Bird Photography with the Nikon Z6II. I found the limits of the Autofocus system. Upgrade time?
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- Опубликовано: 21 окт 2024
- We traveled to Stanley Idaho in hopes of photographing the American dipper. We found the bird but I also found the limits of the Z6II Autofocus system.
Visit @trondwestby for amazing Bird Photography Videos. His Dipper videos are amazing.
#NikonZ6II #Nikon #birdphotography
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Here is a list of the equipment I use.
F-Stop Backpack amzn.to/2Wykvuv
Drone DJI Air 2S amzn.to/3jnSwXJ
Nikon Z6II amzn.to/2SntkFK
Nikon Z6 amzn.to/3wy1IgC
K&F Concept Variable ND amzn.to/3gXMmf6
Wimberley gimbal amzn.to/3s2ABqE
Tripod Benro Mach 3 amzn.to/3uobYWE
Memory cards xqd amzn.to/3uygzG7
Rode video Mic Go. amzn.to/3gtkP5w
Nikon 20mm 1.8. amzn.to/3h1bSjG
Zoom H4N amzn.to/3kX0TJh
Tape wrap for tripod amzn.to/2Vobzb8
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/ bayou_josh
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This video was not paid for by outside persons or manufacturers.
No gear was supplied to me for this video.
All Aerial Photography and video was captured by me. I am a Part 107 UAV Pilot. Feel free to email with inquiries.
Many “pro’s” would just move to a different camera, may be a Z9 , but you are teaching a lesson to many of us, that is to adapt and learn to use the camera because many of us have bigger limitations. I really respect your work!
I have those same limitations.
@@BayouJosh Me too, I struggle some times with my gear, but the trick is no better gear is know your gear!, great video!
@@varo1809 that is the truth. thanks man.
@Siddharth Sriram Then you don't get decent video. There is no free lunch in the world.
@Siddharth Sriram that is true, but Josh explained a while back that he now focuses more on producing quality video, therefore the z6 ii is the better choice for his work.
I'm glad you shout out to Trond Westby. I enjoy his work as much as I enjoy yours. Two good story tellers.
I love watching Trond's Videos
Wonderful video, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it! thank you Julian.
A pleasure as always!
great video keep at it! Trond is the king! Thanks for sharing
No doubt!
dude ..amazing.. your videos are almost therapeutic :)
Thanks Scott. I appreciate it man.
Where do i begin.. the storytelling is amazing. the patients in waiting laying on your belly for hours at a time. this is truly a passion for you
awe, thanks man. I love it.
Another fantastic video...
Thanks again Shaun. I appreciate it.
Another great video Josh and thanks for
You bet. thank you for watching.
Amazing
Stunning dipper shots and excellent video!
This was a wonderful self convincing commercial for upgrading to the z9. 🥳
😃
Majestic scenes 🤩
I love your presentation and calming music; very well composed my friend
Thank you 🙏 for sharing your talents ; I’m at Peace 🕊
Thank you David.
Beautiful area.
LOLz upgrade time Z9 🙂 very nice video congrats, cheers 🙂
Beautiful capturing.
You captured many beautiful photos and videos.
Thank you so much Nathan
I love your way of storytelling. I really love it.
Glad you enjoy it! thank you so much.
@@BayouJosh Will look forward to your content
fantastic video once again, congrats on the amazing interview with Vahagraphy
Thanks a ton! I had a great time.
Bayou, thanks for sharing this nice story!
Yes, Trond Westby is a decent bird photographer, indeed.
Gorgeous location love Dippers awesome work !👍😍
Lovely film, good job. And I have followed Trond for a while, so good.
He is fantastic.
Thank you for this wonderful storytelling! It makes me want to go outside..
love it
great work
My compliments! I really enjoy your videos!
Glad you like them! thank you Vincent.
Amazing good video and beautiful story😃 Dippers are beautiful birds but difficult to photograph! I cant wait to Dippers to come here to south Finland 😃Tronds photos are amazing👍
They are!
thank you josh for your sharing, always a pleasure to follow you from my little belgium it's incredible the fauna at home, with us the return of the wolf and linx but not easy to observe
Thanks for tagging along. 😀
Wow very beautiful last time I was in Mountain Poland and I found it they are a lot of them.
Great Job
Love your voice you got your shot in the end i was photographing Irish dippers the other day its a challenge thanks for the video
Thank you my friend. they are tough to photograph. Patience is key.
Another deep from the heart episode. Keep on the good work Josh; and as usual, a big hug from Perú.
Amazing!
I love the style of the videos; the fact it’s a Z6 is a plus!!! Thank you for making these!!
What a beautiful place. Love the beautiful captures.
Notwithstanding your focus trials, there are some great images (video too) here, Josh. Hope your Scandinavian counterparts are seeing these. Westby may lay claim to the Dippers and Hilmer the Badgers but I’m loving this groove you’re developing. Great work.
I sure do appreciate it Marcus. thank you,
Awesome story line and great narration with excellent music that set the mood
Highway 75 from Stanley to Challis is incredible! Especially on a motorcycle!
absolutely.
Stanley Idaho, I'll remember this place. It's beautiful. Love that image where the dipper stood in the golden light and hint of log in the background.
That was the one good moment. thank you my friend.
Thanks Josh, that was another great video.
Thank you so much Dan
You’re one of my favourite youtuber! Keep up your good work 👍🏼
Thank you Paul. I appreciate it
Way to persevere, Josh, and end up with some splendid shots.
Thanks George. I appreciate it man.
Fantastic video!
You got some great Dipper shots man! Looks like you had fun out there. That's the important part. :D
Thanks brother. I really had to work for them this time.
Looks like you got some good Dipper images in the end. Trond Westby is a great wildlife photographer too :-)
It was a great morning! Thank you my friend
Amazing, your patience and knowledge paid off in the end, beautiful bird and scene
Thank you Conor.
Love the video man! The exact reason I shoot 100% MF now, I got so tired of AF missing at key moments. Good shoutout for Trond too, he is a king of Dippers 😂
Thanks brother. If it has AF, I feel like it should work. It was really tough conditions though.
@@BayouJosh I wonder if the D850 will have gotten it, or the Sony. I hope that the Z9 finally closed the gap, and then the next generation small bodies benefit. I notice that you shoot with the Z6 II instead of the Z7 II. Could you explain why? it's because hight ISO, or maybe low light AF performance or other reason? Thanks
What a wonderful location, great video once again. Loved the video and images of the dipper. I like Trond's videos.... like yours even more. 🙂
Glad you like them! you are too kind.
One subscriber more for you and for Trond. Keep the good work, I hope the channel grows.
thanks so much Jaime. it has been fun.
3:00 LOL, dumb bird,. 3:09 so cute. Good video Josh
right? 😅
Sub’d. Do to excellent video, excellent narration, great story with conflict and resolution. Also, I really like that you interact with your viewer’s comments. Great video!
thank you so much my friend. you made my day. have a great day.
@@BayouJosh you welcome. Was binge watching your content while editing client work. Nice channel. Nice shoots and images.
Nice film Josh
Thank you so much 😊
fantastic video! As a Z6 user, I've had to go into manual mode on many occasion. Heck, I had to go into manual recently on a D850 because of the rather specific situation I found myself in motorsport. It happens. I think it's more, "Pro," by knowing your equipment so well, that you can work a problem like fog, and adapt with your current equipment, and get a result. Great video as usual.
Yeah. It’s all about adapting under pressure
Josh, you are close to convincing yourself you need new gear, keep on the good work! Otherwise thanks for your always relaxing episodes. I love them, your comments, your voice. As already said: some sort of therapy.
It is a wonderful Hobby.
Beautiful images
Krásne spracované video...
Great video. You should do voiceovers for documentaries.
Josh,
Your story telling is just outstanding , once I clicked on your first video that popped for me I got hooked
Well done!
sometimes the YT algorithm does a good deed
Glad you enjoyed it! thank you so much
Fog is the enemy of any camera’s auto focus system. However, your patience paid off with some terrific dipper images!
Certainly a test. thanks Tim.
Loved it Josh, keep up the great work brother.
Thanks! Will do!
Love dippers, have them on my local stream 10 minutes from my house. We have the European ones here in Scotland with a white front. Great to hear you do a shout out for Trond as well, amazing photographer too. Well done for sticking at it and getting some shots too
Inspiring content as always Josh with great narration that makes you so watchable. Nice to see the reference to Trond Westby, indeed a master of Dipper photography another of my go to online educators in bird photography......Keep up the good work.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Maurice.
Love this video, Trond may be the Dipper Man, but your videos are more to my taste. Keep up the good work!
Glad you like them! Thank you Haydn.
I love it. Better you then me laying out there for hours. lolol When you said the American Dipper I was thinking you were in a bar. Dipping. Just kiddiing. Great job as always. When I was younger I might have done that. When Auto doesn't work we go to manual. I used to it on my DSLr
I think I was in the Bar later that day. I needed a drink after that. 😄
Great stuff Josh!
That is some really amazing footage. Great pictures of the dipper.
Nice drone shots too.
That second bald eagle seemed like struggling to get off that branch. :-D
Anyways thanks for sharing and all the work you put into this and for bringing back memories of a particularly enchanting state.
Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, that Second bald eagle was not so majestic 😄.
Fantastic video as always Josh. Manual focus is a reality in certain situations no matter what camera system you use and works very well.
Very true! I was just hoping this would be a lesson in adaptability. Thanks brother.
Great content as always!!!
Thank you as always!
I was just wondering what firmware where you on? They don't say so but I think they secretly upgraded the Eye-detect/AF in 1.30 just a few weeks ago. It just looks like mine is working better since upgrading to 1.30. They just released a firmware upgrade for the older Z-cameras that do include the AF-upgrade.
Always on the newest firmware. It was very low light and misty conditions. I think most cameras would have struggled with that.
Great video as always Josh. btw what drone are you using in your videos?
Thanks brother. I use the DJI air 2S
I'd love to know what lens you're using, thanks for sharing your experience, great stuff.
Time to go backwards? My nikon D4 works quite well in low light and light fog
It may be time to go backwards. That’s a 600 mm F/4
Thank u for this share! I'm thinking about taking a dive into Nikon. I'm sure you have seen the previews so far of the z9... Do you think the z9's AF would have still worked in those conditions?
Love the way the dipper’s eye flashes white as it blinks! I’ve watched your videos from the beginning and I have to say I’ve enjoyed them all, Josh. Keep ‘em coming!
Awesome! Thank you!
For decades I couldn't land myself a American Dipper in Alberta, BC, Colorado and Washington. I was visiting southern France and ran right into a European Dipper in the Pyrenees. It wasn't until two years ago I came upon one in Sequoia National Park quite by chance that I finally saw an American. Enjoyed the video.
the tone of your voice reminds me of Bob Ross. its very calming to watch your channel.
Thank you so much 😊
Frustrations aside, thanks for your signature style video today. Really needed it...
On the plus side, that Z9 that Katie gave you the green light on should help! 😁
Oh, you caught that Huh?😉
Awesome video... Really like your work...
Try the low light autofocus setting. Its slow. No game changer. But instead of hunting it will pick up the bird. It will only work when the bird is sitting like in your shot... It can't track...
Thanks for pointing that out. I did not know it even existed.
This video was absolutely incredible. You have really stepped it up from a visual perspective. The story telling is on point as always. Loved it
I can’t thank you enough Ted! Thanks for sticking with me. Just trying to get better every video.
@@BayouJosh I’ve been watching since video #1 and will continue to. Hope we can meet up someday if I get out that way
I learned a while back. Sometimes Mother Nature does not care what camera you use. Whether it is fog, heat wave distortion. Nothing trumps Mother Nature. Amazing area! I hope I can get out that way again one day! Red Lake....sigh. Thx
heck yeah. that is a fact.
Super nice video and video work
Yes Nikon needs to update AFC for z6/7 2
I see the z9 in your future :)
But production delays so not many getting theirs this year
Yep sounds right on the z9
z9, right time
Always fun to tag along with you...although I would have been tempted to follow the eagles:)
OH don't think I didn't run after them for a while. they were always on the wrong side of the river and just as I would get the truck in park, they would fly off. they were on to me. 😆
@@BayouJosh You just summarized ALL my king fisher experiences:)
Hey Josh, Merry Christmas! Beautiful video as always with some great footage! Are you using mainly the 600 f/4 for these images? Also it seems that the Z6ii AF has improved quite a bit (a part from these foggy shots where it was hurting I mean). Do you fin it fast enough for video shooting?
Thank you Enrico. Yep. 600 f/4. The video is great with the 600 and z6ii
@@BayouJosh Thanks Josh!
omg Dippers! I love them. HMU I've got a Ouzel near by that poses for a small fee.
The new firmware could improve autofocus. You could make a review about it.
I've installed the newest firmware on the Z6 and it seems that is marginally improved Eye tracking on humans. Great for video if it is tracking me....not so much for birds.
03:00 - "He's filming me now, I'm so baddass. Ah, I forgot my cigarette, lemme go take it for a few photos!"
03:03 - "Oh shhhhii&***($(, ouch! "
😆
I am thinking of switching to nikon from canon. I use the r7 but i am really not happy of the rf line up. I am thinking of switching to the z6ii, anything i need to keep in mind or should i not switch?
Great content as always, you and Morten are always my go too. The Z9 might be calling your name with your current glass setup. Or you could come join the dark side with an R5 we will accept you XD
I've spent some quality time with the R5. It may be calling my name too.
Go ahead and make the jump to Canon,please,you would be one less in line for the Z9.
You should really consider the R5, right? I mean it’s a tough call
@@buttonlover86 it really is a fantastic camera too.
It's cheaper to by the Z9 and stay with the 600mm f4 Prime from Nikon than buying an R5 Body and a Canon 600mm f4 lens.
Tough shooting conditions for any camera system. Days like this keep me humble...
Indeed. it was very tough. I hope viewers just see this as a lesson in adaptability...not so much a camera problem.
I feel your pain. Every time I go to pack it up, I take another look around because inevitably something always happens. Let hope the Z9 will solve at least some of your struggles.
I am certain the Z9 will be better. but I think this was a mother nature problem.
As always, great video, beautiful area. Do you think the AF issue is Nikon or would other brands struggle in similar low contrast, low light situations?
a lot of Both! I have been frustrated with the AF in all types of situations. when it grabs focus, it is great. it's the grabbing part that is struggles with.
It always makes me chuckle to hear americans describing a piece of water like that as a 'stream'. Here in Wales that would be a river every time 😊.
Dippers are great little birds and i found a place recently that looks to have wonderful photographic potential, small stream, steep fast flowing, lots of little waterfalls and at least a few resident dippers.
My next available free
time coinciding with some reasonable weather conditions and I will be there.
Great video. You have such an amazing amount of wild open country out there.
We Americans are still learning the English language!😂 Thanks as always Robert.
That fog made your camera struggle, but also helped produce magical images. Well done sir ! On a side note, thanks for showing us that Idaho had such magnificent scenery, I had no idea ;) those snowy mountains peaks are beautiful.
Exactly. That was mother nature, not the camera. Idaho is a magical place.
Very well done Josh, I almost felt like I was with you.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you Todd.
@@BayouJosh Your welcome! BTW, do you use a Teleconverter with your 600mm?
@@Interbeing_CDN no sir. no teleconverter.
@@BayouJosh I thought that maybe you did as you seem to get really in pretty tight with such small birds, I think you must be a bit of a bird whisperer, lol!
I'm still on the hunt for a bald eagle myslef. You got some great shots of the dipper, josh.
Excellent work. I have been trying to train my brain to do more manual focus in the field. Its definitely not easy when we are so used to having tech do it for us lol.
Cheers man. 🍻
it is a valuable tool to have as backup. I use it often...especially to move in on a target quick. AF hunts on these cameras.
@@BayouJosh and hunting when you finally have your subject is the worst.
Josh, I’m glad that you are doing this. Josh imagine being at a paid gig during a graduation with students wearing mask and using this camera and the autofocus is jumping like crazy while in a lowlight gym environment. It was beyond frustrating. The Z6II is a good camera, but the autofocus update can’t come soon enough. There are some work around, it it shouldn’t be this hard at times and other times it’s outstanding.
I can't imagine photographing people. 😄 it takes a special kind of person to do that. Kudos. but yes. we are in desperate need of a firmware update.
@@BayouJosh I have a Z6ii and a D500. I have tried the Z6ii in late evening light on birds with very good results. I used the animal eye AF mode (with the border around it) and it grabs things and locks on them quite well in flight. Not on the eye but on the bird. It does lock onto my dog's eye and stays on it as she is running around quite well. Perhaps there was not enough contrast in your setting that causes the issue you had as you pointed out yourself. I have had great result using the Z6ii with PF300mm + 1.4TC and 200-500 5.6 zoom. I don't have any other long lenses. I think you just need some contrast and that's true about any camera AF. Enjoyed watching your video.
@@skiray1960 Great insight Ray. I need to use that setting more often in the future. It was really dark. the video does not show how dark it really was. I was above ISO 12800 most of the morning unless I went down to 1/60 sec. Plus the fog really cut the contrast.
Great video. Question is how another camera or system would have behaved in this situation. But the wait obviously payed off. Amazing pictures!
Good question! it was really tough conditions. the light was much lower than it looked in the video. I was above 10000 ISO most of the morning.
Hi Josh,good video indeed ! I don't know how long you will resist to a Z9 upgrade :) Nikon users have been waiting for a long time for such an upgrade. Please, don't sell a kidney for that camera...So sad that these new cameras A-1, R3,5,6 are soooo expensive. Just be sure that you 600mm will be compatible before buying it
Unless Nikon calls you !!!
they are all very expensive. we will see how it works out.
I had similar issues with the Z6II and 180-600mm, I was photographing Red Knot and Dunlin last November and the AF was awful, they were relatively slow moving at the time as they were feeding and moving towards me.
Thankfully I'd only rented the combo.
I think, it's not time for an upgrade. May be, you should have a cup of Coffee like Morten Hilmer in his video about the dipper ;)
The Z9 is probably the natural upgrade path, Josh. You already have great glass. The FTZ ii probably needed also. And it is a setup which probably will last you another 10years. My current Nikon DSLR is 10 years old and still chugging along. BTW - Great video, Josh.
thank you Victor....We shall see 😉
Clearly time for a Z9!
Maybe.