Brad’s latest post essentially says the Z9 and 100-400 is the most foolproof AF system he’s ever seem and while he is a Nikon guy I think he’s used other brands as well. Certainly indicates that the Z9 won’t be disappointing and bodes well for improvements in down the product line models…I would order a no built in grip version instantly.
Z9 1st Impressions & Firmware Wishlist: Brad Hill
- Thread starter fcotterill
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sid_19911991
Well-known member
Did he get the Z9 delivered to him yet?
Yes! He has one, maybe Nikon sent it to him?
fcotterill
Well-known member
Firmware wishlist compiled by Brad Hill, including a "total of 21 firmware updates from 5 readers.."
www.naturalart.ca
Natural Art Images: Brad Hill: My Nikon Z 9 Firmware Update Wishlist
Field Tests by Brad Hill - Wildlife Photographer. Field test of the Nikon V1. Nikon Cameras, Nikon Lenses, Nikon Accessories.
www.naturalart.ca
John Navitsky
Well-known member
i’m really glad he is doing that. our suggestions might have a chance of being seen
thelordofthelight
Well-known member
This is awesome and what Brad has done here is invaluable. I'm sure someone at Nikon will at least take a look at this and consider some improvements if not all and this is so much better than passing on individual feedbacks via Nikon email support.
TBH, I really want Nikon to come up with meaningful fw updates both in terms of configuration as well as performance improvements and fix a price for such updates that I have no problems to pay. This would be a win win for Nikon as well as users.
TBH, I really want Nikon to come up with meaningful fw updates both in terms of configuration as well as performance improvements and fix a price for such updates that I have no problems to pay. This would be a win win for Nikon as well as users.
Firmware wishlist compiled by Brad Hill, including a "total of 21 firmware updates from 5 readers.."
Natural Art Images: Brad Hill: My Nikon Z 9 Firmware Update Wishlist
Field Tests by Brad Hill - Wildlife Photographer. Field test of the Nikon V1. Nikon Cameras, Nikon Lenses, Nikon Accessories.
Object exp metering is a great idea!
John Navitsky
Well-known member
there are so many things that are going to be made possible by cameras employing real-time image processing. it’s an exciting time!
arbitrage
Well-known member
I think I will refrain from adding to Brad's list until I actually have the camera in hand...
My two main requests for now would be options to have buttons act as toggles and not just push and scroll and to have Live Zebras in stills mode.
My two main requests for now would be options to have buttons act as toggles and not just push and scroll and to have Live Zebras in stills mode.
abc123brian
Well-known member
I like the idea of the buttons acting as toggles, but having not used them, I can't help but wonder if I would accidentally be changing settings by bumping buttons while carrying the camera. I lost count of how many times my exposure comp dial got moved on my Fuji cameras.
Have not thought of that. For me, I always just wanted the sensor to capture as much data as possible and I'd perfect exposure in Post (studio photographer here). You're pointing out that some Post processes are moving onboard.
arbitrage
Well-known member
That could always be a possibliity depending on way you carry and where the button is located. I think dials are much bigger offenders though. I haven't run into any inadvertent toggles on my Canon and Sony cameras when using Toggle options. I have toggle options all over my A1(5 buttons are toggles: C1, C2, Left Arrow, Down Arrow and Set button) and have never inadvertently hit them so far.
John Navitsky
Well-known member
i wasn’t even thinking about that. but that will happen too.
fcotterill
Well-known member
To quote:
"Post Date (initial list): Dec 9, 2021
Update History: Dec 28, 2021: A total of 21 firmware update suggestions from 5 readers were added to the list. Jump to those new suggestions with this link.
Update History: Feb 13, 2022: A total of 21 new firmware update suggestions from 14 readers were added to the list of "Reader-suggested Firmware Updates". Submissions from #6 to 19 are new."
www.naturalart.ca
"Post Date (initial list): Dec 9, 2021
Update History: Dec 28, 2021: A total of 21 firmware update suggestions from 5 readers were added to the list. Jump to those new suggestions with this link.
Update History: Feb 13, 2022: A total of 21 new firmware update suggestions from 14 readers were added to the list of "Reader-suggested Firmware Updates". Submissions from #6 to 19 are new."
Natural Art Images: Brad Hill: My Nikon Z 9 Firmware Update Wishlist
Field Tests by Brad Hill - Wildlife Photographer. Field test of the Nikon V1. Nikon Cameras, Nikon Lenses, Nikon Accessories.
www.naturalart.ca
thelordofthelight
Well-known member
I had sent in few more fw update requests to Brad and he added few of them but the shocker to me is on one of the requests I made for blocked shot response (AF tracking with lock-on). Basically my request was to have the lock-on setting to be applied for each AF area mode/ each button instead of having one umbrella lock-on setting. This way we can have a lock-on setting of 5 for wide area L, 4 for wide area S, 3 for 3d, 1 for another button set to wide L.
Brad says:
"Focus tracking with lock-on (both the Blocked Shot AF response aspect and the Subject motion): You should be aware that these settings have no effect on the camera’s behaviour if subject detection is on. This isn’t clear in the Reference Manual but I checked with Nikon and confirmed that those settings are only for the Dynamic-area modes. This is suggested in the following manual (go to pg 17 and study the table)":
https://download.nikonimglib.com/archive4/IPCyo000clhy05Z1yzY16X63lS03/Z9_TG_AF_(En)01.pdf
I have asked Brad if AF lock-on settings will have no effect whatsoever on other AF area modes like wide-area L/S even if subject detection is turned off.
Darn this is all getting too complicated now.
Brad says:
"Focus tracking with lock-on (both the Blocked Shot AF response aspect and the Subject motion): You should be aware that these settings have no effect on the camera’s behaviour if subject detection is on. This isn’t clear in the Reference Manual but I checked with Nikon and confirmed that those settings are only for the Dynamic-area modes. This is suggested in the following manual (go to pg 17 and study the table)":
https://download.nikonimglib.com/archive4/IPCyo000clhy05Z1yzY16X63lS03/Z9_TG_AF_(En)01.pdf
I have asked Brad if AF lock-on settings will have no effect whatsoever on other AF area modes like wide-area L/S even if subject detection is turned off.
Darn this is all getting too complicated now.
To quote:
"Post Date (initial list): Dec 9, 2021
Update History: Dec 28, 2021: A total of 21 firmware update suggestions from 5 readers were added to the list. Jump to those new suggestions with this link.
Update History: Feb 13, 2022: A total of 21 new firmware update suggestions from 14 readers were added to the list of "Reader-suggested Firmware Updates". Submissions from #6 to 19 are new."
Natural Art Images: Brad Hill: My Nikon Z 9 Firmware Update Wishlist
Field Tests by Brad Hill - Wildlife Photographer. Field test of the Nikon V1. Nikon Cameras, Nikon Lenses, Nikon Accessories.
arbitrage
Well-known member
Hmmm....that is confusing.
So if we take what the user manual says and what that chart is implying and what Brad heard from Nikon it may go something like this....
If subject tracking is On then the Blocked Shot and Subject Motion settings have no effect on the algorithms. This of course will apply to 3D, Auto, Wide Area (S, L).
If subject tracking is Off then the Blocked Shot and Subject Motion settings have full effect on Wide Area (S, L). 3D always uses "3" for Blocked Shot (and presumably does use the Subject Motion setting). Auto uses 3, 4, or 5 for Blocked Shot (1 and 2 default to 3) (and presumably does use the Subject Motion setting).
Single and Dynamic modes use both Blocked Shot and Subject Motion all the time as Tracking doesn't work with them.
John Navitsky
Well-known member
that chart suggests to me that blocked shot is basically only for the legacy modes? i could see that as that parameter was part of the legacy algorithm. our assumption that it applied to the new modes may be just that, an assumption.
thelordofthelight
Well-known member
Regarding the lock-on setting and how it will impact the wide area modes when subject tracking is turned off, Brad says that piece is still unclear for now.
sid_19911991
Well-known member
This is EXACTLY what I have been clamouring about; think about it, if pattern recognition has a bird/animal locked on, why is ever a need to let go of it? It needs to stay locked on to the subject's eye, head, wings, or any part of the body irrespective of the sensitivity settings. The sensitivity settings should come into play, only if there is no subject in the focus area or we make an error while panning. But in reality, even when the subject is within the box, the AF is prone to jump around. The suggestions in the forum are largely about how one should change the sensitivity settings. As far as I know, it is just a matter of how well the camera understands a certain subject is a bird/animal. That needs to improve.
sid_19911991
Well-known member
To quote:
"Post Date (initial list): Dec 9, 2021
Update History: Dec 28, 2021: A total of 21 firmware update suggestions from 5 readers were added to the list. Jump to those new suggestions with this link.
Update History: Feb 13, 2022: A total of 21 new firmware update suggestions from 14 readers were added to the list of "Reader-suggested Firmware Updates". Submissions from #6 to 19 are new."
Natural Art Images: Brad Hill: My Nikon Z 9 Firmware Update Wishlist
Field Tests by Brad Hill - Wildlife Photographer. Field test of the Nikon V1. Nikon Cameras, Nikon Lenses, Nikon Accessories.
1) Just as Jan Wagner said, I too have noticed the subject detection lag when using wide-area AF large mode. i\It is not as quick as say 3d & full area large. Ho-pe they improve it.
2) The 3d tracking ok button is tedious to execute. The OK button should be assigned to something else like the AF button. Can it be done, or am I missing something.
3) No option to set different types of AF modes in video mode.
fcotterill
Well-known member
Makes sound sense, given the machine-learning is in full control. Major advance on these AF modes in the D5 and D6
fcotterill
Well-known member
Wide-area AF Mode
How it works with Subject-Detection....and crucially the front focus-priority of the pair of Wide-area AF area modes depends on toggling Subject Detection ON/OFF
www.naturalart.ca
How it works with Subject-Detection....and crucially the front focus-priority of the pair of Wide-area AF area modes depends on toggling Subject Detection ON/OFF
Natural Art Images: Voice: Brad Hill Blog
The Blog of Brad Hill, wildlife photographer. Cameras, lenses, camera gear, field tests, conservation, photo tours, and other bits of questionable wisdom from a young-at-heart nature photographer!
www.naturalart.ca
arbitrage
Well-known member
Wide-area AF Mode
How it works with Subject-Detection....and crucially the front focus-priority of the pair of Wide-area AF area modes depends on toggling Subject Detection ON/OFF
Natural Art Images: Voice: Brad Hill Blog
The Blog of Brad Hill, wildlife photographer. Cameras, lenses, camera gear, field tests, conservation, photo tours, and other bits of questionable wisdom from a young-at-heart nature photographer!
An excellent article. I think Brad only missed one thing in it and that is the ability of Wide Area AF to continue tracking a detected subject outside of the Wide Area box (with the box not on the subject anymore at all) for a given amount of time determined by the Blocked Shot Response setting (5 being the longest amount of time before it tries to refocus under the Wide Area).
fcotterill
Well-known member
Yes, and the plot thickens....
For is it not stated in the lore unto Nikon [see above wrt Tech Guide] the Blocked-shot Control in the Z9 doesn't have any effect when Subject-detection is turned on?
For is it not stated in the lore unto Nikon [see above wrt Tech Guide] the Blocked-shot Control in the Z9 doesn't have any effect when Subject-detection is turned on?
You can for sure change AF modes in video mode