Full disclosure: I don't shoot a Z8/9. However, I did purchase Steve's book about them and reviewed several sections previous to my remarks here. I do shoot an OM-1 mark 2 and have experience with pre-capture
Settings:
Pre-release .3 sec, MAX just as Steve recommends
Frame Rate: C60 you need megapixels on the subject, so DX mode is best. However, if you are very close to a big slow bird taking off C30 might work but I would prefer to shoot in RAW in that scenario and try to time the bird taking off.
For me the issue is the 11mp. I find the 20MP RAW files that the OM-1 puts out seriously limiting and try not to crop to 11mp even in RAW so pixel-peepers will not be impressed with IQ. The goal of the image should be the action. The problem is that you need to compose the shot, so you capture the action, and the location of the action is not always where the bird currently resides. I tend to shoot semi-stills in pre-capture so that I can capture unusual action, but I can shoot in RAW at 20mp.
Shooting a Z8/9 I would focus on a bird taking off and shoot the semi stills in RAW. Therefore, anticipate where the right spot for your desired image and compose accordingly. I happen to not like the images I have of a bird just taking off from a perch and prefer an image a little later in the process when the bird's wings are fully spread. Your choice.
For the Z8/9 Steve suggests that bird subject detection is on and Auto AF area. I would also pre-focus. To do this I always have the subject in the frame so the camera has identified the subject, focused on it, and will track it across the frame.
There may many other capabilities that the Z8/9 have that I am unfamiliar with. This is just a start based on my experience with a different camera.
Regards,
Tom
Settings:
Pre-release .3 sec, MAX just as Steve recommends
Frame Rate: C60 you need megapixels on the subject, so DX mode is best. However, if you are very close to a big slow bird taking off C30 might work but I would prefer to shoot in RAW in that scenario and try to time the bird taking off.
For me the issue is the 11mp. I find the 20MP RAW files that the OM-1 puts out seriously limiting and try not to crop to 11mp even in RAW so pixel-peepers will not be impressed with IQ. The goal of the image should be the action. The problem is that you need to compose the shot, so you capture the action, and the location of the action is not always where the bird currently resides. I tend to shoot semi-stills in pre-capture so that I can capture unusual action, but I can shoot in RAW at 20mp.
Shooting a Z8/9 I would focus on a bird taking off and shoot the semi stills in RAW. Therefore, anticipate where the right spot for your desired image and compose accordingly. I happen to not like the images I have of a bird just taking off from a perch and prefer an image a little later in the process when the bird's wings are fully spread. Your choice.
For the Z8/9 Steve suggests that bird subject detection is on and Auto AF area. I would also pre-focus. To do this I always have the subject in the frame so the camera has identified the subject, focused on it, and will track it across the frame.
There may many other capabilities that the Z8/9 have that I am unfamiliar with. This is just a start based on my experience with a different camera.
Regards,
Tom