I set the max ISO to 200 so that I can use the dial to control max ISO. The dial will override the max ISO. So if I’m shooting in mixed lighting, I can quickly increase the ISO on the dial. This is the best implementation of auto ISO I have used.
Yes, put an end to this drama😂👍 Great and simple explanation. This makes total sense if you have used the Nikon system before but I still think Nikon should offer the option to let people choose to make the dial override auto ISO into fully manual ISO again. It would then avoid the need to use a custom button (which are only a few on the ZF). I personally like it the Nikon way. I switch auto ISO off/on in the My Menu. Quick enough for me✌🏻
Hey Samuel, in auto-ISO mode the ISO-wheel sets the MINIMUM ISO. Using this function you won't need full manual ISO anymore. Explanation: As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in auto-iso the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO. Use cases: So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. auto-ISO you can bring up the ambiant light without lowering you shutterspeed below 1/60. Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. auto-ISO. And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO. Cheers from Stuttgart
I also use auto iso on/off in the My Menu. I set maximum auto iso at 1600 and use top dial to override it as needed. Exp compensation works great too, in the case you want to manipulate camera's metering value.
@@chrislekhavanija one extra thing I do is I use the front custom button to activate highlighted metering. So if exposure compensation is too slow I press that custom button to instantly protect the highlights. This + exposure compensation makes auto ISO a permanent thing for me👍
@@CatPixStudio thanks for this comprehensive explanation! Makes total sense! Not everyone will want to have this much control though. It would make sense for most people to have a simple auto ISO and manual iso switch. I personally shoot manual + auto ISO with my ZF. So I don't need to override my Max and minimum ISO values because they will always do the exposure work for me and I control the amount by using exposure compensation or highlighted weighted metering via custom button for example. But I can see how useful the override feature is for people who shoot aperture or shutter priority.
The easiest way to deal with ISO on the Zf is simple but not intuitive to first realize. Simply go into camera settings, Auto ISO and turn it ON. Now adjust maximum ISO to 200 (the lowest). Leave minimum shutter to auto. Now your ISO wheel is your maximum ISO allowed. So for example you want to limit the range to an upper of 12800 in a dark room, set 12800 on the dial, done. The camera will use 100-12800 prioritizing the lowest it can use. Walk outside into a cloudy day? Twist the dial to 800. Now your auto iso range is 100-800. Want lowest only? Twist dial to 100 and there you go. See how easy it is on this camera? All these other ways are convoluted and waste the ISO dials functionality as well as other programmable buttons which can be used for something better.
So I've tried this set my Auto ISO on and my max to 200, however when I move the dial up to my preferred max ISO of 6400 that just makes it lock in 6400 period at all times, it's not actually defaulting to trying to use as low as possible up until 6400. Any advice?
@@Nevpaurion7 It will act as minimum ISO if you’re in A or P mode. Give it a shot in M or S. If you use A/P primarily you may want to go in the menu and and adjust the range to 6400. Nikon definitely should have explained this in a manual somewhere but they left it for us to decipher.
@@kalimarus Ooooh ok thank you so much that explains it, I prefer aperture priority most of the time so this makes total sense. Thanks for the tip! Agreed on the manual, it's lacking to say the least lol
00:02 Nikon Zf ISO settings and adjustments 00:47 ISO settings on Nikon Zf 01:29 Set movie button to ISO setting for easy access. 02:03 Easy ISO adjustment using custom controls 02:47 Nikon Zf allows you to activate auto ISO through the menu. 03:31 Activate Auto ISO on Nikon Zf 04:13 Nikon Zf allows for manual and auto ISO adjustment. 05:02 ISO on Nikon Zf can be controlled in different modes
I have a Nikon ZF and ZFc also a Fujifilm XT3 and XT5, I Also have DSLR and mirrorless cameras, that reason why I bought the ZF and XT cameras was to use the dials on top of the cameras, some people still have a film camera along with the digital systems but by using the manual dials on top of the cameras along with a lens that has a manual aperture ring gives you the analog shooting experience with out the downside of film. These cameras do slow down the photography process but it makes you think more about the photography process and that is the beauty of a camera like that Nikon ZF and Fujifilm XT cameras. They make great landscape cameras that get you more involved in the photography process.
The principle is the same as every other Nikon. I think using the dial to increase minimum ISO in A mode is quite useful - in situations where your aperture is fully open but you temporarily need to increase the shutter speed just turn the dial up. That way you don't need to go into a different mode first.
Finally someone who understands Nikon's very customizable and useful auto-ISO functions 👍 The problem is that Nikon doesn't explain this. At least not in their ZF manual. As a long term Nikon shooter you just know this. But I can see that this isn't self explanatory for Nikon newbies.
@@CatPixStudio - Indeed. PSMA dial - had that on the FA. AutoISO, same principle as my D3, just different dials/buttons. At the end of the day it's about one's mindset. You approach the thing with 'that's how it should work' in your mind - or with 'how does that thing work?’. In my opinion the best mode for Nikon digital is "autoM", rarely use anything else, if ever. Auto ISO with M (and exp compensation) allows for greatest flexibility. It's a sort of an fully adjustable full-auto mode. Shooting landscape? Set preferred aperture, lower shutter speed to your liking, to get best/lowest ISO, for a 'sure' shot. Then lower shutter speed further, to get even lower ISO. Change to telephoto lens, people now, open up aperture, set shutter speed and go. Two clicks, no need to change anything else/go in a different mode. That's perhaps not the experience people are looking for if going for a retro inspired camera. However, the controls on the Zf allow you to pick your level of manual/retro up to the point using it like a non-retro Nikon (which is actually done in the video, using the 'rec' button for the 'iso' button found on the other Z's).
Another useful feature of the ISO dial + C combined with Auto ISO: you can set Auto ISO minimum to Lo1 then keep the dial set to ISO 100 (which overrides the Lo1 minimum) for normal shooting - then if you want to shoot at f/1.4 or wider in bright daylight, you can just switch the ISO dial to C and Auto ISO will use Lo1. Sort of a workaround for not having an electronic shutter speed faster than 1/8000 sec.
Hey Omar, thank you for the great content! I've got an important addition to using the ISO-wheel in auto-ISO mode: It sets the MINIMUM ISO in auto-ISO mode. Explanation: As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in auto-iso the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO. Use cases: So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. auto-ISO you can bring up the ambiant light without lowering you shutterspeed below 1/60. Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. auto-ISO. And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO. Cheers from Stuttgart
Exactly!!! An "A" position in the ISO-dial cannot do the "magic" many people expect. If there was an A position in the ISO-dial, then the entire concept of auto-ISO on Nikon cameras would have to be "reduced" to what it is on Fuji cameras. Yes, the Fuji concept also works, but takes away all control of ISO when you switch to A. On a Nikon the auto-ISO concept is very different than on a Fuji. It is not really "auto". It is more like "ISO-assist". When you turn auto-ISO ON in a Nikon camera, the only thing the camera does is to take the liberty to silently increase your ISO up to your "maximum ISO setting" if-and-only-if a) the camera controls the shutter speed, and b) the shutter speed has to drop below your "minimum shutter speed" setting to achieve optimal exposure. So, there is no "auto-ISO" on Nikon cameras in the same way that Fuji does this. On a Fuji, when you turn auto-ISO ON you relinquish all control of ISO to the camera. On a Nikon you are always in control and can always override the "maximum ISO setting" with the dial without having to switch "auto-ISO" OFF. It's the name of the feature that causes the confusion, but I guess Nikon could not change the name "auto-ISO" to "ISO-assist" since the feature existed in Nikon cameras with that same name long before Fuji cameras appeared with a different concept. The Fuji concept is simpler to understand, but gives you less control than the implementation of Nikon.
@@y.roussocorrect. And, if it is increasing the ISO, it even tells you. The Auto ISO then starts to blink. Whenever I put this exact comment under a video, I get back: "No, the blinking has nothing to do with it. It always does that in Auto ISO." 🫠
The ISO dial on the ZF configures the "minimum" auto ISO setting when the camera is in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, P mode, and Auto mode. It does not establish the minimum ISO in Manual (M) mode. Nevertheless, the dial will override the "maximum" auto ISO setting in all modes.
@@chrislekhavanija I guess this is not an incorrect way to describe it, but I think it would be more accurate to acknowledge that there is no notion of "minimum" ISO level in the camera. There is just one ISO level which you select and there is no "minimum" or "maximum" to it. When you turn auto-ISO ON, you tell the camera to "feel free" to use a higher ISO than the one you selected, up to the maximum ISO value that you specify. And that's all. That is why the camera never tries to lower your ISO setting. Not because it is a "minimum" but because you never told the camera to "feel free" to use a lower ISO than the one you selected. There is no such use case. :)
That explains so much about how the ISO dial looked to be sometimes on auto and sometimes not. Thank you so much! I'm almost starting to think some of the criticism about the Z f is actually related to complex programming Nikon opted for. I'm loving mine so far
The blinking light, no pun intended, in auto iso on every Nikon I have tried drives me mad. I wish there was an option to turn the flashing indicator off. On the zf moving the iso dial off c should give the dial settings priority. A very good explanation of iso on the zf Omar but it demonstrates how confusing the Nikon iso control is.
I've been shooting Nikon since I put down my Sony MAVICA if that tells you how ancient I am! The theory of it makes sense to me by experience only. It's interesting to me how this ISO thing befuddles others the fact that this is a big topic with the Zf is quite the statement about how many Fuji users have moved to the Zf! Fuji users need you Omar!
Zf is very bad choice for fuji owners. Handling is clumsy as no nikon Z lens has aperture. So playing with A/S/M settings is way less intuitive and good than on fuji.
Bro you just solved my main issue coming from a Z6ii that I had customized the same way. I just got the camera and the iso not being same as my z6 was a pain point. Thx!!
Oh man, so glad I watched this. That "release to use button" switch is wonderful! So much easier! Thank you. Not f7 on my D850 (f6) so likely varies among models
The iso dial works beautifully, like on the DF. I think many just dont understand it. Just set it to auto, and set maximum iso to 400, and just use the dial to set the maximum iso, works perfect! Best implementation of any system.
Clearest explanation I've seen on the Zf's ISO use, thanks! That aside - Nikon NEEDS to update this so that once the ISO dial is moved from the C position, Auto-ISO should shut off and just allow the dial to take over full manual control. The way it is now, you need to toggle Auto-ISO back to being off first (although I didn't realize it kicked back in over 3200).
I believe most of us Nikon users understand that the dials are more for Manual mode, in other modes, you are using the sub-command wheels to adjust Aperture and Shutter speeds. Since ISO is adjusted the least, you can adjust via the screen or I menu, when you need to.
That should be an option you can enable, but not necessarily the only way it works. Based on old reviews, I think Nikon’s older vintage-style DSLR the Df had a nifty sounding ISO feature. The dial set the maximum ISO for the auto mode. I think that’s really neat. Since folks will seldom be upset if the ISO is lower because of lighting conditions, setting a maximum is typical as useful as setting an exact-it’s possible to just dial it to 100 to keep it minimum.
@@thebitterfig9903 It work the same as the Df, you set the Maximum, ISO Sensitivity value in the menu and the Dial can then be set to a higher value, which then becomes the limit. This can be done on the other Nikon (not some thing I used but, I'm fairly sure it was this way since the Z6/7, if not earlier) cameras without a dial as well. If you set Maximum Auto ISO to 10,000, pres the ISO button and turn the sub command wheel to the setting from say 100 (if that was what you were using) to 12,800, the Auto ISO Maximum will then become 12,800 and any higher number you set.
Hey Omar, can you compare ISO performance vs Nikon Z6 II? I know it's practically the same sensor but many people said the same when the Z6II came out and there are some differences in comparison with the Z6 (Z6II has slightly more dynamic range and got rid of the magenta tint on extreme shodow recovery, etc)
The best thing with The DF and i seams like it's the same on ZF. Is when you put auto iso on the lowest say iso 200. The dial now works as a limit for the auto iso. Set the dial on 800 and the camera auto wount go over iso 800 This is briliant cant understand why fuji is not doing the same..
I don’t have the Zf (yet) but have been using my Fuji X-pro2 for over 4 years and have never needed to put the ISO dial into A mode. It’s a mirrorless so you see the exposure before you even take the photo. Easy enough to adjust on the fly.
This video is about the Nikon Zf, maybe that's why you still can't work out how to use 'auto ISO' on your Fuji, you need to watch an instructional video dedicated your particular cameras brand and model. I'm sure there's some around, try typing, 'how to set 'auto ISO' on Fuji X-pro2' cameras' into the youtube search bar.
I've seen other videos on this with people whining about not being able to override the auto keep with the ISO knob on top. The reason why you can't do that when the knob is on C is so that you can still use auto ISO while in manual mode. Some people prefer to have 2 settings in their control. That means you have to be in manual mode and not shutter priority or aperture priority mode. But if you want to go back to controlling your ISO manually you just turn the auto ISO back off the way you turned it on or do as you did with setting a limit to the ISO and then overriding it when you go passed that limit. It's not really complicated like some of the other tourists are making it out to be. You have to remember that this is a different camera than almost all the other Nikon bodies because it has the dials on top forthe settings.
I don't use my cameras for video, only photography. The reason why i bought the ZF and two Fujifilm XT bodys is the dial settings on top of the camera, i have several Pentax, Panasonic and Olympus along with a Fujifilm XH2 that have the standard PSAM setup so the beauty of the ZF AND XT5 AND XT3 IS that i have a few cameras that give me a totally different photographic experience and when you pair these cameras with a lens that has an aperture ring its photography as it was years ago and I enjoy using a camera this way.
Yes, Nikon should start reproducing some of their lenses from the aperture ring days, with all the mod innards. They would really set off the Zf's looks. The 'Z' lenses are so boring looking, they ruin the vibe.
Hi James, Having the Z f and the X-T5, do you find yourself liking one over the other for any particular reason ? I am indecisive between the Z f and the X-T5, spec wise the Nikon is better, but maybe you could add a more 'user experience' oriented opinion. Thanks.
Pro portrait photographer here. Studio and natural light. Fuji since 2018. I have the XT5 and a X100V, the 33 and the 56. I trained on film, in the 80’s, my first camera was a Nikon FE. I’m thinking of ditching it all and going with this Nikon. Do you recommend? And What lenses do you recommend? I have to have a 50 and an 85 for my workflow and I’d love a 35 or 28. Thanks for any help or advice!
My setup. I try to stay below 5,000 so my Auto ISO is set to base of 100 and Max of 5,000. Dial set to C. Limits ISO to 5,000. When I need more I can turn dial to say 10,000 and while still in Auto ISO it raises ISO Max to 10,000.. when I’m done turn dial back to C. Max can be 200+. You could use Auto ISO at 200 Max then use dial to increase as needed.
I think that is needlessly confusing. If "C" just had the option to make it Auto ISO.... Or trade one of those higher ISO values on the dial for an "A" position... Thanks for sharing this information! I still think Fuji's analog control scheme is better, but I agree there are benefits to still having access to the A and S modes, as they traditionally work on a PASM camera.
Your explanation is fabulous and clear as crystal. I had to watch it a couple of times to grasp it all as you packed in quite a bit of info there. However, does this implementation have to be rocket science like it is in Zf? How about c for camera decides aka Auto?
I know this is old but I thought the C was locked for iso but in your video around 2:20 you didn't press the lock and were still able to spin the dial. What's going on there
Thank you Omar for that great review. Helpful. Coming from Leica gear, and being willing to sacrifice user experience by saving $$$, this is the philosophy that frustrates me most with the Nikon ZF. Overall an excellent looking and performing camera. But I don't understand why I need to watch TH-cam videos and desperately browse the web to get "secret tips" on how supposedly simple things like auto ISO seem to work. Why on earth is it so complicated to design an intuitive and simple-to-use camera instead of squeezing hundreds of confusing and partially unnecessary options into a labirinth of menus and submenus you'll never fully grasp?? Do we as users really want that? That design philosophy has nothing to do with cost or price positioning, only the mindset of wanting to procude cameras (Leica, partially Fuji in the past... ) versus computers with a viewfinder (Sony, Nikon, Canon). No wonder why a 7.000$ Leica SL3 with - I exaggerate - three buttons and a menu of three pages is sold out for months on the day of its release.
I got confused too and figured this out myself. Thanks for posting. I hope Nikon can add a setting where we can decide if the ISO Dial completely overrides the ISO setting including auto ISO. So if you are in auto ISO and ISO dial is C, when you turn the ISO dial to 100 ISO, it will also turn off auto ISO Or at least don't block/grey out the Auto ISO on/off when you are using the ISO Dial
Also, if you choose to set a custom button to control your ISO (when in C mode on the ISO dial), you can use the front command dial to enable/disable AUTO ISO, so there is no need to go digging around in the menu system. This should make it a quick switch between AUTO ISO and manual utilizing the external dial, if you choose to operate it that way.
It's a fusion camera, providing manual controls for manual use, while allowing one to set to C and 1/3 step and use like a standard digital camera. Sub command wheels control aperture and shutter, ISO control via the screen or activate Auto ISO and continue to use wheels. Want to use the Dials, go to manual mode. I don't understand the fuss about the ISO dial, how often are people changing ISO? Why isn't anyone complaining about the shutter dial?
Wouldn't waste a well placed function button for that. With that you can change AF mode or anything actual useful. Use the dial, that is why it is there, otherwise its value is just diminished to an object what makes your camera vintage. Set max iso till the auto can go up on the knob and you are good to go. You want to control speed and aperture. Those are part of the exposure. In digital camera ISO is just an amplification, it is not like we changed in analog for a faster film.
This is the only thing stopping me from buying a ZF, Id love to go back to Nikon, but they just keep doing daft things to their cameras. But thanks for this video, if I change my mind ill definitely reference this.
A Nikon spokesman stated, that, they weren't prepared to insult their Users intelligence by making their controls easy enough for Fuji Users to understand.
The best way to understand auto ISO philosophy in A mode, and I believe this was the idea of Nikon engineers: use dial to set what ever ISO you want thinking it's manual ISO, then if implied shutter speed would be too slow and cause shaky picture "auto ISO" kicks in and increases ISO so that you have fast enough shutter to have sharp picture, this is indicated by blinkng auto ISO on the screen. If shutter speed is fast enough then the dialed ISO is used, no blinking auto ISO on screen. To summarise, if you use auto ISO in A, it is like manual ISO except that auto ISO comes save your picture if there is not enough light for a sharp picture. (Put ISO settings like in factory e.g. max ISO 64 000, shutter speed AUTO etc...)
No thats not the way it works. If you set ISO 6400 on Dial ( Auto ISO set to 100-3200) the camera never choose a higher ISO than 6400 - Even if you get long shutterspeeds like 2“ sec. It stays on 6400 until a lower(!) ISO is needed for correct exposure. This perhaps if shutterspeeds shorter than 1/8000s would be needed. As a photographier I dont understand the Nikon engineers. The ISO ist set to the highest possible value - no photographer would do that.
It's like Nikon wanted us to complain about it's ISO implementation... I know that it's more like choosing film - you set it once a day maybe and stick to it, but I just can't see why I'd have to use it this was if I can grab fuji :) (still thinking about black z fc, but I really have some issues with user-friendliness)
As I view it, the best way to use Auto iso with the wheel is to set up the maximum auto ISO to the minimum value possible in the menu and control the max ISO with the Wheel - you are always and quickly in control of your max ISO. Then use the record button customized to switch to manual when needed.
That's what I also thought initially, but it turns out that this cannot work the way you may expect it. If you set the "maximum ISO" in the menu to 200 and turn the ISO-dial to 1600 (for example), then the camera will always shoot at 1600 regardless of whether the shot would be possible with a lower ISO. The setting on the ISO-dial always takes precedence even if you are in auto-ISO mode. The logic of auto-ISO on Nikon cameras is that, if the need arises, the camera will use a higher ISO than you have in the dial (up to your "maximum ISO" setting) but it will never use an ISO level lower than the one you have selected with the ISO dial. So, set your "maximum ISO" to the maximum that you can tolerate, and then if you still want to take a certain shot with an ISO even higher than that, just move your ISO dial higher. :)
@@y.rousso Wow thanks for clarifying and a bit disappointing. It was my go-to solution with the DF in M mode. Is what you explain also true in M mode ?
Actually this idea also came from the user manual: If the value currently selected using the ISO sensitivity dial or [ISO sensitivity] is higher than that chosen for [Maximum sensitivity], the highest value will serve as the upper limit for auto ISO sensitivity control.
It's the Df experience that created the same expectation for me too@@casentbon. I think the change made by the Zf is ok too. I set my dial to 100 and maximum ISO to usually 6400 and I let the camera increase it automatically without even thinking about it. If I see I am still underexposed in a particular shot, then I quickly override with the dial.
Did they change it in the new firmware. Was shooting a Priority tonight with Auto ISO set to base 100/max 5000 and when I turned ISO dial to 6400 for more headroom over 5000 the camera shot in only 6400 ISO. Seems like ISO dial takes over now. Anyone else??
Thx for this video… because it s not so simple on this camera. Honestly I don t understand why it’s not possible to override the ISO with the dial all the time. Usually you are in auto iso as the sensor is very good letting the dial to C and if you want to give a value you turn the dial. It would have been simpler I think.
Thanks Omar, that answered a few questions for me. Not as confusing as the set up was on the DF, but still I don't like it where the internal menu overrides the dial when internal is set to auto, I would much prefer the dial to override everything all the time, so that when you look at the dial you see the actual setting, and not have to remember to switch off auto in the menu. c should take you to the menu settings but NOT influence the dial in any way. Rumour has it that a software upgrade will allow you to give complete priority to the dial settings in future.
This all makes perfect sense to me. If a camera has an iso dial then by definition there will be a possible way to conflict with iso in the menus, I assume Fuji users have become used to this being addressed in a different way! That doesn’t make the Fuji way the correct way.
The Fuji way is super simple, you just set the iso you want on the dial or you set it to A (also a setting on the dial). If you want to limit the range of the auto iso that can be done in the menus or with a customizable shortcut button. This seems overly complicated, especially in an era where iso has fewer implications on image quality.
@@ianroe1076I guess Nikon just didn’t want to copy Fuji. I do have a compact X10 and a GFX 100s but my Nikon Zfc has the same iso dial and a do appreciate the way auto iso has its lowest iso governed by the iso dial. So for normal bright conditions my physical dial stays at 100, but when it’s very windy or dark I can turn the dial and my auto iso is forced higher...I’m a little embarrassed how much I like my Zfc, considering it’s obviously not a Pro camera.
auto iso and using manual dial is weird, for example i want to use dial when i know a specific iso i want to use but then switch to auto C on dial when i just want auto but this looks weird because manual dial iso does not really change iso when its set to auto it just gives the highest auto all the time
Do you know why in auto-ISO, aperture priority mode, if I set my max ISO for instance at 20k ISO, it'll always put ISO to 20k and not change to the lowest ISO possible? Sometimes it does (if I switch the ISO dial to 100 (from C) for instance), but I don't know what I need to get there while keeping ISO dial to C...
@@ogonzillaunless you're left eye dominant like i am and always have to have your screen touch disabled or my big nose and face is always "touching"the screen and changing stuff
@@ogonzilla that was the main way to change Af point for og EOS R too. But I always find it bery tough to do as my thumb can only cover a small portion of the screen. Moving points to the left always didn’t work well for me.
I prefer a joystick in for use in wet & cold, touchscreens are not really usable in wet weather and touch sensitive gloves are not warm enough when's it's cold and your fingers are dropping off!
Great explaination Omar. I think once I get mine I am going to try and shoot exclusively in full manual using the dials. Kind of what this camera was intended for. My Z9 can do all the menu stuff
Nikon made a mistake by not repurposing the ISO and SS dials for Auto max ISO and min SS correspondingly. I practically always shoot in Auto ISO, so those dials are useless to me.
I figured out why i was having issues with auto iso in AP Explaining Auto ISO on Nikon ZF in Aperture Priority Mode: When you're in Aperture Priority mode with Auto ISO enabled on your Nikon ZF, you have the ability to set a 'minimum shutter speed'. Let's say you set this to 1/200th of a second. Interestingly, in certain situations, the camera might choose a slower shutter speed than this minimum. Here's why: Your camera maintains the minimum shutter speed (like the 1/200th you set) as long as the ISO stays within its set range (the minimum to maximum ISO you've defined in the settings). If the light conditions are such that even at your maximum ISO, the correct exposure can't be achieved at your set minimum shutter speed, the camera will lower the shutter speed further to get the right exposure. This means, in very low light, your shutter speed can drop below your set minimum to compensate, ensuring your photo isn't underexposed. When there's enough light, or if the ISO is comfortably within its range, your camera respects the minimum shutter speed you’ve set. This is a clever feature that prioritizes getting a correctly exposed shot, even if it means slightly slower shutter speeds in low light situations. Remember, this only happens when the ISO hits its upper limit and the correct exposure can't be maintained at your chosen minimum shutter speed. Hope this helps clarify how Auto ISO functions in Aperture Priority mode on the Nikon ZF, making it a versatile tool for photographers of all skill levels!"
I stopped with photography because of the hideousness of digital camera menus. I’m thinking of coming back because cameras have dials again, like I remember with film. So, simple question: can I just set iso with the dial and not bother with the effing menus?
Yep that’s as clear as mud, first I thought u said the Dial always overrides? But later in the Video apparently the dial won’t do anything until u go 3200 iso? I don’t understand that at all. Sorry Nikon thats Ridiculous
Thanks for posting, but I've read around that the interaction of Auto-ISO function with the ISO dial that you have shown (dial can be used to increase ISO value once you go above the value set in the Auto-ISO menu) is ONLY valid for the M mode set by the PASM dial. In aperture priority mode (A) this behavior will change. Can you please confirm that, and check how the Auto-ISO function interacts with the ISO dial in A and S modes?
I believe there is a difference with auto-iso between A and M modes, depending on your definition of "overriding." It's shown in the video but may be the difference you are thinking of. In both modes the dial can override the max auto-iso setting. Only Manual mode will have the ISO AUTO flashing and pick the best ISO based on your new max ISO. Other modes will not have flashing ISO AUTO and instead take that dial override as your set ISO value, adjusting the other exposure values to account for it. I love how it works in Manual but don't find it as helpful while in other modes.
Wish so... Seems Nikon doesn't offer that like other brands like Sony / Fuji. Old Nikon users will just tell you to use M mode if you want to adjust the Shutter Speed... ( which is totally different from the idea of auto iso min. SS setting )
For Aperture priority with autoISO it can be increased using the dial. I setup my autoISO range iso100 max iso12800 for example. Shutter speed I set to the lowest I think I would use, let's say 1/8s because that's what I feel I can handhold with Ibis with a 28mm. Now of course 1/8s is too slow at times/with different lenses, so I need to increase it. Simply turn the dial to a higher ISO - the shutter speed will go faster accordingly.
Thanks for making this. Until I literally had this in my hands, I just assumed that "c" stood for "command dial" and that it could be assigned to one. The fact that it can't is just completely insane to me. As a wedding and event photographer, I change my aperture maybe a dozen or so times per day (obviously your workflow may vary, not speaking for all wedding/event photographers). I change ISO thousands of times. I just can't wrap my head around why aperture gets a dedicated command dial but ISO just cannot, under any circumstance, ever just live on a command dial in the Nikon world. It's the ONE thing I need to change all day every day, and every single time I need to do it, I have to take my finger off the shutter button to press the record button, or I have to mess up muscle memory for the other Z cameras by assigning it to a different custom button, and even then if I'm holding the camera above my head or down low, it's incredibly awkward to operate a custom button and move a command dial. I finally ended up assigning the focus ring to ISO, which has worked decently for the past few jobs, but it tends to get moved around a lot when I'm using another body. If I need manual focus, moving the switch on the lens disables the custom control and it returns to a focus ring. Anyways - I appreciate this broad overview of ISO on the camera, and still hoping Nikon makes some major changes either with future cameras or firmware!
This also seems strange to me, I typically set the ISO for the area (indoor/outdoor) and mainly vary aperture (unless in Manual, I use Aperture mode primarily). On the Z8, it’s mainly at ISO 64, 800 or 2500 for the night stuff or Auto ISO when I’m lazy or if others are going to use the camera. Digital gives us options for sure, I’m sort of used to the film days where whatever roll you have in that’s the ISO until it’s done.
@@scotttucker9613 Of course! If I'm indoors, my aperture is wide open, right off the bat (it's wide open outdoors as well). This is just my style and in addition, it provides the highest image quality when ISO needs to go above base. Lenses also just render differently wide open, I find the colors more rich and tonality more pleasing - personal taste of course. I exclusively use primes for events and weddings - a 20mm, a 35mm, and an 85mm, all 1.8 S lenses, so they are just spectacular wide open, and preposterously sharp while still being soft (as are Fuji lenses, which is where I came from). My next concern is shutter speed - I stay at 1/200th pretty much at all times, unless I can go faster and remain near base ISO. But for the most part, indoors, I'm at 1/200th, as I find it to be the best compromise between freezing the motion of people walking, talking, gesturing, etc... and keeper images. If it is extremely low light I may bring the shutter speed much lower, but if I can be at 1/200th I prefer that speed. So the only thing left to adjust my exposure is the ISO. It ends up being the sole control that I use for exposure when working indoors. If I need to get a group I will of course stop down to whatever I need to get depth, but other than groups, architectural details, and ring photos, I almost never touch my aperture, and my shutter speed is determined by the speed at which most humans move their bodies and faces. You also get the most efficiency from a flash at sync speed, which coincidentally on Nikon Z is 1/200th, so even when I'm bouncing flash I'm still controlling ambient exposure via ISO and keeping SS and aperture completely open. Hope that makes sense!
People want a camera with haptic controls - that doesn't mean they have to do without functions such as automatic exposure, autofocus or auto ISO. Nikon has made a mistake here in the operating concept - that's all. There is no reason to make the functionality of the auto ISO dependent on the selected operating mode (MSAP). What Nikon has done is confusing and not user-friendly and must be corrected!
So, set the bounds for Auto ISO, which turns on in C dial position, yea? Why ANYONE would want to, control ISO via dials, on a Zf, which you buy FOR The ISO dial, is beyond me....
So to make a long story short... 1. When the ISO dial is not on C, its the only way to set ISO. Nothing else works. You can still use your quick buttons and dialsl and menus to turn auto-ISO on/off but not actually change the ISO number. 2. When its on C, you can use all these other methods to change ISO number. 3. When Auto is on, the dial can be used override the max-ISO allowed in the menu settings. But below that max number, AUTO kicks in with higher prio than the dial. So if the "normal' exposure for the pic is below the maximum set in the menus, the dial is effectively useless when Auto ISO is on. Did I get that all correctly ? There is some logic to it, and not confusing at all, when you think about it this way.
I think that here Nikon lost sight of its audience for this camera and tried too hard to compromise between modern and old approaches making something too awkward for ISO adjustments. An "A" for auto ISO on the dial would do the trick. This is also true for shutter speed. Even my old FM3A has an auto position on the shutter speed dial.
Better to have a toggle under the dial with A (auto) D (dial) M (menu). If you just had an 'A' for aiuto on the dial, you would still need something to prioritise the dial, or the menu, for manual adjustment, otherwise that would cause confusion, after all we're talking Fuji Users here, lol..
@@SaintKimbo You could do that from the menu. I cannot think of a situation where one would need to quickly go to the C mode, yet there are many situations where I wish there was a quick way to go auto ISO.
Wow! That is so complicated, why didn’t they simply put an “A” on the dial to set to auto? and in the menu have they Auto ISO preferences as the Fuji do. I like Sony how they starting to make lenses with aperture dials but can’t understand why Nikon don’t especially now that they want to start making retro style cameras. To me Nikon don’t seem to have much long term planning with the ergonomics, the ZF is just a quick cash grab to take advantage of the current X100v Fab,
Also i don’t understand why exposure comp is so useless in manual mode if you aren’t shooting with a flash. They should make it so that ex. Comp dial affects the shutter speed dial in 1/3s. It would be great help with getting 90deg angle for eu ppl aswell as allow you to fine tune the SS because i find full stops in shutter speed to limiting.
Also, when using ss dial + lens with aperture controll, the main and sub control dials are totally useless. We should be able to configure their behavior so for instanace it behaves allways as if focus mode button was pressed
I set the max ISO to 200 so that I can use the dial to control max ISO. The dial will override the max ISO. So if I’m shooting in mixed lighting, I can quickly increase the ISO on the dial. This is the best implementation of auto ISO I have used.
This is the way. SO MANY PEOPLE MISSED THIS. It’s the best on ANY camera I own or have used this way.
Wow, that's such useful info. Thank you for sharing this with us :)
Exactly! Works beautifully!
Thanks for the video Omar, but after reading this I don't even need to finish! Cheers @mjr333
This tip may have convinced me to buy the ZF. Coming from Fuji the dials just didn’t seem intuitive but that actually sounds functional
Yes, put an end to this drama😂👍 Great and simple explanation. This makes total sense if you have used the Nikon system before but I still think Nikon should offer the option to let people choose to make the dial override auto ISO into fully manual ISO again. It would then avoid the need to use a custom button (which are only a few on the ZF). I personally like it the Nikon way. I switch auto ISO off/on in the My Menu. Quick enough for me✌🏻
We are self appointed Zf ambassadors now lol.
Hey Samuel,
in auto-ISO mode the ISO-wheel sets the MINIMUM ISO. Using this function you won't need full manual ISO anymore.
Explanation:
As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in auto-iso the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO.
Use cases:
So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. auto-ISO you can bring up the ambiant light without lowering you shutterspeed below 1/60.
Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. auto-ISO.
And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO.
Cheers from Stuttgart
I also use auto iso on/off in the My Menu. I set maximum auto iso at 1600 and use top dial to override it as needed. Exp compensation works great too, in the case you want to manipulate camera's metering value.
@@chrislekhavanija one extra thing I do is I use the front custom button to activate highlighted metering. So if exposure compensation is too slow I press that custom button to instantly protect the highlights. This + exposure compensation makes auto ISO a permanent thing for me👍
@@CatPixStudio thanks for this comprehensive explanation! Makes total sense! Not everyone will want to have this much control though. It would make sense for most people to have a simple auto ISO and manual iso switch. I personally shoot manual + auto ISO with my ZF. So I don't need to override my Max and minimum ISO values because they will always do the exposure work for me and I control the amount by using exposure compensation or highlighted weighted metering via custom button for example. But I can see how useful the override feature is for people who shoot aperture or shutter priority.
The easiest way to deal with ISO on the Zf is simple but not intuitive to first realize. Simply go into camera settings, Auto ISO and turn it ON. Now adjust maximum ISO to 200 (the lowest). Leave minimum shutter to auto. Now your ISO wheel is your maximum ISO allowed. So for example you want to limit the range to an upper of 12800 in a dark room, set 12800 on the dial, done. The camera will use 100-12800 prioritizing the lowest it can use. Walk outside into a cloudy day? Twist the dial to 800. Now your auto iso range is 100-800. Want lowest only? Twist dial to 100 and there you go. See how easy it is on this camera? All these other ways are convoluted and waste the ISO dials functionality as well as other programmable buttons which can be used for something better.
So I've tried this set my Auto ISO on and my max to 200, however when I move the dial up to my preferred max ISO of 6400 that just makes it lock in 6400 period at all times, it's not actually defaulting to trying to use as low as possible up until 6400. Any advice?
@@Nevpaurion7 It will act as minimum ISO if you’re in A or P mode. Give it a shot in M or S. If you use A/P primarily you may want to go in the menu and and adjust the range to 6400. Nikon definitely should have explained this in a manual somewhere but they left it for us to decipher.
@@kalimarus Ooooh ok thank you so much that explains it, I prefer aperture priority most of the time so this makes total sense. Thanks for the tip! Agreed on the manual, it's lacking to say the least lol
Thanks!
Wow, that's such useful info. Thank you for sharing this with us :)
00:02 Nikon Zf ISO settings and adjustments
00:47 ISO settings on Nikon Zf
01:29 Set movie button to ISO setting for easy access.
02:03 Easy ISO adjustment using custom controls
02:47 Nikon Zf allows you to activate auto ISO through the menu.
03:31 Activate Auto ISO on Nikon Zf
04:13 Nikon Zf allows for manual and auto ISO adjustment.
05:02 ISO on Nikon Zf can be controlled in different modes
Great info, Omar. I now finally understand how ISO works on the Zf. A little convoluted but definitely powerful if you know how to use it.
I have a Nikon ZF and ZFc also a Fujifilm XT3 and XT5, I Also have DSLR and mirrorless cameras, that reason why I bought the ZF and XT cameras was to use the dials on top of the cameras, some people still have a film camera along with the digital systems but by using the manual dials on top of the cameras along with a lens that has a manual aperture ring gives you the analog shooting experience with out the downside of film. These cameras do slow down the photography process but it makes you think more about the photography process and that is the beauty of a camera like that Nikon ZF and Fujifilm XT cameras. They make great landscape cameras that get you more involved in the photography process.
Your explanation is the first one and only real deal! You've got it nailed! Thanks! It helped me a lot!😀
Thanks, Omar for the use of information. I was confused by other channels. This makes sense. Great job.
The principle is the same as every other Nikon.
I think using the dial to increase minimum ISO in A mode is quite useful - in situations where your aperture is fully open but you temporarily need to increase the shutter speed just turn the dial up. That way you don't need to go into a different mode first.
Finally someone who understands Nikon's very customizable and useful auto-ISO functions 👍
The problem is that Nikon doesn't explain this. At least not in their ZF manual.
As a long term Nikon shooter you just know this. But I can see that this isn't self explanatory for Nikon newbies.
@@CatPixStudio - Indeed. PSMA dial - had that on the FA. AutoISO, same principle as my D3, just different dials/buttons.
At the end of the day it's about one's mindset. You approach the thing with 'that's how it should work' in your mind - or with 'how does that thing work?’.
In my opinion the best mode for Nikon digital is "autoM", rarely use anything else, if ever. Auto ISO with M (and exp compensation) allows for greatest flexibility. It's a sort of an fully adjustable full-auto mode.
Shooting landscape? Set preferred aperture, lower shutter speed to your liking, to get best/lowest ISO, for a 'sure' shot. Then lower shutter speed further, to get even lower ISO.
Change to telephoto lens, people now, open up aperture, set shutter speed and go. Two clicks, no need to change anything else/go in a different mode.
That's perhaps not the experience people are looking for if going for a retro inspired camera. However, the controls on the Zf allow you to pick your level of manual/retro up to the point using it like a non-retro Nikon (which is actually done in the video, using the 'rec' button for the 'iso' button found on the other Z's).
Another useful feature of the ISO dial + C combined with Auto ISO: you can set Auto ISO minimum to Lo1 then keep the dial set to ISO 100 (which overrides the Lo1 minimum) for normal shooting - then if you want to shoot at f/1.4 or wider in bright daylight, you can just switch the ISO dial to C and Auto ISO will use Lo1. Sort of a workaround for not having an electronic shutter speed faster than 1/8000 sec.
Precisely 😍
Hey Omar, thank you for the great content!
I've got an important addition to using the ISO-wheel in auto-ISO mode:
It sets the MINIMUM ISO in auto-ISO mode.
Explanation:
As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in auto-iso the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO.
Use cases:
So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. auto-ISO you can bring up the ambiant light without lowering you shutterspeed below 1/60.
Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. auto-ISO.
And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO.
Cheers from Stuttgart
Exactly!!! An "A" position in the ISO-dial cannot do the "magic" many people expect. If there was an A position in the ISO-dial, then the entire concept of auto-ISO on Nikon cameras would have to be "reduced" to what it is on Fuji cameras. Yes, the Fuji concept also works, but takes away all control of ISO when you switch to A. On a Nikon the auto-ISO concept is very different than on a Fuji. It is not really "auto". It is more like "ISO-assist". When you turn auto-ISO ON in a Nikon camera, the only thing the camera does is to take the liberty to silently increase your ISO up to your "maximum ISO setting" if-and-only-if a) the camera controls the shutter speed, and b) the shutter speed has to drop below your "minimum shutter speed" setting to achieve optimal exposure. So, there is no "auto-ISO" on Nikon cameras in the same way that Fuji does this. On a Fuji, when you turn auto-ISO ON you relinquish all control of ISO to the camera. On a Nikon you are always in control and can always override the "maximum ISO setting" with the dial without having to switch "auto-ISO" OFF. It's the name of the feature that causes the confusion, but I guess Nikon could not change the name "auto-ISO" to "ISO-assist" since the feature existed in Nikon cameras with that same name long before Fuji cameras appeared with a different concept. The Fuji concept is simpler to understand, but gives you less control than the implementation of Nikon.
@@y.roussocorrect. And, if it is increasing the ISO, it even tells you. The Auto ISO then starts to blink. Whenever I put this exact comment under a video, I get back: "No, the blinking has nothing to do with it. It always does that in Auto ISO." 🫠
That is what just love about this implementation.
The ISO dial on the ZF configures the "minimum" auto ISO setting when the camera is in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, P mode, and Auto mode. It does not establish the minimum ISO in Manual (M) mode. Nevertheless, the dial will override the "maximum" auto ISO setting in all modes.
@@chrislekhavanija I guess this is not an incorrect way to describe it, but I think it would be more accurate to acknowledge that there is no notion of "minimum" ISO level in the camera. There is just one ISO level which you select and there is no "minimum" or "maximum" to it. When you turn auto-ISO ON, you tell the camera to "feel free" to use a higher ISO than the one you selected, up to the maximum ISO value that you specify. And that's all. That is why the camera never tries to lower your ISO setting. Not because it is a "minimum" but because you never told the camera to "feel free" to use a lower ISO than the one you selected. There is no such use case. :)
Thank you ..Great tip on the iso sensitivity custom setting. It makes it feel so much smoother on the zf.
That explains so much about how the ISO dial looked to be sometimes on auto and sometimes not. Thank you so much! I'm almost starting to think some of the criticism about the Z f is actually related to complex programming Nikon opted for. I'm loving mine so far
I was wondering how auto ISO worked and you have answered all of my questions. I step further to buying zf.
Thankssss
The blinking light, no pun intended, in auto iso on every Nikon I have tried drives me mad. I wish there was an option to turn the flashing indicator off. On the zf moving the iso dial off c should give the dial settings priority. A very good explanation of iso on the zf Omar but it demonstrates how confusing the Nikon iso control is.
This was super helpful. I’m happy you showed how to activate auto-iso for us grab and go guys
Great explanation. Thanks Omar. I first thought the implementation was bad but now it totally makes sense. Should be a Nikon training movie 👍
I've been shooting Nikon since I put down my Sony MAVICA if that tells you how ancient I am! The theory of it makes sense to me by experience only. It's interesting to me how this ISO thing befuddles others the fact that this is a big topic with the Zf is quite the statement about how many Fuji users have moved to the Zf! Fuji users need you Omar!
Zf is very bad choice for fuji owners. Handling is clumsy as no nikon Z lens has aperture. So playing with A/S/M settings is way less intuitive and good than on fuji.
I’ve been looking for videos showing how controls work on the Zf, thanks!
Bro you just solved my main issue coming from a Z6ii that I had customized the same way. I just got the camera and the iso not being same as my z6 was a pain point. Thx!!
Yo Omar. Many thanks. You deserve multiple thumbs up.
Oh man, so glad I watched this. That "release to use button" switch is wonderful! So much easier! Thank you. Not f7 on my D850 (f6) so likely varies among models
I have to watch it again 😂 before my camera arrives. Thank you, Omar!
The iso dial works beautifully, like on the DF. I think many just dont understand it. Just set it to auto, and set maximum iso to 400, and just use the dial to set the maximum iso, works perfect! Best implementation of any system.
Clearest explanation I've seen on the Zf's ISO use, thanks!
That aside - Nikon NEEDS to update this so that once the ISO dial is moved from the C position, Auto-ISO should shut off and just allow the dial to take over full manual control. The way it is now, you need to toggle Auto-ISO back to being off first (although I didn't realize it kicked back in over 3200).
agree! I wonder somehow if the community can push this to Nikon.
I believe most of us Nikon users understand that the dials are more for Manual mode, in other modes, you are using the sub-command wheels to adjust Aperture and Shutter speeds. Since ISO is adjusted the least, you can adjust via the screen or I menu, when you need to.
That should be an option you can enable, but not necessarily the only way it works. Based on old reviews, I think Nikon’s older vintage-style DSLR the Df had a nifty sounding ISO feature. The dial set the maximum ISO for the auto mode. I think that’s really neat. Since folks will seldom be upset if the ISO is lower because of lighting conditions, setting a maximum is typical as useful as setting an exact-it’s possible to just dial it to 100 to keep it minimum.
@@thebitterfig9903 It work the same as the Df, you set the Maximum, ISO Sensitivity value in the menu and the Dial can then be set to a higher value, which then becomes the limit. This can be done on the other Nikon (not some thing I used but, I'm fairly sure it was this way since the Z6/7, if not earlier) cameras without a dial as well. If you set Maximum Auto ISO to 10,000, pres the ISO button and turn the sub command wheel to the setting from say 100 (if that was what you were using) to 12,800, the Auto ISO Maximum will then become 12,800 and any higher number you set.
@@kucekto i already have
Hey Omar, can you compare ISO performance vs Nikon Z6 II? I know it's practically the same sensor but many people said the same when the Z6II came out and there are some differences in comparison with the Z6 (Z6II has slightly more dynamic range and got rid of the magenta tint on extreme shodow recovery, etc)
The best thing with The DF and i seams like it's the same on ZF. Is when you put auto iso on the lowest say iso 200. The dial now works as a limit for the auto iso.
Set the dial on 800 and the camera auto wount go over iso 800
This is briliant cant understand why fuji is not doing the same..
I really appreciate this information! it was really helpful!
Thanks Omar, that was very helpful.
Thank you VERY much for your extremly clear explainations! It was just what I need 👌🙏
Amazing!
At last, a definitive guide to the most misunderstood part of the Zf - superb!
Glad it was helpful!
Nice, systematic explanation.
I don’t have the Zf (yet) but have been using my Fuji X-pro2 for over 4 years and have never needed to put the ISO dial into A mode. It’s a mirrorless so you see the exposure before you even take the photo. Easy enough to adjust on the fly.
This video is about the Nikon Zf, maybe that's why you still can't work out how to use 'auto ISO' on your Fuji, you need to watch an instructional video dedicated your particular cameras brand and model.
I'm sure there's some around, try typing, 'how to set 'auto ISO' on Fuji X-pro2' cameras' into the youtube search bar.
@@SaintKimbo good one mate
I've seen other videos on this with people whining about not being able to override the auto keep with the ISO knob on top. The reason why you can't do that when the knob is on C is so that you can still use auto ISO while in manual mode. Some people prefer to have 2 settings in their control. That means you have to be in manual mode and not shutter priority or aperture priority mode. But if you want to go back to controlling your ISO manually you just turn the auto ISO back off the way you turned it on or do as you did with setting a limit to the ISO and then overriding it when you go passed that limit. It's not really complicated like some of the other tourists are making it out to be. You have to remember that this is a different camera than almost all the other Nikon bodies because it has the dials on top forthe settings.
I don't use my cameras for video, only photography. The reason why i bought the ZF and two Fujifilm XT bodys is the dial settings on top of the camera, i have several Pentax, Panasonic and Olympus along with a Fujifilm XH2 that have the standard PSAM setup so the beauty of the ZF AND XT5 AND XT3 IS that i have a few cameras that give me a totally different photographic experience and when you pair these cameras with a lens that has an aperture ring its photography as it was years ago and I enjoy using a camera this way.
Yes, Nikon should start reproducing some of their lenses from the aperture ring days, with all the mod innards. They would really set off the Zf's looks. The 'Z' lenses are so boring looking, they ruin the vibe.
Hi James, Having the Z f and the X-T5, do you find yourself liking one over the other for any particular reason ?
I am indecisive between the Z f and the X-T5, spec wise the Nikon is better, but maybe you could add a more 'user experience' oriented opinion.
Thanks.
how do i get the ISO to show up in the i menu? Your video made so much more sense than others that I have watched. Do you have a video link to that?
Pro portrait photographer here. Studio and natural light. Fuji since 2018. I have the XT5 and a X100V, the 33 and the 56. I trained on film, in the 80’s, my first camera was a Nikon FE.
I’m thinking of ditching it all and going with this Nikon. Do you recommend? And What lenses do you recommend? I have to have a 50 and an 85 for my workflow and I’d love a 35 or 28. Thanks for any help or advice!
Thank you, very helpful
My setup. I try to stay below 5,000 so my Auto ISO is set to base of 100 and Max of 5,000. Dial set to C. Limits ISO to 5,000. When I need more I can turn dial to say 10,000 and while still in Auto ISO it raises ISO Max to 10,000.. when I’m done turn dial back to C. Max can be 200+. You could use Auto ISO at 200 Max then use dial to increase as needed.
I leave auto ISO on and set max ISO to 200. If I need more than 200, I just turn the dial. Brilliant!!!!
This is how the ZFc works but the ZF does not!!!
@@mrblueeye825 yes it does!!!
@@mjr333 No. This works only in M-Mode. Please try it in Aperture Priority - it does not work as a maximum value for the automatic.
I think that is needlessly confusing. If "C" just had the option to make it Auto ISO.... Or trade one of those higher ISO values on the dial for an "A" position...
Thanks for sharing this information!
I still think Fuji's analog control scheme is better, but I agree there are benefits to still having access to the A and S modes, as they traditionally work on a PASM camera.
Your explanation is fabulous and clear as crystal. I had to watch it a couple of times to grasp it all as you packed in quite a bit of info there. However, does this implementation have to be rocket science like it is in Zf? How about c for camera decides aka Auto?
Why would you program the movie button and turn the back dial when you already have a dedicated dial taking up all that space on top of the camera?
I know this is old but I thought the C was locked for iso but in your video around 2:20 you didn't press the lock and were still able to spin the dial. What's going on there
Thank you Omar for that great review. Helpful. Coming from Leica gear, and being willing to sacrifice user experience by saving $$$, this is the philosophy that frustrates me most with the Nikon ZF. Overall an excellent looking and performing camera. But I don't understand why I need to watch TH-cam videos and desperately browse the web to get "secret tips" on how supposedly simple things like auto ISO seem to work. Why on earth is it so complicated to design an intuitive and simple-to-use camera instead of squeezing hundreds of confusing and partially unnecessary options into a labirinth of menus and submenus you'll never fully grasp?? Do we as users really want that? That design philosophy has nothing to do with cost or price positioning, only the mindset of wanting to procude cameras (Leica, partially Fuji in the past... ) versus computers with a viewfinder (Sony, Nikon, Canon). No wonder why a 7.000$ Leica SL3 with - I exaggerate - three buttons and a menu of three pages is sold out for months on the day of its release.
I got confused too and figured this out myself. Thanks for posting.
I hope Nikon can add a setting where we can decide if the ISO Dial completely overrides the ISO setting including auto ISO.
So if you are in auto ISO and ISO dial is C, when you turn the ISO dial to 100 ISO, it will also turn off auto ISO
Or at least don't block/grey out the Auto ISO on/off when you are using the ISO Dial
Also, if you choose to set a custom button to control your ISO (when in C mode on the ISO dial), you can use the front command dial to enable/disable AUTO ISO, so there is no need to go digging around in the menu system. This should make it a quick switch between AUTO ISO and manual utilizing the external dial, if you choose to operate it that way.
I think I have got it, but maybe not 😂. Thanks you are a great instructor
It's a fusion camera, providing manual controls for manual use, while allowing one to set to C and 1/3 step and use like a standard digital camera. Sub command wheels control aperture and shutter, ISO control via the screen or activate Auto ISO and continue to use wheels. Want to use the Dials, go to manual mode. I don't understand the fuss about the ISO dial, how often are people changing ISO? Why isn't anyone complaining about the shutter dial?
I wish you configure the "C" to activate auto iso. would be so convenient.
Wouldn't waste a well placed function button for that. With that you can change AF mode or anything actual useful. Use the dial, that is why it is there, otherwise its value is just diminished to an object what makes your camera vintage.
Set max iso till the auto can go up on the knob and you are good to go. You want to control speed and aperture. Those are part of the exposure. In digital camera ISO is just an amplification, it is not like we changed in analog for a faster film.
I take it if you use the record button as iso then the shutter button can control recording?
Second question: If you use the C function with a custom button to control auto ISO with it automatically turn off auto iso when you twist the dial?
Love this video, so helpful. Would love to see how you setup and handle the B&W mode
This is the only thing stopping me from buying a ZF, Id love to go back to Nikon, but they just keep doing daft things to their cameras. But thanks for this video, if I change my mind ill definitely reference this.
As a long time Fujifilm user, I find the Nikon Zf controls way too overcomplicated.
A Nikon spokesman stated, that, they weren't prepared to insult their Users intelligence by making their controls easy enough for Fuji Users to understand.
Nikon users who move to fujifilm raise the overall average iq of both system users.
In movie mode lets say Shutter priority can you set an ISO range for Auto ISO ? I can not with my Canons but my Sony you can. Thank you.
You can set a MAX iso in SP mode.
The best way to understand auto ISO philosophy in A mode, and I believe this was the idea of Nikon engineers: use dial to set what ever ISO you want thinking it's manual ISO, then if implied shutter speed would be too slow and cause shaky picture "auto ISO" kicks in and increases ISO so that you have fast enough shutter to have sharp picture, this is indicated by blinkng auto ISO on the screen. If shutter speed is fast enough then the dialed ISO is used, no blinking auto ISO on screen. To summarise, if you use auto ISO in A, it is like manual ISO except that auto ISO comes save your picture if there is not enough light for a sharp picture. (Put ISO settings like in factory e.g. max ISO 64 000, shutter speed AUTO etc...)
No thats not the way it works. If you set ISO 6400 on Dial ( Auto ISO set to 100-3200) the camera never choose a higher ISO than 6400 - Even if you get long shutterspeeds like 2“ sec. It stays on 6400 until a lower(!) ISO is needed for correct exposure. This perhaps if shutterspeeds shorter than 1/8000s would be needed. As a photographier I dont understand the Nikon engineers. The ISO ist set to the highest possible value - no photographer would do that.
It's like Nikon wanted us to complain about it's ISO implementation...
I know that it's more like choosing film - you set it once a day maybe and stick to it, but I just can't see why I'd have to use it this was if I can grab fuji :) (still thinking about black z fc, but I really have some issues with user-friendliness)
As I view it, the best way to use Auto iso with the wheel is to set up the maximum auto ISO to the minimum value possible in the menu and control the max ISO with the Wheel - you are always and quickly in control of your max ISO. Then use the record button customized to switch to manual when needed.
That's what I also thought initially, but it turns out that this cannot work the way you may expect it. If you set the "maximum ISO" in the menu to 200 and turn the ISO-dial to 1600 (for example), then the camera will always shoot at 1600 regardless of whether the shot would be possible with a lower ISO. The setting on the ISO-dial always takes precedence even if you are in auto-ISO mode. The logic of auto-ISO on Nikon cameras is that, if the need arises, the camera will use a higher ISO than you have in the dial (up to your "maximum ISO" setting) but it will never use an ISO level lower than the one you have selected with the ISO dial. So, set your "maximum ISO" to the maximum that you can tolerate, and then if you still want to take a certain shot with an ISO even higher than that, just move your ISO dial higher. :)
@@y.rousso Wow thanks for clarifying and a bit disappointing. It was my go-to solution with the DF in M mode. Is what you explain also true in M mode ?
Actually this idea also came from the user manual: If the value currently selected using the ISO sensitivity dial or [ISO sensitivity] is higher than that chosen for [Maximum sensitivity], the highest value will serve as the upper limit for auto ISO sensitivity control.
It's the Df experience that created the same expectation for me too@@casentbon. I think the change made by the Zf is ok too. I set my dial to 100 and maximum ISO to usually 6400 and I let the camera increase it automatically without even thinking about it. If I see I am still underexposed in a particular shot, then I quickly override with the dial.
makes sense ! Enjoy @@y.rousso
What value is the sensor calibrated to? 640 ISO?
Great camera, it looks just like a Fuji 😀
Did they change it in the new firmware. Was shooting a Priority tonight with Auto ISO set to base 100/max 5000 and when I turned ISO dial to 6400 for more headroom over 5000 the camera shot in only 6400 ISO. Seems like ISO dial takes over now. Anyone else??
Thx for this video… because it s not so simple on this camera. Honestly I don t understand why it’s not possible to override the ISO with the dial all the time. Usually you are in auto iso as the sensor is very good letting the dial to C and if you want to give a value you turn the dial. It would have been simpler I think.
Thanks Omar, that answered a few questions for me. Not as confusing as the set up was on the DF, but still I don't like it where the internal menu overrides the dial when internal is set to auto, I would much prefer the dial to override everything all the time, so that when you look at the dial you see the actual setting, and not have to remember to switch off auto in the menu. c should take you to the menu settings but NOT influence the dial in any way. Rumour has it that a software upgrade will allow you to give complete priority to the dial settings in future.
Let's hope for that sofware upgrade. Too many people want it for them not to give us the option.
This all makes perfect sense to me. If a camera has an iso dial then by definition there will be a possible way to conflict with iso in the menus, I assume Fuji users have become used to this being addressed in a different way! That doesn’t make the Fuji way the correct way.
The Fuji way is super simple, you just set the iso you want on the dial or you set it to A (also a setting on the dial). If you want to limit the range of the auto iso that can be done in the menus or with a customizable shortcut button. This seems overly complicated, especially in an era where iso has fewer implications on image quality.
@@ianroe1076I guess Nikon just didn’t want to copy Fuji. I do have a compact X10 and a GFX 100s but my Nikon Zfc has the same iso dial and a do appreciate the way auto iso has its lowest iso governed by the iso dial. So for normal bright conditions my physical dial stays at 100, but when it’s very windy or dark I can turn the dial and my auto iso is forced higher...I’m a little embarrassed how much I like my Zfc, considering it’s obviously not a Pro camera.
Thank you!
I really hope nikon had added auto iso to the top dial.
auto iso and using manual dial is weird, for example i want to use dial when i know a specific iso i want to use but then switch to auto C on dial when i just want auto but this looks weird because manual dial iso does not really change iso when its set to auto it just gives the highest auto all the time
best man. thänks ❤
Do you know why in auto-ISO, aperture priority mode, if I set my max ISO for instance at 20k ISO, it'll always put ISO to 20k and not change to the lowest ISO possible? Sometimes it does (if I switch the ISO dial to 100 (from C) for instance), but I don't know what I need to get there while keeping ISO dial to C...
Turn the light on, if the camera defaults to 20000 ISO in auto, it's too dark.
There’s been a lot of scuttlebutt about this very issue here on YT over the past three weeks!
It is good that they make it very nostalgic but still feel that at this price point an included joystick for AF points will be nicer.
With your eye to the EVF, you can slide your thumb on the screen to move your focus point. Faster than the joystick.
@@ogonzillaunless you're left eye dominant like i am and always have to have your screen touch disabled or my big nose and face is always "touching"the screen and changing stuff
@@ogonzilla that was the main way to change Af point for og EOS R too. But I always find it bery tough to do as my thumb can only cover a small portion of the screen. Moving points to the left always didn’t work well for me.
I prefer a joystick in for use in wet & cold, touchscreens are not really usable in wet weather and touch sensitive gloves are not warm enough when's it's cold and your fingers are dropping off!
In ZF, you can select which area of the screen you want to use for this function.@@HwL01
Great explaination Omar. I think once I get mine I am going to try and shoot exclusively in full manual using the dials. Kind of what this camera was intended for. My Z9 can do all the menu stuff
Nikon made a mistake by not repurposing the ISO and SS dials for Auto max ISO and min SS correspondingly. I practically always shoot in Auto ISO, so those dials are useless to me.
Do you still use the Zf, Omar? 😅
Excellent
Sometimes I believe there can be too many choices. 🤕 Carry on. 👍🥂
There is no joystick?
I figured out why i was having issues with auto iso in AP
Explaining Auto ISO on Nikon ZF in Aperture Priority Mode:
When you're in Aperture Priority mode with Auto ISO enabled on your Nikon ZF, you have the ability to set a 'minimum shutter speed'. Let's say you set this to 1/200th of a second. Interestingly, in certain situations, the camera might choose a slower shutter speed than this minimum. Here's why:
Your camera maintains the minimum shutter speed (like the 1/200th you set) as long as the ISO stays within its set range (the minimum to maximum ISO you've defined in the settings).
If the light conditions are such that even at your maximum ISO, the correct exposure can't be achieved at your set minimum shutter speed, the camera will lower the shutter speed further to get the right exposure.
This means, in very low light, your shutter speed can drop below your set minimum to compensate, ensuring your photo isn't underexposed.
When there's enough light, or if the ISO is comfortably within its range, your camera respects the minimum shutter speed you’ve set.
This is a clever feature that prioritizes getting a correctly exposed shot, even if it means slightly slower shutter speeds in low light situations. Remember, this only happens when the ISO hits its upper limit and the correct exposure can't be maintained at your chosen minimum shutter speed.
Hope this helps clarify how Auto ISO functions in Aperture Priority mode on the Nikon ZF, making it a versatile tool for photographers of all skill levels!"
I stopped with photography because of the hideousness of digital camera menus. I’m thinking of coming back because cameras have dials again, like I remember with film. So, simple question: can I just set iso with the dial and not bother with the effing menus?
Its not that difficult to be honest! I dont miss custom function buttons of my A7iii
Yep that’s as clear as mud, first I thought u said the Dial always overrides? But later in the Video apparently the dial won’t do anything until u go 3200 iso? I don’t understand that at all. Sorry Nikon thats Ridiculous
Thanks Omar, now we put this whole Zf ISO issue to bed! And maybe the peanut gallery will shut up. Thanks again bro.
@@scotttucker9613it’s not rocket science. The Fuji boyz needed this
ISO dial when moved from C absolutely needs to deactivate Auto-ISO. Should be a simple fw update 👍🏻
Thanks for posting, but I've read around that the interaction of Auto-ISO function with the ISO dial that you have shown (dial can be used to increase ISO value once you go above the value set in the Auto-ISO menu) is ONLY valid for the M mode set by the PASM dial. In aperture priority mode (A) this behavior will change. Can you please confirm that, and check how the Auto-ISO function interacts with the ISO dial in A and S modes?
Double checked. The overriding works in A and S modes...as you can see at 4:33 I'm in Aperture Priority mode. :)
@@ogonzilla awesome, thank you for the prompt reply and for taking the time.
I believe there is a difference with auto-iso between A and M modes, depending on your definition of "overriding." It's shown in the video but may be the difference you are thinking of.
In both modes the dial can override the max auto-iso setting. Only Manual mode will have the ISO AUTO flashing and pick the best ISO based on your new max ISO. Other modes will not have flashing ISO AUTO and instead take that dial override as your set ISO value, adjusting the other exposure values to account for it.
I love how it works in Manual but don't find it as helpful while in other modes.
Puh. Thank god Fujifilm has sorted this out for years.
Is there any way to use a custom function to change minimum shutter speed in auto ISO Aperture priority mode without going to the auto ISO menu?
Wish so... Seems Nikon doesn't offer that like other brands like Sony / Fuji. Old Nikon users will just tell you to use M mode if you want to adjust the Shutter Speed... ( which is totally different from the idea of auto iso min. SS setting )
No. To change the shutter speed minimum, you have to dive into the menu.
For Aperture priority with autoISO it can be increased using the dial.
I setup my autoISO range iso100 max iso12800 for example. Shutter speed I set to the lowest I think I would use, let's say 1/8s because that's what I feel I can handhold with Ibis with a 28mm.
Now of course 1/8s is too slow at times/with different lenses, so I need to increase it. Simply turn the dial to a higher ISO - the shutter speed will go faster accordingly.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
thanks Omar - I'm close to pulling the trigger on a Zf 24-70 I think.
A good example of how the intention of creating flexibility turns into a behemoth of a system.. I would rather go for K.I.S.S. Like with Fuji
Thanks for making this. Until I literally had this in my hands, I just assumed that "c" stood for "command dial" and that it could be assigned to one. The fact that it can't is just completely insane to me. As a wedding and event photographer, I change my aperture maybe a dozen or so times per day (obviously your workflow may vary, not speaking for all wedding/event photographers). I change ISO thousands of times. I just can't wrap my head around why aperture gets a dedicated command dial but ISO just cannot, under any circumstance, ever just live on a command dial in the Nikon world. It's the ONE thing I need to change all day every day, and every single time I need to do it, I have to take my finger off the shutter button to press the record button, or I have to mess up muscle memory for the other Z cameras by assigning it to a different custom button, and even then if I'm holding the camera above my head or down low, it's incredibly awkward to operate a custom button and move a command dial. I finally ended up assigning the focus ring to ISO, which has worked decently for the past few jobs, but it tends to get moved around a lot when I'm using another body. If I need manual focus, moving the switch on the lens disables the custom control and it returns to a focus ring. Anyways - I appreciate this broad overview of ISO on the camera, and still hoping Nikon makes some major changes either with future cameras or firmware!
This also seems strange to me, I typically set the ISO for the area (indoor/outdoor) and mainly vary aperture (unless in Manual, I use Aperture mode primarily). On the Z8, it’s mainly at ISO 64, 800 or 2500 for the night stuff or Auto ISO when I’m lazy or if others are going to use the camera. Digital gives us options for sure, I’m sort of used to the film days where whatever roll you have in that’s the ISO until it’s done.
@@scotttucker9613 Of course! If I'm indoors, my aperture is wide open, right off the bat (it's wide open outdoors as well). This is just my style and in addition, it provides the highest image quality when ISO needs to go above base. Lenses also just render differently wide open, I find the colors more rich and tonality more pleasing - personal taste of course. I exclusively use primes for events and weddings - a 20mm, a 35mm, and an 85mm, all 1.8 S lenses, so they are just spectacular wide open, and preposterously sharp while still being soft (as are Fuji lenses, which is where I came from). My next concern is shutter speed - I stay at 1/200th pretty much at all times, unless I can go faster and remain near base ISO. But for the most part, indoors, I'm at 1/200th, as I find it to be the best compromise between freezing the motion of people walking, talking, gesturing, etc... and keeper images. If it is extremely low light I may bring the shutter speed much lower, but if I can be at 1/200th I prefer that speed. So the only thing left to adjust my exposure is the ISO. It ends up being the sole control that I use for exposure when working indoors. If I need to get a group I will of course stop down to whatever I need to get depth, but other than groups, architectural details, and ring photos, I almost never touch my aperture, and my shutter speed is determined by the speed at which most humans move their bodies and faces. You also get the most efficiency from a flash at sync speed, which coincidentally on Nikon Z is 1/200th, so even when I'm bouncing flash I'm still controlling ambient exposure via ISO and keeping SS and aperture completely open. Hope that makes sense!
LOL….people want a full manual control camera, and then complain coz they can’t use auto iso! What a hoot.
People want a camera with haptic controls - that doesn't mean they have to do without functions such as automatic exposure, autofocus or auto ISO. Nikon has made a mistake here in the operating concept - that's all. There is no reason to make the functionality of the auto ISO dependent on the selected operating mode (MSAP). What Nikon has done is confusing and not user-friendly and must be corrected!
So, set the bounds for Auto ISO, which turns on in C dial position, yea? Why ANYONE would want to, control ISO via dials, on a Zf, which you buy FOR The ISO dial, is beyond me....
So to make a long story short...
1. When the ISO dial is not on C, its the only way to set ISO. Nothing else works. You can still use your quick buttons and dialsl and menus to turn auto-ISO on/off but not actually change the ISO number.
2. When its on C, you can use all these other methods to change ISO number.
3. When Auto is on, the dial can be used override the max-ISO allowed in the menu settings. But below that max number, AUTO kicks in with higher prio than the dial. So if the "normal' exposure for the pic is below the maximum set in the menus, the dial is effectively useless when Auto ISO is on.
Did I get that all correctly ?
There is some logic to it, and not confusing at all, when you think about it this way.
Well, it's mostly Fuji users that are perplexed, but they are used to simpler things......
I think that here Nikon lost sight of its audience for this camera and tried too hard to compromise between modern and old approaches making something too awkward for ISO adjustments. An "A" for auto ISO on the dial would do the trick.
This is also true for shutter speed. Even my old FM3A has an auto position on the shutter speed dial.
Better to have a toggle under the dial with A (auto) D (dial) M (menu).
If you just had an 'A' for aiuto on the dial, you would still need something to prioritise the dial, or the menu, for manual adjustment, otherwise that would cause confusion, after all we're talking Fuji Users here, lol..
@@SaintKimbo You could do that from the menu. I cannot think of a situation where one would need to quickly go to the C mode, yet there are many situations where I wish there was a quick way to go auto ISO.
Wow! That is so complicated, why didn’t they simply put an “A” on the dial to set to auto? and in the menu have they Auto ISO preferences as the Fuji do. I like Sony how they starting to make lenses with aperture dials but can’t understand why Nikon don’t especially now that they want to start making retro style cameras. To me Nikon don’t seem to have much long term planning with the ergonomics, the ZF is just a quick cash grab to take advantage of the current X100v Fab,
Very complicate ISO feature. Why just they put A into the dial.
Also i don’t understand why exposure comp is so useless in manual mode if you aren’t shooting with a flash.
They should make it so that ex. Comp dial affects the shutter speed dial in 1/3s. It would be great help with getting 90deg angle for eu ppl aswell as allow you to fine tune the SS because i find full stops in shutter speed to limiting.
Also, when using ss dial + lens with aperture controll, the main and sub control dials are totally useless. We should be able to configure their behavior so for instanace it behaves allways as if focus mode button was pressed
It sounds needlessly confusing. Having an Auto setting on the ISO dial (ala Fuji) would be far more logical.
Zed!
Some people thought it was a bug the way it worked😂 take the time to learn how it works but its certainly been controversial with some still moaning🙄
Way too confusing, I prefer the Fuji system. So much easier for my brain :=)