Approaching the Scene 184: Nikon Z9 + 100-400 S Action AF Tips & Guide (Baja)
(LINKS BELOW) I’m just back from a week on the Sea of Cortez shooting windsports and birds in flight with my Nikon Z9 and 100-400mm S lens. Wow! In this video, I’ll take you through the lens to show off it’s modes, look at image quality and give you some tips and tricks to get the most out of this new camera’s tracking technology. Whether you are getting a Z9 or not, this is a preview of Nikon’s next generation of autofocus tracking. It is exciting stuff.
LINKED TABLE OF CONTENTS:
00:00 Intro to ATS 184
01:10 Join our free Office Hours on February 1st. We’ll talk Nikon & other systems
01:48 The Z9’s new AF tracking modes to explore
03:14 Set a button to flip area modes without moving your hands
05:02 A killer hybrid wide-area to 3D tracking mode
06:52 Through the lens AF-C Z9 area tracking modes
11:56 Through the lens Hybrid AF mode & menu setup
19:28 Image and AF accuracy review`
23:50 How good is the 100-400 S optically? Really good!
25:35 The 100-400 with 1.4 & 2.0 teleconverters
26:34 How easy is the Z9 to use? Ask Jasmine
Z9 Setup Part 1: (Standard A banks): • Nikon Z9 Complete Setu...
Z9 Setup Part 2: (Action B banks): • Z9 Complete Setup Guid...
Z9 Setup Part 3: (Landscape C banks): • Z9 Complete Setup Guid...
Z9 Setup Part 4: (Astro D banks): • Z9 Complete Setup Guid...
B&H Nikon Z9: bhpho.to/2XQjXBh
B&H Nikon 100-400: bhpho.to/31eQimV
B&H Nikon 24-120: bhpho.to/30YMlCr
B&H Nikon FTZii: bhpho.to/3bisuQu
B&H Nikon Z9 EN-EL18d battery: bhpho.to/3nCn0WD
Frequently updated links to all the gear I use: bit.ly/HudsonsLinks
Using my links helps support this video series. Thank you!
I invite all of you to join Rick, Woody, David, Darren and me for our free live Office Hours Tuesday February 1st at 10AM Pacific. We will spend the meeting taking your camera and gear questions. I’m sure we’ll talk a fair bit about the Z9. Be sure to leave a question when you sign up.
Office Hour signup site: bit.ly/2UgDaX4
Thanks to everyone for the great questions you are sending in. Keep them coming either in the comments below or by emailing me directly. I hope to see you in the next Office Hours Session.
Stay safe and healthy.
Great, great video Hudson. Loads of tips 'n tricks re AF menu. Look forward to much more with the setup menu. Thank you.
Thanks Hudson! I am just re-watching this video, and although I have heard you mention the "Hybrid AF" several times, I never really understood what was happening till now. I just made sure that this is how my Z8 is set up and NOW it finally makes sense! Thank you! I can't wait to try this out with Birds in Flight or at an Airshow!
Awesome! Thank you for sharing
Thank you, love your info !!
What a fun trip! Thanks for the Z9 info, and looking forward to more, as you get used to it. Take care!
WOW! Fantastic content!
Brilliant idea Hudson! I’m going to try this as soon as get home.
Thanks again this is excellent news and great video in a fantastic Location
Also can't wait for that tech to trickle down stream. The Z9 is out of my $ range but excited for Nikon's future cameras.
Loving your demonstrations and your usual enthusiasm, this really is what we hoped for from Nikon, actually it seems even better! Thanks Hudson.👏👍😀
Nice video, love your enthusiasm!! So fun! Thanks also for sharing your knowledge about technical aspects of Nikon cameras in real life shooting situation.
Best focusing advice EVER. Thumbs up.
Many thanks for sharing the setup for actions... I already did mine and ready to start testing it and get used to it.
Super excited for my first proper shoot with the Z9 today trying out hybrid autofocus, thanks for all your guides Henry, appreciate you taking the time to help others!
You have some of the best in depth Z9 tutorials I've seen. I just mine a few days ago and I'm in camera heaven. Thanks for putting all this out there for us to make it easier.
What a great vid Hudson... looks like a normal day's shoot to me! 😉
Very nice…still waiting for my Z9 🙄 Keep it up Henry!!
You'll love it! First name's Hudson, but no big deal at all. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Ah OK…sorry for that. I was thinking of Hudson River and first name Henry…makes „Hudson Henry“ 🤭
I am looking forward to your Landscape Video >> Cant believe its a Bummer on Landscapes as my Z7 is fantastic
Great video Hudson. Inpatiently waiting for your complete set up ;guide. It will be a great asset for me to have as I get familiar with the Z9.
Love watching a pro at work. Man...this Z9 is just a marvel of engineering! If there's any handicap, is the user themselves. That 3D tracking is so so good. Wish my Z6ii has this feature? The AF-C modes on this Z9 is unbelievable? Best of all, you can preset it on P1,P2 and P3 buttons when you're in the action
Thanks for your great video. Can’t wait for delivery of the Z 100-400mm for use with my Z6. Actually had a Z9 on order too but cancelled in hope the technology would be available in a smaller body before too long. Please keep up your wonderful enthusiastic posts.
Damn! :) Great video, nice tip, saving this one, still waiting on deliveries here. Yes, Jasmin composed some nice shots there.
So excited, finally ordered the Z9, this video is bookmarked! You have me considering the 100-400 again.
Thanks so much for this exceptional video.
You're very welcome!
Excellent video and SUPER helpful. Thank you sir. Realizing just how much of a Noob I am with the insane power and capabilities of this camera... Even coming from a D810/z7i, the learning curve is steep! Looking forward to followup videos.
Loved the video and getting in specific settings for the Z9. Not only do we see how it works but how to set it up to accomplish the same. Very practical and executable.
The idea of the hybrid focusing model is great. I have been a working professional (primarily) sports photographer for over 20 years. When I took my Z9 out for the first time to shoot bald eagles, with a 200-500 I messed with different focusing modes. Individually they worked OK and the hit rate was good. The concept of the Hybrid model is really cool and I am looking forward to trying it out. Very informative and no BS, so it was very much appreciated and gave me a new way to try to use my newest tool. Many thanks Hudson.
Thanks Mark! That makes my morning. Keep in touch.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto will do @goldminephotos Thanks!
Looking forward to the full set up guide.
This mini setup was tremendous! thank you! Hoping when you do your full setup guide you can speak a little slower and use the shortcut names like (a6) for AF Activation or (f2) Custom Control (shooting) to help with clarity of your explanation. THANKS AGAIN!! These sample shots are amazing!
Wow... such a great post and hands down the most useful explanation of focusing I've seen to date. I have already set up my B with your hybrid approach and I'm looking forward to trying it out soon. I'm also looking forward to the full guide. Thanks much for sharing the tips with the photography community and please keep them coming!
You're very welcome!
I rented the 100-400 for a trip to OBX in April. I can't wait to try it out and hopefully buy one later in the year.
Thanks so much for your video and the tips - mine has finally arrived so will be putting your tips into action............
Those shots Jasmine captured of Christopher were awesome 😎 Likely going to go the 24-120 F4 and 100-400 to round out my kit. Looking forward to seeing your episode on teleconvertors
Thanks!
there is a learning process to get max AF performance out of Z9. some youtubers who review this doesn't even try all the settings. then they complaint.
Hi great video. I can hear the excitement in your voice… even though the Z9 is bigger than the Z6/7. 😄 Thanks for the tips!
Definitely the most useful tip I’ve seen thus far in terms of maximizing the Z9’s AF capabilities.
Thanks so much for that!
That hybrid/dual AF option/function is the only thing I miss from the DSLR's (at least it was in the D500/D850) and was so disappointed Nikon didn't include it in the Z bodies because I used it religiously... So glad to see they have brought it back in the Z9 and hopefully they can include it in all future Z bodies and in the next firmware for the current bodies.
Thank you again for showing the hybrid focus. The 3D tracking enables me to get the dive during a swim race. With a D5, it was very hard to get a series of dive photos in focus. But I found that 3D lost the swimmer when they submerge so I found myself switching between banks during the race. I just reprogrammed my Z9 so AF-ON is BBF like I've done forever, and Fn1 is AF-area mode + AF-ON. So I hold Fn1 during the start, then use AF-ON as always for the rest of the race. Thank you for this Easter egg!!!
Ho-Lee-COW!!! I was sure that I was not getting the most of my Z9 when shooting swimming. I already had my SPORTS and PORTRAIT banks, but added C HYBRID and changed the controls to what you suggested. Limited testing in my office suggests that this will be a massive help for me. Thank you.
I'm very jealous. I've been told mid April for mine!
Your idea for setting the focus controls for Action is quite intriguing! I thought I had mine set optimally, but you have me thinking that your idea is better. I'm going to try it in the field and see if I prefer it. The one thought where I differ a bit is related to fn1 and fn3. As much as it pains me to "waste" a function button - I think these two need to be set identically. Reason: if you go vertical you want the exact same finger to do the same thing, and those both fall right under my middle finger. But hey - there is a reason these are assignable for user preference! Looking forward to more of your menu-diving, as this thing can become overwhelming at times.
I do wonder why Nikon has not replicated the Fn1/2/3 across the bottom of the camera - after all, I would find it really frustrating not having the same Fn buttons available when turning from landscape to portrait... baffles me with so much else so perfect in the Z9.
I got my Z9 last week and what a better way to test it out than an air show. I set up exactly how Hudson explained the hybrid mode and holy crap did it work amazing. I've never had this kind of hit rate before especially with fast a moving subjects. I was also lucky enough to capture the shockwaves on the back of a F18 which sometimes happens when they approach the sound barrier. Great tutorial, Hudson!
Glad it helped
Hudson, thanks for sharing your experience with the focus settings. I am using the sub-selector center button to switch over to 3-D tracking, in part because I have smaller hands but also that I can move the around the wide-area focus mode with the sub-selector over the subject (if needed) then press down on that same sub-selector button to switch to 3-D.
Yeah I can see that, but for well over a decade I've used that button to center my AF point, so that's a no go for my muscle memory. :)
Thanks for the video! I am using the same focus method for BIF, when needed I start with wide area and switch to 3D. But I am using a different implementation. FN1 for wide area and AF-ON for 3G in back button mode. I don't like to use the half presses shutter so this works well for me. I also almost never use portrait mode for BIF.
Superbe vidéo. Je me demande toujours si je dois prendre ce 100-400 ou attendre le 200-600 z....?
Another great video, Hudson! Thank you so much! I am wondering if you could talk about histograms, how you use them when photographing, and how you set up your camera to easily reference. Thank you.
Wow. You're reading our minds. :)
Shoot for the (important) highlights and develop for the shadows! Nothing has changed here since the birth of Photography.
Really like your hybrid focus concept. Just need to practice a lot to change the pure BB habit.
Thanks for another great video Hudson, always learn something new. Was wondering what quick release plate you are using on your Z9?
I just met up with Luma Labs and swapped over to their titanium "Full" plate. It's so nice and low profile. You don't notice it against your palm. I'm working on an L-bracket solution too, but this is a great plate. Use the code Hudson10 so they know I sent you and you'll get 10% off too. :-) luma-labs.com/pages/titanium-plate
Great video,Thanks. Looking forward to your setup guide. Did you get a chance to test the 24-120?
Only preliminarily. But I'm working on it. I dig it so far. :-)
Great review Hudson.......One thing that puts me off these types of lenses is no internal zooming.
I used to agree with that, but with the image quality, handling, build quality and small size of the push out Z S lenses, I'm changing my opinion. They are rather astounding. Even the 24-70 F4 is a fabulous lens.
I picked up the 100-400 to pair with my Z6II to shoot dog agility (to replace/upgrade my f mount 70-300mm which is great). It seems to do very well in that case. But the big surprise was mating it with my Z50. Both are so light that suddenly it's a good walking about combination. Didn't see that happening!
Great video. Since my primary interest is landscape photography, although I shoot wildlife when it's available, I will be looking forward (with a bit of apprehension) to your video about landscape photos on the Z9. I am trying to decide on (and save the money for) my move from my old Nikon D610 DSLR to a mirrorless system. I am 73 years old, with limited finances; next camera must be last camera, so making the right decision is critical for me.
I honestly think the Z7ii is still the machine for landscape, but the big question is how long it will take for the AF and astro shooting enhancements (yes there's cool new stuff there too) on the Z9 to bleed down to a z7ii successor... I'd hate to say go for the Z7ii just to see you really wish you had a Z8 (or some such) . This new 3d tracking and speed is pretty addictive.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto I have been patient for a while now, as Nikon entered the mirrorless market. If a Z7iii or Z8 comes out this year, with some Z9-like features, I will be looking at those. It's just that the Z9 and a 100-400 lens seems perfect for wildlife, while a Z mount 70-200 lens (my favorite focal length for landscapes) would be far superior to what I have now (a first gen Tamron 70-200). But if the Z9 is truly lacking for landscapes, then it's not for me. My favorite shooting spot offers both landscape and wildlife. There, I would just carry the 100-400 for both (I am a one-lens-per-trip person). Quick switches between shooting modes is part of what attracts me to the Z9.
Oh, it's not really lacking for landscape. No. It's just big and clunky on the tripod. It is a jack of all trades camera for sure and I'll bet you'd love the 100-400. I'm considering retiring my beloved 70-200 S.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thank you for the clarification. I know the value in using a tripod for landscapes; tried it, even tried a monopod, hated it. In situations where both landscapes and wildlife are available at the same time, tripods are just a nuisance. And on a two-hour hike where you're carrying around a lot of gear with a 73-year-old body, it just takes all the fun out of it. All my photos are handheld. Buying a Z9 is a stretch for a hobbyist like me; the "my next camera is my last camera" scenario will be my justification, provided finances permit. One outstanding issue will be the additional weight. I just rented a Nikon 200-500 mm lens and found it too cumbersome, although it got me some great photos. I'm curious how it would feel to carry around a Nikon Z9 and a 100-400 mm lens for a couple of hours. I know you're not my age, but how does it feel, handling that combo for a while?
I'm no fan of the 200-500. This lens is much lighter, faster and higher quality. I wouldn't take the pair winter mountaineering, but I never grew weary of carrying them. The camera really isn't much heavier than my D850 was and the lens is the same weight and length as my 70-200 2.8 S. :) If you do choose to get them online, my links are here: www.hudsonhenry.com/atslinks B&H has a very easy, no questions asked 30 day return policy. ;)
Hi Hudson - I just acquired a Z9 and have been going through your videos - awesome job, to say the least! Really really helpful in understanding the camera (esp post my D500 extensive usage!), and setting up controls... One quick question - how do the F-Mount lens fare with the FTZ II adaptor on Z9? Rather expensive Z-Mount lenses, hence am thinking of using my existing F-Mount lenses for some time :). (I'm a hobbyist birding enthusiast, & use Tamron 150-600 G2) Once again, thank you so very much for your videos... Vishal Chowdhary from New Delhi, India
Looks like great fun and thanks for all you do. I am not a pro and not interested in the big body. I get the updated stacked sensor and more powerful processor for speed. But, how does the actual picture quality compare to the Zii's.
It's very similar to the Z7ii, but it's tracking and speed are on another level. If action isn't the focus, the 7ii does it all.
Just curious if there's an advantage, other than getting it finger tip handy in portrait orientation, for your choice of fn 3 for AF selection given there's the focus mode button? Got my Z9 last week -- the AF tracking is crazy good, I agree. Shot two jackrabbit hares boxing and jumping around each other and it stuck on one or the other's eye for just about every single shot. Another great video; thanks for sharing your insights; very good stuff, as usual.
Thanks so much! The focus mode button they gave us requires you take your hand off a long lens, since they unfortunately located it on the left side where a finger doesn't rest while shooting. It's an odd choice, but that's where they put it. I'm putting it in a spot where you just press it while you work without moving at all.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Yah, good point. I was using the Z9 and the 180-400 on a tripod when playing with switching focus mode mid shoot and cluelessly didn't think about how impossible it would be hand holding when I left the comment :) For fast moving wildlife (birds and hares, so far) I'm using AFON for 3d (with auto large AF on the shutter button) and loving it -- same experience as you shared in this video. It just works! I gotta say breaking the habit of BBF use of AFON in such situations is going kill me :) Cheers!
Love the videos and courses. We just bought the Z50 and now we are looking for another camera. Thinking the Z6ii. Would you share your thoughts of what our next camera should be for outdoor wild life and landscape. We spent a day taking pictures of birds. We are fascinated with capturing them in flight. Seems really tough to get a picture of the smaller ones.
The little ones are challenging even with the latest tracking power of the Z9. The 6ii is a wonderful camera. It's fabulous in low light, you'll be blown away when it's paired with a fast prime like the 50 1.8. I'm sure the Z9's AF system and tracking will bleed down to a new series of bodies that are z6 and z7 like. The question is how long will it take... a year? If you want something before then, the 6ii is a fabulous choice. I think you'll love it. The 100-400mm S lens is pretty crazy fun too. It's a wildlife machine! Hit me up with any followups at hi@hudsonhenry.com and I've got links to all that stuff here: www.hudsonhenry.com/atslinks
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Perfect timely and spot on response. Thank you for all you are doing.
Hudson, you sound like you are warming to the Z9 🤪 you look like you are going to be able to look past the fact its bigger and heavier than you want. That programmable switch with the hand-off is genuinely interesting. Keep up the good work.
It'll be for sale as soon as there's a smaller alternative, and it won't be my primary camera. I was skiing this morning on Mount hood with my kids with the z50 / 50-250 and it shot action just fine. Would I ever toss the Z9 in my pack for that? Can't picture it. My style of adventure requires me to count ounces and the Z9 is way too big for that. Way too big. That said the future tech on display is fun. I don't think the form factor is future looking though. Far from it. I Can't wait to get a smaller variation that ditches the vertical grip I personally have zero use for. ;)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto i agree. It just doesn’t make sense to have a camera this size anymore. I predict most of the nikons from here on out will be smaller, even the flagships.
@@hautehussey it make sense to have larger body for this kind of specs. if you want to put 8k 60fps sensor in a small body you will have over heat issue like R5. then you put a cooling fan and have a R5C but size is small so internal battery is small not powerful enough to run a cooling fan and all the electronics so you need to remove IBIS. but battery is still not powerful enough to power Lens AF in 8k 50/60fps raw mode. this is why R3/Z9 body works better for dealing with overheating and having larger battery to power everything in all frame rates.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto absolutely agree, that focus system in a smaller body would be my choice too. Z6iii?
Jaspreet, give me good 10bit 4k video and 14 raw frames per second along with this autofocus system in a smaller body and I've got all I need. It can even be 36megapixels. Make a version with aps-c to give that new lens 150-600 like reach and that plus the z7ii becomes the perfect combination. Like the 500/850 of old. About a tenth of one percent of video folks really need 8k and pro res. 10-bit 4k is stunning. And the battery is a nonissue with usb-c power via a battery bank like the anker one I use.
Great info Could you please say something about the iso performance
I'll wait till Adobe has full Z9 profiles complete first. Right now the images are a bit half baked. I'm glad they did it this way instead of making us wait weeks for raw support as with new bodies in the past though. Don't worry I'll speak to it once I really know more. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto great 👍 Enjoy your holiday!
Looks like you had a lot of fun there, and the Z9 did a fine job as well. By chance have you had or did you try the 120 fps jpegs to see how it performed?
I just can't see the need for it unless I want to stop a bullet or a drop of rain impacting the ground. 11MP jpeg is pretty small these days, and 20fps in raw is bad enough to cull and plenty fast for me. I know it works though, and I saw in my feed someone that did stop a bullet coming out of a gun with it. :-)
Hudson - fellow Oregonian here - QUESTION - I've got this exact setup. What do you program the L-FN and L-FN2 buttons on the 100-400 lens? I mainly shoot birds/wildlife. Anything useful? Is there a way to set one to keep a lock on a single subject? I find when shooting video of ducks for example the focus in AF-F that it jumps to multiple subjects when I'd like to to just stay on one duck. Love your channel!
Great content Hudson. Thank you for putting the time and effort. May I inquire which plate you have mounted under the Z9? Arca mount by chance? Sub'd to ur channel.
Thanks Jon! You bet, I was using Luma Lab's aluminum plate, but they since gave me a titanium Full plate and it's even smoother, lighter and lower profile. I really don't notice it on my palm in vertical grip mode. the edges lock tight, but are smooth and rounded. They mill them to order here in Portland. Great guys. If you choose to get one use the code Hudson10 to get 10% off and let them know I sent you: luma-labs.com/pages/titanium-plate
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Appreciate the info and for the discount code. Keep up the great work as imma be following you on YT.
Hi I liked your tip about assigning the AF On button. A question about the Z9 and assigning controls to the function buttons. If you’re in a particularly Bank, say B and a custom function is assigned to AF or any of the function buttons ; will it revert to it’s default if you change the custom Bank. .
This works exactly as D850, the focus setup and button assignment you made in a particular banks remains exclusive to that bank. Let's say you have AFON set to 3D and shutter button set to wide in bank b as suggested in this video.Then you go to bank A and assign the AFON to wide-area small then the shutter button AF activation set to off. What happens is that the set up you have in each bank is what you get in those banks, in this instance Bank A will give you wide area small and the bank won't focus if you press the shutter button having set that to off, if you move to bank B your shutter button reverts to wide area and your AFON button reverts to 3D. You may have to make a note of all your af shooting scenario and set the camera up that way, then practice muscle memory. I also advice naming all the banks according to use. In my D850 I have outdoor portraits, BIF (birds in flight) Events and live view. I also renamed the folders so when the files save they are named after the settings I have. BIF, OUT, EVE and LIV are names of my folders. I can tell the settings and details of each picture by the file name. I hope that helps?
That's good advice from Okwy. I'll have all that in my setup videos. Yes, it's like the DSLR banks. If you are in a bank and change settings, then the next time you go back to that bank the settings will be as it was when you last left it. So it lets you organize the camera 4 distinct ways. I have my banks setup for and labeled as standard, action, landscape and astro. I'll show you how I do that in my setup video with the hope that it shows you the reasoning and methodology so you can adapt a similar system to your own usage needs. :-)
Thanks. You answered the question perfectly. I’m primarily a back button focuser, so this will take some getting used to. I’ll try it out. I rarely used banks for button assignments.
@@eunicethompson6574 it's just for quick action scenario, can default back to what you are used to in general.
Regarding your Hybrid Approach. As a different way to do the Area Mode switch, is it possible to program a function button to activate Wide Area mode (or Single Point). So say you're in 3D and encounter one of the difficult situations, so hold down the function button to activate Wide Area, acquire focus, then release and be right back in 3D (all the while using AF-ON only to activate focus). I don't have my Z9 yet, hoping this might be possible. --- BTW *great video***!
You can experiment. I think it sounds a bit more complicated than the dedicated action mode I describe and will lay out in my settings guide, but try them both. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thanks, I will try both as well. Thanks for the ideas.
Your hybrid (shutter with the Wide Area Large AF, then Back Button with 3D Tracking) seems like a really elegant system. I am curious, can the same thing be done but with Wide Area Small AF with the shutter? I understand that Wide Area Small also tracks people, animals and objects now, so it seems like this would work as well. I ask because as an event photographer sometimes the Wide Area Large is actually too big where two people (at closer distances than you are shooting in this video) are both in the Wide Area Large box and where the Wide Area Small box would be better at singling out a subject. But then, once acquisition is made switching to 3D seems like a brilliant option so that you do not have to worry about keeping the box on the subject. In short, it seems like the Wide Area Small box might be more precise to just target something since once it is targeted you would immediately switch to 3D tracking. I am wondering if you chose WA Large due to legacy reasons (that's what has subject tracking in the Z6/7II or if you prefer it to WA Small. Again, if WA Small can also track like WA Large in the Z9, it might be an even better choice - at least where close up shooting (like events) is concerned. Thoughts?
Absolutely that will work Baron. No, I chose it because that is a nice size for picking up an erratic bird in flight or a kitesurfer throwing a huge trick. I think varying the area size is something to be considered and you can do that with the FN 3 tip I mentioned without even taking your eye out off the viewfinder. :-)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto That's great - I think it's a great tip, and I think for event shooting it would work even better with WA Small but it would have to be tested. Thanks for the tip and the content!
What camera are you using to film around the 5min mark in the sun glasses? The tiny camera? It's doing a pretty amazing job
Hero 9 black.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto nice. It's super sharp. Is that straight from camera?
Yep!
Looks beautiful compared to rainy Portland. The z7ii seemed to be pretty good for tracking larger objects. It seems the z9 is just a bit better especially for smaller objects. My only concern is the size. How does it feel after a few days shooting. Is the weight an issue, and would it better to wait for a smaller z camera. I don't want to plunge for a z9 and then wish I had a smaller body
It's big. I wish it was smaller. If action isn't my focus... It's not the camera I'm putting in my pack. That said, after a week... It felt good in my hands and it wears the 100-400 well.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto thanks. That's my feeling too. Seems like it's pretty good for video where size sometimes is not as much an issue
Can you tell me were to buy the tripod kit you developed and was on sale before Christmas I can’t find them anywhere thanks ric
Www.hudsonhenry.com/tripods ;)
Looks like great fun! Nice to see the camera in real world use. Can't wait to se the rest. BTW, on a side note, what color profile do you use for the GoPro?
Standard profile. Ha. It's a bit saturated, but man it looks good without tinkering at all.
Do you think the 100-400 (with or without TC) replaces your 500pf? Thanks!!
I'm still testing, but I'm thinking it just might. Maybe the 70-200 in yay cases too. It's so nice and versatile.
How do you go from AF-C to 3D by first being in Wide L with the shutter button then switch to the 3D when you hit the back button AF ON?
I walk you through those steps if you watch the video menu by menu.
Hudson, in your last video you were unhappy with the bracketing. Is that still an issue or is there a way around it??
Still unhappy about them dumbing it down. Yes, very much. No way around it sadly. Now that said, this is much more the handheld, action camera than a landscape machine... However... I fear this is the future path they've chosen.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Have you tried to contact Nikon?? Maybe they can put it back in with enough pressure. Great action shots!!
Good day. I'm curious as to why you dismissed the Dynamic-area AF modes? Isn't there an occasion when this option is of use?
It's a legacy mode that's only there because people would freak if it wasn't. It takes no advantage of the on sensor detection modes possible with this new tech and is far less capable that auto area, wide area or 3D tracking modes. If I could set it to not be in the rotation I would, and this from a person who set their DSLRs in Dynamic mode and left it there for decades.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thank you for your reply. The focus options/modes on the Z9, remind me of a food menu, with too many meals to pick from. After you place the order, you then wonder if it was the right choice! B^)
Please can you advise as to why I can not remove the Nikon Z100-400 lens from my newly arrived Z8 even if I keep the side button pressed and rotate the lens.
NO idea. I've never experienced that.
Hi Hudson. Later....can you show some Pro res samples Bro?
I'll talk video later for sure. It's exciting what it can do.
Why the AF-ON button on z6 ii is so eliminated and not the same on z9 ! There is unfair situation to add more customization we've missed same as dslr's and the z9 !
Both have the af-on button.
I have a problem: I use Nikon Z9 with NIKKOR Z 100-400MM F/4.5-5.6 VR S lens. Firmware C 2.00 LF 1.10. Custom settings: a1 AF-C Focus; a6 AF activation Off(with out-of-focus release disabled). The shutter release priority is set at Focus. When the lens is set at 400 mm, the AF-ON and Shutter are pressed concurrently. The camera won't fire. But when the lens is set at 100 mm, the camera can fire. Please try with yours and see if you have the same problem. If you do have the same problem, please explain?
I would never use those settings, but yes, with effort I can get mine to fire with them. I have to carefully put the AF point over a contrast edge and wait for the camera to nail perfectly accurate focus without locking to fire with the focus priority and AF-C. Remember that with that lens zoomed in you are at 5.6 instead of F4 That's half the light for the AF to work with as it tracks and constantly adjusts in AF-C. Flip to AF-S for perfect focus on a stationary subject and you'll do much better. For moving subjects with AF-C use release priority and you can fire away with surprisingly accurate and fast results. I personally have never used AF-C with focus priority. AF-C is a tracking mode for moving subjects and you need to get shots off in those decisive moments with moving subjects even if the AF is making adjustments at the instant you hit the shutter. AF-C goes hand in hand with release priority while AF-S for stationary subjects is all about locking perfect focus and prioritizing that focus. It's funny, in decades of shooting Nikon film, DSLR and mirrorless bodies I can't think of a time I ever used a long lens with AF-C and focus priority. Try release priority in AF-C for moving subjects. You'll still get an insane ratio of well focused shots out of your Z9, but it will let you shoot at the decisive instant you need. Maybe one or two will have an eyebrow locked instead of an eye, but you won't wait for it to hunt and seek to nail perfect focus before allowing the shutter to trip.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto I think you didn't press the AF-ON button and shutter concurrently. With this lens and the same settings on Z6 2, it works.
Next step: AI will shoot when beautiful composition… isn’t it too much? I prefer manual settings before/after composing, with my light Fuji camera & perfect lenses. Let the birds fly ;)
It still takes plenty of skill to create a great image no matter what tool you use. Would a sculptor use older, more dull tools if new, sharper ones are invented? Would they be less the artist if they used the sharper tool? I recall the same exact sort of statements when I switched to digital from the film crowd nearly 20 years ago. The 'new film crowd' likely heard similar statements from glass plate photographers before that too. There's nothing wrong with any of the tech out there. I think Fuji's cameras are a blast to use too. I'm always blown away by the jpeg rendering straight out of camera with them. The truth is all the brands are killing it and we're unbelievably lucky to have an the choices we do today. No need at all to harsh on one another or any of the brands. It's a fabulous time to be a photographer.