“How’s the battery life?” is a common question this week. The Z 9 EN-EL18d battery is basically a 2021 version of the D6, D5 & D4 battery and like that tradition, is a powerhouse! Personally, I figure the battery is going to receive the greatest amount of abuse when the body is brand new. That’s when in test and experiment mode, I pound the camera shutter, menus, and LCD while I chimp and learn. My warmest shoot so far with the Z 9 was 21 degrees. Even cold temps aren’t making a dent in its power. Both of my Z 9s EN-EL18d have performed just like their predecessors, working with tons of power to spare. I have not even ordered a spare EN-EL18d and I doubt I will.

My EN-EL18ds started off by being in the charger (which is new for the Z 9) charging up until the charger said it was full and then left in the charger for an additional minimum of fifteen minutes. While they were charging, I used the EN-EL18c from the D6 to start inputting settings. Yes, the older EN-EL18 batteries can be used but can’t do one thing I’ll cover in a moment. Then, for the first few charges, I wait until the battery is on its last breath before I put them back in the charger. Old habits I still follow. What’s really cool is what the Z 9 can do with external power!

The Z 9 has the ability to accept power via its USB c port (pictured above). For example, you could plug the Z 9 into your MacBook Pro and charge the battery while you work. That’s why you need the EN-EL18d battery, can’t charge via the USB c port other batteries. You can charge the battery right in the camera. This opens up a whole bunch of possibilities. You can power the Z 9 via 120v with the EP-6a (the older unit for D6/5/4 doesn’t fit in the slot). I’ve always had 120v power for my bodies for doing my 12-hour time-lapse shoots. But with the Z 9 USBc power option, at this point I’ve not ordered one. Instead, I got a soluser solar-charged USB power block. Talking with my power expert (Thanks Eric!) I was able to determine the power out needed to operate the Z 9 (18watts). The Omni 20+ also powers the Z 9 via the USB c port. What’s the point? The soluser can be charged from the sun, it then powers the Z 9 (battery must be inserted to work). You can charge the Z 9 (camera turned off) with the soluser which brought the EN-EL18d from 18% to 100% in 59 minutes! It only weighs 13oz so when I head up to AK for Kodiak Bears in May where there is NO 120v, I can charge the Z 9s at night with the soluser (with power left over for iPhone/iPad charging), and then I can set it out in the sun during the day to recharge. I’m waiting for clear skies to do a 12 hour time-lapse for my final power test of the soluser and USB c port.

The bottom line, the EN-EL18d powers the Z 9 all day long and now with the USB c option, running or charging it when there is no 120v power is not an issue. I really appreciate how well the Z 9 power has been thought through. One less thing to think about!

When new products are announced, in the past, there was a wave of discussion of pluses and flaws and lust for a short time and then we got back to the business of photography. These days, the new product is almost a daily ritual so getting back to the business of photography is getting pushed to the background. After watching a few hundred photographers for the past week, I saw the basics weren’t even in play and heard lots and lots of depression over images missed. The basics were either not known, practiced, or forgotten. As I stood there enthralled with the birdlife in front of me, my mind got to thinking about all in front of me. That’s when I came to the conclusion what the number one thing is in my bag for photographing everything I point my lens at!
My sense of humor, that’s the most important thing in my bag! Were you expecting to say some body or lens? Oh, they are incredibly important but they only work as well as the person behind them. That would be me. On those days when I’m on top of my game, any piece of gear I put in my hands just sings. On those days when I’m in a fog, there are no good gear options. It’s not the gear fault and no new piece of gear on that day will help. I know this about myself which is why no matter what, the camera is in my hand every day practicing proper hand-holding, panning, and long lens technique. I’m working on the equipment operator and not the gear. I go over basic camera operation and settings. I know that my gear is not the weak link, I am and I know when I’m not operating correctly then my sense of humor is not coming through my images!
There has long been the debate of what is more important, the photographer or the gear but to me, there is no debate. The sharpest lens on the planet is not sharp if the operator is not giving it a stable platform. The fastest firing camera on the planet is not going to capture that action if it is not keeping up with the subject. And the story you want and need to tell in your photographs will not happen with the finest lens, body, or post-production technique if YOU are not at your finest. At the same time, if you’re at your finest and your gear is not, you are not getting that story told your way. But that’s coming back to the photographer and not the gear as the photographer must know their craft, and know themselves so they know when the issue is the photographer or the gear. I’m a firm believer photography has to be fun, the entire process. And for me, my sense of humor in the #1 thing in my bag!

I unscrewed the rubber foot which exposed the spike foot on the tripod for the first time and put my tripod down. Bam! The spike ran right into the ice, stopped, and the stability of my tripod with the big glass went from bad to worse as the spike rode the top of the ice. For a number of years, I had homemade “ice feet” that worked but were not great. Then Really Right Stuff came out with their Ice Claws and man, do they work! Snow or ice makes no difference, I have these bad boys attached (never, ever hit your leg with these attached. They will leave a mark!). Why these are superior to spikes IMHO is because they grab to the surface of ice/snow and don’t have to penetrate it like a spike to provide stability. They are like crampons for your tripod and they WORK! Folks have told me they are expensive but they are nothing compared to the gear they are supporting or the money spent to be at that spot that requires them. These are one of the greatest add ons for your tripod I can recommend to you!

We’ve known about the coming of the Z9 for a while now. Having a little history with the company, my gut told me that they had something mighty cool up their sleeve and it would rock my world. My posting a bunch of my F Mount gear for sale brought in a boatload of emails that I hope I can answer with this one posting. To sum up the emails, why am I going all mirrorless now? I think it’s unstoppable! (I ordered my Z9s from Bedfords and used my Discount Code Moose. You can do the same and pay the same price I did to add the Z9 to your kit!)

I think the photo above sums it up the best. As I told my friends this past week, I have to come up with a new phrase because astro blast doesn’t do justice to what the Z9 delivers. The Z9s amazing FPS is not the main reason for my switch, it is most definitely part of it though. It’s the signals from the specs that made the difference for me. High-efficacy Nefs, 1000 image buffer, AF down to -8.5ev, black-out free EVF are just a few of the exciting points for me. Being able to shoot stills or video without having to move your eye from the viewfinder, I love that. The biggest thing for me of all is the fact the Z9 is 20% SMALLER than the D6 (and costs less) fulfilling the promise of mirrorless of smaller, more quality at a lower price. And if that were enough, there are these factoids:

The most exciting thing of all to me is, we ain’t seen nothin yet! The photographic possibilities just went through the roof. I can’t wait until the Z9 is in my kit and I’m out shooting with it.

It’s snow and ice time again which makes for some great photo ops. Having solid footing though is important for moving around and for providing our camera a solid platform. Black Diamond Access Spike Traction Device makes any shoe stick like glue to ice and snow. They slip on and stay on providing you with sure footing. I highly recommend them to you!