Lovely practical review. Nice to see a real photographer give his thoughts as opposed to a professional "influencer" with all the bells and whistles in their production, but without real experience under their belt. Cheers from Copenhagen, sir. Great insight and very well put together review. Thank you.
Hi Jack Love your videos! I have had my Z9 since December and love it. I shoot mainly surfing and wildlife. I have been using Wasabi batteries in my Z9 without issue both before and after firmware 2.0 without issue. I have also been using Delkin Black CFExpress and the new Angelbird cards without any overheating issues. Keep shooting and posting videos. Bob
Jack, as far as the focus area modes are concerned, have you tried the 'hybrid' combination - it works astonishingly well. Set your default area mode to wide-area large or small (or even C1 or C2 as you prefer) with eye detect set on and activating focus with the half press of the shutter button. Then customise the AF-On button as Focus + 3D tracking. Half-press the shutter and put the focus area somewhere close to your subject and the eye/face tracking kicks in and you get a small green box on the head/eye. As soon as it does that, press and hold the AF-On and the 3D will now track that subject anywhere within the viewfinder, not just in the AF area box. Note that the letter-box shape for C2 is only the default: you can customise C1 and C2 to your preferred size and shape.
Great idea Geoff!!!! I used your advice for Muay Thai Boxing here in Thailand a lot! I had the problem that during the fights always audience was in the background of the 2 fights and the Z9 loved to track them, instead the fighters. Very often the referee was also going between me and the fighters and the 3D tracking had problems to re-track the fighters, but with your advice I could limit the field very good and the Z9 did a great job. The fighters was around 20m away from me and I could track them with your advice with the custom focus field and my 85mm f1.8 lens very good. Yes, a 85mm f1.8 is normally not my first choice for such events. But I was here on vacation and I have here only my 24-70 f2.8, 85mm f1.8 and my Sigma sports 60-600 f4.5-6.6. My 70-200 f2.8 was at home. I got a good seat and angle to the scene and so the 85mm f1.8 was the best choice.
He was spot on though. I myself have stopped watching these so called ‘camera reviewers’ and only look to actual working photographers for opinion on cameras.
I use the Z9 for Australian Rules Football. The keeper rate is twice what I was getting with the D5 or D6. So much so that I often reduce the frame rate to 5 or 6 fps. Agree with Dynamic Small for team sports. For low light/high ISO files I recommend DxO PureRAW 2, ideal for night sport or shaded wildlife. Cheers from Australia.
Prior to the HE RAW from this camera, I'd simply open all the files I wanted to batch process directly in Topaz Denoise - before they went to Lightroom. With the HE files, I import them as DNGs in Lightroom, export them as the same without edits, then open as a batch in Denoise.
By importing into LR, then exporting again, are you essentially saving to your disk 2x? Do you cull them in photomechanic first? Topaz will make yet another copy. My 2105 iMac might melt down…
Yes, I cull the original RAWs in PhotoMechanic first. Any duplicates, as you’ve pointed out, are deleted. Also, I do all this editing off an external drive to not clog up my PC. I back that up with another external drive.
I absolutely love the information you provided regarding the Z9, I was able to get my hands on the Z9 from NikonUSA, it took approximately 4 Months before it actually arrived, unfortunately, I haven't taken it out to shoot pictures yet, during my wait, I acquired a lot of the S-Line Lenses which I was using on my Z 7-II, I hoping to go on a Cruise Trip to Alaska next Year, and by that time, I should be familiar with the inner workings of the Z9, hopefully by next Year, my Z 400mm 2.8 will arrive as well. The information you provided regarding the focus modes is a winner, I've saved this video to review again when needed, as well as have subscribed to your Channel, can't wait to see real world tips you have to offer for your viewers.
As far as CFexpress cards you might check out the: Angelbird 160GB AV PRO CFexpress 2.0 Type B SX Memory Card. It has a minimum sustained write speeds of 1480 MB/s. I bought mine at B&H. This model (SX) is optimized for minimum sustained write speeds. So far I have been very happy with them.
Great material, thank you. I'm thinking of buying a Z8. I understand that for sports you recommend two AF modes, depending on the subject dynamic area 9 fields and wide area with eye (face) tracking. Could you compare the AF on the Z8/Z9 with the cameras: D850 and D780? I own D780. Is the AF on the Z8 perceptibly better and by switching to the Z8 will I notice that I have sharper photos? I photograph canoe slalom, very often against the light. Will the move from the D780 to the D850 also show a significant increase in AF performance in sports applications? I would still use the 9-field dynamic area (I think). Which decision seems more correct to you? Sorry for this question, I know there are 100s of aspects and threads here. But maybe you can say subjectively.
The Z8/Z9 is light years ahead of any DSLR in the area of AF. They will pick out a person’s head at a distance and their eyes closer up. Moving from 780 to 850 won’t see a significant upgrade in autofocus.
Great insight Jack! I wish Nikon will come up with a mirrorless version of D500 for those who take pictures of their kid's volleyball games but can't afford a Z9.
Good job Jack. Workflow question. Do you cull in PM then place all the selects into a separate folder then send those through denoise? If so how many images about and how long does that take? I'm still running 24 at a time in denoise through LR. Takes a while...
Thanks! Normally, I cull in PM than run the RAWS through Denoise in a large batch (by camera model). However, with the Z9 HE RAWs, I first cull, import them to Lightroom as DNGs, then export them as the same for batch processing in Denoise. Even after culling a game, I'll still have something like 500 images to run through Denoise. It takes hours if I do the whole batch. For MaxPreps, that's OK. I'm not on a hard deadline with them and I just run it at night while I'm asleep. If I'm on a deadline for a newspaper, I'll be far more selective, picking out a few a really like, and running those together. Then, we're talking only a few minutes.
Jack I came from using my D5, D4S, D850 and D500 and the Z9 gives me more keepers. It’s far from perfect, you have to use the various focus tracking modes as non is perfect for everything and it’s taken me some time to get this right. I’m a motorsport photographer primarily and I found the Z9 needs contrast to work best. The Z9 works really well with my 400mm f/2.8E FL and VR 300mm f/2.8G with the FTZ2 adaptor.
@@JackBeasleyMedia Do get your hands on an Olympus M1X , and feel what a real sports camera should behave as far as focus is concerned, and real precapture, Z9's euphemism for Oly Procapture. You never mentioned the horendous settings mode save to card Nikon method.
Hi Jack. My first time to the channel. I'm an armature photography (x4.5 years) coming to ML from DSLR (D850/D500) for wildlife/sports/action. Your general assessment of the AF modes are spot on. I could go into enormous detail on when I use what AF mode and why, but suffice it to say that all "WA" modes work best when you have a single animal, nothing "closer" since WA uses distance to focus plane as well, and you are using AI AF modes (people, animal). 3D for me works best when subject is close (animal), but is not as sticky as Sony - focus point jumps around at random times to sometimes unpredictable places (not even including the "jump to the background" secondary to OSPDAF horizontal array of masked pixels). I also have Dynamic as my "DSLR" Z9 backup for the reason you mentioned (although you give up AI AF). NEF file noise: What program are you using to edit/view Z9 files and is it set to "Adobe or camera specific" if LR? For me, HE* at higher ISOs appear to show more noise in the shadows than LLC. Was the 400mm f/2.8 the new version with TC or the E version? Do you ever use a power brick (cheaper than another battery). Excellent overall "initial (comprehensive)" look. I also completely agree about TOPAZ issues (i.e. denoise). Thanks for the head's up off camera flash issues. FYI: I received my camera (not an NPS member) one month after actual first delivery (ordered Oct 30th, 2021 - received Jan 23, 2022) - by ordering from a large mainly on line retailer for non-photographic equipment (but recognized Nikon, Canon, Sony authorized dealer). They told me when I ordered they don't sell much "high end" camera equipment. I've heard smaller stores also had better luck although my local store in a major city did not have one for at least one month after I had mine (so they tell me). I'll be looking forward to your "straight shooting" videos. Thanks for all the work you put in to do more than just a fly by review. I can attest to your observations in my own experience. Excellent job!
Jack -- great job. When a DSLR auto-focusses it opens the aperture to the widest possible setting - allowing max light onto the Af sensor - then as you depress the shutter the aperture is closed down to the setting you have chosen to use for your exposure. AND yes boosting ISO to ensure the subject is properly exposed is essential with mirrorless camera. Well unless one is choosing to deliberately under expose (which you still can do when shooting Lossless RAW and recover in LR/PS later) I always thought this was a good idea anyway. When using a Z9 in ultra low light there is no doubt that shooting wide open matches the best of the D5/D6 AF performance where there your subject has high/good contrast. A D5/D6 has a number of cross type AF-sensors and these look at vertical and horizontal contrast differences/ lines to find focus. Steve Perry and Thom Hogan have written extensively on how the AF works in Z-bodies and the Z9 -- both state that initially a Z9 looks to use Phase Detection (PDAF) first and then uses Contrast Detection (CDAF). "DSLRs can tackle horizontal or vertical lines with ease. However, due to the current architecture of our on-sensor PDAF systems, it’s incredibly difficult (read: expensive) to implement both horizontal and vertical AF sensors. Our Z cameras use horizontally masked AF pixels, so, it’s best to feed them a healthy diet of vertical lines.So when shooting in low light rotating the camera a little clockwise and counterclockwise can help. What also helps is to turn off subject tracking and just use Dynamic-Area small or single point so the camera will focus on the closest object under the central point of the area.
I'm getting my Z9 tomorrow 8/24, I ordered it from Allen's Camera in the beginning of Feb. I may try using it at a volleyball match tomorrow also, if the body comes early enough in the day. Thanks for the set-up advice on the Z9!
Wow! Your channel is what I was looking for sports photography. I'm in the market for a Z9 to replace my aging D3s. My Z6II is ok for action. Your video is straight forward and honest.
Hey Jack, I've been watching your videos for about a year now, and I take your advice to heart. Now, I don't know how else to reach out and ask a question, so here goes: I am ready to move up in gear for the upcoming high school football season. Last season was a D500 w/ Tamron 70-200 f2.8. The noise was tough to deal with. This season, I have a D850, and a choice of one of three lenses. Sigma 120-300 OS version (not the new sports model) Nikon 300mm 2.8 G2 version Nikon 400mm 2.8 II Af-S IF Ed I can get the latter two for under 4k, or the Sigma for 1100. What are your thoughts? I'm hoping to really put the lens to use up here in WA, with an eye towards Maxpreps. Thanks in advance and appreciate all the videos...tremendous help sir.
Thanks for watching! So, the 120-300 may be more versatile, overall. However, the combination of the 70-200 and the 400 is pretty much the go-to combination for most sports shooters.
as a thir. Thank you for the video. Added to my knowledge for sure. I've had my Z9 for four months now but still learning since this is the first Nikon camera I've owned since the film days. Have been a Canon, Sony, and Fuji user. While I fortunately found a Nikon OEM as second battery after about a month I also have tried a Wasabi BTR-ENEL18D, as a third battery, through Amazon that appears to be compatible and its only $84 so you might want to take a look.
Question Im new to subscribing so for give me if this question is stupid. One i was looking for the part where you said you have a Card suggestion . and 2nd question did you buy a card reader with it ( because i don't like using my camera port all the time. ) thank your for your time!
It's below the initial description paragraph. Either way, here it is again - www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000044132&configured=1&lang=en_SG
Godox had to update their firmware to work with the Z6II, and I guess it works with the 8 and 9 as well, that's what I use and has given me no problems. The Z6II was driving me nutz with my older light that I have not updated but my newer one works just fine. I'm surpised neewer has not updated the firmware
focus Question sony sports cams use some algorithm to pre-auto-focus a subject moving towards or away from you, based on a calculated marginal shift. does the z9 do that?
Great review Jack. If you were in a situation where you had to shoot at ISO 10800, would you take out your D5/D6 still ? I shoot winter sports and one event is held at night under horrible lighting conditions. Thanks
Yes, that's why I held onto my D5. I had thought about going completely mirrorless and trading in all my DSLRs for a Z9 and a Z6ii (for its better high ISO performance), but I had a sports photographer friend say he was unimpressed by his Z6's AF. So, I hung on to my D5 for those really poor lighting conditions, like football endzones.
Great video. I love my Z9, definitely an amazing sports camera. The shortcuts you can setup in the menu are great. When you do your next video if you figure out how to set the AF presets please let me know. They say you can program button 1 for home plate, button 2 for a focus preset for 2nd base, button 3 for outfield, etc. I just haven’t figured out how to set those yet.
Thanks for the input! Yes, there are a ton of potential settings and options available to discuss. I do know you can set some of the function buttons to alter the focusing modes on the fly. You can also set up a button to completely change the shutter, ISO, and aperture to a set parameter.
Tks travisc410! I have the same problem. Jacks video are really great, but I wish somebody could explain and show in a step by step video how we can program a favorite setting on to the Fn1 - Fn4 buttons! But please dear Jack - in slow motion speaking - since not only US-people are watching YouTupe!! ;-)
Adobe products don't have a problem with the new high efficiency files. It's the Topaz and Luminar products that do. Photoshop (Camera Raw) opens them fine, then you can export to Topaz as a TIF. Also, yes, you can do the same in NX Studio.
What mode do you prefer shooting in? M, A, S, P? You set minimum shutter speeds for low light but how do I use that in practice, it seems that when shooting in M those settings are not being applied.
For the most part, I use manual shutter and aperture and auto ISO. That is, unless the light level is constant throughout a venue. If that's the case, I set the ISO manually. I'm not sure what settings you have going that prevents you from manually changing everything - shutter, aperture, and ISO, when you are in manual mode. The camera does make decisions for you in the other modes - especially Program.
As with all of your videos this was great and honest assessment which is all that we can ask for. Nothing over the top just calm straight forward. I love shooting sports but generally only have time to photograph my kids who play soccer but I've watched all of your videos and have picked up a ton from you. I picked up Z9 this year too and have gone back and forth between dynamic and small area to use eye detect. Not perfect with team sports like you said but I got some pretty nice shots with it. Of course I'm shooting at f5.6 on 200-500 and not f2.8 so I have a little more lee way because of that. You didn't mention which card you were shooting with. I've been using Delkin black which seems to handle heat a little better than some other big name brands. I was shooting is about 20 degree cooler temps than you as well. Out shooting in 105 degree temps? I'm impressed by that. I'm really looking forward to future content on your channel.
Thanks! I have SanDisc cards and apparently, those have a reputation for getting hot. I haven't gotten that hot card warning since that event even though I did another hot summer day game. It's probably because I was being mindful of turning off the camera in-between shooting.
I’ve gone as high as ISO HI-2 (102,400) shooting night time rodeo. With DxO Photolab Deep Prime NR + Topaz Labs Sharpen AI, turned out a lot better than I thought it would.
Im having a REALLY hard time focusing my kids running w my z7ii . Anything in motion im having a really hard time with. Well focused backgrounds w blurred kids. Help please!
There are a lot of factors at play here. It depends on the AF mode you're in. Basically, it sounds like you're missing him and the AF points are catching the background. What sport? If it's football or soccer, I like to use dynamic small and put the AF group on their face or chest.
Hi Jack, I just wanted to say that this video was exactly what I was wondering. I've only really gotten back into photography in the last two years and have been shooting my son in Marching Band, Cross Country and Track. This year I branched out into field events. I shoot a D750 with a sigma 70-200/2.8 and a D5100 with a Tamron 17-50/2.8. I really liked this video because I've been thinking about a D6 or a Z9. I also liked it because you talked more about pushing the ISO. I've been scared to go above 1600. In my experiments with Topaz I didn't find it better than adjustments in Lightroom and Photoshop, but maybe I'm just not pushing it to where Topaz shines. Anyway, thanks.
I was debating whether to go with a D6 or Z9, but in the end, I went with the Z9. Mirrorless is the future and the Z9 is a remarkable camera. Plus, it actually costs less than a new D6.
I'd never used Topaz DeNoise before getting my Z9 but tried it after seeing a TH-cam review. Wow. Leaps and bounds better than anything I've used previously at any ISO. Even low ISO images look better and the AI process for DeNoise actually has the effect of slightly sharpening the images as well. After importing to LR it's now the first step in my post processing. Topaz let you have a free trial.
you don't need to be shooting at fast rates, I have a Z8 which notoriously has more overheat issues, I am an automotive photographer, which just means I take pictures of cars for a dealership in Miami FL, needless to say it has been hot here, record breaking temps every day for the past week or two I only shoot single shots sometimes pretty much in a row but there is a decent time interval from shot to shot. Two days in a row have given me "hot Card" warnings afte an hour or hour and a half of shootingI actually jut kept shooting but turning the camera off between cars, and scenes where I had to move the car. But frankly didn't make me warm and fuzzy, I have to maybe look for another card brand that has better heat management, seen some videos about it, but of course generally they are much more expensive and since I'm not a high ticket photographer ...........
Hi, interesting to hear your review. I have just received my Z9 and so far I am super satisfied. If you watch "Hudson Henry Photography, "Approaching the Scene 192: My Favorite Z9 Accessories + Z9 Rants & Raves", after about 15 minutes he describes how he connects a cheap battery bank directly to the camera and continues using it while charging the battery.
Yep, saw that. I even bought the battery bank thinking it was a good idea. But, when you're in the middle of game and your battery is tapping out, you just want to swap it out and not have a battery bank hanging somewhere. Luckily, I had some old batteries that work in the Z9.
Not sure what you mean. They both have high pixel count sensors that aren’t as good in low ISO situations. One just has a large sensor. If anything, you should look at sports cameras with lower megapixels like a used D5 or D6.
@@JackBeasleyMedia I'll clear that up for you. Lol.. No mirrorless is gonna hang with a DSLR to this day in low light with no flash. I mean you're scared to go past 6400iso.. I just shot a PRCA Pro Rodeo at 1/1250 @ 1250 ISO and the histogram was just slightly more to the left.. No Nikon Mirrorless would hang with my D500.. A D4/5/6 images will look worse as one has to crop down as where the action fills the frame on a D500 with a 70-200mm. The D500 is a 20.1mp...that's not high mp!
@@JackBeasleyMedia You have the connections to get good access to a Rodeo with your background.. I would love if you would take this so called Flag Ship to a dark Rodeo and show us what the Z9 can do. Take one of your DSLR's with you also. Gotta be the z9 as all other Z's will not keep up AF wise!
The pixel pitch (the distance between the pixels in the sensor) on the D500 (4.2 microns) approximates the pixel pitch of the Z9 (4.34) and the D850 (4.34) - both cameras known for their high-resolution sensors. The reason the D500 has a 20mp sensor and not a 45mp sensor like the Z9 or D850 is because the sensor is smaller in size - so fewer megapixels. That high resolution sensor in the D500 is also the reason it has a poor signal-to-noise ratio compared to full-frame Nikon cameras with pixel pitches like the D5 (6.41), the D6 (6.43), and the Z6ii (5.92). This belies your assertion that no mirrorless will hang with your D500 in low light. Actually, the Z6ii will likely be superior with its larger pixel pitch. And, since the Z9 has approximately the same pixel pitch as the D500, their low light performance would be roughly equivalent. In fact, I would argue that the Z9 would be better as it has a larger sensor. Sure, you could argue that you get more "reach" with the crop sensor D500, but do you really? I could put the Z9 in DX mode and get the same result. And I'm sorry to tell you, I've known several professional sports photographers who gave up their D500s because the noise was too great in low light situations. They all moved to full-frame cameras.
I forgot to mention - how much grain and noise you're willing to accept may be very different from myself. For example, I top out at ISO 16000 in my D5 - which is a low-light monster. With the Z9, I'm comfortable taking it to 10,000 but prefer not to. I've also taken it to ISO 20,000, but again, I prefer not to. My primary sports client is very grain and noise sensitive, so I avoid pushing my ISOs too far.
Yep, still have my D5 until Nikon comes out with a mirrorless camera, truly suitable as a low light, high ISO (and affordable) back up to my Z9. I hear about the Z8, but rumor has it that it'll be targeted for portraits and landscapes.
Good afternoon Jack. I'm about to buy the Z9! I'll be using it for sports photography. This is my first year shooting sports, high school in the LA area. I just got my credential from CIF!! Maybe I'll see you out there. My name is Carlos Jones. Looking forward to my Z9! I'll be looking at more of your videos for info. Would love to hear from you! @c_jphotography77.
Lovely practical review. Nice to see a real photographer give his thoughts as opposed to a professional "influencer" with all the bells and whistles in their production, but without real experience under their belt. Cheers from Copenhagen, sir. Great insight and very well put together review. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Jack Love your videos! I have had my Z9 since December and love it. I shoot mainly surfing and wildlife. I have been using Wasabi batteries in my Z9 without issue both before and after firmware 2.0 without issue. I have also been using Delkin Black CFExpress and the new Angelbird cards without any overheating issues. Keep shooting and posting videos. Bob
Thanks for the input and suggestions!
Jack, as far as the focus area modes are concerned, have you tried the 'hybrid' combination - it works astonishingly well. Set your default area mode to wide-area large or small (or even C1 or C2 as you prefer) with eye detect set on and activating focus with the half press of the shutter button. Then customise the AF-On button as Focus + 3D tracking. Half-press the shutter and put the focus area somewhere close to your subject and the eye/face tracking kicks in and you get a small green box on the head/eye. As soon as it does that, press and hold the AF-On and the 3D will now track that subject anywhere within the viewfinder, not just in the AF area box. Note that the letter-box shape for C2 is only the default: you can customise C1 and C2 to your preferred size and shape.
Hmm, that sounds interesting. I'll have to give that a try. Thanks!
Great idea Geoff!!!! I used your advice for Muay Thai Boxing here in Thailand a lot! I had the problem that during the fights always audience was in the background of the 2 fights and the Z9 loved to track them, instead the fighters.
Very often the referee was also going between me and the fighters and the 3D tracking had problems to re-track the fighters, but with your advice I could limit the field very good and the Z9 did a great job.
The fighters was around 20m away from me and I could track them with your advice with the custom focus field and my 85mm f1.8 lens very good.
Yes, a 85mm f1.8 is normally not my first choice for such events. But I was here on vacation and I have here only my 24-70 f2.8, 85mm f1.8 and my Sigma sports 60-600 f4.5-6.6. My 70-200 f2.8 was at home.
I got a good seat and angle to the scene and so the 85mm f1.8 was the best choice.
@@PhanchaiSiam555 Don't use 3D with multiple subjects or if needing to not focus on feet or butts... 3D is a true joke especially on a paying job.
@@MrDan1509 you really don’t understand how he is telling you to set up the hybrid way of using it then🤦♂️
@@jimpack9622 LMAO....nice try tho!
Thank you for this video as it was informative. I have a Z9 on order myself. Can't wait.
Was the intro a shot at jared polin😂
He was spot on though. I myself have stopped watching these so called ‘camera reviewers’ and only look to actual working photographers for opinion on cameras.
Hi Jack I’ve just taken possession on the Z9 I’m in Australia and photograph horse racing I’m really looking forward to using it, love your video.
I use the Z9 for Australian Rules Football. The keeper rate is twice what I was getting with the D5 or D6. So much so that I often reduce the frame rate to 5 or 6 fps. Agree with Dynamic Small for team sports. For low light/high ISO files I recommend DxO PureRAW 2, ideal for night sport or shaded wildlife. Cheers from Australia.
Thanks for watching!
Really helpful information! Thanks so much! Look forward to any future updates.
More to come!
Great video. I didn't know you could do batches with Topaz DeNoise?? Can you give me a hint where I can find that?
Prior to the HE RAW from this camera, I'd simply open all the files I wanted to batch process directly in Topaz Denoise - before they went to Lightroom. With the HE files, I import them as DNGs in Lightroom, export them as the same without edits, then open as a batch in Denoise.
By importing into LR, then exporting again, are you essentially saving to your disk 2x? Do you cull them in photomechanic first? Topaz will make yet another copy. My 2105 iMac might melt down…
Yes, I cull the original RAWs in PhotoMechanic first. Any duplicates, as you’ve pointed out, are deleted. Also, I do all this editing off an external drive to not clog up my PC. I back that up with another external drive.
Shot the IndyCar race at Road America using dynamic area small on the Z9. Worked very well. I mostly use single point with my D500 and D850.
I absolutely love the information you provided regarding the Z9, I was able to get my hands on the Z9 from NikonUSA, it took approximately 4 Months before it actually arrived, unfortunately, I haven't taken it out to shoot pictures yet, during my wait, I acquired a lot of the S-Line Lenses which I was using on my Z 7-II, I hoping to go on a Cruise Trip to Alaska next Year, and by that time, I should be familiar with the inner workings of the Z9, hopefully by next Year, my Z 400mm 2.8 will arrive as well. The information you provided regarding the focus modes is a winner, I've saved this video to review again when needed, as well as have subscribed to your Channel, can't wait to see real world tips you have to offer for your viewers.
Thanks for all the great comments and good luck!
As far as CFexpress cards you might check out the: Angelbird 160GB AV PRO CFexpress 2.0 Type B SX Memory Card. It has a minimum sustained write speeds of 1480 MB/s. I bought mine at B&H. This model (SX) is optimized for minimum sustained write speeds. So far I have been very happy with them.
Thanks for the input!
Great material, thank you. I'm thinking of buying a Z8. I understand that for sports you recommend two AF modes, depending on the subject dynamic area 9 fields and wide area with eye (face) tracking. Could you compare the AF on the Z8/Z9 with the cameras: D850 and D780? I own D780. Is the AF on the Z8 perceptibly better and by switching to the Z8 will I notice that I have sharper photos? I photograph canoe slalom, very often against the light.
Will the move from the D780 to the D850 also show a significant increase in AF performance in sports applications? I would still use the 9-field dynamic area (I think).
Which decision seems more correct to you? Sorry for this question, I know there are 100s of aspects and threads here. But maybe you can say subjectively.
The Z8/Z9 is light years ahead of any DSLR in the area of AF. They will pick out a person’s head at a distance and their eyes closer up. Moving from 780 to 850 won’t see a significant upgrade in autofocus.
Great insight Jack! I wish Nikon will come up with a mirrorless version of D500 for those who take pictures of their kid's volleyball games but can't afford a Z9.
Yeah, right now the crop frame Nikon cameras aren't at D500 levels.
Good job Jack. Workflow question.
Do you cull in PM then place all the selects into a separate folder then send those through denoise? If so how many images about and how long does that take?
I'm still running 24 at a time in denoise through LR. Takes a while...
Thanks! Normally, I cull in PM than run the RAWS through Denoise in a large batch (by camera model). However, with the Z9 HE RAWs, I first cull, import them to Lightroom as DNGs, then export them as the same for batch processing in Denoise. Even after culling a game, I'll still have something like 500 images to run through Denoise. It takes hours if I do the whole batch. For MaxPreps, that's OK. I'm not on a hard deadline with them and I just run it at night while I'm asleep. If I'm on a deadline for a newspaper, I'll be far more selective, picking out a few a really like, and running those together. Then, we're talking only a few minutes.
@@JackBeasleyMedia thanks. I just got accepted to maxpreps last week. Thanks for the help.
Jack. Your videos are awesome!
Thank you!
Jack I came from using my D5, D4S, D850 and D500 and the Z9 gives me more keepers. It’s far from perfect, you have to use the various focus tracking modes as non is perfect for everything and it’s taken me some time to get this right. I’m a motorsport photographer primarily and I found the Z9 needs contrast to work best. The Z9 works really well with my 400mm f/2.8E FL and VR 300mm f/2.8G with the FTZ2 adaptor.
Yep, since I made this video, I’ve used it on more events and games. I’m still figuring out how to best use the AF modes in a variety of conditions.
@@JackBeasleyMedia Do get your hands on an Olympus M1X , and feel what a real sports camera should behave as far as focus is concerned, and real precapture, Z9's euphemism for Oly Procapture. You never mentioned the horendous settings mode save to card Nikon method.
Hi Jack. My first time to the channel. I'm an armature photography (x4.5 years) coming to ML from DSLR (D850/D500) for wildlife/sports/action. Your general assessment of the AF modes are spot on. I could go into enormous detail on when I use what AF mode and why, but suffice it to say that all "WA" modes work best when you have a single animal, nothing "closer" since WA uses distance to focus plane as well, and you are using AI AF modes (people, animal). 3D for me works best when subject is close (animal), but is not as sticky as Sony - focus point jumps around at random times to sometimes unpredictable places (not even including the "jump to the background" secondary to OSPDAF horizontal array of masked pixels). I also have Dynamic as my "DSLR" Z9 backup for the reason you mentioned (although you give up AI AF). NEF file noise: What program are you using to edit/view Z9 files and is it set to "Adobe or camera specific" if LR? For me, HE* at higher ISOs appear to show more noise in the shadows than LLC. Was the 400mm f/2.8 the new version with TC or the E version? Do you ever use a power brick (cheaper than another battery). Excellent overall "initial (comprehensive)" look. I also completely agree about TOPAZ issues (i.e. denoise). Thanks for the head's up off camera flash issues. FYI: I received my camera (not an NPS member) one month after actual first delivery (ordered Oct 30th, 2021 - received Jan 23, 2022) - by ordering from a large mainly on line retailer for non-photographic equipment (but recognized Nikon, Canon, Sony authorized dealer). They told me when I ordered they don't sell much "high end" camera equipment. I've heard smaller stores also had better luck although my local store in a major city did not have one for at least one month after I had mine (so they tell me). I'll be looking forward to your "straight shooting" videos. Thanks for all the work you put in to do more than just a fly by review. I can attest to your observations in my own experience. Excellent job!
Thanks for all the comments and input!
Thanks so much for making this video!! Great information
Glad it was helpful!
Jack -- great job.
When a DSLR auto-focusses it opens the aperture to the widest possible setting - allowing max light onto the Af sensor - then as you depress the shutter the aperture is closed down to the setting you have chosen to use for your exposure. AND yes boosting ISO to ensure the subject is properly exposed is essential with mirrorless camera. Well unless one is choosing to deliberately under expose (which you still can do when shooting Lossless RAW and recover in LR/PS later) I always thought this was a good idea anyway. When using a Z9 in ultra low light there is no doubt that shooting wide open matches the best of the D5/D6 AF performance where there your subject has high/good contrast.
A D5/D6 has a number of cross type AF-sensors and these look at vertical and horizontal contrast differences/ lines to find focus. Steve Perry and Thom Hogan have written extensively on how the AF works in Z-bodies and the Z9 -- both state that initially a Z9 looks to use Phase Detection (PDAF) first and then uses Contrast Detection (CDAF). "DSLRs can tackle horizontal or vertical lines with ease. However, due to the current architecture of our on-sensor PDAF systems, it’s incredibly difficult (read: expensive) to implement both horizontal and vertical AF sensors. Our Z cameras use horizontally masked AF pixels,
so, it’s best to feed them a healthy diet of vertical lines.So when shooting in low light rotating the camera a little clockwise and counterclockwise can help. What also helps is to turn off subject tracking and just use Dynamic-Area small or single point so the camera will focus on the closest object under the central point of the area.
Lots of good info. Thanks
I'm getting my Z9 tomorrow 8/24, I ordered it from Allen's Camera in the beginning of Feb. I may try using it at a volleyball match tomorrow also, if the body comes early enough in the day. Thanks for the set-up advice on the Z9!
Good luck and have fun!
@@JackBeasleyMedia Thanks Jack, by the way I have some BATMAX batteries and they seem to work in the Z9.
Wow! Your channel is what I was looking for sports photography. I'm in the market for a Z9 to replace my aging D3s. My Z6II is ok for action.
Your video is straight forward and honest.
Thanks Von, glad you liked it!
Hey Jack, I've been watching your videos for about a year now, and I take your advice to heart. Now, I don't know how else to reach out and ask a question, so here goes: I am ready to move up in gear for the upcoming high school football season. Last season was a D500 w/ Tamron 70-200 f2.8. The noise was tough to deal with. This season, I have a D850, and a choice of one of three lenses.
Sigma 120-300 OS version (not the new sports model)
Nikon 300mm 2.8 G2 version
Nikon 400mm 2.8 II Af-S IF Ed
I can get the latter two for under 4k, or the Sigma for 1100. What are your thoughts? I'm hoping to really put the lens to use up here in WA, with an eye towards Maxpreps.
Thanks in advance and appreciate all the videos...tremendous help sir.
Thanks for watching! So, the 120-300 may be more versatile, overall. However, the combination of the 70-200 and the 400 is pretty much the go-to combination for most sports shooters.
Jack, great video always..What metering mode do you use for Sport photography?
Always matrix
Jack....The Link is dead for the compatible CF Express cards.
Apparently, they changed it. It's fixed now in the description.
as a thir. Thank you for the video. Added to my knowledge for sure. I've had my Z9 for four months now but still learning since this is the first Nikon camera I've owned since the film days. Have been a Canon, Sony, and Fuji user. While I fortunately found a Nikon OEM as second battery after about a month I also have tried a Wasabi BTR-ENEL18D, as a third battery, through Amazon that appears to be compatible and its only $84 so you might want to take a look.
Thanks, I'll check it out!
Question Im new to subscribing so for give me if this question is stupid. One i was looking for the part where you said you have a Card suggestion . and 2nd question did you buy a card reader with it ( because i don't like using my camera port all the time. ) thank your for your time!
It's below the initial description paragraph. Either way, here it is again - www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000044132&configured=1&lang=en_SG
Godox had to update their firmware to work with the Z6II, and I guess it works with the 8 and 9 as well, that's what I use and has given me no problems. The Z6II was driving me nutz with my older light that I have not updated but my newer one works just fine. I'm surpised neewer has not updated the firmware
focus Question
sony sports cams use some algorithm to pre-auto-focus a subject moving towards or away from you, based on a calculated marginal shift.
does the z9 do that?
The Z9 does do predictive analysis to track subjects.
@@JackBeasleyMedia thank you.
04:40 I use it for portrait photography, but not for sports, yes.
Great review Jack. If you were in a situation where you had to shoot at ISO 10800, would you take out your D5/D6 still ? I shoot winter sports and one event is held at night under horrible lighting conditions. Thanks
Yes, that's why I held onto my D5. I had thought about going completely mirrorless and trading in all my DSLRs for a Z9 and a Z6ii (for its better high ISO performance), but I had a sports photographer friend say he was unimpressed by his Z6's AF. So, I hung on to my D5 for those really poor lighting conditions, like football endzones.
Great video. I love my Z9, definitely an amazing sports camera. The shortcuts you can setup in the menu are great. When you do your next video if you figure out how to set the AF presets please let me know. They say you can program button 1 for home plate, button 2 for a focus preset for 2nd base, button 3 for outfield, etc. I just haven’t figured out how to set those yet.
Thanks for the input! Yes, there are a ton of potential settings and options available to discuss. I do know you can set some of the function buttons to alter the focusing modes on the fly. You can also set up a button to completely change the shutter, ISO, and aperture to a set parameter.
Tks travisc410!
I have the same problem. Jacks video are really great, but I wish somebody could explain and show in a step by step video how we can program a favorite setting on to the Fn1 - Fn4 buttons!
But please dear Jack - in slow motion speaking - since not only US-people are watching YouTupe!! ;-)
Hello how are you! How do you use the raw file directly in Adobe Photoshop if it gives a compatibility error? Or go to NX studio and pass the TIF?
Adobe products don't have a problem with the new high efficiency files. It's the Topaz and Luminar products that do. Photoshop (Camera Raw) opens them fine, then you can export to Topaz as a TIF. Also, yes, you can do the same in NX Studio.
What mode do you prefer shooting in? M, A, S, P? You set minimum shutter speeds for low light but how do I use that in practice, it seems that when shooting in M those settings are not being applied.
For the most part, I use manual shutter and aperture and auto ISO. That is, unless the light level is constant throughout a venue. If that's the case, I set the ISO manually. I'm not sure what settings you have going that prevents you from manually changing everything - shutter, aperture, and ISO, when you are in manual mode. The camera does make decisions for you in the other modes - especially Program.
As with all of your videos this was great and honest assessment which is all that we can ask for. Nothing over the top just calm straight forward. I love shooting sports but generally only have time to photograph my kids who play soccer but I've watched all of your videos and have picked up a ton from you. I picked up Z9 this year too and have gone back and forth between dynamic and small area to use eye detect. Not perfect with team sports like you said but I got some pretty nice shots with it. Of course I'm shooting at f5.6 on 200-500 and not f2.8 so I have a little more lee way because of that. You didn't mention which card you were shooting with. I've been using Delkin black which seems to handle heat a little better than some other big name brands. I was shooting is about 20 degree cooler temps than you as well. Out shooting in 105 degree temps? I'm impressed by that. I'm really looking forward to future content on your channel.
Thanks! I have SanDisc cards and apparently, those have a reputation for getting hot. I haven't gotten that hot card warning since that event even though I did another hot summer day game. It's probably because I was being mindful of turning off the camera in-between shooting.
Very helpful video, thank you very much.
Glad it was helpful!
I’ve gone as high as ISO HI-2 (102,400) shooting night time rodeo. With DxO Photolab Deep Prime NR + Topaz Labs Sharpen AI, turned out a lot better than I thought it would.
Have you tried downsampling the Z9 files to the size of the D5? If so, do you find the noise to be similar at higher ISOs?
I plan to have a video in the next couple weeks on that subject.
Im having a REALLY hard time focusing my kids running w my z7ii . Anything in motion im having a really hard time with. Well focused backgrounds w blurred kids. Help please!
There are a lot of factors at play here. It depends on the AF mode you're in. Basically, it sounds like you're missing him and the AF points are catching the background. What sport? If it's football or soccer, I like to use dynamic small and put the AF group on their face or chest.
@@JackBeasleyMedia just practicing at the park w new camera. I’ll be shooting my daughters gymnastics soon. Thanks so much Jack!
Thanks for the review. After a 6 month wait my Z9 finally arrived last week. And you're right, tried my D5 battery in the Z9 and it doesn't fit.
Thanks for sharing
Hi Jack, I just wanted to say that this video was exactly what I was wondering. I've only really gotten back into photography in the last two years and have been shooting my son in Marching Band, Cross Country and Track. This year I branched out into field events. I shoot a D750 with a sigma 70-200/2.8 and a D5100 with a Tamron 17-50/2.8. I really liked this video because I've been thinking about a D6 or a Z9. I also liked it because you talked more about pushing the ISO. I've been scared to go above 1600. In my experiments with Topaz I didn't find it better than adjustments in Lightroom and Photoshop, but maybe I'm just not pushing it to where Topaz shines. Anyway, thanks.
I was debating whether to go with a D6 or Z9, but in the end, I went with the Z9. Mirrorless is the future and the Z9 is a remarkable camera. Plus, it actually costs less than a new D6.
I'd never used Topaz DeNoise before getting my Z9 but tried it after seeing a TH-cam review. Wow. Leaps and bounds better than anything I've used previously at any ISO. Even low ISO images look better and the AI process for DeNoise actually has the effect of slightly sharpening the images as well. After importing to LR it's now the first step in my post processing. Topaz let you have a free trial.
Make a research about cards/temperature performance. Have in mind that the Z9 is a high performance camera it demands speed from the cards.
you don't need to be shooting at fast rates, I have a Z8 which notoriously has more overheat issues, I am an automotive photographer, which just means I take pictures of cars for a dealership in Miami FL, needless to say it has been hot here, record breaking temps every day for the past week or two I only shoot single shots sometimes pretty much in a row but there is a decent time interval from shot to shot. Two days in a row have given me "hot Card" warnings afte an hour or hour and a half of shootingI actually jut kept shooting but turning the camera off between cars, and scenes where I had to move the car. But frankly didn't make me warm and fuzzy, I have to maybe look for another card brand that has better heat management, seen some videos about it, but of course generally they are much more expensive and since I'm not a high ticket photographer ...........
Hi, interesting to hear your review. I have just received my Z9 and so far I am super satisfied.
If you watch "Hudson Henry Photography, "Approaching the Scene 192: My Favorite Z9 Accessories + Z9 Rants & Raves", after about 15 minutes he describes how he connects a cheap battery bank directly to the camera and continues using it while charging the battery.
Yep, saw that. I even bought the battery bank thinking it was a good idea. But, when you're in the middle of game and your battery is tapping out, you just want to swap it out and not have a battery bank hanging somewhere. Luckily, I had some old batteries that work in the Z9.
Lol. Still not selling my D500. I would lose jobs with the z9.. I shoot with no flash just high ISO for Rodeos!
Not sure what you mean. They both have high pixel count sensors that aren’t as good in low ISO situations. One just has a large sensor. If anything, you should look at sports cameras with lower megapixels like a used D5 or D6.
@@JackBeasleyMedia I'll clear that up for you. Lol.. No mirrorless is gonna hang with a DSLR to this day in low light with no flash. I mean you're scared to go past 6400iso.. I just shot a PRCA Pro Rodeo at 1/1250 @ 1250 ISO and the histogram was just slightly more to the left.. No Nikon Mirrorless would hang with my D500.. A D4/5/6 images will look worse as one has to crop down as where the action fills the frame on a D500 with a 70-200mm.
The D500 is a 20.1mp...that's not high mp!
@@JackBeasleyMedia You have the connections to get good access to a Rodeo with your background.. I would love if you would take this so called Flag Ship to a dark Rodeo and show us what the Z9 can do. Take one of your DSLR's with you also. Gotta be the z9 as all other Z's will not keep up AF wise!
The pixel pitch (the distance between the pixels in the sensor) on the D500 (4.2 microns) approximates the pixel pitch of the Z9 (4.34) and the D850 (4.34) - both cameras known for their high-resolution sensors. The reason the D500 has a 20mp sensor and not a 45mp sensor like the Z9 or D850 is because the sensor is smaller in size - so fewer megapixels. That high resolution sensor in the D500 is also the reason it has a poor signal-to-noise ratio compared to full-frame Nikon cameras with pixel pitches like the D5 (6.41), the D6 (6.43), and the Z6ii (5.92). This belies your assertion that no mirrorless will hang with your D500 in low light. Actually, the Z6ii will likely be superior with its larger pixel pitch. And, since the Z9 has approximately the same pixel pitch as the D500, their low light performance would be roughly equivalent. In fact, I would argue that the Z9 would be better as it has a larger sensor. Sure, you could argue that you get more "reach" with the crop sensor D500, but do you really? I could put the Z9 in DX mode and get the same result. And I'm sorry to tell you, I've known several professional sports photographers who gave up their D500s because the noise was too great in low light situations. They all moved to full-frame cameras.
I forgot to mention - how much grain and noise you're willing to accept may be very different from myself. For example, I top out at ISO 16000 in my D5 - which is a low-light monster. With the Z9, I'm comfortable taking it to 10,000 but prefer not to. I've also taken it to ISO 20,000, but again, I prefer not to. My primary sports client is very grain and noise sensitive, so I avoid pushing my ISOs too far.
Expensive camera that cannot handle my Caribbean weather.....the heat of Barbados......what should i buy ??
So...don't.
👍🏾🙏🏾
Still hanging onto my D4S
Yep, still have my D5 until Nikon comes out with a mirrorless camera, truly suitable as a low light, high ISO (and affordable) back up to my Z9. I hear about the Z8, but rumor has it that it'll be targeted for portraits and landscapes.
Imagine the day when auto iso is default and the camera goes from 64 iso to 30,000 iso without noticeable noise. It’s coming.
Dont forget to mention...you are cropping with an expensive lens🙃
True dat.
Holy blown out white shirt.. Digital still sucks
Good afternoon Jack. I'm about to buy the Z9! I'll be using it for sports photography. This is my first year shooting sports, high school in the LA area. I just got my credential from CIF!! Maybe I'll see you out there. My name is Carlos Jones. Looking forward to my Z9! I'll be looking at more of your videos for info. Would love to hear from you! @c_jphotography77.
Thanks for watching!