Pixel Shift Shooting Explained for Nikon Z

[@ShutterSpeak]

New - Support for Nikon Z 8 Pixel Shift images is now currently available only in Camera Raw 16.1.1. Support in Lightroom products will be added in a future release. In the meantime, Z 8 Pixel Shift images can be converted to DNG in Camera Raw 16.1.1 or exported to a non-raw format such as TIFF in Nikon NX Studio and imported into Lightroom.

[@jimwlouavl]

Thanks for walking us through this with such a thorough, interesting explanation.

[@parthmaniar]

Thank you very much for the explainatory video along with the caveats.

[@bobbullethalf]

Nikon is on fire so far this year, let's hope they keep up the good work.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thank you for watching.

[@petervisima4798]

The NEFX files work like a dream in Capture One. The images are stunning!

[@ShutterSpeak]

That's good to hear - can it compile the image as well, or just display?

[@petervisima4798]

Unfortunately, Capture One cannot merge the images. I believe Nikon's NX Studio is the only software available to do that function.@@ShutterSpeak

[@davidforcier4]

@@petervisima4798Technically, what's NX Studio is doing with the 16 and 32 shifted images is called a Drizzle stacking. It's well known in astrophotography and many softwares like PixInsight or the old Registax implement them, but it's not common in standard photography (is Nikon the first to offer that?). Theoretically, any astro-stacking with Drizzle implementation would be able to compute the image (and possibly get even bigger output pictures!), but since these algorithms are all part of the stacking process, it could be hard to use them for so.

[@ArminHirmer]

I have pixel shift on my Sony A7Cr and Leica SL2, never used it on Sony, as like here, I need to process the single images after. Leica does that in body and I get a perfect usable file out of camera. Have a ZF coming and will see how it does with after processing

[@hans-martinadorf3834]

One can only increase the resolution by shifting the sensor by half a pixel. So four images is the minimum for enhancing resolution. Btw I’m proud of having “invented” fractional pixel shifting for the Wide Field Camera onboard the Hubble Space Telescope. It was used in the Hubble Deep Field projects.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Well the camera world very much appreciates your contribution. I appreciate you watching. 👾

[@hans-martinadorf3834]

@@ShutterSpeak I doubt that the Nikon engineers read my paper which was published in the 1990s in the newsletter of the Space Telescope - European Coordination Facility based at the European Southern Observatory here at Garching near Munich. The pixel shift technique only requires a joint understanding of the famous Shannon sampling theorem and the adverse effects of image smoothing due to their extended size of the pixels. If a lens delivers really sharp images the detector undersamples the images. Therefore the images of certain motives that contain a fine regular pattern such as the texture of a curtain show undesirable Moiré-effects. In order to avoid these effects photo-cameras had been equipped with low-pass filters, but today these are being left out, because Moiré-effects rarely occur in practice.

[@hans-martinadorf3834]

I forgot to mention that I’m a proud owner of a Nikon Z8 camera.

[@dr.lopuckdds2603]

this is rather exciting and should be rather useful in some situations…nice explanation.

[@FairfieldFogey]

Thanks, Joseph, for sharing your knowledge of this new Z8 feature. I will definitely try it. Some people use the Lock/Protect button to cull images. Protect the ones you want to keep, & then Delete All, instead of the convoluted way that we have to Load Settings back onto the Z8 after formatting SD & CfExpress cards.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thanks for watching and the comment

[@fatherdanmclaughlinosa3215]

Hi Joe, I took a series of photos of a church altar area decorated for Christmas using the focus shift method . Later I learned focus shift is for landscape photos. Pixel Shift seems an easier way to a super high definition photo when one is needed. I suppose it will be in the Z 6 III camera that I want to purchase. My photo teacher did not like my focus shift Christmas photo saying that our eyes are trained to accept a loss of detail in photos since the first days of photography. I would try pixel shift for certain types of photos, especially at the lower frame count for the color enhancement. Thank you your reviews. Dan

[@ShutterSpeak]

Hello Father Dan - I think your teacher has a point, however, the photo should be your vision. Create an image that you want, not something that someone says is correct! As for the Z 6III, it is hard to say - if there even is one!. As of now, it is only the Z8 & Zf. I would think it will be in the Z9 in the future as well, but that is just a guess.

[@patricklindahl868]

I have taken a lot of interior pictures with focus shift. Often I take 10 och 20 pictures with a one step shift for every picture. Then I stack them with Zerene Stacker (there are others as well). That gets me perfect sharp photos of what's in that room, from short distance to infinity.

[@mangodibongo]

Thanks! I was waiting for this feature as well and of course I will use it. And like you, I had the Fn3 button programmed to playback first (I still use a D700) for I never ever accidentally erased an image. So normally this button would be useless.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thanks for watching - are you re-programming the button or sticking with playback?

[@mangodibongo]

I'm sticking with playback because ... after the video and after trying Pixel Shift on landscape photographs, I ran not only into the mentioned issues (wind moves branches) but I have also some strange "artifacts" on the picture that makes it useless (coloured dots). Apperently, as Joseph said in the video, Pixel Shift makes sense only inside buildings where nothing moves at all.

[@drsksamanta9146]

Like your explanations, understood the problems associated with post processing. do you think Capture One solves the problem?

[@Gpj3photo]

I just did my first Pixel Shift thanks to you. I was able to export as a JPEG and a TIF. I opened the TIF in Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop. Is this the limitation you describe. I was also able to open the saved NEFX in Adobe Camera Raw, make adjustments and open in Photoshop. What am I missing? Do I still need Capture One?

[@ShutterSpeak]

No - you do not need Capture One - when you opened the NEFX in camera raw did you see the entire image or only a portion of it?

[@Gpj3photo]

@@ShutterSpeak I seen the entire image. It was 101mb.

[@g00nther]

Is the base case for Pixel Shift shooting in low light when you need higher ISOs? Perhaps there are two cases, high rez pics in good light and better pics (low noise/better colour rendition) in low light?

[@ShutterSpeak]

I recommend only using it at low iso - it is designed to create a very high res file with lots of detail.

[@potterydaily]

Thank you for the guidance on this feature. I'd been hearing about it and finally plan to try it out now. Will update NX Studio! I do use the lock button when I am traveling and chimping my photos and see one I really like on the viewfinder. It then has the lock when you bring it into NX studio. Rating images in camera is just too much work.

[@dr.lopuckdds2603]

If NX studio makes these pixel shift images why not adjust this x nef there and export to tif. Also when in Studio why when you right click on an image to edit in PS does it say file locked?

[@vincentversace8704]

If yo want the best possible TIFF of any NEF file you should do the raw conversion to tiff in Studio NX.

[@nicholaskh]

With regard to hot pixels issue that you have encountered, the firmware supplement 2.0 recommend on page 15 the following: "To improve the image quality of the resulting pixel-shift blended pictures, we recommend performing pixel mapping via [Pixel mapping] in the setup menu before shooting". Perhaps this could have solved your problem. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Strangely it is not in the NEF or NEFX files - they only appear when exporting as a TIFF

[@subhadipMBP]

Can pixel shift technique be applied in wildlife photography?

[@ShutterSpeak]

I would say no - the subject must remain perfectly still.

[@AbsolutACappella]

great video!!!!

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thank you 🙂

[@waynej1883]

Is this Ca' d'Zan?

[@ShutterSpeak]

Yes, you are correct.

[@julioestebanperezescudero6246]

DOES PIXEL SHIFT SUPPORT FLASH USE?

[@jbilly24]

I was hoping this might work with the moon, but no dice. Maybe if you used a star tracker.

[@Rammykazemi]

why not compare it to a normal 45 mp file?

[@Gpj3photo]

Thanks for the tutorial and setup information. Does Nikon NX Studio support NEFX to export as TIFF?

[@ShutterSpeak]

Yes, you can export from Studio. Thank you for watching.

[@rodrigoepstein5357]

Which is better and easier; pixel shift or Topaz Labs?

[@edkelly145]

Do you need to turn off Pixel Shift in-between each series of shots to place your hand in for a marker? Thanks

[@ShutterSpeak]

You do not need to - I did that so I could easily tell the 4, 8, 16, & 32 shot groups. Up to you.

[@edkelly145]

Thanks. I do that for focus stacking.@@ShutterSpeak

[@BobSmith-zd2nv]

I plan to use it! Just need ON1 Raw software to update and support it.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thank you for watching.

[@Bikerbeest]

In Photoshop you can merge ppictures or is this with Pixel shift shooting different ??

[@ShutterSpeak]

It's different - thanks for watching!

[@johnclay7644]

informative video

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thank you for watching :-)

[@randyschwager2515]

Interesting, but doubt I’ll ever have a use for this! Thanks!

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thanks for watching - appreciate you!

[@JoacimSchwartz]

It seems as for now, the flash is disabled when using Pixel shift.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Thank you for letting us know, and thank you for watching.

[@willchaneyphoto]

Are you shooting with a Z8 or Zf? It should be active on the Z8, but is listed as a limitation in the Zf manual. Not sure I understand why Nikon did that.

[@JoacimSchwartz]

Z8, As soon as I turn on Pixel Shift the flash icon is turned off/greyed off.@@willchaneyphoto

[@Gpj3photo]

I noticed the flash was disabled. I just used an LED light. I would assume using a flash on camera would cause the camera to shake when the flash goes off. Plus, you may get a misfire during the 32 shots and through the whole sequence off. I am just speculating.

[@JoacimSchwartz]

To be fair, I have been on productions where they have used Hasselblad with Multishot (their version of Pixel shift) and Profoto off camera flashes, and they would regularly fail because the exposure value was off by a fraction. Not saying Nikon disabled the flash for that reason, but to give a perspective. @@Gpj3photo

[@Audi59]

It’s the same as force shifting .. Nikon is just calling it pixels shift am I right ?

[@ShutterSpeak]

Focus Shift Shooting is used to increase depth of field - Pixel Shift Shooting is used to increase resolution.

[@dominiclester3232]

Nice, thanks! I thought you were drunk at the beginning 😂

[@ShutterSpeak]

I wish! 😇

[@dystopia-utopiarelation-re3191]

Still waiting for N-Raw Support in Premiere since 2 years Adobe is all about selling AI now.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Let's hope for quicker support, since there competition has already gotten on board.

[@dystopia-utopiarelation-re3191]

@@ShutterSpeak Yes, Davinci supports it for 1-2 years already. Shame on you Adobe.

[@albest6821]

Fn3 button for my playback button.

[@19Photographer76]

Never used the lock button 'intentionally '

[@ShutterSpeak]

Same!

[@WhoIsSerafin]

When you can do it handheld and have it process it all in camera like Olympus, that’s when this feature will truly be useful. Regardless, the ZF is on my shortlist.

[@ShutterSpeak]

Hand-held for 32 images is not very likely to happen anytime soon I would think. But processing in camera would be welcome.

[@howardholden2672]

My wife uses the 'Lock' button! But only by accident.😢

[@Max-fq1bg]

so painful - why can’t they just do it like most of the good phones do it - in camera

[@ShutterSpeak]

Computational photography really hasn't made it into cameras yet. Phones use it to make up for tiny sensors and lenses. The quality and file size using pixel shift on the Nikon is tremendous. Maybe someday... But for now you will need the power of a computer to blend it together.

[@DuquesneXavier]

Because phone produce terrible images… the more you let an algorithm do the work for you, the more likely it is to do a random job. I prefer to control the process. I’ll try on the moon with the Zf and compare with a D850 file to see if it can help have a bit more reach and more details. I don’t think the rotation should be a problem at 1/100s f/10 iso 100