Note that this is simply the maximum the camera will take. Z 6’s menus and user interface are elegant, clear and easy to navigate with touch control. Step 3: Set the AF Tracking & Lock-on Settings. That’s not exactly a scientific way to describe it, though, and Nikon provides no additional information on when to use a given step size. As you can see, D500 is 4 years older than Z6 Mark II. An interval of zero seconds is frequently ideal since it means your stack will be over more quickly. Version 3.00 offered an improvement to subject-tracking AF. bigger. You might be surprised to set something like 20 shots for a landscape photo, yet only end up with a dozen or so – but that’s intentional on Nikon’s part. The workaround here is to stop down the lens. So Nikon Z6 photographers get the benefit of stabilization with any lens, including F-Mount or manual focus models like the aforementioned Noct … The workaround here is to stop down the lens. This is said to automatically detect the subject’s eyes to make attaining critical focus on the eyes easier. In addition, the Z6 II gains two new AF features – the ability to perform Eye autofocus in Wide Area AF mode, as well as when shooting videos. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Buttons and dials are comfortably placed—features like the sub-selector and AF-On button are in the same position as the D850. With the Z6’s eye tracking feature, the focus is on the eye every time. The behavior of the camera when tracking is end by pressing the AF-ON button or by pressing the shutter-release button halfway with AF-C (continuous-servo autofocus) and subject-tracking AF enabled in photo mode has been changed to more closely resemble that of the 3D-tracking option for digital SLR cameras. With focus shift enabled, the Z6 will take a series of photos focused at different distances, starting from front to back. Most of the time, you’ll want to leave it on. With the Z6’s eye tracking feature, the focus is on the eye every time. Improvements to Nikon’s tracking focus system promise even better continuous-focus performance, including tracking out to the edges of the frame. September 14, 2020. The video is great as well. Just like Eye AF for humans, Animal Detection AF reliably finds focus on a dog or cat’s eye. The Nikon Z6 includes a feature known as “focus shift” (which refers to focus stacking), previously found only on the Nikon D850. The Z6’s focus shift menu isn’t completely intuitive, although I’ll introduce each of the options below. Two years ago I was somewhat disappointed in the focusing performance of my Nikon Z cameras as compared to my Nikon D850 or Nikon D500 when it came to Sports and Wildlife photography. Tap to select Wide-area AF (human), Wide-area AF (animal), Auto-area AF (human) or Auto-area AF (animal). For more information on your camera’s AF system and how it works, read our in-depth guide on the Nikon Z6 and Z7 autofocus system. Nikon Z6. I tended to use a step size of 3 for moderate close-ups, shooting around f/11, with success. Set the AF-area mode to Auto-area AF via the ‘i’ menu. AF-C allows you to take full advantage of the shallow depth-of-field and beautiful bokeh effects that an FX-format sensor and NIKKOR Z lenses offer. In AF-S mode, half-press the shutter button to focus the lens. Improve Focus For a Nikon Z6 or Z7 Camera: This article applies to both the Nikon Z7 and Z6 for bird/sport and wildlife photography. PL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levels, By Nasim Mansurov 183 CommentsLast Updated On October 28, 2020. Learn how your comment data is processed. Video: Nikon Z6 Subject Tracking AF testing by Manny Ortiz. Unlike Nikon’s DSLRs, the Z6, Z7, Z5, Z6 II, Z7 II and Z50 rely on a hybrid AF system. Although I managed a handful of keepers on the Z6, I felt like I was constantly fighting with a system that was too slow for my subjects that day. Keep in mind, too, that the Z6 doesn’t reset to its original focus point when you’re done. An invaluable feature for sports, action and wildlife photography, 3D focus tracking, available in select Nikon D-SLRs, automatically shifts the focus point to follow the movement of the subject. The option for “first-frame exposure lock” affects the Z6 when you’re shooting in an automatic or semi-automatic mode like aperture priority. (WAS I WRONG?) Choose from values between 5 (Delayed) and 1 (Quick). I, like many other users I would imagine, have enough disposable income to purchase a new camera body every few years, but not enough to buy a whole new ecosystem every time a manufacturer catches my interest. For those of you whose mouth just dropped, you're forgetting that Nikon began making mirrorless cameras in 2011 with the Nikon 1 (J1 and V1 models). The addition of on-sensor phase-detect pixels lets the Z7 focus quite quickly, and other features like subject tracking and Low-Light AF are far better than Nikon’s previous live view attempts. The Nikon Z6, along with its higher-resolution sister the Nikon Z7, has the same great Nikon feel, handling and image quality we've all come to love — except now in mirrorless form!The Z6 has all the usual Nikon controls in the usual places. our bi-weekly newsletter for tips & tricks. ZWade Photo Published December 27, 2020 989 Views. Nikon Z6 Z7 Subject Tracking AF Setup (Firmware 3) - YouTube Join fellow photographers and receive Note that 2 and 1 (Quick) are equivalent to 3 when auto-area AF is selected for AF-area mode. However, note that the Z6 itself does not output blended focus stack images; you need to use post-processing software like Photoshop or Helicon Focus to stitch the photos later on your computer. This leads the Z6 to shoot at 5.5 FPS, so you can conceivably finish a 100-photo stack in less than 20 seconds (potential buffer issues notwithstanding). The Nikon Z6 includes a feature known as “focus shift” (which refers to focus stacking), previously found only on the Nikon D850. In addition, the Z6 has a better low-light sensitivity range of -3.5 to 19 EV vs -2 to 19 EV. ... "It will allow users to capture photos in which focus has been clearly acquired on the subject's eye, which is useful for portrait, event and street photography scenarios", said the Nikon announcement. I have read extensively on this and other boards about the reported limitations of the Z bodies focus tracking and have read articles and posts that deal with the subject New on the Nikon Z6, after your focus stack has finished, you can see a black and white sharpness preview of the stacked images all combined together. The real still frame rate is 5.5 FPS with exposure tracking for each frame. Step 3: Set the AF Tracking & Lock-on Settings. As useful as the focus shift feature can be, it doesn’t really change one of the biggest limitations of focus stacking: It falls apart very quickly when your subject starts to move. Sigma DP1 Merrill. If you can't hit focus with the Z6 you should probably find another hobby. However, in AF-C mode the lens is constantly focusing, so there’s no focus confirmation and you can grab a shot at any time. Still, note that you can’t use this feature at extended “Hi” ISO values, nor with flicker reduction or flash photography. This is also present in the Z6 II and Z7II without any need to upgrade the firmware. Nikon Z6 needs Eye-AF Nikon also need to implement eye detection similar to what Sony has with Eye-AF. This is also present in the new APS-C format Nikon Z50 and the full-frame Nikon Z5, Nikon Z6 II and Nikon Z7 II. Pinpoint AF is available, as well as focus peaking to assist with manual focus. a video looking at the Nikon Z6 face tracking using the 35mm F1.8 Z and the 105mm F1.4 with FTZ adaptor. The lower the value, the quicker the response and the easier it is to shift focus to objects crossing your field of view. Even when you’re shooting landscapes at farther distances, keep a step size of 5 or less just in case. The Nikon Z6 includes a feature known as “focus shift” (which refers to focus stacking), previously found only on the Nikon D850. Face detection works really well, but if you’re using large aperture lenses with shallow DOF, you’re likely to get a cheek bone in focus, a chin, hair, eyelashes and if you’re lucky… the eye. It has a 55mm inner diameter, larger than the old F mount, and has a flange focal distance of only 16.00mm. (WAS I WRONG?) This short guide, an excerpt from the NikoniansPress book Mastering the Nikon D800 by Darrell Young, shows how the focus tracking with lock-on works on these cameras. With the shutter release pressed halfway, you'll see in the viewfinder the lens continuously maintain focus as the subject moves. Then click “Display Peaking Stack Image” to see the preview. The Nikon Z6 II has a low-light sensitivity range of -4.5 to 19 EV, which is one stop better than what the Z6 can do. The Z6 is the camera which has given me the most joy since the original 5D. Nikon Z6 Focus Tracking. Nikon Z7 and Z6 to get eye-tracking autofocus. Nikon Z6 Focus Stacking Overview. The Nikon Z6 is Nikon's thirteenth mirrorless camera. They are also available whether the camera is set to Single AF (AF-S0, Continuous AF (AF-C) or Full-time AF (AF-F). Follow this link to read which Nikon cameras have Eye-Detection AF. Eye-detection autofocus and AE (Auto Exposure) tracking, read which Nikon cameras have Eye-Detection AF, our in-depth guide on the Nikon Z6 and Z7 autofocus system, setting up the Nikon D850 for the first time, setting up Nikon DSLRs for wireless flash, using your Nikon camera’s interval shooting mode to make a timelapse movie. When Nikon released its v2.0 firmware update for the Nikon Z6 and Z7  mirrorless cameras, it added a powerful new capability for Eye-detection autofocus and AE (Auto Exposure) tracking in continuous high-speed (extended) mode, as well as extending the low-light detection range of the autofocus. I have recently purchased a Z6 to go along with my D850. The autofocus system is one of the key areas where the Nikon Z6 and Z7 part company. How to focus the Nikon Z7 (and Z6) mirrorless camera, including touch, autofocus and manual as well as focus stacking. But you’ll probably need to correct individual photos manually in post-processing if the Z6 actually ends up changing exposure throughout the stack. ... Hoodman HoodEYE Eyecup for Nikon Z6 and Z7 Models – $19.99 (Because I hate the stock eye piece on Nikon camera’s) Prograde Digital 128GB CFexpress 2.0 Gold Memory Card (2-Pack) – $296.99; Watch Z 7 find and focus on even the shaggiest pets with Firmware 3.0. The more focus points the more flexibility in picking which part of the scene to focus on. Both cameras have Full frame sensors but Nikon Z6 II has a 25.0 MP and Panasonic S5 has a 24.0 MP resolution. I tried out the "Nikon Focus Shift Shooting" feature on my Nikon Z6 and then focus stacked the resulting images in Photoshop. For true macro work, stick with a step size of 1. It was the Eye-detection autofocus that got Nikon enthusiasts excited though. The idea is that you later combine these photos in post-processing software to create a final image with a huge depth of field (read more about focus stacking). Note that the Z6’s focus shift features isn’t perfect, though, or quite as advanced as other cameras on the market, such as that of Fuji. This feature allows you to see exactly what part of an image will be in the sharpest focus with colored highlights appearing over that section of the photo in the EVF (Electronic View Finder) or back screen of … It was the Eye-detection autofocus that got Nikon enthusiasts excited … Tap on the AF-area mode icon (by default, it’s the top-right box). Furthermore, Nikon has updated the firmware on these mirrorless cameras a few times, honing in the autofocus to be more precise and adding new features like animal eye-tracking. The idea is that you later combine these photos in post-processing software to create a final image with a huge depth of field (read more about focus stacking ). When this is enabled, every photo in the sequence uses the same exposure settings as the first. Re: Z6 AF-C tracking I find the subject tracking to work pretty well so it can make for a good replacement for AF-C in certain situations. The Z6’s AF system offers 273 phase-detection AF points that cover 90% of the image area both vertically and horizontally, making it great for stills and video. Here we are comparing two Nikon cameras cameras with different body types: Nikon Z6 II, which was introduced in October 2020 is a Pro Mirrorless camera with a 25.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Nikon D750, which was introduced in September 2014 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor. However, although there’s no real harm in enabling this option, I personally do not find the peaking preview to be very useful. This is a REVIEW of the Nikon Z6 II and it’s subject tracking, eye af and entire auto focus system. Now great portraits of your little buddy are easier than ever with Nikon’s Animal Detection AF, available as part of the Firmware 3.0 upgrade for Z 7 and Z 6. What’s more, it works in both still and video with the Mark II cameras. Here is the main screen with most of the options: The only menu option that did not fit above is “Starting Storage Folder”, which rolls to the second page when you scroll down. Totally familiar for a Nikon DSLR shooter, fast and intuitive for someone new to the Nikon system. All rights reserved. After all, you can always delete excess photos, and it doesn’t take much more effort in the field to stay on the safe side. Select ‘Face detection on’ or ‘Face and eye detection on’ to detect and focus on human subjects or ‘Animal detection on’ for animals. 374 rumbles. The Z50 and Z6 share the same AF Area modes and I find the Wide-area AF (L) to be the most effective option for the red kites. Through the EVF (or on the LCD screen) in Auto-area AF you’ll see the red corner markings identifying it’s in auto-area AF. So, you’ll mainly find this feature useful when shooting from a tripod in conditions with no wind or moving subjects. Tap on the Custom Setting Menu (pencil icon), Scroll down or tap on a4 Auto-area AF face/eye detection. by Adam Hanlon Thursday, March 19th, 2020. The lower the value, the quicker the response and the easier it is to shift focus to objects crossing … Probably the most misunderstood setting in Nikon digital cameras is the “Focus tracking with lock-on” option in the Custom Settings menu. Nikon Z6 II. Face detection works really well, but if you’re using large aperture lenses with shallow DOF, you’re likely to get a cheek bone in focus, a chin, hair, eyelashes and if you’re lucky… the eye. Easily add your favorite functions to the (i) menu—over 30 … Ending tracking by releasing the button restores the focus point in effect before tracking started. If you're coming from a Nikon DSLR, Z6 AF is setup akin to Nikon DSLR Live View AF if Nikon DSLR Live View AF wasn't horribly slow and clunky. The higher the value, the slower the response and the less likely you are to lose focus on your original subject. Custom Setting a4 (Auto-area AF face/eye detection) now offers an Animal detection option that adds dogs and cats to the subjects supported by face- and eye-detection autofocus. It’s not very large despite the name, so you have to be careful to not let the bird slip to the edges of your frame when tracking it, or the camera will lose focus … ... Hoodman HoodEYE Eyecup for Nikon Z6 and Z7 Models – $19.99 (Because I hate the stock eye piece on Nikon camera’s) Prograde Digital 128GB CFexpress 2.0 Gold Memory Card (2-Pack) – $296.99; Rumble — Now that I actually have Z lenses I figured it's time to test the tracking of the Z6...it's not looking good. Wedding and event photographer Taylor Jackson has been shooting with the original Nikon Z6 pretty much since it came to market. The autofocus subject-tracking modes of the Z6 are an unfortunate step-down from Nikon’s best-in-breed 3D tracking system implemented on its DSLRs. Nikon D5100 Macro photo with flash issues. Nikon Z6 II Auto Focus = AMAZING?! Even the most minimal step distance isn’t all that small, so keep in mind that you’ll often want to stick in the 1-4 step size range when in doubt. The Nikon Z6 utilizes a new Hybrid Autofocus system with 273 On-Sensor Phase Detection AF points. The Wide-area AF modes target the subject more precisely than the Auto-area AF modes, which can be helpful, but often with animals or children that are moving unpredictably, you’ll find the Auto-area AF options are a better choice. Probably the most misunderstood setting in Nikon digital cameras is the “Focus tracking with lock-on” option in the Custom Settings menu. Although it is Nikon’s first attempt at this feature, it works quite well for tracking the eyes of a subject at moderate distances. If you own a shinny new Nikon Z6 or Z7 mirrorless camera you have an amazing feature called focus peaking. By Chris George 08 January 2019. Once the images are recorded, you’ll need to stack them on your computer using a compatible software. I leave it off because I don’t mind the focus stack showing up in sequence with all the other photos on my memory card, but that’s just me. Nikon Z5 Autofocus | Lock-On Tracking Works Like 3D Focus Tracking! However, if you’re doing extreme macro work at wide or moderate apertures, you might even find that a step size of 1 isn’t small enough – so, when you’re done with the stack, double-check to make sure that everything is good, or you may find yourself needing to repeat it later. The Nikon D800 and its later sibblings D810 and D850 have a very powerful autofocus system with features not seen on earlier Nikon D-SLR's. Once this option is enabled, review your photo and press the “i” button when the stack is finished. Use the i Menu or custom function button (Fn2) to set the focus mode and AF-area mode. So finally bought Nikon Z6 along with 50 1.8S, loving it so far. Jabber Digital Media Ltd. - 4 Beau Street, Bath, BA1 1QY. Since the Nikon Z6 announcement, Nikon has updated the camera firmware a number of times. Nikon Z6 needs Eye-AF. Nikon has also changed how these modes are accessed, so instead of having to dip into the Autofocus A4 section f the Custom settings menu, the options are accessed via the ‘i’ on ‘Info’ menu or a custom menu. Alternatively, to ignore faces and eyes in the frame, select ‘Off’.