Nikon Z Advanced Settings

Take full advantage of your Nikon Z camera with the advanced settings. Maarten explains and demonstrates the extended settings for exposure, focus, colour science and custom settings.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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0:00 Hey photographers (intro)
2:29 ISO - extended hi and lo settings
4:15 AutoISO controls
6:10 AutoISO easter egg
6:42 Program shift
7:16 EV and exposure controls
9:04 Shutter settings - mechanical and electronic
10:50 Focus and focus shift
11:38 Focus/release options
12:40 Focus tracking options
13:00 Face/eye detection
13:28 Focus selection points
14:00 Back button focus
15:30 Low light focus features
16:10 Focus peaking
17:15 AF Fine tune
18:00 White balance
19:21 Colour science
22:15 Custom operation settings
26:18 Conclusion (if you have a different model)
#NOTSPONSORED
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I have not received compensation in exchange for posting this review.
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AFFILIATE LINKS
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LINKS
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Nikon's firmware update page: downloadcenter.nikonimglib.co...
The images on flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/maartec...
Behind the Scenes (my blog) heilbron.com/z-advanced/
ABOUT ME
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I do read and respond to all comments, which are moderated. If you leave a relevant question or civil comment without links (which are filtered by youtube) it will be posted, I will reply.
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DISCLOSURE
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The Nikon camera and lenses used in this video were on loan from Nikon Canada and returned after the video was completed.
I am not sponsored or compensated by any manufacturer, I have not accepted payment to review this or any product. Even if a product was provided at no cost to me, I don’t allow the provider to review the script or video prior to posting.
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[@p0sher]

Your precision and clarity explaining what we all need to know regarding these cameras is an exceptional gift! So thanks!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your kind words.

[@filmstudiojapan]

Always enjoy your videos Maarten. I've been using a Z6 for about a year and a half now but still get lost in the menu's and forget settings I once knew. Thanks!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

It's entirely my pleasure, and I do appreciate it when viewers comment. Thanks!!!

[@kevindonaghy3033]

Another absolutely wonderful video. Thank you for taking the time to provide such a comprehensive and balanced presentation.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Comments such as yours make it worthwhile, thanks very much.

[@peterjoseph3839]

Thank you so much Maarten! Another of your very nice videos that I will return to :-) I've just purchased a Nikon Z5 and already got a LOT of useful tips and tricks :-)

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I appreciate the kind words, thank you.

[@DavidJohnAngaiak]

So appreciate the considerations you’ve thought through presenting this information! Truly enjoyed my time learning from your video today, thank you.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for taking the time to post your kind words.

[@dallasthomas5489]

Great video Maarten, your explanations are so easy to follow. I must use the U1 etc thanks again for your team and effort.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for commenting.

[@shawnmiller3295]

I love the detailed explanations that you provide. I learned a handful of new tips watching this video. I just upgraded to a Z6II and the number of settings available in the menu can be overwhelming.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad to know that this video was useful for you, thanks for commenting.

[@musicdefinesgravity]

Once again, tons of useful info - thank you for taking the time to experiment and share the knowledge

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad it was helpful! Always nice to read my work is appreciated.

[@bjure8111]

Thank you Maarten for your wonderful work with explanation , reviews and tips in a calm understandable way. Your channel and Chris Frosts lens reviews are a break from today's shouting society :) Best regards from Sweden.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Many thanks! It was a real pleasure to read your very kind words. Thanks for being a longterm subscriber. Please do say hello to all my friends in Sweden.

[@PeterWigenBjarnoe]

That was a really informative video. I'm a newbee at Z7 as I come from a D500 so I still have a lot to learn as the operation are very different. Thanks a lot.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad it was helpful, thanks for commenting.

[@BigDogChannel]

Excellent video. I use the custom settings almost exclusively. I have U1 set up for Landscape: no stabilization, fully manual, no front curtain, etc. I keep U2 set up for wildlife: auto ISO, Manual aperture and shutter speed, mechanical shutter, stabilization, etc. I do wish I could set the burst mode / single shot parameter in them as I am always forgetting to switch that. I was playing with settings the other day in U1, and could not figure out why I could not set a shutter speed higher than 2000. Now I know. It’s tied to my front curtain setting. Thanks for that. Cheers.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for your interesting perspective and your kind note. It's always nice to read that my videos are useful and appreciated.

[@sunking9050]

Thx Maarten for an excellent video. I can’t imagine not using the U1/U2/U3 user defined modes. I shoot hybrid nature with a Z6. I set one of the modes for video with appropriate settings for AF etc and the other two for shooting stills with one set for high shutter speed with dynamic area AF and the other mode set to aperture priority for close up shots using the Z24-70. I also adjust picture control, iso, white balance and other settings for each mode to better suit lens and shooting conditions

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for your kind words, and your excellent suggestions.

[@arashsameti2107]

You explain with the help of pictures and fluent that even I am a beginner understand....thanks

[@MaartenHeilbron]

You're welcome 😊 a pleasure to read your kind words.

[@yayaascros4960]

Very intensive and wel presented information! Thank you very much ❤️

[@MaartenHeilbron]

You are so welcome! Always nice to know that my content is appreciated.

[@tomlew55]

Excellent video. What I find useful is the settings that I don't have in the "I menu", I have in the "my menu" area. When I shoot I always have the menu button set to bring up the customized "my menu" with one click. For presets, I use U1 for monochrome street photography, U2 for portraits and U3 for sports/wildlife. It almost overwhelmed me at first but being a Nikon shooter for years helped. I was familiar with many of the settings.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for your kind words. Having some previous Nikon experience certainly helps with the learning curve.

[@tomvisser2312]

What a well made video! Thank you for all this useful info.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Always nice to read that viewers appreciate my work and find it useful. Thanks for commenting

[@mchjubjub6915]

Great. Thanks especially the U1 U2 and U3 custom settings. 👍

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for taking the time to comment, appreciated.

[@NyakenyaWairimu]

Thanks for sharing... I'm a newbie in the use of camera and I still use your setting tutorial for the sonya6000... Liked the video... Very biginners friendly

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Awesome, thank you! Always nice to know that my videos are appreciated and useful.

[@NyakenyaWairimu]

@@MaartenHeilbron you're welcome. They're much appreciated and keep them coming... As my name suggests, I'm watching them from Kenya ...🇰🇪😁

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@NyakenyaWairimu Will do - and please (safely) give a big hello to all my friends in Kenya!

[@NyakenyaWairimu]

@@MaartenHeilbron Thank you and I will say hi to them and safely 😁

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@NyakenyaWairimu Thanks, appreciated.

[@rajraj-cv4qn]

I'm yet to have my first camera, still I love watching your videos, your passion for making simple and effective contents..By the way, slightly overgrown hairs do suit you.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks. Still, will be going to get a haircut as soon as it's safe.

[@orkneyed6528]

Thank you. I use U1 for landscape, U2 for birds and U3 for portraits. After seeing your video I now realize I need more. I have given up purchasing the latest camera and now concentrating on the cameras I have. Most new upgrades seem gimmicky. Photoshop seems to be going that way with some of it’s new update. They should leave some of the things off the main product and put them on the camera app.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, appreciated.

[@tonytfuntek3262]

Great video, Thanks

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to comment, I appreciate your kind words.

[@selianboy8508]

Brilliant as usual...

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Very kind of you, thanks!!

[@bhattks]

Very nice information

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks, always a pleasure to read kind words.

[@THA1icarus]

very informative, thank you

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting.

[@kleinbjoern]

Ever since working with the z6 I've been struggling with the fact that you need to save your changes on U1-U3. However I've found one really useful way to take advantage of them, as long as there's no easier workaround: quite often I need to quickly change my settings to take a picture with motion blur. That is including shutterspeed, aperture, iso and maybe even the shooting mode. I would love to just press down one key to change all these parameters for just one shot. But since that's not possible yet, I can set everything up on one of the Us. It's a bit less comfortable, but still better than manually changing all parameters one after another. I would prefer more Us in a quick menue and none on the dial. Thank you once again for sharing all your knowledge!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I've used cameras with that feature, and holding down one key while also releasing the shutter turns out not to be quite as easy as it seems.

[@kleinbjoern]

@@MaartenHeilbron Switching to different custom settings by holding a key while scrolling could solve that. Talking about scrolling - I never heard anyone complain about the rather loud metal wheels of the z-series. While everything about these cameras has become beautifully silent, these wheels produce quite some noise when I use them to really scroll.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@kleinbjoern Understood. Wow, hadn't noticed that - thanks? Now I'm going to be more aware of it.

[@w9fcc]

Subscribed, very well done and informative. I notice that on my Z 50 and Z 6 it does revert back to my previous settings when going from a custom (user) setting back to shutter or aperture priority. I am running firmware 3.0. At least this is true for basic settings like shutter speed, aperture, focus mode, etc...

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for the sub and the kind words, appreciated. I was just trying to find examples of those that didn't - but couldn't. I'm pretty sure there are some.

[@markstemmett5296]

Excellent video thanks, why do I see in camera info in the top of the viewfinder and in your video it is on the RHS ? Is there a setting

[@MaartenHeilbron]

The output to the HDMI isn't the same as the LCD. Not sure why not.

[@adolfousiermarketstars6765]

awesome 👏🏻

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks 🤗

[@SilencioGray]

Thank you for advances video, very useful! Do you know is it possible to make faster auto-iso reaction to condition changes? Sometimes it's so slooow and i take a shot with incorrect exposure just because camera doesn't have time to adjust it. I know smooth exposure transition is good for video, but it's a problem for photography. For comparison my second camera (Fuji) adjust exposure literally instantly

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Right. I sometimes think Fujifilm is too fast - but neither has an adjustment for the speed of exposure adjustment.

[@promokator]

Thank You!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

It's always my pleasure, thanks for your kind words.

[@antonoat]

Another excellent video Maarten, thank you. Would you mind if I post a link to this video on the Nikon Z Facebook group, it could be very helpful to some of the members.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Go ahead! I'm always happy to learn that viewers enjoy my content and wish to pass it along.

[@antonoat]

@@MaartenHeilbron Thank you and all the very best, Tony. facebook.com/groups/NikonMirrorless/

[@tugatomskanimation6370]

Very informative video as usual, top notch! By the way, how much of these options are present on the Z50?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

There are some small model-specific differences.

[@EdwardKilner]

Excellent points. I had forgotten some of these, but knew of them from reading. Still have not bought a Zed camera. Do have user settings available on my D7200. Some recommend using them for Wildlife, Landscape, and Portrait situations. I haven’t really found these a bonus. Rather, I tend to not remember clearly the clever settings I set and then fuss over what I am setting - will one of the forgotten clever settings spoil my photo? This can lead to distraction and delay. So, no thanks.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I agree that mastery over these somewhat obscure settings is difficult. Even when you remember that the camera has a feature, finding it out in the field can be a challenge.

[@LuisAlvarez-fj5ny]

gr8 tutorial. I do use the Us. Do we have U1, U2 an3 in video too ( total 6), or can we only use 3 Us regardless if is is photo or video mode?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Three in total - although I'm about to review the Z9, might be different.

[@richardrh3623]

Maarten, another extremely useful video, thank you. Please could I ask you for some help over the subfolders in Set Picture Control. As you will be aware these range from Auto, Standard , Neutral etc. Are these pre-sets as in Scene Modes which some Nikons have or are they there for the user to enter ones own custom settings? If it is the latter, then surely the same result can be achieved by entering ones settings in U1, U2 etc. which is much quicker to access. Or am I missing something ? I have a Z5. Thanking you in anticipation of your reply.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

You can do both. Choose the one that works best for you. Note that there are some conditions that reset the changes you make in picture control.

[@jimstirling7223]

Thank you for a very informative video Maarten, good viewing for those of us who look at camera manuals as works of the devil :-)

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks!!

[@mchjubjub6915]

That tickled me but it's true🤣🤣

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@mchjubjub6915 I'm sure the evil forces have better things to do than work on camera manuals.

[@rodrigomendezcedillo6344]

Hey , you are great . It would be amazing if you show your pictures and things you have done . You inspire me , let’s work one day together . Keep the good vibe going .

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. Do check out my work on flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/maartech/albums

[@j.j.vandenberg]

Dit is niet mijn camera maar de uitleg houdt me wel bij de les en ik val niet in slaap. Bedankt. Tulpen in Delfts blauw. ook leuk

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Bedankt dat je de tijd hebt genomen om je vriendelijke woorden te schrijven. In mijn video's vind je overal verwijzingen op Nederland.

[@aschoffotografie]

Thank you for your nice video ! The problem with U1 to U3 is not only that 3 is not a lot....but you got one thing not quite right in your video...with "save menu settings" you do save the i-Menu and My -menu but....you do not save the U1 to U3 settings !!! Therefore it is not possible to backup U1 to U3 to the PC or SnapBridge and it is not possible to define Sets of U1 to U3 settings for different Foto-Video Scenarios...so you could load them before you meet this special scenarions...for instance 3 Settings for Wedding, 3 Settings for Video, 3 Settings for Studio etc etc....and if you do a Firmware Update you may lose all your U1 to U3 Settings as you can't do a backup....and if different Photographer use a pool of cameras or if one photographer uses several cameras, it is not possible or a very big hussel to manage U1 to U3 Settings....therefore I sadly decided not to use U1 to U3.....I do not understand Nikon that they do not simply save all camera settings to "save menu settings"...except "date and time", of course....the usablity of "save camera settings" and the usability of the complete camera would be that much better.....I really love Nikon and I am shooting Nikon since over 20 years, but they do tend to think things not strong enough from the photographers point of view....and it would be so simple....you just would need a website for all NPS Photographers of the world, where they could collect there ideas....and other NPS Photographers could give a "thump up" if they think it to be a good Idea....with this Nikon would get ideas relevant to practice delivered for free !

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Right, thanks for describing this problem. And your kind words.

[@ebouwens]

Thanks!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I'm very appreciative of your kind words and your "thanks"! It's always nice to know that viewers find my videos helpful and interesting.

[@haley358]

Great video! I need some help! I use a z50 and I noticed the brightness in the EVF only reflect the brightness of the actual photo under Manual mode not A or S modes.(I have d8 set to apply to live view) The brightness in the EVF and screen doesn't change when I change the shutter speed or aperture but it does change when I adjust the exposure. The photos can come out really dark when they look bright in the EVF and Screen. Am I doing anything wrong?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

That is operating as designed. When you change the settings in A or S modes, the camera changes other settings to compensate - that's how those modes work. Only when you change the exposure compensation will the image be darker or lighter. "Apply Settings to LiveView" as per the manual, only reflects white balance, picture controls and exposure compensation.

[@haley358]

@@MaartenHeilbron I appreciate your response! I left ISO at one level and I thought I should see the image dim down as I increase the shutter speed at S mode which is how my Canon m6 markii works. Sounds like that's not the case with z50? I tested with low light and high shutter speed. Everything looked bright in the EVF and screen but came out dark which was expected.

[@beverlybasden2648]

Thank you!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

You bet! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@totoroutes5389]

For this video how was the z6 menu display, and the evf recorded?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Using an external recorder from the HDMI. More details here: heilbron.com/z-advanced/

[@Avinash-wg7xl]

i use fuji velvia provia kodak ektachrome and neopan as my custom picture control profiles,. i have downloaded them from nikonpc.com. these profiles help me to use my images sooc mostly

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for the tip.

[@ronboe6325]

Dang; with the custom settings and saving settings to an external card you made a good argument for a 2nd (or 3rd.....) card (perhaps a micro SD?!) card slot. Useful for a small niche of photographers at first blush. But I bet it could be used to expand beyond your three custom settings available on the dial.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Using alternate cards is a more useful option with the Z50 - the Z6 and Z7 use more expensive XQD cards. Interestingly, I've had no other comments about the use of this feature.

[@ronboe6325]

@@MaartenHeilbron I see I did a poor job of explaining that. I'm thinking a small memory card used just for storing and recalling custom settings and features completely independent of the cards used to store photos. It would similar to a SIM card on a phone. Being separate it would be immune to formats. U1, U2 & U3 could be headers for memory locations on that card where you could have a host of "personalities" for the camera - instead of just the three offered now. I barely make use of one custom seating, but teams of photographers that grab pool cameras could use this feature as well as photographers with much better skill sets than I.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@ronboe6325 And I did a poor job of reading. Great suggestion. Although internal memory that can be wifi-ed to other cameras or computers might be equally useful.

[@arashsameti2107]

Hello dear, what lens do you think is good for filming with Nikon Z6 to be connected to FTZ lens? thank you

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I would not suggest that. Particularly for video, the native Z lenses are superior - primarily for focus reasons.

[@arashsameti2107]

@@MaartenHeilbron thank you Sir...

[@richpaul8132]

Well, for all who may wonder if the menu settings saved in a Nikon Z-7, will load into a Nikon Z-7II, the answer is "NO". Even though the bin file names are saved and identical in their appearance, the files are apparently not compatible between camera bodies. I tried and tested this for about an hour. I used every variation I could think of. I had two cards in the Z-7II slots and tried with only one card, then the other, etc., etc. I was really quite surprised, which is why I pursued the issue for so long with many different tests. FWIW, Rich

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks! I appreciate the follow up on this issue.

[@ucephotoNL]

Amazing video ! Does anyone know that Z50 has a "JPEG *" setting for image quality ?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Like most Nikon models, the Z50 can be set to save JPEG images at Fine, Normal and Basic

[@stevelink3]

Excellent points about the Nikon Z7, sir! I recently acquired the Nikon Z7, with a few Nikkor S lenses. While I am generally pleased with my results, I'm a "Sharpness fanatic", and want to obtain the absolute highest amount of detail in my landscape and product images. Is there a certain setting in camera that ensures that I have gotten the best, highest sharpness out of the camera/lens combination? (Though I sometimes shoot RAW+JPEG, I usually process the JPEG in Photoshop, and prefer to leave the "Sharpness", "Clarity", and "Saturation" settings at mid-levels in camera, and make more critical adjustments in Photoshop.) Also, can you please confirm that those sharpness/clarity/saturation settings do apply to JPEGS when shooting RAW+JPEG, as opposed to JPEG Fine? Regarding the User settings on the Mode dial, I have U1 set for Landscapes, U2 set for Product photography, and U3 set for either Vivid color scenes, or infrequent Wildlife photography. I'd like to set U3 for HDR, but not sure if that "mode" can be saved there. Thank you, Maarten, and Be Safe.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for your kind words, they are appreciated. As always, use the maximum resolution and highest quality JPEG settings. Those settings apply only to JPEG - although depending on your software, those settings may ride into your post process as defaults upon import. The amount of effect they have on your images will depend on the JPEG quality setting. The lower the quality, the less likely you are to be able to detect the difference. My best suggestion for ultimate sharpness is to use a fairly fast shutter speed, to use the electronic front curtain, to use a tripod and a short post-release delay (d4) to eliminate any vibration.

[@stevelink3]

@@MaartenHeilbron Maarten, thank you for the informative reply. Yes, I always shoot at low ISO (64), tripod-mounted, EFC, and d4 = .2 sec.I also always use JPEG Fine as well. Also, for my product photography, I usually employ manual focus stacking, because I haven't gotten great results using the in-camera Focus Shift Shooting, because when I set the first exposure's focus point on the nearest or bottom point of the subject I want to be sharp, and set it for 20 or 30 shots, I find that the focus point did not travel up the subject as expected, resulting in areas of unsharpness. (When I do this manually, using the same lens (i.e. the Ultra-sharp Nikkor S 50 f/1.8 at f/8), I always get pin-sharp results throughout the image.) Not sure what's going on there. Thanks again.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@stevelink3 Right. Try using more images and a smaller focus delta between - that said, it's a feature that really changes dependent on the lens being used, some lenses do not have the precision that's required.

[@stevelink3]

@@MaartenHeilbron Thank you for the advice, Maarten! I will have to experiment with that. BTW, for macro work, I use the very sharp Laowa 100mm f/2.8 Ultra-Macro, which yields extremely sharp images from the Z7. Of course, it's manual focus only, so won't work with the Focus Shift Shooting mode, which requires an AF lens. I am really waiting for the release and test/reviews on the 105mm f/2.8 Micro-NIkkor S lens! If it's anything like the existing NIkkor S optics, I expect it will be the sharpest Macro ("Micro") lens out there!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Always happy to help, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@RobertHajdak]

Co za wspaniała angielszczyzna i co za dykcja. Szanujesz swój język i widza. Pozdrawiam.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Jesteś bardzo miły. Dziękujemy za poświęcenie czasu na opublikowanie komentarza.

[@neilmackey9626]

Yet ANOTHER one out of the park, Maarten! Always appreciate your time and expertise. So while I get this in theory, I'm having a hard time getting this into practical application! Let's say you've gone through and customized things in ALL the various sections in the menu, setting things up for your own particular shooting style. I've done that, no issues... Now here's where my confusion comes in. After doing those overall changes, when you go to set specific "U" parameters (for example, assigning U1-Landscape, with settings specifically for landscapes), you save them to U1. Doesn't making those changes specific to the U1 settings change the general settings you did FIRST? Does that mean Do General Settings, Do specific U settings and save, then go back and change those saved U settings back to what the General Settings were? If that's how it works, kind of a pain to have to go back and forth up to three times but methinks I'm missing something here... Cheers!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I was hoping to stay in the park, but thanks!! Yes, I think you've figured it out - it is a little clumsy. I suspect that's why many never use the custom settings. You can reset the camera back to defaults using the reset, but that admittedly comes with its own issues.

[@neilmackey9626]

@@MaartenHeilbron lol...oh that was meant as a compliment, Maarten! A reference to American baseball, where "hitting it out of the park" means a home run...which is a GREAT thing! 🙂

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@neilmackey9626 Oh, I see. In that case, thanks!! Speaking of baseball, when we came to Canada, my parents found the headline "Reds kill Cardinals" to be somewhat confusing.

[@neilmackey9626]

@@MaartenHeilbron lol...I can understand that. I probably find your version of football (what we Yanks would, Incorrectly, call "soccer") as confusing as you folks might find badketball...but variety IS the spice of life, as it were! 😉

[@MaartenHeilbron]

hehe. You do not incorrectly call soccer football. You incorrectly think that what you call football is actually football.

[@KKfires]

Hello sir..just one clarification..in z50 while I am using focus peaking it shows the areas in focus are outlined with the peaking colour selected. But the focus point doesn’t turn green as it was flickering & sometimes without flicker just shown red color so in this case shall we take the photo and move on without worry

[@MaartenHeilbron]

The focus point is more accurate than peaking. If the focus point isn't green, the subject underneath is not in focus. It sounds as if you are closer to the subject than the closest focus distance of the lens? Peaking is more useful in video than for stills.

[@KKfires]

@@MaartenHeilbron Actually I was doing photography under the bridge in main road during night time with settings as f22, iso 600, SS 30s, matrix metering and using manual focus with peaking but what I found is that the area was in focus with peaking color and the focus point was flickering from red to green to red viceversa and then finally came to red..so in this case what should I need to do??

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@KKfires Is the image you took in focus? If it is, don't worry about the focus point, it may just be that there's no enough light.

[@KKfires]

@@MaartenHeilbron Yes it was in focus….but I find some edges in my photo having little sharpness..anyway as you said due to bad lighting conditions focus point will not lit properly(am I ryt) then I will try manual focus during daytime and verify 👍🏻

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@KKfires If your subject is in focus, then objects that are not in focus are the result of shallow depth of field. or lower quality lens.

[@xscorcher]

I liked your video. In my humble opinion, Nikon suffer of a great lack of customisation options. For example: - Missing EasyISO (like the d750); - focus mode changed is more slow to control (see again d750; - pad and joystick have similar function (or same) and are not customizable; - with the (external) flash turned on, it's not possess to use the exposure preview; - etc. I checked last canon mirrorless customisation and noticed the incredible number of features. Maybe Al of this is not needed by many, but there would be better for all to have the possibility to change and choose the perfect ergonomic of buttons and gears. On the field this can make the difference, and can avoid loosing important shoots (just imagine wedding and reportage photographers). It's strange to me that photographers don't try to customize the camera, but accept the configurations of Nikon without a word. Ergonomic is an essential feature for a camera, and the Z are not so good to me. I hope this comment could help and spread the word to Nikon engineers, so they can ask the photographers what they really need next time. Thanks.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

These are good and detailed notes, thanks for posting. Hopefully they get some attention - but I would also recommend that you contact Nikon directly with these issues.

[@xscorcher]

@@MaartenHeilbron Thanks. Yes, I've tried, but it's hard to get answers. I contacted Nikon Italy support, but, for example, regarding the bug of the impossibility of having the exposure preview (with flash active), they replied that it was a precise choice of Nikon. I also tried Nikon USA, who told me to write to Nikon Japan. Nikon Japan responded by subscribing to their newsletter. In practice I was unable to obtain useful results. This is why I try to write my opinions, so as to try to make something move. If you have a way to contact Nikon, please let me know. Unfortunately it seems to me that camera technology is left in the hands of engineers, instead it should be dictated by the needs of photographers. Well alright. Thanks again, have a nice day.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@xscorcher Sorry to hear that they're not more helpful. Let me see if I can organize a video (I don't currently have a Z camera) to review these issues.

[@xscorcher]

@@MaartenHeilbron Thank you, you are very kind. I have a Z6 so please ask for anything. I can also make some short descriptive videos. Keep in touch.

[@tugatomskanimation6370]

What are some of those extra options?

[@Ed-lz4jv]

NIce job,,,,Yeah my Fuji cameras have 7 custom setting menus....Nikon with only 3 not good. Even worse you need a whole video Just for the complex AF functions ARG!

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks, I appreciate your kind words. While the AF system has a wide range of options, they do improve the camera's ability to adapt to various settings. They are worth learning and experimenting.

[@raysanders332]

How do I get rid of the review in the EVF on my Z 6 II?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Turn off the image review menu option.

[@raysanders332]

@@MaartenHeilbron That turns off all reviews, right?

[@raysanders332]

I also do not have the viewfinder option of viewfinder only, all the options are set in the menu. Can I change how long the review stays in the viewfinder? I can not make it go away now till I push the shutter button.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@raysanders332 The image review duration is hidden in C3.

[@joseramos-dq4sg]

Why does my Z7 have the focustracking mode turned off and I can't activate it? How do you do it in your video?

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Are you in continuous focus mode?

[@joseramos-dq4sg]

@@MaartenHeilbron Not .

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@joseramos-dq4sg Sorry you didn't take the hint. It has to be on.

[@joseramos-dq4sg]

@@MaartenHeilbron Not, The problem is that this function is off and I cannot activate it like the other functions.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@joseramos-dq4sg Focus tracking will not be available unless you are using continuous autofocus.

[@richpaul8132]

Hi, I rented a Nikon Z-7 recently and during the time I rented it, I created and saved several custom setting configurations. I then saved the files in my computer. After the rental time was over, I returned the equipment and bought a new Nikon Z-7II. I updated the firmware on the new camera and now I wonder if someone, (anyone), can tell me if I can load the custom user settings that I created and saved in the Z-7 rental, to the New Z-7II? I know that the Z-7II has several more options and features than the Z-7, so it makes sense to me that if user settings that were created in a Z-7II, they would likely not work if loaded into a Z-7. However, it seems just as logical to believe those custom settings created in a Z-7 should be able to load into a Z-7II. Has anyone tried that? I realize that this is not a scenario most people would have an opportunity to try. Unless they had access to both cameras like I did, this question wouldn't come up very often. I'm finding that none of my online searches are bringing up anything like this as a topic or a question, so here I am. BTW; I've been shooting purely Nikon Pro-Body cameras since 1980. All my SLRs and DSLRs were Pro-Bodies. My latest DSLR is a Nikon D4S and I still have my previous camera, the D2X. However, I'm getting 'long in the tooth', and though I prefer mechanical shutters and DSLR's over mirrorless, the mirrorless cameras were lighter and that began to get to be more important with each passing year. When I'm hiking for miles with a tripod, a 500mm F4 lens on the camera, and two more shorter lenses in my lens belt, the D4S starts getting heavier a lot quicker than it used to. I kept my eye out for the latest news on mirrorless cameras but nothing was impressing me until Nikon presented the Z-7II. As I said earlier, I prefer mechanical shutters and mirrors, in a word "DSLRs", and I still do. But the Z-7II was such a 'complete camera' with a price tag under $3K! It has incredible accuracy and is half the weight of my D4S. I had to admit that this was a great camera and it was light too. Of course, I'm keeping my D4S and all my F-Mount lenses. After I bought the Z-7II, the FTZ adaptor, and the vertical grip/dual-battery case, along with the two kinds of memory cards, two more batteries and dual battery charger, specific card-readers, extended view-finder eyecup, and screen protectors, the bill came to a little over $4K. Hell, the D2X & the D4S camera bodies each cost well over $5K when they were released and that's just the camera, no accessories. So the entire Z-7II camera coupled with all the accessories is still a good $1500 less than any one of my DSLRs. Nikon priced the Z-7 & Z-7II to sell, that's for sure. Thanks, Rich

[@MaartenHeilbron]

I don't have that combination here to try for you - have you tried to see if it works? If not, what's your hesitancy? Most mirrorless cameras do have mechanical shutters, although Nikon's options don't make that very clear. Not sure that you preference for a mirror provides in terms of functionality. It's the immediacy of the optical viewfinder that keeps many photographers on the DSLR, but the Z series viewfinders are now nearly as fast (and provide many more features besides).

[@richpaul8132]

@@MaartenHeilbron Thank you Maarten. First; No I haven't tried to load the user settings I backed up in the Z7 rental to my Z7II yet. My concern with doing that before researching if I could, was that I would inadvertently send a string of data that could possibly reidentify the camera's model. Yes, I know that this is very unlikely but I have seen something similar occur to my very first Laptop back in 1999. Now I said "similar", and in that case, the laptop had a version of Windows Vista preinstalled. Long story short, it was not compatible with an O/S upgrade to Win 7 but I did the upgrade anyway. After that, the laptop was never right again. Even though it had Win 7 installed, many of the various operations thought it was XP and/or Vista. The cost to completely remove all data and install a fresh copy of Vista was too high for me to do back then, so I left it like that. That said, I'm going to go ahead and try loading the user settings into the Z-7II, (computers have come a long way since then and now, I've been building my own desktops for the last 12 years, so...) As for the DSLR's, I used to do custom image restorations for people who took pictures with P&S and Cellphone cameras. In many cases, the client had only one or two images of a loved one who passed away and the pictures were poorly taken. My services included restorations, repair, enlargements and large format printing, framing/Gallery wraps, etc. The most common images I worked with were those taken with a cellphone. The customer wanted to enlarge it for framing and when they got the picture back as a 15" print from Walmart, they were astonished and very disappointed to see that the picture was blurry due to camera-shake. Those pictures always look good on a 3 x 4 screen but when you enlarge them, they can't believe how bad they really are. Anyway, I particularly noticed that images taken with mirrorless cameras, (i.e. cellphone, many P&S, etc.), had very strange anomalies that were evident at small aperture settings, (F8 or higher). These anomalies seem to occur when the subject was in motion and the shooter was following them as the subject went by, (like someone on a bicycle). In examples such as that, if the background had straight, vertical objects, (such as telephone poles, stop signs, etc.), they would appear to be broken in half and then slightly shifted left or right. Cellphones seemed to produce many of these 'shifted' vertical lines. In fact, one X-Mas, my family all got together, (a rare occurrence), so I brought all my equipment and my D4S. At some point my younger brother chuckled and said something like "... all the money you spend on that stuff and then haul it around", he reaches in his shirt pocket and pulls out his cellphone and continues: "when all you need is this". He said he just bought this latest version of Apple's high-end cell and told me he barely paid more than a thousand for it. Of course, I defend my position but he's not a photographer so it went in one ear and out the other. However, it wasn't too much later that we were all sitting at the table and I set the camera up for a wide shot at F11 to get the entire family. My brother pulled out his trusty Apple and shot 5 or six images while I was setting the flashes. It so happened that my brother's son was wearing a vividly colored, red, black & yellow, plaid shirt. I took my pics and about a week later, my brother sent me his images and asked me to enlarge and print several that he had selected. That's when I noticed that the shots he took when we were all at the table, had one very distinct anomalie. His son's paid shirt was incredibly distorted! Many of the black, (and some of the red), vertical stripes in that plaid pattern were offset or shifted in several places along the pattern. This wasn't due to creases in his shirt, which his son told me was new and freshly pressed. The same images that I took (a minute after he took his), with my D4S, and from nearly the exact same position my brother had taken his pictures, had no discontinuance in his son's shirt and no distortions of any kind. Then again, I'm using a camera that's dedicated to doing only one thing and costs 6 times more than my brother's 'all-in-one' cell. My brother accused me of manipulating his pictures. He believed I was playing some sort of joke on him. He actually believed that until he viewed the images on a large screen computer. I must admit, he never bragged about how his cellphone was the better way to go in photography after that, LOL. The point is obvious, I saw very serious problems with mirrorless cameras back then and I still see some examples of that now. An occasional cellphone image that a friend might have sent to me, (to accompany his discussion of a topic, not for me to repair), will sometimes have curious anomalies. When the Z6 and Z6II came out, I scrutinized the images that people posted (in photo-websites and discussions). I zoomed in close and searched hard for hints of a problem, but found none. I did that for a long time with the Z 7 and Z 7II as well, and finally, I rented the Z 7 to try and make it create anomalous images. I only had 3 days on that rental, much of which I spent reading instructions and learning where some of the more advanced functions were. I didn't have enough time with the rental to put it through many of the scenarios I wanted to try. I didn't see any in that short rental period. Well now I own a Z 7II so I have the time to do that. Only trouble is, I paid for it, so if I do discover anomalous results, it'll be after the fact. Thanks for the video and reply! Rich

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@richpaul8132 Thanks for adding these detailed notes. My thought would be that if it works, Nikon has included that potential scenario.

[@richpaul8132]

@@MaartenHeilbron Yes, I would have expected to work and I'm surprise the files are not compatible after all.

[@MaartenHeilbron]

@@richpaul8132 In my thinking, I would have hoped, not expected. Not that surprised really.

[@Cyriacjkandathil]

👍

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Thanks for your kind emoji.

[@kopciej2001]

Feature Request: Filename to YYYY-MM-DD_HH24mmss.NEF/JPG - this is 21st century camera, should have this by now

[@MaartenHeilbron]

Yes, good suggestion. a more robust and flexible naming system (like the one Sony recently implemented for video) would be appreciated. Top of my list is 120GB of in-camera high speed storage.