Z9 3d Eye Detection

[bobfriedman]

Z9 3D Eye detection is nothing short of amazing. The image below is cropped but given the pixel density of the Z9 it is only cropped down to D5 full frame resolution. So as a test, I sat across from my Hummingbird feeder with my Z9 and tripod mounted 500/4G VR covered with a camo sheet. The battery is also amazing, live view just doesn't quit and after 2 hours of constant live view the battery was only down by 1 bar!... I would lock on when the birds were close or on the feeder and the camera would track them until they left the field of view. Shooting at 20 fps was great and using auto-iso at 5000 iso max to get the highest shutter speed possible was impressive.. I did have to do noise reduction on post. Interesting to watch the focus area shrink right down to the hummingbird's eye on occasion.

Nikon Z 9 ,Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4G ED VR
1/4000s f/6.3 at 500.0mm iso5000


Nikon Z 9 ,Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4G ED VR
1/5000s f/6.3 at 500.0mm iso3200


Nikon Z 9 ,Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4G ED VR
1/4000s f/6.3 at 500.0mm iso5000


Nikon Z 9 ,Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4G ED VR
1/5000s f/6.3 at 500.0mm iso4500


this one is highly cropped

Nikon Z 9 ,Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4G ED VR
1/3200s f/6.3 at 500.0mm iso5000

[Bob Foster]

A bravura performance by both the photographer and the camera. Thank you!

[golunvolo]

Impressive, most impressive

[Tom Hook]

These shots are wonderful. I posted a photo of one of these birds a couple of weeks ago and compared to these it was awful. Back to the drawing board for me.

[Hugh_3170]

+1 to both!

A bravura performance by both the photographer and the camera. Thank you!

[Anthony]

Lovely photos.

The Z9 eye detection and 3D tracking are indeed impressive. I recently used this to shoot batsmen at a cricket match, and its ability to lock onto the eyes of the batsman even wearing a face protection grid was uncanny. However, where the intended subject was less obvious, the camera sometimes made the wrong selection.

For this reason, with birds in flight I prefer Wide Area AF (L) with subject recognition (animal) as it is easier to make the AF pick up the bird rather than any other object which might be in the viewfinder. I have set a function button to Recall Shooting Functions (Hold) to switch quickly to 3D tracking with subject recognition, but have not yet needed to do this.

The variety of options in the Z9 means that we should all be able to find a group of settings which suits us.

[s.smith]

Nice photos. Thank you for posting them.

[bobfriedman]

For this reason, with birds in flight I prefer Wide Area AF (L) with subject recognition (animal) as it is easier to make the AF pick up the bird rather than any other object which might be in the viewfinder.

Will try!...

[bobfriedman]

Male hummer.

Nikon Z 9 ,Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4G ED VR
1/5000s f/7.1 at 500.0mm iso4000

[RobOK]

I guess I'll have to get a Z9 and 500mm lens to take pictures as amazing as these!! j/k about the gear, not kidding about the shots. Thanks for sharing your technique as well. I have some hummingbirds at our summer place and this is certainly some good inspiration! (for me it will be Z6 and 300 f/4 through a converter, but I will give it a go!)

[bobfriedman]

I guess I'll have to get a Z9 and 500mm lens to take pictures as amazing as these!! j/k about the gear, not kidding about the shots. Thanks for sharing your technique as well. I have some hummingbirds at our summer place and this is certainly some good inspiration! (for me it will be Z6 and 300 f/4 through a converter, but I will give it a go!)

you might get closer focus with the 300/4 + converter than the 500/4