Testing the Z8 on the water

Hello everyone,

I recently had the opportunity to take the Nikon Z8 out on the waters of Montauk to capture the awesome sights of striped bass feeding on topwater. I was impressed.

The Z8 is a full-frame sensor, mirrorless, Z-mount (allows more light), with fast autofocus and 8k 60fps video capabilities. But why talk about cameras when we love fishing? Because if you want to elevate the quality of your fishing images or video, this camera will do both.

The photographs this camera can capture are amazing, and the video is just as impressive, if not more, and while it took a long time for Nikon to release it, it was worth the wait. Please note, this is not an entry-level camera; it's for anglers experienced in photography. If you're new I'd recommend you look for a beginners guide to photography before making a purchase.

If you want to know all the capabilities, details and specs of the Z8, check out one of the many in-depth videos available on YouTube. Now, let's see how it did on the water.

On this trip I used the NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens, it's a great all around zoom lens and to my surprise it is very sharp.

This picture was taken at Montauk Point and thanks to the built-in image stabilization I was able to get great pictures despite the waves rocking the boat.

My plan was to fish less and shoot more pictures, but it's pretty tough to do it when the fish are busting all around the boat. This picture was taken seconds before the bass chased the bait (anchovies and spearing) to the top for an all out blitz, but the rod won and I was casting when I should have been taking pictures.

Most of the bass we found on the top were between 22 and 30 inches, they were picky at times but for the most part they fell for albie 'hoes, small deceivers and of course clousers, in fact when they were being difficult, a size 1/0 tan and while clouser, with with a loop knot triggered a strike everytime.

We fished until the end of the tide and while the action slowed down a bit, the bass continued to feed on top well into sunset.

In autumn, Montauk is a great fishing destination because it is strategically positioned along the Atlantic coast. When the striped bass begin their annual fall migration, it becomes prime feeding ground for stripers.

The following short video was shot handheld using the Nikon Z8 and Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S. It should give you an idea of just how amazing fishing in Montauk can be.

Tight lines!

- Sergio