Author Topic: So, the ZF ...  (Read 46809 times)

aerobat

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #150 on: October 16, 2023, 19:35:56 »
It looks like I'm getting about 4500 shots per battery charge. Some claim that Nikon Z cameras have issues with battery capacity ... pretty funny.
So you've been quite busy this weekend? Are you sure it's not 450?
Daniel Diggelmann

Airy

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #151 on: October 16, 2023, 22:00:20 »
... or did he use a MF lens ?
Airy Magnien

Airy

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #152 on: October 16, 2023, 22:29:01 »
Flower shaken by the wind. Zf, 50/1.8S. AF-C mode with subject tracking. Speed set at 1/500s. The AF performed a good job. Nice blur, too.
Airy Magnien

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #153 on: October 16, 2023, 23:49:09 »
So you've been quite busy this weekend? Are you sure it's not 450?

Yes, there is a carnival of light at the local amusement park in Helsinki, and there was a lot to shoot. I turned the release mode from S to CH and things got out of hand.  8)

Z 85/1.8 S, Zf


richardHaw

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #154 on: October 16, 2023, 23:57:59 »
okay, it looks like it accepts the ML-L7 :o :o :o has anyone tried it? ::)

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #155 on: October 17, 2023, 00:30:39 »
okay, it looks like it accepts the ML-L7 :o :o :o has anyone tried it? ::)

Yes, the Zf works with that remote. There is a slight delay between button press and shutter firing that would not be present when using an electrical remote cable (with cameras that support those) but it's not too bad. Snapbridge is way worse for remote firing so the positive is that I didn't notice any spontaneous connection loss with the ML-L7 so far when testing it.

richardHaw

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #156 on: October 17, 2023, 00:40:47 »
Yes, the Zf works with that remote. There is a slight delay between button press and shutter firing that would not be present when using an electrical remote cable (with cameras that support those) but it's not too bad. Snapbridge is way worse for remote firing so the positive is that I didn't notice any spontaneous connection loss with the ML-L7 so far when testing it.

do you know which cables will work with it? :o :o :o or none at all ::)

aerobat

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #157 on: October 17, 2023, 04:26:31 »
Yes, there is a carnival of light at the local amusement park in Helsinki, and there was a lot to shoot. I turned the release mode from S to CH and things got out of hand.  8)

Z 85/1.8 S, Zf

Very nice colors Ilkka - how did you have the AF set?

Actually thinking of your many shots per battery charge - it depends more of the power-on time than number of shots. Similar behaviour was seen on DSLR but maybe not as pronounced as the DSLR standby current is far less. 
Daniel Diggelmann

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #158 on: October 17, 2023, 10:21:42 »
do you know which cables will work with it? :o :o :o or none at all ::)

No Nikon-made cable releases will fit as there is neither the MC-DC2 style connector nor the 10-pin connector. A device connected to the USB-C can probably control the camera (I haven't tried it with Camera Control Pro 2) and thus a remote trigger could be made based on USB-C, but I imagine it would be expensive compared to the cable releases that we are used to.

What bothers me about the ML-L7 is that it can only trigger single exposures, not bursts. For certain kinds of astro applications, I would prefer to trigger the camera continuously, for example, to capture asteroid trails. What ML-L7 can do is turn on and off video recording, and access menus via the function buttons and arrow keys. It can also use the power zoom but there is so far no power zoom feature on any Nikon FX Z lenses.

I find the very bright self-timer light obnoxious and will try to express my wish to Nikon (in my long list of feedback) that it can either be turned off or exposure delay mode be added in a firmware update. For now I will use ML-L7 for tripod-based shots when needed. I would like to see Nikon standardize on these ports and accessories (and memory cards) but things are as they stand.

The camera's autofocus and VR capabilities are wonderful. The buffer is also very large in HE* raw mode, well technically the actual memory buffer may or may not be large but the 24 MP HE* packed files are so small that in practice a ridiculous number of shots can be fit into the buffer before the camera is slowing down even with dual-card writing in use.

The LCD screen is annoying because if I am having the camera strapped around my neck, to go for a low angle shot, the strap tends to land on the screen and the EVF sensor also has a tendency to switch from the LCD to the EVF if I am holding the camera close to my chest (for better support when hand-holding), so I have to take the strap off my neck, place it so that it goes under the screen and then use the camera from the low angle. Also to go from angled to the basic orientation where the LCD is behind the camera and open to viewing, a complicated twisting operation is required. For vertical shots depending if I'm going for a high or low angle shot, I need to turn the camera in a different orientation (grip up or down). All these things make the camera harder to use than with the two-axis tilting mechanism of the Z8 or Z9.

No problems using the camera with gloves on. I haven't tried the glove mode of the touch screen yet, but it has worked well in previous cameras that have had it. I just don't need to use the back LCD touch capabilities all that often and probably my current gloves are not an ideal fit (too much air space) for touch screen use. I should try to find more suitable gloves for camera use as the winter comes.

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #159 on: October 17, 2023, 10:29:16 »
Very nice colors Ilkka - how did you have the AF set?

I typically use the custom wide-area 1 for horizontals and custom wide-area 2 for verticals, so that the area is shaped like a horizontal bar in the viewfinder at a height where I want the faces to be in focus, typically this is around 1/3 from the top. The width of the bar is about 2/3 of the image width (centered) and the bar height is the second most thinnest option possible. The Zf has more options for the dimensions of the custom wide-areas than previous Nikons that feature this mode.

When I turn the camera to vertical I have it set so that it remembers both the position of the focus area and the area mode. So in both orientations I have the bar set so that I have some lateral freedom for composition but I restrict the height so that it doesn't find many false positives.

I use AF-C with focus+release priority and activate the AF by sitting on the AF-L/AE-L button reprogrammed for AF-ON.

Quote
Actually thinking of your many shots per battery charge - it depends more of the power-on time than number of shots. Similar behaviour was seen on DSLR but maybe not as pronounced as the DSLR standby current is far less.

I know, but nonetheless I was shooting for many hours and the weather was pretty chilly as well. My initial impression is that the Zf seems to be able to be operated for a longer time on one EN-EL15c charge than the Z8, but I'll get back to this topic when I have more experience. The lower resolution sensor and slower EVF refresh rate probably increase the amount of time (and shots) the camera can be used for on one charge. I would guess based on my experience so far that the Zf is good for about six hours of use in event photography situations while the Z8 on one battery is good for about 4 hours before the battery needs to be replaced.

richardHaw

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #160 on: October 17, 2023, 19:06:59 »
yeah the self timers green light is super annoying :o :o :o

i tried it with a traditional cable release and it wont work like what you found out!

Eddie Draaisma

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #161 on: October 17, 2023, 19:27:38 »
The new MH-34 charger for EN-EL15b/c batteries, with usb-c socket, is much smaller than the "original" MH-25a:

Birna Rørslett

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #162 on: October 17, 2023, 19:31:30 »
Then we just need an external power source for the USB-C ..... Not sure the gain -- if any -- is worth it.

MEPER

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #163 on: October 17, 2023, 19:57:42 »
I am very happy with the Satechi USB charger I have.

They exists in many different configurations / different USB connector types. E.g. this one is 4 x USB-C
https://www.av-cables.dk/230v-usb-lader/satechi-230v-gan-oplader-4x-usb-c-pd-165w-space-grey.html

They look and feel like high quality and they are not the cheapest.

aerobat

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Re: So, the ZF …
« Reply #164 on: October 17, 2023, 20:39:32 »
I typically use the custom wide-area 1 for horizontals and custom wide-area 2 for verticals, so that the area is shaped like a horizontal bar in the viewfinder at a height where I want the faces to be in focus, typically this is around 1/3 from the top. The width of the bar is about 2/3 of the image width (centered) and the bar height is the second most thinnest option possible. The Zf has more options for the dimensions of the custom wide-areas than previous Nikons that feature this mode.

When I turn the camera to vertical I have it set so that it remembers both the position of the focus area and the area mode. So in both orientations I have the bar set so that I have some lateral freedom for composition but I restrict the height so that it doesn't find many false positives.

I use AF-C with focus+release priority and activate the AF by sitting on the AF-L/AE-L button reprogrammed for AF-ON.

I know, but nonetheless I was shooting for many hours and the weather was pretty chilly as well. My initial impression is that the Zf seems to be able to be operated for a longer time on one EN-EL15c charge than the Z8, but I'll get back to this topic when I have more experience. The lower resolution sensor and slower EVF refresh rate probably increase the amount of time (and shots) the camera can be used for on one charge. I would guess based on my experience so far that the Zf is good for about six hours of use in event photography situations while the Z8 on one battery is good for about 4 hours before the battery needs to be replaced.

Many thanks for your explanations Ilkka. I'll learn the various different AF modes.
Something that struck me was that on the Zf to come out of subject tracking you need to press ok which is intuitive. The Z6ii works with loupe-
I can understand the change but having these two cameras I hope I'll remember when switching.

Zf(f) : Ze femme fatale  ;D

Question: what do you guys stick as flash on your Z cameras? I have two SB-5000 but feel them unbalanced on say Z6ii and even more on Zf. They fit well my D850.
Is the SB-500 any good? I guess with the more sensitive sensors an SB-500 could be enough for event work.
Daniel Diggelmann