Will you set up your Z8 the same as your Z9 and possibly change settings on the Z9 as well

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agrumpyoldsod

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For those of us who are adding one of more Z8 to our existing Z9 tools -- will you set up your Z8 the same as your Z9 and possibly change settings on the Z9 as well.

I will to the maximum extent possible AND I will change one thing on my Z9 (that many of you already do) to make it easier for me to rapidly switch between bodies during a shoot.

What will I do:
  • First the Fn3 button on my Z9 has been allocated to a series of roles - often alternative AF-modes + AF-On (I already have the shutter, AF-ON button, Fn1, Fn2 and lens Fn buttons allocated to AF-modes + AF-ON and shooting record hold allocated to the movie record button) -- to maximise interchangeability I will now set the Fn3 the same as my Fn1 - it is a little easier to reach the FN3 when shooting in portrait orientation than reaching down to the FN1 button. This way all the main custom buttons I use while shooting with the camera and my eye to the EVF will be the same across the Z8 and Z9

  • I only shoot images using Lossless RAW and I use the 2nd card slot on the Z9 for Video and overflow. On the Z8 the Primary CFE-B slot will perform all the heavy lifting for stills and video and the 2nd slot (UHS-II/SD) will only be used for overflow -- I might choose to leave the 2nd slot empty or just put a card in there just in case. I will put Still images and Vids in different folders. Those of us who already shoot N-Raw know we have to go hunting for the huge NEV files.

  • All AF-mode and C1/C2 settings will be identical

  • as noted the Z8(1.00) and Z9(3.10) have almost identical menu settings -- except for the addition of HLG ,Tone Control, Skin Softening, and Portrait Impression Balance; the removal of
    d3 Limit release mode; Custom Control settings; Location Data and Ethernet/LAN (both dependent on 3rd party solutions in the Z8). I will use the same Bank names and all the same settings/values across both bodies (Location data pulled via snapbridge).

  • I do have the habit of migrating a few settings over time as I have go used to and started to prefer a particular way of working - it is easy with two Z9 just to save these modified settings on one body and load them to the 2nd. Since we cannot transfer settings files from a Z9 to a Z8 or a Z8 to a Z9 one will have to keep a better track of the changes. And allocate a little time periodically to checking all is in sync.

    [As a side note I use Reikan FoCal's to take and save snapshots of the settings in all my Nikon bodies. This is a powerful tool, but to date the only tool I have found that allows limited editing of some menu settings off camera is Camera Control 2. Sure many tethering solutions all one to change shooting settings but not menu settings]
How will you set up and use your Z8 -- the same as your Z9 or very differently ?
 
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Winston Churchill (Sir) said:
I should - if all goes according to plan - pick up my Z8 today. And yes I will try and set up exactly the same as the Z9 if possible. At my age I cant remember different set-ups anymore. :D
I will be changing my Z9's set up though as I now have Z lenses with additional stuff to program.
Click to expand...

Mine tomorrow or friday.

I updated my settings spreadsheet and shared this in the THREAD

You do appear most young to me..... I struggle with the new fangled machines darn it !!
 
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I suffer from CRS so, yes, absolutely I will have the Z8 button setup exactly as the Z9. It's one of the reasons I bought the Z8 and not a Z6 (I was holding out for a Z6iii until the Z8 came along). I needed to change two Z9 button assignments so they will also map to the Z8. As to the SD slot, I'm not even buying an SD card (got rid of them all when I sold the D500 and D850). The Z8 will require me to carry a spare CFe card and EN-EL15c in the pocket but otherwise the goal is to make 'em the same as much as possible.

I do have the habit of migrating a few settings over time as I have go used to and started to prefer a particular way of working - it is easy with two Z9 just to save these modified settings on one body and load them to the 2nd. Since we cannot transfer settings files from a Z9 to a Z8 or a Z8 to a Z9 one will have to keep a better track of the changes. And allocate a little time periodically to checking all is in sync.
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Yeah, I was thinking about this as well....I guess I will try to force myslef to change both cams if I make a change to either.
 
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Initially, I'll set up as close as possible to the Z9, at least in terms of the basics, custom controls, AF modes. I can see keeping 1 or 2 of the shooting and custom settings banks identical, but I may keep the others set for different usage in each body. I'll figure that out as I go. I can imagine I'd have a greater difference in video settings than with the still settings...

I'll likely use the CFx card for video and the SD for stills with some 128GB UHS-II cards I have for my drone and formerly for D500/D850. It's rare that I fire off a burst of more than 10 images, so they'll be fine for that. I've been using some of my leftover XQD cards for casual shooting and the studio work I do and as expected, they're fine. I kinda regret throwing in an extra 64GB XQD with both the D850 and D500 when I sold them last year around this time. Oh well...buyers were both happy as they were both moving from bodies that didn't support XQD and only had SD cards! Add a little currency to my Karma bank! :)
 
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It depends on what I am shooting. Both the Z9 and Z8 will be set up as closely to each other as possible when I am shooting wildlife. I will back up/save both the Z8 and Z9 set ups to a spare card.

When I am doing landscapes, architecture, etc, the Z8 will be modified to suit the subject and situation. When I switch back to wildlife with the Z8, I will re-load the wildlife settings.

Many, many years ago I created a spreadsheet of ALL the camera settings on my D700. Since then I have modified the spreadsheet to accommodate each new camera. I will take my current Z9 spreadsheet, save it under a different name for the Z8, and then update the spreadsheet to reflect the Z8 settings. This will be very easy to do and relatively quick also. A printed copy of both the Z9 and Z8 settings, along with the spare card containing a backup of the setting for both the Z8 and Z9 will go in my camera bag.
 
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Butlerkid said:
It depends on what I am shooting. Both the Z9 and Z8 will be set up as closely to each other as possible when I am shooting wildlife. I will back up/save both the Z8 and Z9 set ups to a spare card.

When I am doing landscapes, architecture, etc, the Z8 will be modified to suit the subject and situation. When I switch back to wildlife with the Z8, I will re-load the wildlife settings.

Many, many years ago I created a spreadsheet of ALL the camera settings on my D700. Since then I have modified the spreadsheet to accommodate each new camera. I will take my current Z9 spreadsheet, save it under a different name for the Z8, and then update the spreadsheet to reflect the Z8 settings. This will be very easy to do and relatively quick also. A printed copy of both the Z9 and Z8 settings, along with the spare card containing a backup of the setting for both the Z8 and Z9 will go in my camera bag.
Click to expand...
You don't use the banks?
I have one setup for 'action' and a second one setup for landscapes.
And yes, to your point I will back up both cams and make sure i have that available....just in case....
 
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Geoff_G said:
You don't use the banks?
I have one setup for 'action' and a second one setup for landscapes.
And yes, to your point I will back up both cams and make sure i have that available....just in case....
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No banks for me. If the bank would remain unchanged if I temporarily needed to adjust something, I would use them. I shoot manual so the only thing I need to adjust is usually AF-S versus AF-C, Focus Area mode, frame rate. The i menu is quick and easy to use.
 
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Butlerkid said:
No banks for me. If the bank would remain unchanged if I temporarily needed to adjust something, I would use them. I shoot manual so the only thing I need to adjust is usually AF-S versus AF-C, Focus Area mode, frame rate. The i menu is quick and easy to use.
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I too would like the bank settings to "stick" but switching banks between action and scenics has worked for me in the past.
I do wish the two banks could be tied together...I have Action and Scenic banks for both the shooting menu and the custom setting menu but it would be nice if we could set which custom bank is used in what shooting bank.
 
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I don't shoot landscape much…maybe 1 out of 500 shots at best…and shoot so few that I've never learned to shift and use the vertical grip…which is the reason I wish they had released the Z8 first as it's really what I wanted, not the Z9. So setting Fn3 on the Z9 to the same as Fn1 doesn't make much sense for me…I've got Fn1 set to 3D and Fn2 to C1 1x1 like Steve's book says and set Fn3 to Auto Area for quick reaction situations where getting an AF area or point on the subject isn't going to happen before the opportunity of the shot is lost…and will just live with that not being instantly available on the Z8. Normally I shoot most of my shots in Wide Large or Small with 3D and C1 being next. Still shooting lossless RAW as they are lossless vs almost not noticeable lossy and the larger files haven't so far caused me any burst or storage issues…but I am going to do some more tests with that vs HE* in front, side, and backlit situations on a tripod to see if it makes any difference both at 1:1 and output… and if not then I can see switching to HE*. The SD on the Z8 will be overflow and I'll always have more cards anyway. Everything else will be set as identical as possible so when I grab the other body muscle memory will still work…and changes will be probably tested on one body but then migrated to the other one…although that might be too much hassle and keeping them sync'ed will be better for me.

For me…the Z8 will get me back into the 2 bodies and 2 lenses for shorter hikes and mostly in the vehicle outings…for longer ones or traveling I might end up with just the Z8 and take the Z7 as a spare body but not intending to use both in the field due to the different setup and performance. A really important trip…Africa, CR, Iceland, etc…will get the Z8 and Z9 carried along so the spare if it is needed still has the performance…but outside of something like that having the Z8 or Z9 and the Z7II gives me a lighter plane flight load and since we'll mostly have a car outside of those highly photo centric trips I'll have the better performer for wildlife and the lighter one for taking when we go out to dinner, street shooting, landscapes, etc.

Unfortunately…my preorder which was put in at 1200 PDT after waiting to see Steve's first video…is still in processing. That's probably just as well since we'll be in Orlando tomorrow through Sunday but hopefully will get sent out soon…I would really like to have it a week or so before our trip to the UK next month to setup and play with a bit so that I can carry it instead of the Z9 on that trip along with the Z7II.
 
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Geoff_G said:
I suffer from CRS so, yes, absolutely I will have the Z8 button setup exactly as the Z9. It's one of the reasons I bought the Z8 and not a Z6 (I was holding out for a Z6iii until the Z8 came along). I needed to change two Z9 button assignments so they will also map to the Z8. As to the SD slot, I'm not even buying an SD card (got rid of them all when I sold the D500 and D850). The Z8 will require me to carry a spare CFe card and EN-EL15c in the pocket but otherwise the goal is to make 'em the same as much as possible.


Yeah, I was thinking about this as well....I guess I will try to force myslef to change both cams if I make a change to either.
Click to expand...
Yeah…I know all about CRS…and also CDO…the latter is very similar to OCD except it's in the right darn order. 😀😀
 
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Geoff_G said:
You don't use the banks?
I have one setup for 'action' and a second one setup for landscapes.
And yes, to your point I will back up both cams and make sure i have that available....just in case....
Click to expand...
I'm still mucking about with Banks…I set up Action and Landscape/Waterfalls but haven't really figured out whether that makes any real difference. Back on the Z7500 my waterfall User mode was setup to auto engage bracketing, self timer at 2 seconds and take all the ones in the sequence at meter and +/- 1 and 2 stops as well as minimum ISO and a slow shutter speed and pretty closed aperture. I need to set this up in my bank for that and see if all the settings stick as they should…but since I mostly only used that User mode for waterfalls as most landscapes don't really need bracketing beyond on the meter and maybe 3 stops under for the sky that I generally stayed in the action User mode for landscapes and then adjusted things as needed. There aren't any waterfalls in SW FL…heck, the highest point within 50 miles of me is the overpass over I-75 I bike ride over periodically…it's known as Mount Slater…so figuring out if it works hasn't been a priority. But our upcoming trip to the UK will have lots of waterfalls so I guess I better set that stuff up soon and figure out al the nuances of that bank.
 
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I plan to set up the Z8 the same as the Z9. I don't use the FN3 button.

I already accommodate the Z6ii and Z7ii settings in my Z9...I set FN2 to focus/Area (the 6/7 don't have the separate focus button on the outside of the body like the Z8/9).

In the fullness of time, I may get a second Z8 since I routinely shoot three bodies.
 
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Anjin San said:
I'm still mucking about with Banks…I set up Action and Landscape/Waterfalls but haven't really figured out whether that makes any real difference. Back on the Z7500 my waterfall User mode was setup to auto engage bracketing, self timer at 2 seconds and take all the ones in the sequence at meter and +/- 1 and 2 stops as well as minimum ISO and a slow shutter speed and pretty closed aperture. I need to set this up in my bank for that and see if all the settings stick as they should…but since I mostly only used that User mode for waterfalls as most landscapes don't really need bracketing beyond on the meter and maybe 3 stops under for the sky that I generally stayed in the action User mode for landscapes and then adjusted things as needed. There aren't any waterfalls in SW FL…heck, the highest point within 50 miles of me is the overpass over I-75 I bike ride over periodically…it's known as Mount Slater…so figuring out if it works hasn't been a priority. But our upcoming trip to the UK will have lots of waterfalls so I guess I better set that stuff up soon and figure out al the nuances of that bank.
Click to expand...
I actually have more than a few changes between my action and scenic banks (focus modes, subject detection, area modes, release modes, etc). I usually don't have to muck with any settings within the banks and I don't care if the banks change bc I changed ISO, Ap, SS, etc. Using two banks gets me the consistency I need when I turn on the camera and select a bank (I should note that both the shooting menu bank and the Custom setting bank are setup for action or scenics so I have to change both when switching banks.. If I chose not to use the banks and just change things up on the fly I'd go nutso (I'm slowly getting there anyways.... :rolleyes:)

Yeah, if you find waterfalls in Florida you're in a theme park...:)
 
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Nextlife1 said:
How does one do that? I have not been able to do that on the Z9. As soon as one changes the folder in the Shooting menu it changes the same way in the Video menu, and vice versa. And same is true of Menu Banks so that doesn’t do it.
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I will try on mine when I get it — if it works then “great”; if not then not an issue. Not a problem for me on the Z9 where I shoot Stills to card 1 and Vids to card 2.
 
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Hope mine will arrive Saturday. Store will ship it out Thursday, 2 day delivery. Plan to set it very similarly to my Z 9.
 
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Andy Miller Photo UK said:
I will try on mine when I get it — if it works then “great”; if not then not an issue. Not a problem for me on the Z9.
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So it works for you on the Z9? You can record stills to one folder number and video to a different folder number? On either the two different cards or the same card? Couldn't tell from your comment "not a problem for me on the Z9" if that means it works for you or you don't need it. I ask because I really wanted to do it that way on my recent trip to Colombia but could not make it work. So if it works for you please tell me how to do it. Thanks!
 
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Nextlife1 said:
So it works for you on the Z9? You can record stills to one folder number and video to a different folder number? On either the two different cards or the same card? Couldn't tell from your comment "not a problem for me on the Z9" if that means it works for you or you don't need it. I ask because I really wanted to do it that way on my recent trip to Colombia but could not make it work. So if it works for you please tell me how to do it. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Z9 - Stills to card 1 and Vids to card 2. Only use Card 2 for overflow.
Z8 -- both to card 1 the CF Express B -- I will not use an SD for high res or fast shooting and I do not shoot backup or jpg/heif.
 
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I have no plans for a Z8 right now.

However, I am interested in learning more about using my Z9 as if it did not have have the advance mode wheel and buttons. Right now I use the wheel itself to make needed changes. I have read that I can make the same changes without the wheel but I have not ready anything that I can understand. Any links to info on this will be appreciated.
 
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Andy Miller Photo UK said:
Z9 - Stills to card 1 and Vids to card 2. Only use Card 2 for overflow.
Z8 -- both to card 1 the CF Express B -- I will not use an SD for high res or fast shooting and I do not shoot backup or jpg/heif.
Click to expand...
Yes this is how I shoot the Z9 as well. But for various backup reasons while traveling I wanted the folder number for videos on Card 2 to be different than that on Card 1, but can’t make that happen. So I assume that for your setup with the Z8, which I will likely also do, they will both have to go into the same folder.
 
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joe43 said:
I have no plans for a Z8 right now.
However, I am interested in learning more about using my Z9 as if it did not have have the advance mode wheel and buttons.
Right now I use the wheel itself to make needed changes. I have read that I can make the same changes without the wheel but I have not ready anything that I can understand. Any links to info on this will be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Joe I am unclear what control you mean by the Advance Mode wheel and buttons

I am happy to try to assist - but would you please download the Nikon Manual or Reference Guide and call the control by the name Nikon Use in the section titled "Part of the Camera" -- then there will be no confusion.
 
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Andy,

Here is more speific informatiion about what I was trying to describe.

In the Z8 ref guide it is called the Mode button and release mode button, page 35 of Z8 RG

In the Z9 ref guide, it is the Z9 Release mode dial and related buttons on the top of the dial.. Page 34-36 of Z9 RG
 
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