Deep Dive: Nikon Z Autofocus Settings for Still Images

[@greyhoundrick5568]

Superb video Raymond and Leigh! This is the kind of content that is absolutely essential! Excellent explanation of the focusing and extremely helpful! Thank you for doing this piece! Best to you both, Rick

[@quietcorner293]

These are good to know. I'm a proud owner of a Z6 and I'm finding it sometimes frustrating trying to get it to do what my cheap D5200 can do.

[@oscarman60]

This has really helped me to grasp the focus with my Z6ii, I have been recently reading a book but a film completes the picture so to speak. I now use the focus with confidence in what I am doing. Thank you.

[@HR-wd6cw]

7:37 ONe thing to point out is that with that mode, you may also want to increase the delay that the camera has before it tries to refocus (if it's lost focus). This is helpful for if a bird or something flies behind a tree momentarily. This way the camera won't necessarily try to focus on the tree for the brief second that it may take the bird to fly beyond the obstacle for example. I will say that this is semi-useful, but for the AF-C modes, it would have been nice to try to shoot something that was moving like an animal to show the effectiveness of the AF-C modes (wide, dynamic, etc).

[@LMActionsports]

I was using pinpoint auto focus in continuous mode when I would shoot family portraits. And I would use the real small pin point the focus and single when I would do portraits or senior pictures. But unless they are wearing glasses are used eye auto focus since they released the update firmware. I’ve had really good luck with my focusing on the eyes. But with glasses I like to manual focus to make sure that the eyes are sharp. I love my Z6 it’s a winner in my eyes. But I need to buy/invest into some of the S-lenses. I am using all adaptive F-mount lenses with great success. Cuz I still use my Nikon D800 but I think I’m going to invest into a Z7 for my higher Megapixel shots

[@BobG-eh5fc]

Thanks for a great overview of Z6-7 focusing!

[@deadtothewxrld]

So it seems like wide is the new group AF, I guess... Thanks for going through this, I’ve been considering the Z6 as a successor to my D500, and just need to know if I can select and track an area like I can with the DSLR systems. Seems like I’m the only person not enamored with eyeAF lol

[@TheCallie52809]

The tracking mode is the most used way for me to shoot with the Z6. It's great for street photography.

[@marclabro]

nice tuto. I don't understand very well the tracking yellow box. do you mean that in auto area, without doing anything it detects face and eye but if for ny reason, AF is lost you just focus on something and press OK button to activate tracking ? i also read people using FN2... is it same than your OK button ? I am waiting for Z6II. In Z6II there is also a additional red box to help AF finding the focus inside. How do you combine that tool with your subject tracking ? I hope new firmware for Z6II will be closer from R6, R5 and alpha M3 eye detection.

[@stacygreene8172]

Can you explain more about the arrow on the eye and how to switch the eye in focus?

[@michaelmartinez6899]

Hi. I found the eye auto focus and the face detection to not be reliable on the z6, have you had this problem?

[@EdwardKilner]

Thank you for this. Someone suggested the Z7 did not have eye detection focus. Clearly, it does. But how did you capture the information display while moving the camera around. Would love to see a pic of the rig used.

[@skorpio88]

Probably with the atomos ninja V

[@texasmarshalls]

Great video! I notice that when I am in auto ISO it turns red, do you know why this happens?

[@annarakannan6620]

Can you do this for Zf?

[@lyonfisher7500]

Great video, very helpful

[@lloydterryjr.bodygraphicsphoto]

Informative video. Thanks for posting

[@jonbarnard7186]

Great content Raymond. I find that the eye autofocus, while quick, often focuses on the eyebrow rather than the eyeball. This can be a problem when shooting at a large aperture close up to your subject. Have you found this, or is it something I'm doing wrong?

[@LeighAndRaymond]

We found that, when using the Z series lenses, focus was good. However, when using the FTZ with F mount lenses, sometimes the focus was slightly off. It was only noticeable when using a very shallow depth of field.

[@stacygreene8172]

@@LeighAndRaymond I've noticed either eyebrow or cheek and not eyeball as well. I often use pinpoint to get rid of this, but don't know if someone has any other ideas on how to avoid this.

[@fotonapapa]

This is a very helpful video! Thanks a lot.

[@TheCommonManOnWheels]

Thanks a lot for sharing this informative video..!!

[@khengteoh4318]

The only issue I am having is I like the subject tracking from firmware 3 however I cannot shoot single point af c and toggle my subject track mode as it needs to be in auto area af

[@johnjury7316]

Hi Raymond, the information shown in your EVF is on the left, right and at the bottom. My Z7 info is at the top and bottom only, is there a setting to change this?

[@LeighAndRaymond]

Good question! The information location changes when we use the Atomos recorder. If we had no recorder attached, the viewfinder would look like yours.

[@johnleftwich650]

I'm a little surprised you guy are not using back button focus.

[@allenschneider1847]

Very helpful vido. The nikon system seems very similar to the Fugi focus approach. The Sony system is very sophisticated but in some ways offers too many options. I think I like the Nikon and Fugi approach better. Less complex.

[@johnjury7316]

Thank you for confirming that.

[@JasonRenfrow]

How were you able to record the screen? Do you have an external monitor?

[@LeighAndRaymond]

Yes, we use an Atomos Ninja V.

[@LeighAndRaymond]

Yes, we use an Atomos Ninja V.

[@patrickmolloy6994]

don't you use BBF?

[@RudiZimmerer]

The Z50 is different! It has also autofocus AF... The Single focus has 2 Stops more for low light! And you have to switch to low light the display to maximize instead what you get... That is really a problem when you shoot with a flashlight... Also, this is missing..

[@nathanrozenfarb638]

Thanks a lot.Greetings from Israel!!!!!

[@gustavoalatourstaffeld6469]

Hi, can you help me, i have a Nikon D7200 and i want to change for a Full frame camara, my opcions are d850 (used) or Z6. I will use it for landscape and real state photografy, which one do you recomend.?

[@Lon1an]

d850 or Z7 for landscape.

[@sarfaraz.hosseini]

If you're just jumping into full frame now, and don't have F-mount lenses, then if the Z series 24-70mm F/4 is enough for your landscape and real-estate needs, then go with the Z6. The D850 is an all round much more versatile camera in a more mature system, but it may not be worth investing in lenses at this stage, unless you're doing sports or wildlife.

[@GreenTekHaus]

I have the D7100 and I too thought long about getting a D850, but I went with the Z6, as opposed to the Z7 or D850, or even the D750 or D810. Why? Simple: all around bang for your buck. You get enough pixels to create great imagery, AND it handles low light conditions VERY WELL! Plus, if you do any Videography, then it can handle that, too! The Z7 not as much on both of those issues. Now, I still use my D7100 with a Sigma f3.5 10-20mm for Real Estate shoots, as most of my clients like that combination. But my Z6 is my back up for that, and I use it for landscape and model photography, with the Z 24-70mm f4 S lens, and the extra low light capability works great with this lens. I can get some bokeh with it even, but if bokeh is needed more in your style, then the Z 24-70mm f2.8 S is a better idea. I use other lenses with the adapter, too! -And that works great, too! 😁

[@gustavoalatourstaffeld6469]

@@GreenTekHaus thanks for your answer, as same as you I bought the Z6!

[@GreenTekHaus]

Nice vid! Was curious why the other settings the "green box" never showed up! Now I know! (I have a Z6.) Thanks for the info!

[@Skye_the_toller]

Why nobody complains about the placement of ok button in automatic tracking mode... canot assign the button to some where else...

[@scraymond5597]

This is where Sony gets a huge advantage. You can track under the focus area with simply a half-press. You will see a video about this from me next week. Nikon is so close, but Sony took more time/attention to get it to work very intuitively without having to go through the cumbersome process to set up tracking. On Nikon, by the time you have tracking ready on the object, the moment is over. On Sony, you just half press as you normally would.

[@ChoicesHabitsAttitudeLuck]

How do i switch from one eye to the other? Would you recommend the dynamic AF during a couple walking down the aisle?

[@RudiZimmerer]

Under perfect conditions can every camera focus... When I saw the review of a professional Wedding photograph with the New Nikon Z7 II I could agree... 90% of his pictures were in focus.... And even the NIkon camera gives his green signal that the focus is correct it is not always so! After testing and trying my best... I quit the Nikon Z ... Honesty all of the DSLR cameras from NIkon are focusing better and faster than any Nikon Z! For instance, the model is standing outside and I use a flashlight (fill flash 2 stops) against the brighter background... Guess not all pictures are in focus... In the forest, I tried my best it was not possible to focus on the face with the hairs. A camera that cannot focus reliable is not worth to buy !

[@zaf9834]

Good video

[@AniketSen-dn5ij]

I am trying to optimally grab my gear within $1000 along with a single kit lens, maybe a hundred dollars give or take, in that regard, my options as available in my region are XT30, M6 MKII, Z50 & A6400. It would mean a world to me if you could help me decide my first ever gear. My focus is purely image quality, I am not weighing on video capabilites much, I prefer my smartphone and action cam for that. Cheers & thanks in advance!

[@grincadorna4753]

Dude u need to be in af-c if u do group focus

[@smkunder1]

So do you think this camera is ready for prime time , or should we wait until next generation?

[@LeighAndRaymond]

I think every photographer is different and has different goals. We purchased both the Z6 and the Z7 and have used them extensively with great results.

[@Luigi13]

Honestly? I am not impressed with the Z7. I had tthe camera for three weeks and I finally returned it. Attaching the FTZ adapter it misses focus with dim lit background my other Nikon D-810 had no problem. I wanted to like the camera but once handling it for a while the DSLR works a lot better at this point. The Fuji XT3 in fact performs a lot better as well.

[@HR-wd6cw]

This is partially dependent on the lens too. Also depending on which Z you had (the gen 1 or the latest one, although I'm assuming the gen 1) they did make some adjustments to AF detection and improved it throughout the firmware updates. It does focus a bit slower in low-light than the DSLRs. Most of the higher-end DSLRs will still focus faster, but even with the firmware updates, I think the Z7 is a bit more tolerable to use in low light.

[@MyWuffi]

this depiction of the mirrorless af system gives testament to the fact that currently dslr af is still better. on mirrorless systems the user apparently has to decide when to use which af mode because they all show different behavior patterns. on dslr systems one gets a much more consistent behavior in that regard. to me that's the main reason to wait for at least one more generation of mirrorless systems before I jump over

[@Paul-D-Hoff]

Oh, for the good old days of only having manual focus and no one nitpicking every damn thing.

[@HR-wd6cw]

He has a point. At least with the Nikon's. Try tracking a bird with the Z7 and then try again with say a D500 or D850. Big difference. Hence, you don't see a lot of pro sports or wildlife photographers jumping to Z just yet and that tells you something.

[@reddonharper5195]

Oh no, not a deep dive. Snap chick, how you have changed.

[@muratsener4855]

time bad ...

[@mauriziomauricone]

U changed....