Handing Off

[Soukous]

I just bought Steve's Wildlife setup guide for the Z6iii. Excellent and thorough as always.
It did raise a question for me though and I'm curious whether anyone else thinks same way.

Handing Off. In his guide Steve writes:
"Most wildlife shooters start with something like Wide AF with Subject
Detection and then handoff to 3D or Auto. It’s a fast, effective way to
access full AF viewfinder coverage once we narrow down our subject and
lock on with Wide AF"

For me - and I know everyone has their own preferences - this is back to front.
Whilst the ability to customise buttons on Z6iii is a great feature I personally do not like having to keep extra buttons depressed with various fingers whilst I am shooting. I'd much prefer it of the customisation allowed a simple toggle on/off for the various features rather than having to keep a button depressed.

With this in mind I have found, with Z8 & Z6iii it works better to set Auto AF as my default focus mode and then have one of the AF wide options on my fn1 button. That way I can hold the button while I acquire the subject and then hand off simply by releasing the button with my camera locked onto the subject.
This works for me because the time spent acquiring the subject is way shorter than the time spent tracking it and taking pictures.

Martin

 

[rjpawl]

Handing off was awkward for me at first but didnt take long for muscle memory to kick in. A day or two in the field with some additional backyard practice is all it takes.

I also found that true with the record button programmed to different areas (Z8). I took Steve's word and tried it out and he is right. It comes together quickly.....I really like the technique. My biggest problem with the record button was using the shutter finger and I would confuse those on occasion.....DOH!! Only took a day or two to retrain my finger. Once in a while you run across a social bird that likes her picture taken and you can try out different things.

 

[fcotterill]

Compared to its Pro DSLR AF system, which was developed mainly for photographing sports subjects, Nikon has certainly improved the scope of its Z AF System. For one, Nikon acknowledges the market for aviation and wildlife photographers with its subject recognition modes (and also the new Z Telephotos).

Since 2016, when Nikon enabled quick AF mode switching in its Pro cameras (D5 and D5), I soon learnt to toggle between AF modes trying to keep focus on the shifting subjects/scene. Many of us never looked back since the AFmode+AFOn setting was added to the custom menus

Since the second and 3rd generation Z ILCs refined Subject Recognition - its Eye AF especially - this has added another layer of control, which requires learning to use efficiently, especially on fleeting/fast subjects.

But unlike DSLRs, unless its using cross type sensors (all Z sensors don't apparently) Closest Focus Priority of the MILC AF lags behind. We meet this difference when the MILC focus grabs the background....stubbornly refusing to refocus on the subject.... demanding manual focus intervention or hitting a preset focus position via a programmed button.

There's useful discussion sharing experiences in these 2 and other threads:

Nikon Z9/8 Hybrid Handover Question

I want to confirm this. (in Ver. 3.10) BBF will ONLY override/hand over from the shutter button. When pressing any FN buttons set to a different AF Area mode or AF Area mode + AF ON, Pressing BBF or half-press shutter will NOT override the FN button. In other words, the way to hand it over is...

bcgforums.com

AF Hand-Off with AF Cycle Feature.

I have watched Steve’s recent AF video several times. I am NOT a fan of using buttons for override. So…can AF Handoff be accomplished the cycle-AF feature. It seems that one could use that feature to do so, but is there some overriding reason why it won’t work? Many Thanks Les

bcgforums.com

 

[fcotterill]

[edited] Choice of AF mode/AF setting in Handover AF [equally when Toggling AF modes] depends on several factors, including:

* Subject movement, from a stationary mammal versus fast flying Swallow. Many birds often turn their heads losing the eye AF;

* Background and/or Foreground - at one extreme, this can be cluttered foliage or grass etc;

Obviously no two situations are exactly identical but we have useful generalizations to setup a modern camera to cater for unforeseen focusing challenges on the 'fly'. Sometimes Handoff is to one of the 2 Automated AF modes AutoAF or 3D) from a tighter AF area, or vice versa. Some photographers use a "Hybrid" AF setup using the shutter release on the newer MILCs, while others are happy with the trusty BBAF method.

I rely mostly on 3D mode on BBAF in clutter, when needed toggling to/from a tight Custom Area eg 1*5 or even better I use 1*1 (latter mode made Single-Point redundant, circa April 2022). AutoAF mode works well in more open habitats and also on flying birds IME, but sometimes needs leveraging with a Custom Area mode, or MF intervention.

Thanks to trained muscle memory, one learns to switch to the best AF mode depending on the conditions and challenges. Oftentimes, this includes MILC AF grabbing the background; and sometimes switch a setting to shut off Subject Detection. Bottom line... One has to practice and learn from missed opportunities and mistakes.

 

[Steve]

Releasing a button like that is't an AF handoff - the camera isn't passing the current AF point when you release the button. It may work most of the time because the camera already has something in focus and Auto AF likes to grab onto things already in focus.

The way Nikon talks about it, you're only handing off if the camera has chosen the current AF point (Auto, 3D, or Wide with Subject Detection) and you are pressing a button programmed for another AF area. So, while releasing the button and letting Auto AF take over might work most of the time, it does carry a risk that the camera may switch / drop the target since it's technically not a handoff and Auto may focus on whatever it likes.

 

[Soukous]

Releasing a button like that is't an AF handoff - the camera isn't passing the current AF point when you release the button. It may work most of the time because the camera already has something in focus and Auto AF likes to grab onto things already in focus.

The way Nikon talks about it, you're only handing off if the camera has chosen the current AF point (Auto, 3D, or Wide with Subject Detection) and you are pressing a button programmed for another AF area. So, while releasing the button and letting Auto AF take over might work most of the time, it does carry a risk that the camera may switch / drop the target since it's technically not a handoff and Auto may focus on whatever it likes.

Thanks Steve, You are most likely correct but, being not very technical, I do not understand why there is a difference. In one case the camera selects the focus point and I release a button to hand off to Auto AF. In the other case, once camera has chosen a focus point I press a button to hand off to Auto AF. In both instances I am simply changing AF mode, when the camera has found a focus point.

 

[fcotterill]

I just bought Steve's Wildlife setup guide for the Z6iii. Excellent and thorough as always.
It did raise a question for me though and I'm curious whether anyone else thinks same way.

Handing Off. In his guide Steve writes:
"Most wildlife shooters start with something like Wide AF with Subject
Detection and then handoff to 3D or Auto. It’s a fast, effective way to
access full AF viewfinder coverage once we narrow down our subject and
lock on with Wide AF"

For me - and I know everyone has their own preferences - this is back to front.
Whilst the ability to customise buttons on Z6iii is a great feature I personally do not like having to keep extra buttons depressed with various fingers whilst I am shooting. I'd much prefer it of the customisation allowed a simple toggle on/off for the various features rather than having to keep a button depressed.

With this in mind I have found, with Z8 & Z6iii it works better to set Auto AF as my default focus mode and then have one of the AF wide options on my fn1 button. That way I can hold the button while I acquire the subject and then hand off simply by releasing the button with my camera locked onto the subject.
This works for me because the time spent acquiring the subject is way shorter than the time spent tracking it and taking pictures.

Martin

Further to above, and try tighten up my own terminology (!).... As per Steve's post above [and just updated in his Secrets to Mirrorless AF ebook, pg 307], it's good to see Nikon has carried across the Focus Persistence feature [Custom setting: a7] to the Z6 III. According to Nikon, this function enables a 'Manual' AF mode (delimited to a tighter area: Dynamic, Single Point) to inherit the focus position from an 'Automatic' AF mode.

3D, Auto, and Wide Area(s) are these Automatic modes, although Subject Detection must be active to Handover from Wide Area or a Custom Area (C2,C2). I often Handover to a single point using a narrow Custom Area such as 9*1 or as small as 5*1 on the Z9.

Note the caveat of keeping AF active during a Hand Over, reliant on Focus Persistence. This feature also requires setting one of the Automatic modes as the 'BaseAF'. The BaseAF is the one activated with the AFOn command (typically using the Back Button AF method).

Some explanations describe Handover working by a different AFmode overriding the Base AF, but strictly speaking what's happening is the camera is inheriting / maintaining the focus position between AFmodes. This gets pedantic, but Focus Persistence matters in practice using Handover.

a7: Focus Point Persistence

onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com

 

[Cameron T]

Thanks Steve, You are most likely correct but, being not very technical, I do not understand why there is a difference. In one case the camera selects the focus point and I release a button to hand off to Auto AF. In the other case, once camera has chosen a focus point I press a button to hand off to Auto AF. In both instances I am simply changing AF mode, when the camera has found a focus point.

The actual hand-off is guaranteed to use the same focus point. What you're doing is not.

 

[Soukous]

Thanks all

 

[Steve]

The actual hand-off is guaranteed to use the same focus point. What you're doing is not.

Exactly

 

[fcotterill]

Nikon USA's Mark Cruz explaining Focus Persistence soon after the Z9 launched > 43:00

 

[cmhammon]

Exactly

After reading this, I think that this may be really helpful keeping focus next Spring on diving ospreys and preventing the camera from shifting focus lock to the busy background when the bird transitions from the sky with the riverbank foliage in the background. Eureka! Thanks, Steve and fcotterill.

 

[ButlerKid]

Further to above, and try tighten up my own terminology (!).... As per Steve's post above [and just updated in his Secrets to Mirrorless AF ebook, pg 307], it's good to see Nikon has carried across the Focus Persistence feature [Custom setting: a7] to the Z6 III. According to Nikon, this function enables a 'Manual' AF mode (Dynamic, Single Point) to inherit the focus position from an 'Automatic' AF mode.

3D, Auto, and Wide Area(s) are these Automatic modes, although Subject Detection must be active to Handover from Wide Area or a Custom Area (C2,C2). I often Handover to a single point using a narrow Custom Area such as 9*1 or as small as 5*1 on the Z9.

Note the caveat of keeping AF active during a Hand Over, reliant on Focus Persistence. This feature also requires setting one of the Automatic modes as the 'BaseAF'. The BaseAF is the one activated with the AFOn command (typically using the Back Button AF method).

Some explanations describe Handover working by a different AFmode overriding the Base AF, but strictly speaking what's happening is the camera is inheriting / maintaining the focus position between AFmodes. This gets pedantic, but Focus Persistence matters in practice using Handover.

a7: Focus Point Persistence

onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com

View attachment 97464

Can I hand off from Fn1 to AF-on back button focusing?

Supposed I set Fn1 to Wide large.

When I see a subject I use the Video button to cycle to AF Auto Focus mode.

Can I press Fn1 to achieve focus using Wide Large , then press and hold AF-ON to let the camera track the subject over the entire frame?

 

[thelordofthelight]

Can I hand off from Fn1 to AF-on back button focusing?

Supposed I set Fn1 to Wide large.

When I see a subject I use the Video button to cycle to AF Auto Focus mode.

Can I press Fn1 to achieve focus using Wide Large , then press and hold AF-ON to let the camera track the subject over the entire frame?

Hi Karen, yes that’s very much possible provided you assigned AF-ON with Auto area AF or 3D tracking. I use something similar - I start with Wide-L, set to AF-ON button (AF-ON+AF Area Mode, set to wide-L). Once the focus is acquired, i just release my thumb from AF-On and half press the shutter, to which i assigned Auto-Area AF.

 

[ButlerKid]

Hi Karen, yes that’s very much possible provided you assigned AF-ON with Auto area AF or 3D tracking. I use something similar - I start with Wide-L, set to AF-ON button (AF-ON+AF Area Mode, set to wide-L). Once the focus is acquired, i just release my thumb from AF-On and half press the shutter, to which i assigned Auto-Area AF.

Thanks but instead of programming the AF-On button to a single AF mode, can't I cycle through the AF area modes via the video button I have programmed to Cycle AF modes? Perhaps the next subject is a sitting squirrel. I'd like to cycle through the AF area modes and pick C1 (1x1) for the AF-On button.

And if the next subject is a bird about to fly, I want to cycle through the AF modes to set AF Auto and then acquire using Fn1 (Wide Large) and then hand off to the AF-on button which would then be AF Auto.

 

[thelordofthelight]

Thanks but instead of programming the AF-On button to a single AF mode, can't I cycle through the AF area modes via the video button I have programmed to Cycle AF modes? Perhaps the next subject is a sitting squirrel. I'd like to cycle through the AF area modes and pick C1 (1x1) for the AF-On button.

And if the next subject is a bird about to fly, I want to cycle through the AF modes to set AF Auto and then acquire using Fn1 (Wide Large) and then hand off to the AF-on button which would then be AF Auto.

Should be possible as well but doesn’t it mean you will now follow a 3 step process? Step-1 Cycle the AF modes to get to the right one, step-2 acquire focus and then step-3 hand over to Auto AF? Easier option in my opinion would be to have the most frequently used AF modes to different buttons (using the AF-ON+AF Area mode option) so you can straight away press the assigned button for the initial acquisition and then hand it over to Auto area when focus is locked and this would be a 2 step process.

 

[ButlerKid]

Should be possible as well but doesn’t it mean you will now follow a 3 step process? Step-1 Cycle the AF modes to get to the right one, step-2 acquire focus and then step-3 hand over to Auto AF? Easier option in my opinion would be to have the most frequently used AF modes to different buttons (using the AF-ON+AF Area mode option) so you can straight away press the assigned button for the initial acquisition and then hand it over to Auto area when focus is locked and this would be a 2 step process.

If one focus mode will do for the subject it is only a one step process.....select the right mode.

Otherwise, I acquire focus with Fn1 and then hand off to the AF-On button. If it is still set to AF Auto.....it is only a 2 step process. It only becomes a 3 step process if I have to Cycle AF area mode to select something different than AF Auto.....

i think...............! @Steve ????

 

[Steve]

Can I hand off from Fn1 to AF-on back button focusing?

Supposed I set Fn1 to Wide large.

When I see a subject I use the Video button to cycle to AF Auto Focus mode.

Can I press Fn1 to achieve focus using Wide Large , then press and hold AF-ON to let the camera track the subject over the entire frame?

Nope.

Handoff only works with a button programmed for a specific AF area. What you're doing in this example (if I follow) is setting your primary AF area to Auto so when you press the AF-On button the camera will use Auto AF. However, AF-On isn't set to Auto, it's set to activate AF of whatever AF area you're using at the moment (i.e., Wide, 3D, etc - whatever you select using Cycle AF area in your example).

However, if you flip it around, it works.

So, let's say you have Auto AF on Fn1 and are using Wide AF as your selected normal AF area. When you're on the subject, you see Subject Detection kick in. Now, if you press Fn1 the camera will take over using the same AF point Wide AF (with Subject Detection) was just using.

The main thing two things for a handoff are:

1. The camera is picking the AF point. This happens in 3D, Auto, and Wide (if Subject Detection is active).
2. The button you press is programmed as an AF override.

As long as those two criteria are met, it works as expected.

 

[ButlerKid]

Nope.

Handoff only works with a button programmed for a specific AF area. What you're doing in this example (if I follow) is setting your primary AF area to Auto so when you press the AF-On button the camera will use Auto AF. However, AF-On isn't set to Auto, it's set to activate AF of whatever AF area you're using at the moment (i.e., Wide, 3D, etc - whatever you select using Cycle AF area in your example).

However, if you flip it around, it works.

So, let's say you have Auto AF on Fn1 and are using Wide AF as your selected normal AF area. When you're on the subject, you see Subject Detection kick in. Now, if you press Fn1 the camera will take over using the same AF point Wide AF (with Subject Detection) was just using.

The main thing two things for a handoff are:

1. The camera is picking the AF point. This happens in 3D, Auto, and Wide (if Subject Detection is active).
2. The button you press is programmed as an AF override.

As long as those two criteria are met, it works as expected.

So using the Cycle AF Mode on the video button to select AF Auto doesn't set that AF mode for the AF-On button? I was hoping the AF-On would accept the focus point from Fn1......using Auto AF.

 

[Steve]

So using the Cycle AF Mode on the video button to select AF Auto doesn't set that AF mode for the AF-On button? I was hoping the AF-On would accept the focus point from Fn1......using Auto AF.

Yes and no. Yes from the standpoint that you are now using Auto AF with the back button, but no from the standpoint of a handoff. The AF-On button is still set for just AF-On from a button programming standpoint (custom setting f2 menu). So, AF-On is just activating focus with whatever the currently selected AF area is - Auto in this case and doesn't have the request programming to pick up where the last AF area left off. To do a handoff, the button has to be programmed (custom setting under f2) for AF Area or AF Area + AF On.

 

[fcotterill]

Can I hand off from Fn1 to AF-on back button focusing?

Hi Karen Thanks for your questions in #13: a belated reply from a different time zone ;-)
The answer is depending on what AFmode is assigned to Fn1, as Steve says. Assigned using AFmode or AFmode+AFOn to Fn1
And check Custom a7 is set to Auto (Z9 menu)

According to the Sports AF guide - links above # 7 - Nikon's Focus Persistence works in one direction. This is a Hand Off strictly speaking, because AF inherits the Focus Position. You select the Focus Point position on the subject using an Automatic mode, and Hand Off AF control to a Manual mode eg Dynamic or Single Point.

In practice, as enlarged upon below, there're useful setup(s) that leverage Hand off between Nikon's 3 automatic modes only. This is thanks to both the on sensor AF system and powerful Subject Recognition of the Z9 AF system.

I've found Handing off between this trio of automatic AFmodes is extremely powerful on wildlife subjects. I find this method makes the Dynamic and single point modes redundant.

Supposed I set Fn1 to Wide large.

Yours is an apt example, because an Area AF mode will work to HandOff if Subject Recognition is On.... More below:-

When I see a subject I use the Video button to cycle to AF Auto Focus mode.

If I follow your question, I suggest cycle mode selection to AutoAF as your primary AF mode for the AFOn button before you meet a subject. I aim at a "predictive" custom setup: trying to anticipate the possibilities of challenging AF situations.

Can I press Fn1 to achieve focus using Wide Large , then press and hold AF-ON to let the camera track the subject over the entire frame?

Returning to the theme about the Dynamic or Single Point modes in Nikon Z cameras failing to Hand over the focus position to an Automatic mode [aka Focus Persistence]....

The more powerful setup is to leverage a "tight" Custom Area mode to hand off to the full AF search area (eg AutoAF), to track evasive wildlife subjects. An Area mode works well that just covering a stationary bird, for example, which then runs/flies to then track with AutoAF.

I set C1 or C2 is set to a small rectangle (eg 1*5, Subject Recognition On) to Hand Off to AutoAF or 3D.

 

[Emma51494]

Martin, you're totally spot onI also use the Z6iii and feel exactly the same.Switching between Wide AF and Auto AF should be easier—like you said, the function buttons could act as toggles.Your idea with fn1 is brilliant, I’ll give it a try!About Z8, I feel the same – button customization gives more flexibility, but sometimes too muchIt's worth experimenting with settings to find the perfect workflow for yourself.

 

[fcotterill]

Thanks but instead of programming the AF-On button to a single AF mode, can't I cycle through the AF area modes via the video button I have programmed to Cycle AF modes?

As @thelordofthelight says, this is a slower 3 Button press method. There're much quicker setups to change AF modes.

Cycling is especially too slow in the heat of the fleeting moment.... Although much faster compared to Nikon's traditional AF switching control, which is beyond cumbersome (pressing the left-hand AF selector button+scrolling at a glacial speed).

As often explained, it's much quicker switching (toggling) between AF modes, almost instantly, using custom AFmode+AFOn settings (the great feature launched in the D5 and D500, in 2016).

As we appreciate, Nikon's modern ILCs offer improved choices to set the Fn buttons to different AFmodes: as tabulated for the Z8 and the Z9 in their respective Available Roles for Custom Controls manuals.

Perhaps the next subject is a sitting squirrel. I'd like to cycle through the AF area modes and pick C1 (1x1) for the AF-On button.

A sitting squirrel is an apt example of when it's much quicker to toggle to a Fn button to C1 (1*1)+AFOn... And grab focus on his eye.

I have exactly this setting assigned to Fn2 on the Z9, and rarely if every set it as the BBAF mode (on AFOn button). If said rodent starts moving, from an Area mode you can hand off the focus point to AutoAF or a larger Custom Area, which ever is set on BBAF.

And if the next subject is a bird about to fly, I want to cycle through the AF modes to set AF Auto and then acquire using Fn1 (Wide Large) and then hand off to the AF-on button which would then be AF Auto.

A bird poised for lift off is the ideal subject to anchor focus with an Area mode (Wide Large or a large C1 or C2, eg 13*1) on a Fn button and Hand off to 3D or AutoAF on the AFOn button as it's in flight.