Z9 Firmware 3.0 Released

[MatthewK]

Yesterday, I shot 400 photos of very stationary birds in great lighting in order to further test the 3D Subject Detect (have it set on my shutter button, w/ Wide Area - Small on the AF-ON button). The AF seems to work just fine compared to the other testing I did a few days ago, but it still feels less sticky.

Just came back from more testing, and everything worked peachy... going to stop digging into this camera for now, it's causing me to pull my hair out.

 

[jpgrove]

Yesterday, I shot 400 photos of very stationary birds in great lighting in order to further test the 3D Subject Detect (have it set on my shutter button, w/ Wide Area - Small on the AF-ON button). The AF seems to work just fine compared to the other testing I did a few days ago, but it still feels less sticky. Thing is, I'm experiencing another issue...

In nearly every burst of photos, almost all of the shots are soft, as though the camera is back/front focusing. It's not motion blur or hand shake, it's the subject falling slightly out of the DOF. Bare 500PF and w/ the 1.4TC, didn't matter, nearly all of my shots lack that critical sharpness. Uploading an example from the same burst, of what I consider "critically sharp", and then what I'm seeing in my shots. This Cardinal is sitting still, there's no wind, shot handheld. Out of a burst of 23 photos, all but a few are like the 2nd shot below, and it's like this w/ every burst I did. Default LR sharpening applied, but nothing else. Expecting this to turn into "it's something you're doing wrong, I'm not experiencing that" session...

I'm debating downgrading back to 2.11, but at the same time don't want to dork w/ bricking the camera and/or setting up camera from scratch, so will wait for a fix (if it ever comes).

I am not sure that FW is the issue here, many variables are at play?

 

[MatthewK]

I am not sure that FW is the issue here, many variables are at play?

Yeah, I'm walking back that post. I just came back from more testing, w/ a card full of tack sharp images, didn't experience anything like I did yesterday. Chalking it up to something else, though what I cannot say. Perhaps mistaking attributed it to the new FW because up until now the Z9 hasn't acted like that for me.

 

[Alistair]

Never overlook the possibility of user error. I came home with a card full of soft images the other day after shooting shore birds at close range. Baffled until I noticed the limit switch on lens had been left on 6m to .....

 

[Ken Miracle]

Testing FW 3.0 today and my preference to use shutter half press focus usually with CW1 3x5 with hand off to AF-ON with 3D or switch to single point or CW 2 13x7 while maintaining half press for focus.

I used BBF for a year in the DSLR days but did not like my thumb tied up. So went back to shutter half press for the rest of my time with DSLR's. Z9 I have never used BBF per se but did play around to setting fn button and af-on button to different AF Area mode + AF Focus on. That was back in FW 2.1 I used it for 2 or 3 birding sessions and thousands of shots but it did not work as well for me as using half press with shutter for focus and that set to CW 1 3x5 and then hand off (A7 focus point persistence) to AF-On set to 3D but not 3D + AF ON. FN 1 set to single point AF. FN2 set to CW 2 13x7. FN3 button set to AF area mode (selection). record button set to access recall shooting functions with the only function to turn subject recognition off.

I went out this afternoon on a dead end street behind our apartment with deer, squirrels and a few birds around. Z9 and Z800pf. I was testing FW 3.0 and trying out Disp button set to cycle FX and DX and the other settings as listed above.

I wanted to try Auto-area AF on half press shutter against my most common bird method of CW1 3x5 and hand off to 3D with AF-On button press. Not many birds around a static junco and a mallard flying in from a long way away. Auto-area AF locked onto the mallard flying in hundreds of yards away and tracked it until if flew over head with no problem and found the eye much faster than I expected it would. Auto-area AF worked well on deer in bright light and deep shade and did well on the squirrel. Quick switch from fx to dx and back was also a winner.

And verified that no change with FW 3.0 when Auto-area AF on half press shutter then hand off to 3D still does not work since it has to have a specific focus point established with something like CW area focus to do the hand off from.

I ran ouf of time to try switching the AF On, and fn buttons back to AF Area + AF focus with FW 3.0 again but will try again another day since with the half press on shutter working well so far with Auto-area AF with FW 3.0 then hand off to 3d may be a bit redundant and instead could just to a quick of one button to switch to another area af mode + AF.

I downloaded images to my desk top and reviewed with NX studio. Only issue I saw was user error in where I put the mallard in flight in the view finder.

 

[Anjin San]

Saw a note on Thom's page that some people have had issues with MyMenu…he recommends deleting everything and setting them up again after the update.

 

[Hooligans Imagery]

I was testing FW 3.0 and trying out Disp button set to cycle FX and DX and the other settings as listed above.

@Ken Miracle - thanks for the detail discussion. Curios on this though. Why not assign this to one of the Ln buttons? Did you consider that?

For everyone here - if you are reprogramming your Z9 note that Nikon has updated the reference chart for settings in 3.0. I went to look to compare where I can use a button to switch (Ln1) my new choice, as compared to using the command dial (Fn2 as I had it).

Also for everyone, if you are reprogramming DISP and ISO what are you doing to change those now? ISO seems needed less often if using Auto ISO.

Thanks in advance for input.

 

[fcotterill]

@Ken Miracle - thanks for the detail discussion. Curios on this though. Why not assign this to one of the Ln buttons? Did you consider that?

For everyone here - if you are reprogramming your Z9 note that Nikon has updated the reference chart for settings in 3.0. I went to look to compare where I can use a button to switch (Ln1) my new choice, as compared to using the command dial (Fn2 as I had it).

Also for everyone, if you are reprogramming DISP and ISO what are you doing to change those now? ISO seems needed less often if using Auto ISO.

Thanks in advance for input.

The following new changes continue to work well >- I've assigned DISPLAY Cycling to the "Vertical multi selector" button. I keep ISO and Exp Comp as they are - this is just easier on muscle memory.
I also now prefer 'QUAL' button set to Release Mode: provided the top left dial is turned to far right selection of Release mode; this allows all fps changes with right hand only on Dials.
Setting C: f6 = On 'Release button to use dial' is a big help for right hand only changes. Just takes a Swift Press with right thumb on - then Forget&Scroll on the activated Red Record (AF modes) or ISO or Exp Comp.

 

[Anjin San]

I"ve read through the book the first time…and was just about to start modifying my settings based on it. Any thoughts on whether I should stay with that plan or hold off on Steve's 3.0 update of the book? I guess it's really a matter of whether he thinks there will be major changes or that they will be minor…and he's the only one that can answer that I guess. OTOH, given his usual careful approach…if it's going to be 3 or 4 months before he's ready to send out the update then going ahead and modifying what I've got now is probably the best choice.

 

[Steve]

I"ve read through the book the first time…and was just about to start modifying my settings based on it. Any thoughts on whether I should stay with that plan or hold off on Steve's 3.0 update of the book? I guess it's really a matter of whether he thinks there will be major changes or that they will be minor…and he's the only one that can answer that I guess. OTOH, given his usual careful approach…if it's going to be 3 or 4 months before he's ready to send out the update then going ahead and modifying what I've got now is probably the best choice.

Do it now

I'm actually hoping to have the update out by early December. I think the biggest challenge is reconfiguring all the button options, now that more are programmable. The, I gotta go out and test to see how well various configurations work.

 

[HotGates]

Do it now

I'm actually hoping to have the update out by early December. I think the biggest challenge is reconfiguring all the button options, now that more are programmable. The, I gotta go out and test to see how well various configurations work.

Awesome Steve also let us know if firmware 3.0 is on par with the A1 now?

 

[Butlerkid]

@Ken Miracle - thanks for the detail discussion. Curios on this though. Why not assign this to one of the Ln buttons? Did you consider that?

For everyone here - if you are reprogramming your Z9 note that Nikon has updated the reference chart for settings in 3.0. I went to look to compare where I can use a button to switch (Ln1) my new choice, as compared to using the command dial (Fn2 as I had it).

Also for everyone, if you are reprogramming DISP and ISO what are you doing to change those now? ISO seems needed less often if using Auto ISO.

Thanks in advance for input.

I'm pretty much following Steve's guide in his Z9 Set Up eBook......

Shutter = shutter
AF-ON = AF-On
Fn1 and fn3 (for vertical shooting) = 3D
Fn2 = Single point or Dyn Sm

Video = Select AF Area/AF mode by turning dial ( handy to set Command dial roles reversed via F2 so that main dial changes AF area mode and sub dial (front) changes AF-S, AF-C, M)

Lens Fn and DISP = RSF Hold / Subj detect on or off
Audio button = Metering

 

[EricBowles]

But, doesn’t shooting JPEG still significantly reduce/limit what can be done in post?

It can, but the practical side is you have an EVF and can see what the image will look like in advance. Exposure is going to be very accurate. WB can be quite accurate. Both of those are areas where more latitude can be useful, but if you get those areas right, additional major editing changes are not necessary. Paul van Allen as well as a number of the Sports photographers using Nikon have indicated they shoot a lot of JPEG images for a range of reasons. Those who shoot video are used to the idea that they have to get it right in the camera and it extends to the way they shoot stills. On the other hand - you know when you need Raw and can choose to avoid pre-release capture in that situation.

 

[Anjin San]

Do it now

I'm actually hoping to have the update out by early December. I think the biggest challenge is reconfiguring all the button options, now that more are programmable. The, I gotta go out and test to see how well various configurations work.

Okey dokey then…I was leaning that way anyway.

 

[BillW]

It can, but the practical side is you have an EVF and can see what the image will look like in advance. Exposure is going to be very accurate. WB can be quite accurate. Both of those are areas where more latitude can be useful, but if you get those areas right, additional major editing changes are not necessary. Paul van Allen as well as a number of the Sports photographers using Nikon have indicated they shoot a lot of JPEG images for a range of reasons. Those who shoot video are used to the idea that they have to get it right in the camera and it extends to the way they shoot stills. On the other hand - you know when you need Raw and can choose to avoid pre-release capture in that situation.

It sounds like pre-capture may have been designed more with sports photography in mind than wildlfe photography. I assume the sports photographer may have a need to get images out very quickly, hence a good jpeg from the camera is highy desirable. Also, it seems to me that a sports photographer in many cases (not all of course) may have more stable/predictable light to deal with, making it easier to get jpegs right in camera. (Sorry if I am showing my ignorance here.)

I do think many wildlife photographers would appreciate pre-capture with raw, even if limited to HE* raw (particularly as photo editing software is now offering greater support for HE* raw and HE raw). The addition of C60 that can buffer 60 jpegs at around 20 mb each in pre-capture (if my memory serves), suggests that the buffer might have enough room for C30 pre-capture with HE* raw (or if need be, a 20 fps mode with HE* raw and pre-capture).

Given pre-capture is jpeg, at least for now, having a convenient way to quickly turn it on or off would be nice. A single button press or RSF would be helpful. For now the best route might be to assign release mode to the Quality button (set so you do not need to hold the button to change settings) with the upper left dial set to allow access to all of the shooting modes.

I'm still glad to have pre-capture as it is now. But I would be inclined to use it in a broader range of conditions for wildlife if it gave access to raw files.

 

[Nimi]

It can, but the practical side is you have an EVF and can see what the image will look like in advance. Exposure is going to be very accurate. WB can be quite accurate. Both of those are areas where more latitude can be useful, but if you get those areas right, additional major editing changes are not necessary. Paul van Allen as well as a number of the Sports photographers using Nikon have indicated they shoot a lot of JPEG images for a range of reasons. Those who shoot video are used to the idea that they have to get it right in the camera and it extends to the way they shoot stills. On the other hand - you know when you need Raw and can choose to avoid pre-release capture in that situation.

Not sure I understand the comment re video shooters getting it right in camera. Most pros I know shoot Log, which is unusable (although viewable) and that's the starting point to get it to something good. Like RAW in still photography it has the highest dynamic range which is then corrected and graded. RAW is becoming an option for video but still rarely used in commercial settings. It eats up way too much storage and brings down most computers.

 

[Ken Miracle]

@Ken Miracle - thanks for the detail discussion. Curios on this though. Why not assign this to one of the Ln buttons? Did you consider that?

For everyone here - if you are reprogramming your Z9 note that Nikon has updated the reference chart for settings in 3.0. I went to look to compare where I can use a button to switch (Ln1) my new choice, as compared to using the command dial (Fn2 as I had it).

Also for everyone, if you are reprogramming DISP and ISO what are you doing to change those now? ISO seems needed less often if using Auto ISO.

Thanks in advance for input.

You asking about the display button set to toggle fx to dx I am guessing. I have the lens function buttons set to other things mostly recall focus ... set at the start of an outing to the max distance I expect to be shooting at.

 

[Hooligans Imagery]

Back to the topic of the AF-ON button set to 3D with AF-ON. A new video shows the issue when eye detect doesn't engage.

 

[gdecamp]

I don't get what he's doing with that Af switching so frequently! Is he holding both down together at some points and letting one finger off then holding both and letting the other off? If so no wonder!

 

[Hooligans Imagery]

I don't get what he's doing with that Af switching so frequently! Is he holding both down together at some points and letting one finger off then holding both and letting the other off? If so no wonder!

This is the bug, or bird, when using 3D-AF-On from the AF-ON button with any AF-Mode except dynamic. It was fine in 2.1. It’s enabled with A7 set to Auto. There is a handoff from the shutter focus mode to 3D. He is switching to show the issue. It’s even worse with eye detect off. Way worse. So for example you could not focus on a butterfly on a flower, engage 3D and recompose. Works if the AF mode on the shutter is Dynamic.

 

[gdecamp]

Yes but my question is, is he holding both buttons down at the same time or letting one go then pressing the other?

 

[Hooligans Imagery]

Yes but my question is, is he holding both buttons down at the same time or letting one go then pressing the other?

I am not sure it matters. If you watch the middle top left you can see the camera switching from WA to 3D and my understanding is 3D takes over then. As mentioned 3D in 2.1 would immediately take over and not hunt with all AF modes.

 

[gdecamp]

I am not sure it matters. If you watch the middle top left you can see the camera switching from WA to 3D and my understanding is 3D takes over then. As mentioned 3D in 2.1 would immediately take over and not hunt with all AF modes.

That's what I was watching actually. I have mine set up with 3D on the shutter with Animal Detect and AF-ON, then I have Wide Area small or large on the back button (AFON) using Animal Detect as well and AF-ON enabled and have no issues. I guess they have it the other way around. I actually switched it once when I first heard of the bug (someone asked here) and one time I got wacky results and one time it was fine but it didn't vacillate back and forth in the upper left like this does. Puzzled unless you can't hold both buttons down a the same time, which I don't do. Hopefully they will resolve it soon for those who use this.

 

[Butlerkid]

That's what I was watching actually. I have mine set up with 3D on the shutter with Animal Detect and AF-ON, then I have Wide Area small or large on the back button (AFON) using Animal Detect as well and AF-ON enabled and have no issues. I guess they have it the other way around. I actually switched it once when I first heard of the bug (someone asked here) and one time I got wacky results and one time it was fine but it didn't vacillate back and forth in the upper left like this does. Puzzled unless you can't hold both buttons down a the same time, which I don't do. Hopefully they will resolve it soon for those who use this.

I'm confused on this discussion, but remember that Subj Detection will override "normal" performance of selected AF area mode.

See Page 171 of Steve's Z9 Set Up guide....

 

[gdecamp]

I'm confused on this discussion, but remember that Subj Detection will override "normal" performance of selected AF area mode.

See Page 171 of Steve's Z9 Set Up guide....

Correct but in this case both buttons have it set to Animal detect so both are on. I think the fellow doing the video may be pressing both at the same time but I have no proof of that and don't know if it can cause this behavior. I do one at a time and no issues, again who knows why no issues, maybe Steve will mess with it or Nikon will reply to emails..