Nikon Z8 Easiest Way to Switch AF Subject Detection

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Hey, Eric

In my use case, it’s extremely common and more the rule than the exception.

My back country encounters are often sudden, brief, and unexpected.
In those scenarios, speed is king.

It’s true that I also have times when I‘m on the same subject for a long time.

But it;s specifically the time sensitive encounters that the speed of Ready-shoot approach to settings is most critical.
So this is exactly where I want to dedicate the button reources to.

I’ve honestly very rarely had to go to any menu settings once I’m in the field.
Everything is within a quarter inch movement of one of my fingers.|

Cheers

Nice shot 😎

Tom
 
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Correct, but - RSF only allows us to set and jump to one pre-defined Subject Detection setting. In my setup, I use RSF to shut SD off - basically a fast kill-switch, when subject detection isn't happy with what I want to track. I'm more in the context of quickly selecting from all SD modes, like we can with the AF Mode setting. We just need the AF Mode / SD Options setting from the Info screen to be made available to a custom physical button.

All this aside, amount of customization we have in mirrorless bodies is truly amazing, so I'm just fine-tuning my wish list here 🙂
EricKlees said:
Well, that way you are looking at a menu. The fastest is certainly using RSF (Hold) to instantly change the subject detection without ever stop following the subject in the EVF.

Your way you mention (i menu) is the fastest if you're using RSF (Hold) for something else.
Click to expand...
 
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ccirelli said:
Correct, but - RSF only allows us to set and jump to one pre-defined Subject Detection setting. In my setup, I use RSF to shut SD off - basically a fast kill-switch, when subject detection isn't happy with what I want to track. I'm more in the context of quickly selecting from all SD modes, like we can with the AF Mode setting. We just need the AF Mode / SD Options setting from the Info screen to be made available to a custom physical button.

All this aside, amount of customization we have in mirrorless bodies is truly amazing, so I'm just fine-tuning my wish list here 🙂
Click to expand...
Right and like i said before, there's never been a need to shut off SD if you know the camera well enough. I've never had to turn it off and never missed a shot because SD was active. Also mentioned before there are 4 banks and you can set RSF differently in each bank
 
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threesixty said:
Hey, Eric

In my use case, it’s extremely common and more the rule than the exception.

My back country encounters are often sudden, brief, and unexpected.
In those scenarios, speed is king.

It’s true that I also have times when I‘m on the same subject for a long time.

But it;s specifically the time sensitive encounters that the speed of Ready-shoot approach to settings is most critical.
So this is exactly where I want to dedicate the button reources to.

I’ve honestly very rarely had to go to any menu settings once I’m in the field.
Everything is within a quarter inch movement of one of my fingers.|

Cheers

Nice shot 😎

Tom
Click to expand...
I agree with this - I go out looking for wildlife - but in my area that usually means birds. I f I see anything else of interest - animals, people, planes, cars, builings etc., I will try to capture it while I am out. This is why I can't afford to use a fixed telephoto while I am out using the camera handlhleld, I have to use a tele-zoom.
It is also why I have to compromise on picture quality in preference for my own particular interests.

I find if I am in a hurry I can just shoot without changing subject and it will often be good enough for non-birds even getting eye-focus on other animals and picking a good spot on aeroplanes.

I have not experimented switching back from birds to just animals since the firmware update, since most reviews say how much better the bird option is.

I definitely use ready-shoot like you.

I suspect recall shooting function is the way to go, but I have too many alternatives I would like to use it for.
 
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threesixty said:
Hey, Eric

In my use case, it’s extremely common and more the rule than the exception.

My back country encounters are often sudden, brief, and unexpected.
In those scenarios, speed is king.

It’s true that I also have times when I‘m on the same subject for a long time.

But it;s specifically the time sensitive encounters that the speed of Ready-shoot approach to settings is most critical.
So this is exactly where I want to dedicate the button reources to.

I’ve honestly very rarely had to go to any menu settings once I’m in the field.
Everything is within a quarter inch movement of one of my fingers.|

Cheers

Nice shot 😎

Tom
Click to expand...
Not sure if you got me mixed up with someone else, I'm not sure that was meant for me.

I'm the same way. I never have to look in the menu, ever. Speed is king for me as well. I'm in NWR's as often as I'm wandering in the woods.

I have all my AF modes that I'll ever use on the back buttons. There's no alt AF mode my thumb can't reach.

Auto Area AF is on the shutter (I use Auto area 95% of the time)
AF ON is 3D
Sub selector is Single Point

My FN are toggles
FN1 is RSF (Hold)
FN2 is silent
FN3 is switch FX/DX

My RSF Hold is set to only change the AF area to Wide C1 and subject detection to animal for any mandala that cross my path. Goes right back to the setup before bird SD
 
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Top item in MyMenu is the way I've implemented SD changes. It's easy to switch between modes or to turn it off altogether. No, it's not instant but in most cases sufficiently fast for my needs. I'm hoping Nikon implements a Cycle SD feature and if they do I'll change the button assignment to that.

However, I live by a farm and there are birds and animals about and then there's my dog. So, for now, I have also set the WB button for RSF (Hold) to switch between Bird and Animal SD modes. But if Nikon implements a Cycle SD feature I will no longer need this. 🤞 🤞 🤞

I use 2 Custom Banks (Action and Scenic) and there are quite a few differences between these banks, including how the RSF feature is set. It's nice to have options. It's hard to get them all dialed in without some trial and error and a lot of brain time....:)
 
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EricKlees said:
Not sure if you got me mixed up with someone else, I'm not sure that was meant for me.

I'm the same way. I never have to look in the menu, ever. Speed is king for me as well. I'm in NWR's as often as I'm wandering in the woods.

I have all my AF modes that I'll ever use on the back buttons. There's no alt AF mode my thumb can't reach.

Auto Area AF is on the shutter (I use Auto area 95% of the time)
AF ON is 3D
Sub selector is Single Point

My FN are toggles
FN1 is RSF (Hold)
FN2 is silent
FN3 is switch FX/DX

My RSF Hold is set to only change the AF area to Wide C1 and subject detection to animal for any mandala that cross my path. Goes right back to the setup before bird SD
Click to expand...
Probably one of the many mistakes I made that day 😎
 
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Miyamoto said:
Thats a lot of button pushing. I want more banks.
Click to expand...
Just one. 😎
Occasionally, 2 if you’re chaning both subject detection mode and AF mode.
But executiion time is still instant — under 1 second.

But, hey, I’m sure there could other ways to skin the same cat.
The goal of Ready-shoot is to be able to apply any needed parameters purely by reflex, instantly, without regripping and without taking your eye from the viewfinder.
If that can be done with banks, go for it. 👍

Good hunting. 🙂
 
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My problem with Banks are that they're not "linked". Lots of clicks / turns to move both banks, at least in the middle of shooting. Different discussion probably.
Regarding SD, for sure / for me there are times I just want a shut-it-all-off-now button, which RSF provides. As amazing as SD is, it gets confused here & there. Has nothing to do with knowing it well enough. The "knowing" part is knowing when to, and when not to, have it active.

EricKlees said:
Right and like i said before, there's never been a need to shut off SD if you know the camera well enough. I've never had to turn it off and never missed a shot because SD was active. Also mentioned before there are 4 banks and you can set RSF differently in each bank
Click to expand...
 
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ccirelli said:
My problem with Banks are that they're not "linked". Lots of clicks / turns to move both banks, at least in the middle of shooting. Different discussion probably.
Regarding SD, for sure / for me there are times I just want a shut-it-all-off-now button, which RSF provides. As amazing as SD is, it gets confused here & there. Has nothing to do with knowing it well enough. The "knowing" part is knowing when to, and when not to, have it active.
Click to expand...
The only time I've seen Bird SD get confused is with long necked wading birds like great blue herons where it will want to go back and birth from the head and body. Though this only happens when the neck is stretched straight. If the neck is like an s shape, it has no issue locking up the eye or head. Otherwise I've yet to have the Bird SD get confused or fail me
 
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For what it's worth, I was using Bird subject detection recently and had a photo of a squirrel on a branch that was too good to pass up. The camera immediately went straight to the eye of the squirrel even though I was using Bird subject detection. The scene was clean with no other subject in the scene. But I found it interesting that the camera made the right decision and still found the eye of another animal rather than the branch it was sitting on.
 
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