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 p.7 #14 · Z8 extremely unreliable/inconsistent AF in mildly low light | |
jlafferty wrote:
There's no such consensus and in fact, pages back there was an accomplished photographer posting visual proof that directly contradicts this, with a sincere and honest report back about the Z8's performance that's the *opposite* of your claims. This ultimately points to one of two conclusions: 1) you've got a faulty Z8, or 2) you've got faulty techniques.
Nonsense. First, the post in question features a subject at a distance for the focal length where the depth of field is adequate to cover a focus miss. Perhaps this person has success at tighter shots, or maybe they don't do many tighter shots. Regardlessz this one photo doesn't show anything definitive.
Second, there are plenty of users here, on the dpreview thread, and in many past threads who report the same experience as myself. In fact, on dpreview snappy continues to report test results and even video evidence of the phenomenon. The claim that people have not expressed issues with the Z9 at wide apertures is simply false and if the conversation still warrants it I'll post examples when I'm back on my computer.
My frank read of the situation - assuming your Z8 isn't a random lemon - is that you came to the Z8 with *expectations*, and you're stuck in these *expectations* informing how you hoped the camera would work. Instead, when confronted with the reality that you yourself admitted, that there are techniques you *didn't expect would work*, and yet they do... instead of going about your business making photos successfully, you've started a thread about how the camera defies your *expectations*. Oh well. If you're stuck *proving the ways the camera doesn't work* instead of *finding the ways it does*, no amount of testing will get you out of that (self created) rut.
Look at this quote:
The biggest gripe with the Nikon Z series has always been the lack of ability to focus in low light. This is because the focus works on the sensor, and it needs contrast to focus. I’m happy to say this is a thing of the past with the Z8, it is just so good in low light.
From: https://www.robingoodlad.com/the-best-nikon-z8-settings-for-wedding-photographers/
Here's another:
The Z8 auto focusing is quick, sticky and snappy. Even in dimly lit ballrooms where weddings or trade conferences frequently take place, I find that face and eye detection works like a dream.
From: https://nikonrumors.com/2023/09/16/three-months-of-experience-shooting-with-the-nikon-z8-camera-as-a-pro-weddings-events-landscape-photographer.aspx/
Another:
In my experience after a solid number of weddings with Z8, the AF is amazingly reliable in low light! And this is with face detection on during 99% of the wedding, even in darkest of conditions. Strobe lights, colorful disco lights or candle-lit reception venue were all handled without any problems.
Yes, AF slows down as the light levels get dimmer, but it’s far ahead of D850 and most other mirrorless cameras. In comparison to DSLRs, it’s also vastly more precise; but that’s an old story.
In summary, Z8 is the first mirrorless camera which I can bring to any wedding and feel completely comfortable its AF can handle anything I throw at it. (I spent 7 years looking for such a camera, so I don’t say this lightly!)
From: https://www.matijakljunakweddings.com/nikon-z8-review-for-weddings-pt1-photography/
I've done some cursory looking around to find people who've posted videos and images showing the Z8 and Z9 working in low light - they're not that hard to find, and they demonstrate that some people seem to have a facility for using both cameras successfully in environments more challenging than yours. Somehow they just make the cameras work and get on with making good (or at least sharp) photos. Strange how that works:
...Show more →
The fact is that there appear to be a significant number of people, including accomished persons, having no trouble and those having trouble. The default of blaming poor performance on people's technique and "expectations" is tired and insulting. Many who have made entire careers out of shooting in low light have not been able to make the Z system work In those conditions. You can insult them, but it doesn't mean much to people who are willing to consider matters objectively.
You can find plenty of quotes who have had great success but there are also many who have not.
I must admit it's extremely frustrating to have my technique questioned for photographs using flash at relatively short focal lengths. Seriously, what the heck could one do so wrongly as to have such poor focus performance in these cases. It's not as if there is some giant telephoto a person might be shaking everywhere. It's not as if the shutter speed could be wrong for the situation. It's a case where you point the camera at the subject and hit AF-On and it either focuses correctly or it doesn't. I'd be very open to hearing a suggestion about what I should do differently technique-wise because honestly I can't think of anything that would be relevant.
Buy again, snapsy has replicated the problem with video proof. What more can one ask for?
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