Few comments for you: 1. Your experiences with hunting autofocus do NOT match mine when shooting with the Z9 and a native Z lens, specifically the Z 70-200mm and the Z 400mm f/4.5. When I watch your EVF it seems like you're shooting a completely different piece of gear. I've shot a lot less images than you have on the Z9 and I'm just not seeing these behaviors at all. 2. I would suggest you look into the Hybrid Handoff mode of shooting the Z9. Yes it is a touch more complicated than just 3D tracking on but it does work. While that might be considered a work-around I'd suggest that method is just a craftsman learning to use the tool. 3. Your experiences with DX mode crop are closer to mine. In fact I've been shooting like that with the Z9 and the Z7II and I see a gains on both in keeper rates. I suspect you're correct in that there is more autofocus math going on when in DX mode resulting in better hit rates. If that's the case, why doesn't Nikon use a cropped portion of the sensor to do autofocus math for the full frame images and put the burden on the shooter to get the subject in the frame more accurately? This leads me to the next point... 4. If you're having trouble keeping subjects in frame while in DX mode it might not be the camera that's at fault. Get good! PS - I've been working on this a LOT lately and I'm lacking in this area right now. 5. Finally, let me help you with that title: Nikon Z9 3.0 Review: CAMERA OF THE YEAR. That is a period there. There isn't a single offering from any other brand that delivers as much feature rich pro level performance in a body at that price point. I know it pains you to say it but I think at this point you have to admit 2022 is the year for Nikon shooters. Next year it might be another brand but right now, no one is close.
Tony. You can toggle between single point, wide area, 3d-tracking, FX/DX direct switch by using one press F1, F2 and F3 and have 3D tracking on the release button. Example: Shutter releaser has 3D-tracking. Press F1 and you switch to single point, which immediately gives focus on subject. Remove the press on F1 and you are back in 3D instantly. Great for close ups. For birds far away: PressF2 and get wide area AF. Remove when in focus, and you are back in 3D. Works Incredibly fast and well. Set up is easily done in f2 customs controls. For birds in horisontal flight, use the horisontal AF wide area.
It is exiting to imagine what technology Nikon will trickle down to future models. Nikon is currently supporting third party lenses and are rather frequent in software updates for the Z9. It is almost like they care about getting more people to buy the Nikon Z-mount cameras.
what lies are you telling? With original lenses, Nikon focuses very reliably and well on the 810 or 850. I only had problems with the Sigma Art garbage. Before Nikon I had Canon and also on Canon original lenses are more reliable than the Sigma shit.
Getting the shot at 4:33 with a film camera would have required years of experience in the wild, superhuman reflexes, rock solid patience, and days worth of attempts. Today I can now rent a Z9, set it on some high shutter and auto everything else, turn on burst 60/120fps mode with pre buffer and give it to my mom... She can take THAT photo on her first try; despite the fact she never ever used any camera in her life, no SLR not even a point-and shoot film camera. If I shot that photo with one of my film cameras, I'd be really, really bragging about it. With my DSLR, I'd still be somewhat proud of it but with Z9... Is it really fair to say photographer took the photo, when all he did was to take a frame from a high frame-rate short video? Technology is cool, but at the same time terrifying for truely talented photographers... Imagine what will future hold: 1- In 10 years, high-end cameras will likely have faster storage and be able to record 60-120fps raw indefinetely, like recording video. This is already within reach of current tech. 2- Autofocus technology is already beyond wildest expectations of photographers from just 10 years ago. 10 years into future, every high end camera will likely nail razor-sharp focus on all 120 of these shots. 3- There is no mechanical shutter to wear down on Z9. If storage write speed/endurance allows, why bother with pre-buffer? There will be a mode that makes cameras work like security cameras. It'll start taking pictures for hours until "photographer" turns it off. Then the "photographer" will pick the instant he liked most. 4- By that point, top end medium format camera sensors will reach 200MP+ mark easily, so framing won't be important. Zoom out, don't take risks, crop later. This is already what event photographers are doing under most circumstances. 5- Auto-rotating trackers for following people around exist today. High speed trackers to photograph very fast flying objects (like missiles!) also exist today. In 10 years, its not hard to imagine tripods with auto-trackers fast and smart enough to track birds or a soccer ball, and automatically do the panning for the "photographer". So who the photographer will be then? He'll the guy who points his camera in the general direction of its subject, press a button, then pick an instant from thousands of alternatives, then finally crop whatever he likes to get the framing and the look he wants... He'll probably feed it into AI to retouch the skin, remove grain and sharpen the result. Then, best photographers will be the guys with best equipment, not the best talent.
Glad to see they are pushing out updates. Sony seems to have forgotten how to do this. They are getting bad about new cameras largely being software improvements.
Did you try taking off the viewfinder recorder? Matt Granger found that attaching that reduced his frame rate. It's worth finding out of that was taxing the processor to the point of missing focus.
Using 3d tracking on a completely blown out subject? It’s a disservice to say it’s worse in that situation because that’s clearly a case of it trying to not bounce off to something else as much. Which is where the improvements were made, and what we want it to do. I wonder if he had switched to 3d, with the handoff technique, if it would’ve still went to the background on that bird against the trees complaint.
I have olympus om-d e-m1 mk3 and use pro capture all the time once half pressed get 35 shots before and 64 after so total 99 raw. Got some amazing shots using it
Tony. Can you use a wireless shutter release to operate the z9 pre capture capabilities? For example behind a basketball net, set up to cover home plate, on a birds nest. This would move me to purchase several of them. Great video as always 👍.
I think the quarter of a second reaction time only applies to relatively unforeseen events. If you're sitting there waiting for a very specific thing to then take a very specific action, the reaction time is faster. At least, so I heard.
It seems better NOT to activate focus until the yellow box appears. Even if the subject is slightly out of focus, wait for the box. It's counter-intuitive. You have the focus at a point where you would start taking photos, let the bird fly into the focus range, wait for the yellow box, then activate. The best way to quickly bring the camera back into focus if it's wildly out (like the feeder examples), is by using a single focus point, which can be toggled on and off with a lens button. Maybe your better results in DX 60fps mode are because it uses fewer focus points. This might be replicated in FF by using wide area large. I've never been in love with 3d tracking on any Nikon camera. It just seems a bit random compared with focus points and areas.
Same here with a Canon R7 If the camera detects the subject, even better the eye, the box appears and i feel i can trust the autofocus pretty good then. Not so if the subject/eye detection is struggling or its a lot of stuff going on where i sometimes even have to rely on single-AF (especially with pulsing issues on some 3rd party lenses like Sigma 50mm 2.8 macro or 150-600C)
If he had used the right setting the camera wouldn't have any problem. I have a Z9 and have been shooting birds a lot! Never in any background or lighting had these problems.
@@Granfoss I actually do sometimes get an issue when a flying bird transitions from the sky as a background, to a forest. The focus will sometimes lose the bird in that circumstance. It seems to be when it goes from simple background, to a very complicated background that it happens.
@@duncanwallace7760 Sometimes but not often at all in my Z9. The 3D autofocus is 10 times better. But using Wide area L or S with animal tracking is like a 95% hit rate. 😍
Bjorn, I tested every permutation of focusing and subject detection, including disabling subject detection and assigning it to a separate button. I've worked closely with Nikon ambassadors and Nikon corporate to improve the performance and shared this entire video with Nikon Japan prior to publishing. We work really hard to get the best results from every camera.
@@TonyAndChelsea It’s strange that in every review you are using the wrong focusing method or area or object detection in the review. But you claim that you tested every setting. Why not have the right setting in the video? Strange.
@@Granfoss He is a Sony and Canon biased person ! I never heard anything good from his mouth about Fuji and Nikon ! There is no such perfect camera ! But in review , "the way" he points out positive and negetive on canon , Sony and Fuji and Nikon is different! We are not fools , the audience is not a fool . We are your subscribers , fine ! But please review it properly! Do less focus on your own profit ! Help others to choose a great decision .
The 60FPS pre capture sounds like the iPhone live view feature. The iPhone is just looping taking video and when you click the button the live view photo is actually a very short video where you can export frames as stills. I used this very successfully to photograph lighting. I am sure the Nikon Z9 would be able to do the same thing but at much high resolution.
@@TonyAndChelsea Do we know if all the pre-captured frames on the Z9 are the exact same image quality as regular, non-pre-captured frames? With iPhone Live Photos, any frame other than the "primary" frame captured when you pressed the shutter button is of a reduced image quality (it's closer in quality to a still frame from a video recording, as it doesn't go through the same Deep Fusion image/processing pipeline as a "real photo" taken on iPhone).
For the coming trickling down of higher tech to every z cameras,3D tracking,evolutionary af which would improve both performance in videos and stills shooting,especially the previous.
I still prefer flip locks! But not all twist locks are created equal... My first experience using the 3 Legged Thing definitely put a bad taste in my mouth, but the Gitzo twist locks are definitely great.
That dust spot on the sensor must be really annoying, since the camera has a both a sensor shield _and_ dual coating. I guess you've got to keep the rear of the lens clean too.
I think Tony is a troll. I've been shooting digitally since 2003 and have never had to mechanically clean a sensor. It's more down to Toni's handling than the camera brand.
Yeah, I'm familiar with every hack to improve autofocus, including turning subject detection off my default and activating it with a button. I've worked closely with several Nikon experts & Nikon corporate. You can see I got good results with it, but even with those settings configured, the comparisons to Canon and Sony stand (and they do not require such hacks, you just shoot and let the camera do it's thing).
@@TonyAndChelsea You need no hack. Just take time to learn the camera before making a review. Using Wide area L or S will make the camera find birds both near and far away. Plus you aren't showing if your setting is to track only animals or if you had the "everything" setting. Make better reviews please.
@@Granfoss Have you actually compared with R5/R3 or A1 ? By comparison the Z9 requires all kinds of hacks to get it to work. None of these weird hacks are required by the other brands camera.
As a d3300 user, that autofocus is jaw dropping. It just keeps the lock on the animals and their eyes! My biggest problem with the d3300 is that animals(birds) constantly do micro movements and jump slightly out of focus.
Well, this is a very positive atmosphere review, even though nothing is perfect and they still have work to do, it’s a better way to deal with imperfection, rather than to say Nikon sucks ,so very appreciate it..
I think some of the issues experienced were a result of his shooting techniques, not the camera itself. One can shoot in auto ISO but set limits on how high the ISO will go. Or in bright situations you can shoot in aperture priority, lock the ISO and let the camera adjust the shutter speed. Also, expecting the autofocus to quickly go from being locked on something at infinity focus to something much closer with no assistance is not reasonable. Neither is expecting the camera to instantly lock onto a distant bird flying in front of trees. I have had a lot of success photographing birds, particularly hummingbirds (which is incredibly difficult) with my Z7II much less a Z9. Technique really matters. Expecting the camera to overcome bad technique, lack of knowledge of different AF modes and when to use them isn't reasonable either.
Don’t listen to him. He’s protecting his investment in Sony and Canon gear. That and also Nikon not sending him gear to test anymore. The Z9 for my use, is a superior camera to anything Sony or Canon have.
Yeah & everyone complaining don't know what they're doing, right? Funny how Jared Polin got better results with Canon & Sony. Mark Smith also mentioned that his A1 got way better results. But hey, they're all amateurs, right? And as for this claim that Tony & Chelsea are somehow being paid by Canon & Sony? What utter bull. Clearly, conveniently overlooking the times that they have been critical of those 2. The truth is, fanboys don't like it when reviewers tell it like it is.
I didn't even mention Canon or Sony in my comment. I provided reasons why they experienced trouble, which is bad technique, lack of knowledge of different AF modes and when to use them. Those issues are not brand specific, and unfortunately they are common mistakes made by RUclips reviewers because they don't spend enough time really getting to know the gear. I recommend Steve Perry, because he doesn't quickly throw reviews up on RUclips. He takes the time needed to accurately review gear. Plus, his technique is superior.@@alwynsmit3546
It's great that the cameras keep evolving and Nikon are improving the Z9. I'd like to see the larger cameras catchup with MFT in terms if features. Pre capture is five years old on Olympus and Panasonic. Still waiting for pixel shift from Canon on my R5. Doubt that it will happen now though.
Re the exposure "bug" -- why not shoot manual exposure, manual shutter speed and aperture, with auto ISO? The first two exposure factors are the most important to control when shooting wildlife, IMO. If there's high contrast, set exposure compensation to properly expose the subject.
@@gustavodonado8458 if you shoot in manual but leave one factor in auto, such as ISO as I suggest, the factor in auto will be adjusted by compensation. I do this all the time when shooting birds silhouetted against a bright sky, as do many bird photographers. That's not an ideal shooting situation to begin with, but I've definitely gotten some usable images that way. BTW I shoot an R5.
Tony, the improved AF in 60 fps mode vs 20 fps mode is not related to the frame rate, it is because the camera switches to APS-C mode when shooting 60 fps. This increases the size of the subject in the frame, allowing the camera to better "see" the details of the bird. You can test this without being in 60 fps mode. Find a subject that is small in the viewfinder in FX mode such that the AF is struggling to grab onto it, and then switch the camera to DX. You'll notice a marked improvement in subject detection and tracking. I use this technique all the time.
I think we agree on this, though I think the bigger difference is probably that it's processing less than 1/2 the data and thus it can spend a few more cycles on it. It has the same resolution and subject detail in full-frame mode, just less to look at.
If it is using deep learning for autofocus, definitely the bigger object size helps tremendously and the less processing of apsc mode is not much relavant to improved autofocus.
As always your reviews are the ones I find the most compelling and most informative for me. Thank you for take the time for releasing your reviews when you have something to say rather than just reading the press release.
I am still hoping that Nikon will consider producing a camera with all the specifications of the Z9 but in a small form like the Sony A1 (ok call it Z9 SF /s). There is a huge (thousands if not millions) market, especially for this lighter/smaller camera and reusing the EN-EL15 series batteries. The heat build-up can be solved with a better heat sink but Nikon must listen to the professionals. With less weight we can add on more accessories like a cage to hold microphones etc. Many photographers like me want a lighter pro camera like the Z9 because they would like to carry another camera for quick action takes. If this small form Z9 appears I'd be one of the first to pre-order it. FYI, I am one of the many Nikon/Canon diehards who switched to the Sony A1/A7R5 although I still keep a few lenses and a trusty 850. Get down to the ground and listen Nikon.
He wouldn’t know. Never seen a G9 in his hands. Yes it’s jpeg and yes the AF is poor but manually focused and used correctly it’s awesome. G7 in 2015 had it! (At 30fps)
Seems to me that you just want to keep jumping on Nikon. Fine if that’s what you have to do to keep your subscription base but personally I follow content providers who actually use the kit professionally like Steve Perry, Moreton Hilmer, Joe McNally and Jasin Boland to name just a few. That’s all the inspiration I need😊
And I don’t know why anyone shoots with shutter priority in any of these situations. But I do wonder why it would choose a higher iso or smaller aperture!
OM-1, ProCaptureSH2 mode shoots up to 50 fps RAW, up to 70 frames buffering (that is 1.4 seconds buffering), full tracking and subject detection, even eye detection is working fine, available. MFT, 20.8 megapixel: no problem. With the ED150-400 f/4.5 with 1.25 x internal TC flicked in 190-500 f/5.6 the best wildlife camera. Fully weather sealed, -10 ℃ to +40. AF is better as on Sony a1.
There are some advantages of the small sensor, like less data and therefore more speed with less resources but full frame sensors do have an edge in image quality, at some point physics are just physics. If the image quality of a MFT sensor is enough, then yes the OM-1 will be more than enough.
Yeah, it has all the specs (other than megapixels) but the AF tracking still really lags behind, and the lenses are incredibly expensive for the equivalent FF results.
@@phelanwolf6747 the OM-1 has a stacked BSI sensor, the pixel pitch is about the same of a 50 megapixel FF, BIF you crop half the image anyway, so there is not much difference to an a1 , camera + battery + ED 150-400 f/4.5 (f/5.6 with TC) weighs only 2.4 kg, the lens comes with an Arca-Swiss compatible lens foot ;)
@@rolandrickphotography That may be, but you also are shooting at the equivalent of f9 (or f11 with TC enabled). So while your glass is lighter there is also less of it with all the implications for IQ that brings.
@@daran0815 reduction to an equivavent to f/9 (f/11 with 1.25 TC) is only a matter of the depth of field. And also only related to the crop magnification (800 and 1000 mm). The identical thing applies if you crop a FF sensor (assuming bird subject at same distance). But it has no incluence on the amount of light reaching the sensor. It's of course a difference in DOF if you compare against a true 800 resp. 1000 mm focal length. But then, you need for comparison also a 800mm or 1000mm lens for the MFT camera, relating to a relative cropped focal length of 1600 or 2000 mm.
Autofocus in Z9 in low light is a real disaster. In single mode, it searches for focus by moving the lens non-stop. In continus mode it is much better. The green LED even seems to make focus detection worse. Moreover, any lens covers its field of light. Are people blind at Nikon? How many versions do you need to finally make the camera OK?
@@markshirley01 Yes but in that video he says that they’re all like super cars and that it is very little difference. Keep in mind that the Sony is 1000$ more expensive and the Canon 500$. Also that he don’t think the lenses “look sexy” so he’s review is just weird.
@@Granfoss yes the lens bit was strange. I did agree with him on the video files from Nikon, straight out of camera are they really good. The other thing I don't think Nikon gets credit for is their auto white balance and auto iso they actually work unlike Sonys, which Manny does admit.
@@Granfoss Maybe. Or maybe you did on the A1. Hard to say. Fact is that testing this stuff is hard, too many options and too much variability in the test setup as static tests are insufficient. However it definitely isn't just Tony who has issues with BIF photography on the Z9 in comparison to what the A1 does. See e.g. the review by Jan Wegener, which admittedly is pre firmware 3.
I like how my Canon R7 can do the pre-capture mode with raw files. Even so, the z9 is an incredible camera and probably the best choice along with the A1 for top professionals.
So true, they should have better made a idk... 35 fps mode but RAW!!!, the only reason to take pictures with a hybrid camera are in my opinion the POSSIBILITIES OF RAW. Making it a 60 fps jpeg burst is a pretty useless feature in my opinion. Like this you can use also any high frame rate cropped video mode and extract a image out of it (and the benefit of having a nice video of this scene!) Since i have the R7 (coming from EOS RP) i really love videography, at least wildlife videography if its possible, im limited by the lenses stabe mostly and dont like tripods. Not once i have already extracted a image out of a 4k60 crop or 4k fine wildlife movie. Especially on the EOS RP... it was the only way to have a "fast burst speed" in 4k30 video mode with in camera image extraction In fact as i tested thre R7... a 4k60 crop movie can give you as much detail as a damn raw image with the full sensor and 32MP, just less editing capabilities despite clog3 and probably a rolling shutter issue at faster action (where EFCS/mechanical stills would have been better) I think soon, at absolute worst in 5-10 years we wont be thinking anymore in "stills", 4k480 fps and 8k 120 fps or so will be the "standard" on good cameras and they will all rely on basically shooting just endless images which you can later look for the right moment, so NO STILLS NEEDED ANYMORE.
Well mirrorless cameras use completely different techniques for AF than SLRs, so in that light it’s not that weird. It’s the same like how DSLR AF was terrible in live view compared to through the viewfinder.
@@potatofuryy Not that different. DSLRs use a small secondary image sensor to (phase detect) focus while mirrorless cameras, obviously, use the primary sensor. Otherwise, it's just trigonometry and on-camera ergonomics - which they could have lifted straight from their DLSRs instead of their CoolPix line. Nikon's live view limitation comes from lifting the mirror, which obscured the secondary phase detect AF sensor (just a small image sensor which even has face detect on the D750) leaving just the contrast-detect only primary sensor to do the heavy lifting. It's also important to rememeber that F-mount lenses are optimised to focus from one point to another (phase detect), not to rack focus through the range as contrast detect demands. The D780 doubled up, with the usual secondary AF sensor for OVF shooting and a primary sensor with inbuilt phase detect AF points for decent live view performance.
@@ToxicGopher Oh, do modern mirrorless cameras use phase detect with the main sensor? How do they do that, sounds really cool. I thought they used contrast detect, so that's why I said they were different from SLR AF.
@@potatofuryy most of them, these days, use both. The on-sensor phase detection provides the camera with the subject's distance, and the contrast detect confirms the focus by judging whether the image itself is sharp. Its great system that compensates for the disadvantages of the other. In technical terms, all CMOS photo sites are individually addressed and read in parallel (this can't be done with CCD - hence the bad AF of early mirrorless) and thus, can be reassigned from image capture to AF. Since the distance between the two AF photo sites is fixed (representing two points and one side of a triangle), you can apply trigonometry (not my area of expertise) to calculate the distance of the third point of the triangle (the object you're focusing on). Interestingly, this is why CMOS has become the standard for cameras. CCD is still used in the sciences where absolute image quality is key.
Anything more than 20 fps is kind of not needed. I shot sports for years with the 1D3 which was a speed demon (used by Sports Illustrated) and it shot 10 fps. 60 fps using a crop and jpg only is super gimmicky. The R6 II costs less than half and shoots 40 FPS in full frame raw mode and also has pre buffers as well. With all the AF issues with this very expensive camera, it's a huge disappointment.
By reading your arguments, my thoughts about this camera are getting even worse, lol. But yeah, as a R7 user i can feel how dissapointed many users will be about the 60fps APS-C mode... they should have made like 30, maximum 40 fps but RAW, if anyone really need 60 fps+ bursts... well there is something called "VIDEO", its about as old as photography and much more interesting than photography (at least wildlife)
Tony is using the wrong focus setting here. If he would use Wide area L or S the camera would find the birds easily. Even further away. Even with the full 45Mpix. And he doesn't show anywhere if the camera is looking for only animals or everything so I don't know.
I totally disagree and even demonstrated why I find the option of 60 FPS to be so useful for wildlife. It gives you more options and can produce a better final image.
@@TonyAndChelsea thats the issue i guess… you have to nail the exposure pretty much perfect to have ANY usabe shot I would rather prefer 30-40 fps in raw over 60 in jpeg If you really want 60fps, you can also use any 4K or even 8K video mode and extract a jpeg/heif in camera as well with canon and i guess many others
My problem with this camera is that, unlike with Fuji cameras, you can't customize almost every button. Another problem is the evf resolution, but this obviously cannot be updated via firmware
Sony??? I’ve talked you up and sung your praises. I’ve convinced people to buy your cameras and lenses. And now I find myself contemplating buying a Nikon myself because of the firmware updates!
Sony has been great about FW updates to the a1. Our initial review of the a1 put it behind the Canon R5, but now it's solidly better. Unfortunately both companies only seem to be releasing FW updates for their flagships, leaving the rest of the cameras as-is until the next hardware update.
I just had a long conversation with our regional Sony rep about this issue. Even he couldn’t defend Sony’s leaving out features like focus breathing compensation from the a1 while adding it to the hitherto stills focused a7r5. I’m so mad about it that I actually went over and chatted with the Nikon rep for a bit. . . . then I bought two Sony lenses and a Tamron lens for e mount. So it’s not as if I’m quitting Sony or no longer loving them at all. But I did the math. And I’m left wondering why it makes economic sense to buy the a1 mark II when so much of what I want to use is in the downmarket parts of the lineup and not available in the flagship. If other people think at all like I do about their photography businesses and hobbies, then this seems like a great strategy to move camera buyers down the lineup instead of moving us up to the flagship.
@@angelamaloney4871 a Sony rep couldn’t defend Sony, yet here we have Tony defending them against any and all criticism. 🙈 Kind of shows you where his eggs lay.
@@ghas4151 I would need something more than vague innuendo to attack Tony for whatever you are suggesting. He’s entitled to his opinion and I have no basis for believing there’s anything nefarious behind it. Besides which, I too love Sony e mount or I wouldn’t use them. If I didn’t like them, I would certainly have done more than having a brief conversation with the Nikon rep followed by buying three e mount lenses. Doesn’t mean they are immune from criticism though.
@@angelamaloney4871 there are many complaints people are making against Sony and their support of flagship cameras. This isn’t an issue for the Northrups, as only Nikon can do wrong. Where are the videos talking about this? Yet he chooses to somehow make Nikon look bad for releasing significant update after another, to the point where it’s surpassing the competition with the Z9. He’s either trying to be controversial for the views, has something against Nikon, or lacks the expertise of shooting the Nikon system.
While it is hard to tell with all cameras, many ILC cameras use the viewport data for all AI functions, thus if the viewport is 5 megapixels, then at any given time it will at best be working with 5 megapixels of data, even if the sensor is a significantly higher resolution. In those cases, if the device crops in on the sensor, then the AI will have more data on the subject to work with since it is now covered by more pixels.
You don't show what settings you have in the camera. Only animal tracking or are the camera searching for everything? You also have it on full screen search witch isn't smart. Use the wide area large or small when birds are further away and do a better review.
The point is you don't need to fiddle around with different settings for different scenarios when using Canon R5/R3 or Sony A9/A1 or A7rv. They just work. Even the R7 I have outperforms the Z9 in subject detection in my experience.
I literally tried everything with the new firmware update, including turning subject detection on and off. The challenge with using wide tracking is that when subject detection doesn't work, it'll often lock onto the background. 3D tracking definitely works best up to the point where subject detection works. As Duncan pointed out, the Canon and Sony competition doesn't require any fiddling, which is a pretty big advantage in the field. You can just concentrate on your subject.
@@TonyAndChelsea The analogy is like driving an automatic or manual 4x4 vehicle over sand dune roads. Automatic makes it easier since gear change is done automatically and is quicker and smoother and it is therefor easier to maintain momentum and/or pull away smoothly. Some folks still prefer manual but for the vast majority automatic is going to mean getting to your destination with much less trouble.
For a camera with AU$9k price tag, fukn outh it's one of the bests, but sitting on 11th spot on DXOMARK says otherwise! Nikon lost it for years and hard to get back up soon...
I find it amazing that folks will put up with buying a very expensive camera which is obviously not ready for sale. I could understand it if you got it for 2/3 of the price. Ironically when they do eventually sort it out. They will probably discount this model because the next one will be on sale. It like instead of you buying in instalment they are selling it with them. It's great there are reviewers like Tony to keep them ..........nearly honest.
To be honest Manny says that the autofocus compared too the A1 and R3 are like three supercars. Barely any difference. Plus he doesn't like the way Nikon lenses "look". Not optical quality but on the outside. What a BS reason! And keep in mind that the A1 costs pretty much more than the Z9.
Expensive for the best apsc camera. And seems to be oriented at jpg rather than raw files to get the more juice out of it. Still awesome camera not in the top but doing some noice for sure.
I bought a Z9 for video but disappointingly had to return it -- just couldn't match the A1. Hopefully Nikon is still working to improve AF because the oversampled IQ @4k60p was fantastic, though IQ fell apart at @120p.
After the 2.0 and 3.0 firmware update it is as good or even better than the A1. The problem is that Tony are using the wrong settings using Nikon in every review. Now I'm beginning to think he is doing it on purpose.
This was supposed to be a camera company that was on its last legs according to the haters. One step away from bankruptcy. We now know this was just an attempt to scare people away from Nikon like the haters tried with the D600. Could a failing company muster the resources to develop the best ever mirrorless camera? Could a failing company sell that camera cheaper than all the other flagship cameras? Could a failing company develop an extensive new line of mirrorless lenses and sell them at lower prices. Could they then give their customers updates that make that camera way better than the original and not even charge them for it? Loyal Nikon owners knew this was all BS.
@@TonyAndChelsea but with Nikon you can have that performance in one camera… which you do not have with Sony or Canon… that was the point. And the irony here is that the Nikon Z lenses are better corrected for video than Sony GM and Canon RF lenses for things such as focus breathing!
Can they make a good camera that doesnt cost a fortune and not be the size of a dslr lol. Bricks that have features should be bricks that have features.
In remember you told us that Nikon was dying and its mirrorless cameras were hopeless. So I sold off my Nikon stuff and took Google classes in data management. Thanks a lot.
We definitely never said Nikon is dying (quite the opposite), and Nikon remains behind Canon and Sony in the field of AF, which is what we previously predicted. But I'm glad you're taking classes!
That's not true - we shot the Nikon D810 and Nikon D850 as our main cameras when they were current. We kept shooting with the D850 for wildlife until, I think the 2nd firmware update for the Sony a1.
Pushing the Nikon Z9 is a great camera for those who can afford it? The average photographer will not be able to afford this Camera because of the huge price tag! I cannot Justify spending this kind of money on a Camera that will be old in a year!
tony, please be real. great camera but, it still has auto focus issues!!!!!! canon and sony are the kings of auto focus. stop trying to make money off telling people how great a camera is. when it has a major problem. Manny Ortiz, has his up for sale because of the auto focus. it just can not be trusted
Have you tried tracking a flying bird while recording video on the R5? It's really not a useful technique. Not to mention you'd be cropping 16:9 which is real weird.
@@TonyAndChelsea i haven’t tried that. only tried it for sports. Didn’t think about 16:9, but I cropped the final image to 4:3. To be honest, i dont care for frame grabs at all. My videos are shot at f8-f11, so the deep DOF of a frame grab is not desirable to me
I'm in. Gonna get one. Of coarse my wife will divorce me but it was good while it lasted I guess.
Few comments for you:
1. Your experiences with hunting autofocus do NOT match mine when shooting with the Z9 and a native Z lens, specifically the Z 70-200mm and the Z 400mm f/4.5. When I watch your EVF it seems like you're shooting a completely different piece of gear. I've shot a lot less images than you have on the Z9 and I'm just not seeing these behaviors at all.
2. I would suggest you look into the Hybrid Handoff mode of shooting the Z9. Yes it is a touch more complicated than just 3D tracking on but it does work. While that might be considered a work-around I'd suggest that method is just a craftsman learning to use the tool.
3. Your experiences with DX mode crop are closer to mine. In fact I've been shooting like that with the Z9 and the Z7II and I see a gains on both in keeper rates. I suspect you're correct in that there is more autofocus math going on when in DX mode resulting in better hit rates. If that's the case, why doesn't Nikon use a cropped portion of the sensor to do autofocus math for the full frame images and put the burden on the shooter to get the subject in the frame more accurately? This leads me to the next point...
4. If you're having trouble keeping subjects in frame while in DX mode it might not be the camera that's at fault. Get good! PS - I've been working on this a LOT lately and I'm lacking in this area right now.
5. Finally, let me help you with that title: Nikon Z9 3.0 Review: CAMERA OF THE YEAR. That is a period there. There isn't a single offering from any other brand that delivers as much feature rich pro level performance in a body at that price point. I know it pains you to say it but I think at this point you have to admit 2022 is the year for Nikon shooters. Next year it might be another brand but right now, no one is close.
Tony. You can toggle between single point, wide area, 3d-tracking, FX/DX direct switch by using one press F1, F2 and F3 and have 3D tracking on the release button. Example: Shutter releaser has 3D-tracking. Press F1 and you switch to single point, which immediately gives focus on subject. Remove the press on F1 and you are back in 3D instantly. Great for close ups. For birds far away: PressF2 and get wide area AF. Remove when in focus, and you are back in 3D. Works Incredibly fast and well. Set up is easily done in f2 customs controls. For birds in horisontal flight, use the horisontal AF wide area.
It is exiting to imagine what technology Nikon will trickle down to future models. Nikon is currently supporting third party lenses and are rather frequent in software updates for the Z9. It is almost like they care about getting more people to buy the Nikon Z-mount cameras.
Nikon is releasing same camera body for the same time and you still think it will trickle down tech 🥴🥴
The Z9 is still so far behind Canon and Sony for focusing….
I think it’s more like they are desperately trying to catch up… at the same time that the two leaders are pushing further.
@@lukegardiner6926 Get over yourself >> Canon Printers are GREAT and Sony makes the Best TV's but thats IT Bud
what lies are you telling? With original lenses, Nikon focuses very reliably and well on the 810 or 850. I only had problems with the Sigma Art garbage. Before Nikon I had Canon and also on Canon original lenses are more reliable than the Sigma shit.
I want a Z9 so bad, but not in my financial future.
Getting the shot at 4:33 with a film camera would have required years of experience in the wild, superhuman reflexes, rock solid patience, and days worth of attempts. Today I can now rent a Z9, set it on some high shutter and auto everything else, turn on burst 60/120fps mode with pre buffer and give it to my mom... She can take THAT photo on her first try; despite the fact she never ever used any camera in her life, no SLR not even a point-and shoot film camera. If I shot that photo with one of my film cameras, I'd be really, really bragging about it. With my DSLR, I'd still be somewhat proud of it but with Z9... Is it really fair to say photographer took the photo, when all he did was to take a frame from a high frame-rate short video? Technology is cool, but at the same time terrifying for truely talented photographers... Imagine what will future hold:
1- In 10 years, high-end cameras will likely have faster storage and be able to record 60-120fps raw indefinetely, like recording video. This is already within reach of current tech.
2- Autofocus technology is already beyond wildest expectations of photographers from just 10 years ago. 10 years into future, every high end camera will likely nail razor-sharp focus on all 120 of these shots.
3- There is no mechanical shutter to wear down on Z9. If storage write speed/endurance allows, why bother with pre-buffer? There will be a mode that makes cameras work like security cameras. It'll start taking pictures for hours until "photographer" turns it off. Then the "photographer" will pick the instant he liked most.
4- By that point, top end medium format camera sensors will reach 200MP+ mark easily, so framing won't be important. Zoom out, don't take risks, crop later. This is already what event photographers are doing under most circumstances.
5- Auto-rotating trackers for following people around exist today. High speed trackers to photograph very fast flying objects (like missiles!) also exist today. In 10 years, its not hard to imagine tripods with auto-trackers fast and smart enough to track birds or a soccer ball, and automatically do the panning for the "photographer".
So who the photographer will be then? He'll the guy who points his camera in the general direction of its subject, press a button, then pick an instant from thousands of alternatives, then finally crop whatever he likes to get the framing and the look he wants... He'll probably feed it into AI to retouch the skin, remove grain and sharpen the result. Then, best photographers will be the guys with best equipment, not the best talent.
Glad to see they are pushing out updates. Sony seems to have forgotten how to do this. They are getting bad about new cameras largely being software improvements.
I am obsessed with that camera, thanks for video Tonny and Chealse , love from Uganda. ,
The camera and Z lenses together form an amazing combination indeed !
did you test with a Z-lens or the shown d-slr version?
Did you try taking off the viewfinder recorder? Matt Granger found that attaching that reduced his frame rate. It's worth finding out of that was taxing the processor to the point of missing focus.
I don't test with the viewfinder recorder, I just add it so I can illustrate my findings.
Beautiful Nikon Colors ❤🙌🏼 ... Love watching on my 4k tv.. Thanks for the video!
Using 3d tracking on a completely blown out subject? It’s a disservice to say it’s worse in that situation because that’s clearly a case of it trying to not bounce off to something else as much. Which is where the improvements were made, and what we want it to do.
I wonder if he had switched to 3d, with the handoff technique, if it would’ve still went to the background on that bird against the trees complaint.
I have olympus om-d e-m1 mk3 and use pro capture all the time once half pressed get 35 shots before and 64 after so total 99 raw. Got some amazing shots using it
Tony. Can you use a wireless shutter release to operate the z9 pre capture capabilities? For example behind a basketball net, set up to cover home plate, on a birds nest. This would move me to purchase several of them. Great video as always 👍.
Great video tony thanks
didnt lumix do this? gh4 or 5, i remember shooting vids and taking pics out of them as far as going back to get pics options.
One thing that should be mentionned is Lens, I thing nikon has right now advantage on this with their big prime with build in tc.
What gimbal is that on the tripod?
Thanks Tony. I really enjoyed this video. A lot of useful information.
Glad it was helpful!
I think the quarter of a second reaction time only applies to relatively unforeseen events. If you're sitting there waiting for a very specific thing to then take a very specific action, the reaction time is faster. At least, so I heard.
It seems better NOT to activate focus until the yellow box appears. Even if the subject is slightly out of focus, wait for the box. It's counter-intuitive. You have the focus at a point where you would start taking photos, let the bird fly into the focus range, wait for the yellow box, then activate.
The best way to quickly bring the camera back into focus if it's wildly out (like the feeder examples), is by using a single focus point, which can be toggled on and off with a lens button.
Maybe your better results in DX 60fps mode are because it uses fewer focus points. This might be replicated in FF by using wide area large.
I've never been in love with 3d tracking on any Nikon camera. It just seems a bit random compared with focus points and areas.
Same here with a Canon R7
If the camera detects the subject, even better the eye, the box appears and i feel i can trust the autofocus pretty good then. Not so if the subject/eye detection is struggling or its a lot of stuff going on where i sometimes even have to rely on single-AF (especially with pulsing issues on some 3rd party lenses like Sigma 50mm 2.8 macro or 150-600C)
If he had used the right setting the camera wouldn't have any problem. I have a Z9 and have been shooting birds a lot! Never in any background or lighting had these problems.
@@Granfoss I actually do sometimes get an issue when a flying bird transitions from the sky as a background, to a forest. The focus will sometimes lose the bird in that circumstance. It seems to be when it goes from simple background, to a very complicated background that it happens.
@@duncanwallace7760 Sometimes but not often at all in my Z9. The 3D autofocus is 10 times better. But using Wide area L or S with animal tracking is like a 95% hit rate. 😍
@@Granfoss Yeah I agree. I keep trying the 3D, but end up getting annoyed and going back to Wide area.
Steve Perry can teach you how to solve these issues.
Yeah. I'm not having any of the issues you're having.
He always uses the wrong focus settings when he reviews Nikon cameras. Probably on purpose.
Bjorn, I tested every permutation of focusing and subject detection, including disabling subject detection and assigning it to a separate button. I've worked closely with Nikon ambassadors and Nikon corporate to improve the performance and shared this entire video with Nikon Japan prior to publishing. We work really hard to get the best results from every camera.
@@TonyAndChelsea It’s strange that in every review you are using the wrong focusing method or area or object detection in the review. But you claim that you tested every setting. Why not have the right setting in the video? Strange.
@@Granfoss He is a Sony and Canon biased person ! I never heard anything good from his mouth about Fuji and Nikon ! There is no such perfect camera ! But in review , "the way" he points out positive and negetive on canon , Sony and Fuji and Nikon is different! We are not fools , the audience is not a fool . We are your subscribers , fine ! But please review it properly! Do less focus on your own profit ! Help others to choose a great decision .
Love the Atari shirt Tony!
The 60FPS pre capture sounds like the iPhone live view feature. The iPhone is just looping taking video and when you click the button the live view photo is actually a very short video where you can export frames as stills. I used this very successfully to photograph lighting. I am sure the Nikon Z9 would be able to do the same thing but at much high resolution.
P much this. You can take images while recording video on Z cams, so makes sense to treat live view feed the same.
Yeah pretty much.
@@TonyAndChelsea Do we know if all the pre-captured frames on the Z9 are the exact same image quality as regular, non-pre-captured frames?
With iPhone Live Photos, any frame other than the "primary" frame captured when you pressed the shutter button is of a reduced image quality (it's closer in quality to a still frame from a video recording, as it doesn't go through the same Deep Fusion image/processing pipeline as a "real photo" taken on iPhone).
For the coming trickling down of higher tech to every z cameras,3D tracking,evolutionary af which would improve both performance in videos and stills shooting,especially the previous.
As a Nikon Z shooter... don't hold your breath. These are by virtue of stacked + expeed 7
I own a 12-year old Panasonic camcorder that has that pre-recording feature. It's a life-saver.
Great review. Your channel is 👍🏽
I appreciate that!
It will help me ( I am new comer to camera); there are some beautiful guide here for me.
Interesting to see Tony using a tripod with twist locks! 😍
I still prefer flip locks! But not all twist locks are created equal... My first experience using the 3 Legged Thing definitely put a bad taste in my mouth, but the Gitzo twist locks are definitely great.
Sounds like it’s basically recording video then ripping stills from it?
That dust spot on the sensor must be really annoying, since the camera has a both a sensor shield _and_ dual coating. I guess you've got to keep the rear of the lens clean too.
Yeah, these Sony sensors gather dust like CRAZY. Our Canon cameras never have this problem.
I think Tony is a troll. I've been shooting digitally since 2003 and have never had to mechanically clean a sensor. It's more down to Toni's handling than the camera brand.
Cool content.
Can you actually take tone to learn the Z9 af ?
Configure the af patterns to different buttons then apply them as required .
Yeah, I'm familiar with every hack to improve autofocus, including turning subject detection off my default and activating it with a button. I've worked closely with several Nikon experts & Nikon corporate. You can see I got good results with it, but even with those settings configured, the comparisons to Canon and Sony stand (and they do not require such hacks, you just shoot and let the camera do it's thing).
Yes, none of the youtubers are really using the best practices or the right custom settings for the z9.
@@TonyAndChelsea You need no hack. Just take time to learn the camera before making a review. Using Wide area L or S will make the camera find birds both near and far away. Plus you aren't showing if your setting is to track only animals or if you had the "everything" setting. Make better reviews please.
@@Granfoss Have you actually compared with R5/R3 or A1 ? By comparison the Z9 requires all kinds of hacks to get it to work. None of these weird hacks are required by the other brands camera.
@@duncangroenewald I need no hack at all. 🤷🏻♂️ Just as with all cameras use the right focus mode for the job.
We're I in the market for this class of camera (I wish!) , I think I would still go with the Sony just because of the form factor .
As a d3300 user, that autofocus is jaw dropping. It just keeps the lock on the animals and their eyes! My biggest problem with the d3300 is that animals(birds) constantly do micro movements and jump slightly out of focus.
😂
Don’t know what you was using to record this video but the quality is great!
Thanks! A7S III with Chelsea behind it.
Well, this is a very positive atmosphere review, even though nothing is perfect and they still have work to do, it’s a better way to deal with imperfection, rather than to say Nikon sucks ,so very appreciate it..
don't forget about the awesome 400 and 600 mm primes with the build in TC!
I think some of the issues experienced were a result of his shooting techniques, not the camera itself. One can shoot in auto ISO but set limits on how high the ISO will go. Or in bright situations you can shoot in aperture priority, lock the ISO and let the camera adjust the shutter speed.
Also, expecting the autofocus to quickly go from being locked on something at infinity focus to something much closer with no assistance is not reasonable. Neither is expecting the camera to instantly lock onto a distant bird flying in front of trees. I have had a lot of success photographing birds, particularly hummingbirds (which is incredibly difficult) with my Z7II much less a Z9.
Technique really matters. Expecting the camera to overcome bad technique, lack of knowledge of different AF modes and when to use them isn't reasonable either.
Don’t listen to him. He’s protecting his investment in Sony and Canon gear. That and also Nikon not sending him gear to test anymore.
The Z9 for my use, is a superior camera to anything Sony or Canon have.
Yeah & everyone complaining don't know what they're doing, right? Funny how Jared Polin got better results with Canon & Sony. Mark Smith also mentioned that his A1 got way better results. But hey, they're all amateurs, right? And as for this claim that Tony & Chelsea are somehow being paid by Canon & Sony? What utter bull. Clearly, conveniently overlooking the times that they have been critical of those 2. The truth is, fanboys don't like it when reviewers tell it like it is.
I didn't even mention Canon or Sony in my comment. I provided reasons why they experienced trouble, which is bad technique, lack of knowledge of different AF modes and when to use them. Those issues are not brand specific, and unfortunately they are common mistakes made by RUclips reviewers because they don't spend enough time really getting to know the gear. I recommend Steve Perry, because he doesn't quickly throw reviews up on RUclips. He takes the time needed to accurately review gear. Plus, his technique is superior.@@alwynsmit3546
It's great that the cameras keep evolving and Nikon are improving the Z9. I'd like to see the larger cameras catchup with MFT in terms if features. Pre capture is five years old on Olympus and Panasonic. Still waiting for pixel shift from Canon on my R5. Doubt that it will happen now though.
Re the exposure "bug" -- why not shoot manual exposure, manual shutter speed and aperture, with auto ISO? The first two exposure factors are the most important to control when shooting wildlife, IMO. If there's high contrast, set exposure compensation to properly expose the subject.
My understanding of Manual exposure is that Exposure compensation doesn't work in Manual mode.
@@gustavodonado8458 if you shoot in manual but leave one factor in auto, such as ISO as I suggest, the factor in auto will be adjusted by compensation. I do this all the time when shooting birds silhouetted against a bright sky, as do many bird photographers. That's not an ideal shooting situation to begin with, but I've definitely gotten some usable images that way. BTW I shoot an R5.
Yeah that's exactly what I did as a workaround
Do you guys offer a photography course?
Yeah, check out northrup.photo.
Tony, the improved AF in 60 fps mode vs 20 fps mode is not related to the frame rate, it is because the camera switches to APS-C mode when shooting 60 fps. This increases the size of the subject in the frame, allowing the camera to better "see" the details of the bird. You can test this without being in 60 fps mode. Find a subject that is small in the viewfinder in FX mode such that the AF is struggling to grab onto it, and then switch the camera to DX. You'll notice a marked improvement in subject detection and tracking. I use this technique all the time.
I think we agree on this, though I think the bigger difference is probably that it's processing less than 1/2 the data and thus it can spend a few more cycles on it. It has the same resolution and subject detail in full-frame mode, just less to look at.
If it is using deep learning for autofocus, definitely the bigger object size helps tremendously and the less processing of apsc mode is not much relavant to improved autofocus.
As always your reviews are the ones I find the most compelling and most informative for me. Thank you for take the time for releasing your reviews when you have something to say rather than just reading the press release.
I am still hoping that Nikon will consider producing a camera with all the specifications of the Z9 but in a small form like the Sony A1 (ok call it Z9 SF /s). There is a huge (thousands if not millions) market, especially for this lighter/smaller camera and reusing the EN-EL15 series batteries. The heat build-up can be solved with a better heat sink but Nikon must listen to the professionals. With less weight we can add on more accessories like a cage to hold microphones etc. Many photographers like me want a lighter pro camera like the Z9 because they would like to carry another camera for quick action takes. If this small form Z9 appears I'd be one of the first to pre-order it. FYI, I am one of the many Nikon/Canon diehards who switched to the Sony A1/A7R5 although I still keep a few lenses and a trusty 850. Get down to the ground and listen Nikon.
You got your wish 😂Z8
I thought you said Nikon was dead years ago. There couldn’t be some kind of renumeration going, could there?
So with 60 fps And preburst it is finally like Lumix G9!
I guess so.
He wouldn’t know. Never seen a G9 in his hands. Yes it’s jpeg and yes the AF is poor but manually focused and used correctly it’s awesome. G7 in 2015 had it! (At 30fps)
My Z6II has received more software updates in 2 years than all my previous Nikons did combined in over 10 years.
Well, perhaps that is because it wasn't perfect from the beginning & still is behind the competition
Seems to me that you just want to keep jumping on Nikon. Fine if that’s what you have to do to keep your subscription base but personally I follow content providers who actually use the kit professionally like Steve Perry, Moreton Hilmer, Joe McNally and Jasin Boland to name just a few. That’s all the inspiration I need😊
And I don’t know why anyone shoots with shutter priority in any of these situations. But I do wonder why it would choose a higher iso or smaller aperture!
to be able to control the shutter while allowing the camera to adjust to varying brightnesses, even increasing the aperture to avoid overexposure.
I want a mirrorless I can stick a cheap 50mm 1.8 or 1.4 on
OM-1, ProCaptureSH2 mode shoots up to 50 fps RAW, up to 70 frames buffering (that is 1.4 seconds buffering), full tracking and subject detection, even eye detection is working fine, available. MFT, 20.8 megapixel: no problem. With the ED150-400 f/4.5 with 1.25 x internal TC flicked in 190-500 f/5.6 the best wildlife camera. Fully weather sealed, -10 ℃ to +40. AF is better as on Sony a1.
There are some advantages of the small sensor, like less data and therefore more speed with less resources but full frame sensors do have an edge in image quality, at some point physics are just physics. If the image quality of a MFT sensor is enough, then yes the OM-1 will be more than enough.
Yeah, it has all the specs (other than megapixels) but the AF tracking still really lags behind, and the lenses are incredibly expensive for the equivalent FF results.
@@phelanwolf6747 the OM-1 has a stacked BSI sensor, the pixel pitch is about the same of a 50 megapixel FF, BIF you crop half the image anyway, so there is not much difference to an a1 , camera + battery + ED 150-400 f/4.5 (f/5.6 with TC) weighs only 2.4 kg, the lens comes with an Arca-Swiss compatible lens foot ;)
@@rolandrickphotography That may be, but you also are shooting at the equivalent of f9 (or f11 with TC enabled). So while your glass is lighter there is also less of it with all the implications for IQ that brings.
@@daran0815 reduction to an equivavent to f/9 (f/11 with 1.25 TC) is only a matter of the depth of field. And also only related to the crop magnification (800 and 1000 mm). The identical thing applies if you crop a FF sensor (assuming bird subject at same distance). But it has no incluence on the amount of light reaching the sensor. It's of course a difference in DOF if you compare against a true 800 resp. 1000 mm focal length. But then, you need for comparison also a 800mm or 1000mm lens for the MFT camera, relating to a relative cropped focal length of 1600 or 2000 mm.
Nikon shooter here...
The Z9 has the best AF to date out of a Nikon body. until the Z8 arrives. ....Keep it up.. Please.
This is mostly true though I do miss the 3D tracking from the D850, which was much more sticky.
@@TonyAndChelsea Agreed.... Thanks for everything.. I support you folks.
@@TonyAndChelsea the Z9 has vastly better AF than the D850. 😂
Autofocus in Z9 in low light is a real disaster. In single mode, it searches for focus by moving the lens non-stop. In continus mode it is much better. The green LED even seems to make focus detection worse. Moreover, any lens covers its field of light. Are people blind at Nikon? How many versions do you need to finally make the camera OK?
You really have to be patient to be a Nikon shooter. I'm sure they'll get there eventually but eventually may be to late.
The Z9 is as good as the A1 (Yes I've tested). The problem is that Tony uses the wrong autofocus method and areas in this test. Unfortunately.
@@Granfoss Its not just him tho - watch Manny Ortiz latest review on the Z9
@@markshirley01 Yes but in that video he says that they’re all like super cars and that it is very little difference. Keep in mind that the Sony is 1000$ more expensive and the Canon 500$. Also that he don’t think the lenses “look sexy” so he’s review is just weird.
@@Granfoss yes the lens bit was strange. I did agree with him on the video files from Nikon, straight out of camera are they really good. The other thing I don't think Nikon gets credit for is their auto white balance and auto iso they actually work unlike Sonys, which Manny does admit.
@@Granfoss Maybe. Or maybe you did on the A1. Hard to say. Fact is that testing this stuff is hard, too many options and too much variability in the test setup as static tests are insufficient. However it definitely isn't just Tony who has issues with BIF photography on the Z9 in comparison to what the A1 does. See e.g. the review by Jan Wegener, which admittedly is pre firmware 3.
I like how my Canon R7 can do the pre-capture mode with raw files. Even so, the z9 is an incredible camera and probably the best choice along with the A1 for top professionals.
So true, they should have better made a idk... 35 fps mode but RAW!!!, the only reason to take pictures with a hybrid camera are in my opinion the POSSIBILITIES OF RAW. Making it a 60 fps jpeg burst is a pretty useless feature in my opinion. Like this you can use also any high frame rate cropped video mode and extract a image out of it (and the benefit of having a nice video of this scene!)
Since i have the R7 (coming from EOS RP) i really love videography, at least wildlife videography if its possible, im limited by the lenses stabe mostly and dont like tripods. Not once i have already extracted a image out of a 4k60 crop or 4k fine wildlife movie. Especially on the EOS RP... it was the only way to have a "fast burst speed" in 4k30 video mode with in camera image extraction
In fact as i tested thre R7... a 4k60 crop movie can give you as much detail as a damn raw image with the full sensor and 32MP, just less editing capabilities despite clog3 and probably a rolling shutter issue at faster action (where EFCS/mechanical stills would have been better)
I think soon, at absolute worst in 5-10 years we wont be thinking anymore in "stills", 4k480 fps and 8k 120 fps or so will be the "standard" on good cameras and they will all rely on basically shooting just endless images which you can later look for the right moment, so NO STILLS NEEDED ANYMORE.
Beautiful ，Nikon with all these updates it’s making a whole new sherif in town with the z9📷
As a Retro Computer Enthusiast, nice shirt, next time pls Commodore or Amiga 🎉😊
I did love both! But ZX81 forever.
@@TonyAndChelsea Amiga forever✌️
Still behind Sony a1 & Canon R5. Nikon z9 firmware 4.0 will come on Z9ii, no suprise.
Not really, the Z9 is everywhere right now.
Nice one guys. It’s strange that Nikon is having so much trouble with this. Their DSLR AF was often best in class
Well mirrorless cameras use completely different techniques for AF than SLRs, so in that light it’s not that weird. It’s the same like how DSLR AF was terrible in live view compared to through the viewfinder.
@@potatofuryy Not that different. DSLRs use a small secondary image sensor to (phase detect) focus while mirrorless cameras, obviously, use the primary sensor. Otherwise, it's just trigonometry and on-camera ergonomics - which they could have lifted straight from their DLSRs instead of their CoolPix line. Nikon's live view limitation comes from lifting the mirror, which obscured the secondary phase detect AF sensor (just a small image sensor which even has face detect on the D750) leaving just the contrast-detect only primary sensor to do the heavy lifting. It's also important to rememeber that F-mount lenses are optimised to focus from one point to another (phase detect), not to rack focus through the range as contrast detect demands. The D780 doubled up, with the usual secondary AF sensor for OVF shooting and a primary sensor with inbuilt phase detect AF points for decent live view performance.
@@ToxicGopher Oh, do modern mirrorless cameras use phase detect with the main sensor? How do they do that, sounds really cool.
I thought they used contrast detect, so that's why I said they were different from SLR AF.
@@potatofuryy most of them, these days, use both. The on-sensor phase detection provides the camera with the subject's distance, and the contrast detect confirms the focus by judging whether the image itself is sharp. Its great system that compensates for the disadvantages of the other.
In technical terms, all CMOS photo sites are individually addressed and read in parallel (this can't be done with CCD - hence the bad AF of early mirrorless) and thus, can be reassigned from image capture to AF. Since the distance between the two AF photo sites is fixed (representing two points and one side of a triangle), you can apply trigonometry (not my area of expertise) to calculate the distance of the third point of the triangle (the object you're focusing on).
Interestingly, this is why CMOS has become the standard for cameras. CCD is still used in the sciences where absolute image quality is key.
@@ToxicGopher when we’re they using ccd’s in mirrorless cameras?
5:51 Legend has that this lens was used by the Ottomans for taking down the fortified walls of Constantinople
Camera of the year? Huh? Nothing about this video indicated that. Happy Nikon has OTA upgrades, but most of these features only apply to wildlife.
Great for existing Nikon users. You will not be changing from your Sony A1 though 🙂
100%
Anything more than 20 fps is kind of not needed. I shot sports for years with the 1D3 which was a speed demon (used by Sports Illustrated) and it shot 10 fps. 60 fps using a crop and jpg only is super gimmicky. The R6 II costs less than half and shoots 40 FPS in full frame raw mode and also has pre buffers as well. With all the AF issues with this very expensive camera, it's a huge disappointment.
By reading your arguments, my thoughts about this camera are getting even worse, lol.
But yeah, as a R7 user i can feel how dissapointed many users will be about the 60fps APS-C mode... they should have made like 30, maximum 40 fps but RAW, if anyone really need 60 fps+ bursts... well there is something called "VIDEO", its about as old as photography and much more interesting than photography (at least wildlife)
Tony is using the wrong focus setting here. If he would use Wide area L or S the camera would find the birds easily. Even further away. Even with the full 45Mpix. And he doesn't show anywhere if the camera is looking for only animals or everything so I don't know.
I totally disagree and even demonstrated why I find the option of 60 FPS to be so useful for wildlife. It gives you more options and can produce a better final image.
@@TonyAndChelsea thats the issue i guess… you have to nail the exposure pretty much perfect to have ANY usabe shot
I would rather prefer 30-40 fps in raw over 60 in jpeg
If you really want 60fps, you can also use any 4K or even 8K video mode and extract a jpeg/heif in camera as well with canon and i guess many others
My problem with this camera is that, unlike with Fuji cameras, you can't customize almost every button. Another problem is the evf resolution, but this obviously cannot be updated via firmware
Regardless of numbers, I’ve only heard excellent reviews of Nikon’s EVF (perhaps excluding the Z50).
@@csc-photo It's lag free, which is very good, but for a 5500$ camera I would expect more considering that brings a 45mpx sensor.
What is this beast of a tripod?
Sony??? I’ve talked you up and sung your praises. I’ve convinced people to buy your cameras and lenses. And now I find myself contemplating buying a Nikon myself because of the firmware updates!
Sony has been great about FW updates to the a1. Our initial review of the a1 put it behind the Canon R5, but now it's solidly better. Unfortunately both companies only seem to be releasing FW updates for their flagships, leaving the rest of the cameras as-is until the next hardware update.
I just had a long conversation with our regional Sony rep about this issue. Even he couldn’t defend Sony’s leaving out features like focus breathing compensation from the a1 while adding it to the hitherto stills focused a7r5.
I’m so mad about it that I actually went over and chatted with the Nikon rep for a bit. . . . then I bought two Sony lenses and a Tamron lens for e mount. So it’s not as if I’m quitting Sony or no longer loving them at all. But I did the math. And I’m left wondering why it makes economic sense to buy the a1 mark II when so much of what I want to use is in the downmarket parts of the lineup and not available in the flagship. If other people think at all like I do about their photography businesses and hobbies, then this seems like a great strategy to move camera buyers down the lineup instead of moving us up to the flagship.
@@angelamaloney4871 a Sony rep couldn’t defend Sony, yet here we have Tony defending them against any and all criticism. 🙈
Kind of shows you where his eggs lay.
@@ghas4151 I would need something more than vague innuendo to attack Tony for whatever you are suggesting. He’s entitled to his opinion and I have no basis for believing there’s anything nefarious behind it. Besides which, I too love Sony e mount or I wouldn’t use them. If I didn’t like them, I would certainly have done more than having a brief conversation with the Nikon rep followed by buying three e mount lenses. Doesn’t mean they are immune from criticism though.
@@angelamaloney4871 there are many complaints people are making against Sony and their support of flagship cameras.
This isn’t an issue for the Northrups, as only Nikon can do wrong. Where are the videos talking about this? Yet he chooses to somehow make Nikon look bad for releasing significant update after another, to the point where it’s surpassing the competition with the Z9.
He’s either trying to be controversial for the views, has something against Nikon, or lacks the expertise of shooting the Nikon system.
it seems like only a couple of years ago i was using film and digital was crap. man, years move quickly when you get older.
While it is hard to tell with all cameras, many ILC cameras use the viewport data for all AI functions, thus if the viewport is 5 megapixels, then at any given time it will at best be working with 5 megapixels of data, even if the sensor is a significantly higher resolution. In those cases, if the device crops in on the sensor, then the AI will have more data on the subject to work with since it is now covered by more pixels.
You don't show what settings you have in the camera. Only animal tracking or are the camera searching for everything? You also have it on full screen search witch isn't smart. Use the wide area large or small when birds are further away and do a better review.
The point is you don't need to fiddle around with different settings for different scenarios when using Canon R5/R3 or Sony A9/A1 or A7rv. They just work. Even the R7 I have outperforms the Z9 in subject detection in my experience.
@@duncangroenewald Yes but the R7 and R3 has much less pixels for the chip to search thru. Easier for the camera.
I literally tried everything with the new firmware update, including turning subject detection on and off. The challenge with using wide tracking is that when subject detection doesn't work, it'll often lock onto the background. 3D tracking definitely works best up to the point where subject detection works.
As Duncan pointed out, the Canon and Sony competition doesn't require any fiddling, which is a pretty big advantage in the field. You can just concentrate on your subject.
@@TonyAndChelsea The analogy is like driving an automatic or manual 4x4 vehicle over sand dune roads. Automatic makes it easier since gear change is done automatically and is quicker and smoother and it is therefor easier to maintain momentum and/or pull away smoothly. Some folks still prefer manual but for the vast majority automatic is going to mean getting to your destination with much less trouble.
@@Granfoss What's your point, that is not the case with the R5 or A1 or A7Rv. Seems they manage somehow.
Thanks. So its not the camera of the year.
Yeah, i dont get the title as well.
Especially at the JPEG ONLY part i didnt understand anything anymore
Well I dunno yet. Still a couple of new cameras to test.
Because of the APS-C crop, the A7RV is the best SONY APS-C ^^.
Where is the durability testing on the big 3? Come on funds unlimited, give us a real show.
For a camera with AU$9k price tag, fukn outh it's one of the bests, but sitting on 11th spot on DXOMARK says otherwise! Nikon lost it for years and hard to get back up soon...
dxomark is crap
Dxo😂
I find it amazing that folks will put up with buying a very expensive camera which is obviously not ready for sale. I could understand it if you got it for 2/3 of the price. Ironically when they do eventually sort it out. They will probably discount this model because the next one will be on sale. It like instead of you buying in instalment they are selling it with them. It's great there are reviewers like Tony to keep them ..........nearly honest.
Come on Nikon update the z6 and z7
so nikon af is just missing some processing power
Yeah, or the flip side is more efficient coding.
Same day Manny Ortiz is selling his lol
To be honest Manny says that the autofocus compared too the A1 and R3 are like three supercars. Barely any difference. Plus he doesn't like the way Nikon lenses "look". Not optical quality but on the outside. What a BS reason! And keep in mind that the A1 costs pretty much more than the Z9.
@@Granfoss In Australia the A1 is AUD7650 and the Z9 is $8000.
@@duncangroenewald Not in most countries.
looks like a lesson for someone ahem sony
Expensive for the best apsc camera. And seems to be oriented at jpg rather than raw files to get the more juice out of it. Still awesome camera not in the top but doing some noice for sure.
So the conclusion, the Nikon’s AF is questionable. Hit or miss.
I bought a Z9 for video but disappointingly had to return it -- just couldn't match the A1. Hopefully Nikon is still working to improve AF because the oversampled IQ @4k60p was fantastic, though IQ fell apart at @120p.
@@garfieldirwin Manny Ortiz on RUclips is selling his Z9.
After the 2.0 and 3.0 firmware update it is as good or even better than the A1. The problem is that Tony are using the wrong settings using Nikon in every review. Now I'm beginning to think he is doing it on purpose.
It's still not the bee's knee's then just like the Sony
This was supposed to be a camera company that was on its last legs according to the haters. One step away from bankruptcy. We now know this was just an attempt to scare people away from Nikon like the haters tried with the D600. Could a failing company muster the resources to develop the best ever mirrorless camera? Could a failing company sell that camera cheaper than all the other flagship cameras? Could a failing company develop an extensive new line of mirrorless lenses and sell them at lower prices. Could they then give their customers updates that make that camera way better than the original and not even charge them for it? Loyal Nikon owners knew this was all BS.
Pentax doesn't care.
Because Nikon doesn’t make dedicated cinema cameras this allows they make the best all in one and not cannibalize sales. Sony and Canon can’t do that.
Hmm, it definitely seems like an advantage for Canon & Sony that I can use my existing lenses on a cinema body. That's exactly what I do with Sony.
@@TonyAndChelsea but with Nikon you can have that performance in one camera… which you do not have with Sony or Canon… that was the point.
And the irony here is that the Nikon Z lenses are better corrected for video than Sony GM and Canon RF lenses for things such as focus breathing!
It only costs 1 million dollars.
Can they make a good camera that doesnt cost a fortune and not be the size of a dslr lol. Bricks that have features should be bricks that have features.
This channel never told anything positive about Nikon 😂😂😂😂😂
They releasing everything but new and better lenses
Nikon is releasing lenses like crazy. Best lenses out there too. What are you missing?
In remember you told us that Nikon was dying and its mirrorless cameras were hopeless. So I sold off my Nikon stuff and took Google classes in data management. Thanks a lot.
We definitely never said Nikon is dying (quite the opposite), and Nikon remains behind Canon and Sony in the field of AF, which is what we previously predicted. But I'm glad you're taking classes!
Spend 6k and still don't get a camera that focus properly.. needs more firmware updates to do so. Great 👍🏻
Come on darling . You were canon and Sony users all your life . What happened suddenly you change your way 😂
That's not true - we shot the Nikon D810 and Nikon D850 as our main cameras when they were current. We kept shooting with the D850 for wildlife until, I think the 2nd firmware update for the Sony a1.
So definitely not camera of the year
I'm not sure! I haven't been super-impressed with any of the other camera releases this year... but the Canon R10 & R7 provide SO MUCH value.
Pushing the Nikon Z9 is a great camera for those who can afford it? The average photographer will not be able to afford this Camera because of the huge price tag! I cannot Justify spending this kind of money on a Camera that will be old in a year!
When I go and look at Sony I get so confused. It’s like they refresh quarterly.
not big on video , anything photo related new apsc for 5000 😂 seriously guys grow a pair
tony, please be real. great camera but, it still has auto focus issues!!!!!! canon and sony are the kings of auto focus. stop trying to make money off telling people how great a camera is. when it has a major problem. Manny Ortiz, has his up for sale because of the auto focus. it just can not be trusted
Yeah I was super clear that it's behind Canon and Sony and is very inconsistent.
Remember the R5 offers 30MP JPEG frame grabs from video and shoots 20FPS full RAW, so the Z9's offerings in this department are milquetoast
Have you tried tracking a flying bird while recording video on the R5? It's really not a useful technique. Not to mention you'd be cropping 16:9 which is real weird.
@@TonyAndChelsea i haven’t tried that. only tried it for sports. Didn’t think about 16:9, but I cropped the final image to 4:3. To be honest, i dont care for frame grabs at all. My videos are shot at f8-f11, so the deep DOF of a frame grab is not desirable to me
The R5 doesn’t have the no blackout, lag free EVF experience the Z9 has. 🤷♂️