Nikon Z9: Features That Really Crank Up The Keeper Rate!
One question I'm constantly asked is, "How are you using your Z9 in the field for wildlife work?"
This video will help answer that question. :)
I was originally going to do "just another Z9 review," but the truth is I think at this point, a video that talks about the state-of-the-art features of the Z9 are helping me in the field is probably more useful.
So, in this video I'll cover how I'm taking advantage of some of the flag-ship level features of the Z9 and how it's helping me in the field. Take a look, I think you'll really like this one!
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Z9 Setup Guide:
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Steve, great video, I am a professional photographer and I have had the Z9 since last Dec. I was pretty comfortable with my setup but decided to purchase your setup guide. I can honestly say its the best $28.97 I have ever spent. I have learned a lot of neat tricks that will help me capture more great images. Thanks again. You ROCK!!!
I can vouch for Steve's Z9 setup guide, and not just for wildlife work. I just used it to prepare for a wedding shoot.
Thank you so much!!
@@backcountrygallery I just finished processing the RAW files and I have to say that my first Z9 shoot really impressed me. Looking forward to showing them to the clients.
Steve what is your email please respond
😅
how did I download Z9 updated
As always, love your content! Thanks Steve!
Thanks Steve, I enjoyed the points you highlighted. Happy shooting
I am devouring the Setup guide! I have only shot the camera for 2 days, and your practical advice for wildlife photography on the Z9 is producing keepers that I am sure I wouldn't have gotten if I had ventured down the path of figuring out the Z9 systems, alone. It's no surprise, considering the amount of help you provided getting the most out of my D500. I should say, I cannot help but read the set up guide, in your voice. 😂 I bet I am not alone..😃
As always thanks a lot for a very informative video, Steve !
Thank you so much for the great tips, and love those amazing photos!
Great video Steve as always. I have really enjoyed the Nikon Z9 setup guide also. Thanks so much for all of your help.
Excellent video Steve. Spectacular image quality as always! 👏👍😀
Perfect timing. Just received mine Sunday.
Thanks Steve! Love your work. I seriously appreciate your expertise and fun to watch videos. Thanks again. :)
Just purchased the set up guide, and I am really looking forward to reading it, in conjunction with my manual. Thanks for the videos! Your videos for the D500 really helped my come up to speed quickly, when I switched from the D300.
Thank You for this video. It confirms some of my setup choices I've made and adds quite a bit more. Especially the combinations of features.
Outstanding work.
Great video. I can see myself making some slight adjustments to my setup.....plus I think I will be getting the setup guide to see what other fine tuning I can do to get the best out of the camera. Thanks for your efforts, much appreciated.
As always, great content. Thanks, Steve.
Thank you, Steve. Good benchmarks for the A1 mark ii, especially the display tilt mechanism for photographers.
Been following you for years. You are a born teacher and I enjoy your style of teaching and professionalism. Thank you for sharing your passion.
Great video, he makes it easy to follow along !!!!!
I am sure someone has already said something along these lines, but your video showcased some stunning wildlife images. Well done Steve.
Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always, I really enjoy watching your videos and learned a lot from you 👍👌
Excellent points. Thx. Since I own a Z9 I should buy your book.
Great points Steve - the Z9 has been such a massive step forward in the Nikon Z world! Something I really appreciate is the playback button position allowing a quick check of the last images of n the EVF without moving my hands or burning a valuable front function button!
Thank you for the video. Bought my new guide also when it came out. Now I just need to make some time to dig in to it.
Once again, well done. Makes learning so easy !!!!
Hi, Thanks again, great Feature summary.
As always a superb video, you are a encyclopedia for Nikon shooters.
Good morning Steve . Thanks for sharing . 💯💪💪💪💪💪
Fantastic mini review.
Excellent video as usual 😊
Great video as always!
I've set up my Z9 to use a wide area focus with a half press of the shutter and 3d tracking on the AF or back focus button once subject acquired , this works well for birds in flight. Thanks Steve for another great video .
Awesome as usual. Thank you 👍🏻
And purchased your new ebook Steve. Thx, the one I was waiting for :-)
Thank you so much for sharing such a Excellent useful videos as always !!! Greetings from Nepal !!!👌👍
Great work, as per usual.
Excellent delivery of you're video with bullet point delivery and examples of you're work. Just subbed here and your newsletter. I don't even own a prosumer camera anymore, but thinking about the Nikon Z8 when it comes out.
Thanks so much!
Hey Steve, Once again thanks for great content. My Z9 arrived 2 days ago and I paniced when I saw how many new features there are and the size of the user manual. I have just downloaded my copy of your new book 'The Ultimate Z9 Setup and Shooting guide for wild lif photograph' and can't wait to geet into it. Thanks again, love ya work
Thanks so much!
The set-up guide is an invaluable accessory to have with the Z9. It is much better than the Z9 User Manual from Nikon.
I've had my Z9 for a few months now - just long enough to realise how many of the features I'm under using! I'm only a quarter of the way through your new ebook, but have already learned a few things. Although we could all, eventually, learn many of the subtleties of the Z9 and photography in general, it's great that people like you are willing to pass on your knowledge in such an enthusiastic and altruistic way. Thanks Steve.
Thanks for another great video.
Thanks, dear Perry
Thank you kindly for sharing this information
Keep up the good work friend ❤
Annother great video Steve. I think I'll sell my Z6ii and just look at your photos! I can't wait to see which of those features Nikon trickles down first!
This is a great video Steve. I don’t have a Z camera, but this was really interesting. Thanks!
I don't own or use any of the cameras you review but I always look forward to your videos and photographs just the same.
I just had to complement you on the Z9 images you featured in this video, Steve. Your work is absolutely stunning.
Thanks so much!
I've learned so much from Steve over the years and will be ordering his new book today!
Thanks!!
Great photos!
Thank you!
Great info Steve! I’m still saving for a Z9 and hoping Nikon comes out with something with great focusing, but more affordable!
Mike Davis 25 minutes ago Great video on an overview of the options you use! I bought your book and in the process of reading it. Great work and will check out the other z9 info!!
Great video! Really didn't think about turning off tracking between shots. That's a great tip. What's your thought on the 800pf vs the 600mm f4E in terms of IQ?
I watched this video even when I do not have and not planning to buy a Z9. I would love if you consider to make an a9/a9ii book I would be the first buying it! Great work! Love your books Steve!
1/28/23 Steve really showed Nikon Z9 features to the max, very impressive wildlife photography examples, looks like the menus system has a lot of custom setting which is good and bad depending on your needs. Because of the large size and cost of the Nikon system, my preference is the Olympus OM-D micro 4/3 due to its smaller size and weight, plus meets my needs for a mirrorless camera. I can carry a lot more gear in less space and weight, a second body, plus a waterproof body. For me, this meets my photo needs, but yes I am very impressed with your review of the Nikon Z9 and the quality of your photography.
Those photos are awesome!
Thank you so much!
Really useful tips as always, your experience in the field really counts. I notice you use Lightroom to edit, and wonder how everybody else is finding it cranks up noise from the stacked sensor? Even iso 800 files are looking really untidy and loads of colour speckles in shadows, or even normal skin tones. You need to play around with the detail panel in Lightroom, Adobe haven't quite set the software to handle Z9 yet. However, I have heard Capture One handles RAW Z9 files perfectly.
I just ordered your Z9 book. Starting reading it....
awesome video thanks ❤🙌
Hi Steve, eventhough i wont be able to effort new gear for the next Years, i really enjoyed this video anyways, because youre just so good at explaing other more general stuff (e.g. why higher frame rates are so beneficial) along the way. I would really like to see a video in which you talk about camouflage or more general how you personaly manage to get close to wildlife. As i wachted almost all of your Videos i realized, that you didnt wear any form of Camouflage in your videos.
Finally I got the 800mm F6.3. So the days of 800mm F11 are done. 100-400 + 2x. Oh how great this 800 PF is. I got plenty good shots with the old kit but now, my birds in flight has gone a notch or three. My Z9 is now complete :) Enjoying the setup guide. Thanks for the great work.
Thanks so much! Congrats on the 800!
What a dream that camera must be. Still shooting with my D810. Thanks for the info
I'm still on the D800 and is still is very good (but obviously not as good as a Z9 ;-)
Same here. I'm shooting with my D800 in an hour. Would love the Z9.
I used 3D on my AF ON back button and Auto Area on my sub selector (Joystick) before FW 2.10, I have since switched and put Auto Area on AF on back button and use it for just about everything with animal detection. It's been FANTASTIC and MUCH stickier too for acquiring a bird and tracking in the sky or in front of trees/busy background where 3D will more often grab the background. I use 3D now for slower, closer moving animals and birds in brush with branches around the bird as it will just grab the eye. 3D is not the best overall option for acquiring and tracking faster/smaller subjects since FW 2.10
Makes perfect sense
Phenomenal thank you so much
Thank you for the verdict... Your opinion matters... Time to move on to the Nikon Z9
Always excited when your vids drop! Thanks! 🙂📸 EDIT: Adding to my earlier comment, OUTSTANDING images (as always). And please tell me you say "Shields..." in your best Michael Keaton Batman voice, every time you turn off the Z9 😆🤓
Thanks! Oh, and now I have a new way to annoy my wife with the Z9 thanks to that batman idea :)
U ARE A GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER
Wow! This is 💯 % legit! Thank you so much!
Just to add the obvious: Your videos are great! One thing I noticed with my Z7 II is how great the Z lenses are. I will probably wait for a Z8 to be released as I need a smaller camera, and save up for the Z 800/f6.3 lens.
The Z lenses are insanely good, I agree 100%.
Hi Steve, I keep my Sensor Shield off until I need to use it when changing a lens. So I put the menu item for the shield in the My Menu for ease/speed to access it. I do this for 2 reasons. 1st is it's mechanical. It will have a finite lifespan so why constantly have it open and close when not needed? The other is with the Shield turned on, the Z9 starts up and is ready to shoot in about 1 second. Having the shield off, the Z9 starts up in about .5 seconds or about half the time. With the shield off, I find the Z9 starts up as fast as my D850 and D500 did.
I agree the number of keepers just allows us to be pickier about our favorites
Thanks, Steve for the great video. Will there be a long term review of the 800mm F6.3 PF lens coming up?
I'm still planning on it. I'm trying to get a 400 2.8 for comparison, but can't get a loaner...
@@backcountrygallery Thanks, Steve.
Love your enthusiasm when you talk. The hovering of the camera over the water for the hippo shot takes a lot of courage - perhaps some sort of strap screwed into the lens foot would be better for most others? But when the moment comes, one has to get the shot
You absolutely, positively don't want a strap in that scenario. If a croc or hippo comes up from the bottom and tries to grab the "thing" it sees above water, you don't want it pulling you in with it. The water is not overly clear so you have to be very careful.
@@backcountrygallery Very good point - thanks for always responding to questions like these - I definitely learnt something!
Though i was waiting for your review on the Z9 ill take anything you put out, even if its a short vid.
The Guide comes before you can even put your hands on this camera! Impossible to get one! Anyway, GREAT GREAT photos Steve, you're an amazing photographer and you know your stuff - no doubt!
Not sure where you live, but the Z9s are becoming available in the US to just about anyone who wants one. So, hang tight! It looks like they are coming :)
They are in stock on Amazon right now with a Nov delivery, in the US at least
@@bradcofo Thanks for the tip, not here In London I'm afraid...
@@backcountrygallery Thank you Steve, I'm in London. I must say, I've been Nr 2 on a list of one of the biggest camera stores here and I pre ordered the camera in March 2021. By the time the camera gets to me Nikon will have already released the Z10 and announced the Z11... As per 800mm or 400mm f/2.8 they're showing the film at the Science Fiction Film Festival at the South Bank Center here in London...
If you can Steve, try FW 3.0 on birds over water. See if it keeps to the birds in 3D animal AF tracking and doesnt hunt to the weird colors of waves in the foreground or background. I was just out today with it and it seems to be a lot more sticky on the subject.
I love your videos and have watched many. I just bought a Z9 and I am so excited. Lots to discover. Some day I would love to hook up with you on a workshop or something. My biggest problem is being a fairly small female, I cannot handle carrying around a 600mm lens. So I have to sacrifice. Any suggestions would help with that. I just can't carry that heavy equipment. I will continue to watch your videos. Going to look at the the Ultimate Z9 one you mentioned.
The 800PF is much lighter than the 600 F/4 E, and the new 400 2.8 is pretty light as well, relatively speaking. So, things are getting better :)
@@backcountrygallery thank you Steve!
תודה!
Thanks so much!
Thanks!
Thanks David!!
Agreed, with all you said, Steve. I've shot a little over 14,000 images with my Z9, and am enjoying it more each time I shoot. Nikon really hit it out of the park on this one, and I'm not worried about shooting any time, anywhere.
Same :)
With the additional photos you are capturing, is there a photo-culling software program you would suggest to assist you in deciding on which are the keepers?
Hi Steve! Great video. I hope get to lay my hands on one of those Z9 one day. Also, not related to the video but very important. I am thinking of buying a 1.4 TC for my D850+500mm f/4 but was wondering: Is it worth it regarding image quality or am I better off cropping pics in post when needed? 😊
TC is better for sure.
Ok. Thank you so much for replying!
When I had a D850, I'd often use DX frame size for birds in flight. That changed 500 mm to 750 mm, and sharp focus was easier to achieve than with full 47 MP.
I recently acquired my second Z9, and even though my older body is running fw2.1, I would swear the AF system is more improved on the newer body. Anyone else seeing this? I may re-apply the firmware to the older camera just to be sure, but it does seem odd. All my settings were transferred via Save/Load from the original body to the new one.
compared to the D850, focusing feels to hunt more using F-glass when shooting landscapes. especially on low contrast subjects
Hi Steve, another great video thanks. I keep my Z9 set at 12fps just to keep the numbers down but think I may start to turn mine up. Just curious, do you keep all the raw files?
I do, but I need them for teaching from time to time and I have a LOT of storage. For most people, I'd say pick your winners and trash the rest.
Great video! (As all of your videos are) I'm about to purchase a Z9. I have a question, if I purchase your Z9 ebook, are all future updates included or must you purchase them after a certain time frame? Thank you Steve. 🙂📷
Hi Joe - It sort of depends on what Nikon does. We're trying to put a system in place, but haven't quite figured it out just yet. Free updates are fine for minor stuff, but when 3.0 came out it added about 100 pages to the book and it's tough to do those for free (although, it would be an update charge, not a full price upgrade). We'll probably do something where updates are free for a time and then an update fee after that, but only if it's a big update. I'm not going to charge people for a few extra pages.
@@backcountrygallery thank you very much. More than fair. Much appreciate Steve.... And thank you for the fast reply! 🙂📷👍🏻
Ciao Steve, Simone here from Melbourne. Thanks always for all the tips that you share with the community. I'm using the Z9 with the 600 f4 FL. About the 20 fps. Considering that: As you mention, I'm not very happy to shoot anything at more than 3200 ISO and I push 6400 only if very necessary to take home the shot. the ibis of the z9 is amazing and with some care, I can manage to get good shots even at 1/80 - 1/125 with the VR on the lens on, hand helded. (no sport) I found that when I use the rate of 20 fps at very low shutter speed like that, look like that the VR of the lens is not able to work in all of the 20 shots, but I have about the 50% of the shots, sharp. While, if I keep the low 10 fps mode, almost all are sharp. Now, you have that lens. Did you find that behaviour similar? Is possible that the not native lens VR could struggle to work in perfect syncro with that speed and ibis of the Z9? Am I missing something? Of course I'm talking of hand helding, I don't use tripods or monopods Thanks, Simone
That's honestly not something I've noticed with the 600. Not every shot is sharp, VR or not, but it's not an every other shot situation like you describe. At least not with my setup.
Have you used the HE format? Any problems with editing in Lightroom?
As always your shots are an absolute joy to look at. Thanks for all the tips. Did you notice any difference in subject detection or tracking when using f mount lenses compared to z mount ones? (Edited as i forgot to ask the question when i first posted the comment)
Hmm - that's a good question. I'm gonna say I don't think so, but I never really paid attention to it. If there's a difference, it's minor.
@@backcountrygallery I asked this because in Tony Northrups vedios on z9 they were complaining about the autofocus performing poorly compared to sony and canon especially for bif. They were using adapted f mount lenses. Some comments said that unlike EF and RF mounts which are similar Fmount is vastly diff from Z mount thus communication between lens and camera is not as good as in case of Z mount lenses and this could be causing the issues. Thankyou for your reply!
@@neerajr3134 Yeah, I don't know if I'd put much stock into their claims. I've done a LOT of BIF work with the Z9 and mostly with adapted glass and it doesn't seem like much of an issue :)
@@neerajr3134 I have stopped watching the Northrups and the other guy since they have started undue lashing at Nikon products, especially, since the release of Z9. Although I do not have any Z long telephoto lenses yet, but I find that the 200-500mm works quite satisfactorily for the most of the time.
I am no way close to steve or the northrups as a wildlife photographer… but even as an amateur I bagged around 90-95 % hit rate on bigger BIF like cranes and about 70-80% on smaller birds like swallows in flight. most of the time, it was my fault for not being able to keep the bird in the view finder . So Northrups being better photographers than me, should have a higher hit rates unless they were doing something really wrong with their setup
Steve -my apologies. Access to both books now all good. Clive
Great video. I compared all 3 RAW formats at 64 ISO, I could not see any difference with +5 EV correction and +100 shadows... there is certainly a difference because lossless is lossless and the other just aren't, and this could be measured with tools I am sure, but visually it's insignificant.
Awesome - thanks for letting me know. That's kind of what I figured (or, at least was hoping). So far, I just haven't had any issues with it.
Little help.... First, I'm feeding myself with your book of the Z9, and thank you so much to dedicate yourself to create it. I did not get a thing (or I missed) about the RSF(hold or not) and I appreciate if you can assist or any one else in this post. We can dedicate few buttons to recall this option (never enough I'd say), but I did not understand if I can create an indipendent settings for different buttons, or the settings created on the menu, will be the same and shared in all the buttons assigned to it. Example I set F1 to RSF and I do too to the video record button. Can I assign 2 different settings or they will behave the same because "the root" will be always the same? I ask this because if I change it in one of those in the example, it will be show the same in the other. I hope makes sense Simone
You can only have one RSF and it will act the same no matter how many buttons it's assigned to. Technically, you can use multiple custom setting banks for up to four different RSF functions, but to me that's a non-starter. RSF is designed to allow you to instantly change a setting or group of settings and if I first have to change to a different Custom Setting bank to get the one I want, it defeats the purpose.
@@backcountrygallery Ciao and thanks to take time to answer. I totally agree with what you say about the use of the banks, is going to kill the advantage point that the RSF give. And is a shame that Nikon did not think to create something like when they added the AF mode C1 and C2; they could have create RSF1 and 2. I say this because, please tell me if I'm wrong, when I find myself trying to track a bird with RSF set to Auto AF area with the Z9, if that bird fall from a clean background to a busy area background, with the Z9 you need immediatly the Wide large, or most of the time it will lose the subject. (unfortunately this is my experience with handhelding the 600FL, lens difficult to hold, in flight). And changing the area during RSF will reset my settings to the type of shots I was before to see that bird incoming, and for me, usually is a perching bird. So would be handy to have the ability to have a RSF2 to set and push while the action is happening. Nikon, can you listen me? lol Thank you Steve
Hi Steve , Great review, I'm on a D4 I'm planning on upgrading in two weeks I was considering a D6 , however I know you got rid of yours Do you have any regrets with Z9 ? Do you think using the adapter to use F mount lenses, you experience any loss ? Thanks
Can you tell me more about that lens and the hoods and how you got them? Nikon has limited items not sure where you got your gear
Sorry - another comment but pleased to hear other users' comments. In an earlier video and quite famously you vouch for back button focus - huge benefits as it acts as focus lock too. However, with the new pre-record buffer in the Z9 (where up to a second of 11MB jpgs are being recorded if you press shutter halfway before firing whilst in super high frame rate) does this swing back in favour of half-press shutter? Or am I reading this feature wrong? I use half-press as I've done for nearly 20 years professionally since the Nikon D1! But with my system I can take advantage of the pre-record feature. I know its jpgs and that doesn't suit everyone but I bet there's tons of animal activity which would be almost unseen if this feature didn't exist. Can it be used with back button?
You can use it with BBAF, no issue at all. You only have to engage the camera - not AF - for it to work, and a half-press does just that. I've used with by half-pressing the shutter release and focusing with the back button. It's fine. I just don't like jpegs so I don't use the feature for actual work.
Well ….. gee whiz. Pretty much everything in this video perfectly equally applies to my brand new Z8. Thanks, Steve.
i've had my d40 for long, and it's good as z9 :D
Ever since updating to 3.0, i'm getting random EVF framerate drops while AF is ON - it seems like it mostly happens when 3D tracking loses a subject, falls back to area, and reacquires. Not sure if that's just me or if it's something happening to other people as well. It's weird.
Hi thanks for all your video's. Though my expierience with the startup-time is not so good. My D5/6 turn the on button & click, got it, I don't get that same result on the Z9 and cost me already many hits. With my Z9 I have to anticipate tooooo far in my opinion. That's really something I hate from the Z9.