Put the VR is sport mode and it won’t jump around. Also you can set the camera up with one focusing mode on the shutter button and another on the AF on button. The AF On mode will override the shutter mode when pressed. I have mine set up for wide AF with tracking on the shutter button and when it locks on I push the AF On button which is set for 3D tracking
In normal Vr it recenters itself that’s what causes the jumping in the viewfinder this is just the way it works, in Sports mode it doesn’t recenter itself so it doesn’t jump haven’t noticed if its not as stable or not.
@@RonSkinnerPhotographer Ah that's interesting! Makes sense. I tried sport and for a bird not moving it was very shaky. Like it wanted to stabilise something that wasn't there
So happy for you that you were able to keep it on the bird and re-acquired focus there because that is one stunning shot. Brilliant work. A lot of us like to think it's all about the gear. But, really, your skill makes a huge difference!
I have the Z9 with the 100-400, this is happiness! fast, clear, sharp, accurate. I'm glad I did not jump ship to Sony and got stuck with a 24 MP sensor A9II and a 2K lens.
The 2X TC is a good option if you're in good light and can't get too close to your subject. My main photography subjects are songbirds so I bought the Nikkor 100-400 instead of the 180-600. I figured being one stop faster the 100-400 would help me more, in low light, capturing the quick subjects. I use a 800 f6.3 if i'm in an open space with fairly good light, and need the extra reach. It's just a shame the perfect all around lens cost an arm and a leg.
On the field, I use the wide area on the shutter and 3D tracking on the AF button (as suggested by Hudson Henry)… very please with this setup… surprising efficient!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Jan. Appreciated it. By the way, I started a birding photo workshop today in Costa Rica and I am using the same combination (Z9+100-400mm+1.4TC). I totally agree with your experience. I'll have to check your Master Class.
Thank you very much Jan for this very helpful and competent field report! I am still not convinced if this relatively expensive lens is the optimal telezoom for me. When I go hiking in our Swiss Alps the AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 ED VR with FTZ- adapter is in my backpack: Light, of handy size, cheap (540 Swiss Francs!!) and of unexpected good image quality! I compared it to the Z 100-400 as well as to the Z 70-200/2.8 and couldn't find any difference at F5.6 and F8.0 in optcal quality. Therefore it covers my needs for landscape photography. By the other hand it ist often too short for wildlife. Yes you can add a converter but both converters are quite expensive, so for the money you better buy a longer high-quality lens. And the image quality drops, and you loose much light, especially with the 2x converter. On the positive side is the versatility of the lens, and it's min. distance, ideal for photographing frogs, butterflies and dragonflies etc. It also has a smart design preventing it from creeping, and it comes with a smart inner balance technology. So at the end of the day my purchase decision is still open ... Maybe the forthcoming Z 200-600mm will be the better solution for my wildlife photography. Or I will go for the excellent 500mm F5.6 PF lens. Time will tell.
I still use my AF-P 70-300 VR too as my tele-zoom in the mountains. It's half the weight, not as crisp but not too bad at all for size and weight at f8 and 300mm. I go on mountain trips with that plus the 24-120 f4 S and the 14-24 f2.8S which aren't too heavy in the backpack. Throw in the tiny Loawa 85mm f5.6 2x macro and ones covered. For wildlife I have the 180-200 Nikkor which is a bit heavy at 2.18kg but is very good at everything, sure not a 400 f2.8, but very versatile with better image quality than you might think in good light. I may add a long prime at some point.
Update on my previous comments. I now have the Z9, 100-400 and both TC, Still waiting on the 800mm F6.3. I've been using the 100-400 with the 2x TC and I'm blown away at how good it works. AF with eye detection is wonderful even on small birds at a reasonable distance.
I know this is where technology is going, but saying it’s not great that the camera doesn’t do a perfect job of always focusing is what photography is all about. It’s not about getting the perfect picture every time. To me that takes the fun out of it. You won’t get the rush of knowing you’ve got the perfect shot of every picture you take is perfect. Give it 10 years and people will moan that their camera doesn’t always perfectly automatically frame the image.. at this point we might as well jsut video things..
Minor correction. The lens MFD is zoom-dependent. The 750mm you mentioned is only at 100mm with a magnification just 0.13. At 400mm, MFD is 980mm and gives an amazing magnification of 0.41. That is what sold me on this lens. I currently have D850 and 200-500 F5.6. I was intending to keep the lens when my Z9 arrives due to its good magnification. I like shooting Dragonflies as well as Eagles LOL. But since learning the 100-400 has double the magnification, the 200-500 is for sale as is the D850 and all the rest of my F mount lenses. I also have the 800 F6.3 on order. No I'm not rich, just single LOL.
Right choice, especially if you were planning on shooting handheld, the Z9 + 200-500mm is overly heavy, I speak from experience. The 100-400 mm is so much lighter, it is unbelievable.
@@shahin2500 9 months later and I still have the 200-500. Yes it's heavy compared to the 100-400 but I've been using it handheld on the D850 and occasionally on the Z9 and it's fine. I still have not received the Z 800pf. That will take over for birds. It is the same weight as the 200-500 with the TC1.4. Can't believe it is almost 12 months since I ordered it.
@@robguyatt9602 hahaha, I replied and then noticed the dates (boneheaded on my part). I took the 200-500 to a wildlife refuge to shoot birds, I just couldn’t put up with the weight for very long stints. This had not been the case with my D500 at all. Thereafter, I gave up on it and bought the 100-400mm. The other issue was the hunting, it was slow to focus and it just hunted forever. Of course some of that is the Z9’s AF, which after all the firmware updates, is still laggy and loses the birds regularly; rather unfortunate.
@@shahin2500 Howdy Bonehead. This is Offy. It's what my grandkids call me and it's short for "Old Fart". Plenty of boneheadedness comes with being an Offy LOL. I'm having similar probs with AF too. Especially with the 100-400 with 2xTC. I should charge up the D850 and make some comparisons. I've always felt I'm having trouble getting sharp BIF shots with the Z9 compared to the D850. I must put them side by side. D850 200-500 & TC1.4 and compare with Z9 100-400 with TC2. I should also test with and without the TCs too.
@@robguyatt9602 Lol, sounds good; I’d really be interested to hear what you found out. Obviously, it’s a bit on the disappointing side to see Nikon still lags behind in this one area. I waited all this time to hop over onto the mirrorless bandwagon, and it seems like I was still too early. It’s not all doom and gloom though, Z9 is still a fantastic camera overall.
With D850 and 200-500 F5.6, the TC1.4 focuses slower but ok. The TC2.0 autofocuses rarely. But I can use it in good light with manual focus for stationary bugs and insects. So I'm pleased to hear you say the Z TC2.0 does autofocus ok(ish) with the 100-400. Both Z TCs are already on order anyway. :)
Thanks for great review of 100-400. Currently usin 200-500+ftz on my Z7II but weight is becoming hard for long periods hand holding. Thinking this lens with 1.4tc might be good alternative. Your video very good & well explained 👏
You are a Genius Jan.. thank you for this wonderful detailed video.. loved it and passed on the link to loads of photographers here in India.. Thanks a TON..
Good video as always. Balanced review as you pint out the good and bad points of the camera and also mentioned where it’s better then the other high end cameras. Do yoiu ever watch others reviews of the same camera/lens combo and rey to figure out why you are getting diffrent results?
Hi Jan, I have been a long time follower, purchased your masterclass and prosets and had your new release videos always on notification. Your early videos were usually videos of actual photo shoots in great locations and tips to taking bird photos and video in the field. Lately however it just seems to be tech and lens reviews and almost exclusively. (And yes I know it’s summer in Australia so birds aren’t at their best) While occasionally these are interesting I just feel the balance has been lost. Only saying as I love your channel and thought I should give you the feedback. Kind Regards Rob
Well, it's difficult, because I also have to make a living and the in the field videos are the hardest to film and edit and the worst when it comes to views. I have also not been shooting much at all, due to the hot summer weather and the birds being inactive and not looking very good. As you say I have also not been out much due to the weather etc. Have you been watching the Bird Photography Show? We usually include a lot of content from the field in there. When I will get out more in the field, I will also make more in the field videos again.
Thank you, Best lens review I have watched so far very patiently explained. I just need your suggestion for the problem I am facing. I am owning Nikon Z30 with 2 kit lenses was under the impression that I can use it for birds photography but realized very lately that its mainly designed for vlogging purposes. Do you think is there point in investing in a zoom lens like 100-400 or 600 mm ? Or should I purchase another camera itself ? Waiting for your valuable opinion !
Thank you, Jan. My own 100-400 and 1.4TC just came a few days ago. Until my Z9 arrives, I'm using it on my 3 year old Z7. I'm getting the hang of it. YOU ARE INSPIRING. Thank you. After I get some of the initial learning under my belt, I'm really tempted to go with your masterclasses. I'm using NX Studio and ON1 Photo Raw for now without a specific denoise producg.
Hi Jan Found that you can use DXO PureRAW 2 for HE* files by hitting export to DNG in adobe bridge. You can then drop the DNG straight into PureRAW and continue with usual workflow. Thanks for all your hard work! Roy
Thank you so much Jan for this fantastic video.......I am anxious to get my Z9 in my hands soon and try all the autofocus settings you recommend. By the way your PROSETS are outstanding.
@23:20 WoW ! That must be a really great camera ! ;) lol .... But honestly, I don't think I'd have got that shot with ANY camera lens combo, at any price ! That is just as good as it gets brother ! When I watch your vids, rarely do I think... I need that camera, or that lens, but rather, "I need those skills" ! :)
Well, good skills help for sure :D That's why I like mirrorless a lot, though, because I feel like almost all DSLRs would've not found that bird again. It's actually crazy how fast it all happens. When you watch it back
Great video. Thanks. I have the 200-500 5.6 and now moved to Z 7ii and looking for a tele lens. Struggling to decide whether to get the 100-400 with 1.4 extender or the 180-600. I do wildlife not much bird photography. U did touch on that at the end these two but like to get your recommendation. Thanks and not sure you have a comparison video as well.
This is interesting. I'm looking forward to the OM-1 version of this review. I suddenly realised that if I have to migrate from EF to RF glass, it might be more cost effective to go with the OM-1 and one of the 100-400mm zooms which works as a 200-800mm lens. I will save a bundle if the OM-1 is viable even if I went with a pro lens.
Again an amazing video! Thank you very much! I really like your reviews, they are some of the best on youtube in my opinion! They have so many impressions directly from the field so that it really motivates to go out. 😊 I'm very interested in other reviews, e.g. some more vidoe of the Sony a1, a review of the Sony a7iv, and maybe also others like OMSystem etc. And I also really like field trip videos. Sometimes, I even forget that I have to go out in the field to take nice images, because I'm interested in tech stuff too much, haha.
Been meaning to tell you for a while Jan that footage you shot of the Eastern Whipbird is amazing! Particularly the sequence when he is calling that you have used in your other videos. Well done! I found this video very interesting too, even though I'm not looking to move to Nikon.
I think the audio level is very good now. Wow those are very nice photos. Too bad you have to use 3 different af modes. It sounds inconvenient but I think in the long term Nikon user's will get used to it. Canon still better in this regard. Hopefully Canon will come up with better systems and if Nikon keeps this up I might switch to Nikon that is if they release a smaller version of the body though.
Thanks for your review Jan, it confirms my experience with the Z9, Z 100-400mm and the 1.4x and 2x teles. The 1.4x tele hardly ever comes off, but the 2X was somewhat disappointing for me as well. I will probably keep it for now as I am past the 30 day return window, but it won't be used often. I do hope that Nikon comes out with a firmware update that helps to make the AF more consistent. Although I do like the camera/lens combination a lot, I feel that the AF is still in need of more work to get closer to the performance of Canon's R5.
It's a great combo! I think the what we are looking for is consistency and predictability. That's why i showed the two examples, where the one mode worked in one and then failed in the other. That's what makes it hard to work with in the field
Would you recommend buying the 1.4x and not buying the 2x? I am thinking of buying this, since I take photographs of Eagles and they are usually far from my reach, I have my Z 100-400 lens but it falls short in the distances and I do not achieve the desired image quality.
@@edugiselle1 I do still use the 2x tele on those occasions where I have no other option available. I have found that the IQ can be acceptable with good light, but the AF does suffer. The 2x tele does seem to work better with the Z 400mm f/4.5, which I have been using in combination with the Z 70-200mm. Although it is only 2/3 of a stop faster than the Z 100-400, I really notice the difference both with, and without the TC’s.
@@Interbeing_CDN I have canon r5 and Nikon z9, I currently sold my 100-500 canon lens because I plan to buy the Nikon Z800, what would you recommend? Buy the Nikon 800 f6.3 or buy the teleconverter and use it on my Nikon 100-400 lens? I know it’s a bit difficult to answer, but they are quite expensive lenses and I would like to make the most appropriate purchase. Or do you think there is a better option in canon?
@@edugiselle1 Tough call, I have had the Z 800mm on order since the first day it became available. I was told recently that it may be summer before it arrives. No telling how long it will be before it actually ships. If you really need the reach, you could get the 2x tele now, and sell it when the 800mm becomes available. Another option is to pick a tele up used to save a bit of money up front and maybe not lose as much when it comes time to sell.
It looks like some high quality and highly priced equipment. I'm really happy with my R6 and the RF100-400mm. It's half the weight and only a fraction of the cost of that 100-400mm by nikon. From what I'm seeing I also don't believe the nikon's auto focus is equal or better with the tracking and eye auto focus than my R6. I guess a professional or someone with a large budget might prefer the Nikon system but I bet it's not thousands of dollars better in image quality. I'm also not having troubles with my tracking and eye auto focus working for almost every situation. I've had over 40 images in a row of a bird in flight and every one in excellent focus.
Learn to manual focus all the time. That's a pro tip I was taught when I started shooting major sporting events. My photos come out sharper and more in focus.
frojm what i understand , with 1.4x on the 100-400 we should get better sharpness if stopping at f11 than wide oepn f8, correct ? what is the reason behind it technically ? thanks for the wonderfull review. also stopping at 540mm instead of 560mm should helpd the image quality ?
10:51, Jan, you might get rid of the artefacts if you try the “Low Light” mode (TDN 3.6.x on an Intel MBP16, 2019). There will be a slightly little bit more noise left, but no artefacts
Jan, another great video. Always walk away with great info, thanks.. Question? I'm looking into parabolic dishes, mics, headphones, etc. Suffice to say it's a lot to understand. Do you have any recommendations, info, etc.. for a complete setup? Meaning including all that you need to get started.
I am still working through that stuff myself. I just got a Zoom F3 and Sennheiser MKH-416 for my studio, Haven't used it outside yet. Still a lot to learn
Hey Canon shooter! Well, the “flagship” Canon EOS R3 was released on Nov. 27, 2021 and Nikon Z9 December 24, 2021. Even though Nikon has come almost two months later, the camera as of this moment has 234 reviews at B&H and Canon EOS R3 has only 57. Market speaks for itself. So, if you got the Nikon Z9 for the first time, don't you think you would not be able to understand and use its auto-focus system deeply enough to get the results you wanted? Especially, if you come to a system that does this and the other does that. We see so many people making comments that are just not true. OH I bought the Nikon Z9 as my first camera and the focus does not work well! LOL. Not you, just mentioning many of the comments on youtube or any other places. Nikon Z9 has a deep set up system and so many other photographers have said things about the camera and it is pretty obvious when they are not completely familiar with the camera. Very few are. No system is perfect. All have their strengths and weaknesses. I can tell you are a little off when expecting the camera to respond the way you want, and I've been shooting with the Z9 for only six months now. The Z9 has been bashed for such a long time but now with the firmware 3.01 the camera's auto-focus system is on par with any other camera or brand on the market or even better in some instances. The Z9 is the only camera in the entire world that has auto-focus sensitivity down to -8.5 EV for example. No! not Canon, not Sony, not Fuji. None but Nikon Z9. No one has that sensitivity as of today. No one mentions that. What do you think that would do to auto-focus in low light? You know the answer. Nikon not only did that with auto-focus but it is better than any other brand when it comes to FPS shooting as well, It shoots 20 FPS, 30 FPS, 60 FPS and 120 FPS! Limitations with some formats? Yes. However it’s the best camera when it comes to buffer capacity as well. All the other brands are way limited when it comes to buffer capacity. The camera still has so many other features that are only unique to Nikon Z9. Nikon Z9 has been bashed for too long. But now it came back with a vengeance! LOL and I like it. Interestingly enough the "bashers" don't say a thing about it now. To put it down it’s easy and fun. To recognize when it’s great? silence… LOL The camera is PHENOMENAL! for photos and video! Although I am not a video person at all, the things I see even from good guys reviews. Oh my! What about the new lenses? Nikon is laughing PHENOMENAL lenses as well. Lens innovations that are unique to Nikon. Don’t forget that Nikon is historically the best photo company when it comes to lens production in the WORLD. They have launched lenses since when they were Nippon Kogaku back in the days when any other brand had even come close including Canon and the other brands that unfortunately don’t exist anymore. Anyways, I made this comment because you are a smart guy and make great youtube videos and have a good spirit and I think you would take a positive criticism in a good way. Be careful when commenting on the Z9 auto-focus, Nikon is updating its system at light speed. What was yesterday may have gone to better ways today! As I said before, they are coming back with a vengeance! LOL Have a good one!
When shooting small birds also try using Dx Crop. I and many other Z9 shoots have allocated the middle front Fn button (Fn2) to image area -- remember Fx = 45.4Mp and DX i 19.7MP (Large) - so lots of file size to work with. However, the loss of pixels is an issue. Wait until you try the Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S-line with its built in 1.4TC
Thank you for this video. I have a Sigma F mount 100-400 and FtZ ii. Total weight about .1 pound less than the Z mount by Nikon. Would you recommend upgrading what i have? Would i gain in stability? Thanks!
I have never used a Sigma on the Nikon system, so hard for me to say how it is performing, but typically native glass works the best and fastest, with the best stabilisation
Jan - Love your channel - I've got this same setup. What settings do you use for your 100-400 L-Fn and LFn2 in video mode? AF-Fast-On? Something else. I shoot birds like you and one of the issues I have with groups of birds in Video with AF-F is that the autofocus jumps between birds fairly quickly. Would love to be able to find a button combination on lens or body to "lock on" to just one bird instead of it jumping between birds in a group. Any tips?
@@jan_wegener Thanks for the quick reply. I will give it a try. for stills i use wide area then have 3D tracking on AF-On button on back. Hybrid method works great for bird stills but still trying to figure out the best method for groups of birds (ducks/plovers/etc) so that it will stay on one bird rather than bouncing all around to various ones at various depths of field. When wide open this sometimes creates "jumpiness" in my 4K videos. I put my tracking sensitivity to 7 (slow) to give it a try. what's your take on setting g6 "AF Speed" for these situations? Slower or faster? Thanks for the tips! I'll also try holding the focus button as well and maybe a smaller AF area? I've been sticking to AF-F but maybe AF-C is best for bird videography?
@@TLTPhotography I used AF-F which worked alright most of the time. Video AF is quite a funny beast and kind of hard to control unless you do manual AF, but then you need big tripod etc
You mentioned you can't switch between the eyes on the R5 in video mode, but it works for me! I still find the video AF to be rather confusing on the R5 and I'm still trying to get my head around these settings. However, when I have eye detect enabled and it's able to detect both eyes I get a square box with arrows left and right. The joystick can then be used to switch between the left and right eyes. I've only tried this with people and I wasn't expecting this to be as much use for birds because for the majority of the time, depending on the species, only one eye is clearly visible anyway.
Interesting! I don't recall seeing it, but maybe it's because as you say, that we mostly see one eye on 99% of birds. The video AF sure is a bit strange, but works usually quite well
Thank you for another great video. Trying out a Z9 and very interested in your results. Haven't been able to get the Z 100-400 yet even though I've ordered on but do have the Z 70-200/2.8 VR S and 1.4X teleconverter. Also is there anyway you can provide a written setup of how you configure the Wide mode with tracking and the 3D mode to work together. is there some setting that links the subject in focus between the two/
I just have it on different buttons. For instance if you have wide area on the shutter button and 3D on the AF-ON. The AF-ON will overwrite the shutter button when pressed and #D starts
Very informative video. How would you compare using the 1.4 and 2.0 teleconverters with cropping? With the lens wide open I would expect similar noise. What about sharpness and overall image quality?
I quite often think TC gives you better results ultimately since the file is so much larger and you could downsize it. However, since consistency is lacking with the 2x, that's where the 1.4 definitely has an edge
Enjoyed this very much, Thank you. I have the Z9 with this lens and have used it with the 1.4TC and agree with your conclusions, there seems to be little to no effects using the 1.4x tele , I don't own the 2X and don't plan to I think as you said it is more of a hit and a miss although both tele 's supposedly work great on the 400 f2.8 w 1.4 tele built in, but then your talking a $14,000 lens U.S.
I remember when Canon's RF series came out that so many photographers scoffed at the control ring. Now, Nikon has control rings and people still say that Canon hasn't been innovative. I guess it's always like that.
I like the carpark tests :) for the last 2 weeks I've been sick of long drives out into the bush every weekend so ive just been doing car park birds myself. Even though I thought I know my gear, I still learnt lots doing test, with or without extender and at different apatures etc.
I have a problem: I use Nikon Z9 with NIKKOR Z 100-400MM F/4.5-5.6 VR S lens. Firmware C 2.00 LF 1.10. Custom settings: a1 AF-C Focus; a6 AF activation Off(with out-of-focus release disabled). The shutter release priority is set at Focus. When the lens is set at 400 mm, the AF-ON and Shutter are pressed concurrently. The camera won't fire. But when the lens is set at 100 mm, the camera can fire. Please try with yours and see if you have the same problem. If you do have the same problem, please explain?
thanks for a complete review. I haven't checked all your videos but I was wondering if you had one for editing videos. I sued to get reasonable results in PS, now I guess I have to use Premiere. The issue has been mainly for sharpening for instance. I would welcome a video on video editing. I got stalled so many times, I just quit doing it.
I have done a few in the past and I have a paid Masterclass where I teach my workflow step by step th-cam.com/video/9RkC1wHUqh4/w-d-xo.html aviscapes.com/masterclass-editing/
Hi Jan, I assume that your master class is for Adobe SW. Is it for LRc and/or Photoshop? Also, I would appreciate a video with recommendations on editing tools: SW and Computer HW, etc.
Yes, I use ACR & Photoshop in the class with the main focus being on how to master Photoshop for amazing results. Here we talk about computers a bit th-cam.com/video/Ost8J47KVrg/w-d-xo.html
I am trying to decide if I am going in debt for a Z9 as my first Mirrorless camera, replace my old cpu: 8700k, gpu: 1080, Ram: 64GB PC with a Mac Studio 32GB for photo editing, or wait for the Z9-II or Z8. I am a disabled Veteran so do not work to buy things fast so just max out credit cards.
I can't comment on other people's choices, but I would be careful to overspend on cameras/computers. They lose their value pretty quickly. What camera are you using now?
I wonder if you have had the chance to use the Nikon F-mount lenses such as a 600mm f/4 or 800mm f/5.6 or even the 500 PF adapted to the Z9. I’d definitely like to hear your thoughts to see if they match my real world shooting results. I’ve been testing the 800mm f/5.6E on the Z9 recently. Thanks!
Hi Jan! Thanks from Alaska for all of the great videos. Love 'em. I'd really like to ask your opinion. m a Nikon user would really like your opinion. I'm a Nikon shooter, however, I'm doing a bit of a cross over to the Sony A7IV with the 200-600 for our awesome wildlife very soon. I just watched your comparison of the Canon R5-100-500 vs. Sony A1-200-600. Wondering if the Canon R5 combo would give me better results than the Sony A7IV--200-600? It would be 45mp vs. 33mp. Results close to equal? Sorry to butt in. Thanks!! Mike
It really depends what you do and how you shoot. When it comes to switching between photo & video and image stabilisation, the Canon combo is definitely better. In terms of reach the Sony combo wins I'd say. What would be your main reason to switch?
@@jan_wegener Thanks, Jan. Really appreciate your reply. It's the reach & most likely having to wait for months after announcement of the 200-600 Z to arrive coupled with wildlife becoming active right now makes me want to jump on the more affordable A7IV. vs. R5 combos. Your video was so informative & I would prefer the Canon, however, the cost. I have time & I will think long & hard. Thank you very much!
Love this lens but the lens control ring didn’t work for me. I really wanted and tried to use it for exposure compensation but when carrying in the field it was easily bumped and when I brought the camera up for a shot I would find the exposure all wrong. I would turn the camera off when carrying and switch it on when bringing it up to shoot but in the end found it too much hassle so disengaged it. This would be a great function if it were a click stop rather than a freely rotating ring.
Hey Jan, Even when I'm not into Nikon gear, I really enjoyed all the birds in this episode, even the dark bird with the tennis ball @3:14 😛. What was the name of this parking lot bird ? I really loved its looks, and I wished they could be found in Europe as well .. and so approachable ! I noticed the tracking square was indicating often the bird, but less then 50% of the time is was on the eye. Was this only on the display, or is it still a significant level below the Canon eye-AF magic ? For stills, I wouldn't wanna trade in my current gear with same reach and extenders for this twice as expensive Nikon combo. For video I do agree Nikon has some awesome features like switching between the eyes to track ! Please call Canon to add this feature in FW 1.6.0 ;-)
It's a Bush Stone-curlew. The Z9 is definitely not as "knowledgeable" when it comes to recognising a bird as Canon. So it has a harder time identifying which part it is meant to stay on. But we also need to remember that at larger distances, it probably doesn't matter much whether it's on the head or back.
@@jan_wegener Any clue whether this Bush Stone-curlew has any relatives we could find in western Europe ? @9:00 you were as close to this bird, as we were last year to the Bluethroats ;-)
@@jan_wegener Thanks - if the IQ was "good" (in theory it should be with 1:1 pixel readout as long as you're using top-quality lenses and no TC's) the reach would be amazing. I'd probably sell my A1 for a Z9 just for this feature. (The A1 bin's all 4k modes which reduces the IQ and it can't record 4k@120 in DX mode. I'm forced to use the 2xTC with the 200-600G which yields soft imagery.)
Could you maybe do a video on the Nikon 200-500 at some point? I think it’s still an interesting lens and if you can get access to it I think that would be a fantastic video. Also first :)
I am having trouble shooting hummingbirds with the 100-400 lens. I have the 6ll & the 7ll. Shooting at 3500 speed f8 auto ISO. also the 1.4 extender, any ideas how to correct this. The lens is picking up ghosting of the wings. I end up with extra wings.
@@jan_wegener Well, Mr Jan, I have actually figured out the problem, why it was picking up the ghosting, extra hummingbird wings. I had the Silent Mode on which flips the "Shutter type" from AUTO.
Just outstanding to see all this Z9 content Jan! Please keep it going, the photo and video results are just stellar!
Thank you!
lol. like you can afford a Z9... what are you rockafella?
Put the VR is sport mode and it won’t jump around. Also you can set the camera up with one focusing mode on the shutter button and another on the AF on button. The AF On mode will override the shutter mode when pressed. I have mine set up for wide AF with tracking on the shutter button and when it locks on I push the AF On button which is set for 3D tracking
I did have it in sports mode a few times and it was way more unstable when the bird didn't move.
👍👍👍
In normal Vr it recenters itself that’s what causes the jumping in the viewfinder this is just the way it works, in Sports mode it doesn’t recenter itself so it doesn’t jump haven’t noticed if its not as stable or not.
@@RonSkinnerPhotographer Ah that's interesting! Makes sense. I tried sport and for a bird not moving it was very shaky. Like it wanted to stabilise something that wasn't there
Oh interesting! This is very helpful
So happy for you that you were able to keep it on the bird and re-acquired focus there because that is one stunning shot. Brilliant work. A lot of us like to think it's all about the gear. But, really, your skill makes a huge difference!
Thanks!
I agree!
I have the Z9 with the 100-400, this is happiness! fast, clear, sharp, accurate. I'm glad I did not jump ship to Sony and got stuck with a 24 MP sensor A9II and a 2K lens.
The 2X TC is a good option if you're in good light and can't get too close to your subject. My main photography subjects are songbirds so I bought the Nikkor 100-400 instead of the 180-600. I figured being one stop faster the 100-400 would help me more, in low light, capturing the quick subjects. I use a 800 f6.3 if i'm in an open space with fairly good light, and need the extra reach. It's just a shame the perfect all around lens cost an arm and a leg.
On the field, I use the wide area on the shutter and 3D tracking on the AF button (as suggested by Hudson Henry)… very please with this setup… surprising efficient!
I did that for a while, but I just prefer proper BBF
Same here. After a day or two I prefer the hybrid way as above. I change focus types mid shot
Very informative review. I particularly appreciated the AF comparisons and demos and the comparisons of the converters. Thank you.
My pleasure!
Can’t wait for this vs RF 100-500
Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Jan. Appreciated it.
By the way, I started a birding photo workshop today in Costa Rica and I am using the same combination (Z9+100-400mm+1.4TC). I totally agree with your experience.
I'll have to check your Master Class.
Sounds great! Hopefully you will get some nice images!
Thank you very much Jan for this very helpful and competent field report! I am still not convinced if this relatively expensive lens is the optimal telezoom for me. When I go hiking in our Swiss Alps the AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 ED VR with FTZ- adapter is in my backpack: Light, of handy size, cheap (540 Swiss Francs!!) and of unexpected good image quality! I compared it to the Z 100-400 as well as to the Z 70-200/2.8 and couldn't find any difference at F5.6 and F8.0 in optcal quality. Therefore it covers my needs for landscape photography.
By the other hand it ist often too short for wildlife. Yes you can add a converter but both converters are quite expensive, so for the money you better buy a longer high-quality lens. And the image quality drops, and you loose much light, especially with the 2x converter.
On the positive side is the versatility of the lens, and it's min. distance, ideal for photographing frogs, butterflies and dragonflies etc. It also has a smart design preventing it from creeping, and it comes with a smart inner balance technology.
So at the end of the day my purchase decision is still open ...
Maybe the forthcoming Z 200-600mm will be the better solution for my wildlife photography. Or I will go for the excellent 500mm F5.6 PF lens. Time will tell.
I still use my AF-P 70-300 VR too as my tele-zoom in the mountains. It's half the weight, not as crisp but not too bad at all for size and weight at f8 and 300mm. I go on mountain trips with that plus the 24-120 f4 S and the 14-24 f2.8S which aren't too heavy in the backpack. Throw in the tiny Loawa 85mm f5.6 2x macro and ones covered. For wildlife I have the 180-200 Nikkor which is a bit heavy at 2.18kg but is very good at everything, sure not a 400 f2.8, but very versatile with better image quality than you might think in good light. I may add a long prime at some point.
Update on my previous comments. I now have the Z9, 100-400 and both TC, Still waiting on the 800mm F6.3. I've been using the 100-400 with the 2x TC and I'm blown away at how good it works. AF with eye detection is wonderful even on small birds at a reasonable distance.
Yes, that lens is quite nice
how is this with Nikon Z 7 II?@@jan_wegener
I know this is where technology is going, but saying it’s not great that the camera doesn’t do a perfect job of always focusing is what photography is all about. It’s not about getting the perfect picture every time. To me that takes the fun out of it. You won’t get the rush of knowing you’ve got the perfect shot of every picture you take is perfect.
Give it 10 years and people will moan that their camera doesn’t always perfectly automatically frame the image.. at this point we might as well jsut video things..
Thanks. Please do a video on the Fuji X H2s and it's 150-600mm
It sounds like you prefer the final images and had a higher keeper rate from the Sony or the Canon system, correct?
Minor correction. The lens MFD is zoom-dependent. The 750mm you mentioned is only at 100mm with a magnification just 0.13. At 400mm, MFD is 980mm and gives an amazing magnification of 0.41. That is what sold me on this lens. I currently have D850 and 200-500 F5.6. I was intending to keep the lens when my Z9 arrives due to its good magnification. I like shooting Dragonflies as well as Eagles LOL. But since learning the 100-400 has double the magnification, the 200-500 is for sale as is the D850 and all the rest of my F mount lenses. I also have the 800 F6.3 on order. No I'm not rich, just single LOL.
Right choice, especially if you were planning on shooting handheld, the Z9 + 200-500mm is overly heavy, I speak from experience. The 100-400 mm is so much lighter, it is unbelievable.
@@shahin2500 9 months later and I still have the 200-500. Yes it's heavy compared to the 100-400 but I've been using it handheld on the D850 and occasionally on the Z9 and it's fine. I still have not received the Z 800pf. That will take over for birds. It is the same weight as the 200-500 with the TC1.4. Can't believe it is almost 12 months since I ordered it.
@@robguyatt9602 hahaha, I replied and then noticed the dates (boneheaded on my part). I took the 200-500 to a wildlife refuge to shoot birds, I just couldn’t put up with the weight for very long stints. This had not been the case with my D500 at all. Thereafter, I gave up on it and bought the 100-400mm. The other issue was the hunting, it was slow to focus and it just hunted forever. Of course some of that is the Z9’s AF, which after all the firmware updates, is still laggy and loses the birds regularly; rather unfortunate.
@@shahin2500 Howdy Bonehead. This is Offy. It's what my grandkids call me and it's short for "Old Fart". Plenty of boneheadedness comes with being an Offy LOL. I'm having similar probs with AF too. Especially with the 100-400 with 2xTC. I should charge up the D850 and make some comparisons. I've always felt I'm having trouble getting sharp BIF shots with the Z9 compared to the D850. I must put them side by side. D850 200-500 & TC1.4 and compare with Z9 100-400 with TC2. I should also test with and without the TCs too.
@@robguyatt9602 Lol, sounds good; I’d really be interested to hear what you found out. Obviously, it’s a bit on the disappointing side to see Nikon still lags behind in this one area. I waited all this time to hop over onto the mirrorless bandwagon, and it seems like I was still too early. It’s not all doom and gloom though, Z9 is still a fantastic camera overall.
I just go the lens, and have the Z9 on order. Was wondering about the teleconverters. Very helpful video and stunning photos, thanks!
Great to hear!
Very nicely done.
For BIF, which is the the most pleasing wing position besides the banking?
Either up or down depending on the bird
With D850 and 200-500 F5.6, the TC1.4 focuses slower but ok. The TC2.0 autofocuses rarely. But I can use it in good light with manual focus for stationary bugs and insects. So I'm pleased to hear you say the Z TC2.0 does autofocus ok(ish) with the 100-400. Both Z TCs are already on order anyway. :)
The 2x converter works best for film . I also most add the 2x converter is more versatile than DX crop
That hand held footage is amazing. It looks like a footage from natgeo.
Yes, it's very stable for sure!
Thanks for great review of 100-400. Currently usin 200-500+ftz on my Z7II but weight is becoming hard for long periods hand holding. Thinking this lens with 1.4tc might be good alternative. Your video very good & well explained 👏
Glad it was helpful!
La vidéo que j'attendais! Merci.
You are a Genius Jan.. thank you for this wonderful detailed video.. loved it and passed on the link to loads of photographers here in India.. Thanks a TON..
Thank you!
outstanding work yet again and honest opinions
Thanks :)
Thanks for this. Have you tried this lens on the Z7ii? A more affordable FF combination with high MP count.
Not yet!
Great video so easy and interesting to follow. Very fair review of the 100 to 400 lens. Thank you.
My pleasure!
Perfect! 88 shots of the dog and each one is sharp - wit the slow(er) 100-400mm. Great!
Yes, it did super well with the dog
Excellent Video, Jan !!
Glad you enjoyed it
Good video as always. Balanced review as you pint out the good and bad points of the camera and also mentioned where it’s better then the other high end cameras. Do yoiu ever watch others reviews of the same camera/lens combo and rey to figure out why you are getting diffrent results?
Sometimes, but usually after I do my own. So I am not getting too influenced by what others may say. Unless there's some issues I want to figure out
Thanks for coveringeverything about this lens. Very informative.
My pleasure!
Hi Jan, I have been a long time follower, purchased your masterclass and prosets and had your new release videos always on notification. Your early videos were usually videos of actual photo shoots in great locations and tips to taking bird photos and video in the field. Lately however it just seems to be tech and lens reviews and almost exclusively. (And yes I know it’s summer in Australia so birds aren’t at their best) While occasionally these are interesting I just feel the balance has been lost. Only saying as I love your channel and thought I should give you the feedback. Kind Regards Rob
Well, it's difficult, because I also have to make a living and the in the field videos are the hardest to film and edit and the worst when it comes to views. I have also not been shooting much at all, due to the hot summer weather and the birds being inactive and not looking very good.
As you say I have also not been out much due to the weather etc. Have you been watching the Bird Photography Show? We usually include a lot of content from the field in there.
When I will get out more in the field, I will also make more in the field videos again.
Summer in Australia ended February 28.
I have this rig and think the 2x with all the "plugins" like PureRaw II and the TOPAZ apps make the lens + 2x worthwhile.
at times yes, at other these programs also wouldn't help. It's usable tho for sure
The Nikon Images Look outstanding and Seem to outperform the Canons
Thank you, Best lens review I have watched so far very patiently explained. I just need your suggestion for the problem I am facing. I am owning Nikon Z30 with 2 kit lenses was under the impression that I can use it for birds photography but realized very lately that its mainly designed for vlogging purposes. Do you think is there point in investing in a zoom lens like 100-400 or 600 mm ? Or should I purchase another camera itself ? Waiting for your valuable opinion !
Thank you, Jan. My own 100-400 and 1.4TC just came a few days ago. Until my Z9 arrives, I'm using it on my 3 year old Z7. I'm getting the hang of it. YOU ARE INSPIRING. Thank you. After I get some of the initial learning under my belt, I'm really tempted to go with your masterclasses. I'm using NX Studio and ON1 Photo Raw for now without a specific denoise producg.
Thanks Barry. My Masterclass revolves mainly around Photoshop, so keep that in mind, but it has helped countless people to edit their image better
Hi Jan
Found that you can use DXO PureRAW 2 for HE* files by hitting export to DNG in adobe bridge. You can then drop the DNG straight into PureRAW and continue with usual workflow.
Thanks for all your hard work!
Roy
Thanks for the info!
Thank you so much Jan for this fantastic video.......I am anxious to get my Z9 in my hands soon and try all the autofocus settings you recommend. By the way your PROSETS are outstanding.
Glad it was helpful! And great to hear the PROSETS are helping you!
@23:20 WoW ! That must be a really great camera ! ;) lol .... But honestly, I don't think I'd have got that shot with ANY camera lens combo, at any price ! That is just as good as it gets brother ! When I watch your vids, rarely do I think... I need that camera, or that lens, but rather, "I need those skills" ! :)
Well, good skills help for sure :D
That's why I like mirrorless a lot, though, because I feel like almost all DSLRs would've not found that bird again. It's actually crazy how fast it all happens. When you watch it back
Great analysis. Let's hope Nikon's regular updates will address the issues.
I used the 2x TC on the 70 200 and the Z7 and honestly I was not convinced. Especially not for that amount of money.
Great video. Thanks. I have the 200-500 5.6 and now moved to Z 7ii and looking for a tele lens. Struggling to decide whether to get the 100-400 with 1.4 extender or the 180-600. I do wildlife not much bird photography. U did touch on that at the end these two but like to get your recommendation. Thanks and not sure you have a comparison video as well.
This is interesting.
I'm looking forward to the OM-1 version of this review.
I suddenly realised that if I have to migrate from EF to RF glass, it might be more cost effective to go with the OM-1 and one of the 100-400mm zooms which works as a 200-800mm lens. I will save a bundle if the OM-1 is viable even if I went with a pro lens.
So do I, I have reached out, but no luck so far.
just get the Z9 and have go eat your lunch a nice cucumber sandwich with mayo and BBQ chips and vanilla pudding for desert you silly goose.
Would like to see comparisons using Z9 in crop mode to using teleconverters?
Again an amazing video! Thank you very much! I really like your reviews, they are some of the best on youtube in my opinion! They have so many impressions directly from the field so that it really motivates to go out. 😊
I'm very interested in other reviews, e.g. some more vidoe of the Sony a1, a review of the Sony a7iv, and maybe also others like OMSystem etc. And I also really like field trip videos. Sometimes, I even forget that I have to go out in the field to take nice images, because I'm interested in tech stuff too much, haha.
Yes, I will do more for sure, just comes down to availability of gear to me at times. Can't buy it all haha!
Been meaning to tell you for a while Jan that footage you shot of the Eastern Whipbird is amazing! Particularly the sequence when he is calling that you have used in your other videos. Well done! I found this video very interesting too, even though I'm not looking to move to Nikon.
Thanks mate!
I think the audio level is very good now.
Wow those are very nice photos. Too bad you have to use 3 different af modes. It sounds inconvenient but I think in the long term Nikon user's will get used to it. Canon still better in this regard. Hopefully Canon will come up with better systems and if Nikon keeps this up I might switch to Nikon that is if they release a smaller version of the body though.
Thanks! I upped it slightly. I am sure the AF will get better over time as well. As in Nikon making the more automatic modes track better
Thanks for your review Jan, it confirms my experience with the Z9, Z 100-400mm and the 1.4x and 2x teles. The 1.4x tele hardly ever comes off, but the 2X was somewhat disappointing for me as well. I will probably keep it for now as I am past the 30 day return window, but it won't be used often. I do hope that Nikon comes out with a firmware update that helps to make the AF more consistent. Although I do like the camera/lens combination a lot, I feel that the AF is still in need of more work to get closer to the performance of Canon's R5.
It's a great combo! I think the what we are looking for is consistency and predictability. That's why i showed the two examples, where the one mode worked in one and then failed in the other. That's what makes it hard to work with in the field
Would you recommend buying the 1.4x and not buying the 2x? I am thinking of buying this, since I take photographs of Eagles and they are usually far from my reach, I have my Z 100-400 lens but it falls short in the distances and I do not achieve the desired image quality.
@@edugiselle1 I do still use the 2x tele on those occasions where I have no other option available. I have found that the IQ can be acceptable with good light, but the AF does suffer. The 2x tele does seem to work better with the Z 400mm f/4.5, which I have been using in combination with the Z 70-200mm. Although it is only 2/3 of a stop faster than the Z 100-400, I really notice the difference both with, and without the TC’s.
@@Interbeing_CDN I have canon r5 and Nikon z9, I currently sold my 100-500 canon lens because I plan to buy the Nikon Z800, what would you recommend? Buy the Nikon 800 f6.3 or buy the teleconverter and use it on my Nikon 100-400 lens? I know it’s a bit difficult to answer, but they are quite expensive lenses and I would like to make the most appropriate purchase. Or do you think there is a better option in canon?
@@edugiselle1 Tough call, I have had the Z 800mm on order since the first day it became available. I was told recently that it may be summer before it arrives. No telling how long it will be before it actually ships. If you really need the reach, you could get the 2x tele now, and sell it when the 800mm becomes available. Another option is to pick a tele up used to save a bit of money up front and maybe not lose as much when it comes time to sell.
It looks like some high quality and highly priced equipment. I'm really happy with my R6 and the RF100-400mm. It's half the weight and only a fraction of the cost of that 100-400mm by nikon. From what I'm seeing I also don't believe the nikon's auto focus is equal or better with the tracking and eye auto focus than my R6. I guess a professional or someone with a large budget might prefer the Nikon system but I bet it's not thousands of dollars better in image quality. I'm also not having troubles with my tracking and eye auto focus working for almost every situation. I've had over 40 images in a row of a bird in flight and every one in excellent focus.
Thanks for sharing!
Great video mate, looks like a very capable lens, those flight shots are fantastic. Cheers, Duade
Many thanks!
Learn to manual focus all the time. That's a pro tip I was taught when I started shooting major sporting events. My photos come out sharper and more in focus.
It definitely helps to jump in from time to time, but I liked to rely on Af as much as possible
frojm what i understand , with 1.4x on the 100-400 we should get better sharpness if stopping at f11 than wide oepn f8, correct ? what is the reason behind it technically ? thanks for the wonderfull review. also stopping at 540mm instead of 560mm should helpd the image quality ?
10:51, Jan, you might get rid of the artefacts if you try the “Low Light” mode (TDN 3.6.x on an Intel MBP16, 2019). There will be a slightly little bit more noise left, but no artefacts
thanks for the top. I think I tried a few on most images it works fine, just on a few it did weird circle artefacts
Fantastic video! Can't wait for you to test the firmware 2.0!
Very soon!
Lovely video!
How does the iso performance of the z9 compare with the r5?
Very similar I'd say. I have just found it harder to remove when editing, but that's mainly software related
@@jan_wegener great thank you
Great review! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Jan, another great video. Always walk away with great info, thanks.. Question? I'm looking into parabolic dishes, mics, headphones, etc. Suffice to say it's a lot to understand. Do you have any recommendations, info, etc.. for a complete setup? Meaning including all that you need to get started.
I am still working through that stuff myself. I just got a Zoom F3 and Sennheiser MKH-416 for my studio, Haven't used it outside yet. Still a lot to learn
@@jan_wegener I totally get it. It seems more obscure than finding the right camera/lens setup..
Hey Canon shooter! Well, the “flagship” Canon EOS R3 was released on Nov. 27, 2021 and Nikon Z9 December 24, 2021. Even though Nikon has come almost two months later, the camera as of this moment has 234 reviews at B&H and Canon EOS R3 has only 57. Market speaks for itself. So, if you got the Nikon Z9 for the first time, don't you think you would not be able to understand and use its auto-focus system deeply enough to get the results you wanted? Especially, if you come to a system that does this and the other does that. We see so many people making comments that are just not true. OH I bought the Nikon Z9 as my first camera and the focus does not work well! LOL. Not you, just mentioning many of the comments on youtube or any other places. Nikon Z9 has a deep set up system and so many other photographers have said things about the camera and it is pretty obvious when they are not completely familiar with the camera. Very few are. No system is perfect. All have their strengths and weaknesses. I can tell you are a little off when expecting the camera to respond the way you want, and I've been shooting with the Z9 for only six months now. The Z9 has been bashed for such a long time but now with the firmware 3.01 the camera's auto-focus system is on par with any other camera or brand on the market or even better in some instances. The Z9 is the only camera in the entire world that has auto-focus sensitivity down to -8.5 EV for example. No! not Canon, not Sony, not Fuji. None but Nikon Z9. No one has that sensitivity as of today. No one mentions that. What do you think that would do to auto-focus in low light? You know the answer. Nikon not only did that with auto-focus but it is better than any other brand when it comes to FPS shooting as well, It shoots 20 FPS, 30 FPS, 60 FPS and 120 FPS! Limitations with some formats? Yes. However it’s the best camera when it comes to buffer capacity as well. All the other brands are way limited when it comes to buffer capacity. The camera still has so many other features that are only unique to Nikon Z9. Nikon Z9 has been bashed for too long. But now it came back with a vengeance! LOL and I like it. Interestingly enough the "bashers" don't say a thing about it now. To put it down it’s easy and fun. To recognize when it’s great? silence… LOL The camera is PHENOMENAL! for photos and video! Although I am not a video person at all, the things I see even from good guys reviews. Oh my! What about the new lenses? Nikon is laughing PHENOMENAL lenses as well. Lens innovations that are unique to Nikon. Don’t forget that Nikon is historically the best photo company when it comes to lens production in the WORLD. They have launched lenses since when they were Nippon Kogaku back in the days when any other brand had even come close including Canon and the other brands that unfortunately don’t exist anymore. Anyways, I made this comment because you are a smart guy and make great youtube videos and have a good spirit and I think you would take a positive criticism in a good way. Be careful when commenting on the Z9 auto-focus, Nikon is updating its system at light speed. What was yesterday may have gone to better ways today! As I said before, they are coming back with a vengeance! LOL Have a good one!
When shooting small birds also try using Dx Crop. I and many other Z9 shoots have allocated the middle front Fn button (Fn2) to image area -- remember Fx = 45.4Mp and DX i 19.7MP (Large) - so lots of file size to work with. However, the loss of pixels is an issue. Wait until you try the Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S-line with its built in 1.4TC
Thank you for this video. I have a Sigma F mount 100-400 and FtZ ii. Total weight about .1 pound less than the Z mount by Nikon. Would you recommend upgrading what i have? Would i gain in stability? Thanks!
I have never used a Sigma on the Nikon system, so hard for me to say how it is performing, but typically native glass works the best and fastest, with the best stabilisation
Jan - Love your channel - I've got this same setup. What settings do you use for your 100-400 L-Fn and LFn2 in video mode? AF-Fast-On? Something else. I shoot birds like you and one of the issues I have with groups of birds in Video with AF-F is that the autofocus jumps between birds fairly quickly. Would love to be able to find a button combination on lens or body to "lock on" to just one bird instead of it jumping between birds in a group. Any tips?
Usually I keep the focussing button pressed and then it will stick to an area
The switching in auto mode is hard to prevent
@@jan_wegener Thanks for the quick reply. I will give it a try. for stills i use wide area then have 3D tracking on AF-On button on back. Hybrid method works great for bird stills but still trying to figure out the best method for groups of birds (ducks/plovers/etc) so that it will stay on one bird rather than bouncing all around to various ones at various depths of field. When wide open this sometimes creates "jumpiness" in my 4K videos. I put my tracking sensitivity to 7 (slow) to give it a try. what's your take on setting g6 "AF Speed" for these situations? Slower or faster? Thanks for the tips! I'll also try holding the focus button as well and maybe a smaller AF area? I've been sticking to AF-F but maybe AF-C is best for bird videography?
@@TLTPhotography I used AF-F which worked alright most of the time. Video AF is quite a funny beast and kind of hard to control unless you do manual AF, but then you need big tripod etc
Nicely done, and also about the difference between the 1.4 and the 2x extender. I would say: only invest in the 1.4x extender?
that would be the sensible choice
Thanks Jan for the honest review, did you switch from Canon R5 to Nikon Z9?
No, just a friend's camera
Best Review!!!
Glad you think so!
You mentioned you can't switch between the eyes on the R5 in video mode, but it works for me! I still find the video AF to be rather confusing on the R5 and I'm still trying to get my head around these settings. However, when I have eye detect enabled and it's able to detect both eyes I get a square box with arrows left and right. The joystick can then be used to switch between the left and right eyes. I've only tried this with people and I wasn't expecting this to be as much use for birds because for the majority of the time, depending on the species, only one eye is clearly visible anyway.
Interesting! I don't recall seeing it, but maybe it's because as you say, that we mostly see one eye on 99% of birds.
The video AF sure is a bit strange, but works usually quite well
Same impressions here!
Thank you for another great video. Trying out a Z9 and very interested in your results. Haven't been able to get the Z 100-400 yet even though I've ordered on but do have the Z 70-200/2.8 VR S and 1.4X teleconverter. Also is there anyway you can provide a written setup of how you configure the Wide mode with tracking and the 3D mode to work together. is there some setting that links the subject in focus between the two/
I just have it on different buttons. For instance if you have wide area on the shutter button and 3D on the AF-ON. The AF-ON will overwrite the shutter button when pressed and #D starts
Very informative video. How would you compare using the 1.4 and 2.0 teleconverters with cropping? With the lens wide open I would expect similar noise. What about sharpness and overall image quality?
I quite often think TC gives you better results ultimately since the file is so much larger and you could downsize it. However, since consistency is lacking with the 2x, that's where the 1.4 definitely has an edge
Awesome as always (y) and thanks for sharing.
My pleasure!
Take your images saved in HE trough adobe DNG converter then you can use PR2
Enjoyed this very much, Thank you. I have the Z9 with this lens and have used it with the 1.4TC and agree with your conclusions, there seems to be little to no effects using the 1.4x tele , I don't own the 2X and don't plan to I think as you said it is more of a hit and a miss although both tele 's supposedly work great on the 400 f2.8 w 1.4 tele built in, but then your talking a $14,000 lens U.S.
Thanks for sharing
I remember when Canon's RF series came out that so many photographers scoffed at the control ring. Now, Nikon has control rings and people still say that Canon hasn't been innovative. I guess it's always like that.
True, although I don't use it on either brand
I like the carpark tests :) for the last 2 weeks I've been sick of long drives out into the bush every weekend so ive just been doing car park birds myself.
Even though I thought I know my gear, I still learnt lots doing test, with or without extender and at different apatures etc.
Great! Sometimes birds that are close are just more fun!
for a little bit more I'd pick 70-200 f2.8 with either 1.4 or 2.0 teleconverter.
Hey Jan - thanks for the video! What VR mode were you using while shooting? The normal / default mode? Or sport? Thanks!
I used both, Sport was very bad when the bird wasn't moving much
@@jan_wegener thanks very much for the feedback!
I have a problem: I use Nikon Z9 with NIKKOR Z 100-400MM F/4.5-5.6 VR S lens. Firmware C 2.00 LF 1.10. Custom settings: a1 AF-C Focus; a6 AF activation Off(with out-of-focus release disabled). The shutter release priority is set at Focus. When the lens is set at 400 mm, the AF-ON and Shutter are pressed concurrently. The camera won't fire. But when the lens is set at 100 mm, the camera can fire. Please try with yours and see if you have the same problem. If you do have the same problem, please explain?
👍👍 thanks 👍👍
Jan, can you test the FW 2.0 just release by Nikon and let us know what specific AF improvement you see if any? Thx
I will at some stage :)
7:15 - I also have that jerky movement with my Z7II when doing video
Hopefully that can be fixed, it's quite annoying
Firmware 2.0 came out 3 weeks after you made this video. Did it help with the issues you showed?
I didn't see a huge difference, but I have not been shooting a lot
Wow amazing
Thank you! Cheers!
Hi Jan, what is the little model toy of lens and camera in the background? Looks very cute.
It's a 1Ds Mark III & 600 EF model Canon made to celebrate 30mill Ef lenses sold in 2006 I think
@@jan_wegener LOL that's very cute
thanks for a complete review. I haven't checked all your videos but I was wondering if you had one for editing videos. I sued to get reasonable results in PS, now I guess I have to use Premiere. The issue has been mainly for sharpening for instance. I would welcome a video on video editing. I got stalled so many times, I just quit doing it.
I have done a few in the past and I have a paid Masterclass where I teach my workflow step by step
th-cam.com/video/9RkC1wHUqh4/w-d-xo.html
aviscapes.com/masterclass-editing/
no 180 -400 +1.5 tce f4 yet ! i couldnt use f6
what happen if use the DX mode instead of the teleconverter?
You lose megapixels
Any idea if the 70-200 with 1.4 teleconvertor may be better than this 100-400??
Doubt it
Hello Jan. I have an occasional little jump in photo mode when I do a few frames in a row.
Yes, can probably happen, but doesn't affect the still as much
Great review
Thanks
Hi Jan, I assume that your master class is for Adobe SW. Is it for LRc and/or Photoshop? Also, I would appreciate a video with recommendations on editing tools: SW and Computer HW, etc.
Yes, I use ACR & Photoshop in the class with the main focus being on how to master Photoshop for amazing results.
Here we talk about computers a bit
th-cam.com/video/Ost8J47KVrg/w-d-xo.html
I am trying to decide if I am going in debt for a Z9 as my first Mirrorless camera, replace my old cpu: 8700k, gpu: 1080, Ram: 64GB PC with a Mac Studio 32GB for photo editing, or wait for the Z9-II or Z8. I am a disabled Veteran so do not work to buy things fast so just max out credit cards.
I can't comment on other people's choices, but I would be careful to overspend on cameras/computers. They lose their value pretty quickly.
What camera are you using now?
I wonder if you have had the chance to use the Nikon F-mount lenses such as a 600mm f/4 or 800mm f/5.6 or even the 500 PF adapted to the Z9. I’d definitely like to hear your thoughts to see if they match my real world shooting results. I’ve been testing the 800mm f/5.6E on the Z9 recently. Thanks!
I have, especially the 5.6/500 and 4/500.
I show some results in my last Z9 video.
th-cam.com/video/MWYw4zBG5Ew/w-d-xo.html
Hi Jan! Thanks from Alaska for all of the great videos. Love 'em. I'd really like to ask your opinion. m a Nikon user would really like your opinion. I'm a Nikon shooter, however, I'm doing a bit of a cross over to the Sony A7IV with the 200-600 for our awesome wildlife very soon. I just watched your comparison of the Canon R5-100-500 vs. Sony A1-200-600. Wondering if the Canon R5 combo would give me better results than the Sony A7IV--200-600?
It would be 45mp vs. 33mp. Results close to equal? Sorry to butt in. Thanks!!
Mike
It really depends what you do and how you shoot. When it comes to switching between photo & video and image stabilisation, the Canon combo is definitely better. In terms of reach the Sony combo wins I'd say.
What would be your main reason to switch?
@@jan_wegener Thanks, Jan. Really appreciate your reply. It's the reach & most likely having to wait for months after announcement of the 200-600 Z to arrive coupled with wildlife becoming active right now makes me want to jump on the more affordable A7IV. vs. R5 combos. Your video was so informative & I would prefer the Canon, however, the cost. I have time & I will think long & hard. Thank you very much!
Love this lens but the lens control ring didn’t work for me. I really wanted and tried to use it for exposure compensation but when carrying in the field it was easily bumped and when I brought the camera up for a shot I would find the exposure all wrong. I would turn the camera off when carrying and switch it on when bringing it up to shoot but in the end found it too much hassle so disengaged it. This would be a great function if it were a click stop rather than a freely rotating ring.
My experience exactly!! Gave up and turned it off. Too easy to unknowingly change in the field.
I agree. I hope Nikon adds more options. I literally turned it off today. I was using it for ISO, but I kept changing it by mistake very often.
Yes, I never use it. Neither on Canon nor Nikon.
Compare it pls with 70-200 Z+2x!😢
Hey Jan, Even when I'm not into Nikon gear, I really enjoyed all the birds in this episode, even the dark bird with the tennis ball @3:14 😛. What was the name of this parking lot bird ? I really loved its looks, and I wished they could be found in Europe as well .. and so approachable !
I noticed the tracking square was indicating often the bird, but less then 50% of the time is was on the eye. Was this only on the display, or is it still a significant level below the Canon eye-AF magic ?
For stills, I wouldn't wanna trade in my current gear with same reach and extenders for this twice as expensive Nikon combo. For video I do agree Nikon has some awesome features like switching between the eyes to track !
Please call Canon to add this feature in FW 1.6.0 ;-)
It's a Bush Stone-curlew.
The Z9 is definitely not as "knowledgeable" when it comes to recognising a bird as Canon. So it has a harder time identifying which part it is meant to stay on. But we also need to remember that at larger distances, it probably doesn't matter much whether it's on the head or back.
@@jan_wegener Any clue whether this Bush Stone-curlew has any relatives we could find in western Europe ?
@9:00 you were as close to this bird, as we were last year to the Bluethroats ;-)
@@WernerBirdNature Thicknees :)
Tx fot test!
Great video Jan! Did you by chance try shooting video in 4k DX (2.3x crop) mode?
not yet
@@jan_wegener Thanks - if the IQ was "good" (in theory it should be with 1:1 pixel readout as long as you're using top-quality lenses and no TC's) the reach would be amazing. I'd probably sell my A1 for a Z9 just for this feature. (The A1 bin's all 4k modes which reduces the IQ and it can't record 4k@120 in DX mode. I'm forced to use the 2xTC with the 200-600G which yields soft imagery.)
Could you maybe do a video on the Nikon 200-500 at some point? I think it’s still an interesting lens and if you can get access to it I think that would be a fantastic video. Also first :)
Maybe, but I am not sure I wanna go back to DSLR :D
@@jan_wegener lol I think it’s adaptable so you can use it on a z9
@@eliasjoshi2661 it would be
Please don't hate at us DSLR'S Shooters. 😂😂... I was thinking of adding the z 100 - 400 to my D850 with an adapter...
@@rasecroel2366 I am not :) There are backwards compatible adapters?
The Sony 200-600 with 1.4tc (for 840mm at F9) works perfectly on the A1. Very sharp files and AF is barely affected. Just my experience
Yes it does, great combo
Just what I want to find out I have the 1.4 x on the S 70-200 f2.8 and need a longer lens for wild Life
I currently have the Z7
It did pretty well overall
I am having trouble shooting hummingbirds with the 100-400 lens. I have the 6ll & the 7ll. Shooting at 3500 speed f8 auto ISO. also the 1.4 extender, any ideas how to correct this. The lens is picking up ghosting of the wings. I end up with extra wings.
It;s not the lens, it;s the too slow read out speed in your cameras causing severe rolling shutter
I’m using the sanDisk Extreme PRO CF Express memory card reads & writes 1700 MB/s.
@@juliawintermoyer8418 it has nothing to do with the card, it’s the too slow sensor read out that causes rolling shutter
@@jan_wegener Well, Mr Jan, I have actually figured out the problem, why it was picking up the ghosting, extra hummingbird wings. I had the Silent Mode on which flips the "Shutter type" from AUTO.