Nikon Z9 Auto Capture - Photographing Nesting Birds, Day 1

Join me as I sit on a log for 3 hours and get barked at by a dog 😅
I've compressed the audio to stop it being so loud, but the dog barking is between 06:50 and 07:30 if you want to skip past it (this was a pain to edit because that section kept freaking out the cat).
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[@robertvanempel5810]

Very interesting video.

[@klausbambus]

Hopefully R5 II will have this feature.

[@SummersSnaps]

Auto Capture?!?! This sounds like fishing but for photographers!

[@robert_may]

Haha exactly! I just sat there for like 3 hours 😆 Should have brought a comfy chair with me

[@SummersSnaps]

@@robert_may I woulda brought a 6 pack!

[@musiqueetmontagne]

Really interesting tech..I'm watching this closely, thanks for uploading. Shame about those b....y dog walkers. A dog that behaves like that shouldn't be off the lead in a public place. Anyway, looking forward to your results.

[@robert_may]

Haha yeah unfortunately there’s quite a tendency to dogs being off leads here. Wasn’t too worried in this instance as collies are usually just a bit shouty, but it’s not great when they’re big dog breeds 😅

[@musiqueetmontagne]

@@robert_may Yes indeed, I grew up with big dogs, love them but some owners just don't know what's acceptable... Anyway, c'est la vie I suppose. 🙂

[@SummersSnaps]

On a serious note though, this is kinda weird. Like it was inevitable we'd end up here, but the photographer increasingly becomes more and more removed from the process of photography as technology evolves, so one has to beg the question "where is the fun in this?".
I mean, certain genres have always had a massive emphasis for 'setting and forgetting', like astrophotography, and even on the post processing time as PS processes a stack of 200 images... again its a set and forget process. AI tools to cull and edit your images, we become ever removed at the mercy of efficiency.
But with actual ACTION photography??! It appears quite bizarre indeed..
I mean not to take away any skill away from your knowledge of the camera, wildlife knowledge, patience, post processing skills and pockets deep enough to afford such equipment, are you happy with the process or just care about the results regardless?
How about event photography of the future. Am I to be replaced my a uber silent drone, doing my job for me whilst I sit in the corner with drone goggles on? hehe..

[@robert_may]

Yeah it’s really weird for me as I essentially have two different photography needs: for wildlife I just want a tool that gets out of my way and works reliably (because the subject itself is engaging), and for everything else I want something mechanically fun. Unfortunately they’re different cameras right now 😭 The Z9 is not a “fun” camera - it’s really quite boring, albeit really rather good. So for slower shoots like landscapes I tend to get bored using something so advanced, and far prefer using something more mechanically engaging like my Mamiya 645.
I do think this is one area where Fujifilm consistently nails it, by making weird and quirky cameras (X-Pro 3 screen lol) that make them engaging. Leica too.

[@SummersSnaps]

@@robert_may That is an interesting observation. It feels like your bird snapping is the equivalent of my event work, I want a camera that is best going to deliver irrespective of my (emotional) needs. Whereas when I want to shoot just for me I would prefer to reach for another camera entirely or at least an oddball lens that yields a high failure risk because it is ok if I fail, no pressure etc.