New to the group. Looking for Z8 Fn button advice for Landscape

[tegel]

This seems to be more of a wildlife forum, but I was wondering if anyone has a recommendations for Fn and Fn2 settings on the Z8 for Landscape and/or Astro?

I've got my Z8 setup with the 4 banks: Default, Wildlife, Landscape and Astro (similar to Hudson Henry's recommendations). For Default and Wildlife, I have Fn set to 3D tracking and Fn2 set to Recall Shooting Functions (hold) with slightly different settings for each.

For Landscape and Astro, I've for it setup for using on a tripod and since I'm generally not on a big hurry, I haven't found a real need for the Fn buttons. Right now I have Fn set to Release Mode so I can change it to 2sec delay in case I forgot my cable release (although I could also just use the dedicated button for that). I have Fn2 set to Preview which I understand only does anything with apertures below f/5.6, so it's not much use for landscape. Maybe I should just leave them unassigned?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Cameron T]

I use the video record button for release mode (while in photo mode), but I don't use any fn buttons for astro since I have a dedicated tracker set up (benro polaris, works great, but not ultra cheap) and just run it from my phone. I do have custom entries in my menu for swapping to a specific WB quicker, along with switching to raw+jpg and starlight mode for intitial focus. I'm not sure you can assign those to buttons though.

For landscape, I'm not sure you'd need fn buttons either. You have all the time in the world for setup, so I don't know what you'd need access to.

 

[tegel]

Thanks for your reply Cameron. I'm coming to the same conclusion. I use the Video button for Fx/Dx swap for wildlife, but again, not much use for landscape, so it is also unassigned so I don't accidentally hit it.

 

[Cameron T]

I'm sure someone has ideas for something, but for me, I just never saw the need since you have more time. Worth noting, I forget what all you can do with the fn buttons. If you can turn focus peaking on/off that might be something to do with them.

 

[jerrylwatson]

Check out Hudson.

 

[tegel]

Check out Hudson.

Yes, I used his settings as s starting point, but he didn’t really have any recommendations either. He acknowledges that you probably don’t need Recall Shooting Settings from the other banks for Fn, and suggested something like recall focus position. For Fn2, he left it as Auto Bracketing, but that requires holding the button which is fine for hand holding, but not for long exposures on a tripod. So that’s why I’m searching for ideas.

 

[StevieJSmall]

Because Landscape is so methodical, I find the Fn buttons aren’t necessary for it.

I used to have it set to RSF Hold where it could flip into an action mode if something quick popped up but I found that almost never occurred to me and prefer to use RSF Hold for turning subject detection off or back on (side rant, if they ever allow each bank to customize their own RSF activation instead of making it same across all banks, I’d probably reinstate the action RSF Hold on my Landscape Bank).

So like you, I just use the main controls and the i menu to do everything I need for Landscape and Astro work.

 

[StevieJSmall]

Because Landscape is so methodical, I find the Fn buttons aren’t necessary for it.

I used to have it set to RSF Hold where it could flip into an action mode if something quick popped up but I found that almost never occurred to me and prefer to use RSF Hold for turning subject detection off or back on (side rant, if they ever allow each bank to customize their own RSF activation instead of making it same across all banks, I’d probably reinstate the action RSF Hold on my Landscape Bank).

So like you, I just use the main controls and the i menu to do everything I need for Landscape and Astro work.

I have to make a correction on RSF Hold not being able to be customized across each bank. I just learned the error that it can be assigned, just can’t have more than one RSF per bank.

So while this doesn’t impact the OP’s question, it does mean I can put that back into my Landscape bank and not have it impact my setting on Bank A/B for action.

The more you think you know or forgot you knew…