Django

I initially dismissed the Nikon ZR. The compact body and odd I/O layout made it seem like a prosumer crossover rather than a serious tool. After spending real time shooting with it, that impression completely changed.

The huge integrated display transforms the experience. It feels intuitive, immersive, and for the first time a Nikon mirrorless seems built for video operators. Pair with a Leica M lens and it delivers this uncanny mix of smartphone agility and FF cinematic depth, a combo that feels surprisingly liberating (think sigma FP but with IBIS).

The body is metal and feels rock solid. The flip out screen isn’t ideal for low angle work, but that’s about the only ergonomic miss. The stills side remains capable and thoughtfully separated from the video mode.

The redesigned video interface finally feels modern, with waveform, quick exposure tools, and four customizable banks all within reach. The main system menu still feels like a maze, but the dedicated video page is a major step toward a proper cine oriented workflow. I just hope Nikon will pull more from the RED side (traffic lights, open gate, 17:9 etc) in a firmware update.

Despite its understated design, the ZR stands out as Nikon’s most forward-thinking hybrid yet. The 32-bit float audio, internal R3D recording, and that massive touch display all combine into a package that feels disruptive and modern at a mid-tier price point. Haven't been this tempted by a camera in a while.

Can't seem to be able to import ZR R3D files into Resolve17, do I need to upgrade? any workarounds?

Tried a quick 4K ProRes shot and its looking good, not seeing the mushiness of h265.. 🙂  

9 minutes ago, Ilkka Nissila said:

I've had good experiences with Prores 422 HQ on Z8, and am thinking the same, why don't tubers test and show the results in their comparisons? While the data rate is quite high (note that Nikon has stated they will add Prores 422 LT to the ZR in a FW update) it is a video file for which in-camera distortion and vignetting corrections available and there is some noise reduction in play as well. Cined has tested it it is included in the database and it seems from the numbers that the camera in Prores HQ mode applies less noise reduction to high ISO files than h.265. It seems like a good compromise and if the LT version comes soon it might turn minds. 

Cool, unfortunately could not test Prores other than on the camera due to no CFexpress but I may go back to the shop with my laptop to do further testing about this. Will report back.

Another quick set of question I can't find immediate answers: does the ZR allow FX to DX crop and digital zoom while recording like on the Z8/Z9? Not sure the 24MP allows this but I'd like to know. Also I'm unclear about LUT support, can it import .cube files? And if so can you bake it in cam? Finally is the 4K60p as good as on Z8/Z9?

Thanks in advance, I may pick the camera up today or tomorrow depending on these factors!

Tried out the ZR today, quite impressed with the hardware. It's been said a lot but the screen size is shockingly impressive. I tried it with some Sony glass via the megadap adapter and AF tracking was smooth as butter. From what I could tell ProRes codec seemed quite good, why is there no footage comparing it to raw & h265? It seems like the right middle ground. I'm seriously considering picking it up. Any final thoughts before I pull trigger?

13 hours ago, Danyyyel said:

Matti Haapoja had the same reaction when comparing the ZR side by side with the Fx3. He then changed after using the h265 a bit more and said it was at least equal to the fx3 or better. Nikon Zr is its on worst enemy, when people compare its h265 to the raw, because the raw is so good, they feel the h265 is bad.

I've noticed this in a couple reviews. Kinda surprised because the h265 on Z8/Z9 is quite good, even when compared to NRAW. So I do wonder if the h265 on ZR is somewhat "bad" maybe perhaps as noted above to circumvent overheating. I like having options on a camera but if the h265 is horrible than yeah that means this is an ultra high bitrate cam only. 

..which kinda leads me to ask who would prefer the ZR to a Z8? both are around the same price here in EU.

11 hours ago, MurtlandPhoto said:

The phone arrived today as expected and I've had a few minutes to play around with the camera. I shot a short test scene using ProRes RAW and ProRes 422 in the Blackmagic app. Here's a quick look at the footage with just Resolve's Apple Log 2 CST applied. Very first observations:
 

• Open gate is only available in RAW or RAW HQ
• RAW can only recorded to an external drive. I have a great Magsafe SSD that I use for this.
• Sensor stabilization is not available in either raw mode
• Resolve is super sluggish with the raw files unlike ProRes RAW or BRAW files from my S1ii. I hope this gets optimized
• The normal raw controls are there and the footage is very flexible as you'd expect
• I used Resolve's built in Apple Log 2 CST for the test

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97PPh276M4o

Sounds good! Would love to see some more tests with maybe more telephoto focal lengths to see how the bokeh looks and humans for skin tones and detail without Apples usual computational behavior. 
 

Would love to try this out myself at an Apple store but you obviously can’t plug-in an SSD to their tethered display units. I think you can do ProRes in log and then airdrop footage though so I might go check it today.

Particularly interested in what log2 brings vs their previous log. I assume better highlight retention, increased DR etc.
 

3 hours ago, kye said:

Interesting and thanks for sharing.  I hadn't heard the RAW was external only, I guess every new camera has its 'gotchas' in terms of combinations of features that do/don't work together.  

Mine arrived yesterday (Friday), which was a nice surprise as when I preordered it they predicted it wouldn't be delivered until Monday.  I got all the notifications etc, so it didn't just rock up with no warning though 🙂 

Odd that the sensor stabilisation isn't supported in RAW.  Is it IBIS or is it EIS?  If it's IBIS then I have no idea why it wouldn't be supported?

iPhones don’t have IBIS, no phone does AFAIK. What it uses is Apple’s sensor shift OIS which means the lens or sensor module physically moves, plus EIS which is electronic crop and warp. In normal video both work together.

When you switch to RAW or open gate, EIS is disabled because you are recording the entire sensor with no crop margin for digital stabilization. OIS still works but the footage looks a lot shakier since you are used to EIS doing most of the work.

This is pretty standard behavior across cameras that offer RAW or open gate.

As for no internal RAW recording, I don’t see it as a major inconvenience considering how quickly you’d fill up your storage (especially if you got the base models). Going SSD is definitely the right move.

43 minutes ago, Ilkka Nissila said:

Are you sure this is safe for this camera? While it may be that just pulling the card out while the camera is on in most cases causes no harm the manufacturers do typically warn that the camera should be turned off before removing or attaching the card or there could be data corruption. 

It’s not as risky as it sounds. You’re never pulling the active recording card, only the idle one. The camera is writing to one slot while the second slot is completely free, so you can safely swap it for a fresh card without interrupting the recording. That’s how Canon implements “relay recording” to allow essentially unlimited record times.

Of course if you pulled the card that’s actively being written to, you’d corrupt the file, but the workflow is designed to prevent that. It’s not really a new trick on the C50, it’s fairly standard in Canon’s cine line and a reason people trust them on long form shoots. Most hybrids including Canon R line doesn't allow this as they're photo centric and that could cause issues, I'm not even sure this works when in the photo mode of C50.. another benefit of having dual OS systems.

On a side note, I hope Nikon includes more RED OS features like traffic light system etc.

Sadly the mini was a flop, it didn’t sell well. People want big phones apparently which I find annoying as one hand gesture operation is impossible, not to mention pocket ability and discretion while shooting. Those are the reasons why I still use my 13 mini as my daily driver despite having a « better » regular size iPhone.

I don’t see the ZR & C50 as direct competitors even though they were announced at the same time and take inspiration from the FX3. Different builds, specs and price point. Not to mention the ecosystems.
 

The way I see it, the DR per price argument is a bit of a stretch. A camera is more than just a sensor, and the two bodies are not in the same hardware category. I love for example that you can open the side door on the C50 while recording and hot swap cards. The built in fan, screw mount, included XLR top handle with zoom rockers and record. It all reminds me of the C100 which I shot so much run & gun with. ZR feels more like a vlog cam with a Z6iii in comparison. Reminds me more of Sonys ZVe1.

DR wise, yes C50 shows about a stop less than the ZR in Gerald’s tests at its 6.9K RAW base, but it also gains an extra stop in S35 mode and two stops in 4K H265. On top of that it’s open gate 7K vs 6K. Different sensors, different pipelines.

IBIS would have been great on the C50, but Canon just doesn’t include it in the cine line, just like RED, BM, FX6, FX9, etc. Bummer but not a deal breaker for me, C50 ergos look good and with 7K open gate that leaves a lot of wiggle room for stab in post.  
 

The ZR is great value image wise, but in my opinion it has some valid hardware quirks and R3D RAW comes with massive data rates. Gerald’s DR score of 10.9 was with R3D RAW, but it drops to 9.74 in NRAW, so in practice the gap is smaller than it first appears.
 

For me the C50 checks most of the boxes I need, and opens up a slew of lenses including anamorphic but also s35/s16. But for others the ZR with Z mount adaptability and R3D RAW at a mid level price point  might make more sense, and that’s fine. 

My daily driver is an iPhone 13 mini and that won’t change (lowkey wish they’d reintroduce the mini line, everyone I know that has one loves them). But my secondary iPhone will be getting a substantial upgrade to the 17 Pro. It’s the first pro model that resonates with me. Love the rugged unibody design, previous pro models still had that fragile precious feel I despise. 

And of course the specs. One that few seem to mention is that open gate will be supported through Final Cut Camera 2.0. And the front camera sensor is square which allows multi aspect ratios, a cool direction.

I do more and more vertical work for social and a lot of times they want the “iPhone” look not a heavy graded shallow DoF look so main benefit for that will be the cameras but I have seen impressive videos shot on iPhone Pros. 28 years later included. So who knows to what capacity all these codecs, log, open gate etc will be used.

Here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/live/-xwAllKdSW0?si=idF9ndnB6oNJjzKb

It's an interesting talk, the DP mentions how the camera opened up lens choices for their short, from high end Panavision anamorphics to FF, S35 and even S16 glass. In that sense it really behaves like three cameras in one. Sure, the R5C also has crop modes, but the C50 adds open gate, all the desqueeze factors, and a rugged screw mount cinema build. You can also record log master on one card and baked in LUT on the second. That makes it feel like a purpose designed tool rather than a hybrid you have to adapt around.

12 hours ago, ND64 said:

Its all speculation, but it makes sense to switch from 12bit to 14bit in Super35 mode. The main reason almost all cameras are at 12bit in full frame video is basically power consumption. But in crop modes, they have to deal with less resolution, so the total consumption stays low. There is also another theory. Canon is known for applying NR to the raw video. Maybe the CPU is not powerful enough to apply the same amount of NR applied to Super35, to the 7k image, or if it does, there will be overheating/power consumption issues. Or maybe we're reading too much between the line and the official spec table has incorrect number and will be edited soon.

It's definitely not a typo! Several C50 reviews mention it and there is a B&H C50 talk with the DP of the short film I linked earlier and a senior Canon rep that confirms S35 has a stop more of DR, when pressed on how they achieved that he says its readout & ISO related. That seems to suggest Canon is using the reduced data load in the crop to drive the sensor differently, maybe a slower more precise readout path, or shifting the base ISO behavior to lower noise. Not unlike how Panasonic’s DR Boost works, though probably different sensor readout trickery. 

41 minutes ago, Kino said:

I was simply agreeing with ND64's statement that the C50 most likely has 12-bit video readout in standard FF 16x9. There is a connection between electronic shutter limitations and video readout speed, although the S35 sensor crop can allow for higher bit depth or higher readout speeds. Moreover, cropping into S35 will not reduce noise. It will have the oppositive effect. The sensor is also not dual gain like the one in the Panasonic S1II and doesn't offer any of those features. The only way you are getting more DR out of a sensor crop is to switch to a higher bit depth (13 or 14 bit). If you compare the C50 with the R5C, which has 12-bit video readout, you see almost identical latitude (4 stops over and 3 stops under) as demonstrated in the CVP review:

I will admit that the C50 has a beautifully sleek design, and may be worth picking up for the open-gate mode alone, but I don't see much in the way of image improvements over the R5C that I already own. I guess it is a camera made for those who don't have an R5C or those who may need another compact body. In that case, however, I would rather go with a camera that has IBIS, high ISO performance for low light, and greater DR in highlights and shadows. These are qualities I miss in the R5C and that have apparently not been addressed in the C50.

Fair points, but I think you’re overstating the certainty here. None of us actually know if Canon is switching bit depth between FF and S35 on the C50. Canon hasn’t published that detail, so it’s speculation. What we do know is Canon are claiming higher DR in S35 mode, so whether that comes from pipeline tweaks, bit depth, or something else, the end result is what matters to shooters.

Also, the CVP review actually concludes the opposite of “no improvements”: they specifically say the C50 has better DR, better AF, C-Log2, the XLR top handle, and a range of new photo/video features the R5C doesn’t have.

For me, the 7K open gate, C-Log2, higher dual base ISO range, dual format recording, cine-oriented form factor, and XLR top handle are what seal the deal over the R5C. Neither are perfect cameras, but the C50 checks enough boxes for me to seriously consider it. 

33 minutes ago, Ty Harper said:

Yes, great feature and AFAIK the R5C can't do it. My question is whether there is a technical limitation that would stop Canon from adding open gate on the R5C in a FW update?

No indication C50 can do this either but they should definitely consider it if not already. I also hear they are releasing a bunch of "stylised" LUTs including day-to-night for the C50. 

As for open gate, if the R5C (or even the R5 II) sensor could actually handle full-height 3:2 video readout, Canon would have probably leaned on that already.. either through firmware or at launch. Instead, they built a brand-new lower MP sensor for the C50. That tells me the older 45MP architecture just isn’t optimized for it (whether it’s readout speed, heat, or the processing pipeline).

So while open gate on the R5C would be fantastic, the fact Canon didn’t already enable it when they had the chance is probably the clearest sign it’s not coming. Also for product segment reasons. But you never know.. 

Something else no one seems to mention: the 7K 3:2 Open Gate mode should allow high-resolution stills extraction at a photo friendly aspect ratio. I’ve always struggled doing this in 16:9 or 17:9. In practice, it would be amazing to custom-set a button to grab frames while shooting video (FX2 apparently adds this feature). On the R5C, you can do it during playback, but I don't think live?

I'd say 60p video at 16:9 and the 40 fps max stills burst aren’t directly related. The camera drops to 7K 30 fps in 3:2, and stills use a separate pipeline with buffer/processing limits, so max burst is capped by the stills system, not video frame rate.

That said, the difference in DR between FF and S35 mode could also come from the readout: fewer pixels in S35 can reduce noise, though it’s also possible Canon is doing something in the background we don’t fully know. Either way, it’s a clever and welcome addition to the camera!

18 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Sure, but you can accomplish a similar thing by using S35 lenses on FF.  Or S16 lenses on M43.

You pointed to a bunch of other incorrect things too like DOF equivalence as well.  And again, 16/17:9 is "true" open gate on many cinema cameras.  But it's also not true that every lens made for FF has extra character when you use it on 44x33mm.  The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L covers the entire GFX sensor and has minimal character all the way to the edges.  The tiny Canon 40/2.8 pancake similarly has minimal character while covering 44x33 pretty well.

Fraser wanted to use specific vintage lenses that had more character near the edges of the image circle.

Certain FF lenses, yes.  And the eterna 55 doesn't use the high MP of the 44x33 sensor for anything.  Just like the GFX 100 II, your options to use the full sensor width are 4K with decent RS and mediocre DR (up to 60fps), 4K with strong RS and good DR (up to 30fps?  Not sure of the max, but less than 60), 4K open gate with decent RS and mediocre DR (this differs from GFX 100 II), and 5.8k 2.35:1 with strong RS and mediocre DR.  8K goes to a crop really similar to full frame on a 24x36mm sensor and also has strong RS and mediocre DR.

I haven't, at any point, said that the Eterna isn't a completely invalid camera with no uses.

What I am saying is:
1) There is no intrinsic "medium format look"
2) For a vast majority of use cases, the less expensive V-Raptor XE with a 41mm wide sensor, good DR, and a global shutter will likely be chosen over this one by higher-end owner-operators (those who don't just buy an FX9 (cheaper yet) or C400 (even cheaper) - which, realistically, is most of them).

If you prefer the Eterna, you're not wrong.  You're welcome to use any tool that you like.  I might rent it myself if a project came along where it made sense.  I just think that the number of sales that aren't to rental shops will be really low.

This is getting tedious, you’re over-correcting things I never claimed. I didn’t say FF magically changes lens physics, just that for equivalent framing it naturally gives shallower DOF compared to S35, which is why focal reducers even exist in the first place. You basically repeated that back to me, so we actually agree there.

Same with open gate: yes, 17:9 is technically “open gate” on many cinema sensors, but when filmmakers talk about open gate they often mean 3:2 / 4:3 full-height readouts because those give more latitude for aspect ratios and anamorphic use. That’s all I was pointing out.

As for “character,” I never said every FF lens suddenly blooms with quirks on 44×33, just that bigger sensors can reveal parts of the image circle not usually seen, which some DPs (like Fraser) like to exploit. Whether that looks beautiful or boring depends on the lens and the shooter’s taste.

No need to nitpick every word.. we’re actually saying a lot of the same things.

At the end of the day, people are going to pick whatever tool makes sense for their workflow, budget, or taste. I never claimed MF was a magic bullet, just that it offers options and aesthetics some shooters care about. You prefer the practicality of the Raptor, others might be drawn to the Eterna 55. Both views can be true.

Somehow I missed this promo short film, its kinda brilliant in how it showcases a lot of the features in a pretty creative narrative, really liking the overall image from this new sensor:

@eatstoomuchjam Funny enough, the Greg Fraser quote you referenced actually underlines my point. He’s saying outright that moving to a larger format opens up creative possibilities precisely because you’re seeing parts of the lens you wouldn’t on a smaller sensor. The lens itself hasn’t changed, but the relationship between the sensor size and the lens’ image circle absolutely changes what’s captured.

That’s all I was getting at: bigger formats don’t alter lens physics, but they alter what part of the lens’ projection you get to play with, which translates to a different look/feel on screen. This is similar to when you have open-gate (true 3:2 or 4:3, not just 17:9), you’re also opening up different aspect ratios and lens visibility. Whether you see the extra image area as flaws or character is subjective, but the distinction Fraser is making is exactly the one I was trying to point to.

I know many GFX users like to put certain FF lenses for identical reasons, and the GFXRF & Eterna 55 use that high MP large sensor to open up multi aspect ratios which is why I don't think its irrelevant to the discussion.

Technically a sensor by itself doesn’t have a “look,” but bigger sensors change how lenses behave and how we can use the image circle, which is where the cinematic signature comes from. FF already gives shallower depth of field for equivalent framing and a FoV closer to classic 35mm photography. Open gate modes on 3:2/4:3 sensors take that further by giving you the full vertical readout, letting you reframe, use anamorphic, or extract stills without losing resolution. Medium format pushes this even more, however Fuji’s GFX sensors aren’t “true” MF like Alexa 65 or Hasselblad backs, but it’s about 1.7× the area of FF, which is enough to reveal more lens character, smoother falloff, and a slightly different perspective than FF or S35. So when you pair the sensor with fast primes and open gate capture, the format really does offer creative possibilities that smaller sensors simply can’t match.

I'm loving what I'm seeing from the Eterna so far by the way!

56 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

My turn to be nitpicky: Red cameras do offer true open gate.  The sensor itself is 17:9.  Open gate refers to using the entire sensor to record.  Open gate on a Micro 4/3 camera or GFX would be 4:3 aspect ratio.  On most mirrorless or DSLR's, it will be 3:2.  Open gate and 3:2 get conflated a lot because that's the ratio for the sensors in the cameras that a majority of people have.

Sure, I get what you're saying and thanks for making the distinction but I guess what I meant by "true open gate" is when a taller sensor (3:2, 4:3, etc.) gives you extra vertical resolution that’s actually recorded, not just the full width of a 17:9 sensor. On RED, if you want 3:2 or 4:3, you’re essentially windowing/cropping horizontally, you’re not capturing new image area above and below the 17:9 frame. That's what I mean by "pseudo open gate". 

That’s where cameras like ARRI LF, Alexa 35, or mirrorless bodies with 3:2 sensors have an edge: their open gate modes really open up more height for anamorphic or reframing flexibility. Different design philosophies, but that’s the distinction I was getting at. 

56 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Micro HDMI sucks really bad.  One of the worst connectors I've ever seen.  That said, there's also a very nice 4" screen built into the camera and I'd still say that the camera's strength is not in being built out for cinema, but in being small and relatively inexpensive.  If you're rigging the camera with a cage, you could use a cable clamp to avoid the connector breaking as soon as somebody breathes near it.
If I'm using the camera as a tiny handheld, I'm not connecting an external screen.  But definitely, if your use case is to put an external monitor on the camera without a cage, this camera is a terrible choice and you definitely should not buy it.  FWIW, the EOS R5 also has a micro HDMI port.  I think that was improved in the II, but in a couple of years of owning and casually using the R5 as my small/handheld camera (similar to how I see thie ZR), I don't think it's ever bothered me because I've never connected an external display to it.

Anyway, for me, if I were going to rig up a camera, I'd just use an OG Komodo (available used for not much more money than the ZR costs new).  I have a pretty nice minimal Komodo rig for handheld and it's pretty light.  Still a lot bigger than my R5 which is, in turn, bigger, I think, than the ZR.

I dunno for a camera that’s marketed "Cinema Z" under the RED name, micro HDMI feels like a completely unnecessary weak point. Most modern mirrorless bodies (R5 II, FX3, Lumix, even Nikon Z) have full-size HDMI now. 

It’s not just about rigging the cam but it’s about having a reliable connection for external monitors or recorders when needed. For a camera that’s trying to position itself as a serious compact cinema tool, micro HDMI in 2025 looks like a surprising step backward. That said yes kudos on them for the bright 4" screen!

29 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Keep in mind that most, if not all of the actual Red cameras from Red don't support redundancy recording.  I don't think I ever saw an older one with more than a single Red mag slot.  Komodo has a single CFast card.  Komodo-X has a single CF Express card.  I'm not sure about V-Raptor.

As far as open gate, yes, Reds do this, but their sensors are 17:9 so open gate matches that.  If they support 3:2 recording, it's by cropping the left and right edges of the frame.  I'm not sure if all of their sensors are 17:9, but again, every one that I've seen has been.

I get that RED cameras don’t offer media redundancy or true Open Gate, but in a small mirrorless form factor, some form of redundancy is more expected, especially with a hot CF/SD slot near the battery that could potentially cause failures. RED at least has RED Connect / IP streaming for backup, and SDI. All we have here is micro HDMI not exactly safe externally either. Even a “pseudo” Open Gate mode could’ve been implemented without needing a bigger sensor, just flexible readout.  Maybe I’m being nitpicky, but these shortcomings feel like crippling.

Yeah I can't help but feel that Jarred tweeting "the Nikon ZR is not a replacement for any RED camera" gives the indication  RED team wanted to protect their line and purposely not give the ZR too many pro features like redundancy recording, open gate, active cooling, proper I/O and media storage. Also the 12-bit non linear R3D code. I guess its all fair trade and still nice to see a $2K camera with REDCODE inside.. but now Nikon has a cine line to protect which may hinder them/us paradoxically.. 

I feel like Canon gave us the real surprise and actual FX3 competitor by not holding back on specs and in quite a few ways surpassing the more expensive C80/C400 (although I hear C400 will get open gate in an update).

ZR is still a banger even if we were expecting a more pro body and Nikon is being very agressive on pricing.

There are some great things in this camera: R3D code, huge screen, 32-bit float audio, IBIS etc but then some real head scratchers like the micro sd, micro HDMI, battery card slot, no fan, no open gate and overall confusion with the dual color sciences that indeed makes this a Frankenstein camera. Clearly feels like a first gen collab product. I think I'll wait to see the next iteration but it's still very encouraging and solid effort.