing a versatile range for various lighting conditions.
Dynamic Range: The company claims 15+ stops of dynamic range, surpassing most other mirrorless cameras.

Performance and Testing

A short film was shot to test the ZR's features and video quality, encompassing indoor low light, outdoor daytime, and mixed lighting scenarios. The results were impressive:

Outstanding Video Quality: The video exhibited minimal noise in shadow regions, even after boosting black levels in post.
RED R3D Codec and Log3G10: These features provided extra latitude to reveal shadow detail and dial down highlights when shooting against bright windows.

Autofocus and Manual Focus

Autofocus System: The ZR boasts the best autofocus system among Nikon's models, consistently nailing focus even with moving subjects.
Manual Focus: The camera handles manual focus well, thanks to a built-in display large enough for accurate focus checking and Nikon's focus peaking setting with three levels of sensitivity.

Competition

The ZR's primary competitors are the Sony FX2 and the Canon R5C:

Sony FX2 and Canon R5C: These cameras are more expensive and come with an electronic viewfinder, which the ZR lacks. The R5C can shoot up to 8K video.
Nikon ZR Advantages: Despite the competition, the ZR delivers better dynamic range thanks to RED's R3D RAW codec. It also offers an excellent autofocus system and decent in-body stabilization.