Video settings...

[Butlerkid]

I am using a Nikon Z8 and hope to capture an occasional short clip when out photographing birds and wildlife in general. In June I have a workshop focusing on loons.....hopefully with babies. I would like the ability to use slow motion at times by selecting 30 fps in post......

After trying to learning via this website and the internet, I have set the camera up as follows:

H265 10 bit 120p SDR changed to H265 10 bit 120p Nlog Size 3840x2160, 120p
Shutter speed 1/250
Aperture f8
ISO starting at 800 - I plan to shoot in manual and adjust ISO to control exposure. Max 1600 Is this correct?

AF-F focus area mode AF-C, Wide Sm with Bird detection

Lenses: either the 100-400 or the 400 f4.5 with or without 1.4 tele. And maybe the 600mm TC....

Questions:
What do I have wrong and why?

What other settings should I check?

I don't mind shooting raw.......to do that, what settings should I change?

 

[ricardo00]

I am using a Nikon Z8 and hope to capture an occasional short clip when out photographing birds and wildlife in general. In June I have a workshop focusing on loons.....hopefully with babies. I would like the ability to use slow motion at times by selecting 30 fps in post......

After trying to learning via this website and the internet, I have set the camera up as follows:

H265 10 bit 120p SDR
Shutter speed 1/250
Aperture f8
ISO starting at 800 - I plan to shoot in manual and adjust ISO to control exposure. Is this correct?

Lenses: either the 100-400 or the 400 f4.5 with or without 1.4 tele. And maybe the 600mm TC....

Questions:
What do I have wrong and why?

What other settings should I check?

I don't mind shooting raw.......to do that, what settings should I change?

Looks good but what are your focus settings? AF-F? and? These are set separately for video.

 

[Butlerkid]

Looks good but what are your focus settings? AF-F? and? These are set separately for video.

Thanks so much for responding. Yes, AF-F focus mode......I added it to my Post #1. These settings were made in video mode.

I'm assuming that when I save my settings, both camera and video mode settings will be saved.

 

[Nimi]

I am using a Nikon Z8 and hope to capture an occasional short clip when out photographing birds and wildlife in general. In June I have a workshop focusing on loons.....hopefully with babies. I would like the ability to use slow motion at times by selecting 30 fps in post......

After trying to learning via this website and the internet, I have set the camera up as follows:

H265 10 bit 120p SDR
Shutter speed 1/250
Aperture f8
ISO starting at 800 - I plan to shoot in manual and adjust ISO to control exposure. Is this correct?

Lenses: either the 100-400 or the 400 f4.5 with or without 1.4 tele. And maybe the 600mm TC....

Questions:
What do I have wrong and why?

What other settings should I check?

I don't mind shooting raw.......to do that, what settings should I change?

1. Skip RAW, it's not a great Codec and soon to be replaced. Consider Nlog to give you more latitude, but it will require more post work and frankly the standard settings you picked are very good.
2. Try to stay at ISO 800 and adjust for light with iris.
3. 120p and those settings may cause overheating, so keep bursts short (less then say 5 min).
4. 120p 4k takes lots of space, so watch card capacity.

Have fun, if you need any help with getting through post, I'd be glad to show you.

 

[Butlerkid]

1. Skip RAW, it's not a great Codec and soon to be replaced. Consider Nlog to give you more latitude, but it will require more post work and frankly the standard settings you picked are very good.
2. Try to stay at ISO 800 and adjust for light with iris.
3. 120p and those settings may cause overheating, so keep bursts short (less then say 5 min).
4. 120p 4k takes lots of space, so watch card capacity.

Have fun, if you need any help with getting through post, I'd be glad to show you.

Bless you! Thanks you so much!

"Short clips" to me mean seconds and maybe 1-2 minutes. But hey, I've never done this and I'll bet it is easy to get caught up in the moment and shoot more than you think!

OK - I changed the video setting to H265 10 bit 120p Nlog Size 3840x2160, 120p

And under ISO sensitivity, I set max to 1600 and ISO to 800

I have 2 SDXC cards....each 128 GB which gives me about 30 minutes video per card. If I decide to focus on taking some video, I ccould switch and use my 325 gb CFe cards.........

In Video Quality - I selected HIGH. The other option is normal..... Is that OK?

 

[Nimi]

Bless you! Thanks you so much!

"Short clips" to me mean seconds and maybe 1-2 minutes. But hey, I've never done this and I'll bet it is easy to get caught up in the moment and shoot more than you think!

OK - I changed the video setting to H265 10 bit 120p Nlog Size 3840x2160, 120p

And under ISO sensitivity, I set max to 1600 and ISO to 800

I have 2 SDXC cards....each 128 GB which gives me about 30 minutes video per card. If I decide to focus on taking some video, I ccould switch and use my 325 gb CFe cards.........

Perfect! What editor are you using? The Nlog file should look completely washed out, don't be alarmed. The first step is to convert it using a Rec709 LUT, or automatically on some editors, or by eye, increasing contrast, saturation and playing with WB.

 

[MotoPixel]

I am using a Nikon Z8 and hope to capture an occasional short clip when out photographing birds and wildlife in general. In June I have a workshop focusing on loons.....hopefully with babies. I would like the ability to use slow motion at times by selecting 30 fps in post......

After trying to learning via this website and the internet, I have set the camera up as follows:

H265 10 bit 120p SDR Good choice, will make for easy editing/grading. Default NR and sharpening looks great right out of the camera.
Shutter speed 1/250
Aperture f8
ISO starting at 800 - I plan to shoot in manual and adjust ISO to control exposure. Is this correct? I would shoot auto ISO and make sure you set G10, Fine ISO control to on (1/6 EV).

AF-F focus area mode Yes, works very well, but also pay attention to the settings G6 and G7 to optimize your AF response speed and sensitivity. Shoot some test clips to get a feel for how this works. The default settings are ok, but if you have subjects moving around quickly but not a great distance, you may go for less sensitivity and faster AF speed when a subject does move a distance that puts them out of focus. Takes some trial and error testing. As for what AF Area Mode, I would go with an appropriately sized Wide mode or C1/C2 custom mode and Bird Detect.

Lenses: either the 100-400 or the 400 f4.5 with or without 1.4 tele. And maybe the 600mm TC.... If you're going with a long lens, I hope you have at least a monopod or a fluid head...the VR is great, but only goes so far.

Questions:
What do I have wrong and why?

What other settings should I check? You might want to learn about and enable the WFM (Waveform) display in your EVF or Monitor to get a sense of your video levels, although for SDR content, the viewfinder image does a pretty good job. I prefer WFM over Histogram for video. Depending on the lighting, clear or cloudy or overcast, you may want to set a fixed WB in K, though not shooting in RAW, you don't have a lot of latitude for adjustment after the fact. Definitely shoot some test footage ahead of your trip to get a feel for varying conditions and how much you can do in post.

I don't mind shooting raw.......to do that, what settings should I change? Forget RAW for now other than taking the opportunity to shoot some test footage in the field that you can learn from. There IS one benefit from shooting RAW that you might appreciate somewhere down the road and that's the ability to master RAW footage for HDR...but let's not go there right now!

What are you going to be editing this with?

Have fun, it's a new world...full of new variables!!

 

[Butlerkid]

Perfect! What editor are you using? The Nlog file should look completely washed out, don't be alarmed. The first step is to convert it using a Rec709 LUT, or automatically on some editors, or by eye, increasing contrast, saturation and playing with WB.

Editor? Well - whatever you tell me to use! I'm on a PC......

(FWIW - hubby does a LOT of video and uses Final Cut Pro on his Mac. PleasantVideos But I think he only shoots in MP4 ?...... He isn't going with me on the trip to see loons, so I decided I would try some video!)

 

[MotoPixel]

1. Skip RAW, it's not a great Codec and soon to be replaced. Consider Nlog to give you more latitude, but it will require more post work and frankly the standard settings you picked are very good.
2. Try to stay at ISO 800 and adjust for light with iris.
3. 120p and those settings may cause overheating, so keep bursts short (less then say 5 min).
4. 120p 4k takes lots of space, so watch card capacity.

Have fun, if you need any help with getting through post, I'd be glad to show you.

Bless you! Thanks you so much!

"Short clips" to me mean seconds and maybe 1-2 minutes. But hey, I've never done this and I'll bet it is easy to get caught up in the moment and shoot more than you think!

OK - I changed the video setting to H265 10 bit 120p Nlog Size 3840x2160, 120p

And under ISO sensitivity, I set max to 1600 and ISO to 800

I have 2 SDXC cards....each 128 GB which gives me about 30 minutes video per card. If I decide to focus on taking some video, I ccould switch and use my 325 gb CFe cards.........

In Video Quality - I selected HIGH. The other option is normal..... Is that OK?

Have you confirmed that your SDXC cards are fast enough to record video at that frame rate? You may need SDXC II cards rated at V60 or V90...

Also, if shooting Nlog your minimum ISO is 800 although you can go down to LO-2, though that will decrease your DR. If you have a variable ND filter to fit the lenses you will be using, definitely take one in case it's a bright day. With SDR mode, you can work just as you would with stills in terms of ISO. The Z8 and Z9 are dual conversion at 800 and 4000 ISO, so if you find yourself running out of light, switch your ISO to 4000 minimum.

The HIGH setting is only relevant in shooting NRAW...has no effect in any other setting. I've tested the HIGH mode in RAW and it's not something I'd ever use, especially on a Z8...runs hot.

Cheers!

 

[MotoPixel]

Editor? Well - whatever you tell me to use! I'm on a PC......

(FWIW - hubby does a LOT of video and uses Final Cut Pro on his Mac. PleasantVideos But I think he only shoots in MP4 ?...... He isn't going with me on the trip to see loons, so I decided I would try some video!)

I'm a long time DaVinci Resolve user... I can't imagine the free version wouldn't meet your needs and you wouldn't be learning something you'd outgrow if you get hooked. You can get for Mac or PC, though I'm a PC user. If you ever dip your toes into shooting RAW video, it's currently one of two NLE's that support Nikon Raw...Adobe Premier and FCP do not, though you can shoot in the ProRes Raw modes and edit in either of those.

 

[Nimi]

Have you confirmed that your SDXC cards are fast enough to record video at that frame rate? You may need SDXC II cards rated at V60 or V90...

Also, if shooting Nlog your minimum ISO is 800 although you can go down to LO-2, though that will decrease your DR. If you have a variable ND filter to fit the lenses you will be using, definitely take one in case it's a bright day. With SDR mode, you can work just as you would with stills in terms of ISO. The Z8 and Z9 are dual conversion at 800 and 4000 ISO, so if you find yourself running out of light, switch your ISO to 4000 minimum.

The HIGH setting is only relevant in shooting NRAW...has no effect in any other setting. I've tested the HIGH mode in RAW and it's not something I'd ever use, especially on a Z8...runs hot.

Cheers!

Yes, @Butlerkid, stay with SDR. Forget I ever suggested Log.

Either DaVinci or Premiere Pro are great. Personally I prefer editing on Premiere, but if I need extra oomph on coloring, I jump to DAV for just that. If you're in the Adobe ecosystem, Premiere would have a less steep learning curve.

 

[Butlerkid]

Have you confirmed that your SDXC cards are fast enough to record video at that frame rate? You may need SDXC II cards rated at V60 or V90...

Also, if shooting Nlog your minimum ISO is 800 although you can go down to LO-2, though that will decrease your DR. If you have a variable ND filter to fit the lenses you will be using, definitely take one in case it's a bright day. With SDR mode, you can work just as you would with stills in terms of ISO. The Z8 and Z9 are dual conversion at 800 and 4000 ISO, so if you find yourself running out of light, switch your ISO to 4000 minimum.

The HIGH setting is only relevant in shooting NRAW...has no effect in any other setting. I've tested the HIGH mode in RAW and it's not something I'd ever use, especially on a Z8...runs hot.

Cheers!

Thanks, Tom. My SDXC II cards are V60.

"if shooting Nlog your minimum ISO is 800 although you can go down to LO-2" - If my minimum is 800, why can I then go lower?

Are you suggesting I go from 800 directly to 4000 ISO if scene is dimly lit?

From the Nikon manual:
Cautions: N-Log Video

• The lowest value available for the [ISO sensitivity settings] > [Maximum sensitivity] item in the video recording menu is ISO 1600.
• The lowest value available for the [ISO sensitivity settings] > [ISO sensitivity (mode M)] item in the video recording menu is ISO 800.
• ISO sensitivities of Hi 0.3 through Hi 2.0 are not available.

 

[Butlerkid]

@MotoPixel I don't have a variable ND.....the 100-400 is 77mm and the 400 f4.5 is 95mm.

 

[ricardo00]

@MotoPixel I don't have a variable ND.....the 100-400 is 77mm and the 400 f4.5 is 95mm.

Will you be on a boat? I think the 100-400mm would be better, leave space around the sides for when you do the stabilization in post (it ends up cropping the video).

 

[Butlerkid]

Will you be on a boat? I think the 100-400mm would be better, leave space around the sides for when you do the stabilization in post (it ends up cropping the video).

Sometimes I will be on a flat bottom boat on a pond. Other times tripod or monopod. Should I avoid hand holding?

 

[ricardo00]

Sometimes I will be on a flat bottom boat on a pond. Other times tripod or monopod. Should I avoid hand holding?

I have been doing many videos with the 400mm f/4.5 plus 1.4 TC handheld. I think it is better when I use a tripod but often it is hard for things moving around (ie. kingfishers flying, etc) where the bird can move up or down, etc. But if you can I think tripod is best and best to not touch it, set it up and let is go! Any movements are often transmitted to the video. Even avoid walking. Do you have an external microphone? When I was shooting loons I was trying to get their calls early in the morning.

These were shot from boats:

 

[Butlerkid]

I have been doing many videos with the 400mm f/4.5 plus 1.4 TC handheld. I think it is better when I use a tripod but often it is hard for things moving around (ie. kingfishers flying, etc) where the bird can move up or down, etc. But if you can I think tripod is best and best to not touch it, set it up and let is go! Any movements are often transmitted to the video. Even avoid walking. Do you have an external microphone? When I was shooting loons I was trying to get their calls early in the morning.

These were shot from boats:

You did well considering the seas in the second one. Were you on a jaguar photo trip for the first video?

 

[ricardo00]

You did well considering the seas in the second one. Were you on a jaguar photo trip for the first video?

Yes in the Pantanal.

 

[MotoPixel]

Thanks, Tom. My SDXC II cards are V60. UHD 120fps 10-bit requires 400MB/s data rate average...I just tested recording to my V90 card and it works, but I recommend you test both your cards to confirm that a V60 will work...something I don't have here. Or perhaps just use CFx card.

"if shooting Nlog your minimum ISO is 800 although you can go down to LO-2" - If my minimum is 800, why can I then go lower? The camera won't go into any of the LO ISO values in Auto mode, but you can set those values manually. The only limit you can set is the high limit.

Are you suggesting I go from 800 directly to 4000 ISO if scene is dimly lit? It's a case of increasing noise level as you approach 4000, so at some point as you go up from 800, it would be advantageous to go ahead and jump to 4000 and adjust aperture or add an ND filter if you want to keep the same DoF...some of this complexity is brought on by the desire to keep your shutter speed fixed to 2x your frame. rate. You have a similar situation with stills when you go from base ISO (64) towards the step in the dual-gain changeover point of 500 ISO...better to shoot at 500 than at 320 or 400, etc.

From the Nikon manual: Check page 42 of the Z8 Reference Guide Supplement for Firmware 2.0. The LO settings are a very welcome part of Ver.2.0 firmware update, although there are some caveats as noted on the page I reference. These low settings are something the Z9 has had for a while.
Cautions: N-Log Video

• The lowest value available for the [ISO sensitivity settings] > [Maximum sensitivity] item in the video recording menu is ISO 1600.
• The lowest value available for the [ISO sensitivity settings] > [ISO sensitivity (mode M)] item in the video recording menu is ISO 800. I think this must be taken from the original firmware manual
• ISO sensitivities of Hi 0.3 through Hi 2.0 are not available.

 

[Butlerkid]

@MotoPixel Thanks for watching out for me! One of card is V60 with 250 MB/s and the other card (arriving tomorrow from B&H) is V90 but with only 300 MB/s. My CFe cards are quite a bit faster.

Should I drop to 1920x1080; 120p or 3840x2160 60p or just stick with 3840x2160 120p and use my CFe cards to hold both stills and video?

 

[MotoPixel]

My motto for all this sort of thing is, "Try it!"...spec's are often fairly conservative. My slowest V90 card is rated at 280/250MB/s, but it records the 3840x2160 10-bit120p fine as I just tested it for a little over 5:27 minutes....5.3GB, btw. If a card cannot sustain the video record rate, it will fail within a few seconds and pop up an error message. I strongly suspect you'll be fine sticking with your 4K/120 option and your SD cards, but again...verify...

You're way ahead of the game here...many don't take the time to ask questions and test before rushing out to shoot, totally unprepared...and then it's the camera's fault!

 

[Garfield]

The only thing I would suggest is that if you want to make post processing easy, skip NLog and just record using a flat profile -- post processing is reduced to tweaking contrast and adding a little saturation. You'll lose smidge of DR but it really won't be noticeable if you get the exposure reasonably correct. Personally I no longer shoot NRaw or NLog and life is so much better!

 

[Butlerkid]

The only thing I would suggest is that if you want to make post processing easy, skip NLog and just record using a flat profile -- post processing is reduced to tweaking contrast and adding a little saturation. You'll lose smidge of DR but it really won't be noticeable if you get the exposure reasonably correct. Personally I no longer shoot NRaw or NLog and life is so much better!

Thanks. So what File Type do you use? And what do you use for post processing?

 

[Butlerkid]

My motto for all this sort of thing is, "Try it!"...spec's are often fairly conservative. My slowest V90 card is rated at 280/250MB/s, but it records the 3840x2160 10-bit120p fine as I just tested it for a little over 5:27 minutes....5.3GB, btw. If a card cannot sustain the video record rate, it will fail within a few seconds and pop up an error message. I strongly suspect you'll be fine sticking with your 4K/120 option and your SD cards, but again...verify...

You're way ahead of the game here...many don't take the time to ask questions and test before rushing out to shoot, totally unprepared...and then it's the camera's fault!

So, thanks for telling me how to test the card! Sorry to be such a dunce, but I "don't know what I don't know"! LOL!

I just took about 20 seconds of video with the card rated 250 MB/s......and no error modes.

 

[Butlerkid]

@Nimi @MotoPixel and anyone else! THANK YOU for your patience and guidance!

I'm still trying to understand the nuances of the ISO settings....and how that relates to SDR vs Nlog, if at all.

I don't mind flat files and post processing.......if it will substantially enable a better final product. I usually learn s/w pretty quickly....and I have some good guidance here when I run into problems.