Z9 wildlife setup (mainly BIF)

[luckmurph]

Hi All, finally after 8 months of waiting i get my Z9 next Tuesday!! (I wonder how long my 800 will take!!....)

How are people setting there Z9's up for wildlife and BIF?

I'm currently using a D5 & Z6ii, i was thinking of setting it up same as my z6 (as per Steve's video) and go from there, unless anyone can point me in another direction? im going to set BBF up as that's how i like to shoot and figure it will be easier to use when still using multiple cameras (going to keep my other 2 bodies)

Many thanks

Andy

 

[RichF]

I set up Wide area Large on the shutter button and then have 3D tracking on the BFF. I think I have F1 set to Recall Function Toggle for 20 FPS (Raw), otherwise I have 10 FPS. I use F3 to adjust my focus area when I want to manually change it.

 

[Shutterbug fan 1]

I use auto area af because there is no need to select a subject. To be honest, the only BIF I have shot have been burrowing owls and larger. Auto area af has worked well for me. For larger wildlife, I would use one of the Wide Area options with Fn1 set to single point AF.

 

[Snapshot2020]

I trended away from BBAF and use 1/2 Shutter to activate Wide Area AF without Animal Detect. AF-On is set for 3D which I like for a Single Subject in Flight, FN 1 set for Single Point AF for that Stationary Bird in the Tree, FN 2 Metering Options, FN3 Recall Settings, and the Video Record Button which I have setup to quickly access the Focus Mode Options. I’ve had my Z9 since January with 10,000 trial and error files to learn which AF Mode is best for my BIF Photography. YMMV ... just need to find what works best for your BIF Photography.

 

[Griffym]

I have adjusted settings so that there is some similarity between the Z6ii and Z9 especially for where the Action controls are.
Z6ii has U1,U2, U3 in similar order to Z9 shooting bank set up. U2 is Action, Shooting Bank B on the Z9 is Action.
The Z9 Action Shooting Bank (Shooting B + Custom B) for BIF is Wide Area AF, Animal priority subject recognition, 15fps, etc then Fn3 button is set to RSF (hold) @20 fps with 3d Tracking. (BTW:Fn4 takes me to top of MyMenu where subject recognition is at the top so I can use action for non BIF)
There is much more to it…..but: WideArea usually gets the subject well and switching to 3d locks onto it well. The AF ON button is handy too. I can press it briefly to confirm that 3d tracking (or Wide Area AF) is correct in its guess - seems to work.
Still a work in progress but that is the basis of it.
Works best in good light and background not too busy/distracting, but I need more opportunities to test it.
For the Z6ii I make the other buttons as similar as I can when acquiring focus, if there is an equivalent or approximation. E.g. There is no Fn3 button on the Z6ii but I have the Fn2 button changes the AF modes settings - which is similar enough that I don’t have to think about it. (I should look at customising the i button set up, more closely to check

 

[agrumpyoldsod]

I have adjusted settings so that there is some similarity between the Z6ii and Z9 especially for where the Action controls are.
Z6ii has U1,U2, U3 in similar order to Z9 shooting bank set up. U2 is Action, Shooting Bank B on the Z9 is Action.

Good plan

The Z9 Action Shooting Bank (Shooting B + Custom B) for BIF is Wide Area AF, Animal priority subject recognition, 15fps, etc then Fn3 button is set to RSF (hold) @20 fps with 3d Tracking. (BTW:Fn4 takes me to top of MyMenu where subject recognition is at the top so I can use action for non BIF)
There is much more to it…..but: WideArea usually gets the subject well and switching to 3d locks onto it well. The AF ON button is handy too. I can press it briefly to confirm that 3d tracking (or Wide Area AF) is correct in its guess - seems to work.
Still a work in progress but that is the basis of it.

My set p is similar - except - I use the shutter button to activate whichever AF focus mode I have selected generally, but both AF-ON buttons are used to activate 3d-tracking. So simply finding the subject then switching to 3-d tracking is simple.
Fn2 switches to single point AF-on.
And Fn3 to recall a preset focus point - I have found saving a pre-focus point at ~5-10m helps me recover the camera if it get stuck in a complex background.
Fn1 is used for RSF(hold).
The movie record and mic buttons are used to change the general AF focus type.
Both the EV button and the unmarked FN button by the portrait shutter are used to change exposure bias.
Lens FN buttons are used to save or recall focus points.
Where possible, the role of Lens Control rings and focus rings are swapped and I use the focus ring (or control ring where new firmware has not arrived) to only change aperture values.
Where there is a 2nd Lens Control ring (400TC) I have allocated this to increase or decrease exposure bias by 1/3rd of a stop.
Fn4 recalls the top item in my menu.
These controls are set up the same way in all menu banks except (D - video) and i-menu and my menu are laid out the same too.
It is far too confusing for me to have different options between menu banks.

Works best in good light and background not too busy/distracting, but I need more opportunities to test it.

Good shooting

 

[Griffym]

Good plan

My set p is similar - except - I use the shutter button to activate whichever AF focus mode I have selected generally, but both AF-ON buttons are used to activate 3d-tracking. So simply finding the subject then switching to 3-d tracking is simple.
Fn2 switches to single point AF-on.
And Fn3 to recall a preset focus point - I have found saving a pre-focus point at ~5-10m helps me recover the camera if it get stuck in a complex background.
Fn1 is used for RSF(hold).
The movie record and mic buttons are used to change the general AF focus type.
Both the EV button and the unmarked FN button by the portrait shutter are used to change exposure bias.
Lens FN buttons are used to save or recall focus points.
Where possible, the role of Lens Control rings and focus rings are swapped and I use the focus ring (or control ring where new firmware has not arrived) to only change aperture values.
Where there is a 2nd Lens Control ring (400TC) I have allocated this to increase or decrease exposure bias by 1/3rd of a stop.
Fn4 recalls the top item in my menu.
These controls are set up the same way in all menu banks except (D - video) and i-menu and my menu are laid out the same too.
It is far too confusing for me to have different options between menu banks.

Good shooting

That sounds entirely logical.
I stopped using back button focus once I got the D500. I started using a half press on the shutter. With AF points virtually edge to edge the usefulness of back button autofocus is much reduced. I have a Z9 now and I am yet to find a situation where back button focus would be better.
I allocate lens function buttons to Auto area AF so I can leave focus to the Z9 when there is no distracting background when appropriate .

 

[fcotterill]

There are several earlier threads sharing optimizations and tweaks, and also on the Custom & Photo banks.
[ Edited]
My primary modus operandi is to setup as many key functions that are feasible to work with the Right hand only. Shooting BBAF with extra quick options. Only shoot in Manual with Auto ISO, sometimes fully manual ISO in trickier light.

Key custom settings include Red Record to scroll Focus settings;
Top front function buttons to AFmode+AFOn; these are single point Custom Area (CA1) and a larger narrow rectangle as CA2;
Lens Fn is set to AutoAF+AFOn;
Fn3 to Recall Shooting Functions (ie hold ie toggle) to switch Animal Recognition on\off in 3D tracking mode, which is the default on AFOn button. Fn3 is accessible when the camera is in either orientation;

One has to experiment with these settings on the buttons, test shooting. Same applies to how you configure your iMenu. It's the best way to learn training muscle memory.

 

[fcotterill]

Get Steve's Nikon AF MILC ebook

see....

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[Maljo]

What I do: Manual Exposure Mode, Shutter Speed 1/2000 (easily adjusted up or down with the thumb wheel), ISO 100 Auto, Upper ISO 12800, 20 fps, Auto Subject Detection, Large Rectangle Focus Area, Aperture wide open, Set any button you want to turn on 3D tracking, Set any button. you want to turn on Dynamic Small (for use when subject detection is on vacation). Pros recommend 1/3200 for BIF but it all depends on the light. The camera is one part of the BIF process; the photographer is the bigger part and it can be very challenging to keep a wild bird in the viewfinder. Not to mention, you have to find wild birds in good light doing interesting things before your life partner complains its time to go.

 

[luckmurph]

Many thanks everyone for your replies, Looking forward to receiving The Z9 and getting out with it

 

[Anjin San]

My BIF/action bank is currently set up as Auto area on the shutter and subject tracking on the AF On button…got that from Hudson Henry’s video…but I have only had the 9ma couple of weeks and no BIF or cation yet so will also try wide large probably on shutter with subject tracking on AF On. I think I will set RSF to wide large somi can quickly change between the two and compare.