Marcepan
Well-known member
Well done Steve!
"Must have" for all wildlife photographers and more
"Must have" for all wildlife photographers and more
Z8 & Z9 My BEST Bird-In-Flight AF Settings
- Thread starter Steve
- Start date
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Another great video Steve. Timely, too. I’m traveling to Florida for birds next week.
Krish
Active member
FWIW, I don't use the "Exp compensation" button, so that was an unused, available button (for me). I set the "Exp comp" button to "My Menu"
On "My Menu" I have A-15 (manual focus ) at the top of the list and FX/DX is next. No accidental changes in image size.
KenSam
New member
I like that idea. Thanks Krish
ajrmd
Well-known member
In the old firmware, I used to use either Wide Area (S/L) +- handoff to 3d and in either case, it would frequently lose capture as the bird splashed for several frames and it would take several more to recover as well. Changing the stickiness did not change the outcome. Are you saying that AA tracks and holds better through the catch and takeoff?
It did work well in most situation with AA except in some cases where there was misty condition close to the water surface which is normal. I could lose the Focus for few second . In these condition, I would use single point and once the focus is on I would switch again to AA mode. Now most of the time on both camera I use AA and I feel i get better result than with 3D.
Also when you shoot 20 frames per second, sometimes you get very few out of focus but at the same time you get a lot of very sharp shots. I know you will fill your memory card quickly, that Is why I have around 8 memory cards ( 325 and 512 GB) And I am planing to buy 2 cards of 650 GB each. I feel shooting wildlife at 20 frames per second helps to get better result.
I am going to put mine on WB and on the same located button on the other body…top left inside button. Since I use both the 8 and 9..I skip the row of buttons on the bottom to keep the controls consistent.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)
I like that idea as well…since I put exposure comp on the control ring.
As it turns out, that's where I have it on the Z9 (although on the Z9 it's the flash button). I'm going to try it on the WB button as well on the Z8. Should be out of the way enough but still easy to find.
That was my thought…same place on both for my enfeebled muscle memory.
What do you have on your DISP button? Recall shooting birds vs animal, right?
Thank you Steve for another awesome video! I have found your recommendations to work well for me. I just need to retrain myself again!
Yup, exactly
that sounds a very good idea - !
hrv
Well-known member
Am I the only one that "hates" the control rings?
They switch way to easilly when the camera is rubbing against your clothes while carrying. I have had so many occasions where the settings were completely off when I needed to get to an action shot, I just disabled them.
In a blind on a tripod I do intend to use them, but since I do not use them normally, I have no muscle memory and forget about them
They switch way to easilly when the camera is rubbing against your clothes while carrying. I have had so many occasions where the settings were completely off when I needed to get to an action shot, I just disabled them.
In a blind on a tripod I do intend to use them, but since I do not use them normally, I have no muscle memory and forget about them
Agree. I like the idea of having exposure comp on a ring....but found that I would change it accidently way too easily. I DO like the ability to manually override auto focus using a lens ring.Am I the only one that "hates" the control rings?
They switch way to easilly when the camera is rubbing against your clothes while carrying. I have had so many occasions where the settings were completely off when I needed to get to an action shot, I just disabled them.
In a blind on a tripod I do intend to use them, but since I do not use them normally, I have no muscle memory and forget about them
Thanks Steve for the video. Great content as usual
Phil
Phil
Along those lines it would be nice if EC started at 0 when the camera is turned on but it picks up at whatever setting it had before the camera was turned off.
I ended up putting RSF Hold on the WB/Flash (Z8/Z9) button. In my action bank it switches between bird and animal Subjhect detection modes and in the scenic bank it turns it on or off. I have FX/DX on the Fn2 button.....I'll see how that works out but it feels 'safe' there.
ajrmd
Well-known member
No, I don't think you're the only one who has trouble with them at times though I find them immensely useful and wish that the lenses had more buttons and control rings expertly situated.Am I the only one that "hates" the control rings?
They switch way to easilly when the camera is rubbing against your clothes while carrying. I have had so many occasions where the settings were completely off when I needed to get to an action shot, I just disabled them.
In a blind on a tripod I do intend to use them, but since I do not use them normally, I have no muscle memory and forget about them
I'd like a ring with "stops" so I could return it to -0- and not risk it changing so easily with moving around.
I'm with you. The control ring should be 'indexed' so that it isn't (as) easily moved. I had exposure compensation on the control ring for one day, and that was it. At present, I have nothing programmed to the control ring for this reason.Am I the only one that "hates" the control rings?
They switch way to easilly when the camera is rubbing against your clothes while carrying. I have had so many occasions where the settings were completely off when I needed to get to an action shot, I just disabled them.
In a blind on a tripod I do intend to use them, but since I do not use them normally, I have no muscle memory and forget about them
That's one of the reasons I have ISO on mine and not exposure comp. Since I often shoot M + Auto ISO, if the ring falls victim to an inadvertent brush against my shirt, it doesn't affect anything when I bring the camera to my eye. If I'm on full manual (as I mentioned in the video, fairly common with BIF work for me) any problems are instantly noticeable and my fingers were already prepared to adjust the ring anyway.Am I the only one that "hates" the control rings?
They switch way to easilly when the camera is rubbing against your clothes while carrying. I have had so many occasions where the settings were completely off when I needed to get to an action shot, I just disabled them.
In a blind on a tripod I do intend to use them, but since I do not use them normally, I have no muscle memory and forget about them
The issue I have with that is the ISO button is still needed to turn Auto ISO on or off so I just use the ISO button.
An indexed control ring would be nice......
I mentioned to Nikon that they should put Auto ISO on the "ends" of the ISO range. So, a quick spin of the ring and we're there.
For now, I have ISO in two places for precisely the reason you mention - I want to keep that ISO button for turning Auto ISO on and off. You know, another good button function for Nikon would be to allow us to turn Auto ISO on and with a toggle. Although, I still like my idea of putting it at the end of the ISO ranges (Sony puts it at the bottom - so nice).