The Problem with Nikon Mirrorless...
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- This Issue needs to be fixed. Anything you would add?
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@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
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.
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
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 have partly moved to mirrorless but at heart I will never leave DSLR. It still hits all the boxes for me
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.
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
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...
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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 :)
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
Nikon has the cheapest build quality
Compared to who?
@@mattgranger canon and even Sony , I haven’t seen Z9 and 8 but z7 and 6 series are far below than DSLR era . Felt and looked cheap IMHO
I have a z8, r5 and a1 on my desk, and I strongly disagree 😂
Z9 is a tank. You could hold a building up with it.
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.
Just program a button for focus recall... or for AF-ON with a small area... will focus on the closest object it can find.
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?!
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
@@PSYCHIC_PSYCHO 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.
Canons are the same, this problem exists with all Mirrorless cameras and not just Nikon. I used an R5, R7 and same thing I’ve also experienced this.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 🙂
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 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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Good one matt. Thanks for letting everyone know about this issue.
Well said sir! Great tip on using the Lens Function Button to pull focus back for the don't see anything issue. Thanks.
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! 🤗🤜🏼
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!
Here’s a workaround:
Tap the screen at the spot where you see the bird (or any subject) out of focus, as a fuzzy blob. The camera will autofocus to the bird and take a picture. If the focus of that shot isn’t perfect, the camera has now been alerted to the presence of a subject at that distance. Then it will refine focus on the bird, and the next shot is likely to be perfectly focused.
Workaround 2:
When your camera can’t figure out what you’re trying to focus on, and it’s locked onto the wrong thing, point your camera away, at something else, and point back at your subject. This time, it might figure what you were trying to shoot and lock on to it then. But I prefer the first workaround.
thanks mate. Always good to have options. For #2 though, if you are still focussed at the same distance, this doesnt work in wide area or tracking options.
Personally I find it strange that the world of professionals has not yet asked manufacturers to make cameras to take photographs and to make them ergonomic!
I have been working in photography for more than twenty years and already at the time my advice for choosing a reflex was: "go into a shop, pick up a Nikon, pick up a Canon, buy the one you like best"! The image level was almost similar, it was valid in both cases and the discriminating factor was ergonomics!
Now all cameras (Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, etc...) produce excellent files but you can't hold them in your hand!
I was hoping for the Z9 and Z8...but they're still not good for me!
It's not my nostalgia, it's a work necessity. When Nikon goes back to building a camera to take photos (the 6K, 8K 1000K...it's of no use to me) with ergonomics first...then I might switch to mirrorless. For now...D850 remains queen!
Everything else...is superfluous to me!
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.
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.
So much computing, overrides, programming, menus... Go aperture priority, manual exposure and use your brain, it's the best computer there is. With both film and digital :)
Matt Granger must not have received his Nikon royalty check. 🤣
That is why they have memory af focus presets on the long lenses, because the dof is narrow. This is a problem with all brands, I have an Canon R5. I found instead of using this, I set up dual back button focus. One is set to animal eye. The other is set to single point focus. Single point focus will rack back and forth looking, when found, I hit the animal eye focus.
Assuming this is just the nature of the beast, a better work around would be double click the af button (at least for back button focus) and it will rack to the closest position and then do the search. This would be fast and not have to press any other buttons.
22 years of Nikon when the Canon r7 came out was enough for me, canon autofocus is so far ahead of nikon it was time to dump all nikon and switch, I have not looked back.
Enjoy!
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!
My Sony's do the stuck far focus some times too.
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%
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!
The problem with smoking.
I can hear the difference in his voice. I came after 7 years to this channel.
Save yourselves.
Single focus point in DSLR the best
Never compare to mirrorless
Amen Matt. My D500 would even quickly refocus. The same is true in Animal AF as well but not as much as birds but still happens more than people would think. Also enjoyed your shutter shield broke video got me thinking to always carry back-ups with me on future trips.
I'd rather have a button I can assign that will quickly rack the focus back. Having the software do it automatically is just asking for a new problem.
Matt dont shoot Nikon , I shoot Sony and honestly this is somewhat common with all mirrorless cameras. Maybe one brand is a little better than another but IF you know what you are doing it can be overcome.I think you are an honest man and a good photographer but from what I have you seen post on birds its not your strongest type of photography.
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.
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.
I'm wondering if the focus hunting issues might be due to some patent issues. I remember that Minolta and some other early AF implementers got burned badly in patent claims, and perhaps Nikon *could* fix this issue, but is wary of doing so due to knowledge of patents owned by competitors - at least not without paying license that could be steep. I'm in the tech industry myself, and software patents can be just nasty to try and work around. Under this scenario, they'll fix it when they are certain they aren't hitting any legal tripwires. Just my hunch.
Im not a Nikon fanboy but shot Nikon for 19 years, even though the competition has been way ahead during several periods. Seriously though, nothing wrong with sticking to a brand or being a fanboy for that matter. Today they are a good option although i would argue not the best , objectively.
There’s nothing better than looking through a lens. A little tiny TV is not what I like.
Many evfs are bigger and brighter than ovfs
It's the same with airplanes: once the focus is too far back, it can no longer find it. Very annoying.
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.
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. 👍🏼
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.
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 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..
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.
Biggest problem was how slow they were in the beginning to get into mirrorless. I’ve had a camera since 1965 and a 20 year Nikon Pro until switching systems to Sony when a7r3 came out years ago.
No camera is ever going to be able to do that you're basically asking the cameras AI system to be able to distinguish between blurred green and black foliage and the out of focus bird in question. What you would have to do is have some kind of button that says with absolute certainty there's something of interest there and then an action rereacks the focus half shutter press etc.
D850 is missing in that collection as the last proper Nikon DSLR :)
I owned and loved them. But I think the Z9 is far superior on balance.
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
I agree. It's a particular problem when using auto capture as there's no opportunity for user interention.
Had the exact same problem with my Sony A1 600mm f4 200-600mm. In low light they all same to be the same in this regard
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.
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.
Interesting video. I have a z6 and a D700. The D700 is my go to camera.
people are starting to realize the z8 will cause banding stripes when using godox flashes in hss at higher sync speed, can be seen at 1/4000s. this doesn't happen on the z7ii with a mech shutter. this not the the lcd background flickering banding. that is different. I have a few nikons myself. 5 fx 2dslr and 3milc.
Matt, you are correct, this is fixable. All the current Canon cameras were doing this and it was fixed with firmware. The R5, R6 and for a short time R7 all did this. I owned them all and experienced this problem. Duade Patton has a few videos of this problem.
Nikon: hire whoever fixed that for Canon 😂. This should be fixed via firmware.
After switching back to Nikon, I have experienced this a lot but it’s not as much of a shocker to me since I had workarounds for my canon gear before it was fixed. But it would be nice.
It seems that the “seeker” is near to far and not far to near. Those are technical terms for cameras. They are terms for missiles and maybe it helps explain the prob.
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.
Yes can be a pain happens a lot with z8 and some birds don't hang around long , or moving the lens to something in foreground still scares bird off, strange that my Olympus doesn't suffer as badly and will still grab focus coming far to near, maybe down to smaller sensor. so can be done. Great video Matt .Thanks
I agree there is a focus issue as you described and it has improved with recent updates. I have set the F1 button to single point when I need to get between branches or finding focus in the issue you mention. As you mention, the keeper rate has increased with the auto detection and I hope in due time there will be another firmware upgrade to further address the focus issue. Agree the door cover panels could have been designed like the D5/D850, for better protection.
Hi, I've own two Z9 cameras. I hated them because they are just to much hassle to deal with. I am not a video shooter so the camera was not being used. The freaking menus go on forever and the EVF is a pain the studio and on bright sunny days. Thanks my observation. So, I went back to the D6 and purchased two of them and love them. I started with the D2 and moved on from there. The D6 works fantastic.
I think the idea of programming a button to do this is good, not sure about it being always-on though. (See the second para for a might-work-right-now idea.) What happens if you're in Bird mode in Iceland and Taylor Swift walks past, you point the camera at her, think of the Porsche the royalties will buy, and the camera thinks "no bird here" and racks focus away from her. Also it needs a time-out before it does it again so it doesn't keep trying. Possibly only do it if the centre of the image (or around a selected AF point) is blurred?
BTW for Birds I program two back buttons for AF, using completely different recipes (only on cameras supporting that and only if buttons in suitable positions are available), so I'm a fraction of a second away from a completely different AF setup (e.g. Bird amongst Branches and Bird in Flight)... I gather Sony E supports something like that by putting a different configuration set on a button, but being able to only change a selected subset of the config, which could just be AF. Don't know about Z, however would having a simple centre-point only and nothing clever AF mode on a second button work, as pressing that should then quickly focus on/near the subject and you can engage Bird mode again with the other button. Also if not supported would that be a more useful new option, as you don't have to program in selected distances to rack back to?
that are the reason why I still used DSR for birding ;-)
I’m finally switching from Nikon dslr to mirrorless but unfortunately I’m going to have to go to Sony since their lenses are much cheaper through third party which the z mount lacks. Even a 24-70 2.8 z mount is 1600 but through Sony would be 800 for sigma used. Long term a lot cheaper investment.
This is constructive positive criticism. This issue has haunted me a lot and it's my top complaint with my Z8 and Z9
Hey Matt, you're right, these issue should be addressed. They're not a dealbreaker but should definitely be addressed. But there is more Nikon (and yes NIKON I'm talking to you as I shoot Nikon and love your quality!). Fix this AF also on the Z6 and Z6ii (and 7 & 7II since you're doing it) as it is not ethically acceptable to make your clients pay for a half-backed camera. These days, these AF are better, I admit that (after a few fixes), but sometimes they don't want to know about carrying out their duties... the camera literally REFUSES to put anything in focus. May this be in the foreground or the background of the frame! Com'on Nikon!! Get a grip and give us working tools, even without having to drop 5K on a body!
I’m with you mate. Nikon make awesome products. And fair minded users should give feedback and seek to make great products EVEN BETTER
Do you have issues with z8 banding with HSS off-camera flash? I have z8 with AD200's & I also have FJ200 & FJ400. ALL has banding issues with trying to freeze sports action in dramatic shoots.
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.
When I saw the title, I was hoping that someone else had also experienced the Nikon Z problems that I have been facing. And it's a serious issue. As a professional wedding photographer, we use our cameras for both photo and video. However, within a little over a year, I have encountered problems with two Nikon Z 24-70 2.8 lenses. After a few months, these lenses develop fail to initialize error, and even if they do initialize, the resulting photos are very blurry, particularly towards the edges. Currently, I am using a third 24-70 2.8 lens, but I anticipate that it will develop the same error within a few months.
Furthermore, I own a Z7II camera on which the screen only turns on for a brief period (around 30-40 seconds) before it begins to flicker and eventually goes off. The only way to turn it back on (for another 30-40 seconds) is by allowing the camera to cool down. Additionally, the camera refuses to accept any firmware upgrades.
It's disheartening to witness Nikon cameras exhibiting such flaws. I have a friend who also experienced a non working screen on his Z7II because of the flex cable.
Since when are Nikon cameras built like kids' toys? What happened with their quality control?
Sounds like you maybe got a lemon camera?? I’ve never heard of this issue before
I thought the same in the beginning @@mattgranger, but after various problems I had in such a short time, I'm not so sure anymore. I can not be buying 2000+ lenses every few months 😢. Right now I'm thinking to switch to fixed lenses in a hope that they will last longer and also I'm waiting to see if the time will prove me wrong about Nikon lowering the quality control 😓. Don't get me wrong I still think that Nikon is the best thing that happened to photography and videography (if you put auto-focus on a side 😂)...
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 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)
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.
I am thinking about what to do with my D750 but it still works well
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!
Without programable buttons on the lens, having a function button with close or far focus option would be good. But the firmware update would be great too. Thanks Matt
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.
I have a Z6ii and a Z7ii. I have this exact problem, annoying. I have gradually sold my Nikon DSLRs and have regretted it somewhat. I have one left, my D5. Relatively recently, I decided on keeping it. It's a high mileage lump. When paired with my Sigma 60-600mm lens it becomes massive and unwieldy. But it gets more use than anything else I've got. Just because it's so simple to use in comparison.