Check out my Fiverr store curated specifically for you! fvrr.co/d4dc7 Also, how has your experience been with the Nikon Z6 Autofocus? Mine has mostly been positive but I just couldn't trust it when trying to get an important shot!
I am having the same issue with autofocusing. My way to work around is to move the camera around and focus on something else, and get back to the subject. It'd be awesome if the next firmware update to allow us to toggle eye-AF while using single point focus!!
I agree with your findings... Have been a Nikon shooter all my life... When the Z6 looses focus like in the video it loses it... 1. The way to reacquire it is, move the focus ring so that the face is almost in focus, then let the autofocus do its job of tracking it... For some reason when the focus is lost and image is blurred out, the nikon can't pick it up again, no matter how many times you press the shutter / AF on button... 2. Use the box in AFC mode to track the subject... This will be more reliable (but won't have face or eye detect)... But even in this mode if the focus is lost (in RARE occasions i have lost focus). you have to reset the box in the middle and select the subject again to start focus tracking to acquire focus... 3. Nikon tends to hunt moving subjects as well... More than the Sonys and the Canons (from what I have seen in youtube videos)... Such as the ones you make...
i just updated the software to 2.10, there is a huge diffrence, nikon did a big progress even in a low light, focusing point is there where have to be even if you turn arround a camera and come back again it appear on face quickly, You have to check it out.
NIKON NIKON NIKON - As a Z6 user and die-hard advocate of Nikon please bring in the firmware update fast. It kills me when people say bad about Nikon but the truth is Yes- the autofocus eye detector is not reliable. Although I can live with it and shoot professional, I wish this issue is fixed ASAP. The machine is JUST GREAT and with this small little glitch if the company is not making money no one can save Nikon. You guys are known for your 100% nothing less is accepted. Z6 vs other mirrorless - Z6 wins all the factors(Body, Feature, Price, everything...) but this autofocus glitch is just not making the machine 10/10. Bring on the Firmware update and then I will again fight the social media battle with Canon and Sony users ;) till then I better stay quiet.
I have a z7 and a z6 -> sometimes it did the same thing as yours, but i have upgraded to 2.10 , z6 keeps doing it with adapted glass, native 24-70 f2.8 s mount no issues at all, could it be a faulty body that you have ?
Instead of baiting viewers with click bait titles, please clearly mention that this is a review of the Eye AF of Nikon Z6. Nothing else but EYE AF is discussed here. For those of us who lived decades and photographed just fine without EYE AF, this is really a non issue. There are easy work arounds like tapping on the screen (tap to focus option) to guide AF point to your subject, which you did not even try. An the end of the day click bait titles to bash a brand will bring down the value of your views.
I understand on both ends, y'all and Matt. Matt has been using Sony for a good time, in comparison Sony is much smarter on eye af than our Nikon. So he just can't justify about the missing eye AF. And for us being photographers we always have the way to get around bushes to get great results, and eye af is just a plus as a feature for camera.
As a Z 6 owner I do wish Nikon would allow eye af to be in a non-auto mode with a stand alone eye focus button like Sony so you can choose what focus method you want on the fly without changing your focus settings. It’s not the biggest deal to change from wide auto mode to single point afc, but it isn’t ideal.
I agree that Nikon should all Eye-AF in all modes. I am still using single point AF and following the dancer. However, when i use the eye af, it nails it. Even if i have someone move across the frame and still stays on the eye. The colors SOOC in my opinion is better than Sony. The best i have seen is Canon and Fuji.
Yep. Have it work in the more limited zone modes. And also, I’d like to be able to specify a range and stop it from focusing on the far background, for example. That would eliminate some of these issues.
All other focus modes are designed to allow a user of the camera to set the focus range. But if the camera itself should find the focus point it is illogical to tell the camera where to focus. From a logical point of view, the Nikon system is set correctly here. Sony is illogical, but everyone got used to it. You can still very fast over the monitor of the Nikon specify the desired focus point, which works in all focus modes.
@@OrtwinSchneider Not sure how what you're suggesting is easier or better than being able to selectively press back-button focusing for either eye af or your selected non eye af focus modes. But i'm glad it's currently setup the way you would like it. :)
I'm a Nikon shooter. AF issues can be fixed via firmware and I hope Nikon do that soon. I cannot give up on the ergonomics of my Nikons. No other brand feels just right to me personally.
Again ...if you dont USE Any camera for some time you miss the options the camera has...Love Manny but he does shoot Nikon to give an Completed option of the camera...he miss used the camera a couple of times....But Eye AF is really good for Only portraits which is what Manny shoots.....You wouldnt use Eye AF in a Party, reception when their are multiple people...
James Parish Yeah, I’ve found no issue with my 6 or 7 when taking single person shots in AF-C + Face/Eye Detect mode. For my headshot/portrait work I no longer stay behind the camera anymore. I shoot with Eye Focus and remote trigger moving around the room interacting with my subjects. I’d never use Eye AF for photos with complex foreground elements, multiple people, or live action. Even at one point it seemed his camera was in subject tracking mode without having selected the subject on the touch screen.
Codex Gigas my IG is @johndplatt I shoot Leica QP and Nikon Z6 &Z7. The watch photo, the airplanes on the runway, and the photo of my Leica were shot with my Z7. The portraiture posts on March 10th and 7th and Feb 7th, the 5th, and the 3rd are also on the Z7. There are several frames so make sure you swipe on some of the posts. Thanks.
This is what my problem is with TH-camrs and why it’s so difficult to find a honest , knowledgeable people to learn from in TH-cam!!! It’s just click bait title and complete misinformation!! Eye autofocus never existed until couple years ago.. and you are basing your recommendation based on that, then I really hope people don’t take you seriously! There is something called as single shot autofocus and this problem you mention can be completely solved by using it. Plus this problem is something that can be fixed Via firmware upgrades and is not that a huge deal as you are making it out to be. I own a z7 and single point AF works wonders!
Check out the channel "The Monochrome Memoirs", that guy used four Z6 cameras for wedding photography and he shot over 300k pictures with it. He replied to Ortiz in a very respectful way. This channel and Tony Northrup are just clickbait farms at this point, there's no value in following these people who are not even real working photographers.
Shooting manual focus or single point focus don't make you a pro. It's just make you OLD! Eye auto focus is here now and it makes shooting professional photos easier. Taking the best photo and getting paid for it are the only things that make you a pro. So stop hating all you old school photographers.
I don't know... I thought he was honest. Eye focus is available because it is a photographic standard for portraits. Sony kills it and Nikon is catching up. Nikon knows this is important. If you ask someone for money to make their photographs....the last thing you want to do is have your camera not do something that aids the tempo of the shoot. Imagine models moving to create a look and your tool of choice not doing what it is supposed to do...= lost images = unprofessional appearance (if it happens too much). "Worst case scenario" for someone who relies on eye auto focus not working would be manual focus with peaking. It's much slower and you are missing shots you can get with something else. Why wouldn't you use the "something else". I just got the Z6 because I have faith that Nikon has seen the writing on the wall....it'll get better. (I also use Sony cams as well) I'm glad Sony woke them up. Competition is a good thing for the business. They fight it out, and we get better cameras.
BluesImprov good point. I guess we are just spoiled by AF that losing good AF hurts a lot now. Which is why I use a manual focus lens most of the time to shoot portraits and street to improve as a filmmaker and photographer.
When my Z6 focuses on the background and stays there, I just turn the lenses manual focus ring (my hand is there on the lens already) and that’s enough change for the AF system to find the persons face again.
I follow monochrome memoirs, Will and Sara shoot weddings, they only use z6’s and seem to manage perfectly well capturing moments in difficult situations and lighting. Me personally, I’m a D750 shooter but my wife does shoot with a Z6 however does not shoot portraits therefore has no issue. I can’t disagree with your findings and think that there are still some improvements required for the eye autofocus however do feel that for a majority of photography shooters this is pretty much a perfect camera and what it might lack in some areas it makes up bundles in others. I do respect your opinions and as always maintain that you need to use kit that works for you, and you only.
I agree as a z6 owner, but there is a work around and that is to manual focus while holding the shutter down. It will find the face when you twist the focus ring to the right focus plane. Not perfect solution but if you get stuck on af it works
The issue with this is that it makes the Z series cameras worse options than 1) the mirrorless rivals and 2) Nikon's own DSLRs. There's very little reason to buy into the Z mount right now.
Landscope 360 i disagree just cause the eye af is not perfect doesn’t mean that there is no reason to go Nikon, all the other benefits of mirrorless still apply and the lenses are amazing. And I think that the weather sealing and handling is a lot better then say Sony. Which to me is more important than having perfect eye af. It seems the eye auto af is all people care about these days there is a lot more to a camera than that. And also the video capabilities is amazing
@@thomasvaaland383 Seems like I didn't get my point across. What I was trying to say is this: 1) For someone who isn't invested in any system yet, there's little reason to go for the Nikon Z series. Sony's mark III cameras do almost everything better, not just eye af. They've got two card slots, better af tracking (not just on eyes), faster frame rates. I agree that Nikon offers better ergonomics and usability, but those don't really make up for the disadvantages. 2) For an existing Nikon DSLR user, switching to the Z series isn't a very compelling option either. The top DSLRs may not have an evf, but are otherwise better at everything. The bodies are more rugged, the af is faster and more reliable, the ergonomics are better, two card slots ... the list goes on. Please understand that I'm not saying that the Z bodies are bad. They're good cameras. Just not as good as the Sonys and the DSLRs, which makes them a tough sell right now. Personally, I really wanted to like them. But coming from a D850, I really don't see any reason to go for a Z7. It's not the camera I was hoping for. I wish they did what they said - make a mirrorless D850. Same ergonomics, same performance, just with an evf. When they make that camera, I'll switch.
When my camera does that i just press the ok button and activating "subject tracking" to models face and.. boom! Camera finds eyes again and focusing perfect.
I do exactly the same thing. I wish Nikon made it easier to exit subject tracking though. I really have to reach for that button to exit and don’t feel comfortable without taking my eye out of the EVF and looking. Takes a few more seconds than it should
Well, professional means only one thing, getting paid. The eye AF is just a tool and seeing how the competition makes it better just makes this a disadvantage for the Z6 and Z7. It appears that the Z50 does a better job at eye AF. I personally prefer the single point AF but I can see why eye AF is convenient, it makes composition easier and faster. You can do the same shot with single point AF but moving it takes more time or focussing and then moving the camera for composition can be inaccurate.
I try to never rely even autofocus. I have manual lens in y collection and learned to use my own skills. Dont get d wrong having autoeye focus is very neat and would take advantage of it, but wouldnt rely on it. At the end of the day it is your end product that makes you professional.
@@TheRealMerchyBautista I personally love shooting manual lenses, but at a professional level or even at family events, or daily fun, a camera that can capture eyes in focus 95% of the time is going to save you allot of time, and potentially money, stress, divorce, angry children, and the list goes on.. I personally have Z6 and when it is working ideally it is great, but I know too well the issues being talked about in this video. Adjusting focus speed helps, but doesn't solve all issues. Hopefully Nikon gives this more focus, pun just fell into place..
hey Manny try to change these setting to help with hit rate. this helped me get more keepers Change these menu settings setting A3 focus w/ lock on ->slide to quick setting G4 AF Speed -> +5 and set to always setting G5 Tracking Sensitivity -> Set to high if your doing video make sure to set back G4 and G5 for smoother focus transitions Learned it from Monochrome memoirs
@@alexsem490 speed still plays a role. i just look at it as having more speed gives me the ability to recover faster from these random misses. less time = more shots thus increasing keeper rate.
Try these AF Setiings: a3 to quick, g4 to +5 and always, g5 to high. I´m referring to the youtuber "The Monochrome Memoirs". Maybe this will work for you
Mina Tadros hi Mina. As I explain in my video where I break this down, although these AF settings are in video they affect AF globally. I suggest you watch the video though as I explain just how the settings will change your overall AF experience th-cam.com/video/UHlaVxKEXLU/w-d-xo.html
Im a Nikon shooter and you are not lying. I have the Z6 and the AF is not 100% dependable. Yeah I am hoping for a firmware fix. I regularly have to disengage it off its believed subject and touch the actual subject (usually my kids) to get the focus correct
Thank you so much for this man! I have a Nikon z7ii and I had the same exact issues when I was taking shots of my gf. Half my shots were blurry and it was annoying to see the red square box while I was shooting. Now I’ll remember to use AS mode like you recommended and save up to buy a Sony camera. You’re the only person that addressed this issue clearly. You’re the best!!
Personally I only had that issue happen to me but with the older firmware, since I updated I’ve never had a problem with my shots, and I even shoot wildlife, sports, weddings, I would say 17 out of 20 shots were tack sharp, I also tend to not totally rely on the eye-af wether it be this or any camera, I manual over ride when I’m shooting portraits if need be. Shooting with the z6 has been a joy in my experience. Manny I believe you could have a lemon and I would send it in if I were you. But then again not every camera is for anyone.
not sure why people don't use the touch screen. If it is focusing on something you don't like, touch the lcd, ain't rocket science. After that it is in the area of focus. Yes, I do a focus zoom to check for portrait also. I think it is the f1 button I programmed to zoom.
As a Nikon user, it does have it quirks but I'll give it 8.5/10. I don't shoot AF-C Auto Area, nor AF-S. 99% of the time I use AF-C Dynamic.. I use it to shoot runway photography and I love the results... Yes, Sony A73 and 4 have a faster Eye AF but they have been in the mirrorless market for much longer... Lets hope Nikon can improve their shortcomings within another 12 months.
Hi Manny. It just dawned on me: you showed us the autofocus problem with an ADAPTED LENS. Did you have the same problem with native Z mount lenses? This is important. (Yes I realize that adapting the 105mm f/1.4 will be important to a lot of people but we need to understand the scope of the problem; is it only with adapted lenses or native too?).
Most photographers know how to focus either automatically or manually, eye autofocus is good but not essential for people who know what they are doing and is basically a way to get people with a phone who think they are photographers to buy a camera. These types of youtube videos are getting so boring, try making more videos about actual photography (which you are good at) and stop trying to sell products for these companies, don't be a sell out for the company $$$$.
Emmit Voice wow I bet he doesn’t care because he probably makes more money as a pro photographer. When people gatekeep and say “if you need this Then you don’t know what you’re doing” it ticks me off. Any camera from the last three years can take great photos, and you can work around any problems, but when you charge by the hour, or you have high stakes clients, you can’t afford “workarounds”
I was testing Z6 AF today in shop and had similar problem as you @4:00 but what I found out it was only a problem in vertical position, horizontal was fine. Super weird but now I look at your footage and it was the same! WTF :D
NIKON NIKON NIKON - As a Z6 user and die-hard advocate of Nikon please bring in the firmware update fast. It kills me when people say bad about Nikon but the truth is Yes- the autofocus eye detector is not reliable. Although I can live with it and shoot professional, I wish this issue is fixed ASAP. The machine is JUST GREAT and with this small little glitch if the company is not making money no one can save Nikon. You guys are known for your 100% nothing less is accepted. Z6 vs other mirrorless - Z6 wins all the factors(Body, Feature, Price, everything...) but this autofocus glitch is just not making the machine 10/10. Bring on the Firmware update and then I will again fight the social media battle with Canon and Sony users ;) till then I better stay quiet.
I also have problems with face/eye detection in portrait orientation. Sometimes i just quickly rotate the camera back to landsacpe for a second to lock it on, then rotate back to portrait
Thanks for the great field report! Extremely helpful and very balanced. I would like to chime in and remind that Nikon has had back-focus issues for a longer time already, in the "before Z" era. I noted this 1st in D7000 and later in D7200: the number of shots focused somewhere far in the back with even a group of subjects ignored in foreground, forced me to seek help from Nikon US, to no avail, and I posted many examples to a few forums. The reply was typical for what Web is these days, ranging from "I also have the issue" to the typical responces: "mine works," "you do something wrong," "learn more how to use it". The D7500 brought a significant improvement with its Group AF in continuous focus (I use mostly back button focus for sport events.) The D7500 got a very bad wrap on the web due to one-card slot (again Nikon: the self inflicted wound) and removal of the AI ring on the mount, but I think that this little body is fantastic and is a "last of breed" probably.
He should ahve Called a Seasons Nikon User: Check this review out...He really reveals some things about the Nikon Z Cameras... th-cam.com/video/OpJBtYWzUF8/w-d-xo.html
I think i figured out! As Nikon shooter for many years, coming from D60, i have never relied on auto area focus because it focuses mostly on closer objects. That "trend" is continued on the mirrorless, but for Nikon camera owners it's not a problem because of the experience of using single point. I'm not saying that professionals photographers don't use eye-af, but for different subjects where it doesn't matter, you still need to use a reliable mode and that mode is single point (eg. two persons kissing or hugging, grup shots). Even the eye-af will be better, i think i will still rely on single point because i cannot trust the camera algorithm and risk to focus by itself somewhere else (i am talking about one time moments). Back in the days when you had a pro body and use auto area... not so good. Anyway, eye-af is not a feature that needs to be on the top list to consider a good camera. ...aaaaaand...people bash it like crazy.
Hi Manny. Whenever your Z6 focuses on any unwanted subject, you can always press OK button which will display a white box in the middle of the screen which you can move around or just move the camera to point that white box on your subject and focus again (half shutter or back button AF) and it will start tracking your desired subject. The only thing i noticed that eye AF stops working after that (unless you change focus mode or mode dial or restart), which seems to be a minor issue to be fixed. If you can test that and report this issue, it might be fixed in next firmware.
“The Monochrome Memoirs” told me a trick. You can always press zoom out button for eye AF to reevaluate the scene and start tracking again. It worked perfect for me to focus back on my desired subject’s eye. You can also press ok and then zoom out button to totally control where to focus.
@9:28, 100% agreed. I'm still on the original firmware and I have had that AF issue constantly. I wonder if it's because the subject is under lit?? But, even then, my D750 would AF just as good too. OVERALL, I LOOVE my Z6 for what it is, but during Auto Area AF, I have the exact same issue you're having. It's literally the Achilles Heel for this camera.
I don't see this as an issue for me, prior to Eye autofocus you had to manually set the focus point where you wanted it, I have no issues doing this. it's a nice feature but not one I depend on.
I have personally owned an a7iii and z6 for a while before I decided to move to the z6 and sale my a7iii. After a lot of use, the Nikon had better IBIS, better grip, better EVF, and better build quality, image quality to me was identical they use the same sensor it's just a matter of settings, video AF was identical, the a7iii had better battery life, better AF tracking, and two card slots. Honestly I think they are so close you can't go wrong with either, but what tipped the scale was how little I found EYE AF useful. On Sony you can't switch eyes or people, so as soon as two people enter the frame it picks one and you spend more time fighting it, than just placing the focus point where you want. In my experience EYE AF is like P mode, it is great for people starting out, but as you progress you want to control the camera and not let it make the decisions.
Hi I'm torn between the a7iii and nikon z6, I'm leaning more towards the nikon however in your experience how do you find the sound quality of the pre amps on the nikon?
I have not had these issues with my Z6. Is it because of adapted glass? I do find the eye AF catches the eyelash at times which can be annoying. The video do show lack of experience with the Z6 on Mannys part though. Even though the AF should focus on the model, when focussing on the back or foreground, an easy work around is to just tap the screen to focus on her and then press the "zoom out" button and the eye AF would catch her.
Nikon Z6 user here as well. Yes, it does to have those crazy focusing. Gotten used to it and change between focusing modes. Don’t really rely on the eye AF for now. Until v2.3 or v3.0 comes out
v2.20: Added support for Type B Sony CFexpress memory cards. • Fixed an issue that resulted in colored lines appearing at the bottom of the display when pictures shot in demo mode with FX (36x24) selected for image area were viewed at zoom ratios over 100%.
I do face trouble while using My Z6 in a Studio when my aperture is 5.6 or 6.3 or smaller. Its in this scenario when I am facing certain focus issues with the Z6. Every time I shoot 2 out of 5 portraits are getting defocused and I always focus on the eye. The Focusing Mode I use is Single Autofocus Single Point. Could anybody please help me with this matter....?????
Eye auto focus is a great feature if you shoot close-up with 1.4f or faster glass, where your depth of field is extremely shallow and the micro movements in the model/camera will throw you out of focus. That's where Sony and Canon shine at the moment. Frankly - Nikon has one famous 105mm 1.4f lens for portraits. All affordable glass for the Z body is 1.8f and you'll hit focus 100% of the time with dynamic or pinpoint af. If you want 1.2f or 1.4f glass for portriats - Nikon is a no-go just because of the lens line-up alone, so.
Well, My Z6 and my new 85 1.8s arent going anywhere anytime soon. We all know adapted lenses are a gamble but Ive had no sustained issues with the focusing. I WILL say, that when you have a model stand against a mural the camera will pick on the murals eye and not the model "Initially" and thats the biggest focus issue ive seen. Again, this is a Firmware issue at the end of the day a simple fix. But I also have to remind myself how life was without Eye Auto Focus. You should've asked Photomeike what he thinks. He cranks out Z6 content faithfully.
Yeah I have a z6 too. Have the focussing problem aswell! Overall very happy with it. Do you have the autofocus motor sounds with video aswell with adapter? Love your vids btw!!
As a Nikon user who switched from Sony, I have noticed this issue. It's not a deal breaker for me because it seldom happens to me, but Nikon does need to address this issue. The Nikon Z system is one of the best cameras that I have ever owned with some of the best glass that I have ever used. I don't want a great camera system to be ruined by this issue. Nikon if you love your customers, please work to address this issue. I know you can do it.
Great video. I shoot nikon and always use single point focus but that's just how i learned when i first started. Maybe my workflow would be faster if i didn't have to worry about moving that focus point
I think 2.10 is just a minor firmware upgrade and doesn't update the AF at all. My guess is you will see a bigger upgrade some time next year. The reality is though that I won't be getting either the Z6/Z7 because I am not a fan of the camera bodies, the inability to fit a battery grip and the single card slot. The camera feels like a prosumer camera, which isn't a huge problem on the Z6 but on the Z7 for me is unforgivable. I have to add, that currently, I see no good reason, why I should upgrade from my D800, I almost upgraded to the D850. when it was released but in the end I spent about the same amount on a X-H1 and glass (90mm, 35mm, 23mm) and that does everything I need. So I can't see when I will be going over to a Nikon mirrorless until they really wow me and so far they haven't.
Thanks for this video. I was considering this camera but now I think I'll pass. I've been shooting video with a GH4 and the only knock against it is the slow autofocus. I'm curious if I should look into getting Sony's A6600 or save up for the A7III.
This is a mistake in the way he set it up. He has it in the wrong focus mode, so of course it doesnt work. I have a Z6 and its just as good as any Sony I have picked up... when the settings are correct.
@@shaankashyap4143 depends on what you are shooting. I typically have it set to focus tracking, lock on to what I want, and let it track. I also use manual focus sometimes. Really depends on what it is that you are shooting specifically.
@@johncarlan mostly i shoot with gimbal, and I'm facing problem while moving camera and tracking model face ,whenever camera move or subject i just lost focus,as i use with gimbal i need smooth and fast,focus
I do have the same problem when I use non native f mount lenses. But when I use the z mount lenses the hit rates lot higher. I'm wondering how it will focus with the new 85mm f/1.8 S. Also how is it with Canon R with non native lenses on auto focus? I think the main problem with me is lack of z mount lenses.
I have a Z6 and can confirm this happens more often than you would like. Makes you look like a fool too because as you see in the video, you just can't convice your camera to stop it. "Oh yeah, that expensive camera of yours does not focus?" *winkwink*
Hi Manny. There is a rumor that the next Z series firmware update is coming soon, perhaps even the week of Dec 15. Whenever it happens please jump on it and test autofocus with both native and adapted lenses. A lot of us are counting on you to help sort this out. Thanks!!!
I have the z6ii with the latest firmware and I still notice the problem of the camera getting "stuck" on the background when in continuous AF mode with full zone. When I'm behind the camera actually operating it, I can easily manually nudge the focus and get it to grab on to the subject, which is okay as a work around. But the big problem for me is when I'm in front of the camera, doing something like a product review. The camera will focus on me, no problem, but when I hold up the product in front of the camera, it 9 times out of 10 it will remain stuck on the background. I can sit there and wave the thing around, bring it closer to the lens to fill the frame, but as long as there even just the tiniest bit of contrast in the background, the camera will fixate on that and stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the thing in front of it. And since these are shots that I'm in, and no one is on the camera, I can't manually nudge the focus. It's maddening. A sort of workaround is to change the AF zone to like Wide-L, but in that mode, I need to be make sure to keep the product and my face in that small rectangle, which seriously restricts movements I can make. It should not be this way. Even my old contrast-detect Olympus EM10ii is able to handle this situation very well. And it's definitely not the lens -- I've tried with the 24-70 f/4 S, the Z 28 f/2.8, and the Z 40 f/2. It's the same result with all. Nikon really needs to do something about this problem.
Your video actually shows that eyeAF works perfectly. Whats matter in this focusing mode is percentage of real hit rate. Some cameras "stays" on eye in the viewfinder all the time but because of shallow DOF actually does not hit the focus as it should. I do not know how Sony's eyeAF is much better but I would like to see how it would react in some situations like low light, two or more people, obstacles, fast moving people (kids) etc. Not just to see behavior in viewfinder but real focus point in final picture. BTW this problems you encountered is because of FX lenses you use, not because of camera. Try native S lenses instead.
Honestly, I do have the same behavior, but I really consider it to be a non-issue. It sticks more to the background if it considers it has acquired focus, which can be better than always trying to grab a face. I always have my hand ready to manually reposition the focus plane on the face if I'm shooting portraits.
I had a Nikon D700 for about 10yrs plus a couple of f2.8 zooms etc - sold the lot when I bought a Z6 last July. I photograph mostly static subjects such as architecture so was willing to put up with less than stellar autofocus. Can't say I noticed much improvement with v2.00 or 2.20. I always thought that if Sony could get best-of-class autofocus out of the Sony sensor that Nikon use - they could catch up! Forget cat & dog eye detect, more CF card compatibility with v 3.00 - it's the autofocus that's transformed the Z6/7! The autofocus is general terms is noticeably better but using back button focus with AF-C & auto area selected, eye detect is much better. Assign one of the Fn buttons to toggle the mode & we have 3d tracking that works without have to take our eye off the EVF. I've no experience with the Sony mirrorless range so can't comment on how far Nikon have caught up but v3.00 does show that Nikon is not only listening to but also acting on user's comments. The biggest flaw with the Z6/7 is the lack of a vertical grip, IMO. Nothing Nikon can do about that until they release a replacement unless you are will to put up with a cable going to the remote release socket!
Did this only happen with the 104 f/1.4 you were using? What about the native 50mm S lens? Did you test that one? It could be more of an issue with adapted lenses.
I noticed he only had this issue on aperture 1.4 -1.6 that mean he been using FTZ adapter. When he used native lenses with 1.8 aperture eye AF work great.
When it starts back focusing or front focusing all you have to do is pull the focus ring back or Foward depending on the focus point and it will aquire focus, if you have manual override on you lens. It seems the issue is once you focus on something far than try to focus on something close it has trouble with acquisition. Nikon image output is the best tho and thats all I care about and they know how to build a proper body so I'm rooting for nikon.
Nikon user for a long time. Had the d850 and now the Z6. Absolutely love the Z6. But, Nikon needs to enhance the AF on the Z6 and Z7 to compete with Canon and Sony. And as mentioned in the video the Implementation of the AF and eye af in every mode. However a quick fix when the camera AFs on background or foreground is to manually twist the focus ring to help the camera to find the person. Then the eyeaf will work.
bro i am using nikon 610 it has the worst auto focus while making videos it just hunds for focus . i am a youtuber i want to film my self . no buddy is there to help me film me so i have to depend on auto focus so i am planing to swift to nikon z6 . can u talk about the face traking on nikon z6 while filming your self i mean auto focus
Hello Manny the focus behavior in portrait is currently not so good. I always help myself with that by briefly touching the face of the model on the display with my finger. Thus, the camera immediately finds the face and eyes. You have the monitor in front of you anyway, if you do not look through the viewfinder. A simple and fast work around.
I encountered this issue quite often actually. Quick fix is too manually rotate the focus ring until the camera see the face, then it should start picking up faces again.
Hey Manny, I shoot Both Nikon and Sony...I do have the Z6. But you ONLY focused on the EYE autofocus...however you only use Eye AF for portraits Mostly with 1 person. (I agree Nikon is slower than my Sony) But Nikon does Have SUBJECT tracking...which works like a charm... I shoot weddings, events, parties, church services and concerts and client products...and for both Sony and Nikon I would NEVER use the Eye AF...Too many moving subjects. But the Z6 is a small beast...I agree it still needs some work... - Video, Stills, low light capture, 10bit 4k - You can shoot with Sony Lens with adapter - Weather sealing...it can rain on you and you can still shoot. - Ergo (Big one)...the FN keys at finger tips is a plus...dont have to take camera down to use them ans configurable. - 3 System User Setup options (on knob...you can your camera however you want with thses options and access on a knob twist) To get a really good idea of the Nikon Z cameras..you should check out Hudson Henry's Nikon 1 year review...he does give the god and he bad. th-cam.com/video/OpJBtYWzUF8/w-d-xo.html Love your work Manny keep up the good job... and dont forget I shoot both Nikon and Sony and I love them both...But they are just tools.
#MannyOrtiz Could have called it Why i dont like it for myself instead of "CANT recommend" Have you tried Z lenses intead of adapted mount lens , it works alot better and eye autofocus isnt that important, try old days as in my era and berore , i shot manual from early 80s through 90 and then big huge bulky film bodies
I have Firmware 2.01, and it seems to work fine. I had to hit the back of the camera on the screen with my finger for a auto-focus point to be established before the update, but can't remember having to since. Maybe just haven't confused it yet? BTW, curious to know if you have tried the focus peaking on the Z6 with your older Nikkor primes? I have my grandfather's old manual lenses and this feature and the way it works is really fun! Makes manual focusing easier to get sharp images on those lenses. Have you used it with older, great glass in your professional shoots?
I received two confirmations from different sources that Nikon will announce new Z6/Z7 firmware updates next week (probably on Tuesday, December 17th). The new firmware is rumored to have the long-expected ProRes RAW update and improved autofocus. I am not sure if this release will include also the CFExpress update (the first CFExpress cards are already in stock at Adorama and B&H).
Just tap the face to get it back in focus, jeez. Also native lenses are much more responsive than adapted, plus you can tweak the AF in the options to make it a lot more faster.
Touch to focus seems the best option. It works for me fine. In the competitive world, it fails to stand up unless you are stuck with the camera. Even the Canon EOS R has touch focus, but then it has some other quirks( no IBIS, 4K crop, no 120FPS etc).
SoulStoriesLtd R Yeah, the only two issues with the Z6 is: AF not as snappy (but it could be fixed with firmware) and the one card slot (though XQD does a great job)....and that’s it. I am a Z shooter, but couldn’t care less for any company, the more competitive they are, the better for us who buy their products. Only problem I have is when ppl make half-ass camera tests and then report crap as “facts”. I’m starting to think that these YT Sony shooters are really getting paid to bash on Nikon, which would be a low move by Sony, but then of course they feel threatened (and rightfully so) by Nikon and Canon joining the mirrorless world...and that cake is shrinking big time.
were photography started and were it went !!!!! we got spoiled !!!!! if u presed the ok buton the camera would bring out the traking squere , u use it with the known focus and recompose , yes it doesnt do it automaticly in this kind of situation , but u are holding a camera and not a selphone , a bit more ''hard work'' stil is needet on the first gen mirorles from nikon . i bought the Z6 leaving behind a D3s, a D4 and a pair of D750's . I never regreted it , for me tho the real isiue of the Z system is 1: the one card slot and 2 : the beheivior of g lenses with the ftz adaptor . i tryed the 35mm f1.8 , 50mm f1.8 , 85mm f1.8 and 70-200mm f2.8 and found the same isiue on all lenses . we start to have soft focus and colour fringing with the aperture wide open , we start to see sharpnes at f4 and have a high sharp point at f5.6 wich i waited not to be the case on a mirorles camera , on the other hand with the s lenses u got sharp images at wide open apertures . so if u buy a z camera that means u are like changing system and has no diferense if u bought , canon , sony or whatewer if u want your camera to produce optimal quality
Manny, thank you so much for this video! I hope Nikon is listening and will fix that issue fast! From another TH-camr I heared, that Nikon is still working on an update for the eye-auto focus. I´m excited. In my last shooting with the Z6 & Nikon Z 50mm f1.8 the focussing was very accurate and I had fewest problems, exept I shoot directly into the sun. Anyway. I hope Nikon will fix it soon. Thanks a lot for your good work! Greetings from Germany :)
i've had my z6 for 7months and i still have to test the autofocus in my z6. been using focus peaking on adpated lenses 😀. i have to say that i love the image that comes out of it!
Strange, an ex-Sony ambassador bashing a perfectly fine camera, who would have thought. If the af locks on the background just twist the focus to the front and you’re fine, have absolutely no issue with it. Also you can use the track point on the subject, which you didn’t. Don’t sell out Manny
you have a flashing red circle in the top corner please set the time in the camera, it stops this and allows your photos to have the correct dates before you shoot
I had these issues as well. But they’re so seldom that it’s a non issue for me. I don’t do one moment only things but only staged portrait photography so no problem. It’s also rare for me. Otherwise the eye af is hitting almost flawlessly for me. Better than the D850 before. On point on the eye always even with the difficult 58 1.4G.
Photographer's may not have needed real-time eye af tracking in the past but in today's time it really is hard to go back once you're spoiled by this feature.
I noticed you only had this issue on aperture 1.4 -1.6 that mean you been using FTZ adapter. When you used native lenses with 1.8 aperture eye AF work great.
Doesn't the lens have instant MF override? The most probable reason camera is hunting is the subjects face is not nearly enough in focus for the algorithm to pick up the face or eye. If the eye detect sees only a big blur it can't do anything. In such a situation I would try to quickly flick the focus ring in the right direction until the face is sharp enough to be picked up, or just focus in front of the subject. Hope it helps.
I am really impressed,with Nikons first FF mirrorless cameras. The AF will only get better with firmware updates. And the Z mount is clearly heads and shoulders above the others when it comes to edge to edge and more lens performance. That is an area Nikon will simply dominate as the Pro lenses start arriving.
Hi. I hit the OK button. That pops the focus back to the center and then it takes off correctly. If they drop the timer which makes it go to sleep that should fix the problem, I think that causes a conflict.which makes the focus markers drift and the camera go to sleep which is also so damned annoying.
Yeah I have had some autofocus inconsistencies with my adapter 24-70 f2.8 nonVR and sigma 24-35 f2. It usually follows up with the auto focus box disappearing. More so with the adapted Sigma. Single point eliminates the issues as you stated. I feel like it might have to do with the adapted glass, but I cant confirm since dropping 3k for the equivalent Z 24-70 f2.8 isn't feasible right now. Overall I would say 99% of the time is works perfect ( full time autofocus) and the 1% I quickly switch off n' on the camera
Ok, Julio doesn't have the option to use Eye AF on his D810, though. He'll use some version of single point. The Z6 is perfect with that -- plus it has the optional eye-af. Just my 2 cents....(Also why I literally switched from a D810)
EXACTLY. THat's what confused me lol. If she shot it the same way as the d810, he should had no issues lol. I have a d750 and all I want are the high amount of focus points!
I know being a Sony shooter you don't have touch screen focus and shoot capability. However, you have this option you can use at anytime on the Nikon Z series cameras to overcome the issues you stated. Just saying.
I am at the point of pulling the trigger on a z6 in a few months. I’d been going to several Nikon predominant TH-cam channels and they were saying this has been taken care of . So so glad I checked back with you . I’ll still probably get the camera just because of me having so much f mount glass . I have been leaning towards Panasonic or Sony and these are because I am doing so much video anymore. So I have time and I’m still on the fence . The Sony fx9 is what I wish I had the coin for . Peace
In my case it doesn't happen to me often. In the video you see that you have the focus mode in AF-S so try to put it in AF-C all the time. But we must recognize that it is not perfect like Sony's. Another thing I hate is that the Z6 and Z7 don't have Grip! :(
My nikon Z6 is impossible to use. She does not focus well in single focus mode. Only focuses well on the automatic, and to make it worse is giving an error that only resolves if you remove the battery. Not a casual mistake, it happens at least 3 times per event, sometimes even more. Her wifi to upload photos is ridiculously slow. And the face and eye detector only works on close portraits and in perfect light conditions.
I shoot Z with Z/S lenses. Not Nikon fanboy. No complaints, however and no going back to DSLR. Coming from film and manual focus, autofocus gives me a heck of a lot of work to do. Focus points, modes, joy sticks. The "auto" comes from Greek, meaning "self", and my feeling is, I have to do a lot myself for something that had the promise of automatic. Could it be in this case that the external recorder influences the system? Also, it seems to happen at a slightly bigger distance where the face is smallish in the frame. Then eye-AF is not critical like in headshots and I would do what you have done, Manny, go to point-press-shoot AF, whatever it is called. And, is there something with the fast 1.4 lenses? My experience with faster than 1.8 is that the shallower DoF causes hunting - which may impact the AF algorithm that does "computer vision". As to the AF firmware, a couple years ago, some techie demonstrated his computer vision algorithm in TED or TEDx. It worked so good and could effortlessly mark specific objects in a large audience, running on a smartphone. He was to bring his algorithm in the public domain. I get the impression that the firmware programmers live on a (cultural) island and are proudly inventing proud wheels, when better ones are already out there, maybe.
@@aussie8114 Dude Ortiz is a boomer. He does not know how to use the Z6 & the Z6 is only $1600. There are plenty of solution to his boomer problem in the comment section.
kt cool $2,700 in my country for body only. I know you can attempt to reacquire focus but I still say I will wait until they get it all right before I hand over almost 3 grand.
Never had a problem here. Besides, Wide area AF strikes me as kind of lazy. I've never known a pro that relies on it. Im not that old (45) but ill say that maybe letting a camera decide what to focus on is a thing young pro shooters are doing. Of course, I am old school. I came up shooting film and manually focusing. I love autofocus. I use it all the time in my day to day but though I think area AF is a neat trick I don't rely on it. That's what loses money on jobs. As my work has moved in to outdoor and adventure work, it becomes less and less important as well. Just my 2 cents. By the way, great work Manny! Love your videos.
Manny!...as a long time follower I to use the Nikon Z6 as well. I too have experienced the same issue. THERE IS A SOLUTION!... use the "autofocus fine tune" feature. I would recommend watching a TH-cam video on this procedure. You have to do it for each lens as the depth of field in each lens is different. It also eliminates the eyelash focus for the closeup problems. Since doing this I have not experienced the focus hunt, and my Z6 is a properly functioning machine. Hope this helps you with the problem. Apparently Nikon took a different approach to the conundrum of what to do with all the various lenses and how they each focus differently...especially wide open.
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Also, how has your experience been with the Nikon Z6 Autofocus? Mine has mostly been positive but I just couldn't trust it when trying to get an important shot!
I am having the same issue with autofocusing. My way to work around is to move the camera around and focus on something else, and get back to the subject. It'd be awesome if the next firmware update to allow us to toggle eye-AF while using single point focus!!
I agree with your findings... Have been a Nikon shooter all my life... When the Z6 looses focus like in the video it loses it...
1. The way to reacquire it is, move the focus ring so that the face is almost in focus, then let the autofocus do its job of tracking it... For some reason when the focus is lost and image is blurred out, the nikon can't pick it up again, no matter how many times you press the shutter / AF on button...
2. Use the box in AFC mode to track the subject... This will be more reliable (but won't have face or eye detect)... But even in this mode if the focus is lost (in RARE occasions i have lost focus). you have to reset the box in the middle and select the subject again to start focus tracking to acquire focus...
3. Nikon tends to hunt moving subjects as well... More than the Sonys and the Canons (from what I have seen in youtube videos)... Such as the ones you make...
i just updated the software to 2.10, there is a huge diffrence, nikon did a big progress even in a low light, focusing point is there where have to be even if you turn arround a camera and come back again it appear on face quickly, You have to check it out.
NIKON NIKON NIKON - As a Z6 user and die-hard advocate of Nikon please bring in the firmware update fast. It kills me when people say bad about Nikon but the truth is Yes- the autofocus eye detector is not reliable. Although I can live with it and shoot professional, I wish this issue is fixed ASAP. The machine is JUST GREAT and with this small little glitch if the company is not making money no one can save Nikon. You guys are known for your 100% nothing less is accepted.
Z6 vs other mirrorless - Z6 wins all the factors(Body, Feature, Price, everything...) but this autofocus glitch is just not making the machine 10/10.
Bring on the Firmware update and then I will again fight the social media battle with Canon and Sony users ;) till then I better stay quiet.
I have a z7 and a z6 -> sometimes it did the same thing as yours, but i have upgraded to 2.10 , z6 keeps doing it with adapted glass, native 24-70 f2.8 s mount no issues at all, could it be a faulty body that you have ?
Instead of baiting viewers with click bait titles, please clearly mention that this is a review of the Eye AF of Nikon Z6. Nothing else but EYE AF is discussed here. For those of us who lived decades and photographed just fine without EYE AF, this is really a non issue. There are easy work arounds like tapping on the screen (tap to focus option) to guide AF point to your subject, which you did not even try. An the end of the day click bait titles to bash a brand will bring down the value of your views.
Deep Insight and profoundly real talk here!!! @
I couldn't say it better. I find this camera bashing on youtube anoying as well.
Sandipan Biswas i personally prefer choosing my focus point. I hate when my camera thinks for me haha
I understand on both ends, y'all and Matt. Matt has been using Sony for a good time, in comparison Sony is much smarter on eye af than our Nikon. So he just can't justify about the missing eye AF. And for us being photographers we always have the way to get around bushes to get great results, and eye af is just a plus as a feature for camera.
@f1.8 That what a PROFESSIONAL does...hahaha
As a Z 6 owner I do wish Nikon would allow eye af to be in a non-auto mode with a stand alone eye focus button like Sony so you can choose what focus method you want on the fly without changing your focus settings. It’s not the biggest deal to change from wide auto mode to single point afc, but it isn’t ideal.
I agree that Nikon should all Eye-AF in all modes. I am still using single point AF and following the dancer. However, when i use the eye af, it nails it. Even if i have someone move across the frame and still stays on the eye. The colors SOOC in my opinion is better than Sony. The best i have seen is Canon and Fuji.
Yep. Have it work in the more limited zone modes. And also, I’d like to be able to specify a range and stop it from focusing on the far background, for example. That would eliminate some of these issues.
All other focus modes are designed to allow a user of the camera to set the focus range. But if the camera itself should find the focus point it is illogical to tell the camera where to focus. From a logical point of view, the Nikon system is set correctly here. Sony is illogical, but everyone got used to it. You can still very fast over the monitor of the Nikon specify the desired focus point, which works in all focus modes.
@@OrtwinSchneider Not sure how what you're suggesting is easier or better than being able to selectively press back-button focusing for either eye af or your selected non eye af focus modes. But i'm glad it's currently setup the way you would like it. :)
@@albertw251 Why not use the SUBJECT tracking on the Z6....?? Have you tried it...it works wonders for Dancers and any moving subjects...
I'm a Nikon shooter. AF issues can be fixed via firmware and I hope Nikon do that soon. I cannot give up on the ergonomics of my Nikons. No other brand feels just right to me personally.
Maybe tomorrow comes Firmware Update 3.0
Pradhyumna Gupta agree. The ergonomics are fantastic.
Manny, at 4:59 I see your in AF-S and should be in AF-C for eye AF to work from my experience. Nikon Z6 & Z7 owner.
Again ...if you dont USE Any camera for some time you miss the options the camera has...Love Manny but he does shoot Nikon to give an Completed option of the camera...he miss used the camera a couple of times....But Eye AF is really good for Only portraits which is what Manny shoots.....You wouldnt use Eye AF in a Party, reception when their are multiple people...
James Parish Yeah, I’ve found no issue with my 6 or 7 when taking single person shots in AF-C + Face/Eye Detect mode. For my headshot/portrait work I no longer stay behind the camera anymore. I shoot with Eye Focus and remote trigger moving around the room interacting with my subjects. I’d never use Eye AF for photos with complex foreground elements, multiple people, or live action. Even at one point it seemed his camera was in subject tracking mode without having selected the subject on the touch screen.
He also missed the ok button to activate tracking manually without the hassle of switching to another af mode
Hi, John, do you have IG looking to buy the z7 can I see your work?
Codex Gigas my IG is @johndplatt I shoot Leica QP and Nikon Z6 &Z7. The watch photo, the airplanes on the runway, and the photo of my Leica were shot with my Z7. The portraiture posts on March 10th and 7th and Feb 7th, the 5th, and the 3rd are also on the Z7. There are several frames so make sure you swipe on some of the posts. Thanks.
If it does that where it wont focus where you want, hit ok, it will re-center and then you can put that square on the subject and lock on.
Chris Matthes simple enough of a fix!
Yes, I like that function, click the OK button, re-center the focusing point and shoot.
Nice!
I mentioned that to Manny...Subject Tracking....you can track ANYTHING...a Plane, a ball...and it WORKS!!
Plus.....you can change the sentivity of the EYE AF ...what was his settings for Eye Sensitivity?
This is what my problem is with TH-camrs and why it’s so difficult to find a honest , knowledgeable people to learn from in TH-cam!!! It’s just click bait title and complete misinformation!! Eye autofocus never existed until couple years ago.. and you are basing your recommendation based on that, then I really hope people don’t take you seriously! There is something called as single shot autofocus and this problem you mention can be completely solved by using it. Plus this problem is something that can be fixed Via firmware upgrades and is not that a huge deal as you are making it out to be. I own a z7 and single point AF works wonders!
Check out the channel "The Monochrome Memoirs", that guy used four Z6 cameras for wedding photography and he shot over 300k pictures with it. He replied to Ortiz in a very respectful way. This channel and Tony Northrup are just clickbait farms at this point, there's no value in following these people who are not even real working photographers.
Shooting manual focus or single point focus don't make you a pro. It's just make you OLD! Eye auto focus is here now and it makes shooting professional photos easier. Taking the best photo and getting paid for it are the only things that make you a pro. So stop hating all you old school photographers.
I don't know... I thought he was honest. Eye focus is available because it is a photographic standard for portraits. Sony kills it and Nikon is catching up. Nikon knows this is important. If you ask someone for money to make their photographs....the last thing you want to do is have your camera not do something that aids the tempo of the shoot. Imagine models moving to create a look and your tool of choice not doing what it is supposed to do...= lost images = unprofessional appearance (if it happens too much). "Worst case scenario" for someone who relies on eye auto focus not working would be manual focus with peaking. It's much slower and you are missing shots you can get with something else. Why wouldn't you use the "something else". I just got the Z6 because I have faith that Nikon has seen the writing on the wall....it'll get better.
(I also use Sony cams as well)
I'm glad Sony woke them up. Competition is a good thing for the business. They fight it out, and we get better cameras.
Is that the reason ? Damn, what happened to photographers those days... It's an easy fix, just you need to think a bit. Sony robots.
He gave his reasons though. He can’t take spontaneous moments with the model.
Yup.
Ya it’s frustrating where photography has gone with the advent of social media.
@@Spectre-xj7lx Pro Fashion Photographers managed to shoot models that way well before AF.
BluesImprov good point. I guess we are just spoiled by AF that losing good AF hurts a lot now. Which is why I use a manual focus lens most of the time to shoot portraits and street to improve as a filmmaker and photographer.
When my Z6 focuses on the background and stays there, I just turn the lenses manual focus ring (my hand is there on the lens already) and that’s enough change for the AF system to find the persons face again.
yeah it works but sry issue like this am not willing to accept even on smartphone
I follow monochrome memoirs, Will and Sara shoot weddings, they only use z6’s and seem to manage perfectly well capturing moments in difficult situations and lighting. Me personally, I’m a D750 shooter but my wife does shoot with a Z6 however does not shoot portraits therefore has no issue. I can’t disagree with your findings and think that there are still some improvements required for the eye autofocus however do feel that for a majority of photography shooters this is pretty much a perfect camera and what it might lack in some areas it makes up bundles in others. I do respect your opinions and as always maintain that you need to use kit that works for you, and you only.
Garry Murphy agree
Mani, you must read manual before using camera and everything will be alright.
oh so pls be smart and explain
I agree as a z6 owner, but there is a work around and that is to manual focus while holding the shutter down. It will find the face when you twist the focus ring to the right focus plane. Not perfect solution but if you get stuck on af it works
Use a finger tip o the monitor instead
Yea, that's what I did when I had mine.
The issue with this is that it makes the Z series cameras worse options than 1) the mirrorless rivals and 2) Nikon's own DSLRs. There's very little reason to buy into the Z mount right now.
Landscope 360 i disagree just cause the eye af is not perfect doesn’t mean that there is no reason to go Nikon, all the other benefits of mirrorless still apply and the lenses are amazing. And I think that the weather sealing and handling is a lot better then say Sony. Which to me is more important than having perfect eye af. It seems the eye auto af is all people care about these days there is a lot more to a camera than that. And also the video capabilities is amazing
@@thomasvaaland383 Seems like I didn't get my point across. What I was trying to say is this:
1) For someone who isn't invested in any system yet, there's little reason to go for the Nikon Z series. Sony's mark III cameras do almost everything better, not just eye af. They've got two card slots, better af tracking (not just on eyes), faster frame rates. I agree that Nikon offers better ergonomics and usability, but those don't really make up for the disadvantages.
2) For an existing Nikon DSLR user, switching to the Z series isn't a very compelling option either. The top DSLRs may not have an evf, but are otherwise better at everything. The bodies are more rugged, the af is faster and more reliable, the ergonomics are better, two card slots ... the list goes on.
Please understand that I'm not saying that the Z bodies are bad. They're good cameras. Just not as good as the Sonys and the DSLRs, which makes them a tough sell right now.
Personally, I really wanted to like them. But coming from a D850, I really don't see any reason to go for a Z7. It's not the camera I was hoping for. I wish they did what they said - make a mirrorless D850. Same ergonomics, same performance, just with an evf. When they make that camera, I'll switch.
When my camera does that i just press the ok button and activating "subject tracking" to models face and.. boom! Camera finds eyes again and focusing perfect.
This technique works the best! Manny should know this!
I do exactly the same thing. I wish Nikon made it easier to exit subject tracking though. I really have to reach for that button to exit and don’t feel comfortable without taking my eye out of the EVF and looking. Takes a few more seconds than it should
I never knew one needed eye AF to consider themselves "professional".
Well, professional means only one thing, getting paid.
The eye AF is just a tool and seeing how the competition makes it better just makes this a disadvantage for the Z6 and Z7. It appears that the Z50 does a better job at eye AF. I personally prefer the single point AF but I can see why eye AF is convenient, it makes composition easier and faster. You can do the same shot with single point AF but moving it takes more time or focussing and then moving the camera for composition can be inaccurate.
@Foto4Max then you should use an iPhone.
I try to never rely even autofocus. I have manual lens in y collection and learned to use my own skills. Dont get d wrong having autoeye focus is very neat and would take advantage of it, but wouldnt rely on it. At the end of the day it is your end product that makes you professional.
@@Tainoblazed Sometimes we go into things with our minds already made up, and miss the knowledge being given by those we thought we disagreed with.
@@TheRealMerchyBautista I personally love shooting manual lenses, but at a professional level or even at family events, or daily fun, a camera that can capture eyes in focus 95% of the time is going to save you allot of time, and potentially money, stress, divorce, angry children, and the list goes on.. I personally have Z6 and when it is working ideally it is great, but I know too well the issues being talked about in this video. Adjusting focus speed helps, but doesn't solve all issues. Hopefully Nikon gives this more focus, pun just fell into place..
hey Manny try to change these setting to help with hit rate. this helped me get more keepers
Change these menu settings
setting A3 focus w/ lock on ->slide to quick
setting G4 AF Speed -> +5 and set to always
setting G5 Tracking Sensitivity -> Set to high
if your doing video make sure to set back G4 and G5 for smoother focus transitions
Learned it from Monochrome memoirs
From personal experience, auto focus remains what it is. This changes the speed, not the accuracy.
@@alexsem490 speed still plays a role. i just look at it as having more speed gives me the ability to recover faster from these random misses. less time = more shots thus increasing keeper rate.
Barajas world those settings only applies to video mode
@@thomasvaaland383 I know those are video settings but for some reason it still applies to stills. Try them out
thanks for the tip
does that affect video or photos?? I read that g4 and g5 are for video only
Try these AF Setiings: a3 to quick, g4 to +5 and always, g5 to high. I´m referring to the youtuber "The Monochrome Memoirs". Maybe this will work for you
It works well actually
Thanks for the shoutout bruv
thanks for the tip
does that affect video or photos?? I read that g4 and g5 are for video only
Mina Tadros hi Mina. As I explain in my video where I break this down, although these AF settings are in video they affect AF globally. I suggest you watch the video though as I explain just how the settings will change your overall AF experience
th-cam.com/video/UHlaVxKEXLU/w-d-xo.html
The Monochrome Memoirs thanks very much for that I’ll watch it definitely
Im a Nikon shooter and you are not lying. I have the Z6 and the AF is not 100% dependable. Yeah I am hoping for a firmware fix. I regularly have to disengage it off its believed subject and touch the actual subject (usually my kids) to get the focus correct
Thank you so much for this man! I have a Nikon z7ii and I had the same exact issues when I was taking shots of my gf. Half my shots were blurry and it was annoying to see the red square box while I was shooting. Now I’ll remember to use AS mode like you recommended and save up to buy a Sony camera. You’re the only person that addressed this issue clearly. You’re the best!!
Personally I only had that issue happen to me but with the older firmware, since I updated I’ve never had a problem with my shots, and I even shoot wildlife, sports, weddings, I would say 17 out of 20 shots were tack sharp, I also tend to not totally rely on the eye-af wether it be this or any camera, I manual over ride when I’m shooting portraits if need be. Shooting with the z6 has been a joy in my experience.
Manny I believe you could have a lemon and I would send it in if I were you. But then again not every camera is for anyone.
not sure why people don't use the touch screen. If it is focusing on something you don't like, touch the lcd, ain't rocket science. After that it is in the area of focus. Yes, I do a focus zoom to check for portrait also. I think it is the f1 button I programmed to zoom.
Check this review out...He really reveals some things about the Nikon Z Cameras...
th-cam.com/video/OpJBtYWzUF8/w-d-xo.html
As a Nikon user, it does have it quirks but I'll give it 8.5/10. I don't shoot AF-C Auto Area, nor AF-S. 99% of the time I use AF-C Dynamic.. I use it to shoot runway photography and I love the results... Yes, Sony A73 and 4 have a faster Eye AF but they have been in the mirrorless market for much longer... Lets hope Nikon can improve their shortcomings within another 12 months.
It’s so close to being great
Sony has been making camcorders for a very long time that had/have good AF...that is why they are ahead in the one particular thing.
Hi Manny. It just dawned on me: you showed us the autofocus problem with an ADAPTED LENS. Did you have the same problem with native Z mount lenses? This is important. (Yes I realize that adapting the 105mm f/1.4 will be important to a lot of people but we need to understand the scope of the problem; is it only with adapted lenses or native too?).
I haven't notice this issue with z mount lens, but with ftz adapter, yes it plays around
Most photographers know how to focus either automatically or manually, eye autofocus is good but not essential for people who know what they are doing and is basically a way to get people with a phone who think they are photographers to buy a camera. These types of youtube videos are getting so boring, try making more videos about actual photography (which you are good at) and stop trying to sell products for these companies, don't be a sell out for the company $$$$.
there we go.. seems he had wrong AF settings tho
Emmit Voice wow I bet he doesn’t care because he probably makes more money as a pro photographer. When people gatekeep and say “if you need this Then you don’t know what you’re doing” it ticks me off. Any camera from the last three years can take great photos, and you can work around any problems, but when you charge by the hour, or you have high stakes clients, you can’t afford “workarounds”
RiceCube Tech sorry I ticked you off 🤷♂️
I was testing Z6 AF today in shop and had similar problem as you @4:00 but what I found out it was only a problem in vertical position, horizontal was fine. Super weird but now I look at your footage and it was the same! WTF :D
NIKON NIKON NIKON - As a Z6 user and die-hard advocate of Nikon please bring in the firmware update fast. It kills me when people say bad about Nikon but the truth is Yes- the autofocus eye detector is not reliable. Although I can live with it and shoot professional, I wish this issue is fixed ASAP. The machine is JUST GREAT and with this small little glitch if the company is not making money no one can save Nikon. You guys are known for your 100% nothing less is accepted.
Z6 vs other mirrorless - Z6 wins all the factors(Body, Feature, Price, everything...) but this autofocus glitch is just not making the machine 10/10.
Bring on the Firmware update and then I will again fight the social media battle with Canon and Sony users ;) till then I better stay quiet.
Shashwat Das great poimts
Hey Manny did you have that issue mainly with adapted lenses? I think autofocus works better with the native S lens
I also have problems with face/eye detection in portrait orientation. Sometimes i just quickly rotate the camera back to landsacpe for a second to lock it on, then rotate back to portrait
Thanks for the great field report! Extremely helpful and very balanced.
I would like to chime in and remind that Nikon has had back-focus issues for a longer time already, in the "before Z" era. I noted this 1st in D7000 and later in D7200: the number of shots focused somewhere far in the back with even a group of subjects ignored in foreground, forced me to seek help from Nikon US, to no avail, and I posted many examples to a few forums. The reply was typical for what Web is these days, ranging from "I also have the issue" to the typical responces: "mine works," "you do something wrong," "learn more how to use it". The D7500 brought a significant improvement with its Group AF in continuous focus (I use mostly back button focus for sport events.) The D7500 got a very bad wrap on the web due to one-card slot (again Nikon: the self inflicted wound) and removal of the AI ring on the mount, but I think that this little body is fantastic and is a "last of breed" probably.
Thought you were going to call Jared polin lol
Edit: Thanks for all the Likes Guys; Lol!
Shameless Plug: Follow my IG: @TheTopTenFotography
I thought he was going to call Matt Granger lol
zethiel ... better call Ken Wheeler! 😚
I only thought that because Peter McKinnon called Jared which I was so shocked at. Always great to see my favorite TH-camrs collaborate.
@@zethiel Is still a photographer?
He should ahve Called a Seasons Nikon User:
Check this review out...He really reveals some things about the Nikon Z Cameras...
th-cam.com/video/OpJBtYWzUF8/w-d-xo.html
I think i figured out! As Nikon shooter for many years, coming from D60, i have never relied on auto area focus because it focuses mostly on closer objects. That "trend" is continued on the mirrorless, but for Nikon camera owners it's not a problem because of the experience of using single point. I'm not saying that professionals photographers don't use eye-af, but for different subjects where it doesn't matter, you still need to use a reliable mode and that mode is single point (eg. two persons kissing or hugging, grup shots). Even the eye-af will be better, i think i will still rely on single point because i cannot trust the camera algorithm and risk to focus by itself somewhere else (i am talking about one time moments).
Back in the days when you had a pro body and use auto area... not so good.
Anyway, eye-af is not a feature that needs to be on the top list to consider a good camera.
...aaaaaand...people bash it like crazy.
Hi Manny. Whenever your Z6 focuses on any unwanted subject, you can always press OK button which will display a white box in the middle of the screen which you can move around or just move the camera to point that white box on your subject and focus again (half shutter or back button AF) and it will start tracking your desired subject. The only thing i noticed that eye AF stops working after that (unless you change focus mode or mode dial or restart), which seems to be a minor issue to be fixed. If you can test that and report this issue, it might be fixed in next firmware.
“The Monochrome Memoirs” told me a trick. You can always press zoom out button for eye AF to reevaluate the scene and start tracking again. It worked perfect for me to focus back on my desired subject’s eye. You can also press ok and then zoom out button to totally control where to focus.
@9:28, 100% agreed.
I'm still on the original firmware and I have had that AF issue constantly. I wonder if it's because the subject is under lit?? But, even then, my D750 would AF just as good too. OVERALL, I LOOVE my Z6 for what it is, but during Auto Area AF, I have the exact same issue you're having. It's literally the Achilles Heel for this camera.
I don't see this as an issue for me, prior to Eye autofocus you had to manually set the focus point where you wanted it, I have no issues doing this. it's a nice feature but not one I depend on.
I have personally owned an a7iii and z6 for a while before I decided to move to the z6 and sale my a7iii. After a lot of use, the Nikon had better IBIS, better grip, better EVF, and better build quality, image quality to me was identical they use the same sensor it's just a matter of settings, video AF was identical, the a7iii had better battery life, better AF tracking, and two card slots. Honestly I think they are so close you can't go wrong with either, but what tipped the scale was how little I found EYE AF useful. On Sony you can't switch eyes or people, so as soon as two people enter the frame it picks one and you spend more time fighting it, than just placing the focus point where you want. In my experience EYE AF is like P mode, it is great for people starting out, but as you progress you want to control the camera and not let it make the decisions.
James Ryan build quality sold me on the Z6.
Jason Renfrow the build quality is great on the z6.
Hi I'm torn between the a7iii and nikon z6, I'm leaning more towards the nikon however in your experience how do you find the sound quality of the pre amps on the nikon?
@@outdoorslifestyle2900 th-cam.com/video/4S9SjzSjoXI/w-d-xo.html
So far my experience its great. Im sure the updates have improved it from a year ago
I have not had these issues with my Z6. Is it because of adapted glass?
I do find the eye AF catches the eyelash at times which can be annoying.
The video do show lack of experience with the Z6 on Mannys part though. Even though the AF should focus on the model, when focussing on the back or foreground, an easy work around is to just tap the screen to focus on her and then press the "zoom out" button and the eye AF would catch her.
Nikon Z6 user here as well. Yes, it does to have those crazy focusing. Gotten used to it and change between focusing modes. Don’t really rely on the eye AF for now. Until v2.3 or v3.0 comes out
v2.20: Added support for Type B Sony CFexpress memory cards.
• Fixed an issue that resulted in colored lines appearing at the bottom of the display when pictures shot in demo mode with FX (36x24) selected for image area were viewed at zoom ratios over 100%.
I do face trouble while using My Z6 in a Studio when my aperture is 5.6 or 6.3 or smaller. Its in this scenario when I am facing certain focus issues with the Z6. Every time I shoot 2 out of 5 portraits are getting defocused and I always focus on the eye. The Focusing Mode I use is Single Autofocus Single Point.
Could anybody please help me with this matter....?????
Did you find an answer to your problem? Your settings should be auto focus continuous and mode set to humans eye detect
Eye auto focus is a great feature if you shoot close-up with 1.4f or faster glass, where your depth of field is extremely shallow and the micro movements in the model/camera will throw you out of focus.
That's where Sony and Canon shine at the moment. Frankly - Nikon has one famous 105mm 1.4f lens for portraits. All affordable glass for the Z body is 1.8f and you'll hit focus 100% of the time with dynamic or pinpoint af.
If you want 1.2f or 1.4f glass for portriats - Nikon is a no-go just because of the lens line-up alone, so.
Well, My Z6 and my new 85 1.8s arent going anywhere anytime soon. We all know adapted lenses are a gamble but Ive had no sustained issues with the focusing. I WILL say, that when you have a model stand against a mural the camera will pick on the murals eye and not the model "Initially" and thats the biggest focus issue ive seen. Again, this is a Firmware issue at the end of the day a simple fix. But I also have to remind myself how life was without Eye Auto Focus.
You should've asked Photomeike what he thinks. He cranks out Z6 content faithfully.
Yeah I have a z6 too. Have the focussing problem aswell! Overall very happy with it. Do you have the autofocus motor sounds with video aswell with adapter? Love your vids btw!!
The people on the Z6/Z7/Z50 Facebook page are having a field day with this. Raggin on Manny big time.
😂😂😂
As a Nikon user who switched from Sony, I have noticed this issue. It's not a deal breaker for me because it seldom happens to me, but Nikon does need to address this issue. The Nikon Z system is one of the best cameras that I have ever owned with some of the best glass that I have ever used. I don't want a great camera system to be ruined by this issue. Nikon if you love your customers, please work to address this issue. I know you can do it.
Great video. I shoot nikon and always use single point focus but that's just how i learned when i first started. Maybe my workflow would be faster if i didn't have to worry about moving that focus point
I think 2.10 is just a minor firmware upgrade and doesn't update the AF at all. My guess is you will see a bigger upgrade some time next year.
The reality is though that I won't be getting either the Z6/Z7 because I am not a fan of the camera bodies, the inability to fit a battery grip and the single card slot. The camera feels like a prosumer camera, which isn't a huge problem on the Z6 but on the Z7 for me is unforgivable.
I have to add, that currently, I see no good reason, why I should upgrade from my D800, I almost upgraded to the D850. when it was released but in the end I spent about the same amount on a X-H1 and glass (90mm, 35mm, 23mm) and that does everything I need. So I can't see when I will be going over to a Nikon mirrorless until they really wow me and so far they haven't.
Thanks for this video. I was considering this camera but now I think I'll pass. I've been shooting video with a GH4 and the only knock against it is the slow autofocus. I'm curious if I should look into getting Sony's A6600 or save up for the A7III.
@Sino Lino I use manual focus for my videos but I wanted to venture into capturing shots of people while moving.
This is a mistake in the way he set it up. He has it in the wrong focus mode, so of course it doesnt work. I have a Z6 and its just as good as any Sony I have picked up... when the settings are correct.
@@johnsweatman8625 hey brother I'm nikon z6 shooter i use with nikon 35mm s lens,please suggest me best setting for moving subject for videography..
@@shaankashyap4143 depends on what you are shooting. I typically have it set to focus tracking, lock on to what I want, and let it track. I also use manual focus sometimes. Really depends on what it is that you are shooting specifically.
@@johncarlan mostly i shoot with gimbal, and I'm facing problem while moving camera and tracking model face ,whenever camera move or subject i just lost focus,as i use with gimbal i need smooth and fast,focus
I do have the same problem when I use non native f mount lenses. But when I use the z mount lenses the hit rates lot higher.
I'm wondering how it will focus with the new 85mm f/1.8 S.
Also how is it with Canon R with non native lenses on auto focus?
I think the main problem with me is lack of z mount lenses.
Never saw anyone to have this problem. Not after a year I had ever this issue.
I have a Z6 and can confirm this happens more often than you would like. Makes you look like a fool too because as you see in the video, you just can't convice your camera to stop it. "Oh yeah, that expensive camera of yours does not focus?" *winkwink*
I encountered the same problem with my z6. Quite annoying sometimes but that is was never a fatal flaw.
So would you recommend it if they did an update and the auto focus is working as good as a Sony?
Hi Manny. There is a rumor that the next Z series firmware update is coming soon, perhaps even the week of Dec 15. Whenever it happens please jump on it and test autofocus with both native and adapted lenses. A lot of us are counting on you to help sort this out. Thanks!!!
I most definitely will!!!! Thanks Art
I have the z6ii with the latest firmware and I still notice the problem of the camera getting "stuck" on the background when in continuous AF mode with full zone. When I'm behind the camera actually operating it, I can easily manually nudge the focus and get it to grab on to the subject, which is okay as a work around.
But the big problem for me is when I'm in front of the camera, doing something like a product review. The camera will focus on me, no problem, but when I hold up the product in front of the camera, it 9 times out of 10 it will remain stuck on the background. I can sit there and wave the thing around, bring it closer to the lens to fill the frame, but as long as there even just the tiniest bit of contrast in the background, the camera will fixate on that and stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the thing in front of it. And since these are shots that I'm in, and no one is on the camera, I can't manually nudge the focus. It's maddening.
A sort of workaround is to change the AF zone to like Wide-L, but in that mode, I need to be make sure to keep the product and my face in that small rectangle, which seriously restricts movements I can make.
It should not be this way. Even my old contrast-detect Olympus EM10ii is able to handle this situation very well. And it's definitely not the lens -- I've tried with the 24-70 f/4 S, the Z 28 f/2.8, and the Z 40 f/2. It's the same result with all.
Nikon really needs to do something about this problem.
My man just discovered your channel...a brutha with class holdin it down...much love
Your video actually shows that eyeAF works perfectly. Whats matter in this focusing mode is percentage of real hit rate. Some cameras "stays" on eye in the viewfinder all the time but because of shallow DOF actually does not hit the focus as it should.
I do not know how Sony's eyeAF is much better but I would like to see how it would react in some situations like low light, two or more people, obstacles, fast moving people (kids) etc. Not just to see behavior in viewfinder but real focus point in final picture.
BTW this problems you encountered is because of FX lenses you use, not because of camera. Try native S lenses instead.
One guy has already made comment.. you were in AF-S mode and waiting eyeAF to work..
The update did help a lot where i barley see any problems with the Z6 on AF, i always had problems and now after that update it got A LOT BETTER!!
Honestly, I do have the same behavior, but I really consider it to be a non-issue. It sticks more to the background if it considers it has acquired focus, which can be better than always trying to grab a face. I always have my hand ready to manually reposition the focus plane on the face if I'm shooting portraits.
Exactly
I had a Nikon D700 for about 10yrs plus a couple of f2.8 zooms etc - sold the lot when I bought a Z6 last July. I photograph mostly static subjects such as architecture so was willing to put up with less than stellar autofocus. Can't say I noticed much improvement with v2.00 or 2.20.
I always thought that if Sony could get best-of-class autofocus out of the Sony sensor that Nikon use - they could catch up!
Forget cat & dog eye detect, more CF card compatibility with v 3.00 - it's the autofocus that's transformed the Z6/7! The autofocus is general terms is noticeably better but using back button focus with AF-C & auto area selected, eye detect is much better. Assign one of the Fn buttons to toggle the mode & we have 3d tracking that works without have to take our eye off the EVF.
I've no experience with the Sony mirrorless range so can't comment on how far Nikon have caught up but v3.00 does show that Nikon is not only listening to but also acting on user's comments.
The biggest flaw with the Z6/7 is the lack of a vertical grip, IMO. Nothing Nikon can do about that until they release a replacement unless you are will to put up with a cable going to the remote release socket!
Did this only happen with the 104 f/1.4 you were using? What about the native 50mm S lens? Did you test that one? It could be more of an issue with adapted lenses.
I noticed he only had this issue on aperture 1.4 -1.6 that mean he been using FTZ adapter. When he used native lenses with 1.8 aperture eye AF work great.
When it starts back focusing or front focusing all you have to do is pull the focus ring back or Foward depending on the focus point and it will aquire focus, if you have manual override on you lens. It seems the issue is once you focus on something far than try to focus on something close it has trouble with acquisition. Nikon image output is the best tho and thats all I care about and they know how to build a proper body so I'm rooting for nikon.
Nikon user for a long time. Had the d850 and now the Z6. Absolutely love the Z6. But, Nikon needs to enhance the AF on the Z6 and Z7 to compete with Canon and Sony. And as mentioned in the video the Implementation of the AF and eye af in every mode.
However a quick fix when the camera AFs on background or foreground is to manually twist the focus ring to help the camera to find the person. Then the eyeaf will work.
bro i am using nikon 610 it has the worst auto focus while making videos it just hunds for focus . i am a youtuber i want to film my self . no buddy is there to help me film me so i have to depend on auto focus so i am planing to swift to nikon z6 . can u talk about the face traking on nikon z6 while filming your self i mean auto focus
Interesting points. I have the z7 with the 24-70 2.8s. So far I have had no issues with the auto eye thingy ma Bob. Thing.
Hello Manny the focus behavior in portrait is currently not so good. I always help myself with that by briefly touching the face of the model on the display with my finger. Thus, the camera immediately finds the face and eyes. You have the monitor in front of you anyway, if you do not look through the viewfinder. A simple and fast work around.
I encountered this issue quite often actually. Quick fix is too manually rotate the focus ring until the camera see the face, then it should start picking up faces again.
What on earth did we do before eye detection, how did we manage ?
Hey Manny,
I shoot Both Nikon and Sony...I do have the Z6.
But you ONLY focused on the EYE autofocus...however you only use Eye AF for portraits Mostly with 1 person.
(I agree Nikon is slower than my Sony) But Nikon does Have SUBJECT tracking...which works like a charm...
I shoot weddings, events, parties, church services and concerts and client products...and for both Sony and Nikon I would NEVER use the Eye AF...Too many moving subjects.
But the Z6 is a small beast...I agree it still needs some work...
- Video, Stills, low light capture, 10bit 4k
- You can shoot with Sony Lens with adapter
- Weather sealing...it can rain on you and you can still shoot.
- Ergo (Big one)...the FN keys at finger tips is a plus...dont have to take camera down to use them ans configurable.
- 3 System User Setup options (on knob...you can your camera however you want with thses options and access on a knob twist)
To get a really good idea of the Nikon Z cameras..you should check out Hudson Henry's Nikon 1 year review...he does give the god and he bad.
th-cam.com/video/OpJBtYWzUF8/w-d-xo.html
Love your work Manny keep up the good job... and dont forget I shoot both Nikon and Sony and I love them both...But they are just tools.
#MannyOrtiz
Could have called it Why i dont like it for myself instead of "CANT recommend"
Have you tried Z lenses intead of adapted mount lens , it works alot better and eye autofocus isnt that important, try old days as in my era and berore , i shot manual from early 80s through 90 and then big huge bulky film bodies
I have Firmware 2.01, and it seems to work fine. I had to hit the back of the camera on the screen with my finger for a auto-focus point to be established before the update, but can't remember having to since. Maybe just haven't confused it yet? BTW, curious to know if you have tried the focus peaking on the Z6 with your older Nikkor primes? I have my grandfather's old manual lenses and this feature and the way it works is really fun! Makes manual focusing easier to get sharp images on those lenses. Have you used it with older, great glass in your professional shoots?
I'm sure you're still driving around in your 70s Pacer then right? Because things were just fine back then and we don't need new technology.
@@mikezupancic2182 2016 Ford F 150
I received two confirmations from different sources that Nikon will announce new Z6/Z7 firmware updates next week (probably on Tuesday, December 17th). The new firmware is rumored to have the long-expected ProRes RAW update and improved autofocus. I am not sure if this release will include also the CFExpress update (the first CFExpress cards are already in stock at Adorama and B&H).
Just tap the face to get it back in focus, jeez.
Also native lenses are much more responsive than adapted, plus you can tweak the AF in the options to make it a lot more faster.
Touch to focus seems the best option. It works for me fine. In the competitive world, it fails to stand up unless you are stuck with the camera. Even the Canon EOS R has touch focus, but then it has some other quirks( no IBIS, 4K crop, no 120FPS etc).
SoulStoriesLtd R Yeah, the only two issues with the Z6 is: AF not as snappy (but it could be fixed with firmware) and the one card slot (though XQD does a great job)....and that’s it.
I am a Z shooter, but couldn’t care less for any company, the more competitive they are, the better for us who buy their products.
Only problem I have is when ppl make half-ass camera tests and then report crap as “facts”.
I’m starting to think that these YT Sony shooters are really getting paid to bash on Nikon, which would be a low move by Sony, but then of course they feel threatened (and rightfully so) by Nikon and Canon joining the mirrorless world...and that cake is shrinking big time.
Can you do a review again after the 3.0 update and how accurate it is? is the Eyelash af still there?
were photography started and were it went !!!!! we got spoiled !!!!! if u presed the ok buton the camera would bring out the traking squere , u use it with the known focus and recompose , yes it doesnt do it automaticly in this kind of situation , but u are holding a camera and not a selphone , a bit more ''hard work'' stil is needet on the first gen mirorles from nikon . i bought the Z6 leaving behind a D3s, a D4 and a pair of D750's . I never regreted it , for me tho the real isiue of the Z system is 1: the one card slot and 2 : the beheivior of g lenses with the ftz adaptor . i tryed the 35mm f1.8 , 50mm f1.8 , 85mm f1.8 and 70-200mm f2.8 and found the same isiue on all lenses . we start to have soft focus and colour fringing with the aperture wide open , we start to see sharpnes at f4 and have a high sharp point at f5.6 wich i waited not to be the case on a mirorles camera , on the other hand with the s lenses u got sharp images at wide open apertures . so if u buy a z camera that means u are like changing system and has no diferense if u bought , canon , sony or whatewer if u want your camera to produce optimal quality
Manny, thank you so much for this video! I hope Nikon is listening and will fix that issue fast! From another TH-camr I heared, that Nikon is still working on an update for the eye-auto focus. I´m excited. In my last shooting with the Z6 & Nikon Z 50mm f1.8 the focussing was very accurate and I had fewest problems, exept I shoot directly into the sun. Anyway. I hope Nikon will fix it soon. Thanks a lot for your good work! Greetings from Germany :)
i've had my z6 for 7months and i still have to test the autofocus in my z6. been using focus peaking on adpated lenses 😀. i have to say that i love the image that comes out of it!
The easiest work around is to manually get close, then it takes over very well. I know it’s not perfect, but it works great still.
That's true'... It goes out of focus when it see something which is brighter or sharper
Strange, an ex-Sony ambassador bashing a perfectly fine camera, who would have thought. If the af locks on the background just twist the focus to the front and you’re fine, have absolutely no issue with it. Also you can use the track point on the subject, which you didn’t. Don’t sell out Manny
Achille Viggo Calegari agree
you have a flashing red circle in the top corner please set the time in the camera, it stops this and allows your photos to have the correct dates before you shoot
Dip out of the viewfinder and touch the subject on the screen and it sorts itself out. Might be a minor annoyance but it works.
I had these issues as well. But they’re so seldom that it’s a non issue for me. I don’t do one moment only things but only staged portrait photography so no problem. It’s also rare for me. Otherwise the eye af is hitting almost flawlessly for me. Better than the D850 before. On point on the eye always even with the difficult 58 1.4G.
ChrispyArt 🤜🏻👍👍
Photographer's may not have needed real-time eye af tracking in the past but in today's time it really is hard to go back once you're spoiled by this feature.
I noticed you only had this issue on aperture 1.4 -1.6 that mean you been using FTZ adapter. When you used native lenses with 1.8 aperture eye AF work great.
Why you need matrix metering for portrait? Just trying to understand
Doesn't the lens have instant MF override? The most probable reason camera is hunting is the subjects face is not nearly enough in focus for the algorithm to pick up the face or eye. If the eye detect sees only a big blur it can't do anything. In such a situation I would try to quickly flick the focus ring in the right direction until the face is sharp enough to be picked up, or just focus in front of the subject. Hope it helps.
This is strange! I used z6 for 2 months I didn't faced this. But have you try to use it without the ninja ?
My frame ware it's 2.01
I am really impressed,with Nikons first FF mirrorless cameras. The AF will only get better with firmware updates. And the Z mount is clearly heads and shoulders above the others when it comes to edge to edge and more lens performance. That is an area Nikon will simply dominate as the Pro lenses start arriving.
Sorry, what's the meaning of the red clock that appears on the screen on the corner up-left?
set to F2 - af on + (zoom)
when focus afc area hard to find person just hit af on + (zoom) thats help focusing the subject
Hi. I hit the OK button. That pops the focus back to the center and then it takes off correctly. If they drop the timer which makes it go to sleep that should fix the problem, I think that causes a conflict.which makes the focus markers drift and the camera go to sleep which is also so damned annoying.
Well I'll just wait for the video on lates firmware because I have D810 and planned to get Z6.
Yeah I have had some autofocus inconsistencies with my adapter 24-70 f2.8 nonVR and sigma 24-35 f2. It usually follows up with the auto focus box disappearing. More so with the adapted Sigma. Single point eliminates the issues as you stated. I feel like it might have to do with the adapted glass, but I cant confirm since dropping 3k for the equivalent Z 24-70 f2.8 isn't feasible right now. Overall I would say 99% of the time is works perfect ( full time autofocus) and the 1% I quickly switch off n' on the camera
Ok, Julio doesn't have the option to use Eye AF on his D810, though. He'll use some version of single point. The Z6 is perfect with that -- plus it has the optional eye-af. Just my 2 cents....(Also why I literally switched from a D810)
EXACTLY. THat's what confused me lol. If she shot it the same way as the d810, he should had no issues lol. I have a d750 and all I want are the high amount of focus points!
I know being a Sony shooter you don't have touch screen focus and shoot capability. However, you have this option you can use at anytime on the Nikon Z series cameras to overcome the issues you stated. Just saying.
I am at the point of pulling the trigger on a z6 in a few months. I’d been going to several Nikon predominant TH-cam channels and they were saying this has been taken care of . So so glad I checked back with you . I’ll still probably get the camera just because of me having so much f mount glass . I have been leaning towards Panasonic or Sony and these are because I am doing so much video anymore. So I have time and I’m still on the fence . The Sony fx9 is what I wish I had the coin for .
Peace
Great review Manny thanks for that
In my case it doesn't happen to me often. In the video you see that you have the focus mode in AF-S so try to put it in AF-C all the time. But we must recognize that it is not perfect like Sony's. Another thing I hate is that the Z6 and Z7 don't have Grip! :(
My nikon Z6 is impossible to use. She does not focus well in single focus mode. Only focuses well on the automatic, and to make it worse is giving an error that only resolves if you remove the battery. Not a casual mistake, it happens at least 3 times per event, sometimes even more. Her wifi to upload photos is ridiculously slow. And the face and eye detector only works on close portraits and in perfect light conditions.
I shoot Z with Z/S lenses. Not Nikon fanboy. No complaints, however and no going back to DSLR. Coming from film and manual focus, autofocus gives me a heck of a lot of work to do. Focus points, modes, joy sticks. The "auto" comes from Greek, meaning "self", and my feeling is, I have to do a lot myself for something that had the promise of automatic.
Could it be in this case that the external recorder influences the system? Also, it seems to happen at a slightly bigger distance where the face is smallish in the frame. Then eye-AF is not critical like in headshots and I would do what you have done, Manny, go to point-press-shoot AF, whatever it is called. And, is there something with the fast 1.4 lenses? My experience with faster than 1.8 is that the shallower DoF causes hunting - which may impact the AF algorithm that does "computer vision".
As to the AF firmware, a couple years ago, some techie demonstrated his computer vision algorithm in TED or TEDx. It worked so good and could effortlessly mark specific objects in a large audience, running on a smartphone. He was to bring his algorithm in the public domain. I get the impression that the firmware programmers live on a (cultural) island and are proudly inventing proud wheels, when better ones are already out there, maybe.
It had this issue in the very first reviews so I guess nothings changed at this point in time.
Except it is not much of an issue.
kt cool If I were to pay $2,700 for a body which is the cost in my country I would not be happy with any such issue.
@@aussie8114 Dude Ortiz is a boomer. He does not know how to use the Z6 & the Z6 is only $1600. There are plenty of solution to his boomer problem in the comment section.
kt cool $2,700 in my country for body only. I know you can attempt to reacquire focus but I still say I will wait until they get it all right before I hand over almost 3 grand.
@@aussie8114 You don't have to struggle to quire focus it just take a second. This almost never happens in native z mount lenses.
Thanks for the video. I was wondering what was going on with the AF. Good to know it’s a common thing. Thanks 🙏.
Never had a problem here. Besides, Wide area AF strikes me as kind of lazy. I've never known a pro that relies on it. Im not that old (45) but ill say that maybe letting a camera decide what to focus on is a thing young pro shooters are doing. Of course, I am old school. I came up shooting film and manually focusing. I love autofocus. I use it all the time in my day to day but though I think area AF is a neat trick I don't rely on it. That's what loses money on jobs. As my work has moved in to outdoor and adventure work, it becomes less and less important as well. Just my 2 cents. By the way, great work Manny! Love your videos.
Manny!...as a long time follower I to use the Nikon Z6 as well. I too have experienced the same issue. THERE IS A SOLUTION!... use the "autofocus fine tune" feature. I would recommend watching a TH-cam video on this procedure. You have to do it for each lens as the depth of field in each lens is different. It also eliminates the eyelash focus for the closeup problems. Since doing this I have not experienced the focus hunt, and my Z6 is a properly functioning machine. Hope this helps you with the problem. Apparently Nikon took a different approach to the conundrum of what to do with all the various lenses and how they each focus differently...especially wide open.