Get to know your Nikon Z 8: Nikon Z 8 Autofocus Modes with Examples
Here is a brief demonstration of all of the Autofocus modes at your disposal when using the AF-C mode on the Nikon Z 8. I skip over the AF-S mode, and the Single-Point AF mode since they are already on the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 cameras.
For those coming from the Nikon Z 9, the Z 8 autofocus mode will be very familiar with some minor additions. For those coming from the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 series of cameras, there are familiar modes in addition to new ones that you will enjoy. For anyone coming from the D850 line of cameras, you will be pleasantly surprised at all of the options at your disposal with the Nikon Z 8.
Which autofocus mode you choose will depend on the scenario you're in. Choosing the best AF mode for the right condition will ensure you get the most amount of keepers.
Let me know if you have any questions on the Z 8, or what other video you want to see.
Thank you my man!
Just what I needed! Thank you
Great demonstration of the latest tracking features. Thanks, Taku!
Thanks Dee! I appreciate that. That airplane mode is awesome!
Excellent demonstration. very useful thank yo
I have seen a bunch of reviews and your review on AF was the best. Thank you for taking time to make this video 👍
Thanks very much for the kind words Ananth! Cheers!
Excellent demonstration. very useful thank you
You're very welcome!
Compliments. Very interesting vlog. Explanation calmly and clearly. Please go on this way.👍👍
Thank you very much for the feedback.
Very well done. I’m very excited. Love the camera so far. Upgraded from D850
That's great to hear! I'm sure you'll get some great use out of the camera.
Great video. Thanks! My Z8 arrives Thursday. Yes!!
Have fun!
Thanks Taku. Please keep your videos on using the Z8 coming!
Thanks for the support!
Very good job, I am new to the Z8 and this was really helpful!
Amazing! I’m so glad it helped you! You will love the Z 8!
what a high quality video. thank you for your sharing!
Aw thanks so much for that! 😁👍
Cheers Taku. Really helpful.
Many thanks David! Glad it was helpful.
Thank you for this video!
You're welcome!
going through the computer is the way to make a auto focus. great info. thanks
Cheers and thanks!
Great test video, looks like the AF is fairly "sticky" even with distant subjects. I can't wait to use my Z8 when it arrives!
You will have a great time with it!
That tracking was on point! Nothing wrong with the AF as far as I can see.
Thanks!
Thank you 👍🏻
You're welcome!
Thanks. May I suggest that you declutter the EVF next time?
So why not just start in 3D tracking? Today was my first day using my Z8. I was at the zoo trying different modes. It felt like the camera had a really hard time with eye detection when using the animal setting, but the new bird setting worked great. Thanks for the video!
The 3D tracking square is quite small compared to any of the Wide area AF settings. You'll have an easier time grabbing the eye with Wide Area AF and then switching to 3D to track it. If you're comfortable with 3D and you can always grab the eye then yes of course you can just start off with it.
Gracias
You're very welcome!
Great test! Very helpful. Which button do you set 3D tracking to on the Z8?
Function 1.
@@taku_kumabe I'm trying to set my function button specifically to 3D tracking, but the only option I get is Focus Mode/Auto Focus Mode, which doesn't allow me to check a specific mode. What am I doing wrong?
@@HoeyLuc Hi there, sorry for the late reply; not sure why your comment never came up on my dashboard! In f2 Custom Controls (shooting) for the Fn1 button, I have it set to AF-area mode + AF-ON and further set that option to 3D-tracking. This ensures that it continues to focus as I keep the Fn1 button pressed down and not just change the focus mode. This option is right at the top of the available options under the "Press" sub menu. The option you're referring to looks to be in the "Press+Command Dials" sub menu.
Very interesting test, great video, Taku!! It might be the timing to switch from Canon to Nikon? 🤔
You keep saying that. You shouldn't have switched to begin with. haha! ;)
@@taku_kumabe Z8 looks really good, made me have that thought a lot, just scared of selling my Canon lenses and buying a set of new Nikon lenses...😅
Great video. When you switch to 3D tracking, is there a way to switch without having to hold down on a function button or do you always need to hold a function button to keep the 3D tracking active? Thank you.
Thanks. I believe the only way around this is to set a function button or a lens function button to Recall Shooting Functions (hold). Then set your shooting functions to change the AF mode and any other settings you want changed. Once you push that same function button the second time the camera will go back to the original settings you had it set to before pushing the button the first time.
Thanks Taku, for your efforts, video, and thoughts. I own the Z9. The Z8 is not the second body I'm looking for, but it appears from most reviews that the majority of Z9 functionality is there. Biggest pluses for many are going to be weight savings and cost. That will more than offset the extra battery or two. If you are going to shoot mostly with the vertical grip on, the Z9 is probably the better choice. Very harsh or extreme weather temperatures with video, and perhaps the Z9 is still the better choice. Just FYI: my custom WA set up is slightly different - but I do modify it (i.e. to the long horizontal or slightly wider vertical strip. I find that Custom Area wide 11x19 - largest you can go, is a little quicker picking up BIF that Auto Area - one doesn't normally look for wildlife or objects at the very edge anyway. I also use a custom 1x1 square to mimic single point AF area with subject detection (via Recall shooting function hold) mapped to the Display button so I can quickly turn it off if need be so that 1x1 acts like single point and acquires focus faster before switching modes. Just FYI: Good move most of the time moving from a camera defined AF Area mode (wide area/Auto Area) to a user defined AF Area mode (3D) as it appears that's the way Nikon intended we use the handoff. As for focus and recompose, I found that the CWA I described above also allows one to focus quickly and recompose (since the box is that big) and is not distracted by close vs far objects since close are out of focus, not vertical lines, and subject detection is enabled. If another bird enters the frame your at risk in either AF area mode. The WA modes work best for me when the scene is free of other birds or clutter - but sometimes the 1x1 will work - especially when I turn subject detection off in tougher cases. Thanks for your efforts.
Thanks for your thoughts! The custom 1x1 using subject detection sounds interesting especially for those smaller birds in trees. I may have to try that one out myself. I tend to not use Auto Area too much since narrowing down the subject area has become a habit of mine. Cheers!
@@taku_kumabe I'll tell you another place the custom 1x1 worked well - very well with subject detection on/off via the DISP button. My friend (Canon R3) and I went to the Zoo (tired of traveling most other days) to test out our cameras and their ability to get a shot under difficult conditions (many people for a holiday, behind glass or caged, etc.). My friend really wanted to shoot the flamingos. There were just short of a hundred or so with one or two immature ones with white / black markings. My friend could not get the Canon R3 to focus on the eye, but with the 1x1 box and subject detection enabled, just like any other wide area, if you are in the neighborhood, it finds the eye. So with a quick move of the box with a joy stick, it picked up the eye of the juvenile and with 3D or 1x1 stuck where I wanted it . When he looked at my back LCD with Focus Point confirmation he was very surprised at the Z9's ability to accurately focus. - as for Auto Area - I never use that except for video - but what I do use is Custom WA and make the box 11x19 as the initial AF mode when shooting anything in wide open areas. It seems to find objects much quicker and recognize them faster than Auto Area. That tends to be true in general - that is, the smaller the WA box, the faster the camera can identify a lock on the animal - most of the time.
Thank you for this video. I am using Z8 for birds shooting for 2 days now. How do I keep the AF area in the center? It keeps moving to the lower right of the screen after a few shots. I have it set at AF-C and wide AF area.
I’ve heard other people say something similar to that but I’m not sure why it does that. It could be a bug. I have one of my customizable buttons set to reset the focal point to the center again so I can easily reset that.
👍
Hi Taku, Very nice vlog. I do have a question. Airplane mode: suppose the plane is nearby, does the tracking mode then focus on the cockpit? In that case: do you get the airplane then ""totally"" on the screen (photo), because the focus is on the frontside of the plane?
Yes, I believe there are a few areas of the plane that it will look for. It gives priority to looking for the cockpit and if it can’t find it, it will likely go to the body of the plane. I’m not sure what you mean by totally but if the plane is coming directly at you then the cockpit would be identified. If it’s on the side, then the cockpit will be the target. If it’s close to you then the wing may not be in focus but the body should still be if it’s in the same focal plane as the cockpit. I hope that makes sense!
Nice video! I know it's a huge ask but do you know anyone with an R5 or an A1 / A7RV to do a bit of head to head tracking against? 🙏
No I do not, but now that the Z 8 is shipping I'm sure someone will come out with a video soon enough comparing those cameras.
@@taku_kumabe let's hope so. Enjoy
Just a little better than my D810. I did notice it lost track of the gull after it flew behind the weeds/grass. Seemed like it grabbed & then let go again. You or the camera? = curious & thank you for any replies.
That could have been me taking my finger off of the back button for focusing. There is a setting in the camera that you can change how long the subject can stay blocked before the camera stops focusing. I've set that to the default which should handle a few seconds of subject blocking while tracking.
@@taku_kumabe Thanks.
Thank you for this video! I wonder which AF area is best when you need to shoot a photo of a fast moving car which is passing by in 100ft away from you? I'm currently using AF-C and AF area is "multiple dots" of S size. I'm not sure if it's the right option.
Depending on how large the car is within the entire frame, S could be good. Or you could try the Wide Area AF mode in Vehicle detection mode too. I would try that first.
@@taku_kumabe I'm at Daytona raceway right now. Trying to do photos. Nothing comes easy. I follow the cars to make the background blurry but half of the car is sharp...
Hello Taku, thank you for your videos. How exactly do you connect the Z8 to a computer? Are you actually controlling the camera through the computer, like in SnapBridge, or merely viewing what the camera sees? Thank you, Alan
This was simply connecting it via USB-C. I then used Quicktime to see the video feed. But now you can use the newly updated NX Tether. It allows you to see what your camera sees using the USB-C connection to your computer in addition to controlling settings on it.
@@taku_kumabe hello Taku, thanks for your helpful video and your reply here. I just tried connecting the camera via USB-C in the newest NX Tether. I can see Lv and control the camera, however I can not see it as you see, with the menu and so on. Do you still need something like Quicktime for that?
How did you switch from wide area detection to 3D tracking after the target was selected?
I set my function 1 button on the Z 8 to be 3D tracking plus AF-ON (so that it focuses automatically once I press the function button). This way anytime I want 3D tracking I can press that button no matter what my current AF setup is.
@@taku_kumabe You will need to press and hold F1 to do 3D, right? As soon as you leave it, it goes back to the previous AF, am I right?
Do you have to hold down the back button focus to continually keep it in focus or once you focus on it once and it moves, will it keep it in focus?
You need to continually keep it in focus for photos. It merely replaces the act of focusing when you half press the shutter button. For video, there is a AF-F feature that will continually focus on your subject without having to press any button.
@@taku_kumabe Great, thanks for the clarification.
Which connector do you have plugged into your laptop?
There's three parts to it actually. The HDMI to HDMI cable is connected to an HDMI input to USB-A output video adaptor. Then there's a USB-A to USB-C connector to connect to the macbook pro. That middle adaptor part is the key to recording on your laptop. I just got mine on Amazon.
Hello kids running and playing? What's the best setting? I'm having a hard time nailing focus.
It depends on how close they are. You could try Wide area AF with face detect and have the rectangle in the general area your kids are. Or, you could try 3D and lock on them first, then compose and shoot. If they're really close to you, you could just do full screen af with face detect.
Am I missing an update? How do I get these options on the z8?
Nope. These are the AF area modes on your Z 8. You can access them in the Photo Shooting Menu under AF-area mode, or by default it also might be in your "I" button menu too.
@@taku_kumabe thanks. They were not popping up. It may have been the mode I was in.
Can show how to tether cable to nikon nx air
Dear Sir hello, Please can you help. My Z8 arrived and I combined it with a new 100-400. After shooting nicely, I tried to remove the lens and it is not possible even if I keep the side button pressed. I do not want to force the mount so I would rather ask for some advise please. I press and rotate as usually but lens is not removed.
I wouldn't force it either, but if you apply gentle pressure and twist does it not come off? If it doesn't I would check to see if the lens was put on properly, or if there's something stuck in between. Make sure you press the lens release button all the way down. If you can't figure it out, bring it in to your local camera store and have a staff there look at it. Seeing it first hand will help problem solve in this case. Best of luck!
@@taku_kumabe Dear Sir, thank you very much for reply. I took the Z8 to the retail shop. After a few attempts they took the lens off and since then it is working ok even with a fridger adaptor and with canon to Z8 lenses. We are also expecting a reply from Nikon as to why this might have happened. Thank you very much for the very nice video. One relative question now, if I may, is......If I use the Wide Area L. assigned to AF-On button.......... I thought that when I release the AF-ON button the focus will stay locked.......I also have the 3D trucking assigned to the Fn1 button.......? Do I have to combine the 2 together AC-L and 3D trucking?.......I have not quite figured it out how it works.........Watching your video I see that while the subject is within the AC-L box the little green square trucks the subject. Is that the 3D trucking, so that I do not have to assign 3D trucking to a different button ? It seems to me that if I have 2 different buttons they do not work in combination.........Wide Area L + 3D and once I let go of one focus is lost........Hope I make my question clear.......Surely I have understood something wrong. It is quite complicated, especially that is my 1st Nikon mirorrless camera after my D850. And surely your video is the best I have found explaining so far......I find others so much complicated........Thank you very much Mr Taku for your time.
you always use vr nomarl mode why do not use sport mode. i think vr sport mode is stable
VR normal is good when you are hand holding and trying to stabilize when you nor the subject are not moving too much. The sport mode works better when you are panning and tracking objects like a car or bird.
This type of focus, which is a square that is constantly changing and getting bigger and smaller, disturbs the focus of photography and is on the brain; For this reason, some of the photos were out of focus, especially the moving photos; This is the state of new technology; Nikon made 100 cameras between 2008 and 2017; It can't build higher than them, so it has to go to something that companies like Fuji and Sony have 10 years more experience than; In the next 10 years, he will build cameras that are equal to his best DSLRs in terms of output; Of course, this will not technically happen
Just wait 20 more years for the new camera 😂
Bla bla bla
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