Thanks.
That was my findings too. blocked shot set to 5.
If I do go with a custom box Wide area L, S C1/2, does it behave the same, or its a different experience?
Nikon Z9 + 4.1 Firmware: The New King Of Birding?
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That was my findings too. blocked shot set to 5.
If I do go with a custom box Wide area L, S C1/2, does it behave the same, or its a different experience?
foxysport
Active member
I'm following the same procedure now with 3D being the default to which the F-buttons revert to once released upon focus acquision. Need to further internalise this though a bit further as sometimes I make mistakes. Also, agreed on blocked shot at 5, this covers a lot of use cases well.
Dinusaur
Active member
The block shot was set to 3 with Erratic movement. Bird detection was on with 3rd tracking. Here's the rest of the Exif data:
Attachments
ajrmd
Well-known member
Can't wait for this to trickle down to the Z8!
3D blacked shot will alway override it to 3. Unless Nikon changed it
EricKlees
Well-known member
It's the same. Though I have better luck with Wide C1 over the Wide Large. Since FW 3.0. It just felt like Wide L wasn't as reliable as C1 or C2
EricKlees
Well-known member
Correct, that is why you can set it to 5 for Auto or any Wide Area AF mode and 3D just is using 3 so no need to change
This is very interesting
John Navitsky
Well-known member
the funny thing about this is i took my z8 on a trip and i went to turn on bird mode and i was.. oh, duh! 
What did you do? Missed any shots?the funny thing about this is i took my z8 on a trip and i went to turn on bird mode and i was.. oh, duh!
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As long as the Z8 isn’t getting Bird, Its losing its name mini Z9
EricKlees
Well-known member
Honestly it was never a mini Z9. Maybe an almost a Z9What did you do? Missed any shots?
- - -
As long as the Z8 isn’t getting Bird, Its losing its name mini Z9
John Navitsky
Well-known member
i was just photographing some swans and it wasn’t sticking to the heads as well as i would have liked and i thought “oh, i should try bird mode!”. then i went to select it and thought “oh, right!”What did you do? Missed any shots?
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As long as the Z8 isn’t getting Bird, Its losing its name mini Z9
wasn’t a big deal, mostly funny
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Looks nice!
Which lens?
Which lens?
John Navitsky
Well-known member
i was running the 180-600 w 1.4. but they got really close to me.
not sure how they will turn out. this is outside my wheelhouse
not sure how they will turn out. this is outside my wheelhouse
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ajrmd
Well-known member
True that. I had my Z8's at Conowingo recently (take them because they are smaller for travel and I can fit two of them in my backpack) and while they were highly successful, the cameras struggled and lost focus when the birds were near the water (it didn't matter whether it was large/small or 3d) or when the birds transitioned from the sky to a contrasty background.
EricKlees
Well-known member
That is much much improved with the new Bird SD you will eventually get next year for the Z8. I am having no issues with the AF keeping lock on the Eagles, or any bird like landing ducks, at the water. If you go again and have a Z9, I would highly bring that instead. I live 25 min from The Dam so this time of year I am there often. These were shot with my Z9 and 180-600mm @600mm and cropped about 80%
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Which AF area mode?
EricKlees
Well-known member
Auto Area
Auto Area AF mode with Bird Subject Detection
ajrmd
Well-known member
Is this sequence from last week as it looks identical to one I was mentioning. I took the z8’s because I can fit two of them in my bag vs. one z9. Was this auto area with bird?
EricKlees
Well-known member
For birds and making a dedicated trip, there's no chance I'd leave the Z9 home. Pack the Z9 and put one Z8 in another bag, hell wrap it in bubble wrap if ya have to
And yes, this was from 11/16/23
Wow! That tells ALLLOT how good the bird AF is.
At Conowingo Auto Area tracking an eagle among all the distractions is worth a trip.
Great shots! What’s the best time of day for the dam? I’ve never been but plan to. I live 3.5 hours away so I need to plan accordingly.
ajrmd
Well-known member
Yes, I knew those images looked strikingly familiar and we must have been standing right near each other. Ironically, that was the best sequence of an otherwise relatively quiet day. With the foot forward image, the Z8 started front focusing - you can see the leading edge of the wing is the POF and then it grabbed onto the water (see the 2nd image) so this and the next 6-7 frames (not displayed) were oof. Eventually, it recovered shortly after the strike when the eagle was horizontal with the catch (3rd image).
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ajrmd
Well-known member
So, with the cold weather arriving it is likely that more eagles will be arriving. Last week, there were more photographers than birds so hopefully that will change. First, one should call the hotline (888) 457-4076 to determine how many generators will be running (this determines the flow and likely areas where the eagles will be fishing - closer to the dam vs. downstream). Where one chooses to shoot is entirely dependent on the individual photographer. I generally aim for the "fishing pier" which is closer to the dam itself when the flows are "normal" (2 generators). That can change quickly, and I've been there when there have been unanticipated releases which will raise the water levels rapidly 3-6 feet, so be prepared. Many photographers prefer the "fence line" though I don't like the elevated position and shooting across the towers/island. When the water is really high, there will be some action near the boat launch though this is fairly rare in my experience.
As to when to arrive, weekdays are generally less crowded than weekends though as the colder weather sets in more photographers arrive. Last week there were at least 100-150 photographers on weekdays. Weekends are crazy and unless you arrive very early, you'll end up parking offsite and having to take the shuttle (bad). While many people arrive before sunrise to stake out a spot, recognize that fog/atmospherics are prevalent, and you might not be able to shoot in the earliest light. At this time of the year, the sun is typically rising almost directly down river so the early morning yields strong side lighting. Nonetheless, with the sun's trajectory, it gradually moves behind you and by early afternoon 2-4 pm you'll be on perfect sun angle. Depending on whether it is sunny or overcast, one can shoot most of the day if/when the fog/atmospherics clear. My recommendation is to plan for weekdays if possible and figure on spending a couple of days to maximize the experience. Conowingo has become a real destination, and the vibe has changed significantly from a couple of years ago. The "regulars" are still around though it is becoming more like a "festival" atmosphere. If you can filter out the nonsense and focus on the experience of hanging out and meeting some cool people and making some great images, being there is really enjoyable.
@EricKlees and @ajrmd - looking at both your images in your posts above - same place, same time, same bird/fish. However, the difference is that Eric was using a Z9 (with FW 4.1) and a 180-600mm lens while aj was using a Z8 with a 800mm PF. aj, you mentioned the Z8 struggled to maintain focus as the bird hit the water (well struggle may not be accurate since you say every frame was oof until the bird was back in the air) while Eric mentions the Z9/4.1 was able to hold eye focus the whole time. It makes me wonder if the Z8 is getting fooled by the reflection in the water whereas Z9/4.1 is not?
Here are my take aways as I look at the above shots side by side:
Since the Z8 is the same "engine" as the Z9 we can only assume that Nikon is specifically holding back FW update for Z8 as they want to maintain the Z9's status as the premier ML body, so it (the Z9) is going to get the latest and greatest tweaks first and Z8 shooters will have to wait several months before those trickle into the Z8 FW, I would be surprised if Nikon offers additional enhancements to Z8 FW that the Z9 does not have when it is released, even though when the Z8 released it did have a few enhancements the Z9 had not yet had (but I believe that is because they wanted to create a stir with initial release that would persuade photographers to give it a shot). Regardless of my crystal ball predictions I am looking forward to getting the new FW update in the Z8 hopefully in early 2024.
Here are my take aways as I look at the above shots side by side:
- Both Z8 and Z9 (and Z lenses) take phenomenal images
- The 180-600 zoom can hold its own even when cropped
- Both Eric and aj have a keen eye for good location and good shots
- The bald eagle is a magnificent creature
- It sucks to be a fish sunning yourself near the surface of the water (though these fish might be dead or stunned given the location?)
Since the Z8 is the same "engine" as the Z9 we can only assume that Nikon is specifically holding back FW update for Z8 as they want to maintain the Z9's status as the premier ML body, so it (the Z9) is going to get the latest and greatest tweaks first and Z8 shooters will have to wait several months before those trickle into the Z8 FW, I would be surprised if Nikon offers additional enhancements to Z8 FW that the Z9 does not have when it is released, even though when the Z8 released it did have a few enhancements the Z9 had not yet had (but I believe that is because they wanted to create a stir with initial release that would persuade photographers to give it a shot). Regardless of my crystal ball predictions I am looking forward to getting the new FW update in the Z8 hopefully in early 2024.