Yesterday, Nikon released firmware version 3.0 for the Z9 mirrorless camera. Most of the major changes centered around video functions, but there a lot of hidden features that to me are most welcome. Here’s what stood out to me:
New C60 (60fps) burst shooting option: This isn’t really something I need, because it requires shooting in DX crop mode and capturing normal-quality JPEGs (not raw). Still, it’s nice to have more options for burst shooting.
Change the AF point in 3D-tracking AF to red: This is great! The default AF point in 3D-tracking AF was white, and could sometimes be hard to see.
New option for Prioritize Viewfinder mode: Thank you, Nikon. The original behavior for Prioritize Viewfinder (firmware 1.x) is what I preferred, because it lets you start on the LCD monitor and then hand off that view to the viewfinder. Firmware 2.x changed this behavior to always putting the camera in “shooting mode” when you held it up to your eye. Now you can choose the behavior you like (I prefer Mode 1) to suit your own shooting style.
More custom buttons & functions: With firmware 3.0, Nikon has given photographers even more ways to customize their camera. You can now assign functions to the ISO and exposure compensation buttons, and some new functions were added. My favorite? Toggle FX-DX crop with a single button, instead of a button + dial combo. Very nice!
AF sensitivity has been improved by 0.5EV, down to -7EV, giving the Z9 one of the most sensitive low-light AF systems available. Only the Canon R3 (which is 24MP) has a more sensitive system.
Extended LCD brightness range: Nikon added 4 additional brightness settings to the rear LCD, which should help in very bright and very dark conditions.
I’m pleased to announce the immediate release of the second edition of Bird Photography with the Nikon Z9. This new edition is updated to include the new features (and their consequences) available with Nikon Z9 firmware version 2.1
What’s New in the Second Edition
I’ve fully updated the printable PDF guide to include new features in Z9 firmware 2.1, including:
Wide-area Custom AF
Recall shooting settings (hold)
Focus recall
Pre-burst capture
Focus point selection speed
High FPS viewfinder display
I completely revised my custom settings to incorporate the new features in the Z9 and my most recent control configurations for both BBF and Shutter AF
Updated camera file (.bin) includes my latest Z9 camera settings
We took our annual trip into the Colorado high country this week, driving to the top of Mt. Evans. Along the way, we photographed mountain goats, bighorn sheep, marmots, and other alpine wildlife. We’ll talk about what gear we used, and what settings worked for this style of photography.
Today, Nikon announced firmware update 2.0 for the flagship Z9 mirrorless camera. We’ll unpack what’s been announced, what we like, and what improvements we’d still like to see in the Nikon Z9. The new firmware will be available on April 20th, and has lots of major improvements for both still and video capture.
This week, Jason revisits the Nikon Z9, which he’s now been using for two months. Jason recently published a wildlife photography settings guide for Nikon Z9 users. We’ll also recap some recent product announcements. Note: we’ll be off next week on vacation.
