AUTO FOCUS PERFORMANCE

The auto-focus system in the ZD feels similar to the Mamiya 645AFD II’s both in terms of speed and sound. The auto-focus works fine for still subjects in reasonably good light. Focus can be surprisingly accurate - especially when set to spot mode. The focus mode can easily be changed from spot (uses just the single center AF point), to wide (uses all three AF points), to right to left via the rear thumb pad. Changing focus points is beyond quick an simple; however, I tend to leave the ZD in “spot” mode. Having the option to switch to the right or left point is nice, but in practice the three points are so close together that I do not see any reason to select them.

Like the older Nikon and Pentax cameras, the auto focus motor is in the ZD camera body. There is no motor in the lens like a Canon USM lens. As such, focus is slower and noisier. The focus noise is similar to a Canon EF 50mm F1.8. For candids, portraits, stills, landscapes, etc., the single shot auto focus should be fine for most occasions. Overall the auto focus performance feels similar to a Canon 85L in terms of speed and likelihood of hunting. There is a continuous focus mode; I doubt it would work well for sports.

BATTERY LIFE

On two occasions I have shot approximately 175 images within a 2 hour period. During that period the battery meter showed the battery as fully charged. The same battery was then used off and on for several days with 25-50 clicks per day, plus some LCD time playing with custom functions and camera parameters. Battery life appears to be in the range 300 to 500 clicks per charge. This depends upon how much time passes between uses, ambient temperatures and battery condition. Compared to using AAA batteries in a 645AFD II and separate LiON batteries in a digital, the single battery system in the ZD is a great improvement.

THE 1.8” LCD SCREEN

The 800 pound gorilla... Yes, the LCD sucks. Image review is too small to be of benefit. I have magnification set at 16x for checking sharpness, but it is very slow. Reviewing an image takes 3 to 4 seconds and is not worth the wait. Instead I just keep shooting. If there is a risk of missing focus, then I focus bracket. If I am not sure how much exposure compensation is needed, then I will bracket exposure. It is easier and quicker to shoot a couple extra frames rather than waiting for the LCD.

Fortunately the initial image review after a picture is taken is fairly quick. I have the screen set to the large histogram, so I take a picture and in about 2 seconds the histogram appears. On the downside, the ZD will NOT display the histogram of the first image if a second image is taken before the first image is finished writing to the CF card. If you shoot one image at time and check the histogram after each image, then the pace is okay. I tend to shoot in bursts, so the odds of seeing the histogram in a timely fashion is unlikely.

The LCD is fine for setting camera parameters, custom functions and so forth. If Mamiya would update the ZD with a 2.2” or 2.5” screen with quicker review times, I’d give the ZD an A+ on its report card. For those who depend heavily on the LCDs for image review, then the ZD will probably drive them insane. I bought the ZD expecting the LCD to suck, and it did not disappoint. I think I can live with the situation, but I’m sure it will frustrating at times. The Phase One P25’s image review was much quicker and the histograms pop up fairly quickly, so it has speed. But the P25’s LCD image quality is horrible too.

IMAGE BUFFER

I often read complaints about how bad (slow) the memory buffer is on the ZD. I tend to shoot 2 to 3 frames in relatively quick succession - maybe 1-2 seconds apart. Not once has the buffer been an issue. I have rattled off 4 or 5 images in a burst and then went on to shoot several single shot frames without issue. If someone is trying to shoot 50 frames per minute, then yes, the buffer (or lack of) makes that impossible. I shoot candids, landscapes, portraits and products. With about 1000 frames thus far, the buffer has not been an issue. The only time I have had buffer issues was 5 years ago when shooting RAWs with a Canon 300D Digital Rebel with its whopping 3 image buffer.

Compared to modern dSLRs, the ZD is slow and limited. The ZD is not a sports camera. If working with models and trying to go with the flow, the ZD lacks buffer size and speed. For all intents and purposes, the ZD’s max ISO is 100. With ISO 100 and the slower focus speeds (compared to a Canon or Nikon dSLR), the ZD is not the right tool for chasing kids around either. It will be hard enough to get the picture in the first place, so filling the buffer is the least of the issues. On the other hand, if you typically shoot a frame every 2 or 3 seconds, then ZD can keep up with you all day long - provided you stay within the 10 frame buffer. Fortunately there is status bar in the viewfinder showing the amount of available buffer. And it works well.