Epic first day with Z8 - Chapter 2 "High Drama"

[BorderBirder]

And so with Chapter 2 of my first Z8 day, I was fortunate enough to encounter this drama. First sign was a mew ... where's the buzzard then? Ah, there you are....and then.....things rather took off. Fiendish work on the camera.... trying not to blow the opportunity, The familiar Wide area large was my chosen option.

Dedicated to @sinetwo .....who wondered if I'd taken any action with the Z8. Good question indeed and featured in this and Chapter 3

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[Butlerkid]

Great sequence!

 

[BorderBirder]

Great sequence!

Thanks Karen it was such fun ... at 6 am and just 20 minutes walk from our house... made it all the more valued!!

 

[Ralph]

And so with Chapter 2 of my first Z8 day, I was fortunate enough to encounter this drama. First sign was a mew ... where's the buzzard then? Ah, there you are....and then.....things rather took off. Fiendish work on the camera.... trying not to blow the opportunity, The familiar Wide area large was my chosen option.

Dedicated to @sinetwo .....who wondered if I'd taken any action with the Z8. Good question indeed and featured in this and Chapter 3



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Awesome set

 

[ssheipel]

Nice!

 

[NorthernFocus]

Great action set.

 

[BorderBirder]

Awesome set

Thanks Ralph much appreciated.

Nice!

Thanks for the support Steven

Great action set.

Thanks Dan.

The kind of activity that keeps you heading out!! I liked how the AF clung throughout…even through the trees, on middle stickiness setting.

 

[Lance B]

Great series!

 

[BorderBirder]

Great series!

Thanks Lance... it really helped launch my Z8 voyage. Now to refine those custom settings, and get my fingers trained to find them

 

[PhotonThief]

Wow! really nice.

 

[Charles Loy]

Nice series!! re: Wide area large was my chosen option - including first photo?

 

[BorderBirder]

Wow! really nice.

Thanks 'light grabber' much appreciated.

 

[BorderBirder]

Nice series!! re: Wide area large was my chosen option - including first photo?

Well spotted, Charles. No, the first one was 3D if I remember correctly - nice and small on the distant buzzard's head.

But I am going to change my setup to:

• Shutter button half press Wide area Large and AF on
• AF ON to 3D tracking and AF ON
• Fn 1 to single point and AF on (and I may try C1 1x1 as an alternative)
• Fn 2 to RSF recall-hold In order to toggle between +/- subject tracking
• Video Button to Zoom 100% to check focus accuracy (I may dispense with this and go to Steve's AF Area selction option, but currently I am setting that function to Fn 3, since the relative inaccessibility of that button won't be a concern when I have the key AF Area modes available via dedicated buttons. I know Steve is a wizard with the command/ sub command dials, but I much prefer the speed of buttons to instantly change AF area, esp if auto methods are struggling and you need to change to single point for a wee bird in a tree, or only part of a bird visible!!
• the above a mix of @Steve materials, (and his comprehesive overview which helps you deviate from his settings where preferred) and also Hudson Henry
• I am envisaging the customisation being a work in progress, and ongoing.... and fun actually. It is extraordinary how customisable the Z8 is coming from D500 and Z7ii.

Thanks @Steve for all your stuff to date ... starting with BBAF up to Z8/Z9 Guides

 

[Ado Wolf]

talk about being at the right place, at the right time, and using the right technique
well done

 

[BorderBirder]

talk about being at the right place, at the right time, and using the right technique
well done

Thanks Ado, It was a special moment

 

[ElenaH]

spectacular!

 

[BorderBirder]

spectacular!

Thanks Elena.. great coming from you! Went out again to day…. Nothing much.. so it goes!!

 

[sinetwo]

Thanks for posting @BorderBirder!

Here's one I took with the D500 recently. If the Z8 basically does the autofocus for you, I expect I'd get more keepers like this.

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[BorderBirder]

Thanks for posting @BorderBirder!

Here's one I took with the D500 recently. If the Z8 basically does the autofocus for you, I expect I'd get more keepers like this. View attachment 62513

Great catch! Not sure the Z8 ‘does the focus for you’ entirely . But it does a lot of magic things, for sure. Speed and accuracy were very apparent even after one outing, even putting aside its tracking options. It feels a professional camera in terms of how much you need to learn about its customisation and operation. And there is satisfaction in undertaking that journey.
I am reevaluating Steve’s option of AF area mode on the video button, in the light of pp 373-375, where he describes how to swap to the rear command dial to select AF area. Much more comfortable for my hand! Definitely check this out if you haven’t already guys.