Nikon Rumors: Z8 and Z9 Firmware updates in December?

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Put it this way,
The Z8 is NOT a mini Z9 without the Bird detection.
The current Animal AF for birds, isn’t up to par. I feel, withholding the Bird AF from the Z8 is on purpose.

Regarding the price difference, there are other factors to justify the price difference. It doesn’t have to be AF performance.

My 2 cents
Nikon has already said the bird AF is coming to the Z8. Regarding the differences between the Z8 and Z9…whether the other factors you allude to are worth the cost and weight difference is dependent on needs. For myself…if the Z8 and Z9 were both available when I got the Z9, I would have gotten the Z8 because I shoot portrait so rarely that rotating the camera is no problem, the battery life issue is not one for me, and I don’t care about precapture. Beyond those minor differences…the Z8 and Z9 (once the bird AF comes to the Z8) are pretty darned comparable.
 
Nikon has already said the bird AF is coming to the Z8. Regarding the differences between the Z8 and Z9…whether the other factors you allude to are worth the cost and weight difference is dependent on needs. For myself…if the Z8 and Z9 were both available when I got the Z9, I would have gotten the Z8 because I shoot portrait so rarely that rotating the camera is no problem, the battery life issue is not one for me, and I don’t care about precapture. Beyond those minor differences…the Z8 and Z9 (once the bird AF comes to the Z8) are pretty darned comparable.
Can you share the official Nikon announcement? I’m not doubting that a (several) Nikon reps told Steve , NR, and others that a FW update adding bird detect was coming, but reps say a lot of thIngs which are sometimes accurate and other times not.
 
Can you share the official Nikon announcement? I’m not doubting that a (several) Nikon reps told Steve , NR, and others that a FW update adding bird detect was coming, but reps say a lot of thIngs which are sometimes accurate and other times not.

"Furthermore, in a firmware update planned for release in the first half of 2024 for the Nikon Z 8, the dedicated bird subject detection option will be added."

Same on Nikon Australia. Similar on Nikon UK: https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/learn...brings-new-bird-and-airplane-detection-to-z-9
 
They just say bird will be added alongside plane mode that has been there since initial release.
Yes, appreciate that though I thought it was unusual that they chose to specifically call attention to the airplane mode as opposed to any other one? Are birds planes or were they trying to tout that it would be as good as the plane mode, which is excellent BTW?
 
Yes, appreciate that though I thought it was unusual that they chose to specifically call attention to the airplane mode as opposed to any other one? Are birds planes or were they trying to tout that it would be as good as the plane mode, which is excellent BTW?
I think it was calling out planes as that was a recent addition to what was available previously in the Z9.
 
There is a new posting on Nikon Rumors that suggests Nikon is going to announce two new Z cameras. The speculation is that it will be the Z6iii and Z7iii.

 
I’m hoping that the rumors suggesting the release of the R1 (really the R3mkii by specs) will push Nikon to release the FW updates for the Z8/Z9.
 
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