Hello from MANHATTAN, I wanted to tell you I just finished watching The Vahagraphy UA-cam video of Jan 2, 2022, where my buddy Vahagan praised you, your work and your channel..all I can say, he's correct..kudos to you Josh for great content..Carmine 👍
As for me, these mirrorless camera take away the fun & the true learning skills of a traditional photography & videography…IMO! A great informative video, by the way…👍
@@BayouJosh I’m an old school from 35mm to DSLR shooters for over 30 years and this will be a challenging habit to break. But, as for perfect shot every time? No argue there for sure!🤣👍
I'm not a Nikon shooter and I'm not a subscriber.. but maybe I will be.. a subscriber I mean.. lol.. because I just watched one of the most honest not in your face camera reviews I think I've ever seen on UA-cam.. Thanks for that! Enjoy your new camera! I hope you continue to show in your videos how much fun photography can be.. Great Video!
Finally, Nikon has a good sensor. I have never liked the colors of the D1, D2, D3, etc... not accurate at all--way off. And now I am SOOOOOO happy they are using a Sony sensor, it's wonderful, what a perfect combination, I love it. the Z9 is awesome because of the Sony sensor. the best of both worlds.
love your comment at the end not deifying the nikon above sony/canon, but instead being pleased that nikon is at last in the 3 way conversation... very mature statement and rare on YT where most shooters are not just biased to a brand but are loyal to the point of blindness... much appreciated!
TGIF and your joy with the Z9.... bleeding that joy to me today as well like water moving through resting paper napkin...... those flying images of the owl, beautiful, wonderful~!~!~!
Love it Josh! Many paths to take and some, like us, tinker, poke and prod, stumble and get back up, to eventually getting there. That AF-hunting is not surprising on some of your images. Squint, or convert to black and white and squint. (heck, some are already b&w!) Close your eyes half way and you'll see the owl disappear.
Hi Josh excellent video as usual. Auto focus is even faster if you just set the focus mode to just Animal, people or vehicle depending on what you are photographing. Also Hudson Henry just posted several videos on setting up the Z9 for Action, Standard, Landscape and Astro. Worth taking a look at. Leep shooting. Bob
thanks for the heads up on the focus mode. I'll definitely be switching that. Just winging it. It's the way I learn. dive in a screw things up a bit then work it out afterwards.
I'm so glad to see that you waited along with the rest of us for Nikon to catch up to the rest of the mirrorless market with Autofocus. I've been yelling loudly in your comments to all the naysayers out there that Nikon will without a doubt catch up and maybe even surpass the rest of the class on autofocus. They haven't passed anyone yet but I think thats coming within a year or two. I am not sure if I am going to get the Z9 or wait a year and grab a Z8 or Z7iii because if history has shown me anything with Nikon is that they always put their flagship autofocus system in their lower end bodies a year or so after they drop. I may sell my Z6ii and Z7 and grab the Z9 anyways but honestly I really like the smaller bodies of the Z6 & Z7 bodies over the Flagship bodies with the grip. I do own a grip for my Z6ii just in case I'm shooting portraits but thats almost NEVER, so I guess it will just come down to how much effort I feel like putting into selling my other bodies and if Nikon teases any newer lower end bodies soon. Super glad you got your Z9 and I'm glad that I was one of the guys telling you to not even put any thought into it and to just get it because it will advance your channel without a doubt. Remember..... 108k within a year and you've doubled your subs in the last 5 months, so I expect it go grow super fast now that you got a fire lit under you right now with that new bazooka Z9! Good Luck Josh!!!
Great video. It may surprise you but the best part may have been the beginning where you were shooting and raving to your wife. And she responded with “that’s wonderful dear” or “I’m so happy for you” or words to that effect. I stopped the video then and there and replayed it for Marianne. Now at least she knows I’m not the only insane bird photographer out there. BTW, check out Hudson Henry’s latest Z9 video. He discusses a hybrid or dual focus mode where BBF engages one AF mode but the shutter release can program a totally different mode. I don’t have a Z9 so not exactly sure what he was describing but it seemed like he was using the first one to acquire, then the second one to track. Worth a look, maybe. Glad you’re having fun but I won’t be truly happy for you until you break out the new 400. Hope your wife stays supportive.
I think that the el. shutter alone, makes this camera better than any Canon or Sony. This is a big leap into the future of digital photography technology!
Hi Josh, great video, and I like your channel! I'm still a beginner in photography, and an absolute beginner in bird photography. And even worse, I'm a Canon guy, a proud owner of an R5. Since this is a video on autofocus, I thought I'd share a tip that I found on another youtube video; double back-button focusing. I've sat it up on my R5, and I'm sure you can do it on Nikon and Sony as well. So I use two buttons for back-button focus. The first one (AF on) is a single spot continous focus. I use that when the bird is a bit hard to find, maybe partly hiding is some branches. In those cases the Eye focus won't always work, so the standard one point is safer. Than if the bird moves or turns so that the eye becomes clearly visible, I move my thumb to the other button (the star button) which is set up for eye detection focus, and I have eye focus. This works well for me, so maybe it is worth trying.
Great advice! I’ve learned over the years that you can put 10 photographers in a room and get 10 different preferences on camera set up. I love that we can customize these cameras so much these days.
Great stuff. So you now have your own Z9 - you lucky, lucky b.....d!!! Here in the UK I can still not get any indication as to when we might see deliveries. I was chasing only yesterday but nothing has changed since I previously asked a couple of weeks back. Patience, patience, patience - I wish!!!
Dear Josh, you are a Pro bro! you're just being humble Sir! In truth, the Z9 is...to me, the best hybrid camera body in the world right now! Those who has fiddled with the D500,the D850 and even the D6 will attest to that for sure. What is scary is that this Z9 is already great with factory presets and in the years to come, Nikon will make it even better with future firmware updates. What this Z9 really does to shooters is that it forces you to learn the various AF modes to further improve and educate ourselves in order to execute our craft better and better. One can even do a full documentary movie on this thing! You really can. The Pro Res feature in video is like watching IMAXX on screen yo! Josh, now I look forward to more content of yours with your new Z9. Excellent work Bro.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us! I'm glad you finally pull the trigger on to Z9. I do believe that better equipment doesn't make you a better photographer but it will definitely makes your life easier and your experience much more smoother!
I love the way you are almost breathless with excitement. The modern mirrorless certainly can do that to you. I still find myself giggling some days when the camera grabs focus on a bird whizzing by.
Aha.. you've got it finally.. hope you have a good times with it. Personally after a big search i found till this moment, that the z6 ii sensor is more cleaner and sharper in photo shots. I'll be happy to know how you customised the single focus point on the the Z6 ii as you were a user for it. Keep those videos coming josh.
Thank you, Josh. This is exactly the type of information I've been looking for. Morten Hilmer also did a video that was straight to the point user information. Now, if my health improves I might end up with a Z9.
Love your measured, balanced, comprehensive approach to photography. Your videos stand out from the juvenile, clickbait non-photographer so called influencers on YT, Ted.
Hey Josh - been a fan since the early days. Excited for you with the Z9 - I completely understand the buzz of a new camera. It doesn't happen often, and great fun to have that new, hottest toy in your hands. That said, please don't change this channel to a hardware focus. I've always enjoyed your narratives, and coming along on your adventures and seeing what you see. YT is bombarded with videos about the Z9 and how it the best thing ever and run out and buy it!!!! Well, as you know, all of us can't - at least right now. So it's great to have content that focuses on other things, too ;-) All I'm saying is don't forget where you came from with this channel - you are a MASTER story teller. That said, I am excited to see what you do with the Z9 as my wife also watches your vids with me and I can say "see, look at what I could do with THAT camera!" ;-) (Course I need to find some Great Greys as cooperative as those - wow!)
Thank you so much Steve. It will certainly not turn into a gear channel. Like you said, I am just excited and I do get a fair share of guys reaching out asking me to do these reviews. back to normal next week. working on it now. 🙂
@@BayouJosh +1 to Steve Klett's request. - I can relate to you in so many ways. I upgraded my Nikon D70 after 18 years - gear Does(nt) matter just like you say. And I enjoy these videos. I got my Z9 in Mar 2022 and in my first shoot itself I had a 90% keeper rate. There are gremlins inside :) .
I received my Z9 Wednesday late afternoon. This week. Ya, Groundhog Day. I started charging the second battery and spent too much time going through the setup to catch anything. I have the sound turned way down. Many and the animals and birds I am interested in are very skittish. I hope this works for that. I really enjoy your work. Thanks for taking the time to share. And yes I am subscribed. I just don't post much. Take care.
Still waiting for my Z9. Hudson Henry is using an interesting strategy for focus on flying birds. He has set the shutter button focus for auto area which picks the birds up initially, but may lose them if they fly out of the focus square. He has the back button focus set for 3-D tracking. He acquires focus with the shutter button and then immediately hits the back button focus to follow the bird. For perching birds you can just use the back button for 3-D tracking.
Nice video with live shots. I'm the :gear hauler" in my marriage but occasionally I get to take some pictures.... lol I tell my wildlife photographer wife all the time she is cheating with her Sony A1. Once it gets locked on to a flying bird it will take focused images even as they fly through the trees. The technology change in cameras since she started many years ago is amazing.
This is one of the most honest videos I've ever seen on UA-cam for the Nikon Z9 I've just bought the Olympus OM-1 and it's incredible a new camera with new technology doesn't make you a better photographer but it definitely makes photography much easier and I've definitely gotten better results.
This is only the beginning. I feel over the next 6-12 months the firmware will fine tune issues and features. Great video. Thanks for showing examples and footage.
Yeah, I just got mine a few weeks ago and it is crazy good. That’s coming from the D500 and D850. My F mount lenses seem to work better with the Z9. Thank you for letting us know what focus configurations you’re using. That is very helpful.
This mirrors my experience with the R5 and adapted EF lenses. They were quicker and more accurate on the RF mount with EF adapter than on my EF 1DXmk3 or 5Dmk4. That you are finding the same on the F mount adapted lenses isn't a real surprise. If you have good F mount glass why change it?
Wow man! The best part of this is that you look and sound excited, AND that you aren't one of these photographers constantly nit picking and crying about a camera specs, and comparing what your brand does with other brands, etc. And I'm glad you stuck with Nikon, what people don't understand is that it is very costly and takes a lot of planning to jump from DSLRs cameras and lenses to mirrorless cameras and lenses, Sony and Canon bet on it earlier than Nikon because Nikon was doing pretty well with one of the best cameras ever made, the D850, etc so they didn't think at that moment that it was a good move, but I'm glad they have finally caught up with the rest. Can't wait to see your images and videos with the Z9! 😎📸💯
That you claim to have got some of your best owl shots to date is the best endorsement of how this new tool is performing in your hands. I had a similar experience with my D6 (also with Great Greys) about a year ago. Hope this allows you to capture more and better shots…but not at the expense of you telling a great story. Kudos.
You couldn't hide your enthusiasm for this camera, well done. I look forward to your videos going forward with this super beast. Well done. What is valuable is that you are not some Nikon sponsored 'expert' so what you say is an honest users view
It is exciting to have something that actually makes it a little easier. I feel like we've been struggling and watching other companies pull away for the last few years.
Amazing camera and than you Josh for sharing your experience. Beautiful shots of owls!!! I am still waiting for my Z9. Maybe I will receive it before summer!
Great to see you out in the field with it Josh. And that it lives up to expectations. My main issue is having to damn many keepers to choose from, I've gone down to 15 fps to to reduce my post processing workload!
Right!!!! I can't believe how much time I would spend going back and forth between 10-20 perfect shots and trying to figure out which one is the most perfect 😆
As a side note. I don't own one of these yet. But of course it's a great investment! Because I did some research, and the Z9 has already sold 400,000 pre-orders. That's about $2.2 billion worth of sales on just pre-orders alone! Hypothetically this camera should retain basically it's full retail value, and it might even go up in value over time, like some of the Sony A7 and Canon EOS series. Also, it could be a camera that could last the rest of your life. With all the features, including 4K and 8K video, it's entirely possible that a person might never need to buy another camera. Some professional video channels on UA-cam are still using 1080p, and these are people who shoot cinema cameras for a living. Around 2014, the technology of sensors started to reach a plateau in their image quality. It's unlikely that our eye will be able to see any improvements moving forward, even if the sensors do get better. The technology is "mature." My point is, I could see the Z9 (and keep in mind it can accept new firmware) being relevant for at least 10 more years.
Many thanks for sharing your honest experience in the field. For most of us out there, wildlife photographers, it is more about real life experience in the field and the actual end results than theoretical figures and tests. Your video conveys just that and is really motivating. And, well done for the great shots.
Great video. I'm glad you are enjoying the camera. I'm having a lot of fun with mine. I have my back button set to work with Wide area small with animal tracking. I set my FN1 button to use single point and engage AF, FN2 to Wide Area Large and engage AF and set FN3 to use 3d tracking and engage AF. This way I don't have to turn dials depending on my situation. This is how I had my Pv button set on my d850 with my back button on single point and my Pv set to group AF. This way, I don't need to stop shooting when I want to change AF modes. I am finding this setup works really well for me. I couldn't do this on my z6ii and it was a pain to hold the button and turn the dial. I have to try some of your video tips and do some more of that.
I'm learning that you can get 10 guys in a room and get 10 different ways to set up the cameras. I'll probably change my buttons around 4-5 times in the next month.
Forget the gear, the joy you andd yo wife bring to photography is wonderful. Thank you for sharing! (Also the Z9 is amazing. 😁) Edit: 10:15 Those "I was fumbling to get the shot" shots are jaw-dropping. The Z9 is no joke!
Thanks Josh. The more "in the field" reviews of any piece of equipment is leagues better than any "on paper" or "out-of-the-box" testimonials. I appreciate your honest review of the Z9, especially when it comes to in-flight shots.
Glad you got this, and this is the reason I sold my 6ii and 7ii to get a second one as Nikon is mainly going to be focusing their firmware improvements on the Z9. Cant wait to see more Z9 content. This was great.
Thanks for giving me a few hours with the Z9. I can’t wait for mine to show up! Glad the back button/shutter release tip worked better for you. Loving the Atomos!
Congratulations on getting and setting up your Z9. I just added a Canon R5 and a trick someone told me was to assign the Eye AF to one button on the back, and the single spot Eye af to a different button on the back, so you have Two Eye AF buttons. I try the Eye AF one first, and if gets lost, I press the single point AF button. Saves a lot of time just being able to press one button when the fancy AF modes don't lock on. Happy Shooting.
Hello from MANHATTAN,
I wanted to tell you I just finished watching The Vahagraphy UA-cam video of Jan 2, 2022, where my buddy Vahagan praised you, your work and your channel..all I can say, he's correct..kudos to you Josh for great content..Carmine 👍
You are very kind Carmine. thank you so much. Vahagn is a good friend and a great ambassador in the Nikon community.
For someone that wasn't sent a Z9 from Nikon, you've made the most useful video on the autofocus. Good job Josh
Still figuring it out. I'm sure I overlooked a few things. 🙂
As for me, these mirrorless camera take away the fun & the true learning skills of a traditional photography & videography…IMO!
A great informative video, by the way…👍
But it sure it's fun to nail the shot over and over again.
@@BayouJosh I’m an old school from 35mm to DSLR shooters for over 30 years and this will be a challenging habit to break. But, as for perfect shot every time? No argue there for sure!🤣👍
Well Josh, your game is moving on up. I can't wait to see some of your new photos and videos with the new Z9.
S/O to the Gremlins. I've had the chance to use a Z9 over a weekend and I felt the same way. It's like black magic.
So cool Josh, that your really happy with Z9 camera. Looking forward to your next video.
I'm not a Nikon shooter and I'm not a subscriber.. but maybe I will be.. a subscriber I mean.. lol.. because I just watched one of the most honest not in your face camera reviews I think I've ever seen on UA-cam.. Thanks for that! Enjoy your new camera! I hope you continue to show in your videos how much fun photography can be.. Great Video!
thanks so much Billy. It is a fun hobby!
@@BayouJoshYes.. It certainly is a fun hobby!
Awesome to see your excitement about it
When shooting birds - Put in bird detection mode. Then the camera knows what you want 👍🏻 You had it in auto detection. I think that’s the reason
Finally, Nikon has a good sensor. I have never liked the colors of the D1, D2, D3, etc... not accurate at all--way off. And now I am SOOOOOO happy they are using a Sony sensor, it's wonderful, what a perfect combination, I love it. the Z9 is awesome because of the Sony sensor. the best of both worlds.
Sony color is bad and difficult to post process. Great colors in Nikon is not because it’s a Sony sensor but because it’s a Nikon calibrated sensor
love your comment at the end not deifying the nikon above sony/canon, but instead being pleased that nikon is at last in the 3 way conversation... very mature statement and rare on YT where most shooters are not just biased to a brand but are loyal to the point of blindness... much appreciated!
There are a lot of great cameras out there and I can honestly say that this is a wonderful time to be a photographer.
Just now found this channel. Where have you been hiding during my hundreds of wildlife photography searches?? Let the binge watching commence
Oh Yay!!! you just made my day. UA-cam and that dang search algorithm. they get it right sometimes. 😄
TGIF and your joy with the Z9.... bleeding that joy to me today as well like water moving through resting paper napkin...... those flying images of the owl, beautiful, wonderful~!~!~!
😀
Love it Josh! Many paths to take and some, like us, tinker, poke and prod, stumble and get back up, to eventually getting there. That AF-hunting is not surprising on some of your images. Squint, or convert to black and white and squint. (heck, some are already b&w!) Close your eyes half way and you'll see the owl disappear.
😄 right?
This is how a review should be. I hope Jared Polin is watching. Very informative straight to the point no nonsense like Polin does.
Hi Josh excellent video as usual. Auto focus is even faster if you just set the focus mode to just Animal, people or vehicle depending on what you are photographing. Also Hudson Henry just posted several videos on setting up the Z9 for Action, Standard, Landscape and Astro. Worth taking a look at. Leep shooting. Bob
thanks for the heads up on the focus mode. I'll definitely be switching that. Just winging it. It's the way I learn. dive in a screw things up a bit then work it out afterwards.
In those videos he talks about using a hybrid AF approach of wide area and 3d with looks very promising.
Wonderful video with honest review, a must view for all photographers.
Many thanks!
I JUST picked up my Z9 today from the store and WOW!!!!!!!!!! SO MANY KEEPERS NOW!!!
I'm so glad to see that you waited along with the rest of us for Nikon to catch up to the rest of the mirrorless market with Autofocus. I've been yelling loudly in your comments to all the naysayers out there that Nikon will without a doubt catch up and maybe even surpass the rest of the class on autofocus. They haven't passed anyone yet but I think thats coming within a year or two. I am not sure if I am going to get the Z9 or wait a year and grab a Z8 or Z7iii because if history has shown me anything with Nikon is that they always put their flagship autofocus system in their lower end bodies a year or so after they drop. I may sell my Z6ii and Z7 and grab the Z9 anyways but honestly I really like the smaller bodies of the Z6 & Z7 bodies over the Flagship bodies with the grip. I do own a grip for my Z6ii just in case I'm shooting portraits but thats almost NEVER, so I guess it will just come down to how much effort I feel like putting into selling my other bodies and if Nikon teases any newer lower end bodies soon. Super glad you got your Z9 and I'm glad that I was one of the guys telling you to not even put any thought into it and to just get it because it will advance your channel without a doubt. Remember..... 108k within a year and you've doubled your subs in the last 5 months, so I expect it go grow super fast now that you got a fire lit under you right now with that new bazooka Z9! Good Luck Josh!!!
Thanks brother. I am sure the tech will trickle down. It is exciting times for Nikon.
Great video. It may surprise you but the best part may have been the beginning where you were shooting and raving to your wife. And she responded with “that’s wonderful dear” or “I’m so happy for you” or words to that effect. I stopped the video then and there and replayed it for Marianne. Now at least she knows I’m not the only insane bird photographer out there.
BTW, check out Hudson Henry’s latest Z9 video. He discusses a hybrid or dual focus mode where BBF engages one AF mode but the shutter release can program a totally different mode. I don’t have a Z9 so not exactly sure what he was describing but it seemed like he was using the first one to acquire, then the second one to track. Worth a look, maybe.
Glad you’re having fun but I won’t be truly happy for you until you break out the new 400. Hope your wife stays supportive.
I think that the el. shutter alone, makes this camera better than any Canon or Sony. This is a big leap into the future of digital photography technology!
It is pretty amazing.
Congrats with camera Josh. Man I want to visit you, what a magnificent birds.
Good honest video Josh and I take no credit, but do feel a wee bit of pleasure in knowing I encouraged you to buy it!! 😊
😆
very interesting and as always, also informative
Hello Josh Nice video I’m very happy that you are happy with z9 Beautiful job Gary temor
Such beautiful country and you are doing a wonderful job of telling the story of you capturing it.
Thank you so much!
Hi Josh, great video, and I like your channel! I'm still a beginner in photography, and an absolute beginner in bird photography. And even worse, I'm a Canon guy, a proud owner of an R5. Since this is a video on autofocus, I thought I'd share a tip that I found on another youtube video; double back-button focusing.
I've sat it up on my R5, and I'm sure you can do it on Nikon and Sony as well. So I use two buttons for back-button focus. The first one (AF on) is a single spot continous focus. I use that when the bird is a bit hard to find, maybe partly hiding is some branches. In those cases the Eye focus won't always work, so the standard one point is safer. Than if the bird moves or turns so that the eye becomes clearly visible, I move my thumb to the other button (the star button) which is set up for eye detection focus, and I have eye focus.
This works well for me, so maybe it is worth trying.
Great advice! I’ve learned over the years that you can put 10 photographers in a room and get 10 different preferences on camera set up. I love that we can customize these cameras so much these days.
I can tell by your voice you're loving it - looking forward not backwards... i'm selling my DSLR gear... before it's worthless
You are going to love it.
Nice, this is the video I've been waiting to see. Glad you finally got the camera. You have some great images on your instagram account buddy!!
thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Great stuff. So you now have your own Z9 - you lucky, lucky b.....d!!! Here in the UK I can still not get any indication as to when we might see deliveries. I was chasing only yesterday but nothing has changed since I previously asked a couple of weeks back. Patience, patience, patience - I wish!!!
Patience is tough when it’s something exciting like this. Hang in there Brian.
@@BayouJosh I am, I am, but, boy is it frustrating!!!
I almost watched all of your video and I enjoy it, keep it up.
Thank you so much 😊
I love the intro ! The best on on the Nikon Z9 !
thank you my friend.
Glad to see you having fun with your new Z9 Josh. I can hear the excitement in your voice. These new digitals are well worth the purchase.
thank you. Indeed makes things fun.
Dear Josh, you are a Pro bro! you're just being humble Sir! In truth, the Z9 is...to me, the best hybrid camera body in the world right now!
Those who has fiddled with the D500,the D850 and even the D6 will attest to that for sure. What is scary is that this Z9 is already great with factory presets and in the years to come, Nikon will make it even better with future firmware updates.
What this Z9 really does to shooters is that it forces you to learn the various AF modes to further improve and educate ourselves in order to execute our craft better and better.
One can even do a full documentary movie on this thing! You really can. The Pro Res feature in video is like watching IMAXX on screen yo!
Josh, now I look forward to more content of yours with your new Z9. Excellent work Bro.
Thank you so much my friend. there certainly is a lot to learn with this thing.
Glad you like it. The 500 PF is great and excellent for handheld work. I can’t wait to see how you like the results when the 400 TC lands.
Thank you, I can't wait either. it is going to be fun.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us! I'm glad you finally pull the trigger on to Z9. I do believe that better equipment doesn't make you a better photographer but it will definitely makes your life easier and your experience much more smoother!
I totally agree!
Great images Josh! Thanks for sharing. Keep them coming.
Thanks, will do!
An Excellent review by non-KOL or non-professional photographer, that is really helpful for amateur users
Thank you. Glad it helped.
I’m sold .. thanks Josh! Can’t wait until I get the Z9 .. and also great moments capturing the great greys!
Right on!
I love the way you are almost breathless with excitement. The modern mirrorless certainly can do that to you. I still find myself giggling some days when the camera grabs focus on a bird whizzing by.
It is pretty amazing! I think that breathlessness is me needing to control my breathing a little better. Thank you so much though.
Aha.. you've got it finally.. hope you have a good times with it.
Personally after a big search i found till this moment, that the z6 ii sensor is more cleaner and sharper in photo shots.
I'll be happy to know how you customised the single focus point on the the Z6 ii as you were a user for it.
Keep those videos coming josh.
Hope you enjoy it!
Excellent explanation
Thankyou
Thank you, Josh. This is exactly the type of information I've been looking for. Morten Hilmer also did a video that was straight to the point user information. Now, if my health improves I might end up with a Z9.
I like what your saying, Please just keep on enjoying photography.
Thanks, will do!
Love your measured, balanced, comprehensive approach to photography. Your videos stand out from the juvenile, clickbait non-photographer so called influencers on YT, Ted.
Thank you so much Ted.
Beautiful owl and shots.
Many thanks!
Hey Josh - been a fan since the early days. Excited for you with the Z9 - I completely understand the buzz of a new camera. It doesn't happen often, and great fun to have that new, hottest toy in your hands. That said, please don't change this channel to a hardware focus. I've always enjoyed your narratives, and coming along on your adventures and seeing what you see. YT is bombarded with videos about the Z9 and how it the best thing ever and run out and buy it!!!! Well, as you know, all of us can't - at least right now. So it's great to have content that focuses on other things, too ;-) All I'm saying is don't forget where you came from with this channel - you are a MASTER story teller. That said, I am excited to see what you do with the Z9 as my wife also watches your vids with me and I can say "see, look at what I could do with THAT camera!" ;-) (Course I need to find some Great Greys as cooperative as those - wow!)
Thank you so much Steve. It will certainly not turn into a gear channel. Like you said, I am just excited and I do get a fair share of guys reaching out asking me to do these reviews. back to normal next week. working on it now. 🙂
@@BayouJosh +1 to Steve Klett's request. - I can relate to you in so many ways. I upgraded my Nikon D70 after 18 years - gear Does(nt) matter just like you say. And I enjoy these videos. I got my Z9 in Mar 2022 and in my first shoot itself I had a 90% keeper rate. There are gremlins inside :) .
Brilliant , and honest assessment as always. Thank you. Ian (UK)
Thank you Ian.
Impressive gear! Thanks for taking to the time to share. Insightful
I have the same setup and was also blown away. First by the 500pf and now with that lens attached to my Z9.
I received my Z9 Wednesday late afternoon. This week. Ya, Groundhog Day. I started charging the second battery and spent too much time going through the setup to catch anything. I have the sound turned way down. Many and the animals and birds I am interested in are very skittish. I hope this works for that.
I really enjoy your work. Thanks for taking the time to share. And yes I am subscribed. I just don't post much. Take care.
Glad you received yours. Exciting times.
Still waiting for my Z9. Hudson Henry is using an interesting strategy for focus on flying birds. He has set the shutter button focus for auto area which picks the birds up initially, but may lose them if they fly out of the focus square. He has the back button focus set for 3-D tracking. He acquires focus with the shutter button and then immediately hits the back button focus to follow the bird. For perching birds you can just use the back button for 3-D tracking.
Nice video with live shots. I'm the :gear hauler" in my marriage but occasionally I get to take some pictures.... lol
I tell my wildlife photographer wife all the time she is cheating with her Sony A1. Once it gets locked on to a flying bird it will take focused images even as they fly through the trees. The technology change in cameras since she started many years ago is amazing.
so true
This is one of the most honest videos I've ever seen on UA-cam for the Nikon Z9
I've just bought the Olympus OM-1 and it's incredible a new camera with new technology doesn't make you a better photographer but it definitely makes photography much easier and I've definitely gotten better results.
This is only the beginning. I feel over the next 6-12 months the firmware will fine tune issues and features. Great video. Thanks for showing examples and footage.
I hope you're right
Aw, you're a professional. Great video. Enjoy the camera, can't wait to see how you grow
Thank you so much!!
thanks for tell us your exoerice! I hope you can give us more beutiful shots with this equipment
thanks for tagging along.
Thanks for this video! The Owl footage is awesome!
Excellent video, just excellent. And I am an Olympus shooter, never owned a Nikon.
Yeah, I just got mine a few weeks ago and it is crazy good. That’s coming from the D500 and D850. My F mount lenses seem to work better with the Z9. Thank you for letting us know what focus configurations you’re using. That is very helpful.
It really is! I think I may have been limiting myself by not having it exclusively set to animal eye tracking.
This mirrors my experience with the R5 and adapted EF lenses. They were quicker and more accurate on the RF mount with EF adapter than on my EF 1DXmk3 or 5Dmk4. That you are finding the same on the F mount adapted lenses isn't a real surprise. If you have good F mount glass why change it?
Wow man! The best part of this is that you look and sound excited, AND that you aren't one of these photographers constantly nit picking and crying about a camera specs, and comparing what your brand does with other brands, etc. And I'm glad you stuck with Nikon, what people don't understand is that it is very costly and takes a lot of planning to jump from DSLRs cameras and lenses to mirrorless cameras and lenses, Sony and Canon bet on it earlier than Nikon because Nikon was doing pretty well with one of the best cameras ever made, the D850, etc so they didn't think at that moment that it was a good move, but I'm glad they have finally caught up with the rest. Can't wait to see your images and videos with the Z9! 😎📸💯
Well said.
Oh.. and don’t apologize for shaky footage man :-) it gives that ‘live’ and real feeling to it.
AMAZING !!!! Definitely my next purchace
Just wow! Not being patronizing… your videos are fantastic!
Wow, thank you!
That you claim to have got some of your best owl shots to date is the best endorsement of how this new tool is performing in your hands. I had a similar experience with my D6 (also with Great Greys) about a year ago. Hope this allows you to capture more and better shots…but not at the expense of you telling a great story. Kudos.
Thanks Marcus. More stories on the way.
Awesome Josh, I am glad you have your new camera! You extremely excited
So excited
Amazing Amazing Review
It was the best video I saw about the Z9 focus system
Great Job
Thanks a ton!
What a great and honest review , thank you for sharing it BJ !
My pleasure!
Could sense your excitement from the start. The wait has been worth it I see. Looking forward to more.
😀
What a wonderfully accurate assessment of the strengths and shortcomings of this AF system. Great video. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for watching Paula.
I always like first and then watch your video... but this time its for Nikon Z9......🤘
You're the best! thank you.
Awesome location for getting so many owls.
Great AF video 😁
Thank you 😊
Your excitement is infectious! Congratulations on nailing your best BIF shots with your new toy :)
Thanks so much!!
You couldn't hide your enthusiasm for this camera, well done. I look forward to your videos going forward with this super beast. Well done. What is valuable is that you are not some Nikon sponsored 'expert' so what you say is an honest users view
It is exciting to have something that actually makes it a little easier. I feel like we've been struggling and watching other companies pull away for the last few years.
Amazing camera and than you Josh for sharing your experience. Beautiful shots of owls!!! I am still waiting for my Z9. Maybe I will receive it before summer!
Fingers crossed!
Great to see you out in the field with it Josh. And that it lives up to expectations. My main issue is having to damn many keepers to choose from, I've gone down to 15 fps to to reduce my post processing workload!
Right!!!! I can't believe how much time I would spend going back and forth between 10-20 perfect shots and trying to figure out which one is the most perfect 😆
Another great and resourceful video. Thanks, Bayou
As a side note. I don't own one of these yet. But of course it's a great investment! Because I did some research, and the Z9 has already sold 400,000 pre-orders. That's about $2.2 billion worth of sales on just pre-orders alone! Hypothetically this camera should retain basically it's full retail value, and it might even go up in value over time, like some of the Sony A7 and Canon EOS series. Also, it could be a camera that could last the rest of your life. With all the features, including 4K and 8K video, it's entirely possible that a person might never need to buy another camera. Some professional video channels on UA-cam are still using 1080p, and these are people who shoot cinema cameras for a living. Around 2014, the technology of sensors started to reach a plateau in their image quality. It's unlikely that our eye will be able to see any improvements moving forward, even if the sensors do get better. The technology is "mature." My point is, I could see the Z9 (and keep in mind it can accept new firmware) being relevant for at least 10 more years.
I agree. Same with all the new flagship mirrorless camera. they are all so good!
Wow! This video has got me very excited for mine to come. Good thing it’s winter and birding is not too good yet at least around here. Thanks Josh!
You are going to love it.
So happy you’ve got one and got already these amazing results.
thank you so much.
im glad nikon finally came thru ..
Many thanks for sharing your honest experience in the field. For most of us out there, wildlife photographers, it is more about real life experience in the field and the actual end results than theoretical figures and tests. Your video conveys just that and is really motivating. And, well done for the great shots.
I am glad you enjoy it Patrick. thank you,
Brilliant video Josh, nikon should make you an ambassador for them . Your enthusiasm and honesty is infectious.
Thanks Peter. I don’t think Nikon is worried too much about me.
congtrates on your z9 and to think im only now getting a used d850 as the prices here in uk have dropped
Thanks Josh. Canon shooter but I watch all your videos regardless of camera content as there is always tips to better myself.
Bayou Josh - I like your channel, and your honesty/directness. - Subscribed.
Great video. I'm glad you are enjoying the camera. I'm having a lot of fun with mine. I have my back button set to work with Wide area small with animal tracking. I set my FN1 button to use single point and engage AF, FN2 to Wide Area Large and engage AF and set FN3 to use 3d tracking and engage AF. This way I don't have to turn dials depending on my situation. This is how I had my Pv button set on my d850 with my back button on single point and my Pv set to group AF. This way, I don't need to stop shooting when I want to change AF modes. I am finding this setup works really well for me. I couldn't do this on my z6ii and it was a pain to hold the button and turn the dial. I have to try some of your video tips and do some more of that.
I'm learning that you can get 10 guys in a room and get 10 different ways to set up the cameras. I'll probably change my buttons around 4-5 times in the next month.
This is great
Awesome. Happy for you Josh.
Forget the gear, the joy you andd yo wife bring to photography is wonderful. Thank you for sharing! (Also the Z9 is amazing. 😁)
Edit: 10:15 Those "I was fumbling to get the shot" shots are jaw-dropping. The Z9 is no joke!
Well hello and welcome to the Mirrorless world of photography ! You remind me of when I bought the Sony A9 ! Blown away ! 😀👍😍
Definitely blown away.
I’m so glad you chose to buy this camera. Great photos, great video.
Me too! thank you my friend.
Glad your enjoying your new Z9 Josh! Keep making good shots. 👌🏾👌🏾
Thanks Josh. The more "in the field" reviews of any piece of equipment is leagues better than any "on paper" or "out-of-the-box" testimonials. I appreciate your honest review of the Z9, especially when it comes to in-flight shots.
Hi! As usual, awesome review, observation & comment. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Glad you got this, and this is the reason I sold my 6ii and 7ii to get a second one as Nikon is mainly going to be focusing their firmware improvements on the Z9. Cant wait to see more Z9 content. This was great.
Thanks Dave.
Thanks for giving me a few hours with the Z9. I can’t wait for mine to show up! Glad the back button/shutter release tip worked better for you. Loving the Atomos!
Thanks for pointing that out. Let me know if you have any other secrets you want to share. 😆
Excellent video
Very well presented, I can't wait to get mine, until then I have been using a D500 for birds instead of my Z6ii or Z7 and have far more keepers.
Congratulations on getting and setting up your Z9. I just added a Canon R5 and a trick someone told me was to assign the Eye AF to one button on the back, and the single spot Eye af to a different button on the back, so you have Two Eye AF buttons. I try the Eye AF one first, and if gets lost, I press the single point AF button. Saves a lot of time just being able to press one button when the fancy AF modes don't lock on. Happy Shooting.
Great idea