Z8 & Z9 My BEST Bird-In-Flight AF Settings

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RichF said:
@Steve I thought at one point you suggested using the video record button to switch between DX and FX modes. In the Z 8 how do you switch DX/FX modes?
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I may have, although I don't use that method. In my book, I give a list of options where I think things would be handy after each customization and let the user decide.

I don't think I currently have FX/DX programmed on the Z8. I'm hot and cold on that feature TBH. I sometimes hit it accidentally and end up shooting the wrong format for a bit until I realize it. If I was going to use it, I'd want it on a "safe" button like the WB button or - the video record button :) (Although, I personally think the video record button is ideal for cycling AF, but to each their own)
 
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Steve said:
I may have, although I don't use that method. In my book, I give a list of options where I think things would be handy after each customization and let the user decide.

I don't think I currently have FX/DX programmed on the Z8. I'm hot and cold on that feature TBH. I sometimes hit it accidentally and end up shooting the wrong format for a bit until I realize it. If I was going to use it, I'd want it on a "safe" button like the WB button or - the video record button :) (Although, I personally think the video record button is ideal for cycling AF, but to each their own)
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Understand. Want the button to be fast but also to avoid accidentally shifting. Avoid cumbersome approaches such as the I menu ...
 
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Steve, can you explain why you have so many focus modes enabled on the cycle button? Are you really using all of these af areas and if so, can you detail the circumstances? Interestingly, I am still finding a roll for handoff particularly when shooting perched birds against busy backgrounds where I am using a C1 and handing off to AA or 3D. Finally, can you comment on your best combination for diving birds (think eagles, osprey, pelicans, etc.) against water. Are you finding AA is sufficient to follow the bird through the dive, catch, and launch? Many thanks.
 
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Thank you Steve.
I really enjoyed it!
This is probably ‘the best’ YT video packed with so much useful information.

Regarding FX/DX, I have it on the video button, it’s helpful with distance subjects, but also a dangerous rabbit hole. For some odd reason when I found myself struggling to keep a fast moving frame filling subject, it was in blinking DX. 🫣

Regarding assigning the ISO to a ring, I’m bumping it. The 800pf focus override is where I have my hands already.

I’m waiting for Nikon to come out with speech recognition.
ISO six zero zero
Shutter three two zero zero

And of course a FN button to turn speech recognition OFF.
 
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Steve said:
I don't think I currently have FX/DX programmed on the Z8. I'm hot and cold on that feature TBH. I sometimes hit it accidentally and end up shooting the wrong format for a bit until I realize it. If I was going to use it, I'd want it on a "safe" button like the WB button or - the video record button :) (Although, I personally think the video record button is ideal for cycling AF, but to each their own)
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That's exactly what was happening to me when I had FX/DX on the video record button. Too many times I was shooting DX without realizing it and missed several good shots that way. (I wish the flashing DX was in a contrasting color!) I've now moved FX/DX a few times--first to the Playback button (I have Playback on the lock button to match the position on every other Nikon I've ever owned) but that was too awkward, now I've got FX/DX on the DISPLAY button as I realized I never switch the display. We'll see if it stays there.
 
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Just when you think you have the darm thing programmed nicely - thanks Steve - very good video as usual.

I have allocated my video button to cycle - wonderful feature.
if in this cycle mode - I include Single point AF, the Subject Detection is turned off - so an easy way to get to switch between on and off.

then I use the Recall shooting functions on Fn1 to have the ability to switch between Birds and Animals on the fly like you do
 
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Have not watched the video yet....will do shortly. I'm sure I'll learn something -- always do -- and probably change something...
My biggest changes from previous firmware involve the Video record and Fn 2 buttons...
Right now I have Cycle AF on the video record for both of my banks (action and scenic). Fn1 is Auto Area for both banks. Fn2 handles FX/DX in the action bank and Preview in the scenic bank.
 
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I have to ask if I'm doing something wrong now. When watching your video, Steve, I noticed that you mentioned the handoff to 3D is the way that you did autofocus before and that you have since switched up your methods. However, the implication that I wanted to ask about is if in AF-C before handing off, is your camera searching for and focusing on subjects before you perform a handoff? If this is true, then I have hit some setting in my camera that has disabled this. I have mine set to handoff to 3D from Wide-C2 by using the AF-ON button, but unless I'm pressing that button for the handoff, it does not do any focusing.
 
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ajrmd said:
Steve, can you explain why you have so many focus modes enabled on the cycle button? Are you really using all of these af areas and if so, can you detail the circumstances? Interestingly, I am still finding a roll for handoff particularly when shooting perched birds against busy backgrounds where I am using a C1 and handing off to AA or 3D. Finally, can you comment on your best combination for diving birds (think eagles, osprey, pelicans, etc.) against water. Are you finding AA is sufficient to follow the bird through the dive, catch, and launch? Many thanks.
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I don't think it's that many :) It's really quick to switch between them and the cycle option is my primary means of switching AF points now on the Z8, so I want access to any I would use. Of course, there are two schools of thought here - do it like I do or just select a couple that you're most likely to cycle to. I've used this system on my Sonys for years now and I know how fast it is, so having 6 different areas on it isn't a big deal. Once you get used to it, it's plenty fast and I like having the variety at my disposal.

As for what I use them for, that's tougher and I don't really want to write a full chapter on it here (I already did that in my book LOL). As a quick summary:

I have the following AF areas:

Single Point - for when SD isn't working and I want pinpoint accuracy - like with an elephant or hippo eye
Wide Small - for zeroing in action targets - or specific areas on an action target - with a possible handoff later
Wide Large - Same as above, but when I need a bigger area (usually with faster, tougher target)
Wide C1 (1x1) - Same as single point, but it allows SD so I can be a little lazy with my placement
3D - When I want to track all over the VF and single out a specific target
Auto - When I want to track all over and think the camera can pick the target

As I mentioned in the video, I still have a button set for handoff, just Auto at the moment on Fn1.

I haven't done very many diving birds with Bird AF (A few back in Dec with the Z9, but very few) so I can't say.
 
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theglenlivet12 said:
I have to ask if I'm doing something wrong now. When watching your video, Steve, I noticed that you mentioned the handoff to 3D is the way that you did autofocus before and that you have since switched up your methods. However, the implication that I wanted to ask about is if in AF-C before handing off, is your camera searching for and focusing on subjects before you perform a handoff? If this is true, then I have hit some setting in my camera that has disabled this. I have mine set to handoff to 3D from Wide-C2 by using the AF-ON button, but unless I'm pressing that button for the handoff, it does not do any focusing.
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I don't follow. When you say you're handing off the 3D from Wide C2, with the AF on button, do you have 3D on the AF-On button and Wide as your normal AF area? Also,how are you focusing? Shutter release?
 
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Steve said:
I don't follow. When you say you're handing off the 3D from Wide C2, with the AF on button, do you have 3D on the AF-On button and Wide as your normal AF area? Also,how are you focusing? Shutter release?
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Hi Steve, I am set up to back button focus. I wanted to give you a bit more information than is probably necessary and I may have caused confusion. The crux of my question is this: If I am in say Wide-C1 in AF-C, without pressing any buttons, will my Z8 be constantly looking for and focusing on targets by itself or is that behavior just not possible?

If it is not possible, I guess I don't understand why the need for a handoff as in all reality, it is really just engaging autofocus via BBF.
 
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Great video Steve and shared it with a few persons and in a couple of FB groups.
As you stated a few times, you do you in the settings and others might do it different here and there. People should watch this video as such, learning what a setting does, go out, test if and assess if that works for him or her.
I do not use the function ring on the lens for example but will give on my next safari the DX/FX button a try :)

Keep the good work coming.
 
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Vincent_VdB said:
As you stated a few times, you do you in the settings and others might do it different here and there. People should watch this video as such, learning what a setting does, go out, test if and assess if that works for him or her.
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100% - everyone is wired differently and people can become oddly defensive about their button choices. I almost didn't put that section in for that reason, but it hasn't been as bad as I anticipated :)
 
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theglenlivet12 said:
Hi Steve, I am set up to back button focus. I wanted to give you a bit more information than is probably necessary and I may have caused confusion. The crux of my question is this: If I am in say Wide-C1 in AF-C, without pressing any buttons, will my Z8 be constantly looking for and focusing on targets by itself or is that behavior just not possible?

If it is not possible, I guess I don't understand why the need for a handoff as in all reality, it is really just engaging autofocus via BBF.
Click to expand...

You have to have AF engaged and it will only look for targets under the Wide AF area. The idea with a handoff is that you have another AF area programmed on a button (in your case NOT the AF-On button since that's how you engage focus) and you can pass the AF point the camera is using to that new AF area.

So, in your case, this is how it would work:

You have subject detection on and you select a Wide AF area using the focus mode button (or you can cycle to it if you have that set). You focus using the AF-On button which is set to JUST focus. When you see subject detection paint a little green box somewhere on the subject, you press an override button for 3D or Auto AF (say, Fn1). The camera will take the current AF point it's using for subject detection and pass that to your override area, we'll say 3D. Now, instead of being limited to just the Wide AF area, you can have the subject anywhere in the viewfinder. (You keep the AF-On button pressed the entire time).

The big advantage is that you can use Wide AF to help get on target and then switch to another AF area - like 3D or Auto - and then track all over the viewfinder.

The big reason we were doing this before is that 3D is perfect for tracking, but too small to easily get on a fast moving target. So, we start with Wide since it's easier to get on-target with and then hand-off to 3D.

However, as I mentioned in the video, Auto AF is doing a great job now and, if used carefully, it's a better choice IMO since there's no handoffs involved. It doesn't' work every time, but it works about 80% of the time for me.
 
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Steve said:
You have to have AF engaged and it will only look for targets under the Wide AF area. The idea with a handoff is that you have another AF area programmed on a button (in your case NOT the AF-On button since that's how you engage focus) and you can pass the AF point the camera is using to that new AF area.

So, in your case, this is how it would work:

You have subject detection on and you select a Wide AF area using the focus mode button (or you can cycle to it if you have that set). You focus using the AF-On button which is set to JUST focus. When you see subject detection paint a little green box somewhere on the subject, you press an override button for 3D or Auto AF (say, Fn1). The camera will take the current AF point it's using for subject detection and pass that to your override area, we'll say 3D. Now, instead of being limited to just the Wide AF area, you can have the subject anywhere in the viewfinder. (You keep the AF-On button pressed the entire time).

The big advantage is that you can use Wide AF to help get on target and then switch to another AF area - like 3D or Auto - and then track all over the viewfinder.

The big reason we were doing this before is that 3D is perfect for tracking, but too small to easily get on a fast moving target. So, we start with Wide since it's easier to get on-target with and then hand-off to 3D.

However, as I mentioned in the video, Auto AF is doing a great job now and, if used carefully, it's a better choice IMO since there's no handoffs involved. It doesn't' work every time, but it works about 80% of the time for me.
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Ok, just to make sure I'm hearing you right as this is been somewhat of a sticking point for me coming from the video world to photography where the autofocus is engaged all of the time and is constantly looking for something to lock onto. If I am in AF-C, tracking mode set to Auto and am not pressing anything, it will not look for, focus on or track anything. Is this correct? It will wait until I have pressed AF-ON or have engaged another tracking mode assigned to a button that I am pressing before it looks for, focuses on or tracks anything in the viewfinder and does not work like it would in video mode where it is looking for a subject to focus on and focuses on that subject without any input from my fingers.

My apologies for being rather lengthy on this topic.
 
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theglenlivet12 said:
Ok, just to make sure I'm hearing you right as this is been somewhat of a sticking point for me coming from the video world to photography where the autofocus is engaged all of the time and is constantly looking for something to lock onto. If I am in AF-C, tracking mode set to Auto and am not pressing anything, it will not look for, focus on or track anything. Is this correct? It will wait until I have pressed AF-ON or have engaged another tracking mode assigned to a button that I am pressing before it looks for, focuses on or tracks anything in the viewfinder and does not work like it would in video mode where it is looking for a subject to focus on and focuses on that subject without any input from my fingers.

My apologies for being rather lengthy on this topic.
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More or less - the system will passively look for subjects and if it sees one you'll notice a white box around it. However AF is NOT engaged. AF is only engaged when you press the AF-On button (for back button AF). AF will disengage as soon as you stop pressing.
 
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If anyone has experience with the new FW 2.0 (or conversely the Z9 with 4.10+) and diving birds, please provide some feedback on what AF modes/settings work best. Thanks!
 
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ajrmd said:
If anyone has experience with the new FW 2.0 (or conversely the Z9 with 4.10+) and diving birds, please provide some feedback on what AF modes/settings work best. Thanks!
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I have not tried yet the 2.0 version of the Z8, but i used the old version as well as the 4.10 version of the Z9 for diving birds. I use mainly Auto Af mode and sometime 3D tracking both with Subject detection ( bird for Z9 and animal for Z8). i both cases, it worked well for me.
 
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