My Transition to the Nikon Mirrorless Z System is Now Complete (updated 06/2026)
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Nikon Z8 with the 70-180mm Z lens
With the acquisition of the Nikon Z7II camera (I no longer own the Z7II but it’s still an excellent camera), my transition from Nikon DSLRs and F mount glass to Nikon mirrorless Z cameras and Z Nikkor lenses is now complete. That’s not to say that I won’t purchase additional Z equipment down the road (I have, check out my current gear list: https://www.robertallen-photography.com/my-nikon-gear-list), but for now, I have a well rounded collection that should allow me to shoot just about anything.
Overall, I have been pleased with the performance of all the Z equipment I have purchased, both lenses and bodies. The one exception would be the shortened battery life of mirrorless cameras in general, mostly related to the Z8. That’s about the only thing that I miss about DSLRs is the extended battery life.
As an event photographer, I can’t emphasize enough how valuable silent shooting has been with the Z8 and Z9. When photographing people at a podium, you often have to take many photos in order to get that perfect expression. Being able to do this in silence without the click clack of the shutter as in the past makes getting the perfect podium shot much easier and feeling less self conscious while shooting at 20 fps.
Nikon Z8 with the 70-180mm Z lens
To view my current list of photographic equipment, visit my gear page .
Let me know in the comments below (no sign-in required) if you have any questions about any of the equipment I currently own. Be sure to visit often since I will be doing reviews and commentary as I have time on each of the items.
Watch as Andrew Hancock discusses his approach to capturing the largest sporting event in the world and why he has with him no less than 5 Nikon Z9 cameras.