I recently set down my trusty D300s and bought a Z7 II. I am struggling with the focus settings for the Z7 II for indoor off-camera flash on a tripod. With the D300s, I focused and shot in Live View: AF-C, AF-ON only. I moved the focus box to the area I wanted to focus on then pressed and held the AF-ON button until I heard a beep. Sometimes the camera had trouble focusing. It would make a valiant effort before eventually giving up. In such cases, it would not make a beep.
I was hoping to replicate this behavior with the Z7 II. It often works as I want, but I have encountered situations where the camera makes a beep, indicating that has been able to focus, but then fails to fire. Today I observed the same behavior using both AF-S and AF-C.
My AF activation setting: AF-ON only, Out-of-focus release Disable. I don’t want the camera take a photo if it can’t focus. What is strange to me is that it sometimes indicates that it is able to focus (by making a beep, though sometimes no beep with AF-C) but then won’t fire.
AF-C and AF-S priorities are set at their defaults (release and focus, respectively). (I don’t understand how AF-ON/Out-of-focus release Enable/Disable dovetails with these priority settings.)
I would be grateful for any thoughts on what I should do differently.
Just a few suggestions as a long time Nikon Z owner:
Make sure your subject is adequately exposed. In dim light subject detection often fails, and the camera looks for another focus target. There are ways to deal with low light, but the easiest is to properly expose your target.
Per-focus on approximately the correct distance to the subject. This makes it easier for the camera to recognize your chosen subject.
The Wide modes incorporate Nearest Subject Priority and subject detection. Dynamic does not include subject detection. Both work for moving subjects but there are nuances. I use Wide Small as my first priority, but also use Wide Large, Wide Custom 1x1. I use Dynamic Small as a way to focus without subject detection - often temporarily. This might let me focus on a neckline or collar, a branch, a leaf, or some similar alternate target.
In general, use a smaller focus area when you have problems. It let's you be more specific on your target and makes it easier and faster for the camera.
Focus modes are not "set it and forget" settings. They vary with what you photograph, where, the lighting, and the specific subject.
Subject detection on the Z7ii is evolving. You have made good photos without subject detection in the past, and it's easy enough to turn it off if it's not working for a specific sitution. I once turned it off photographing an awards presentation because it missed on a single frame - because I wanted more control and needed 100% success. In fact, my subject detection was working properly on more than 95% of my shots before I turned it off.
As other have suggested, use Nikon NX studio to see a raw file rendered as if it was a JPEG straight from the camera. It eliminates any setting issues with your editing tool of choice. In Lightroom, make sure your preferences call for using Camera Settings on Import rather than Lightroom defaults.
Eric Bowles
www.bowlesimages.com
I could be wrong or just not understanding your all use case, but "Out-of-focus release Disable" means your camera can't fire anytime your subject is not focused at the focus point you picked, whatever are the reasons. It does not only mean it can't fire if it can’t focus.
So if you focus on your subject but then, for instance, while you're only touching the shutter button, your subject moves a bit ( ie enough not to be precisely in focus where it was ) then the camera won't fire.
Belated thanks to you both for taking the time to reply.
I wish I could show you what I am experiencing.
The camera is on a tripod. The subject (a flowering plant) is motionless. The camera is set to AF-ON only. I move the focus point (I am using just the one) to the place I want to be sharp. I get the beep, but the camera (sometimes) refuses to take a photo. I use a remote shutter release (MC-DC2) and exposure delay mode (1 second) to reduce and (I hope) eliminate the possibility of camera shake.
I am shooting with Nikon speedlights as fill lights; sunlight through a window (usually indirect) is part of what I am working with. When the ambient light is low or there isn't an edge in the focus area, I can imagine that the camera would struggle to take a photo. But shouldn't it then fail to beep?
The apparent possible conflict between the a1/a2 priority settings and the a6 activation + Enable/Disable settings is hard for me to wrap my head around. At the moment I am thinking that if you select AF-ON only, the Enable/Disable options override a1/a2, but that's just a guess.
My current plan is to shoot AF-S and AF-ON only with out-of-focus release enabled, in the hope that if the camera beeps, it has been able to focus. The proof will be in the photographs.
Do you press the AF-ON button after everything is set to make sure the camera is focused? The remote shutter should be activated after that.
Do you have VR enabled? What is the typical shutter speed (range) for those photos?
Ok, so to my sense, the risk may be more in the MC-DC2 usage overall, especially with AF-ON.
My way of seeing is I'd be doing it differently :
- first, I'd check controller batteries, connection to camera and/or try another remote controller if I can (ML-L7 for instance)
- if I don't care that much about having a fixed focus distance but more about the subject, I definitely wouldn't stay in AF-ON only and would focus with the RC instead of focusing on camera to ensure I avoid side effect bugs.
- if I care more about having a fixed focus distance and also for the focus point to be precisely fixed once for all, I'd be more tempted to use manual focus and zoom, overall (and so to enable "Out of Focus release"), ensure my tripod stability and not use a RC but only a delay.
- if I was looking for ease of use first and so want to use AF-ON, I'd enable "Out of Focus release", and be more confident about focus distance being stable
- if I was more obessed about not touching anything I'd be using ML-L7 (no need for delay then) and also ensure the camera is in EFCS to avoid shutter shock :D
Anyway, to my sense, disabling "Out of focus release" could only be interesting with moving subjects, to avoid having too much missed shots stored, and even then, it is to be balanced with the risk of missing moments + the usual unexpected behaviors of any camera+subject+photographer.
I'd add that it seems MC-DC2 has been the source of some problems with focusing + its behavior is not always as users expect, especially with more recent cameras that have a more precise and sensitive focus system, depending on settings and set-up.