arbitrage
Well-known member
I guess it depends if Z6III does it in RAW or not. And even if it does if the 45 vs 24 MPs stops the Z9 from getting it.
Faster FPS
- Thread starter AstroEd
- Start date
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
groob
Active member
I have no idea why 24 mp versus 45 mp would "stop" it from coming to the Z9. It's more data, so the implementation might not be the same. But there's nothing magical about 24 versus 45. Sounds to me like you're already trying to talk yourself out of buying a 3rd Z9.
What frame rate are you actually getting when you fire a burst with your D500? Take a 10 second burst of images and count the number of images in each individual full second. The D500 should be capturing 10 fps in RAW. For the top frame rate there is a specific combination of settings required - and you need an empty buffer. For example, some settings can slow the frame rate - like Noise Reduction. And having a slow CF Express card, using the SD card, or using Backup mode can mean the buffer does not clear and your frame rate is reduced to the write speed.
Depending on what you find, you might adjust settings or technique to improve your success rate. But before changing cameras, let's be sure you are maximizing your D500.
Depending on what you find, you might adjust settings or technique to improve your success rate. But before changing cameras, let's be sure you are maximizing your D500.
arbitrage
Well-known member
Then why didn't they implement it from the beginning? They either have the pipeline to handle it or they don't. Are they just trying to torture their customers by doling out features one month at a time. They have obviously heard from everyone who uses pro-capture that they would love to have it in RAW. If they could do it I would have expected it from the beginning. And of course data has a lot to do with it...why do you think they only push 11MP jpegs through at 120FPS??
And don't worry, I will never purchase another Z9 until it has the roman numeral II behind it. 2 Z9s and 1 Z8 were enough to teach me my lesson.
groob
Active member
Could’ve been numerous reasons, but none of us can know since we don’t work for Nikon. Maybe Nikon wasn’t technologically prepared until now. There’s no reason to believe they had the “pipeline” ready prior to now. Maybe they waited to see what the A9iii would be first. Maybe Sony precluded Nikon from implementing it until now when they negotiated the contract for the sensors.
And we have already had too many conversations about the Z9’s “mortal, unforgivable flaw” of being mediocre at capturing swallows in front of varied backgrounds at 50 yards.
Last edited:
I do not know anything about pr-capture but it sounds like the camera sensor is constantly capturing images without pressing the shutter? If so what does this do to battery life? Gonna google Pre-capture right now.
arbitrage
Well-known member
Yes that is exactly it. When you have it turned on if you half press shutter (for shutter AF users) or press AF-ON (for back button AF users) the camera continuously takes photos and stores them in a buffer for a certain duration. I don't remember the exact options on the Nikon as it has been a while but on A9III you can select how far back you want it to precapture. Most people including myself settled on 0.3s but you could go from 0.01s to 1s. As you continue to hold AF it continues to maintain that 0.3s worth of shots, continuously removing the older shots and adding new ones to the buffer. Then when you fully depress the shutter it saves that 0.3s (or whatever duration you've selected) worth of shots to the memory card and continues shooting like normal as you keep the shutter pressed.
And yes, it will increase battery drain if you are using it a lot.
Olympus had the first really good implementation of pre-capture. Nikon and Canon have half baked versions...Nikon not allowing RAW and Canon creating a proprietary zip file that only their software can extract. Sony only has the feature on the A9III so far but it is very well implemented and supports Compressed RAW up to 120FPS.
I found it was best used sparingly at very high FPS and on the A9III I had a custom button set to toggle it on and off. At first I used it to take launching shots of birds as the 0.3s was about perfect to eliminate the human reaction time...I'd usually get a couple frames of the bird before it moved and then the entire launching movement with the flight from the perch. But what I also found after a couple weeks of using it was that it was very useful to have it on all the time but at a more reasonable FPS like 20-30FPS. What I found is that I would react to a bird in flight, raise the camera to my eye and get the focus going on the bird (which is what I always do without precapture) but I found the pre-capture was eliminating my reaction time from seeing AF grabbing the bird properly and firing the shutter. I was catching more good frames during that initial 0.3s that AF was on the bird but I'd typically be behind in firing the shutter after my brain processed that AF was working. I really liked using it in this manner.
I cannot speak to Nikon but with Canon's pre-capture capability, when you half press the shutter, it starts capturing images with a first in / first out kind of sequence as it fills the buffer. When you press the shutter fully, it captures your image and will continue until your buffer is filled. The one thing some Canon shooters so not like is it stores the RAW files in a "container" RAW file and Canon software is needed to extract the individual images from the file. At least they are indeed RAW files.
With the exception of canon specific software and container file types, I would assume the mechanics of the Nikon pre-capture would be similar. Thus, no significant reduction in battery life greater than shooting a bunch of sequences would do.
Hope this helps.
Jeff
StefanSC
Well-known member
At half press of the shutter it basically buffers images in a circular buffer, overwriting the oldest image.
At full press it saves the current buffered images and continues shooting.
There is a gotcha in most implementations of this feature: the camera will stop buffering after a certain amount of time (a few minutes usually).
John Navitsky
Well-known member
i would not count your raw nikon eggs that the z6iii or z9 will get raw pre capture till they hatch
John Navitsky
Well-known member
from a nikon perspective, the 20fps in the z8, z9 are twice as good as the d500, so there’s that
and of course you can go up to 120fps with 11mp jpg
with variations in between
and of course you can go up to 120fps with 11mp jpg
with variations in between
macwalter
Active member
I suspect the current processor technology is not quite there for 120 fps which is why the Sony compromised with 24mp and a minimum iso of 250. Also getting swallows coming and going if you wait to try to get the bird leaving you will miss every time if you try to react to it leaving. Humans reflexes are not fast enough. So if you don’t have a camera that allows pre capture you can observe the habits and set up and start shooting before they actually leave. I have a z8 and even with my old d500 I could get good shots this way. Faster fps is better but it’s also more culling in post. I doubt I would ever feel the need to go to 120fps though I wouldn’t mind 30fps. A z8 ii?