p.1 #7 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
That all sounds very promising.
And the timing is perfect, since I only bought the Z8 two weeks ago.
I really like that about Nikon.
The Z8 has been on the market for over two years now, and even if you, like me, joined the party late and waited for discounts, you still get massive firmware updates with great content two years after release.
It's really outstanding how Nikon has significantly improved its cameras over time through firmware upgrades and continues to offer real content as added value long after release.
Kudos Nikon!
The features alone are sensational and significantly enhance the Z8.
- Focus range limit settings can now be adjusted within the camera body. - You can now directly determine the close and long distance ranges for focus detection, enabling faster focus detection without being interrupted by unnecessary interference subjects when shooting flowers, birds, sports, etc.
- The maximum aperture value Lv function makes close-up shooting easier.
- Pixel shift shooting function has been upgraded.
The automatic exposure bracketing can be used together with the pixel shift function, so that high-quality, high-pixel images can be obtained along with exposure change data, which is the basis for HDR synthesis.
- Focus shift shooting function has been upgraded.
It is now possible to use pixel shift, which implements high-quality, high-pixel images along with optimal focus detection data for each shooting section, as an option. The foundation for satisfying both the best image quality and the best resolution has been established.
- The subject detection function has been enhanced.
The subject recognition option can now be used in MF, and the image magnification during shooting has been expanded to 400%. In particular, when shooting close-up, after checking the screen magnification, you can return from the enlarged zoom to the actual shooting range with just one half-press of the shutter, enabling faster shooting.
- The white LED of Proforo A10 can now be used as an AF assist light.
- Flexible Picture Control support has been made possible.
After creating a personal color tone adjusted to the user's preference through Nikon NX STUDIO, it can be applied to the camera via a memory card and applied in real time as a custom picture control.
p.1 #8 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
I believe ‘Maximum Aperture Live View’ is essentially how Canon handles aperture during live view/AF. If you have a fast aperture lens and are stopped down, the aperture will remain open during autofocus and will only stop down when a photo is taken. This should greatly assist Z8 af in lower light situations. Previously the camera would close the aperture down to as much as f/5.6. Should be a great benefit for strobe shooters. Focus shift is my only concern with some lenses.
p.1 #10 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
sputnik wrote:
Has anyone done the update yet? I have a job this week so I’m gonna play it safe and update once the images have been approved by my client.
As far as I know, at least that's the status NR is reporting, this is a firmware announcement.
The release date hasn't been made public yet, but it should be soon.
No release date was provided, except that it “is scheduled for release soon.”
p.1 #11 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
Finally I dont have to choose if I want to use Z8 or Zf with my Noct Nikkor. It will be a lot more comfortable using Noct Nikkor with Z8 and I don't have to worry about lack of subject detection in manual focus mode.
p.1 #12 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
Buckeye2604 wrote:
I believe ‘Maximum Aperture Live View’ is essentially how Canon handles aperture during live view/AF. If you have a fast aperture lens and are stopped down, the aperture will remain open during autofocus and will only stop down when a photo is taken. This should greatly assist Z8 af in lower light situations. Previously the camera would close the aperture down to as much as f/5.6. Should be a great benefit for strobe shooters. Focus shift is my only concern with some lenses.
Currently the camera autofocuses and shows the live view at the shooting aperture as long as it is not smaller than f/5.6 (in which case it will stop down to f/5.6 or wide open, whichever is smaller). This has advantages in reducing focus shift due to aberrations, and it also means there is no viewfinder flicker due to stopping down and opening up happening all the time as there is on the Canon.
In low light, normally one would use a wider aperture than f/5.6 to get as much light as possible to the subject, for the picture quality (why else have a wide-aperture lens if one is not going to use it?) as well as focusing. However, in some cases if one wants to shoot in low light and stop down for more depth of field, then the wide-open viewing and AF can enhance the experience (less noise in the EVF image, and better AF due to higher SNR). I find that problems with AF in low light can occur in some cases when using flash to light the subject in an otherwise dimly lit environment and when there is a desire to stop down significantly to get more light (e.g. head shots). In this case if the focusing happens wide open, and the picture is taken, e.g., at f/5.6 or smaller, AF should be improved by the new (upcoming) feature. However, personally I find myself mostly shooting wide open when working in low-light conditions. In my studio, I typically use apertures from f/5.6 to f/13 and there is no real issue with focusing due to the modeling lights from the flash units providing enough illumination to focus with. However, if there were no modeling lights, then there could be significant difficulties in focusing.
p.1 #13 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
This is a really impressive update. As someone who uses pixel shift to deal with moire every day in studio, I don’t use my z8 for it because it needs to take so many shots and takes a lifetime to process in Nikon’s software. Phocus needs 4 shots and does the integration almost instantaneously. Sony uses 16 and also processes it almost instantly. If this new update can speed that processing up it would be amazing, but even more importantly, if it is doing to processing for the focus shift/pixel shift without having to use third party for the focus shift that would be great. Adding the ability to use self timer fixes a big oversight for landscape shooters.
Love that manual assist is now coming to the z8. Been waiting on that a long time.
Nikon already had the best auto subject detection, but adding priority is great.
At this point unless you just prefer the form factor, larger battery, and two cf cards, the z8 is just a better camera than the z9.
I’m currently shooting both the z8 and a1ii, and for me, I also think the z8 is a better performing camera than the a1ii. When the latter costs double, I’m really struggling to justify keeping it. The only reason right now is that the 50-150 is amazing and I don’t like using adapters.
p.1 #14 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
Not to pee in the collective bowl of Cheerios, but the lag while magnified is still almost a dealbreaker for manual focus with the Z8 and Z9 compared to other Nikon bodies. I have zero desire to use MF glass on the Z9 after using the ZF for so long now. I can’t fathom how 400% would be useful for anything but studio product photography.
p.1 #15 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
RoamingScott wrote:
Not to pee in the collective bowl of Cheerios, but the lag while magnified is still almost a dealbreaker for manual focus with the Z8 and Z9 compared to other Nikon bodies. I have zero desire to use MF glass on the Z9 after using the ZF for so long now. I can’t fathom how 400% would be useful for anything but studio product photography.
It's super useful for astro. My Sony camera totally sucks in this department because the best it will do is 11.7x
p.1 #16 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
RoamingScott wrote:
Not to pee in the collective bowl of Cheerios, but the lag while magnified is still almost a dealbreaker for manual focus with the Z8 and Z9 compared to other Nikon bodies. I have zero desire to use MF glass on the Z9 after using the ZF for so long now. I can’t fathom how 400% would be useful for anything but studio product photography.
I’m mainly looking forward to the subject detection and green box focus confirmation. I
p.1 #17 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
Even though I don’t have a Z8 any more I’m so glad that Nikon just continually supports their cameras. Excited for the next Z6 III update (give me my thick focus box).
p.1 #18 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
The updated N-Log View assist that incorporates Nikon's new Rec.709 LUT is IMO the biggest improvement with this new firmware. Here is my post analyzing the new LUT after it was released:
p.1 #19 · New Nikon Z8 Firmware 3.0 - Enhanced Pixel Shift and More
FW 3.0 adds a focusing option named "a14 - Maximum aperture LV" . When enabled, the camera will keep the lens wide-open during LV and focusing, as compared to stopping down to the shooting aperture (up to f/5.6). This should correct the AF issue and workaround I highlighted in my video 8 months ago:
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Here is Ricci @ Nikon discussing this new option. Starts at 2:28:
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