Moving to a 35mm digital camera requires some adjustment, especially if you’ve been using crop sensor cameras for a long time, as I have. I’ve mentioned these challenges recently, and the specific issue around choosing the right aperture for a depth of field that’s equivalent to what I’d get on a small sensor camera.

I purchased the Z5 with a well-regarded Z-mount lens: 24 – 70mm F4 S. The S designation that Nikon put on this lens means that it’s above average in performance – or Superior. Perhaps not one of the Pro quality lenses, but definitely exceeding kit lens quality. I also like the constant F4 aperture and the weather-sealing. Not that I’m often out in the rain, but it’s definitely useful when the clouds threaten.

I’ve no issue at all with the sharpness, but the left corner seems to be mushier than the other corners, as though one of the elements is slightly out of position. It seems to happen mostly when at 24mm and possibly at other focal lengths. Not a deal-breaker (not that I could return it anyway), but certainly irritating at times. I keep this in mind when I pull it out and will opt for the 40mm F2 instead if I don’t need the extra width, as that lens is even sharper.

Moving to mirrorless was a wise move for Nikon. I’m not loyal to the brand, but I’ve had a D5100 previously, and still have a D70, a D40, a D3100, a D7100, and the Nikon Z5 in the house, so they must be doing something I like. The Z5 is definitely a fantastic camera to handle and use, as I’ve found with all Nikons. I just need to break some old habits.