I've tried out your method of handing off to 3D-Tracking. I wasn't quite liking that I had to hold it down for it to be "handed off". Also, my style of photography is often requiring me to shoot into trees/bushes (for birds), so I came up with a really good alternative: I'm in wide-L just like you, and then I programmed the FN/FN2 Buttons to do "Recall Shooting Functions (Hold)" (just like you, with FN3), but I programmed it to ONLY switch the AF-Area mode to 3D-Tracking. Now, I can also hand off to 3D-Tracking, just like you, but instead it is permanently converted to a 3D-Tracking-Point. The Downside is, if I want to get back, I have to press it again to get back to wide-L mode. The advantage: I now can easily toggle back and forth between 3D and wide-L. Which is PERFECT! I truly believe most people will appreciate this trick/tip. Maybe you could try it out and showcase it in a video! It's a great alternative!
Thanks for your great video's . Your knowledge of the nikon z9 is incredible and very intuitive. Would you consider a review about which fluid head to use for still photography : 2way vs 3way heads...
Hudson, thanks so much for putting these videos together, since getting my z9 I have gone through every one of your setup guides and they are incredibly useful and easy to follow, they've given me a lot of confidence with the depth of features available in the camera, my approach is to set my camera up as you have done yours but then tweak a setting (where necessary) to suit my style and needs, that way I get to understand the setup, options and what they do before changing it. Thanks again and keep up the amazing work!
Nice video -- Hudson to confirm: Shutter Button does not activate AF, Af-On Button activate AF and you have selected wide area; Lens Fn 1 Button - 3D-tracking + AF-ON; Fn3 RSF-Hold - your action shooting settings -- but as you say you can use the lens-Fn1 button to switch to 3D-tracking+AF-on.
That conflates settings in two different bank settings which I use for different shooting scenarios. I use BANK A (Standard) as a general handheld mode for everything and it starts in straight up 3D AF on the back button. As you work, settings change, but then action pops up... You hit FN3 for RSFH and bam... You're in suitable settings to capture and freeze fast action. I use BANK B (Action) for dedicated complex or erratic moving subjects where i want as much flexibility as possible. There I have backbutton wide-area with the ability to swap that for single point with RSFH on fn3. Either of those modes can be handed off to 3D tracking once locked with a press of my LnFn buttons. When the camera released I created 4 setup videos. The first was an hour long and setup Bank A (Standard) while going through all the camera menu options. The next three were short detailing how I copy those standard settings to the rest of the 4 banks and tweak each bank for different shooting scenarios. This video is intended as a follow up to those 4 videos to showcase how I've tweaked the handheld Bank A and Bank B settings over the past year of use and firmware updates. The original videos along with a video explaining the bookmark nature of the Banks (and need for constant saving and restoring of the Banks base settings) are all linked in this video's full description.
Hudson, thanks again for continuing to update your settings as your knowledge and the camera AF system evolve with updates. Many professional wildlife shooters have also found Auto-area Full helpful when "boom" - as you like to say, there is one bird in the frame (either sky or water without reflection) as this can track the bird all over the frame as well without the small box of 3D having to stay close to an erratic bird movement. Have you played with this setting, and if so, what was your experience of the experience of those you work with? AF-Full may help initiate focus "all over the frame" but it seems to track about the same for me as 3D. Curious on your thoughts.
I've spent YEARS in auto area. I adopted the Z6/7 and moved from the D850/500 the minute they launched. I fell in love with the viewfinder instantly (after not liking mirrorless EVFs prior). Since travel and landscape are may main passion, I figured out how to work around the auto area and intermittent blackout and use those cameras for action with great results, especially as firmware improved Auto Area and subject tracking over-ride. But the Z9's blackout-less bursts with 3D tracking have totally won me over. I can move that point very quickly with my joystick and drop it on the subject that matters to me. If it has eyes or a face, it locks those, if not it works to lock the subject I'm over. I like that control and use straight 3D for 95% of my moving subject shooting now. If the action is too erratic to easily put the 3D point on, that's where I flip to my Bank B Action settings where I can flip between Wide Area (essentially a more directed auto area inside that box), 3D and single point for precision. No, I want to stick with 3D for 95% of moving subjects. I like the blend of control and automatic tracking it provides. I'm done with auto area personally. Wide area? Sometimes. Auto area? No.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto You stud, you! Thanks for the detailed explanation. I know you have better things to do. I do incorporate the knowledge and experience you have, and I lack, to continue to evolve as a photographer. Thank you, again my friend. Best wishes to the family.
Love your videos, helped me a lot. You know what I miss? Advice on shoting wildlfe from boat :) Im taking photos of birds in flight from a boat, mostly the whitetaled eagle. The boat is allways moving in the waves, not a easy task :) Never seen any videos that talk about this
Thanks for the update Hudson! The lens that I'm waiting for is the 200-600mm which has been on the roadmap awhile now and I'm still waiting for B&H to ship my 800 pf lens which has been on order since the April announcement. Oh well, Nikon does things to suit Nikon not to suit us. I love my Z9 and the Z6II so I don't see me switching to another brand in the future.
So great to hear from you Pat. I'd watch for reviews of that 200-600 before you buy. The 100-400 is an S and takes the 1.4 so well. The 200-600 is not slated to be an S and the 200-500 was really one of my least favorite Nikkors. The 200-600 looks twice as big as the 100-400 in the roadmap shadow outline (huge like the 200-500 of old). I know I may be wrong. There haven't been any bummer Z lenses yet (well maybe the rebranded Tamron 17-28 & 28-75 that were f-mount designs), but I'm skeptical of the 200-600. I know it's hotly anticipated and I'll get a copy from the first batch out and review it. Even if it surprises me, I will stick with the 100-400 1.4 and 800. Email me if you want to consider getting my review copy from me after if it's good... Can't wait to see you in Cuba! ;-)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Hey Hudson! Thanks for the info. on the 200-600 lens and I totally agree with your assessment of the 200-500 f mount. I sold mine when I got the 500 pf. That 100-400 must be good because it’s always out of stock at B&H.
I shoot with my Z7ii for the past year, and primarily as a wildlife photographer, I want to pull the trigger on that z9 so much. I just don't like the bulky body and grip, I hope they release a z8 somewhere in the middle of the two.
You put the box over it with the joystick and hold the back-button for as long as you want to track it. If you lose it just let off and require. :-) You're thumb's job is focus.
As far as APS-C, I think a Z60 would fill a good niche. A bit more functionality than the Z50, without the big price tag a Z70/Z80 might have. Looking forward to a potential Z6 III as well.
Hold down the back button (if in Bank A's straight 3D tracking), or hold down the Lens Fn button if in the hybrid handoff mode of Bank B. The 3D box will lock on and stay green as long as it's locked.
The only thing I hate about the Z system and will never get is because of their lenses, not the quality of their lenses but the look of their lenses. I don't know why but the OLED or the screen on the lenses makes it look tacky. Wished they stick to their gold ring like last time, but as a camera system, I think that Nikon still has some of the best image quality.
hmmmm... Well, different tastes and opinions make the world a vastly more interesting place. :-) I dig the Z look after all those years of the F mount and gold ring. The digital DOF/focus scale is pretty outrageous in my opinion. It's most useful on the 14-24 though and now that I've moved to the 24-120 it and the 100-400 are the only lens's I own with it. I'm hoping the 85 1.2 has one when it drops though. ;-) Again, simple difference of taste. There's no arguing the image quality is mind bending.
I've tried out your method of handing off to 3D-Tracking. I wasn't quite liking that I had to hold it down for it to be "handed off". Also, my style of photography is often requiring me to shoot into trees/bushes (for birds), so I came up with a really good alternative: I'm in wide-L just like you, and then I programmed the FN/FN2 Buttons to do "Recall Shooting Functions (Hold)" (just like you, with FN3), but I programmed it to ONLY switch the AF-Area mode to 3D-Tracking. Now, I can also hand off to 3D-Tracking, just like you, but instead it is permanently converted to a 3D-Tracking-Point. The Downside is, if I want to get back, I have to press it again to get back to wide-L mode. The advantage: I now can easily toggle back and forth between 3D and wide-L. Which is PERFECT!
I truly believe most people will appreciate this trick/tip. Maybe you could try it out and showcase it in a video! It's a great alternative!
Thx for your Z9 set-up suggestions. Great ideas!!
Thanks Hudson! You answered my hybrid focus questions...and illuminated me on a few of the shooting bank items.
Thanks for your great video's . Your knowledge of the nikon z9 is incredible and very intuitive. Would you consider a review about which fluid head to use for still photography : 2way vs 3way heads...
Hudson, thanks so much for putting these videos together, since getting my z9 I have gone through every one of your setup guides and they are incredibly useful and easy to follow, they've given me a lot of confidence with the depth of features available in the camera, my approach is to set my camera up as you have done yours but then tweak a setting (where necessary) to suit my style and needs, that way I get to understand the setup, options and what they do before changing it. Thanks again and keep up the amazing work!
So appreciate that feedback!
Thanks Hudson for all your great videos, tips and the time and effort you put into this. I hope to join one of your workshops sometime.
We'd love to have you Duane! Thank you for those kind words. :)
Thanks for doing all the research for the rest of us! Your thoughtful insights sure provide nice shortcuts to better performance!
Great content as always! You have helped me better understand my Z9 and made me realize just how much I need to level up my video production.
Great update.
Nice video -- Hudson to confirm: Shutter Button does not activate AF, Af-On Button activate AF and you have selected wide area; Lens Fn 1 Button - 3D-tracking + AF-ON; Fn3 RSF-Hold - your action shooting settings -- but as you say you can use the lens-Fn1 button to switch to 3D-tracking+AF-on.
That conflates settings in two different bank settings which I use for different shooting scenarios.
I use BANK A (Standard) as a general handheld mode for everything and it starts in straight up 3D AF on the back button. As you work, settings change, but then action pops up... You hit FN3 for RSFH and bam... You're in suitable settings to capture and freeze fast action.
I use BANK B (Action) for dedicated complex or erratic moving subjects where i want as much flexibility as possible. There I have backbutton wide-area with the ability to swap that for single point with RSFH on fn3. Either of those modes can be handed off to 3D tracking once locked with a press of my LnFn buttons.
When the camera released I created 4 setup videos. The first was an hour long and setup Bank A (Standard) while going through all the camera menu options. The next three were short detailing how I copy those standard settings to the rest of the 4 banks and tweak each bank for different shooting scenarios. This video is intended as a follow up to those 4 videos to showcase how I've tweaked the handheld Bank A and Bank B settings over the past year of use and firmware updates. The original videos along with a video explaining the bookmark nature of the Banks (and need for constant saving and restoring of the Banks base settings) are all linked in this video's full description.
Hudson, thanks again for continuing to update your settings as your knowledge and the camera AF system evolve with updates. Many professional wildlife shooters have also found Auto-area Full helpful when "boom" - as you like to say, there is one bird in the frame (either sky or water without reflection) as this can track the bird all over the frame as well without the small box of 3D having to stay close to an erratic bird movement. Have you played with this setting, and if so, what was your experience of the experience of those you work with? AF-Full may help initiate focus "all over the frame" but it seems to track about the same for me as 3D. Curious on your thoughts.
I've spent YEARS in auto area. I adopted the Z6/7 and moved from the D850/500 the minute they launched. I fell in love with the viewfinder instantly (after not liking mirrorless EVFs prior). Since travel and landscape are may main passion, I figured out how to work around the auto area and intermittent blackout and use those cameras for action with great results, especially as firmware improved Auto Area and subject tracking over-ride. But the Z9's blackout-less bursts with 3D tracking have totally won me over. I can move that point very quickly with my joystick and drop it on the subject that matters to me. If it has eyes or a face, it locks those, if not it works to lock the subject I'm over. I like that control and use straight 3D for 95% of my moving subject shooting now. If the action is too erratic to easily put the 3D point on, that's where I flip to my Bank B Action settings where I can flip between Wide Area (essentially a more directed auto area inside that box), 3D and single point for precision. No, I want to stick with 3D for 95% of moving subjects. I like the blend of control and automatic tracking it provides. I'm done with auto area personally. Wide area? Sometimes. Auto area? No.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto You stud, you! Thanks for the detailed explanation. I know you have better things to do. I do incorporate the knowledge and experience you have, and I lack, to continue to evolve as a photographer. Thank you, again my friend. Best wishes to the family.
Love your videos, helped me a lot. You know what I miss? Advice on shoting wildlfe from boat :) Im taking photos of birds in flight from a boat, mostly the whitetaled eagle. The boat is allways moving in the waves, not a easy task :) Never seen any videos that talk about this
Thanks for the update Hudson! The lens that I'm waiting for is the 200-600mm which has been on the roadmap awhile now and I'm still waiting for B&H to ship my 800 pf lens which has been on order since the April announcement. Oh well, Nikon does things to suit Nikon not to suit us. I love my Z9 and the Z6II so I don't see me switching to another brand in the future.
So great to hear from you Pat. I'd watch for reviews of that 200-600 before you buy. The 100-400 is an S and takes the 1.4 so well. The 200-600 is not slated to be an S and the 200-500 was really one of my least favorite Nikkors. The 200-600 looks twice as big as the 100-400 in the roadmap shadow outline (huge like the 200-500 of old). I know I may be wrong. There haven't been any bummer Z lenses yet (well maybe the rebranded Tamron 17-28 & 28-75 that were f-mount designs), but I'm skeptical of the 200-600. I know it's hotly anticipated and I'll get a copy from the first batch out and review it.
Even if it surprises me, I will stick with the 100-400 1.4 and 800. Email me if you want to consider getting my review copy from me after if it's good... Can't wait to see you in Cuba! ;-)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Hey Hudson! Thanks for the info. on the 200-600 lens and I totally agree with your assessment of the 200-500 f mount. I sold mine when I got the 500 pf. That 100-400 must be good because it’s always out of stock at B&H.
I shoot with my Z7ii for the past year, and primarily as a wildlife photographer, I want to pull the trigger on that z9 so much. I just don't like the bulky body and grip, I hope they release a z8 somewhere in the middle of the two.
Congratulations your wish was answered.
Hudson, how do you lock a subject in 3D tracking mode?. do you need to continue to press the backfoucs button to keep the lock on?
You put the box over it with the joystick and hold the back-button for as long as you want to track it. If you lose it just let off and require. :-) You're thumb's job is focus.
As far as APS-C, I think a Z60 would fill a good niche. A bit more functionality than the Z50, without the big price tag a Z70/Z80 might have. Looking forward to a potential Z6 III as well.
😮
😢
When you say you 'lock on' the subject in 3d mode what exactly are you doing to make this happen?
Thanks
Mark
Hold down the back button (if in Bank A's straight 3D tracking), or hold down the Lens Fn button if in the hybrid handoff mode of Bank B. The 3D box will lock on and stay green as long as it's locked.
👍🏾🙏🏾
The only thing I hate about the Z system and will never get is because of their lenses, not the quality of their lenses but the look of their lenses. I don't know why but the OLED or the screen on the lenses makes it look tacky. Wished they stick to their gold ring like last time, but as a camera system, I think that Nikon still has some of the best image quality.
hmmmm... Well, different tastes and opinions make the world a vastly more interesting place. :-) I dig the Z look after all those years of the F mount and gold ring. The digital DOF/focus scale is pretty outrageous in my opinion. It's most useful on the 14-24 though and now that I've moved to the 24-120 it and the 100-400 are the only lens's I own with it. I'm hoping the 85 1.2 has one when it drops though. ;-) Again, simple difference of taste. There's no arguing the image quality is mind bending.
The looks don't bother me, the size does but some will point they are bigger than the competition due to less focus breathing.