Author Topic: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon  (Read 43273 times)

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #255 on: November 16, 2020, 16:33:59 »
Do you need more than two metering patterns? Recall shooting functions can facilitate switching between two, but then you can't use it independently for other things (without also changing the metering mode). If you need three or more metering patterns on a regular basis, how would you configure the camera in that case (if there were no limitations), and what would the configured modes be used for? 

Since I often shoot both horizontals and verticals, I find it easiest to copy the configuration of the front side buttons to each other so that I am able to reach them in either orientation.

MILLIREHM

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #256 on: November 16, 2020, 17:59:04 »
I need a  Fn button switching from Matrix- Metering to Spot Metering and another one switching From Single shot af to Group AF independently and with two buttons I can combine that. Now i have configured recall shooting function to do just this switch to spot metering plus (now thats a small
 advantage) setting exposure compensation to +0.7 EV. It would be fine to have a third button enabling the switch to a more sophisticated recall setup
Wolfgang Rehm

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #257 on: November 16, 2020, 19:10:47 »
I need a  Fn button switching from Matrix- Metering to Spot Metering and another one switching From Single shot af to Group AF independently and with two buttons I can combine that. Now i have configured recall shooting function to do just this switch to spot metering plus (now thats a small
 advantage) setting exposure compensation to +0.7 EV. It would be fine to have a third button enabling the switch to a more sophisticated recall setup

I tested setting up recall shooting functions under Fn1 (with just spot metering) and set Pv to group-area AF + AF-ON. This worked fine but if I wanted to press both buttons at the same time, it required first pressing and holding Fn1 (Recall shooting functions) and then pressing and holding Pv to get the group-area AF to activate. If I pressed and held Pv it did focus using group-area AF but it didn't allow me to switch metering mode by pressing and holding Fn1 down after Pv had been depressed. So this should achieve roughly what I understood what you want to do, but it requires a specific order of pressing the controls. And it uses up the Recall shooting functions functionality so it can't be used for something else.

Anyway, it's always good to have some improvement suggestions for firmware update or successor model. Maybe you can send Nikon a message about the changes that you'd find helpful. I already sent a suggestion to allow release mode to be included in recall shooting functions. I don't know if they will implement it but often things that are talked about, do get implemented.

chambeshi

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #258 on: November 16, 2020, 19:59:54 »
Using the D850 for wildlife, my ideal would be to hot-switch between 1 of 2 metering modes together with one of 3 different AF mode(s). The camera uses Matrix metering as default - so effectively this totals 3 options. The current options allow BBAF > a9 or a25 (usually), Pv > single-point AF; and the AF Joy-stick/Subselector > AutoAF (or GroupAF). Currently, depending on the selected Custom settings bank, one of 2 metering modes is assigned to Fn1: usually I use spot-mode, but AEL is also very useful in backlit situations. Ideally, these respective metering modes would work better as instant options.

Switching Pv on Single-point AF, I also press the metering mode with the ring finger; as one's thumb drives BBAF or the Joystick. Depressing the joystick is fiddly but it's the only control available).

As we know Nikon designed the D850 and D500 without the Fn pair (Fn2 and Fn1). This absence limits customizing these cameras, and obviously cannot be upgraded with Firmware. A firmware fix on the D5 and D6 would allow assigning a hot-switching 2nd metering mode to camera-front (ie Fn1 and Fn2 working the alternative modes). Ideally, it would be useful if Nikon added an extra control on the rear-plate of all their Pro cameras. Adding an AE D780-style control would work, and even better if it worked as a switching toggle labelled "Alt- AF" to toggle between 2 AF modes under one's thumb(?) - thus Left vs Right press. There is sufficient space, and this would free up the front controls for choices of metering modes etc. A less ideal solution might be to improve the AF Joy-stick to work better in its 2 distinct modes (lateral / depressing), but still only able to assign the choice of one AF mode.

MILLIREHM

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #259 on: November 19, 2020, 00:19:20 »
I tested setting up recall shooting functions under Fn1 (with just spot metering) and set Pv to group-area AF + AF-ON. This worked fine but if I wanted to press both buttons at the same time, it required first pressing and holding Fn1 (Recall shooting functions) and then pressing and holding Pv to get the group-area AF to activate. If I pressed and held Pv it did focus using group-area AF but it didn't allow me to switch metering mode by pressing and holding Fn1 down after Pv had been depressed. So this should achieve roughly what I understood what you want to do, but it requires a specific order of pressing the controls. And it uses up the Recall shooting functions functionality so it can't be used for something else.
It worked with PV and Fn1 on the D500 and D850, did not check the possibilities of simultaneous use or requirement of a pressing order when involving "recall shooting functions" on the D6  so far - hell of a lot of work going on currently, but thanks for the hint.

Anyway, it's always good to have some improvement suggestions for firmware update or successor model. Maybe you can send Nikon a message about the changes that you'd find helpful. I already sent a suggestion to allow release mode to be included in recall shooting functions. I don't know if they will implement it but often things that are talked about, do get implemented.

I will do. Is there a specific "channel"/E-Mail-Address where the chances are higher that someone there will actually read suggestions and think about it?
Wolfgang Rehm

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #260 on: November 19, 2020, 10:15:45 »
I will do. Is there a specific "channel"/E-Mail-Address where the chances are higher that someone there will actually read suggestions and think about it?

I've sent my feedback and improvement suggestions using the contact form Nikon's local web site. Many of the issues that I've reported have been addressed over time. I always try to be polite and as clear as I can in the feedback. If there is a response from their side, it is often justifying how the product works but they do say they pass the feedback on to the relevant department.

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #261 on: November 21, 2020, 14:21:06 »
A few more figure skating pics from the past two weekends. Unfortunately, the next event I was planning on photographing is likely to be cancelled due to the rapid worsening of the coronavirus situation and increasingly strict regulations. I'm glad I got to enjoy two events during this season. muokka 1,2, and 5 were taken with the 300 PF and the others with the 200/2 II.

MFloyd

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #262 on: November 21, 2020, 14:58:55 »
Excellent !
Γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Bent Hjarbo

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #263 on: November 21, 2020, 19:19:43 »

Akira

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #264 on: November 22, 2020, 02:13:34 »
A few more figure skating pics from the past two weekends. Unfortunately, the next event I was planning on photographing is likely to be cancelled due to the rapid worsening of the coronavirus situation and increasingly strict regulations. I'm glad I got to enjoy two events during this season. muokka 1,2, and 5 were taken with the 300 PF and the others with the 200/2 II.

Ilkka, this series looks particularly nice.  Thank you for sharing!
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #265 on: November 22, 2020, 16:19:23 »
Ilkka, this series looks particularly nice.  Thank you for sharing!

Thank you!

Nasos Kosmas

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #266 on: November 22, 2020, 17:50:46 »

MILLIREHM

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #267 on: November 23, 2020, 12:42:20 »
indeed an impressive series Ilkka!
Wolfgang Rehm

ianwatson

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #268 on: November 23, 2020, 15:06:22 »
Very much so! I hope that conditions allow another event or two.

MILLIREHM

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Re: Nikon D6 formally announced by Nikon
« Reply #269 on: November 29, 2020, 21:12:21 »
I found another little  downside of the D6. If you switch to a smaller Format, say DX the remaining viewfinder parts are masked with grey overlay. With my D850 (and so with the D800E) i could switch off this masking. Then i can see better what is around and moving towards the frame and gives me an anticipation i cant get with the masking. When the shutter is pressed down the frame is highlighted - this is enough assistance for me. Now I have found out that the D6 is not capable of being configured like that. Switching to DX is not as important as it is for the D8xx cameras but nevertheless I will put that on my list that will be submitted to Nikon in the near future. It should be easy to reintroduce a feature that has been removed for no reason by a Firmware update.
Wolfgang Rehm