I solved this problem by setting my af-on button to single or wide area small then the shutter/primary focus to auto area . With the af on I can have the camera focus exactly where I want and the auto-area in the shutter button can do all the guess work . I also think it’s very important Nikon gives us the option of assigning subject detect options to buttons .
This helps but I have seen tests and even the smallest point autofocus would see past the bird, this effected all camera brands but mainly nikon. I have a Sony A1 and still just use the smallest point autofocus for all my bird photography other than flight shots, I just feel like I can't rely on wide focus areas
We should not have to do a focus mode dance to have the modes work. With my Z6II I do a focus mode dance with my function buttons, but I still had to manually rack back with my Z100-400mm lens with some subjects. My Z8 focus modes are much better but I agree with Matt about Nikon should make that firmware change. All the Exspeed 6 Nikons would benefit as well as the Exspeed 7 bodies.
The epitome of positive criticism. You find issues, provide a solution and move on. But you stay with and appreciate your suff. Very professional. Been watching your channel since "That Nikon Guy" started way back!👍 The Fro would cry, complain then switch brands.🤣
@@oatsgoats39 The point is, there is NO perfect camera. If there was such a thing, I guess the entire world would use it. You can switch but my guess is that it too will have some type of issue. Then switch again? I guess it's ok if money isn't important. Becoming a good photographer is not just pushing 1 button and voila.
@Matt Granger - the AF issue that you mentioned is common with every Canon and even Sony cameras as well. It’s a general mirrorless issue not specific to Nikon. Check Duade Paton’s video on this issue in Canon system. The trick here is to move your camera and focus closer to a larger subject which might not be a bird. Then again focus on the bird, it works 99% of the time. Z9 is an Amazing Camera there is nothing like it on the market currently. Perhaps Nikon should release Z90/Z500 soon which has same AF as Z9.. that will allow lot of people to purchase lower end APSC version 😊
Panasonic has AF-Near and AF-Far modes that force the focus system to go in a specific direction and you can program that to a custom button. Very handy.
Would challenge this by saying the A1 absolutely keeps up and in some areas exceeds th Z9/Z8. I'm in the middle of switching from Medium Format to FF and have been testing both extensively side by side. In fact... I would go as far as to say Z8/Z9 are over hyped. FOR Nikon they are amazing in the sense the company is staying relevant finally. Overall I'm waiting to see if Nikon will embrace mirror less for all it has to offer including.... stopping the artificial limiting of customizing buttons and embracing lightweight high performance flagship cameras. To me it seems Nikon Z is DSLR design w/o a mirror that weighs essentially the same but has the tech of mirror less cameras which for me is a disappointment. This will lead to an overall low conversion rate which is what the company needs IMO to keep up w/ Canon/Sony.
The reason why DSLRs are much less prone to this issue, is that their dedicated phase AF sensors are set up in a way that gives them a much deeper DoF. Even when your subject is blurred beyond recognition in the image at wide open aperture, DSLR PDAF system still sees it as it would have been with lens aperture considerably closed and thus getting a much higher chance of catching it.
@@mattgranger DSLR's don't look for contrast, they look for phase shift (PDAF = phase detect AF), which isn't the same thing. Mirrorless introduced contrast-detect AF (CDAF), which is slower, but much more accurate and capable of working with subject detection algorithms. It's important to note that most mirrorless offerings use a hybrid PDAF/CDAF system, where the phase detection system has been moved to the sensor itself, typically by adding specific pixels for just this purpose.
There's a technical reason why MILC have this issue. The masked on-sensor PDAF pixels have a limited geometry vs the discrete PDAF sensors on DSLRs. This limits their ability to properly detect both the phase differential and phase direction when the subject under the PDAF pixels is far outside of focus. Essentially the camera is blind to the subject, and this blindness is indistinguishable to the camera vs a scenario where there's no subject under the PDAF pixels. This geometry issue is worst at long focal lengths, where the phase differentials are greatest relative to the exit pupil distance of those lenses. Your proposed solution is reasonable, although it may interfere in situations where there's no subject and the camera pays a time penalty racking through focus searching for a subject. Rather than performing this automatically I think a button to initiate it will probably yield the best balance between a solution to the issue and not breaking other AF scenarios.
@@juergenbaumann8817 yes low light performance is awful on z6ii / 7ii if you don't have at least f1,8 lens (you have to shoot it wide open, because it doesn't open up the aperture like dslr when focusing). Plus there is no flash assist grid from flash, which is really useful when photographing low light events...
The ultimate professionals at all level. Thanks for keep all content clear and concise. I am still shooting DSLR still waiting for the mirrorless camera that meet all my requirements. Keep up the great job
This is definitely true Matt. I missed a lot of shots because of this when I first got my Z8. I usually just point the camera at the ground below the subject and it focuses, then I can acquire focus on the bird. That's quicker for me than trying to fumble around for the focus ring or a recall button.
I have a Sony A1 and still use the smallest autofocus area for bird photography, only just started trusting bird eye AF, but for a year I didn't use it because it would pick up on tree knots, ears etc. With 4 years using mirrorless it comes naturally for me to close focus and pre-focus near the subject so I rarely get into the situation my autofocus is seeing past the subject and I can't pick it up, all that aside it still does catch me out from time to time
Well on Canon and Sony you don't need to "beat around the ground" to get accurate focus. Nikon Z AF sucks big time. While the Nikon DSLRs were the best for AF
Matt's nature footage is spot on: No effects/overly done color correction BS, calm, tasteful and suitable music, variety of closeups vs wide shots. well done mate.
When my lens is already focused beyond the subject I point down at the ground or something close by and get it to focus on that quickly and then back to the subject and it grabs the subject more easily. Your plan for a programmable distance to refocus sounds very good.
In the firmware, and when it appears on the menu, they could also add an interval distance for how much the camera should "retract" the focus point. For example, pull back 5, 10, 15, or 20 metres to a new starting point from which to move forward to find the subject. It might ease the load on the processor as it would allow it to work within a smaller range, and likely this would reduce the electrical demand on the battery. Good work on our part on sussing this out.
My canon r5 acts the exact same way and I’ve heard it explained so many times simply as how mirrorless cameras works. You’ve offered the first possible solution I have heard. Love your consistent loyalty and criticism. You’ve shown over the years that you have a preference but you’re not a blind loyalist. Respect for that for sure.
You are a very good teacher. You have been passing on knowledge for so many years and your tests are a pleasure to watch. Good photographer too. Regards :)
I fell down stairs at Christmas and saved my EOS R but broke my leg. Lost a good excuse to buy a new camera and laid me out of work for two months with a stack of medical bills. Lesson: know when drop your gear to save yourself. Health is infinitely more valuable. Trust me.
Agreed. I often find myself tilting the lens downwards to a closer focus point then look at the subject to focus. I like your recall button hack, will set it up.
I have seen it even with stuff like the horizon using a single point: it's foggy, my Zf could not find focus and my D750 did it immediately. I did not have the Z8 with me so I don't know if it will be better. I believe your solution is very good. I have not seen Nikon's code, so I am not sure how easy is to add that logic. One issue is that the Nikon system is comparably slow going from closer focus to infinity compared to Sony and Canon so maybe they try and it was counterproductive most of the time. Finally, to underscore Matt's final point, I used to do a lot of Dance photography and people loved my results because I was able to nail the face and peek action most of the time. Back then, and even during the DSLR days, nobody was opening the picture in a 4K looking at the jump at 100%, and checking if the eyes were in focus (I am talking about the presentation, with no flash). It was: face is basically in "focus", dude you are a monster. Same for birds, you were expected to sharpen the eyes a little bit, not to nail the eyes of a bird in flight at f2.8 all the time. The cameras are pretty good but basically, Sony changed the game forever.
Good for you. I thought it was my technique that caused the out of focus problem on my Z9. It wasn't, it's the camera... still figuring out the best way to fix it.
@@johnvaleanbaily246 How would you be "moving down market" when switching to Sony, the manufacturer with the industry-leading AF, who also produces the sensors of your current system?!
Totally agree Matt. I sometimes wonder if the focusing could be helped when the Z9 is confused if it reduced its aperture and so increased its depth of field in certain focussing situations. The viewfinder is now capable of brightening the image for the photographer. Increased DOF could also help the photographer find his subject quicker though the sensor will have less light to work with
The autofocus issue is such a delight to hear told - because - it occurs on other systems too! Here i was hearing that the Z-system was all-that, getting annoyed specifically with focus subject detection on my duji x-h2s and 150-600 lens, and the issue turns out to be endemic to mirrorless! Thanks!!! Now i definitely love my fujis and consider the issue a general one!
Well i managed to drop my z9 twice in 3 months of having it 😂 have a really small tear in the eyecup plastic from the 2nd time and thats about it. Both times ftz II with 28 1.4E and everythign still perfect, tho i had a big as bruise on my leg for few weeks 😂
Took a tumble with my z6 and 70-200 while hiking. Camera went tumbling. My heart sank. Upon inspection all was well. Anecdotal, I know. What experience have you had with mirrorless being less durable? Not arguing, just general curiosity.
Matt, the reason the Z cameras are doing this is because so many people complained about Focus Hunting when the DSLR's were designed to do this. The simple fact is that Hunting was the most efficient way to find the subject when the image was so blurred that the AF system lacked in guidance as to where the subject was. BTW, Nikon wasn't alone in getting dunned for hunting and today we see the results. Focus systems no longer hunt for a subject, if they cant recognize a subject to focus on it's programmed to go to infinity and stay in that range. IMO what is needed is a handy button we can push to pull the focus to a preset distance in feet or meters. Until that happens the manual focus override is the only option.
I use af-on button like a single point. When the camera don't find the subject, I push the button to find it. Immediately the camera select the subject one time is on focus. Best regards!
I don't shoot birds, but one thing where the Z9 is still worse than a DSLR is shooting in the studio with flashes. Once you go beyond f5.6, the focusing becomes slower, and I much prefer using the D850, which is faster and more accurate in such conditions. I have almost zero waste with D850, while with the Z9, there are quite a few poorly focused photos for my taste.
Not to say that you're wrong, as the Z bodies DO focus slower the more you stop down, but Z bodies don't stop down lower than 5.6 during autofocus. They only stop down further when you take your shot. In the case of lenses that open wider than 5.6, the camera will stop down to all values between wide open and 5.6 depending on what you've set it to. If the lens has a max aperture of 5.6 or slower, it will remain wide open unless you are actively shooting. This can be demonstrated by assigning a button to depth of field preview, and wracking through the aperture, and then repeating while the DOF preview button is held down. The exception to this is when adapting Sony E mount lenses with aperture rings. When using the aperture ring (as opposed to the camera's aperture dial), the lens will stop down to the exact value you've set it to, regardless of it being slower than 5.6. That's exactly how they work on Sony bodies by default.
Matt, thanks for highlighting the focusing issue. You are exactly correct. As an older gainfully employed hobbyist my time and funds are limited. It's becoming more difficult for me to travel with larger lenses. Particularly with airline carry on camera equipment. My lens of choice with my Z8 is the 400/4.5 S lens. I can use the DX function button to extend to 600mm. I would like your recommendation on a 2 x teleconverter as an alternative to going to the Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S. Use case wise, I like the 400mm lens. My other travel lenses are the 14 -30/4 S and 24-120/4 S. Thanks.
Actually you can't use the DX function on the Z8 with a FX lens, while this would have been a advantage for users of the Z8, it would have eaten into the profits of Nikon when launching a DX Mirrorless camera in the near future, so when you set your Z8 to shoot in DX mode you can only use DX lenses; I am utterly disappointed with Nikon for doing this, stingy bastards.
Interesting seeing the various model cameras side by side. While not a mirrorless shooter I’ve thought about it since the Z8’s arrival. The smaller Z series are too small to be comfortable in my hands. Still used to my D700/850.
I have the two custom front buttons on my G9 set to 'AF-ON Close' and 'AF-ON far', so it knows where to look. With contrast only it needs the assistance.
The biggest problem is not being able to auto focus AF-D lenses. Nikon were always exemplary at backwards compatibility with F mount but not having an FTZ with a focus motor is poor. It reduces your Z9 to the capabilities of a D3500 when using AF-D lenses.
thank you! The same thing happened to me with the z8 and a sigma 150-600. It may happen on all cameras but it is extremely exaggerated and sometimes it does not move even when focused close and changing to 1 focus point. You can only do this by moving the ring. Thanks for letting me know that it's not me or my camera! 🤗🤜🏼
I've definitely encountered it on my Zf, same problem, same fix. While I haven't been trying to shoot things that it really interfered with, it would definitely be nice to see fixed.
one other tip, perhaps going to a smaller aperture (bigger f number), hence a greater depth of field may bring this under control again; the dof could be so thin that the AF system can't see the subject to do the detection on, aka it lies outside the subject detection's recognition range, so a few seconds at f8/f11 should fix it.
This same issue happens to almost all mirrorless cameras, regardless of brand; so it might be something inherent with mirrorless sensors and firmware may not be enough to fix the issue. The new Panasonic G9 Mark II allows you to program button to force the focus to search closer or further from the current point with some success.
I think the solution shouldn't be too difficult. Panasonic cameras have a feature called near AF and far AF, which you can set to any of the buttons or the joystick on the camera body. It basically tells the camera that the subject is closer or further from the current focus distance.
For this particular problem I would suggest a "bi-directional" focus rack. If it starts at the "near end", then when it hits a limit at the "far end", then immediately reverse the focus direction and continue until finds a valid subject in focus, or gets back to where it started.
matt long time nikon d750 user here - im reading about nikon z5ii which is making me think of going for it. the z6iii is just overkill (especially video) we arent all youtube creators. some just want to take photos. anyway - wishing you well and much respect.
why can’t we just have the 3d tracking from DSLRs ported to this. that was another level! does it have to do with the fact that the focus points were dedicated and they had this contrast detect focus points in addition to the phase detect ones ? Anyway to replicate this in mirrorless ?
The Z9/8 has 3D tracking that is so far beyond DSLR. Simply put the focus box on the subject and it tracks all over the EVF. Or tracks eyes all over the EVF. I never had the problem he speaks of using 3D tracking.
I think the back focus issue is probably the biggest gripe with the Nikon Z system. Canon and Sony seem to scan the full focus range to find the subject while Nikons just kind of sit where they are to search for the subject. I still love my Zs and will keep them because I prefer them to the other systems. I just learn to use my gear knowing the limitations.
Thank you for this video! New z8 owner with a Sigma F mount 500 f4. I've been having intermittent focus issues exactly as you describe here, so good to know it's not my kit. Hopefully this gets a firmware fix soon!
I find this happens with my Fujifilm H2S sometimes. I use a mode that allows manual focus while in autofocus. Focus recall button is also very useful. Yes, you are spot on. Seems that the processor could make focus steps to reacquire focus.
This is a great presentation. Of course the product is great, but getting to the edge on actual, in depth use with intelligent commentary makes this a worthwhile video. Thanks for the info.
You are the engineer Nikon was looking for all this time. Expect a call from them any time now, so you can show them how to fix this major problem with their cameras.
@@mattgranger yeah sorry, couldn't edit yesterday when accidentally sent. I was meant to say that those buttons are quite helpful in this regard and I have been using them since DSLR era for pretty much the reason you have explained about focus.
What bugs me a lot about the Z9 is its price-to-performance ratio regarding ISO. It's really sad to see that old flagships like the A7sII or A7III, even more modern cameras like the Z6 and S5 beat a 6000$ camera in low-light. This to me would make it the best camera; if only it could at least be on-par with the 1000$-ish Z6. Also, out of curiosity, have you tried working with MF lenses for bird-photography? I have been using an adapted Novolex 400mm lens (600mm also available) for many years and having gone through several tele-lenses over the years - this has always been my keeper. With an external shutter, attached to the pistol-grip, you can work entirely hands-free on the camera and the weight-distribution is a dream (no tripod needed). I work as a professional photographer and artist and have given up on AF entirely after having Nikon DSLR for many years - Not a single one of their AF lenses worked good for me (on Nikon D700/ D800) - Switched to Ai-s and other branded MF lenses and have no intention to ever return; not as long as AF still (as described in your video) seems to not work as intended. I remember many days working e.g., with the Nikon 50mm 1.4 AF, where I got so frustrated with the AF missing it's target, that I already disabled AF back then. MF on Ai-s is so much better though. I am also curious about your usage of the 48MP on the Z9 - for your line of work, is that necessary? I find that 24MP + pixelshift when needed and/or AI-Upscaling has not once hit my sealing (I dont print beyond A0 for exhibitions, do you?)
That’s a resolution to iso ratio, rather than price to iso one. Yes I’ve used MF for birds in the past and am very satisfied with the modern kit I now use.
On some cameras, like mine, turning on AF+MF to permit manual focusing forces me to abandon focus priority when using continuous focusing (increasing the quantity of OOF pictures since the camera shoots whether or not it has a focus lock). Also once manually focusing, I have to release, and then hit AF-ON again to re-initiate auto focus (the camera rightly or wrongly holds the focus depth I've set). This is about as clumsy as trying to focus on a nearby object, and then attempt to re-acquire the subject. I'd prefer to use "manual assist", where the camera doesn't fight me when I start turning the rings but "knows" it is close to/on my target when I stop - then locks on itself. I'm sure I'd need new software rules. For the prices that we have to pay for this developing technology, it would be nice for more manufacturers to continue supporting older hardware for long as possible, or at least adopt some trade-in programs or something to reward us for our loyalty (like some companies do). These aren't supposed to be disposable cameras, after all!
I think Nikon already allows you to use the focus memory function so you can focus on the nearest object and enter the distance into the memory and then use the camera as normal but if you need to pull the focus you hit the recall focus memory button.
I’d be willing to dedicate a function button to recall focus if I didn’t have to have a *second* fn button to set focus. Why can’t I hold-to-set and press-to-recall?
Good feedback. Can I ask if you can provide the firmware version you are using. This would be helpful when these posts are published that perhaps a future firmware version address this and understand that the publishing time of this video was not affected by the latest firmware.
I read a post recently that stated that camera consumers were unfair to expect camera manufacturers to include firmware updates for free. That opinion to me was ridiculous as those engineers are getting paid daily whether on a project or simply doing busy work. Keeping customers both happy and returning to you because you use those engineering skills towards improving both future and existing products will far outweigh the cost of having current customers from being dissatisfied and shopping competitors products that may only have one feature that checks that one box that they are currently unsatisfied with. So for anyone who thinks that you are asking for resources to be spent (for free to customers and keep their clients happily staying with their current brand) obviously aren't looking at the big picture. Thank you for all of your years of educating us unbiasedly on the cameras that you prefer to use and why.
That at 5:02 is generally a problem of all ML systems, independent of the brand. The ones more, the others less. If that focus plane is at infinity or so, they never hunt back.
I have heard that the Z9 doesn’t support high speed sync flash. I am a experienced portrait photographer, using a D750 at the moment with manual focus Zeiss lenses. Now I am doubting for buying a Z9 or a D850. Using manual focus lenses is a priority. What is your advice?
one other point, those long lenses have a focus area switch, maybe this is set to far focus, and there is no override to this{other than the switch itself}, Also Matt lenses like the 105 MC don't do close focus racking intuitively; Deliberately, as the aperture shifts when you do so, aka f32 is NOT available close in (only f 22 max), dof reasons?, and at least for this lens these close distances are in the macro range, so has to be done with "user consent", not automatically, as diffraction, and the above aperture shift come into effect, which could ruin the workflow, as things will be counter intuitive to the shooter.
Terrific video! I'm a Canon shooter and have been watching your videos for years. I was the same way, slow to move to mirror less but once I moved to the R5 from my 5DIV, I was converted. The first time in the woods, it locked onto a chicadee's eye....black head and tiny black eye. And that was with a thousand dollar third party zoom. Good work, Matt.
I run into this very issue with birds at a distance and then having birds coming in to roost at dusk. Trying to switch over to the flying target of opportunity which is usually at closer range is a challenge. I will definitely be programming in that focus button you discussed for my trip next month to Florida birding. Thanks for the tip!
I bought a Z8 and put a Yongnuo YN 568 Ex flash on it, with which it communicates in TTL mode, but it overexposes terribly! Then I looked it up and saw that this was a problem for other people as well. I have Yongnuo flashes and triggers and I don't know if it would be possible to use the Z8 in TTL mode with another Yongnuo flash, or will I have to buy a much more expensive Nikon flash? A video on this topic would be nice. Nikon Z and non-Nikon TTL flashes. (Google was my translator)
Its really good positive criticism, to make some details better. I totally agree. Tgese cameras can work at - 10 c , so... They build and tested cameras , they have known how. The f6, the d5, d6, d850 .. they know. Thanks Matt Granger for your love for photography.
If one is standing on the street and scanning the sky, others may look up as well but cannot identify what the first person is looking until he/she pointing it out. That is what the System Analyst has to figure out what to do next when the Z AF is filled with out of focus objects. The possibility can be endless, such as the photographer may wish to focus at any distance from 0.1m to infinity. One possible software solution is similar to a binary (half-interval) search by half the distance in front and back or using other search algorithms. AI with deep learning may help but not in an accidental decisive moment, such as a more interesting subject appears at random distances (big foot, accidents, etc.). As with programmable button, but some may dislike the complexity and best with common instances. Thus, Canon R3's eye tracking may be a better solution. In the meantime, we just have to be a MacGyver. 🙂
I shot a D4 for many years and I am just grateful to no longer have the focus rack and back and forth when I am trying to lock onto a flying bird. Yes, it could be better, but it has improved so much compared to a short time ago. Your solutions sound reasonable. I like the idea of setting the focus recall button to a closer focus.
Note the flashing auto iso very distracting, a feature on all nikons that I have tried. I wish a firmware update would simply give a steady display with no flashing light.
Excellent point Matt and may I just throw in one more simple firmware update request. Nikon please allow us landscape photographers a 4:5 ratio in the Z9!! I still don`t understand that overlook and whenever I ask on your FB page my request is instantly taken down, and no I don`t want to hear the proverbial, "just crop later Dude" comments.
Being a Nikon only shooter I had no clue this was only a Nikon issue. I've gotten used to pulling focus manually to allow AF to find the subject but it really would be nice if it did your suggestion. When I shoot events all it takes is a short amount of time to miss "the shot' so I hope Nikon takes this into consideration
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm looking to buy a z8 but having seen several videos about eyelashes focus in portrait, I'm holding on. I had the very same issue with the SOny A7RIV and now with the A7R5 the focus is almost 100% right.
As a event photographer, Z8 feels like a downgrade when it comes for low light events - no AF-assist from flash. Second thing is, camera will focus using F5.6 for focusing if that aperture is set for shooting (dSLR will close aperture only during shooting ) So basically i cant shoot in lowlight using flash and using some smaller aperture (even F4 - camera will struggle to lock focus on anything) Damn, im refreshing nikonrumors webpage everyday expecting new firmware update
Thanks again for an interesting point of view. I also would like to see the problem of the use of flash solved in mirrorless cameras. That was my biggest disapointment when I changed to the Z, all my flashes became useless.
I just bought the 180-600 as a combo with the 1.4x TC, and I love it. But I also recognized the described behavior. It doesn't bother me that much because it didn't happen that often. What I really need is some kind of "legacy" flash mode since I can't use my portable studio flashes anymore in HSS mode with my Z8. The flash interval doesn't seem to synchronize with sensor read-out. So the upper third (or the left side) is nearly black and/or I get very bad banding... Small strobes/on-camera flashes work flawlessly in HSS even off-camera.
I would like that they fix banding when you shoot under led lights or mix lighting.. better auto white balance results .. better auto focus and communication with speedlight specially in low light..
Right on! I have experienced the problem you talk about but have also experienced the opposite problem. That is, if I am focused near and I am trying to find a bird (or quarterback) far away, the camera can't see it and gets stuck and gives up. I actually have to find a tree or other object (something large) far away, focus on that and then go for my original subject. I read OkwyUgonweze below about setting wide area small (medium or large) and still have the same problem. Frustrating!
Spot on, Matt! I discovered the problem when shooting an RC boat race with the boats careening toward me at high speed. Unfortunately I did not recognize the fix at the time. This info is gold! And I was most amused by the off hand comment the problem "was not the sensor shield" 😂 Last observation, PLEASE tell me you will be doing another Iceland trip next year. I'd already booked another arctic trip this year. I struggled with the decision, but opted to chase polar bears vs. joining your Iceland trip...this year. Cheers
Mine too, but not quite so OK with other commitments. I will look forward to two trips north next year. Lake Clark NP in July, and hopefully your next Iceland trip. Thanks!
Valid point. Moral of the story is to focus close by and store that distance under the focus recall button. I would want the focusing limiting switch to be different: "Full" as is today for full range and the other position of the switch to behave as "Limited" where I can set nearest and farthest focusing distance in an associated menu. My Z 105/2.8S macro lens has a valid 0.29m-0.5m limited range, but why not offer me the option to change that into 1.2m-2.4m when I use it in my studio for portraits? Same story with longer lenses. Take your 85 to a wedding. You will probably use it in the 2m-4m range (wanting 2 people in the frame, generally). Set focusing distance recall to 2m and wam bam shoot whichever.
Glad to hear this. It has been a very annoying problem for me and I thought it was me. Just didn't understand why this great auto focus system, for me, was not all that great at times.
The problem is they overheat when you put them in fire, they sink when you put them in water, they freeze when you put them in the icebox, and they stop working with the battery dies. Honestly disgraceful no other brand has this problem.
Can't you set the temporary single point focus to any of the buttons? You expert, you? I jumped ship to Canon now, here's option to keep racking focus, or not. Isn't something similar on Nikons?
one solution Nikon could do, is to add Focus bracketing to the bracketing mode, using this together with the subject tracking option ie that the focusing distance be inserted as auto (normal AF search mode), Hunting (like you are describing, at the zoo or on safari where different targets are sought at different distances ), Panning (for moving cars at a racetrack, horse racing, dog trials, etc.)- to allow background to be in focus in star or light trail photography.
Do Nikon lenses tell the camera when they are about to hit close focus or does it see stop when the motor lugs down? If the latter then maybe it was a power saving effort to leave it out as DSLRs didn’t have to worry so much about battery life? Making it an option would then, as you say, make more sense but not the default which understand was in DSLRs.
Hi Matt, thanks for your video. It's great what you're doing. You earn your money with photos and cameras are your tools. Because it's not like that for me, the utopian prices for a Z9 cannot be explained to my family. At the moment I am completely satisfied with my DSLR (D810, D4s, D5). They are a good team of three. Each has clear weaknesses and strengths compared to the other. There were never any major revolutionary changes between the models. Otherwise business would be even slower. But the fast pace and the ever more and apparently better doesn't make fitography any better. Everyone runs after the latest technology and the mystique of photography, which happens slowly and quietly, is lost. In 1985 I started with an F3, which I sold in 2005 because I became a mother...
Great video! I have also noticed this issue while shooting sports, I have to admit, I thought maybe it was just me, but this video confirmed what I was experiencing as well. Cheers!
I solved this problem by setting my af-on button to single or wide area small then the shutter/primary focus to auto area . With the af on I can have the camera focus exactly where I want and the auto-area in the shutter button can do all the guess work .
I also think it’s very important Nikon gives us the option of assigning subject detect options to buttons .
This helps but I have seen tests and even the smallest point autofocus would see past the bird, this effected all camera brands but mainly nikon. I have a Sony A1 and still just use the smallest point autofocus for all my bird photography other than flight shots, I just feel like I can't rely on wide focus areas
We should not have to do a focus mode dance to have the modes work. With my Z6II I do a focus mode dance with my function buttons, but I still had to manually rack back with my Z100-400mm lens with some subjects. My Z8 focus modes are much better but I agree with Matt about Nikon should make that firmware change. All the Exspeed 6 Nikons would benefit as well as the Exspeed 7 bodies.
That doesn't always work for me. The single point AF point sometimes doesn't seem to want to look closer than where it is.
this, I don't trust eye tracking at all. 99% of the time I'n using single point af and the last 1% is manual
@@KurtisPape exactly - I have been trying single point to "fix" it and it often doesn't work, I have to manually rack my focus forward.
The epitome of positive criticism. You find issues, provide a solution and move on. But you stay with and appreciate your suff. Very professional.
Been watching your channel since "That Nikon Guy" started way back!👍
The Fro would cry, complain then switch brands.🤣
@@oatsgoats39 The point is, there is NO perfect camera. If there was such a thing, I guess the entire world would use it.
You can switch but my guess is that it too will have some type of issue. Then switch again? I guess it's ok if money isn't important. Becoming a good photographer is not just pushing 1 button and voila.
Yeah and good point.
He makes a suggestion and it's up to Nikon to implement this suggestion.
Now on to doing some business.
100% truth especially about Fro. LOL
I miss "That Nikon Guy" !
Hello Matt, I did the same trip in July, less cold and less rain. I did amazing shots using two old DSLRs. Iceland is amazing.
I have partly moved to mirrorless but at heart I will never leave DSLR. It still hits all the boxes for me
@Matt Granger - the AF issue that you mentioned is common with every Canon and even Sony cameras as well. It’s a general mirrorless issue not specific to Nikon. Check Duade Paton’s video on this issue in Canon system.
The trick here is to move your camera and focus closer to a larger subject which might not be a bird. Then again focus on the bird, it works 99% of the time.
Z9 is an Amazing Camera there is nothing like it on the market currently. Perhaps Nikon should release Z90/Z500 soon which has same AF as Z9.. that will allow lot of people to purchase lower end APSC version 😊
The even better option is to just turn the manual focus ring getting it closer to the bird, then the cam will find it.
@@MikeHellerthere is a near and far autofocus
Panasonic has AF-Near and AF-Far modes that force the focus system to go in a specific direction and you can program that to a custom button. Very handy.
Some brands have better AF than Nikon. Get over it.
Would challenge this by saying the A1 absolutely keeps up and in some areas exceeds th Z9/Z8. I'm in the middle of switching from Medium Format to FF and have been testing both extensively side by side. In fact... I would go as far as to say Z8/Z9 are over hyped. FOR Nikon they are amazing in the sense the company is staying relevant finally. Overall I'm waiting to see if Nikon will embrace mirror less for all it has to offer including.... stopping the artificial limiting of customizing buttons and embracing lightweight high performance flagship cameras. To me it seems Nikon Z is DSLR design w/o a mirror that weighs essentially the same but has the tech of mirror less cameras which for me is a disappointment. This will lead to an overall low conversion rate which is what the company needs IMO to keep up w/ Canon/Sony.
The reason why DSLRs are much less prone to this issue, is that their dedicated phase AF sensors are set up in a way that gives them a much deeper DoF. Even when your subject is blurred beyond recognition in the image at wide open aperture, DSLR PDAF system still sees it as it would have been with lens aperture considerably closed and thus getting a much higher chance of catching it.
Dslrs also didn’t have subject detect. So they were just looking for something with contrast
@@mattgranger DSLR's don't look for contrast, they look for phase shift (PDAF = phase detect AF), which isn't the same thing. Mirrorless introduced contrast-detect AF (CDAF), which is slower, but much more accurate and capable of working with subject detection algorithms. It's important to note that most mirrorless offerings use a hybrid PDAF/CDAF system, where the phase detection system has been moved to the sensor itself, typically by adding specific pixels for just this purpose.
There's a technical reason why MILC have this issue. The masked on-sensor PDAF pixels have a limited geometry vs the discrete PDAF sensors on DSLRs. This limits their ability to properly detect both the phase differential and phase direction when the subject under the PDAF pixels is far outside of focus. Essentially the camera is blind to the subject, and this blindness is indistinguishable to the camera vs a scenario where there's no subject under the PDAF pixels. This geometry issue is worst at long focal lengths, where the phase differentials are greatest relative to the exit pupil distance of those lenses. Your proposed solution is reasonable, although it may interfere in situations where there's no subject and the camera pays a time penalty racking through focus searching for a subject. Rather than performing this automatically I think a button to initiate it will probably yield the best balance between a solution to the issue and not breaking other AF scenarios.
could that also explain the rather poor AF performance of an Z7ii on low light compared to Nikon DSLR e.g. D8xx?
@@juergenbaumann8817 yes low light performance is awful on z6ii / 7ii if you don't have at least f1,8 lens (you have to shoot it wide open, because it doesn't open up the aperture like dslr when focusing). Plus there is no flash assist grid from flash, which is really useful when photographing low light events...
The ultimate professionals at all level. Thanks for keep all content clear and concise. I am still shooting DSLR still waiting for the mirrorless camera that meet all my requirements. Keep up the great job
This is definitely true Matt. I missed a lot of shots because of this when I first got my Z8. I usually just point the camera at the ground below the subject and it focuses, then I can acquire focus on the bird. That's quicker for me than trying to fumble around for the focus ring or a recall button.
Hey Jim, yeah I often do this too, but it really shouldn't be needed, especially when the cameras are SO capable in almost every other way.
@@mattgranger I agree. I wasn't making excuses for Nikon. I was just throwing out another alternative as a work around.
I do the same, sometimes I use the Recall button but normally I do the focus to the ground approach.
I have a Sony A1 and still use the smallest autofocus area for bird photography, only just started trusting bird eye AF, but for a year I didn't use it because it would pick up on tree knots, ears etc. With 4 years using mirrorless it comes naturally for me to close focus and pre-focus near the subject so I rarely get into the situation my autofocus is seeing past the subject and I can't pick it up, all that aside it still does catch me out from time to time
Well on Canon and Sony you don't need to "beat around the ground" to get accurate focus. Nikon Z AF sucks big time.
While the Nikon DSLRs were the best for AF
Matt's nature footage is spot on: No effects/overly done color correction BS, calm, tasteful and suitable music, variety of closeups vs wide shots. well done mate.
When my lens is already focused beyond the subject I point down at the ground or something close by and get it to focus on that quickly and then back to the subject and it grabs the subject more easily. Your plan for a programmable distance to refocus sounds very good.
It shoukd be standard on all cameras at this point
In the firmware, and when it appears on the menu, they could also add an interval distance for how much the camera should "retract" the focus point. For example, pull back 5, 10, 15, or 20 metres to a new starting point from which to move forward to find the subject. It might ease the load on the processor as it would allow it to work within a smaller range, and likely this would reduce the electrical demand on the battery. Good work on our part on sussing this out.
You should be a Nikon Engineer
My canon r5 acts the exact same way and I’ve heard it explained so many times simply as how mirrorless cameras works. You’ve offered the first possible solution I have heard. Love your consistent loyalty and criticism. You’ve shown over the years that you have a preference but you’re not a blind loyalist. Respect for that for sure.
You are a very good teacher. You have been passing on knowledge for so many years and your tests are a pleasure to watch. Good photographer too. Regards :)
I fell down stairs at Christmas and saved my EOS R but broke my leg. Lost a good excuse to buy a new camera and laid me out of work for two months with a stack of medical bills. Lesson: know when drop your gear to save yourself. Health is infinitely more valuable. Trust me.
Agreed. I often find myself tilting the lens downwards to a closer focus point then look at the subject to focus. I like your recall button hack, will set it up.
I have seen it even with stuff like the horizon using a single point: it's foggy, my Zf could not find focus and my D750 did it immediately. I did not have the Z8 with me so I don't know if it will be better. I believe your solution is very good. I have not seen Nikon's code, so I am not sure how easy is to add that logic. One issue is that the Nikon system is comparably slow going from closer focus to infinity compared to Sony and Canon so maybe they try and it was counterproductive most of the time. Finally, to underscore Matt's final point, I used to do a lot of Dance photography and people loved my results because I was able to nail the face and peek action most of the time. Back then, and even during the DSLR days, nobody was opening the picture in a 4K looking at the jump at 100%, and checking if the eyes were in focus (I am talking about the presentation, with no flash). It was: face is basically in "focus", dude you are a monster. Same for birds, you were expected to sharpen the eyes a little bit, not to nail the eyes of a bird in flight at f2.8 all the time. The cameras are pretty good but basically, Sony changed the game forever.
Good for you. I thought it was my technique that caused the out of focus problem on my Z9. It wasn't, it's the camera... still figuring out the best way to fix it.
The most plausible way to fix it would be to sell it and switch to Sony.
Hope you see some of the techniques above!
@@CC3GROUNDZERO Why on earth would I move down market ?!
@@larrymitchell3502 Yes indeed, but still experimenting.
@@johnvaleanbaily246 How would you be "moving down market" when switching to Sony, the manufacturer with the industry-leading AF, who also produces the sensors of your current system?!
Totally agree Matt. I sometimes wonder if the focusing could be helped when the Z9 is confused if it reduced its aperture and so increased its depth of field in certain focussing situations. The viewfinder is now capable of brightening the image for the photographer. Increased DOF could also help the photographer find his subject quicker though the sensor will have less light to work with
Awesome info! I hope our friends at Nikon hear you…LOUD AND CLEAR!!!
The autofocus issue is such a delight to hear told - because - it occurs on other systems too! Here i was hearing that the Z-system was all-that, getting annoyed specifically with focus subject detection on my duji x-h2s and 150-600 lens, and the issue turns out to be endemic to mirrorless! Thanks!!! Now i definitely love my fujis and consider the issue a general one!
The problem is they break if you drop them.
Thats a problem with almost all electronics.
Well i managed to drop my z9 twice in 3 months of having it 😂 have a really small tear in the eyecup plastic from the 2nd time and thats about it. Both times ftz II with 28 1.4E and everythign still perfect, tho i had a big as bruise on my leg for few weeks 😂
Took a tumble with my z6 and 70-200 while hiking. Camera went tumbling. My heart sank. Upon inspection all was well. Anecdotal, I know. What experience have you had with mirrorless being less durable? Not arguing, just general curiosity.
@@danielapark87 it was meant to be a gentle bit of poking, we have all dropped stuff, sometimes we get away with it and sometimes we don't.
@@eldengard23A friend of mine dropped his z9 in the lake! He pulled it out, pulled the battery, dried it out for a week and it worked!
Matt, the reason the Z cameras are doing this is because so many people complained about Focus Hunting when the DSLR's were designed to do this. The simple fact is that Hunting was the most efficient way to find the subject when the image was so blurred that the AF system lacked in guidance as to where the subject was. BTW, Nikon wasn't alone in getting dunned for hunting and today we see the results. Focus systems no longer hunt for a subject, if they cant recognize a subject to focus on it's programmed to go to infinity and stay in that range. IMO what is needed is a handy button we can push to pull the focus to a preset distance in feet or meters. Until that happens the manual focus override is the only option.
I use af-on button like a single point. When the camera don't find the subject, I push the button to find it. Immediately the camera select the subject one time is on focus.
Best regards!
I don't shoot birds, but one thing where the Z9 is still worse than a DSLR is shooting in the studio with flashes. Once you go beyond f5.6, the focusing becomes slower, and I much prefer using the D850, which is faster and more accurate in such conditions. I have almost zero waste with D850, while with the Z9, there are quite a few poorly focused photos for my taste.
Does it always focus stopped down? Is there no way to turn that off?
Not to say that you're wrong, as the Z bodies DO focus slower the more you stop down, but Z bodies don't stop down lower than 5.6 during autofocus. They only stop down further when you take your shot.
In the case of lenses that open wider than 5.6, the camera will stop down to all values between wide open and 5.6 depending on what you've set it to. If the lens has a max aperture of 5.6 or slower, it will remain wide open unless you are actively shooting. This can be demonstrated by assigning a button to depth of field preview, and wracking through the aperture, and then repeating while the DOF preview button is held down.
The exception to this is when adapting Sony E mount lenses with aperture rings. When using the aperture ring (as opposed to the camera's aperture dial), the lens will stop down to the exact value you've set it to, regardless of it being slower than 5.6. That's exactly how they work on Sony bodies by default.
Fact the Z9 is an amazing camera and yes there are some improvements that can still be made!
At least Nikon have introduced the focus return button l am stuck still using manual adjustment.
Matt, thanks for highlighting the focusing issue. You are exactly correct. As an older gainfully employed hobbyist my time and funds are limited. It's becoming more difficult for me to travel with larger lenses. Particularly with airline carry on camera equipment. My lens of choice with my Z8 is the 400/4.5 S lens. I can use the DX function button to extend to 600mm. I would like your recommendation on a 2 x teleconverter as an alternative to going to the Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S. Use case wise, I like the 400mm lens. My other travel lenses are the 14 -30/4 S and 24-120/4 S. Thanks.
Actually you can't use the DX function on the Z8 with a FX lens, while this would have been a advantage for users of the Z8, it would have eaten into the profits of Nikon when launching a DX Mirrorless camera in the near future, so when you set your Z8 to shoot in DX mode you can only use DX lenses; I am utterly disappointed with Nikon for doing this, stingy bastards.
That's incorrect. Take a look at the Nikon site specs.
@@FART-REPELLENT I don't know if you take your UA-cam name seriously. Nevertheless, you can go DX mode on FX lenses on Z8.
@@mainmain5303 Okay; however my comment was based on a review by a well known American reviewer.
Interesting seeing the various model cameras side by side. While not a mirrorless shooter I’ve thought about it since the Z8’s arrival. The smaller Z series are too small to be comfortable in my hands. Still used to my D700/850.
I have the two custom front buttons on my G9 set to 'AF-ON Close' and 'AF-ON far', so it knows where to look. With contrast only it needs the assistance.
Yes, same here on mine. Use it frequently.
The biggest problem is not being able to auto focus AF-D lenses. Nikon were always exemplary at backwards compatibility with F mount but not having an FTZ with a focus motor is poor. It reduces your Z9 to the capabilities of a D3500 when using AF-D lenses.
thank you! The same thing happened to me with the z8 and a sigma 150-600. It may happen on all cameras but it is extremely exaggerated and sometimes it does not move even when focused close and changing to 1 focus point. You can only do this by moving the ring. Thanks for letting me know that it's not me or my camera! 🤗🤜🏼
I've definitely encountered it on my Zf, same problem, same fix. While I haven't been trying to shoot things that it really interfered with, it would definitely be nice to see fixed.
one other tip, perhaps going to a smaller aperture (bigger f number), hence a greater depth of field may bring this under control again; the dof could be so thin that the AF system can't see the subject to do the detection on, aka it lies outside the subject detection's recognition range, so a few seconds at f8/f11 should fix it.
This same issue happens to almost all mirrorless cameras, regardless of brand; so it might be something inherent with mirrorless sensors and firmware may not be enough to fix the issue. The new Panasonic G9 Mark II allows you to program button to force the focus to search closer or further from the current point with some success.
I think the solution shouldn't be too difficult. Panasonic cameras have a feature called near AF and far AF, which you can set to any of the buttons or the joystick on the camera body. It basically tells the camera that the subject is closer or further from the current focus distance.
This function is what makes the G9 in particular usable, in spite of the DfD system. Set to the two buttons by the lens mount
@Broskisnowski not really. They have focus recall, where you can pull focus to a pre programmed distance. What I've mentioned isn't anything like it.
Problem is they have too many tele prime options and I can't decide what to get lol
Haha. That too
24-70 f2.8 ?
24-70 is not a take or a prime 👍🏼 it’s a standard zoom
Cool watch. Which is it?
Good one matt. Thanks for letting everyone know about this issue.
For this particular problem I would suggest a "bi-directional" focus rack. If it starts at the "near end", then when it hits a limit at the "far end", then immediately reverse the focus direction and continue until finds a valid subject in focus, or gets back to where it started.
Interesting video. I have a z6 and a D700. The D700 is my go to camera.
matt long time nikon d750 user here - im reading about nikon z5ii which is making me think of going for it. the z6iii is just overkill (especially video) we arent all youtube creators. some just want to take photos. anyway - wishing you well and much respect.
why can’t we just have the 3d tracking from DSLRs ported to this. that was another level!
does it have to do with the fact that the focus points were dedicated and they had this contrast detect focus points in addition to the phase detect ones ? Anyway to replicate this in mirrorless ?
The Z9/8 has 3D tracking that is so far beyond DSLR. Simply put the focus box on the subject and it tracks all over the EVF. Or tracks eyes all over the EVF. I never had the problem he speaks of using 3D tracking.
I am going to find out this problem on Z6III ?
I think the back focus issue is probably the biggest gripe with the Nikon Z system. Canon and Sony seem to scan the full focus range to find the subject while Nikons just kind of sit where they are to search for the subject. I still love my Zs and will keep them because I prefer them to the other systems. I just learn to use my gear knowing the limitations.
Hey Drew - from the comments, it seems Canon and Sony users experience this issue too sadly.
Thank you for this video! New z8 owner with a Sigma F mount 500 f4. I've been having intermittent focus issues exactly as you describe here, so good to know it's not my kit. Hopefully this gets a firmware fix soon!
Yeah I observed this … I just explain this problem to my camera n it understood. it was v easy. Now my camera does it
I find this happens with my Fujifilm H2S sometimes. I use a mode that allows manual focus while in autofocus. Focus recall button is also very useful. Yes, you are spot on. Seems that the processor could make focus steps to reacquire focus.
Feels like user error. Granted I use cannon. In the focus menu be set to less or more sticking to the subjust 🤷
Thanks for the feedback. Not sure you understood what I am describing. Sticky settings only applies once the subject is found.
This is a great presentation. Of course the product is great, but getting to the edge on actual, in depth use with intelligent commentary makes this a worthwhile video. Thanks for the info.
You are the engineer Nikon was looking for all this time. Expect a call from them any time now, so you can show them how to fix this major problem with their cameras.
on those long primes, you can set a button to go instant to the closest distance. at least with my 428 and 640E
Yep. Discussed in video.
@@mattgranger yeah sorry, couldn't edit yesterday when accidentally sent. I was meant to say that those buttons are quite helpful in this regard and I have been using them since DSLR era for pretty much the reason you have explained about focus.
What bugs me a lot about the Z9 is its price-to-performance ratio regarding ISO. It's really sad to see that old flagships like the A7sII or A7III, even more modern cameras like the Z6 and S5 beat a 6000$ camera in low-light. This to me would make it the best camera; if only it could at least be on-par with the 1000$-ish Z6.
Also, out of curiosity, have you tried working with MF lenses for bird-photography? I have been using an adapted Novolex 400mm lens (600mm also available) for many years and having gone through several tele-lenses over the years - this has always been my keeper. With an external shutter, attached to the pistol-grip, you can work entirely hands-free on the camera and the weight-distribution is a dream (no tripod needed). I work as a professional photographer and artist and have given up on AF entirely after having Nikon DSLR for many years - Not a single one of their AF lenses worked good for me (on Nikon D700/ D800) - Switched to Ai-s and other branded MF lenses and have no intention to ever return; not as long as AF still (as described in your video) seems to not work as intended. I remember many days working e.g., with the Nikon 50mm 1.4 AF, where I got so frustrated with the AF missing it's target, that I already disabled AF back then. MF on Ai-s is so much better though.
I am also curious about your usage of the 48MP on the Z9 - for your line of work, is that necessary? I find that 24MP + pixelshift when needed and/or AI-Upscaling has not once hit my sealing (I dont print beyond A0 for exhibitions, do you?)
That’s a resolution to iso ratio, rather than price to iso one. Yes I’ve used MF for birds in the past and am very satisfied with the modern kit I now use.
Well said sir! Great tip on using the Lens Function Button to pull focus back for the don't see anything issue. Thanks.
Hi Matt, absolutely right I’ve the same issue with Z9 and 800mm F5.6E. Hopefully Nikon weak up and fix the firmware. Great Video.
My Sony's do the stuck far focus some times too.
On some cameras, like mine, turning on AF+MF to permit manual focusing forces me to abandon focus priority when using continuous focusing (increasing the quantity of OOF pictures since the camera shoots whether or not it has a focus lock). Also once manually focusing, I have to release, and then hit AF-ON again to re-initiate auto focus (the camera rightly or wrongly holds the focus depth I've set). This is about as clumsy as trying to focus on a nearby object, and then attempt to re-acquire the subject.
I'd prefer to use "manual assist", where the camera doesn't fight me when I start turning the rings but "knows" it is close to/on my target when I stop - then locks on itself. I'm sure I'd need new software rules.
For the prices that we have to pay for this developing technology, it would be nice for more manufacturers to continue supporting older hardware for long as possible, or at least adopt some trade-in programs or something to reward us for our loyalty (like some companies do). These aren't supposed to be disposable cameras, after all!
I think Nikon already allows you to use the focus memory function so you can focus on the nearest object and enter the distance into the memory and then use the camera as normal but if you need to pull the focus you hit the recall focus memory button.
Discussed in video. 👍🏼
I’d be willing to dedicate a function button to recall focus if I didn’t have to have a *second* fn button to set focus. Why can’t I hold-to-set and press-to-recall?
I am thinking about what to do with my D750 but it still works well
Good feedback. Can I ask if you can provide the firmware version you are using. This would be helpful when these posts are published that perhaps a future firmware version address this and understand that the publishing time of this video was not affected by the latest firmware.
I read a post recently that stated that camera consumers were unfair to expect camera manufacturers to include firmware updates for free. That opinion to me was ridiculous as those engineers are getting paid daily whether on a project or simply doing busy work. Keeping customers both happy and returning to you because you use those engineering skills towards improving both future and existing products will far outweigh the cost of having current customers from being dissatisfied and shopping competitors products that may only have one feature that checks that one box that they are currently unsatisfied with.
So for anyone who thinks that you are asking for resources to be spent (for free to customers and keep their clients happily staying with their current brand) obviously aren't looking at the big picture. Thank you for all of your years of educating us unbiasedly on the cameras that you prefer to use and why.
That at 5:02 is generally a problem of all ML systems, independent of the brand. The ones more, the others less. If that focus plane is at infinity or so, they never hunt back.
I have heard that the Z9 doesn’t support high speed sync flash.
I am a experienced portrait photographer, using a D750 at the moment with manual focus Zeiss lenses.
Now I am doubting for buying a Z9 or a D850.
Using manual focus lenses is a priority.
What is your advice?
I’d go z9
It does support hss flash. And you can zoom in 100% for manual focus.
Also the d850 is discontinued
@@mattgranger thanks and does the Z7 and Z8 support HSS flash?
Select the lens distance limit for your subject.
you mean the focus limiter switch on the side of the lens? That doesn't resolve it.
one other point, those long lenses have a focus area switch, maybe this is set to far focus, and there is no override to this{other than the switch itself}, Also Matt lenses like the 105 MC don't do close focus racking intuitively; Deliberately, as the aperture shifts when you do so, aka f32 is NOT available close in (only f 22 max), dof reasons?, and at least for this lens these close distances are in the macro range, so has to be done with "user consent", not automatically, as diffraction, and the above aperture shift come into effect, which could ruin the workflow, as things will be counter intuitive to the shooter.
Terrific video! I'm a Canon shooter and have been watching your videos for years. I was the same way, slow to move to mirror less but once I moved to the R5 from my 5DIV, I was converted. The first time in the woods, it locked onto a chicadee's eye....black head and tiny black eye. And that was with a thousand dollar third party zoom. Good work, Matt.
I run into this very issue with birds at a distance and then having birds coming in to roost at dusk. Trying to switch over to the flying target of opportunity which is usually at closer range is a challenge. I will definitely be programming in that focus button you discussed for my trip next month to Florida birding. Thanks for the tip!
I bought a Z8 and put a Yongnuo YN 568 Ex flash on it, with which it communicates in TTL mode, but it overexposes terribly! Then I looked it up and saw that this was a problem for other people as well. I have Yongnuo flashes and triggers and I don't know if it would be possible to use the Z8 in TTL mode with another Yongnuo flash, or will I have to buy a much more expensive Nikon flash? A video on this topic would be nice. Nikon Z and non-Nikon TTL flashes. (Google was my translator)
Its really good positive criticism, to make some details better. I totally agree. Tgese cameras can work at - 10 c , so... They build and tested cameras , they have known how. The f6, the d5, d6, d850 .. they know. Thanks Matt Granger for your love for photography.
Exactly! My pleasure mate.
It's happened quite often with my Z9. It is annoying but like you said , there are work arounds. Still hope it gets fixed.
100%
If one is standing on the street and scanning the sky, others may look up as well but cannot identify what the first person is looking until he/she pointing it out. That is what the System Analyst has to figure out what to do next when the Z AF is filled with out of focus objects. The possibility can be endless, such as the photographer may wish to focus at any distance from 0.1m to infinity.
One possible software solution is similar to a binary (half-interval) search by half the distance in front and back or using other search algorithms. AI with deep learning may help but not in an accidental decisive moment, such as a more interesting subject appears at random distances (big foot, accidents, etc.). As with programmable button, but some may dislike the complexity and best with common instances. Thus, Canon R3's eye tracking may be a better solution. In the meantime, we just have to be a MacGyver. 🙂
I shot a D4 for many years and I am just grateful to no longer have the focus rack and back and forth when I am trying to lock onto a flying bird. Yes, it could be better, but it has improved so much compared to a short time ago. Your solutions sound reasonable. I like the idea of setting the focus recall button to a closer focus.
Just program a button for focus recall... or for AF-ON with a small area... will focus on the closest object it can find.
Note the flashing auto iso very distracting, a feature on all nikons that I have tried. I wish a firmware update would simply give a steady display with no flashing light.
It’s never bother me personally.
Excellent point Matt and may I just throw in one more simple firmware update request. Nikon please allow us landscape photographers a 4:5 ratio in the Z9!! I still don`t understand that overlook and whenever I ask on your FB page my request is instantly taken down, and no I don`t want to hear the proverbial, "just crop later Dude" comments.
I love 4*5 too!
I agree. It's a particular problem when using auto capture as there's no opportunity for user interention.
You are spot on there with focussing birds.
Being a Nikon only shooter I had no clue this was only a Nikon issue. I've gotten used to pulling focus manually to allow AF to find the subject but it really would be nice if it did your suggestion. When I shoot events all it takes is a short amount of time to miss "the shot' so I hope Nikon takes this into consideration
From the comments, it isn’t unique to Nikon.
I’m happy with my Canon A-1 and Nikon FE with 35mm wide angle lenses. ❤
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I'm looking to buy a z8 but having seen several videos about eyelashes focus in portrait, I'm holding on.
I had the very same issue with the SOny A7RIV and now with the A7R5 the focus is almost 100% right.
As a event photographer, Z8 feels like a downgrade when it comes for low light events - no AF-assist from flash. Second thing is, camera will focus using F5.6 for focusing if that aperture is set for shooting (dSLR will close aperture only during shooting ) So basically i cant shoot in lowlight using flash and using some smaller aperture (even F4 - camera will struggle to lock focus on anything) Damn, im refreshing nikonrumors webpage everyday expecting new firmware update
Thanks again for an interesting point of view. I also would like to see the problem of the use of flash solved in mirrorless cameras. That was my biggest disapointment when I changed to the Z, all my flashes became useless.
What do you mean your flashes became useless?
I just bought the 180-600 as a combo with the 1.4x TC, and I love it. But I also recognized the described behavior. It doesn't bother me that much because it didn't happen that often. What I really need is some kind of "legacy" flash mode since I can't use my portable studio flashes anymore in HSS mode with my Z8. The flash interval doesn't seem to synchronize with sensor read-out. So the upper third (or the left side) is nearly black and/or I get very bad banding... Small strobes/on-camera flashes work flawlessly in HSS even off-camera.
I have been thinking of jumping from my D810 to Z6II > but the auto focus really makes me hesitant on the upgrade.
Dual back button focus fixes this non issue. But I guess it’s a Nikon issue since we don’t have two back buttons to dual focus on the z9 or z8.
I would like that they fix banding when you shoot under led lights or mix lighting.. better auto white balance results .. better auto focus and communication with speedlight specially in low light..
Isn’t there a special mode to mitigate the banding?
@@mynameisben123 not on Z6II and on Z9 is very limited! Needs to be done as Sony did in their latest camera..
Right on! I have experienced the problem you talk about but have also experienced the opposite problem. That is, if I am focused near and I am trying to find a bird (or quarterback) far away, the camera can't see it and gets stuck and gives up. I actually have to find a tree or other object (something large) far away, focus on that and then go for my original subject. I read OkwyUgonweze below about setting wide area small (medium or large) and still have the same problem. Frustrating!
Has it been fixed?
Spot on, Matt! I discovered the problem when shooting an RC boat race with the boats careening toward me at high speed. Unfortunately I did not recognize the fix at the time. This info is gold!
And I was most amused by the off hand comment the problem "was not the sensor shield" 😂
Last observation, PLEASE tell me you will be doing another Iceland trip next year. I'd already booked another arctic trip this year. I struggled with the decision, but opted to chase polar bears vs. joining your Iceland trip...this year.
Cheers
I hope to run again in 2025 mate, tbc. You know though... 2 trips to the artic in one year is totally acceptable IMO :D
Mine too, but not quite so OK with other commitments. I will look forward to two trips north next year. Lake Clark NP in July, and hopefully your next Iceland trip.
Thanks!
Valid point. Moral of the story is to focus close by and store that distance under the focus recall button.
I would want the focusing limiting switch to be different: "Full" as is today for full range and the other position of the switch to behave as "Limited" where I can set nearest and farthest focusing distance in an associated menu. My Z 105/2.8S macro lens has a valid 0.29m-0.5m limited range, but why not offer me the option to change that into 1.2m-2.4m when I use it in my studio for portraits? Same story with longer lenses. Take your 85 to a wedding. You will probably use it in the 2m-4m range (wanting 2 people in the frame, generally). Set focusing distance recall to 2m and wam bam shoot whichever.
Glad to hear this. It has been a very annoying problem for me and I thought it was me. Just didn't understand why this great auto focus system, for me, was not all that great at times.
I like cropped cameras better. My 500mm lens will to into a 750mm which I must have. Top notch video. ❤❤❤
The problem is they overheat when you put them in fire, they sink when you put them in water, they freeze when you put them in the icebox, and they stop working with the battery dies. Honestly disgraceful no other brand has this problem.
i use in that situation the af recall Funktion, first i set it to 6-8 Meters. I need fast go back i press Button on the lens or on the cam.
Can't you set the temporary single point focus to any of the buttons? You expert, you?
I jumped ship to Canon now, here's option to keep racking focus, or not. Isn't something similar on Nikons?
one solution Nikon could do, is to add Focus bracketing to the bracketing mode, using this together with the subject tracking option ie that the focusing distance be inserted as auto (normal AF search mode), Hunting (like you are describing, at the zoo or on safari where different targets are sought at different distances ), Panning (for moving cars at a racetrack, horse racing, dog trials, etc.)- to allow background to be in focus in star or light trail photography.
Do Nikon lenses tell the camera when they are about to hit close focus or does it see stop when the motor lugs down?
If the latter then maybe it was a power saving effort to leave it out as DSLRs didn’t have to worry so much about battery life?
Making it an option would then, as you say, make more sense but not the default which understand was in DSLRs.
Hi Matt, thanks for your video. It's great what you're doing. You earn your money with photos and cameras are your tools. Because it's not like that for me, the utopian prices for a Z9 cannot be explained to my family. At the moment I am completely satisfied with my DSLR (D810, D4s, D5). They are a good team of three. Each has clear weaknesses and strengths compared to the other.
There were never any major revolutionary changes between the models. Otherwise business would be even slower. But the fast pace and the ever more and apparently better doesn't make fitography any better. Everyone runs after the latest technology and the mystique of photography, which happens slowly and quietly, is lost. In 1985 I started with an F3, which I sold in 2005 because I became a mother...
Great video! I have also noticed this issue while shooting sports, I have to admit, I thought maybe it was just me, but this video confirmed what I was experiencing as well. Cheers!
I get that with My DSLR once in a while. so i will adjust lens preset short distance and turn off camera. so lens stays at that range.