mike_halliwell

I missed that bit. I've sometimes had to dial in, say, +2.7EV (M + Auto ISO) for a dark kite's underwing against a white sky and occasionally the EVF whites-out and doesn't reflect the current exposure for quite a few seconds, so much so I can't actually see the bird I'm correctly exposed for. I put it down to user error. Equally, it sounds like you're going back out into the cold.... 🥶

Is it inducing metering errors, or false exp. comp? Anything helpful in EXIF ie, does it show the Light Value change, ie brightness perception suddenly changes or the exposure it deems correct is wrong. Sorry, not very well articulated. 🙁 Software designers HATE random, so hopefully it's weather related. 🙂

Well it wasn't when I linked it!

Another test set. 4 frames takes 340ms 8 frames takes 800ms 16 frames takes 1071ms 32 frames takes 3500ms 1/1000 @ f1.8 with the Z50mm 1.8.

Just did a short experiment with a 32 frame 'shift' and the answer is about 13 hundredths per frame.. So total being about 3 3/4 sec per full shift. So, very roughly 10fps. Not to shabby.👍 Interestingly the gap isn't quite consistent throughout the set. You get a shifted time and a re-shoot time.

Amid all the Z8 fun, Nikon released NX Tether (technically version 2) https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/apps-software/nx-tether It's hard to work out where it's different from Capture Control Pro 2, which was also updated today. The difference being Capture Control Pro 2 is currently $180! NX Tether is free!

I think he likes it. Especially the return of Exposure Delay Mode 🙂 Auto Capture video sounds like a VERY high end trail cam. I'm guessing having no shutter (no vibration) and a high shutter speed, say 1/2000, you could almost use Pixel Shift on things that move slowly? Certainly things like clouds wouldn't show movement down to maybe 1/125th? However, it would make a 32 bird flock from a single bird @ 1/1000th 🤣 I wonder if the software would remove them?

Awesome! Thank you Nikon 👍 The cycle AF area feature is great. Bird in tree, SPOT, Bird leaves tree, Medium Custom Square, Eeek, Bird zig zags, Auto Area... all while in Bird Mode. All with 3 presses of one Fn Button. Which one, not sure yet... 🤔 I've been wanting 'cycling' buttons for a while. Not press here and turn that.. I've got small hands ☹️ I'll give pixel shift a try once I've updated NX Studio. I guess all these goodies are about to appear on the Z9?

I've got a pair of clone batts for the J5, the en-el24. They're about 6 years old and are getting a bit tight to remove. I did the tape-loop trick (on the thin sides!) to ensure i could pull them out if they got properly stuck. There's not much on the battery to grip tightly.

I'm kinda surprised that the optical design doesn't seem to mind if there's a filter in place or not. Most long teles from the past needed one. Something to do with the more telecentric nature of Z lenses maybe? I'm thinking of putting in a plain filter just to stop an dust/debris falling such a long way into the lens body.

Nikon Z8 + 800mm PF + ZTC1.4. 1/640 f9 ISO 125 @ 56m! Peregrine Falcon.

Z9 + 800mm PF + ZTC1.4. 1/2000 ISO 720 F9. Eurasian Redwing @ 40m!

Z8 + 800mm PF + ZTC1.4. ISO 2500 f9 1/800. Eurasian Blue Tit + ID Ring.

Absolutely! It can't 'see' ducks on water either 🙁 I prefer the ergonomics of the Z8, but the AF of the Z9. Awaiting the Bird firmware too 🙂 I remember Nikon removing Bird Mode from all its Z8 promo stuff, I guess to help Z9 sales 🤔

True, However, i thought the advent of mirrorless was a WYSIWYG system? Agreed. It's the persistence thing that's annoying. I can shift the box further away, and it still sticks on the face. I'll have a go with the Z9 and see if the same happens in Bird Mode.

..and who (what) allowed that?

I know I'm not getting any conventional increase in lens 'reach', but fewer pixels makes for smaller sized files. Is there any benefit regarding tracking and AF..... ie. does the smaller number of pixels reduce the workload for the Expeed regarding things such as subject detection and changes in AF? To use a human analogy, it doesn't have to concentrate on the whole screen just a smaller area of it. Does Spot/Point AF cover the same number of actual pixels? I noticed recently that using the Z8 with the 24-120mm f4 that despite using Custom 2 (set to square about the size of the centre circle) in Animal Detect, it found and locked focus on a clear human face OUTSIDE the AF area. The bird in question had turned it's back on me and got lost in the background, but the AF was clearly 'looking' outside the AF Box. Seeing the small yellow 'AF locked' icon outside the box on a face is very frustrating as it's hard to get it to unlock sometimes. I'm guessing DX mode prevents any out-of-frame peeking? Anyone experience something similar? Am I missing a setting somewhere?

Sorry, posted in haste without 'viewing guidelines'... 🙁 Agreed to all the 'baiting thoughts...😉 I'm not sure you could easily bait an Osprey. I think maybe the 'tightness' of Morten's shots shows he had to slam the 180-600mm back to the wide stop to prevent bird cropping. That would kinda imply it didn't quite happen where he thought it would. Considering the had the 100-400mm AND the 180-600mm with him...... ?? The low angle really makes the shots shine. His compadre had a lot more lens freedom. That kinda steep & loose rock scramble is an easy way to break stuff either human or tech. Always helps to have the Mountain Goat gene...... 🤣

Morten goes in search of Ospeys in Norway with the Z9 and Z100-400mm and the 'new' Z180-600mm. Interesting how the flexibility of the zoom saved the shot.... at the wide end! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQcmJDys7SU&t=4s

Z8 + Sigma 135mm f1.8 @ f2.2 1/800 ISO 2500. Great Grey Owl (captive and wet!)

Z8 + Z100-400mm @ 400mm. ISO 220 1/1250 f5.6.. Whooper Swans

Z8 + Z100-400mm @ 400mm. ISO 560 1/1250 f5.6.. Whooper Swan.

😇 If you look at the mating surfaces, is there any indication of failed adhesive or thermal weld failure?

AFAIK the HK-43 isn't supposed to come apart.... but how/where the failure has occurred i don't know. I'd get Nikon to fix/replace it. It's gotta be still under warrantee. The ridiculous £599 for a replacement is just crazy! 😱

Buyers try that sometimes.. ☹️ An overnight stay in a silica gel bag should fix that. Maybe cycle the zoom a few times.