If you use shooting banks, how do you use them?

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RichF

RichF

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I am hoping to set up shooting banks on my Z9 but wonder what is the best way?

I was thinking A as general purpose
B as action (high iso, high shutter speed)
C as animal "portrait" (low to moderate iso, low to moder shutter speed)
D as slow speed pan blur (low iso, low shutter speed)

As I understand groups, I can set the exposure in the group and when I move off it and return to it, the exposure setting (Aperture, shutter speed, ISO or Auto ISO) will remain the same as when I left the setting. So if I know I will want certain values, I can set them and then use a fn button to enable me to quickly rotate between the groups.

Thoughts?
 
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I use my 4 banks for walkabout, action, low light and studio. Both the photo and custom settings banks have complimentary settings so If I go from bank A walkabout to bank B studio or any other one, I set both banks to the same letter.

I usually reset the banks to my base settings after I've done shooting. However, as with so many things, what suits me (or you) might not suit others which then tends to attract the issues that are being discussed about the Z9 forum.
 
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I rely on the Photo and Custom banks in D5 and D850, so I'm v glad the Z9 uses this system. I setand named the Photo and Custom banks for Action, Macro, Landscape and Wildlife (including portraits, static subjects etc) - in this A-D order, it's quicker to switch with 1 click between Action and Wildlife.

They do take some investment in experimenting with settings and usage to get used to. Remember to turn on Extended Menu Banks if you want to save exposure settings ar end of a shooting session.

There's at least one current thread that should answer many questions about Banks.
 
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I don't have a mirrorless camera yet. On DSLRs I use:

- A Action (like BIF)
- B Wildlife (including portraits and so on - my partner likes that name when I take shots of her ... :) )
- C General Purpose (including landscapes)
- D Manual lenses (including Macro, I usually use non-AF lenses for macro)
 
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Remember there are 4 Shooting Banks and also 4 Custom Settings Banks, in order for the exposure settings to be part of the Shooting Banks the Extended Shooting Banks option needs to be turned on.

I don't use the Shooting Banks to change exposure modes, I tend to just change exposure modes manually on the camera. I creating shooting banks like Max Auto ISO 800, or Max Auto ISO 3200, and name them accordingly. I also have one Shooting Bank that is just Auto, where I set everything as Auto as I can get it. This is the "hand it to someone to take a photo of us" mode.

I use the Custom Settings Banks pretty much the same way. I might have a "Focus Priority" and a "Release Priority" bank. I also have an Auto bank set in Custom Settings Banks as well.

I like to use the banks to create settings that I might anticipate changing during an event but would require navigating through menus to change.

One of the quicky situations that I find myself in is creating custom white balance settings when shooting in some indoor environments. I measure and set that at the event. My biggest problem is then forgetting that I have a custom white balance set ant then shoot outdoors. So I create a Custom White Balance Bank. I just have to remember to choose that bank when I begin the shoot and them switch back to my Auto White Balance Bank when I am done.
 
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Still a bit confused.

If I change some setting in a bank, will they remain that way if turn off the camera or switch to another bank and return? Is there a way to set up a personalized default setting that I can return to.
 
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What some people do is use banks A,B and C for their preferred settings and then use bank D to copy those settings to and use that as your "working bank" that way, any changes you make will not affect the original. You can copy things pretty fast, but not as fast as changing banks.

So I guess it depends a little on how you want to use your banks if this works for you or not. When you have a bank for landscape and one for wildlife, this would work. If you intend to have three wildlife profiles and switch between then fast, then it may not work so well.
 
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hrv said:
What some people do is use banks A,B and C for their preferred settings and then use bank D to copy those settings to and use that as your "working bank" that way, any changes you make will not affect the original. You can copy things pretty fast, but not as fast as changing banks.

So I guess it depends a little on how you want to use your banks if this works for you or not. When you have a bank for landscape and one for wildlife, this would work. If you intend to have three wildlife profiles and switch between then fast, then it may not work so well.
Click to expand...
Maybe Steve will do a video on using shooting banks
 
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RichF said:
Still a bit confused.

If I change some setting in a bank, will they remain that way if turn off the camera or switch to another bank and return? Is there a way to set up a personalized default setting that I can return to.
Click to expand...
As advised above and other threads, suggest setup your primary settings in each bank for main sets of uses eg flying birds, Macro, Flash, Landscapes. Each to a Photo bank (pg 491) and a Custom Bank (pg 593-). Label respective banks the same; this pairs a Photo and Custom Menu with the identical name (although you can still shoot any of the 4 Photo banks with any 1 of the 4 Custom banks = 16 possible combinations). Note this gives powerful potential with the i-Menu system in the Z9 (presumably D6 also). You can setup 4 different i-Menu configurations e.g. Macro, Flash, BIF.

Obviously, the items in the Custom Menus can be set up to a Custom bank, each configured differently with its set of settings. Note the selected pair of a Photo and Custom is always controlling the camera (or if shooting video, a Video Shooting Bank will be activated controlling the camera with the selected Custom Bank). Changes you to make in these respective menu items will be remembered for that set of banks.

Note the exceptions to what can be stored as bank-specific settings in each Photo bank (pg 493), which is storing a set of Menu settings specific to Photo Menu items.
The current exposure settings will be remembered the next time you select in that Photo bank (pg 496) if you set on Extended Banks to On. This saves the shooting mode (e.g. A or M etc) with shutter speed, or aperture settings. Otherwise it will remember the exposure settings from the last time the new (or edited) Bank was saved/updated.
 
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fcotterill said:
As advised above and other threads, suggest setup your primary settings in each bank for main sets of uses eg flying birds, Macro, Flash, Landscapes. Each to a Photo bank (pg 491) and a Custom Bank (pg 593-). Label respective banks the same; this pairs a Photo and Custom Menu with the identical name (although you can still shoot any of the 4 Photo banks with any 1 of the 4 Custom banks = 16 possible combinations).
Click to expand...

This is what I do (y)
 
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This guy does a better job, than I can, of explaining the overall "mental-mindmap" (!) somewhat long winded, detailed explanations of how to setup and use the Nikon Shooting Banks: how they work etc. He skimped over Extended Banks, and I don't struggle with having to reset a bank, and I often need to switch between banks as fast as possible. So the idea of designating Bank A as one's 'Working Bank' is impracticable.

 
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thelordofthelight said:
I am probably an odd one here but i never use banks and find it easier to just change my shutter/aperture and EC on the dials. Rest of the frequently used/ changed settings are anyway available via custom functions for what i do.
Click to expand...
Same here. I had U1 and U2 set up for different types of photography (action vs static subjects) on my D7200. I really missed that functionality when I went to the D500. I had originally thought the banks would act in somewhat the same way. Unfortunately they did not so I just assigned a couple custom buttons and learned to live without what I thought was a very useful feature on the D7200. I will never understand Nikon's logic to exclude that piece of functionality from their "pro" bodies. Guess that's why I'm not a pro. :).
 
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With the Z9 i have switched Extended Shooting Banks on and set them up as follows:

Bank A for perched birds or static wildlife;
M with auto ISO, 1/320s, F4, AF-C, Single Point

Bank B for Action
M with auto ISO, 1/3200s, F4, AF-C, AF Mode Dynamic S

Bank C like Bank B for Action with Auto Area and Animal Eye Detect

Bank D for everything else depending on the subject.

Currently i think switching banks via the i-Menu with the option to switch Shooting Banks placed in the first slot of the i-Menu is the fastest method for me. I have to only press the i-Button and can switch between banks by rotating the rear dial. This works equally well in horizontal and vertical position and i don't need any Fn-Button.

I wish they would add a remember Settings function because as soon as you change a value it will stay at that value.
 
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I have proposed a usage in a different thread of this forums. Reposting here for easier access:

Limitations are:
- applies only to photo (video) shooting menu
- extended banks have to be turned on to record shooting mode (this in fact is not so much a limitation, but worth noting IMO)
- there has to be a FN button assigned to quickly changing them, otherwise they are not quickly available

Useful setting for AF available in photo shooting menu are IMO:
- Focus mode
- AF area mode
- AF subject detection options

Setting example for setting different AF area mode to shutter button is:
Set bank A
Set Focus mode to AF-C
Set AF area mode to Wide Area AF (S)
Copy A to B
Set AF area mode to Dynamic Area AF (L)
... copy to C and D and set as needed

Using example:
Set a6: to Shutter/AF-On
Set f2*: AF-On button to AF-Area mode + AF-On (3D-tracking)
Set f2*: Protect/F4 button to Shooting Menu Bank
By pressing f4 and rotating main selector switch to appropriate bank to use the set AF area mode by half pressing the shutter button. By pressing AF-ON start tracking.

Any comments or recommendations?
 
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fcotterill said:
This guy does a better job, than I can, of explaining the overall "mental-mindmap" (!) somewhat long winded, detailed explanations of how to setup and use the Nikon Shooting Banks: how they work etc. He skimped over Extended Banks, and I don't struggle with having to reset a bank, and I often need to switch between banks as fast as possible. So the idea of designating Bank A as one's 'Working Bank' is impracticable.

Click to expand...
Very helpful. Now to reconfigure my z9 again (and again and again)
 
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Ihne
Tibor Hrnko said:
I have proposed a usage in a different thread of this forums. Reposting here for easier access:

Limitations are:
- applies only to photo (video) shooting menu
- extended banks have to be turned on to record shooting mode (this in fact is not so much a limitation, but worth noting IMO)
- there has to be a FN button assigned to quickly changing them, otherwise they are not quickly available

Useful setting for AF available in photo shooting menu are IMO:
- Focus mode
- AF area mode
- AF subject detection options

Setting example for setting different AF area mode to shutter button is:
Set bank A
Set Focus mode to AF-C
Set AF area mode to Wide Area AF (S)
Copy A to B
Set AF area mode to Dynamic Area AF (L)
... copy to C and D and set as needed

Using example:
Set a6: to Shutter/AF-On
Set f2*: AF-On button to AF-Area mode + AF-On (3D-tracking)
Set f2*: Protect/F4 button to Shooting Menu Bank
By pressing f4 and rotating main selector switch to appropriate bank to use the set AF area mode by half pressing the shutter button. By pressing AF-ON start tracking.

Any comments or recommendations?
Click to expand...
Interesting set up.

F4 / dial only effects shooting banks. Do you also set custom banks? Only way I find to quickly change those is through i menu in which case I will but shooting banks and custom banks in adjacent slots.

Like to hear your thoughts on 3D vs Auto Area AF?
 
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RichF said:
Ihne

Interesting set up.

F4 / dial only effects shooting banks. Do you also set custom banks? Only way I find to quickly change those is through i menu in which case I will but shooting banks and custom banks in adjacent slots.

Like to hear your thoughts on 3D vs Auto Area AF?
Click to expand...
I am pleased that you find it useful.
The only shortcut I am aware of now (for Custom Settings banks) is to assign it to top item of My Menu. If it is there it is a 3 step action:
  • Press the button assigned to selecting top item of My Menu
  • Use wheel or arrows to select bank
  • Press OK to use it
I would be very interested to hear if there is a shorter way to switch it hidden somewhere.
I find it useful to set a Custom Setting Bank A first, copy it to other banks and than modify them.
It is possible to assign it to i(nformation) menu as well, but it is 5 step action to change it IMO

I am a bit shy of Auto Area AF as it gives too much control to the camera. I have it set to one of fn buttons, but i have not tested it yet. I suspect, judging by DSLR experience, that it is going to choose whatever it finds interesting in a busy composition. But I may be completely wrong. Any hints are welcome.
 
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Tibor Hrnko said:
I am pleased that you find it useful.
The only shortcut I am aware of now (for Custom Settings banks) is to assign it to top item of My Menu. If it is there it is a 3 step action:
  • Press the button assigned to selecting top item of My Menu
  • Use wheel or arrows to select bank
  • Press OK to use it
I would be very interested to hear if there is a shorter way to switch it hidden somewhere.
I find it useful to set a Custom Setting Bank A first, copy it to other banks and than modify them.
It is possible to assign it to i(nformation) menu as well, but it is 5 step action to change it IMO

I am a bit shy of Auto Area AF as it gives too much control to the camera. I have it set to one of fn buttons, but i have not tested it yet. I suspect, judging by DSLR experience, that it is going to choose whatever it finds interesting in a busy composition. But I may be completely wrong. Any hints are welcome.
Click to expand...
thanks. Lots of testing and when we finally figure it out, Nikon will have a new firmware release which changes everything :unsure:
 
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Tibor Hrnko said:
I am pleased that you find it useful.
The only shortcut I am aware of now (for Custom Settings banks) is to assign it to top item of My Menu. If it is there it is a 3 step action:
  • Press the button assigned to selecting top item of My Menu
  • Use wheel or arrows to select bank
  • Press OK to use it
Click to expand...
I do that too only I have the shooting and custom banks as my top two my menu items on my Dxxx cameras.
 
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Sure, Nikon could improve the basic design of these banks but we have to work with what we have..... These take time to tame to one's needs, with the rewards more than equal to the effort invested in learning and experimenting. One has to learn to leverage their built in auto-save design, where the Z9 allows quicker access through the i-Menu.

I knocked together this schematic to try and sketch the conceptual relationships between camera settings (Bank names are just examples). There may be gaps/mistakes but I think this schematic covers the main Banks of the Z9, including the 4 RSF options and i-Menu.

With Extended menu banks [Photo Shooting] turned On, the groups of exposure settings (Pe) work as subsections in the respective Photo Shooting Banks (P-A, P-B...). A dedicated Recall Shooting Function RSF can be setup in each Custom menu (C-A, C-B...). And each Custom Menu has its respective i-Menu for both Stills [f1] and Video [g1]:

Shooting_Banks_Controls_Z9 Jan2022.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
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