It may look bulky, which it is, and would be with a strap as well. But I can move around easily and I have my hands free. I no longer use an ad200pro on my promediagear bracket. I switched to an ad100pro. It puts out a 1/3rd of a stop more light than the round head on the AD200pro, it’s lighter and no battery pack hanging from my side and no wires hanging. And, I use the Z9 these days.

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Another example

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Works really well for me

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I use two of the promediagear SH-1 holsters, on my belt.
I have been using them for at least 5 plus years.
What a game changer!!
No weight on my neck and back.
Easy access to the kit, and nothing swinging around.

I use quality uv or clear filters on my quality lenses.
I would rather clean the filter than touch the front element.
If there is any degradation of the images, I don’t see it.
Ymmv
Imho
📸 Regards, Randy 📸

I gave my D850 to my son-in-law,
when I got my Z9.

He is an excellent BIG ‘tog.

(Probably should have sold it!!)

One of my clients always assumes a particular pose, covering her chin, with her hand.
I try to get candid shots of her, because of that
She loves the candids, but continues the same way, with the hand, for posed photos

I don’t agree that a prime lens will always be sharper, and less distorted.
I have some prime lenses that are horrible and I have a few zoom lenses that are amazing.
That is a very general statement.

By the way "as well made as a Hasselblad"? What pure BS, Hasselblad made some of the worst equipment in the pantheon of photo equipment ever. Every working pro new this and always kept extra bodies because three was the number, one in for repair, one in reserve and one as back up. Yes, ALL the glass was exceptional, but then all the glass was made by Carl Zeiss not Victor Hasselblad.[/quote]



I absolutely agree.
The Hasselblad was a very
finicky piece of kit.
If you tried to remove the lens, without advancing the film to the next shot, first, so that the camera was cocked, you basically locked the lens on the body. With no way to do anything
Needed a service visit to divorce the loving couple.

FTR:
Many decades ago, Nikon introduced a zoom lens, the infamous 43-86. It was a terrible lens, poor image quality. Really bad. (I still have one)

That one zoom lens is responsible for the whole “zoom lenses are not as sharp as prime” controversy.

The quality of lenses, including zoom lenses, have become a whole lot better than that fatal 43-86 mistake.
I don’t have any problems taking sharp, dynamic photos, with incredible detail, with my zoom lenses.
I feel that many of the latest Z mount zoom lenses, on my Z9 couldn’t be any better!!
I am very happy with zoom lenses, I like to be able to compose my shot, in camera. but I understand that some people don’t feel the same way.
That’s why there are so many choices.
To each their own.
If you are able to move closer or farther away from your subject, with a prime, that’s fine. I don’t always have the luxury of that on a wedding or event shoot.
Ymmv, imho,
📸 Regards, Randy 📸

I am a working professional. I can’t use primes, because I need the flexibility to zoom in or out to get my shot.
I don’t have time to swap out the lenses.
Of course, the latest zoom glass from Nikon for my Z9 are truly terrific.
And, the f Mount trinity glass works perfectly with the ftz2.
My latest purchase is the Tamron 35-150 f2-f2.8, which has become my favorite lens.
I wish it had more range on the wide end, though.
The Z mount 24-120 is an ideal choice/range for event photography, but the f4 maximum aperture is a problem focusing in dark venues.
Ymmv, imho, 📸 Regards, Randy 📸

I have never been comfortable with prime lenses, because I feel very limited, not being able to compose my shot in the camera, if I can’t get closer or further away from the scene.

Because I shot weddings, back in the 80’s, on Long Island,NY, I had to use Hasselblads. It was required by the studio I worked at.
I still have one, but, I see no advantage to running a roll of film through it.
Great camera, now it’s a great shelf display.

I use the modeling light in the round head flashes, as a focus light, in dark venues, (where I seem to do all my shooting). This feature alone makes these units more valuable to me.

I use the promediagear boomerang brackets (I have 5 of them) and recently, I swapped out the AD200pro, with head extension cable, or the V-1, with the ad100pro.

It is 1/3 of a stop more powerful, than the AD200pro with the round head!!
And, since I swing the bracket a few hundred times during a shoot, I no longer have to worry about the hotfoot on the V-1 breaking. Which they do.
It is a terrific unit in this application.
Smaller and more powerful than the V-1, and AD200pro, no power pack hanging on my side, no more cable that used to catch every chair, as I was trying to get around in catering halls.
I am so very pleased with this unit, on the bracket. I also am using these on light stands, as main and accent lights.
They are small, light, powerful and they use the same battery as the V-1’s, which is very convenient.
Ymmv
Imho
📸 Regards, Randy 📸

I am a professional photographer, shooting weddings, events and live music.

I use flash often.
Preferably, only for the weddings and events.
When shooting live music and musicians, I try to avoid using any of my lights, so as to be able to capture the effect lighting on the talent(s).

Most of the venues I work in, are lit so poorly, that people use their phone’s light, to see or read anything.
To make matters worse, the ceilings are usually painted black.

Since there isn’t enough light to get a properly exposed image, I need to supply my own.
I use promediagear boomerangs, (BBX and BBG’s) for better lighting than if the light were to be mounted in the hotshoe.
I will supplement that flash with stand mounted lights, as needed.

FTR:
I refer to using my flash gear,
as shooting with
“available light”
Because…
it is always available!

IMHO
Ymmv
📸 Regards, Randy 📸

Excellent advice.
I find that in addition to reading the manual, when I first get a new camera, I comprehend a lot more of that information, a week or two later, after I have used the camera, when I reread the manual.
And then a month or two later I will read it again, cover to cover, each time.
Many things will make more sense to me after actually using the camera.

With a camera as sophisticated as my Z9, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to reread the manual a year later.
I might find a feature I forgot about, or something that I wasn’t interested in using earlier, but would be beneficial for a current use.
Ymmv
IMHO
📸 Regards, Randy 📸