Nikon Z6/7 mirrorless system

[Frank Fremerey]

Actually, "ISO" 102400 = 100K

Same confusion as in sizes of computer hard drives.

a wise woman once said that these settings are not calibrated anyway so 100k is roughly 100k

[gryphon1911]

Shot some senior pics last night. Overcast skies, then into the night. Decided to give the face tracking a try. Shot over 250 images, out of all those images, who wants to guess how many were out of focus?

Answer: 2

I'm a bit in shock that it was that few. I'll post up samples once I get the images processed and to the client.  I will admit that I never trusted the face detect on other systems so never used them.   I might not be as surprised if I had.

The other thing that I tried was the Auto tracking. From all the reviews it stated that to get this feature to work you have to be in Auto focus point mode, then press the ok button, use the thumb stick or rear screen to select the target to track, then press ok again.

What I found to work was to be in Auto point mode, press ok, place the box over the target then by pressing the shutter half way to focus, tracking activated as well. Didn't try this with back button focus, but guessing it should activate it as well.

While it is a pain to have to press the ok button first, it is not as bad to use as some of the vloggers made it out to be. As with the face tracking, I was very surprised how well this worked and out of all the images I took with this method, all were in focus.

Now I've got to find some more moving targets to keep experimenting with the AF-C and find that optional mode. Still need to work with the wide-s and wide-l and see how they do. Might head back down to the dog park and chase the mutts running about.

[Frank Fremerey]

the Z6 seems to be a winner.
I will ask NPS for a test package...
though I still did not like the ergonomics ...

I did shot again with the D850+grip+105E ... a pleasure, a real thing, a hand warmer, lovely.

[tommiejeep]

I used the z6 this saturday to shoot a dance show.

   ISO: 3200 works very good, 1600 much better. I´ll be happy with any but I need room for pp. I have shot in both settings and I´m happy with it. Take into consideration that I may print any of the images big, either for expo or for posters for the show so my tolerance may be lower than most.
   AF: I have settle for now with AF-C Dynamic area and 1/2"every other point" active (menu item A5). That gives me a very precise focus that I can move around fast. Note, if you get to the far end to any direction and push the joystick again, the point will go around and appear on the other side of the screen, like pacman. I didn´t know that but I used it a few occasions. Full area with face recognition may work sometimes but It can focus on random places if no obvious face is on the frame.
    RAW: lossless compressed 12 bit. Gives maximum speed and buffer. I have not encounter any limitations. Rather, I came home with waaay too many images. 12 fps even in silent mode
    WB: as usual for me I set it to K3500. AWB can be all over the place and this way I have a good starting point to set as needed.
     Finder: menu d8 "apply settings to live view" on and neutral picture control makes for a reliable preview. Still, images can be darker than the evf suggest so I have to compensate, a bit, accordingly. D11 "view all in continuous mode" also ON. Other, viewfinder brightness is set to "auto" and is working well. I may try the manual compensation to better match what is going on on stage...will see.
     Stealth: in the set up menu, control panel brightness was set to 1 and later to completely off. I became noiseless and invisible  that bring me to silent shutter. The most appealing feature of the camera for my needs. Luck will have it, this particular show had a lot of intimate silent scenes. I had a blast shooting away worry free. At some point and just for fun, I moved at less than 3 feet from one of the people in the audience. He didn´t even notice and I was doing 12 fps 

    I have save all this to U3. Is the closest to M. Only drive mode can not be saved.

    I had the d500 with me. I didn´t use it other than to compare at the beginning. Still a brilliant camera for shows. Sound made the cut.

   

 

Paco, cool image
Many thanks for the explanation .   I shoot 2nd camera for my wife at string and vocal concerts 2 to 3 times a year.   Last time I was using a7rii and Pen F while she was shooting the new a7iii.  Fortunately the small concert hall is a couple of hundred years old and the lighting was updated probably 30 years ago so none of the new types of lighting.  Silent shooting is required by the organizers .   Except for a  few fixed spots controlled backstage it is pretty easy.  Unfortunately some of the Venues keep updating the lighting so I need to go and do some tests.  Good thing they do not require Silent  .  Mostly EDM and loud, live bands 
Cheers,

[Eddie Draaisma]

the Z6 seems to be a winner.
I will ask NPS for a test package...
though I still did not like the ergonomics ...

I did shot again with the D850+grip+105E ... a pleasure, a real thing, a hand warmer, lovely.

Looking at the contacts inside the battery compartment, they look to be for battery purposes only, there will never be an Z6/Z7 grip with release button, joystick, AF-ON button etc. Only a simple battery-pack without controls seems possible...

[armando_m]

I used the z6 this saturday to shoot a dance show.

   ISO: 3200 works very good, 1600 much better. I´ll be happy with any but I need room for pp. I have shot in both settings and I´m happy with it. Take into consideration that I may print any of the images big, either for expo or for posters for the show so my tolerance may be lower than most.
   AF: I have settle for now with AF-C Dynamic area and 1/2"every other point" active (menu item A5). That gives me a very precise focus that I can move around fast. Note, if you get to the far end to any direction and push the joystick again, the point will go around and appear on the other side of the screen, like pacman. I didn´t know that but I used it a few occasions. Full area with face recognition may work sometimes but It can focus on random places if no obvious face is on the frame.
    RAW: lossless compressed 12 bit. Gives maximum speed and buffer. I have not encounter any limitations. Rather, I came home with waaay too many images. 12 fps even in silent mode
    WB: as usual for me I set it to K3500. AWB can be all over the place and this way I have a good starting point to set as needed.
     Finder: menu d8 "apply settings to live view" on and neutral picture control makes for a reliable preview. Still, images can be darker than the evf suggest so I have to compensate, a bit, accordingly. D11 "view all in continuous mode" also ON. Other, viewfinder brightness is set to "auto" and is working well. I may try the manual compensation to better match what is going on on stage...will see.
     Stealth: in the set up menu, control panel brightness was set to 1 and later to completely off. I became noiseless and invisible  that bring me to silent shutter. The most appealing feature of the camera for my needs. Luck will have it, this particular show had a lot of intimate silent scenes. I had a blast shooting away worry free. At some point and just for fun, I moved at less than 3 feet from one of the people in the audience. He didn´t even notice and I was doing 12 fps 

    I have save all this to U3. Is the closest to M. Only drive mode can not be saved.

    I had the d500 with me. I didn´t use it other than to compare at the beginning. Still a brilliant camera for shows. Sound made the cut.

   

 

Paco, great practical advice about how to use the camera! Seems that you are truly enjoying it

[Birna Rørslett]

I simply *had* to modify the FTZ adapter. By judiciously inserting a tiny piece of plastic, the minimum-aperture sensor is (semi-)permanently disabled. An easy DIY-fix taking 15 seconds at most to implement.

No more the dreaded "F--" error that prevents a shot when one changes lenses in a hurry and forgets to lock the aperture ring. Plus many lenses, in particular third-party ones, lack a proper aperture lock anyway so the lens can easily become unlocked -- very frustrating when you try to get the shot and the error message flashes and the release is jammed.

Even greater advantage (to me) is that I now can study details in the image rendition accurately when the lens aperture is set anywhere in the range from its maximum value to f/5.6, simply by rotating the aperture ring. Most useful for close-up work.

[Michael Erlewine]

I simply *had* to modify the FTZ adapter. By judiciously inserting a tiny piece of plastic, the minimum-aperture sensor is (semi-)permanently disabled. An easy DIY-fix taking 15 seconds at most to implement.

No more the dreaded "F--" error that prevents a shot when one changes lenses in a hurry and forgets to lock the aperture ring. Plus many lenses, in particular third-party ones, lack a proper aperture lock anyway so the lens can easily become unlocked -- very frustrating when you try to get the shot and the error message flashes and the release is jammed.

Even greater advantage (to me) is that I now can study details in the image rendition accurately when the lens aperture is set anywhere in the range from its maximum value to f/5.6, simply by rotating the aperture ring. Most useful for close-up work.

Since I am not very adventurous when it comes to operating on gear, let me be clear. You are talking about that little protruding pop-up on the lens side of the FTZ, correct? What you did was to jam something into that hole that keeps the pop-up piece depressed, correct? Any particular kind of plastic used. Just jam it in gently?

Once we do this, what does the adapter no longer do, please? I do a lot of close-up works, so I was intrigued by your mentioning that. 

[Birna Rørslett]

The FTZ continues to operate exactly as before. The modification only concerns the previewing part of its function.

[Michael Erlewine]

I am getting increasingly interested in using the Z7, more than I imagined. I thought I would be using only with adaptive lenses and ignore the three native lenses, but I seem to be changing my mind. I find myself assembling a small kit to go on the road with, which will be something like:

Nikon 7
Nikon Z 24-70mm S
Nikon 50mm S
FTZ
CV-125 mm

What other non-native lenses are folks finding that they want to carry with them. I would like to hear some of your favorites.

For me, perhaps the Voigtlander 180mm, the voigtlander 90mm macro.

Of course I could lug some big lenses, but may not.

If the native lenses continue being this good (correction-wise), this could change my whole lens approach.

[Michael Erlewine]

The FTZ continues to operate exactly as before. The modification only concerns the previewing part of its function.

So, the idea is to just jam that little pin down, correct? And by doing that in wider apertures <= f/5.6 I see the actual aperture setting and not the wide-open one?

[Birna Rørslett]

So, the idea is to just jam that little pin down, correct? And by doing that in wider apertures <= f/5.6 I see the actual aperture setting and not the wide-open one?

You observe the actual set aperture, yes.

[golunvolo]

I could not use the 80-200ed because of FF--error but this trick fixes it. I can dial the aperture from the camera even. Thanks Birna

[golunvolo]

I´m truly enjoying the Z6 

[Birna Rørslett]

I could not use the 80-200ed because of FF--error but this trick fixes it. I can dial the aperture from the camera even. Thanks Birna

You are most welcome, Paco. The small details are important