Firmware updates for Z7ii, Z6ii,Z7, Z6, Z5 and Z50

[Pa]

Unfortunately, this new setting can't be saved to the U1, U2 and U3 User Settings. I'm not surprised but it's worth noting.

Why would you ever want to have it turned off? I can't think of a reason.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Why would you ever want to have it turned off?

When I'm doing handheld photography, I would rather it be turned off so I can press the button on the back that returns the focus point to the center of the frame without even looking at the scene through the camera and then start from scratch so to speak once I do use the camera to frame the scene. That's rather than starting with a previously designated focus when I frame the scene.

When I've got the camera on a tripod and am making changes to the setup in my makeshift studio while the camera is turned off, I'd like the focus to be retained when I turn the camera back on.

It's not an important capability but it's a nice convenience, or at least I think it will be a nice convenience.

 

[Nancy Elwood]

Hi All! Those who shoot wildlife and own the 7II, can you tell a difference in the AF? Has it improved much or not so much? I am on the fence about buying one and putting my D850 aside. Help me decide please.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I realized today that if focus shifting is the last method used of capturing an image before turning off the camera, the focus that was in effect for the last image in the series remains the focus in effect when turning the camera on the next time. That makes sense now that I think about it, but I didn't think about it I until actually did some focus shifting immediately before turning off the camera.

 

[Lance B]

Hi All! Those who shoot wildlife and own the 7II, can you tell a difference in the AF? Has it improved much or not so much? I am on the fence about buying one and putting my D850 aside. Help me decide please.

My thoughts about the AF of the Z7II and a bit of history so you know where I am coming from. When the first ML FF cameras came out from Sony, I looked at the EVF (one of the earlier A7 versions) and was horrified and nothing about the camera inspired me at all. I thought there is no was that I would sell my D850 to buy into the ML system even if Nikon made one. A year or so later, Nikon released the Z6/7 and introduced the Z mount and it's benefits for the lenses using this mount. At the time I was seriously looking at a small travel camera as I didn't want to lug around my D850 and large heavy F mount lenses and was almost about to press the button on a Fuji system but right at that time, Nikon announced the Z6/7. It's small and light form factor plus the promise of the benefits of the new Z mount sold me, but what really surprised me was how great the EVF had become and so, I purchased the Z7 and have loved the Z cameras ever since. I am now a ML lover and diehard. I am a birder, wildlife and landscape shooter and dabble in other things.

I still have my D850 and my D500 but both almost never get used as I prefer the Z7II (was the Z7). However, if I were always chasing small fast flitty birds in flight requiring tracking, then I would use the D850 or D500, the Z7II is just not there yet. You can get the larger slower moving birds in flight with the Z6/7/6II/7II no problem. Most of my bird photography is for perched birds and those that may hop or flit around the branches or whatever and the Z7II is more than adequate for this task. I have a 105 f1.4E, a 105 f2.8 micro, an 80-400 f4.5-5.6G VR, a 400 f2.8E FL VR and a 500 f5.6 PF in F mount and they all work perfectly on the Z cameras via FTZ. The 500 f5.6 PF is superbly suited to the Z6/7/6II/7II. All my other short lenses from the 70-200 f2.8S and under are Z mount lenses. The quality of results from these lenses are stunning, better than all their F mount counterparts.

The question is, why are you thinking of going to ML? I had a number of reasons, the smaller and lighter system for travel and the promise (and delivery) of better lens quality due to the Z mount. Added benefits are of course the WYSIWYG VF, no need to focus tune lenses, IBIS and generally more accurate focus and a number of other small benefits that add up. In the end, I loved using the camera so much that it became my camera of choice, mainly due to it's size, light weight and smaller wide angle lenses. So, if you are purely after BIF using tracking and needing very fast AF, then I would say that it would be best to stick with the D850 and D500. If you are more like me and shoot mainly perched birds or get them hopping from branch to branch, or just the larger slower moving BIF, then I would say go for it, but as long as you are doing it for a reason to by into the ML system. Or, you could keep the D500(or D850), and buy a Z camera as well and slowly move over to the Z system buying the lenses bit by bit.

 

[Nancy Elwood]

My thoughts about the AF of the Z7II and a bit of history so you know where I am coming from. When the first ML FF cameras came out from Sony, I looked at the EVF (one of the earlier A7 versions) and was horrified and nothing about the camera inspired me at all. I thought there is no was that I would sell my D850 to buy into the ML system even if Nikon made one. A year or so later, Nikon released the Z6/7 and introduced the Z mount and it's benefits for the lenses using this mount. At the time I was seriously looking at a small travel camera as I didn't want to lug around my D850 and large heavy F mount lenses and was almost about to press the button on a Fuji system but right at that time, Nikon announced the Z6/7. It's small and light form factor plus the promise of the benefits of the new Z mount sold me, but what really surprised me was how great the EVF had become and so, I purchased the Z7 and have loved the Z cameras ever since. I am now a ML lover and diehard. I am a birder, wildlife and landscape shooter and dabble in other things.

I still have my D850 and my D500 but both almost never get used as I prefer the Z7II (was the Z7). However, if I were always chasing small fast flitty birds in flight requiring tracking, then I would use the D850 or D500, the Z7II is just not there yet. You can get the larger slower moving birds in flight with the Z6/7/6II/7II no problem. Most of my bird photography is for perched birds and those that may hop or flit around the branches or whatever and the Z7II is more than adequate for this task. I have a 105 f1.4E, a 105 f2.8 micro, an 80-400 f4.5-5.6G VR, a 400 f2.8E FL VR and a 500 f5.6 PF in F mount and they all work perfectly on the Z cameras via FTZ. The 500 f5.6 PF is superbly suited to the Z6/7/6II/7II. All my other short lenses from the 70-200 f2.8S and under are Z mount lenses. The quality of results from these lenses are stunning, better than all their F mount counterparts.

The question is, why are you thinking of going to ML? I had a number of reasons, the smaller and lighter system for travel and the promise (and delivery) of better lens quality due to the Z mount. Added benefits are of course the WYSIWYG VF, no need to focus tune lenses, IBIS and generally more accurate focus and a number of other small benefits that add up. In the end, I loved using the camera so much that it became my camera of choice, mainly due to it's size, light weight and smaller wide angle lenses. So, if you are purely after BIF using tracking and needing very fast AF, then I would say that it would be best to stick with the D850 and D500. If you are more like me and shoot mainly perched birds or get them hopping from branch to branch, or just the larger slower moving BIF, then I would say go for it, but as long as you are doing it for a reason to by into the ML system. Or, you could keep the D500(or D850), and buy a Z camera as well and slowly move over to the Z system buying the lenses bit by bit.

Thank you Lance for your thoughts. I am not getting rid of my D500 or D850, so the 7III would just be an added tool. I like the idea of the silent shutter, the D850 has a bit of a loud one, and the EVF. There are times the shutter does get the attention of the birds which tends to make them fly off. My Nikon glass is great, the baby 500 and 300 PF and the lighter FL 500 so at the moment I would not be thinking of any of the Z mounts. The lighter weight for travel would be nice also for I lead workshops and travel quite a bit.

 

[kbrkr]

So.....the $64,000 question - can the Z7II now track BIF eyes like the R5?

I rented the R5 and did not have much luck doing BIF eyes with it with the 600mm F/11. Also, the R5 users are reporting "wiggle" problems with the IBIS system on some shots out of focus.

 

[kbrkr]

Thank you Lance for your thoughts. I am not getting rid of my D500 or D850, so the 7III would just be an added tool. I like the idea of the silent shutter, the D850 has a bit of a loud one, and the EVF. There are times the shutter does get the attention of the birds which tends to make them fly off. My Nikon glass is great, the baby 500 and 300 PF and the lighter FL 500 so at the moment I would not be thinking of any of the Z mounts. The lighter weight for travel would be nice also for I lead workshops and travel quite a bit.

Hello fellow Floridian! I have the D850 also and just dove into the Z7II with the 24-70 F/4 because I wanted EVF, EyeAF, and love the small form factor. I've been putting the Z through it's paces and it's pretty much 90% of the D850; except fast moving birds with 500mm and higher. Otherwise; I just love the camera. Its very smooth moving from other Nikon cameras as all the buttons and menus are right where they should be. I'd be interested to know where your traveling and what workshops you lead. I mainly shoot portraits and wildlife here at Circle B Bar Ranch wildlife center. I need to get out and get some landscapes, but alas Florida lacks anything other than beaches and waterfront landscapes.

Al

 

[Nancy Elwood]

Hello fellow Floridian! I have the D850 also and just dove into the Z7II with the 24-70 F/4 because I wanted EVF, EyeAF, and love the small form factor. I've been putting the Z through it's paces and it's pretty much 90% of the D850; except fast moving birds with 500mm and higher. Otherwise; I just love the camera. Its very smooth moving from other Nikon cameras as all the buttons and menus are right where they should be. I'd be interested to know where your traveling and what workshops you lead. I mainly shoot portraits and wildlife here at Circle B Bar Ranch wildlife center. I need to get out and get some landscapes, but alas Florida lacks anything other than beaches and waterfront landscapes.

Al

Hello Al

I mainly do wildlife type workshops, but include landscapes when it works. My website is www.naturesportal.net and I am on Facebook under my name Nancy Elwood. I do personal one on one workshops plus have workshops in Costa Rica, Galapagos, South Texas, etc. Would be happy to work with you!

 

[robb_webb]

Hi guys, I’m new to the forum and new to the Z series of bodies. Been shooting Nikon however for 15 years professionally.
I purchased a Z6 || on Saturday. I put the new battery enel15c on charge and an enel15 from my d800 in so I could go through the settings. I did the firmware update it prompted me to and that was successful. Today I’m working and the 15c battery is getting low so I change it out for a 15 !! The camera presented me with a warning that the battery was incompatible! And would not work. All my 15’s get the same response. Nearly ran out of power !! That would have been a disaster for me.
Has anyone else seen this ?
Is it definitely the Software update ?
Would appreciate your thoughts
Thanks
Robb

 

[Palouse]

Hi guys, I’m new to the forum and new to the Z series of bodies. Been shooting Nikon however for 15 years professionally.
I purchased a Z6 || on Saturday. I put the new battery enel15c on charge and an enel15 from my d800 in so I could go through the settings. I did the firmware update it prompted me to and that was successful. Today I’m working and the 15c battery is getting low so I change it out for a 15 !! The camera presented me with a warning that the battery was incompatible! And would not work. All my 15’s get the same response. Nearly ran out of power !! That would have been a disaster for me.
Has anyone else seen this ?
Is it definitely the Software updat
Would appreciate your thoughts
Thanks
Robb

While I don't own a Z6ii, I do own a Z6 and Z7. Nikon shows the En-El 15b and above as compatible with the Z6ii and 7ii—probably because they have slightly higher power requirements. The firmware update should not have consumed much power at all, but I do know that a new battery will take a few charge cycles before it attains maximum performance.

 

[Pa]

The firmware update should not have consumed much power ...

I think he means that the new firmware may reject the old batteries.

 

[Palouse]

I think he means that the new firmware may reject the old batteries.

I don't think so. Nikon has always listed 15B and newer as compatible with the ii series.

 

[Pa]

I don't think so. Nikon has always listed 15B and newer as compatible with the ii series.

Don't know about that. I was just trying to interpret the OP's question.

 

[Palouse]

I was just trying to interpret the OP's question.

 

[robb_webb]

I’m thinking guys that the battery worked! Before the software update !! But not afterwards !! Could that have happened ?

 

[ahinesdesign]

It is possible that they locked out older batteries through firmware, but that seems like a strange thing to do. I can see Nikon trying to eliminate third-party battery compatibility, perhaps they did so and it had some unintended effects for older batteries? Maybe they implemented some kind of voltage or charge cycle threshold that rejects worn/heavily used batteries?

There is also the possibility that what appears to be a genuine battery is actually a fake…

 

[jbailey930]

Robb, are you sure its a Nikon battery? I have Z6 II after a move up from a Z6. One of my ENEL 15s was an Energizer. It worked fine the D850 and Z6 but not in the 6 II. This was prior to any firmware update for me.

 

[Palouse]

The info for the up-grade makes no mention of it, so I doubt that the upgrade affected it.

 

[robb_webb]

Hi everyone. The company that sold me the camera has confirmed that the Z6 mk2 will only accept the C battery. It did accept my other batteries when first unboxed. I don’t know what the previous software version was but after the update the battery was not accepted. Here in the uk these C batteries are selling for £59. That’s a lot for a battery. It does make the battery grip more affordable though. If you can find one !!