Nikon Z9 Raw 2.0 - GOAT Level Firmware Update

[@geraldundone]

Correction @ 1:23: The ProRes Raw is not external. That was a slip of the tongue that I'm used to saying. Both flavors of raw are internal on this camera.

[@skymakai]

Interesting... with Canon and Nikon now doing internal RAW, what's to keep everyone from doing it. Seems like RED's evil grip is loosening.

[@recgt]

Why for Nikon and Sony you are so forgiving looking for workarounds instead of criticizing the issues as you do with Canon? BTW I'm a Sony user.

[@The_Daliban]

So, are you selling the A1 now or what’s going on(:

[@jonicoltontestchannel]

Are all nerds as good as you? -Bettie Childs Yes. All jocks ever think about is sports, all we ever think about is sex. -Lewis Skolnik

[@jaimeduncan6167]

@@skymakai Far from it, I see the movement in the other direction: RED getting features that were not part of a cinema camera before. The dynamic range of RED cameras is outstanding.

[@networm64]

Thank you Nikon! And I'm a Sony user! This will remind to other companies what a real firmware update can do and must do!

[@romanpul]

Tho in all fairness this is not the „squeezing some more juice out“ kinda update, which are usually the result of an afterthought, but one that unlocked features which were intended to be in the camera from the very beginning and just weren‘t completed for the release

[@andi93]

Same here, I am also a Sony shooter and happy that Canon and Nikon forced Sony to implement f.e. 10bit etc.

[@flashforum939]

Just waiting (hoping) for Sony to step up their game when it comes to firmware updates and continuous improvements like we know from smartphones or similar. In all honesty I find Sony to fall behind Canon and Nikon when it comes to firmware updates. What do you think?

[@networm64]

@@flashforum939 I do agree and that's more obvious recently when even top of the line cameras like A1, A7siii and either FX3 haven't got any level of a decent firmware update yet and a7siii is out for almost a couple of years now! Sony has turned from a good player to a very bad player recently and it seems they care more about influencer than their real customers! Nikon is doing exactly the opposite, even giving firmware updates to their old DSLR camera users. This trust making manner will lead to more major upgrades from loyal users, but what Sony is doing is rather persuading you to switch brand instead of upgrading your current model! They did the exact same shit with apsc lineup. No real improvement on a6500/a6300 and they only tried to convince you to buy the newer generation while the upgraded features were so marginal.

[@erichramone7812]

@@romanpul how do you know? Besides the 8k 60p.

[@nagual2335]

Exactly what I'v been saying all along : NIKON HAS NO HIGHER VIDEO CAMERAS MODELS TO PROTECT !!! AND THAT’S THEIR SECRET PATH TO LEAPFROG SONY & CANON. And I'm glad they figured it out. because now video features/price wise they are easily number ONE !!! BRAVO

[@sonidojamon]

Home their beer, though... I would make sense for them to make the jump sometime soon. Let's enjoy ths situatoon meanwhile!

[@davidcohendelara]

That’s a good point. No need to cripple anything. They knew they could go balls to the wall with this one and they did.

[@nagual2335]

@@davidcohendelara very well said. Both Sony and Canon got higher models to protect. Nikon has a huge opportunity to take their place back and to exceed

[@pspicer777]

Not a camera guy, but all of this is absolutely fascinating. Now I gotta figure out what 4k raw clipping with oversampling is ... 👍

[@premiumparis]

I love how Nikon essentially came from not having any serious camera for video, to having the best mirrorless camera for video and it just happened to be the best photo camera as well !

[@necavenue]

They've always had the engineering and knowhow..was just too conservative/complacent. They've finally awakened and are firing on all cylinders now.

[@danielvilliers612]

@@necavenue People are just shallow viewwers now. Nikon Z6 for example was first FF hybrid camera with 10 bit video in its price range and then first again with raw recording. People just listen to some youtubers and consume what ever those people clickbait videos of the day, depending on the perks they gat from the manufacturer of the day.

[@nsriv225]

Part of this is that the Z9 is a true full-company flagship, not just for the "photo" line. Nikon has no higher line of cinema cameras to protect by gimping the Z9, so might as well put their best into this one.

[@danielvilliers612]

@@nsriv225 which in the end in not a really bad thing as the second you put a cinema label on a camera the price in general doubles.

[@premiumparis]

@@danielvilliers612 the Z6 and Z7 have pretty terrible AF, both in video and photos. Nikon removed the function that made me stick to nikon DSLR until now... 3D focus. finally they put it back to the Z9, seems like it's a big experimental still but hopefully this update will solve it. I doubt it's only software, or we could hope the other Z would have greatly improved focus, but I think we will have to see the next Z with tech from Z9 to see that.

[@iPhonedo]

Fantastic update!

[@opx4real]

Sony fanboi, here. That GOAT status is deserved. Wow!

[@ashok.vardhan.g]

I really wonder how someone can be a fanboi for Sony cameras, except for the fact they have good autofocus, their images are not that great.

[@feederbrian9457]

What can I say other than WOW. Nikon has delivered the holy grail of firmware updates for mirrorless video. Congrats to Nikon. The Z9 is now the bleeding edge for prosumer video. 👏

[@costinvaly1]

Ain't gonna trust Nikon even if they come with 15 true Arri levels stops of DR, LOL. They screwed their customers over with the introduction of Z6/Z7 that were put out on the shelves with horrible autofocus to a point where you'd think they were selling beta-stage bodies to early adopters. Yes, they brought a decent firmware update in that regard 2 YEARS LATER, but what about those who initially bought it as proud Nikon fans? It doesn't matter what Nikon does; I'll always take what they offer with a grain of salt. Also, their lens lineup isn't as special as Canons per se.

[@ramonarias1234]

@@costinvaly1 lol... seems that we found the authentical example of hater here

[@costinvaly1]

@@ramonarias1234 *facepalm*, stating actually googable facts means "hating" to you? There's a ton of videos showcasing how bad the AF is on the early Z6/Z7 models and that's about their so called eye-AF mode. Manny Ortiz, Jared Polin, etc. they all tested and stated the same outcomes. I also had my hands on them a lot of times and it just wasn't on Sony's level, not even on Canon's who joined the mirrorless world later. Staying objective isn't your thing i guess. Let me reverse your quote and make it more factual: "we found the authentical example of a fanboy here"

[@ramonarias1234]

@@costinvaly1 LMAO

[@jamesma524]

@@costinvaly1 you need to try harder. LOL

[@cbob213]

Best firmware I've ever installed was when the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera updated from DNG raw to Blackmagic Raw. Everyone was worried but it turned out amazing. Blackmagic RAW is the best! They are still updating bit too

[@Flamamacue]

My exact thoughts. Love this update (and would love to see something similar for the other Zs as a soon to be Z6ii owner) but BRAW was the best update of all time. BMD are the indisputable GOATs of updates IMO

[@nightdonutstudio]

From original bmpcc?

[@CanditoTrainingHQ]

The Panasonic S1 going from 8 bit 4k only, to 10 bit open gate 6k has to be up there as well.

[@Ryan-Payne]

Pocket 4k going from CDNG to Braw opened it up to a useable camera to many.

[@JaspreetSinghArtist]

N-Raw sounds similar to B-Raw but they need to add options to use different compression ratio just like BM.

[@markshirley01]

Nikon needs a mid market camera with the same impact as the Z9 had at flagship level. It'll truly be back then

[@JaspreetSinghArtist]

i am sure they are working on mid range bodies.

[@billyboy_45]

I mean there is the Z6 II, but yeah the video capabilities are not quite as good obiously! If they just added prores and better af that would already be fantastic, maybe on a future Z6 III !

[@youknowwho9247]

They need a lot more than that. First of all, the Z9 is worse than the a1 in absolutely every way. Second, their sales numbers are awful, including the Z9, contrary to what their own marketing says. Third, they have by far the weakest lens line-up of all camera companies in the mirrorless space. Even if they made the perfect mirrorless D850 today, the Z system would still be crap because there's no glass.

[@michaelblack4803]

@you kno who.... what's missing? Sounds like you've used the Z9?

[@markshirley01]

@@youknowwho9247 well the Dpreview guys say its now the most complete camera they've ever tested. Jordan has also said he hasn't enjoyed using a camera so much in years

[@DesertCookie]

The favorite camera software update I ever personally profited from was when the Fuji X-T3 got the same autofocus capabilities as the two years newer X-T4 via software update. Granted, it wasn't a miracle improvement but it still was noticeable and appreciated. At this point, a camera from 2018 still getting somewhat useful firmware updates is great. This alone would make me buy a new Fuji (X-T5 maybe? Please!).

[@godsinbox]

yeah wow! in a nutsheel what was it? did they fix the eyebrow focus problem that xt3 originally had? (pupil OOF but eyebrow was sharp af)

[@DesertCookie]

@@godsinbox I am unsure about that. It's been over a year since the firmware update. I remember it saying something about halfinf the reaction time and such. For photos it's great. For video I use manual lenses all the time anyway.

[@impatrickt]

In 2008 the 2nd generation iPod touch received a firmware update that unlocked Bluetooth. It was never advertised to have Bluetooth. Then an iOS update came out that just gave it Bluetooth. Incredible firmware update.

[@DesertCookie]

Remember when they added microwave charging on the iPhone via software update? /s

[@R2X2Z]

Just got my Z9 (2 weeks ago), my first flagship camera. Mind blown with its AF and photo capabilities. Now excited to explore the free built-in cinema camera.. Lol..

[@geoffreybassett6741]

Favorite update was for the S1 that added Open Gate 6K to the previously 4K only camera. Most interesting recent Nikon announcement for the video style handgrip setup. Hopefully that does extremely well and they continue to aggressively pursue the video side of their camera development.

[@davidcohendelara]

“Video style handgrip” What is this?

[@Triforcefilms]

YES dude, I can't believe how much i'm gettting out of my S1 now. 6k 10bit raw was SO out of my expectations when i purchased it.

[@TechnoBabble]

@@Triforcefilms "10-bit RAW"?

[@Triforcefilms]

@@TechnoBabble yup. Atomos ninja v. External recorder that supports raw recording formats up to 6k 12 bit on the S1

[@iamshing1989]

I’m sony a1 user, but I had to say Nikon is king on video, wait to see any update firmware on sony to fight back

[@Triforcefilms]

Best Firmware Upgrade:? The Lumix S1 has been the sneakiest most inexpensive little trojan horse camera. Just gets all the same upgrades as the S1h and S5. It absolutely lowers the entry cost to full frame 10bit 6k raw to almost nothing... (and the autofocus is actually usable now)

[@Triforcefilms]

@No Espam he's trading blows with some chonks though, (smaller than a black magic 6k)

[@VadimOm]

With contrast af that camera is dead af

[@Triforcefilms]

@@VadimOm to amateurs that use autofocus? Lol, yes. But nobody worth their salt behind a camera doesn't throw their own focus;-) nice troll though... Also, nah. It's been updated to be quite reliable, if you're an af pleb.

[@marcback1]

Sony has a lot to learn from this. I've got a A7r4 and a A1. A7r4, a 4000 euros camera has not recieved any update since about 2 years... Sony A1, "the flagship", still no major update (except rumors about a A1 markII...). A74, the entry level, has focus breathing compensation, A1 don't.... Sony doesn t update there products, they just throw a lot of new hardware waiting for pigeons to rush on it. I'm really disapointed and I hope "influencers" (although I now they need new products;) will talk more about this kind of issue.

[@aboynamedjamil]

I'm curious. Other than focus breathing compensation, what would you like to see in an A1 update? In an A7R4 update?

[@marcback1]

@@aboynamedjamil comming from Nikon there are too many things I'm waiting from sony to be stated here. If you own and use an A7r4, you shurely know how many strange features are locked in the menu for absolutly stupid reasons. For exemple, eye AF in video is locked if you have... IR remote engaged (good luck to find the reason the first time it appens to you)... There are a lot of funky stuff like that, that could be "solved" with a simple firmware uptdate. Adding lossless compression for RAW is a must on a 60Mpix camera (for this one, that might be hardware-incompatible) About the A1, it is a wonderfull camera but there is room for improvement, especialy in video. Desqueeze, better levels management. I was talking about focus breathing as a symbolic. A lot of people have bought this camera for video, it s very strange Sony don t keep up with ehancement. As a final note, I hope your curiosity was fullfieled, I've bought this 2 camera with my own money for work. It s a lot of money. I'm not a youtuber that's keep trying new stuff every month. I will keep those 2 camera for a long time. My initial comment was not meant to "cry", I didn't wait for this video to be worried about the lack of follow-up of Sony with there Cameras. Sorry for my bad english and spelling ;)

[@DipakThapa]

I use sony A7RIV. I don’t think that it’s a cheap camera but the exposure dial stops during shoot sometime and some risky angle shoot I want to shoot from mobile app but sony imaging app is total garbage

[@DarrenLloydPDX]

When they dropped firmware 2.0 for the original Z6/Z7 it was like getting a new camera as far as how much they improved the AF. Really, really cool to see things like this being something you can choose to download, rather than having to send the camera in.

[@KnightsandWeekends]

Lifelong Nikon shooter for pro and personal and everything between - but when I got into video production, they just weren't a player. Couple years ago, I gambled and stuck with Nikon for mirrorless (very seriously considered jumping to Sony because all my 'big' video gear is Sony). With the Z9 and the always world-class Nikkor glass, it is now no longer a gamble, but a sure thing. Nice to see, and I'm looking forward to applying this update as soon as released.

[@raredreamfootage]

The best update of all time until this Z9 2.0 was Blackmagic adding BRAW to their cameras.

[@benmroth]

using GOAT in regards to firmware is amazing, and I love it

[@jontedanielsson1279]

My favorite most be when magic lantern released for 5DmkII. It’s also some other milestone. When that added raw recording and when they added 4K raw.

[@ojirmr]

5:57 That 3090 flex tho 🤣🤣

[@TwaynePereira]

Detailed as always Gerald! Thank you! I love that you got into the debayer processing! As an aspiring colourist, it's so helpful to debayer into industry standard workflows like ARRI log C, ACES or the up and coming DWG.

[@arildhagen3820]

the best FW update by my pick is the Sony A7III an RIII update were they threw in Eye AF by half pressing shutter and eye AF for animals. Like getting a whole new camera.

[@trym2121]

And after that Sony sucked really bad by saying a7r4 and a9ii (around less and a year old camera) cannot have new UI because it's tied to new processor.

[@DanFox]

Wow! I don't even care about Nikon and watched this whole thing. Not only for the Undone goodness, but it's clear that Nikon wants to really throw some weight into the game! Kudos to them at swinging for Sony! And I think overall this will be good for all of us. Sony and Canon aren't going to be able to ignore this.

[@PhillipPilkingtonPhotographer]

liked the video, especially after pre-ordering the Z9 back in November. Still no idea when it will arrive, but will be great to play around with 8k 60p

[@xWood4000]

Congratulations Nikon! This is actually great!

[@RaymondParkerPhoto]

Seriously awesome. I can't wait for the 20th to add all this goodness to my Z9 (which I've only had for 3 weeks and still figuring out everything for my workflow). Disappointed that there's no N-RAW support from Apple/Final Cut, my NLE of choice. Maybe time to learn DaVinci? I'm not holding my breath for Apple to join the club. Glad to see one of my asks from Nikon, the waveform, and the video info screen is excellent. Best previous firmware? It was nice when Fuji added 4K to the X-Pro2 -- my first experience with UHD. Then, 3.40 for the Z6/Z7 which was transformational in that respect. Thanks for the review.

[@DennisSchmitz]

KZbin again didn't recommend nor even notify me about your video... Great video as always anyway!

[@DennisSchmitz]

Glad to hear it's not crippled by N-Log anymore. 16 stops of patch range and 12.5 at SNR=2 is a pretty great result in 8K RAW!

[@coreymullins]

Never thought the Sonosonic a1H would've been topped for at least 2 years. Bravo Nikon!

[@rodrigomartin-hidalgo1592]

Just outstanding Nikon!

[@shompy12]

Actually the Firmware update for the FS700 to support RAW output with Odyssey or Atomos recorders was the reason I took the leap to become a freelancer. Being able to buy this piece of kit second hand opened a whole world for me.

[@cinematools9621]

The ability to develop RAW processing to Nlog is amazing. I've been developing my own Nlog LUTs for the last two years and didn't want to change my entire workflow if I choose to go RAW. Agreed about the Nikon LUTs, they're not good. Excellent video, as always.

[@tvm2209]

Can you point me in the right direction for me to learn everything you just said? A book, youtube channel/video, or where can I learn what RAW processing is and how to use it as a tool for someone new?

[@JohnFelipo]

Suprised no one is talking about the 5.4k crop ProRes RAW modes (without pixel binning of course) which I think are awesome and a great solution for those looking to incorporate PRR into their workflow without having to deal with pixel binning or get stuck with a maximum resolution of 4.1k

[@DerBernarder]

The best firmware update oat was the 6k Update for the Panasonic S1. From 4k h265 10bit to 6k open gate was just insane

[@infrasmog]

My favourite FW Updates: - The recent and surprising addition of internal RAW video to the Canon C70 - Years back, Nikon gave the D70 DSLR the FW of it's successor, the D70s. New menu design and improved AF. Made me so happy back then.

[@NOYBNOYB]

Gerald, the best firmware update I’ve ever seen is on the Rodecaster Pro. I’ve never seen a company continuously updating and adding features year after year. They make me feel like they really value me and instead of making me buy a new podcast mixer (with new features) they give us free updates. -*I go out of my way to buy Rode products just because of all this. Cheers bud!

[@photographerjonathan]

Now if Nikon can make a small and light single grip version of the A9 I might consider switching back.

[@CinemaSteve]

The C70 getting Cinema Raw Lite is the greatest firmware update. It basically made this little $5500 cinema camera feel like the C300 MkIII. Obviously it's not the same, but that was my biggest gripe with the C70 and now with RAW it's such an incredible deal for a cinema camera.

[@nordfresse]

Isnt the Z9 at $5999 with a fullframe sensor the much better deal tho?

[@CinemaSteve]

@@nordfresse Not really. It's all dependent on what you want it for. Z9 is a hybrid camera that shoots 8K which is cool but also not really practical. I also don't want full frame and want Super 35, and if I do want full frame I have the full frame adapter. Also I don't like pulling audio from a 3.5mm mic jack where with the C70 I have 2 mini XLR ports and a mic jack. Not to mention insane battery life by using the BP-A60 or A30 batteries. Then top it off with Canon color and lens choices. Majority of people who shoot video are already in the Canon or Sony ecosystem since Nikon is sports photography focused. I was already in the Canon ecosystem with L glass lenses so there was no way I'm switching to inferior Nikon glass.

[@nordfresse]

@@CinemaSteve Canon and Sony will have an increasingly hard time to justify the high prices for their cine lineups with such capable options from Nikon, Fuji or BMD. But then again ARRI is asking a rediculous 80k$ for their new s35(!) 4k(!) camera...

[@CinemaSteve]

@@nordfresse oh for sure and honestly I think that’s why Canon even has the C70. Canon before NEVER would’ve made a $5500 cinema camera with RAW which basically butchers C300 sales for people like me who don’t want to carry around a C300. I feel like it was a response to BMD having incredible sales with the release of the pocket 4K and 6K. I think it’s hard for others besides BMD to get adoption since BMD can come in EF mount compared to having to buy into the Nikon or Fuji lens lines. But I know Nikon and Fuji do have people starting to shift to video now as well.

[@luisneumannp2748]

The S1 6k Open Gate upgrade was insane

[@TheNewTravel]

The best firmware update of all time is *next month* when GH6 fixes it's autofocus

[@fahdmoh8424]

Contrast base auto focus will never be as great. Hopefully gh6 is the last 3/4 camera from them

[@JACKnJESUS]

This comment was pulled from 2010...and is still running.

[@MarceloLangame]

I hope so. 😆

[@unn4medfeel1ng]

And if they don't read it again

[@DennisSchmitz]

tried it and it's actually quite usable finally on the GH6.

[@Herfinnur]

So, did Nikon or Blackmagic ever get back to you about that 12-bit or 14-bit conundrum?

[@abhinandansharma1]

They have killed it with this one! thanks for the video

[@JeremiahBostwick]

My favorite would likely have to be the FX6 v2.0 update. Although honestly Sony updates on their cinema cameras have been pretty crazy in the past. The updates on the FS7 as an example added a lot of functionality. As did the updates on Venice and F55. The Alexa has also gotten a lot of major usability updates as well.

[@jwate]

Leaving my a7s3 in the dust.

[@allenpayne9182]

I don't know anything about Nikon. It seems that this thing doesn't have a fan at all, right? And is able to shoot 8K raw at 60 FPS for an hour without overheating? ... mind blown. 10 years ago everyone was hyped about the 5D mark II shooting video. But I think in 2022 the cameras more and more gets to "Arri" level. Sure, Arri, RED, and so on got 14, 15 stops. But it is just amazing how close you can get with an URSA Mini, Kinefinity, C-Series or a Nikon. I like that there is a lot of competition going on. No more "bottleneck" BS from the companies.

[@giulianobianchini]

I have been NPS since the late 90s and Sony Brodacast customer since the early 90s for video Betam Sp, Digital Betacam, HD cam, XD cam, etc ... but today with the Z9 Nikon it is better than very expensive video cameras bringing the typical quality of Nikon photos in the video, clearly this is just my opinion.

[@unn4medfeel1ng]

It was nice when Fuji updated X-T3 AF to X-T4 level. Unfortunately, they forgot to make it actually good.

[@ScreenFiends]

Panasonic S1. Hands down. Already 3 years old and then gets 6k open gate among an absolute litany of other features.

[@johnsfilmsllc]

As a GH5 owner, my favorite firmware update was always “the next firmware” because it was going to finally fix the autofocus!….yeah.

[@TaylorPassofaro]

Oh my goodness, this was a delightful video :) Absolutely loved it, and love to see the work Nikon is doing.

[@Vahagraphy]

wow this is going to rock

[@djunabug]

Gerald -- amazing as usual. This one I really will watch again at half speed :) Better yet, as a lifelong Nikon raw photo shooter, now eager to milk some of that same goodness out of my Z9's raw video, I would *so appreciate* a more detailed look at your Davinci workflow for this.

[@flashforum939]

Just waiting (hoping) for Sony to step up their game when it comes to firmware updates and continuous improvements like we know from smartphones or similar. In all honesty I find that Sony is falling behind Canon and Nikon when it comes to firmware updates. What do you think?

[@visceraljourney]

Sony is the worst in terms of firmware updates.

[@JACKnJESUS]

@@visceraljourney Because Sony doesn't seem to rush to market with their gear. Seems to be the case lately...a pattern of quick release from competitors...tighten it up later on after the sale.

[@epicurusepicurus]

As a Nikon user, I wish Nikon got their shit right in the first place instead of releasing beta products and patching it later.

[@JACKnJESUS]

@@epicurusepicurus This could wing out of control, so I'll be brief. IMO...Nikon was locked solely onto Canon. Sony...Who dat? Oly, Pan, Fuji...plz...only on Canon. Canon was watching it all...still killing it in dslr. Sony was allowed to get an unconscionable amount of steam up. Canon being the bigger corp and leader could afford the late start. Nikon...couldn't. That and some missteps...which get everyone now and again. Nikon wasn't caught flat footed...they just followed Canon too far...blinders on.

[@LMoProVisualComm]

Just get a Nikon...

[@Soul_Visuals_Photography]

My fave update is 0.5.2 for the R5/6. I cannot believe how much better the Af got. And it was already amazing.

[@noahburt2722]

My favorite firmware update in my life was when fujifilm unlocked 120p on the xt2. I remember getting the notification and rushing home from college to install it, and playing with it in the back yard all night.

[@makatron]

Nikon isn't playing catch up anymore. I guess not having to worry about avoiding cannibalizing a cinema line sales made them go all in.

[@johansolutionsdigitales]

Super vidéo comme toujours, bravo et bravo à Nikon pour faire évoluer ainsi son matériel. Sony ferait bien de s'en inspirer ! Merci

[@grat2010]

Impressed with update. Thanks G!

[@BrendanEvan]

I’m just excited that I understood more than half of what Gerald said in this video

[@Ed-davies]

This is an outstanding update from Nikon! As a former Nikon user of 20 years (now using sony) I’m glad to see that they have pulled out all the stops. My only worry with this update is the Red lawyers will be rubbing their hands at yet another camera manufacturer putting prores raw in their camera :-/

[@MB-dq2gz]

Pretty sure Nikon paid for a license when they made the upgrade with the Z6. I think now instead of having users pay for an update and send their cameras in they probably just added it to the overall cost which makes more sense.

[@onefingerproduction3180]

Selling my A1 to get the Nikon.....

[@ManleyReviews]

18 percent grey shoelace wrist band merch drop when?

[@cobus770105]

I don't understand half of what you are saying, but what I do know is that Nikon trailed in the video department the past few years. It looks like they have completely wiped the floor with the their competition with this camera and the updates. It is amazing, encouraging and exciting to see what this company is capable of if they put their minds to it. Thanks for the video.

[@thebackyardbrewer5611]

I'm just a regular pro photographer. I bought the Z9 for its pro usability and photo functionality and I got a free cine camera with my purchase! Thanks Nikon! I'll have to learn some more about video now.

[@Reviews4fun1]

I’m a Sony fanboy but the A1 should be 1000 or even 2000 less.

[@Zero-wj8ti]

Agreed. The Z9 has a lot of useful features over the a1 now. The only thing the a1 has over the z9 I can think of is raw continuous shooting of 30fps… Nice for wildlife photography, but that’s a niche feature. I’d much prefer to trade that for 60fps @ 25MP or Nikons 120 at 11MP. Without updates, the a1 is starting to feel like a scam.

[@htplex]

where is my firmware update for a1 sony?

[@Zero-wj8ti]

Seriously… Sony, get your shit together and give us an update.

[@fahdmoh8424]

I kept waiting for it until I sold my A1 and bought Z9

[@Zero-wj8ti]

@@fahdmoh8424 updates like this when Sony won’t even give us small upgrades like breathing comp makes me want to switch camera systems all together. I get that I bought it for what it was back then, but if I’m going to invest in a company line I’d rather own a camera who’s company philosophy is a gift that keeps on giving. When every other company is doing it, Sony feels like scam.

[@arunashamal]

@@Zero-wj8ti Z9 is seriously good value, Even switching system to get into Nikon make sense

[@jontedanielsson1279]

You already got it in version 1.2 they added active ftp-connection as the only fix. :)

[@mrdarryljones1]

Thanks for you being you and keeping everything real! 👍🏾

[@robertadams3666]

Outstanding video Gerald. Thanks for making it buddy!

[@AndyMillerPhotoUK]

ThanksGerald - as a stills shooter I understood little of your explanation, but if it means the level of whining from videographers reduces then I will be happy. From a stills perspective v2.0 bring lots as well. We all have to wait to see what improvements in low light AF actually means.

[@cactustweeter2890]

This camera was impressive to start with. This free firmware update makes it even more so.

[@minghaofei]

now this is a GeraldUndone-quality video guys. the man has some magic in making tech videos jesus.

[@danielhuang2488]

personally i don't care about dslr style cameras having a resolution higher than 4k, not to mention 8k raw. just make your sensor with a native 4k resolution, so i can get 4k raw without crop. or if i want normal 4k, there doesn't need to be an oversampling step to take up my camera's resources. it's silly for pro-sumer cameras to have 8k when the hugest imax screen is still in 4k. even the most pro doesn't need 8k, why should pro-sumer need it?

[@JJKoester]

Blackmagic RAW was a great update but the free Advance games on the Nintendo Ambassador's Program for the DS was better.

[@iconicon3108]

Can the Rtx 3080 handle the 8k video of the Z9?

[@KobusGevelspar]

Thanks for all your info on the Z9 and this firmware update. Really helpful. Now let’s find out why the Ninja V is only recording HD59.95 with both card slots empty and the camera set to 8k 30.

[@filmstudiojapan]

I knew I would want the Z9 eventually. The more I see others at my local spot with them, the more I want one. This update just makes me wish hard I could afford one at the moment. As for favorite fw update.. it has to be the unofficial GH2 patches. That is what really started all of this, for many of us and never gets enough notice or discussion.

[@TonyDae]

Thank you for the vid! Regarding the NRaw WB issue. I have used quite a few raw files and I have not had the experience shown here at all. Arriraw and Redcode as well as Braw's WB, in my experience and thorough testing, does not have this kind of result since the WB is metadata and is applied in post production. Nikon's raw here seems to be bending what raw is or the NLE controls are not behaving how they should. It seems to me Nraw, if its not an NLE issue, is more akin to prores 12bit 4444 if the white balance is this weird to correct in post production, but even that is easier to correct than what I am seeing here. Would love access to the files :). Arri raw according to Arri: “For the absolute best in image quality, for the greatest flexibility in post, and for safest archiving, the 16-bit (linear) raw data stream from the sensor can be recorded as 12-bit (log) ARRIRAW files. Nothing is “baked” into an ARRIRAW image: Image processing steps like de-Bayer, white balance, sensitivity, up-sampling or down-sampling, which are irreversibly applied in-camera for compressed recording, HD-SDI outputs, and the viewfinder image, are not applied to ARRIRAW. All these parameters can be applied to the image in post.”

[@davidschwarz7101]

Thanks for the update. Well even though i use the FX3 i love watching your videos. Regardless of the manufacture. :-) One Question though: Why aren't you using any macs? Kinda hard to understand. Im not judging, just very curious on why that is. :-) greetings from Berlin. Love You! 🖤

[@Seriouslycantplayguitar]

Blackmagic probably gets the award for largest amount of useful updates that I can remember. Data rates, overlays, RAW additions, etc etc. The BMPCC probably had the most epic updates or maybe its just because I owned one but their whole line has been great at actually adding features and improving the camera and listening to customers intently. It doesn't so much feel like they held features back like a lot of larger companies do so much as continued to develop the camera as it expanded its username and ran into more and more issues. Bravo for Nikon doing what I feel like is very much in the same vein.

[@maxkern537]

As an Canon R6 owner, the addition of cLOG3 and redundant recording as a firmware update was invaluable!

[@karinegrace6499]

Hi Gerald, Thanks so much for the excellent reviews ! I've learned everything about video etc. from you, the video tutorials are superb!

[@DavidKfilmmaker]

Only had Panasonics and Gh5s firmware to external raw was like getting a new camera

[@willgiroux]

For the exposure compensation and the exposure slider behaving weird, you could most likely bypass this issue by moving to the HDR wheels, setting up the input gamma and colorspace to nikon log and use the global adjustement to adjust with proper exposure stops. 1 stop will be 1 stop and so on!

[@WahidFayumzadah]

Man, I have the Z9 and this is epic. Sometimes the IBIS in video bothers me though, it can feel so jerky sometimes, especially on longer focal lengths it's noticeable.

[@andrewmason8691]

With Z mount or F mount lenses?

[@garfieldirwin]

Have you tried active stabilization?

[@garfieldirwin]

@No Espam Yes, but it's better to set it to SPORT mode, which reduces the pitch correction and should eliminate most of the "jerkyness".

[@VadimOm]

Ibis does work well with telephoto lenses historically, os is better in telephoto range

[@joe55514]

I really thought hard about this. And the result is not an official update, but jailbreaking my iPod touch 1gen with ios 1.0. The added functionality was mind blowing on this already mind-blowing device when I was 14.

[@dwightmonteith5699]

Panasonic G9 has had some pretty epic firmware updates over its run.

[@rtpwyk]

I just want you to know that I feel you were highly under rated in the Kirin J Callinan - "Big Enough" video. Well done.

[@VacMaster1991]

Did I just hear 25 minutes of recording on a 650gb!!! card. Thats like 3,500mbps. Dam!

[@nazukeoya]

I look forward to Sony feeling the pressure from this and giving us a major feature firmware update to the A1. Specifically, having the sensor cover be able to close when you're using the electronic shutter and also 8k 60p over sampled from 8.6k.

[@carjac820]

Damn!!! This is like Canon's Magic Lantern hack except it's official and would less likely brick your camera.

[@lyndonlabayan]

I don't even own it anymore but the G9 v2.0! For us in the 1000 - 1500 CAD budget range, this was great for video.

[@jasonthompson2059]

Would love to pick this up someday.. For me, the combined firmware updates or the original z6 really transformed the camera for me. I got it pretty early before 2.0 and 3.0 (was still better than a7iii and eos R for my purposes) and wasn't super happy with af overall and especially subject tracking cumbersome-Ness, but now I find it very usable and subject tracking is very effective. Z6 1.1to to 3.4 is like a completely different camera.

[@DineshBhadwal]

Would this finally challenge the hegemony of Sony and Canon? If I remember correctly, Nikon was the first company to put video features in a DSLR. It has taken them more than two decades to produce a camera which the Sony and Canon couldn't and didn't want to do. Cost is a factor. But, this is a game changer to say the least. I wonder whether Nikon while sitting on the sidelines got so frustrated with the games played by both Sony and Canon that they finally decided to give us what we have speculated and begged all these years. But, cost is a serious factor.

[@denizahmet2299]

Still no firmware update for the Sony A1 in meantime... slack as hell

[@VadimOm]

Don't worry, Sony will roll out a new camera as always

[@RishabhSharma-lq1id]

Nikon is just flexing at this point. BASED company

[@aldolega]

My favorite official firmware has been the 2.0 update for my S1. Panasonic has a good track record with updates but I was still surprised at how much video functionality they added to what seemed to be a pretty photo-centric camera. It's what got me to buy the camera and I've been very happy with it. My favorite unofficial firmware is a tie between Vitaliy's hacks for the GH1 and GH2, and Magic Lantern on my 60D. ML of course added more features, but the video image quality out of the GH2 with the hack was just ridiculous for the price at the time.

[@geoffreybassett6741]

Yup, that firmware update was massive. Absolutely love my S1.

[@sonidojamon]

Holy s... undone!!! 8k 60 RAW!!! how much storage and CPU-GPU power do you need to move that?

[@jfcfilms3883]

Holy f…., Didn’t think I could love my Z9 even more, but now …!