Nikon Z8 Firmware 2.0 Released

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Steve said:
Umm... There's a NEW option called Cycle AF Area Mode that allows you to toggle between AF areas by pressing a button - and you can select which ones to put on the list! This might be second only to Bird AF for usefulness and the Z9 does not have it!

This was one of the things I've been requesting forever and they did a great job (I'm not sure if they got the idea form me or just grabbed it from Sony, but I'm glad it's there either way!)
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Sounds useful, although I am running out of buttons. Looks like I will need to have a rethink of my button assignment so looking forward to @Steve 's eBook update for some guidance.

This update is also useful: White balance and exposure compensation can now be adjusted while recalling the shooting function settings. I think this may replace my recall shooting settings.

Oh and exposure delay mode is back, thank you Nikon. :)
 
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Steve said:
Umm... There's a NEW option called Cycle AF Area Mode that allows you to toggle between AF areas by pressing a button - and you can select which ones to put on the list! This might be second only to Bird AF for usefulness and the Z9 does not have it!

This was one of the things I've been requesting forever and they did a great job (I'm not sure if they got the idea form me or just grabbed it from Sony, but I'm glad it's there either way!)
Click to expand...
Steve, it looks like you have some work ahead of you. We will all be waiting😂
 
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MrFotoFool said:
Probably true (I may still get one), but this seems like an unacceptable way to treat your customers. If I have gone to the trouble of registering my camera, why am I not notified before the general public via forums?
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Got my email from Nikon (Canada) about 9PM EST Tuesday evening. There is hope.
 
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MatthewK said:
Ok, so the Z9 guys that have had bird detect for a while now: I heard Auto Area AF is the preferred mode to use, is that right? I’ve relied on 3D since jumping to ML, but it’s always been a bit shaky, easily gets knocked off subject.

Excited to try this new hotrod out tomorrow!
Click to expand...

In my experience, Auto Area works really well (often astoundingly well). But 3D seems basically as good. I have AA set to the shutter button and 3D set to the back focus button. If, for whatever reason, AA isn’t working, I try 3D. For example, last weekend, 3D seemed to work better with long necked birds like herons and great egrets. And 3D grabbed a wren through some foliage when AA didn’t. FWIW, I also have single point set to one of the front function buttons, and I have a wide area mode set to another front function button. I have rarely needed to use single point, and I don’t think I’ve ever needed to resort to wide area, although in some experiments, it also worked extremely well.

Anyway, that’s been my experience.
 
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MartyD said:
Link here

Note: Users of the following software will need to update to the latest versions.

  • • Camera Control Pro 2 version 2.37.0 or later, IPTC Preset Manager version 1.3.0 or later, NX Studio version 1.6.0 or later, NX MobileAir version 1.2.0 or later (Android edition) or version 1.1.4 or later (iOS), NX Field version 1.4.0 or later, NX Tether version 2.0.0 or later
Note: The changes listed below under “Still Photography”, “Video Recording”, “Playback”, “Controls”, “Displays”, and “Network (Also NX Field)” are detailed in the Supplementary Firmware Update Manual.

Note: Due to the addition of new menu items, some Custom Settings menu items have been renumbered.

■ Still Photography

  • • Added [Pixel shift shooting] to the photo shooting menu.
  • • Added new picture controls.
  • • Added [Birds] to [AF subject detection options] in the photo shooting menu.
  • • The maximum shooting display zoom ratio is now 400%.
  • • Added [Auto capture] to the photo shooting menu. Users can select capture criteria from [Motion] (the direction the subject is moving), [Distance] (how far the subject is from the camera), and [Subject detection] (whether or not a subject of a given type is detected), and the camera will take photographs automatically while it detects subjects that meet the selected criteria. Note that [Distance] is available with NIKKOR Z lenses and may not function as expected when used with other lenses. The [FX (36×24)] and [DX (24×16)] image areas are available with auto capture.
  • • The length of time the camera will continue to buffer frames before cancelling shooting during the Pre-Release Capture phase of high-speed frame capture + has been increased from 30 to 300 seconds.
  • • Added [Large] to the size options available for [Secondary slot function] > [JPEG primary - JPEG secondary] in the photo shooting menu.
  • • Added new bracketing increments for use during auto bracketing with [AE & flash bracketing], [AE bracketing], or [Flash bracketing] selected for [Auto bracketing set]. This change also applies to [Interval timer shooting] > [Options] > [AE bracketing] > [Increment].
■ Video Recording

  • • Added new picture controls.
  • • Added [Birds] to [AF subject detection options] in the video recording menu.
  • • The maximum shooting display zoom ratio is now 400%.
  • • Added [Auto capture] to the video recording menu. Users can select capture criteria from [Motion] (the direction the subject is moving), [Distance] (how far the subject is from the camera), and [Subject detection] (whether or not a subject of a given type is detected), and the camera will record video automatically while it detects subjects that meet the selected criteria. Note that [Distance] is available with NIKKOR Z lenses and may not function as expected when used with other lenses. The [FX] and [DX] image areas are available with auto capture.
  • • Added low ISO sensitivity options to [ISO sensitivity settings] > [ISO sensitivity (mode M)] for use during N-Log video recording.
  • • Changed the range of speeds available for Hi-Res Zoom.
  • • Added slow-motion video recording.
■ Playback

  • • Added [Playback speed] in the video playback “i” menu.
  • • Added [Auto image rotation] in the playback menu.
  • • Added [Auto series playback options] to [Series playback] in the playback menu.
  • • Made changes to the [Select for upload to computer] and [Select for upload (FTP)] items in the playback “i” menu and added [Select for priority upload to computer] and [Select for priority upload (FTP)].
■ Controls

  • • Added [Half-press to cancel zoom (MF)] item to the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] in positions d18 and g17.
  • • Added [Focus point border width] to a11 [Focus point display] in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].
  • • Changes have been made to how a full format is performed with [Format memory card] in the [SETUP MENU].
  • • White balance and exposure compensation can now be adjusted while recalling the shooting function settings.
  • • Added support for the power zoom feature on power zoom lenses.
  • • Added an [Exposure delay mode] item to the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] in position d6.
  • • Added to the custom controls and roles assignable via the following items in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU]. New reset options have also been added.
    • - f2[Custom controls (shooting)]
    • - f3[Custom controls (playback)]
    • - g2[Custom controls]
    • Choose [Prefer focus point] or [Prefer focus point (face priority)] for f3 [Custom controls (playback)] > [Main command dial] or [Sub-command dial] > [Frame advance zoom position].
      The settings for f3 [Custom controls (playback)] > [Main command dial] or [Sub-command dial] > [Frame advance] can now be applied during playback zoom.
  • • Made updates to [Non-CPU lens data] in the [SETUP MENU].
  • • Increased the character limit from 3 to 256 for “Category” entries in IPTC presets.
  • • Restructured the [Camera sounds] item in the [SETUP MENU] with the addition of new options, including new sounds and volume level adjustment for the electronic shutter.
■ Displays

  • • Added focus-distance information to the focus distance indicator displayed during manual focus.
  • • The option selected for [Viewfinder display size] (formerly [Finder display size (photo Lv)]) in the [SETUP MENU] now also applies in video and playback modes.
■ Network (Also NX Field)

  • • A warning now appears when the connection to an ATOMOS AirGlu BT accessory is unstable or disrupted.
  • • ATOMOS AirGlu BT accessories and MC-N10 remote grips can now be used together.
  • • Made changes and additions to the [Connect to FTP server] item in the [NETWORK MENU].
  • • Changed the procedure used when configuring the camera for synchronized release, increasing to twenty the number of groups that can be created, while the number of cameras in each group that can be controlled from the master camera has been increased to sixteen.
  • • Added [Overwrite copyright info] under [Connect to other cameras] in the [NETWORK MENU].
■ App-Related Changes

With NX MobileAir:
  • • the camera live view display for photo mode now shows NX MobileAir status, and
  • • camera settings saved to a memory card using [Save/load menu settings] can now be downloaded to the smart device or copied from the smart device to the camera memory card using NX MobileAir.
■ Other Changes

  • • The time the shooting display goes dark after shutter is released when [ON] is selected for [Photo flicker reduction] in the [PHOTO SHOOTING MENU] has become shorter.
  • • Improved the accuracy of [3D-tracking] for small, fast-moving subjects when [Auto], [People], [Animal], or [Vehicle] is chosen for [AF subject detection options] and no subject of the selected type is detected.
  • • Improved focus lock-on with flicker detection in low-speed continuous release mode.
  • • Made other improvements to the autofocus operation and its reliability.
  • • Fixed an issue that sometimes resulted in the viewfinder darkening during playback when [Auto] was selected for [Viewfinder brightness].
  • • It is now easier to obtain the correct exposure from the first shot during interval-timer photography in high-contrast settings or settings dark enough for starlight view.
  • • The histogram display is no longer available when starlight view is enabled.
  • • Changed the video low-capacity warning so that it is now displayed in white on a red background when there is less than one minute remaining. The warning is now also displayed when recording is not in progress.
  • • Users now have more precise control when scrolling through videos during playback using the progress bar.
  • • When [AF-area mode] is set to [3D-tracking] and the human subject is large relative to the frame and multiple eyes are detected near the tracking focus point, the camera will assign priority for focusing to the eye closer to the point.
  • • The RGB histogram is now easier to view when [Mode 1] or [Mode 2] is selected for d11 [Warm display colors] in [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].
  • • Fixed the following issues:
    • - Photos taken with interval-timer photography could sometimes be underexposed.
    • - Flash may not sometimes fire during focus shift.
    • - The focus position unintentionally returned to the position saved using [Save focus position] if standby timer was expired while power was supplied via USB and a WR-R10 was attached.
    • - Optimal exposure could sometimes not achieved in burst or focus shift shooting.
    • - Pressing the AF-ON button immediately ended playback when [Playback] was assigned to [AF-ON button] and [Prioritize viewfinder (2)] was selected for monitor mode.
    • - Shutter release was sometimes disabled when “Bulb” was selected for shutter speed.
    • - Focus point selection using the multi selector and sub-selector was unavailable if a touch operation was performed using [Position focus point] when [3D-tracking] was selected for AF-area mode.
    • - Fine-tuning values set in [AF fine-tuning options] in the setup menu did not apply while the subject is detected with [Wide-area AF (S)], [Wide-area AF (L)], [Wide-area AF (C1)], or [Wide-area AF (C2)] selected for [AF-area mode].
Click to expand...
I have just updated my Nikon Z8 to the latest firmware version (2) and immediately found that my eye viewer has become disabled. I now find the camera hast lost the use of the eye viewer. I normally have this set to 'auto switch' but the only options are now to do with the monitor display options. I have emailed Nikon Support here in the UK.
 
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Peter Seaman said:
I have just updated my Nikon Z8 to the latest firmware version (2) and immediately found that my eye viewer has become disabled. I now find the camera hast lost the use of the eye viewer. I normally have this set to 'auto switch' but the only options are now to do with the monitor display options. I have emailed Nikon Support here in the UK.
Click to expand...
Turn it off and turn it back on again a couple of times.
 
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I’d encourage anyone who shoots SOOC—or anyone who prefers less work in Lightroom—to check out the new Rich Tone Portrait picture control mode. It was introduced in the Zf, and I found it very good for its intended purpose, but also a pleasant high-contrast / deep-shadows look.

I presume its B&W twin is also available, and it is also excellent if you want a contrasty (but not overdone) B&W photo.
 
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Peter Seaman said:
I have just updated my Nikon Z8 to the latest firmware version (2) and immediately found that my eye viewer has become disabled. I now find the camera hast lost the use of the eye viewer. I normally have this set to 'auto switch' but the only options are now to do with the monitor display options. I have emailed Nikon Support here in the UK.
Click to expand...
Problem solved. Switched on/off twice and eye viewer now functioning. I hope there are no other little gremlins.
 
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Matt Granger video demonstrating that the new firmware has greatly improved the AF inability to grab focus on a subject that is OOF under the AF area while using Subject Detect, as well as Single Point being able to find a drastically OOF subject and re-rack focus back to it. This is/was a major issue I have when shooting the 800PF, so this will be the first lens I take out today to try the new firmware!
 
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MatthewK said:
Ok, so the Z9 guys that have had bird detect for a while now: I heard Auto Area AF is the preferred mode to use, is that right? I’ve relied on 3D since jumping to ML, but it’s always been a bit shaky, easily gets knocked off subject.

Excited to try this new hotrod out tomorrow!
Click to expand...
That's how I'm doing it. I'm actually woking on a deep dive video for BIF settings with the Z8 and Z9. Just shot it, so I should be able to get it out in a week or two (the B-roll on that thing is a pain)
 
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The AF cycle function is probably the second most exciting part of the firmware update for me. Now I need to copy my wildlife bank to a new bank for birds and optimize both. I know I can assign an i button to switch between shooting modes and such but I didn’t notice an easy way of switching the banks via buttons. I know it must be around since I know it was done in the DSLR days via button but haven’t noticed it these days. What’s the magic option?
 
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Steve said:
Umm... There's a NEW option called Cycle AF Area Mode that allows you to toggle between AF areas by pressing a button - and you can select which ones to put on the list! This might be second only to Bird AF for usefulness and the Z9 does not have it!

This was one of the things I've been requesting forever and they did a great job (I'm not sure if they got the idea form me or just grabbed it from Sony, but I'm glad it's there either way!)
Click to expand...
Hi Steve, which button did you use to activate the Cycle AF Area Mode ?
 
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FYI:
1. To be clear, I didn't have early access to the firmware this time (you win some, you lose some), so I have to sort through it a bit.

2. The book will see an update soon :) However, MOST of it is already in there. The sections on AutoCapture, Subject Detection (bird), and Exposure Delay for instance all apply to the Z8, it's just a matter of correcting the text to reflect that. Some of the other options that are relevant to wildlife photography will also be added as well.
 
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