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

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

Credit - Scott Kelby's Camera

The rest of us have to practice by ourselves

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[Woodpecker]

For sure. People often want a single "do everything" answer but there isn't one. The case @JAJohnson mentioned is a prefect example and he did exactly what I would have done in that situation. Ya gotta adapt

Yup, that's it !

There are two guidelines that always come back to me with this kind of situation:

First one is one from a lady called Marie Curie - I guess most of us will know her. She is cited with the words "You don't need to be afraid of life. You just have to understand it."
And because my hobby is part of my life, this applies also to my camera.

A engraved metal plate I got as a present says "Life is beautiful. Nobody ever said it was easy"
Photogrphy has made my life much more beaztiful, but admittedly not always easier.

 

[Woodpecker]

The rest of us have to practice by ourselves

I love it !!!! Thanks for this one

 

[Beeson]

Hi Steve,​

Z8 & Z9 My BEST Bird-In-Flight AF Settings great video!​

Z9 Custom control shooting, I have played your video feed on setting custom control on Z9, by setting the video record button to Focus mode/AF-area mode.
When I press and hold the video record button, and try to rotate, nothing changes?
I must need to enable a different setting for this to work?
Thanks,
Bob

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

This is bl**dy embarrasing - I had to come back and check my post to see where I programmed what

 

[Steve]

Hi Steve,​

Z8 & Z9 My BEST Bird-In-Flight AF Settings great video!​

Z9 Custom control shooting, I have played your video feed on setting custom control on Z9, by setting the video record button to Focus mode/AF-area mode.
When I press and hold the video record button, and try to rotate, nothing changes?
I must need to enable a different setting for this to work?
Thanks,
Bob

Nope, that should do it. Did you try both command dials? It's possible to switch them (I do) and sometimes they don't work as expected if you forget you switched.

 

[Steve]

This is bl**dy embarrasing - I had to come back and check my post to see where I programmed what

Print this:

Nikon Z8 & Z9 Custom Controls Worksheet

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

Print this:

Nikon Z8 & Z9 Custom Controls Worksheet

thanks Steve - I will snapshot your sheet with my phone - as least that is always with me

 

[Activert]

Thanks @Steve for the update! It is my homework today to go through the update and change some of my setting! I wish all the homework are as fun and enjoyable as this one. So generous from you to offer it free of charge! Thank you for all the good and helpful knowledge you share with us
Lina

 

[Melanie]

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)

OH, how happy I am to hear that I'm not the only one that suddenly discovers that I was shooting in the wrong format bc I had FX/DX on a button that was too easily accidentally pushed!