Thanks for the tip on the quick change from bird to animal detection! For anyone out there who hasn't purchased " The Ultimate Z9 and Z8 Guide" , I highly recommend it. If you're new to the Z9/Z8, or mirrorless in general, it will put you miles ahead of figuring out the camera, and that means MANY more keepers.

So, so refreshing to get photography content that actually 'talks' about photography (and not marketing)! Great stuff, as always! Thanks, Steve.

Well done Nikon. Don’t stop. Have the mindset that the company needs to keep improving af and try to leave the others behind. Because A9iii is days away.

Thanks, Steve. I was in Brazil shooting with a 500PF and at the end of the trip with trepidation installed 4.1. When I returned home I was shocked at the increase in keeper rate. In the field the bird subject detection occasionally would recognize a bird in the forest before I could perceive it. For me a game changer.

Excellent, Steve. Thanks for putting all this together in a video.

Steve always just makes great videos. Just solid accurate distilled info about practical stuff.

Thank you for this…I find that 4.10 works great. The Z9 from date of purchase back in FEB of 2022 up to now is like having a new camera. A Nikon Z9II. That is what it feels like. A whole new camera. I am looking forward to the update when it comes to the Z8 also. Great job Nikon

Top marks Steve, thorough analysis and crystal clear delivery, as always! Thank you

Thanks for your really helpful and instructive videos, Steve! I was shooting with Nikon DSLRs until recently, when I got the Z9 - my first mirrorless. Your videos and the "Nikon Z8 And Z9 Wildlife Setup Guide" are 1000x more helpful than reading the reference manual 10x. Thanks again from Austria!

Thanks Steve. Great review and info for animal vs. bird on Z9 with recall. Anxious to get update for Z8 as well.

Nice update Steve. As an A1 shooter I can attest that what you describe is 100% correct. Water reflections (either the bird silhouette or even just shimmer) is the A1's nemesis. It's fantastic to see the Z9 now has clearly found a way around that issue - that will motivate Sony to finally address a problem that they have ignored for the last 2 years.

Steve,this was a very helpful video! Using recall shooting function HOLD works like a charm!

Thanks Steve. This is a well thoughtout tutorial. It is a clear and sound explanation of how the subject detection system works with the new firmware, and a practical and elegant prep to take advantage of it. Let's see how the next update refines it all. I have been pretty impressed so far.

Thanks mate, you did a great job in explaining how the subject detection works. The video is very informative.

thank you so much, your vids and bcg forums are invaluable source of great info !

Excellent video Steve. It means a lot to have this information coming from a pro photographer that uses the gear all the time!!! And Good job Nikon , and Sony !

Great video Steve. It’s nice to see Nikon still making improvements via firmware on the Z9. The customization and AF performance has improved so much since I first purchased my Z9. Hopefully they’ll continue. Another really informative video by you. You are definitely one of the best on the internet in teaching AND explaining the whys of setting up a camera. So much better than the vast majority who are only interested in clicks. Keep up the great work!

Thank you for your honest review Steve. You are actually the best "youtuber" out there. Professional photography work and professional comments. Great job as always!

Thank you for these detailed usage records. It seems that the combination of Z9+663+new firmware is very fast and effective. Hope to see Z8 firmware update very soon.

As always, very informative Steve. Good explanation of the differences between modes and subject detection, and what type of subject detection. I haven't been all that thrilled with subject acquisition of my Z8 (I know it doesn't have the new firmware yet) and I need to go back to my settings to make sure I have it all set up properly.

Brilliant Steve, loved the tip on how to swap from bird to animal, top work as ever 👍

Thanks so much Steve. Great comparison and Firmware 4.1 info.

man, you are spoiling us with all this great content!

Hello Steve, Super tip for Recall Shooting Function. Thank you.

that is great. cannot wait to have it on my z8. Thanks Steve!

I sure wish the Z8 would get this update

Great video, as always. Looking forward to having bird detection for the Z8 :-)

Thank you, I always learn something from your tutorials

Steve, I love your tutorial on the finer nuances/limitations of the various AF modes! I'm not a wildlife photographer, not do I have the Z8/9 (only the modest Zfc), but I find your analysis of AF modes very helpful in furthering my understanding of Nikon's AF. Thank you! 😊

Thank you for all the videos and information.

Great to know thank you so much Steve. At last, Nikon has acknowledged bird subject detection. Can't wait to try it out. Had huge problems with the Z9 in Svalbard often not even detecting an isolated bird against a blurry background which was not adding any distraction to the AF. Couldn't even get it to over all focus in the small or wide AF box, let alone subject detection. It was just a vague blur within the wide or small AF frame. Other times it worked fine but it was so hit and miss. Glad to hear this is a game changer.

Thanks Steve, great video,highly informative.

Best wildlife autofocus channel I've ever known!

As always thanks for the great information!

As always, very useful information.

Thanks for what you do Steve ! Now to put it to use............

Excellent presentation and easy to understand, thanks

Holy smokes!! Glad Nikon has finally addressed these bird issues. Nikon has been bashed by Pro shooters who had to do all these side hacks and shortcuts while focusing on these small birds and moving objects. How many times has Sony updated their firmware? Nikon has done it 4x over the last 2+ years. Initially, they were way behind, but it seems they finally caught up!!! They took a lot of grief and rightly so. Lots of people publicly switched brands to Canon/Sony. Do they now have any regrets?? For people who spend $5k+ on a camera you don't want it to become obsolete within a couple years. Technology doesn't move as quickly as computers, devices, phones etc, but you want know you your investment is paying off. Nikon is reinventing itself with new cameras (ZF) and is listening to their users. As the scrappy underdog over the last 4+ years it's good to know they are in a competitive battle with Sony/Canon. More choices mean better, cheaper products!!

This past couple of years shows that Nikon has listened carefully to users. i got my Z9 in April 2022, and it was great then. But now... Wow! No regrets! Thanks for all the cool tips, Steve, like the quirks of Recall shooting modes..

I got back into photography just over a year ago and picked Nikon based on what I felt they were gonna offer in the future. Lens lineup is amazing and now the AF is on par with the best.

Nice Video Steve. This is what I was saying in your BackCrountry Forums

Thank you very much Steve.

Thanks, Steve. Very informative. 👍

Great info, Steve. Many thanks!

Well done Steve.

Excellent , excellent, excellent info!

I can absolutely confirm your findings about bird vs animal mode also for filming with Z9 Version 4.1!

Thanks for the info.

For Nikon to have caught up to Sony A1 is a phenomenal effort! I've actually been travelling with my Z9 and noticed a massive improvement with bird auto-focus when I managed to get 4.1 installed. It's so great that Nikon keeps improving stuff and releasing new firmware.

Steve, thanks, as always an awesome review. At 19:13 , seeing the Auto mode, I got pretty curious how the Auto subject detection works. 😊

Thanks for this tip! love the recall mode!! just set mine up as bird by default and animal for recall! for me walking arounds its 80/20 bird/animal! Will be out early tomorrow for some pileated shots hopefully and the Whitetail deer are in rut so hopefully some of that as well.

Awesome 👏 video again. Wow thank you 🙏

Thank you for the information!!

Great update and mini-tutorial Steve! Hopefully, us mere Z8 shooters will get this in the new year...

Seriously considering purchasing the Z8 but I will wait for the update before deciding. If it works as well as Canon R3 I will likely buy.

The fast BIRD to ANIMAL Function-Hold change is EXACTLY the solution I was hoping for Steve. I shoot mainly birds, but yesterday a fox appeared within yards of me. The Z9 showed the multiple green squares on the head or body while in BIRD mode. But none of my shots were sharp on the eyes. There just wasn't time to scroll through the I menu to switch to ANIMAL in the brief encounter. Your videos and books make owning a Z9 a much more rewarding experience Steve!

Thanks for the update, Steve. I see that Nikon now also has Custom Hold (or toggle) functionality, just like Sony. It didn’t have that in the DSLR days. I guess they all learn from eachother.

Wow! Can't wait for bird detection to become available for the Z8. Even though I am very impressed with the z8 overall and it is a fact that my keeper rate has increased substantially coming from the D500 (which I truly loved and had a hard time selling), shooting (small) birds is still a bit of a challenge for the Z8 with busy back- and foreground circumstances. I also sometimes experience exactly what it shown with the Sony camera with my z8. It is like it wants to focus on the birds reflection in the water rather than on the bird itself.

As soon as the firmware comes to the Z8 I'm buying it.

TY Steve.

Congratulations on your induction to the Top 40 of The World! Well deserved.

Very useful tips there Steve. I have noticed that bird subject detection is really good now especially with single birds. It’s even OK with small flocks. I especially appreciate your clarifications about the difference between autofocus and subject detection mode and how to tell what the viewfinder boxes are telling you. In situations where I want a specific species of bird and there are other birds in the frame that are closer, it will be tricky. that is a situation where I have found I need to go to a smaller focal area to limit what it is focusing on. In this situation, it will only sometimes kick into proper subject detection and go to the eye. That, of course, depends a bit on the size of the bird in the frame. With small birds, or birds that are too far away, it cannot always jump into bird subject detection and I don’t expect it too.

Thanks Steve, great content. I'm hoping to purchase a Z8 soon, which would be ahead of the 4.1 Firmware update with bird detection. What is currently the best focus mode setup choice for birds perched and in flight on the Z8?

I'm so happy the update seems to be a big step forward. I switched from Fuji to the Z8, and while the AF performance on the Z8 is much better and seriously great, the subject detection for birds is pretty weak, in my opinion. Can't wait for the update to arrive next year, seems to fix the only gripe I've had with this camera, super excited!

I feel like I need to watch your videos with the camera in my lap. Thanks for the recall shooting explanation...probably missed that section in your guide and have been struggling with why my settings change in certain situations. I'll keep an eye on the icons to see if that's my issue or I can fix the issue with this. Time to lock in the new settings and test.

Great video, thanks so much! Do you recommend using subject detection for shooting butterflies?

Great demo and explanation of what subject detection is and how it works. The Z9 seems to be very good from your examples. The only annoying thing is when it flips you out of the current subject detection mode back to the original! I do use exposure compensation a lot so that would catch me out for sure.

I like your t-shirt! I’m from Kentucky. Great video. Thank you

Not bashing other brands but im glad to see Nikon doing so well! I love Nikon's ergonomics, durability and the life-like color rendering..Im still a DSLR holdout but after testing the AF on a friends Z8 a few weeks ago on quick moving subjects im about convinced its time to go mirrorless, if i can pry my D500 from my fingers :)

Hi Steve, great contents there! As a common user, I don't have the budget to get myself a z 9. I wonder if you can maybe test Zf with some z lenses as well as the f lenses. I'm really curious and I believe it is helpful to the people with same mind as me!

Recently, I went out to test the bird detection feature. When I was shooting the Great Egret, the autofocus was fixated on the body. I tried to "lead" the camera to the head. Momentarily, I had a lock on the head but then the AF went back to the body. I guess the size is a factor in the firmware algorithms since the Egret's head is quite small. Other than that, the bird detection(and planes, as I do aviation photography) works great. My camera tracked the F-35's and F-16's at an airshow. I find your tip on changing the subject with one button very helpful.

Absolutely Amazing... I personally believe that 5% difference can only be noticed by a seasoned Bird photographer such as yourself... Also, how you have been honest about which system is slightly better than the other... Helps us tremendously... In the past you have mentioned Sony was slightly better... Now Nikon... This race will go on for sure... It's a never-ending thing, like you mention yourself as well... We as fans of a particular brand should realize this and enjoy our equipment and make great images...

Z8 ❤

Steve, thanks for the video (as always), and give my regards to the real queen (R). Quick set of somewhat related questions: 1. Why in subject detection mode - when the box appears over the eye and green - does Nikon's NX studio sometimes show the box elsewhere? (I have my own theory for this). 2. Why do camera manufacturers limit the information 3rd party software can utilize (i.e. you can't see where the AF box landed, and in many, no mention of what the AF mode was. The only reason I review images in NX Studio most of the time, is to check where the AF box was and what mode I was using. The last point you made (about touching almost anything other than changing SS/AP/ISO, can knock you out of recall function hold is priceless (and how to identify that). Thanks, as always.

Wow! The Best! Nikon finally gets some well-deserved credit. Of course, the other brands will race to get ahead, but Nikon is already going where they need to be.

vey interesting video, could you please test the AF on smaller subjets in the frame ?

Thanks Steve. What I like about Nikon in terms of catching up with Sony is the consistent firmware updates as they advance their algorithms. This seems to be where Sony let’s their users down some. Although I’m still somewhat ticked at Nikon for the inconsistent subpar AF on the Z6/7 cameras. I have the Z8 now - great camera with very good AF even before the firmware update. I’ll be watching for it next year. Where I think Nikon clearly beats it’s competitors is optics. The Nikon suite of big telephotos simply leaves Sony and Canon in the dust, the main differences being the hugely versatile PF lenses and the two big TC lenses. I have the 500mm 5.6 pf, still a great lens years in, and I think my next lens - now that I have confidence in the AF for birds and wildlife - will be the 800mm 6.3 pf. Again Steve, thanks for your work. I just downloaded the updates for your books to read and refresh myself. Cheers.

Who'd have thought that bird mode would be specific to birds and animal to all animals... 🙂 Good job Nikon for getting this one right and also for finally catching up to Sony.

For now maybe until the A9iii comes out the 7th or 8th. I'll be putting my order in for the A9iii! 😉 My girlfriend will love to see this video, I will share with her because I just bought what a z8 because the resale for the 500mm pf to KEH was a little over $800 which is ridiculous in my opinion, so she chose to keep the 500mm and get the z8. Love your vids Steve! Always will!

I’m not sure where you live, but a lot of the birds you are shooting are the same ones my husband is also shooting 🤣. He loves your channel btw ☺️

I just bought the 180-600 but can’t afford a Z8 or Z9. Currently shooting with a Z5 and the images out of the lens look great. Really hoping Nikon releases a Z80/Z90 APS-C body with this AF!

Hi Steve, Could you share your experience with the Auto mode in the subject detection settings? Do you think this mode automatically utilises all available modes to choose the most appropriate one depending on the subject? Consequently, would this make it a practical choice for photographing a variety of wildlife, as opposed to manually switching between specific modes, like from animal to bird AF, and vice versa?

Great demonstration and video, Steve. QUESTION. While this all focuses on birds, how about the lacy white chicks and their black feathered grooms. And eye-recognition(I call that "recognition AI AF" in general) in lower light. My Z 7ii becomes unreliable in eye recognition at LV 6 [1] and I have seen shots from a Z 8 at lower LV where it did better. The Z 9 may do even better again. That's very important to wedding/event/portrait photographers. Also, I saw work from one wedding photographer who said that the Z 8 jumped around in recognition AI AF. He may have left the jumpiness parameter setting at default 3 (scale 1..5), by the way. Also, my complaint may in part be user error. It seems like a brief push on the back focus button does the focusing but when I keep it depressed longer it starts hunting and I get depressed. Of course I can still shoot a Z 7ii in the way I did my F2 in 1975 all manual with all manual lenses, but recognition AI AF would allow me to interact differently with the sitter and while the camera keeps an eye on getting at least one sharp eye, I can focus on getting keepers, each time I press the shutter release. So, question 1 - at what LV does the Z 9 become unreliable for eye recognition AF with humans? Question 2 - as you demonstrated zero inclination of jumpiness with the Z 9@4.1, how does it fare with groups of humans? (Focus Tracking with Lock-On). One problem that you may not have an answer to, that's very unlikely even, is that Nikon do not clearly communicate how they position software/firmware features between the EXPEED 7 cameras and how/why. Users have to patiently wait for the sphinx to come up with updates. We will drill down developments from newer or higher end. Mañana. If there is anything influencers could maybe influence then it is the dead silence.

great video as always. I just wish we could have more than one RSF-hold button. Currently I have the joystick press set to RSF-hold to turn Subject detection on/off (as you once suggested.) Now I'd like to switch that to animal vs. bird but then what can I use to quickly turn subject detection off completely? (Also I actually never realized that all those other changes would cancel RSF-hold, no wonder it was always mysteriously changing! Now I know!!)

Steve I'm a Sony shooter and I trust your assessment without question , I for one am happy to see Nikon and Canon pushing so hard because I believe hopefully that will force Sony to do better. Many people with the A1 have been screaming about the lack of firmware updates. Hopefully this wakes them up

Great video Steve. After watching this video, a bit like Richard Dreyfus in Close Encounters, I've developed a weird compulsion to make a giant cave with my mashed potatoes. Not sure why that could be 😂

I find myself wishing I could assign a function button just to toggle between animal and bird detection. I use Recall Shooting for birds in flight so that is a less than perfect option since I also have exposure compensation dialed in for the bright sky. I still wish Nikon would give subject detection as a stand-alone option for a button now. I hope bird detection filters down to my Zf, too. And Recall Shooting. For now I will put subject detection as the top item in My Menu on the Z9.

Thanks, Steve. Can more than one Custom Control button be programmed simultaneously for Recall Shooting Mode and Hold? For example, one to switch between subjects as you demonstrate here with the joystick and say, F2, to switch to Single Point with a different shutter speed, f-stop, etc.? I’ve read that the firmware limits you to only one recall and hold setting, even if you program it into multiple Custom Controls. Thanks for any light you can shed on this…

Any idea when Nikon will give us Buffered 120 pre-shot images in compressed RAW? JPG is not cutting it.

With the A1, I have the C1button assigned to toggle between Animal/People/Bird.

I wish you had made this video a month ago. I’m on my way home from a month in Africa. I so much wanted a one button way to switch between animal and bird mode. My results were somewhat different than yours though. I mostly shot 3D focusing mode and had better results than you did on mammals when I had it in bird detect. If I had seen this video before I went I would have been more observant though. I did notice that bird detect worked better on detecting elephants eyes than mammal detect did. Overall I determined it was better to default to mammals and switch to birds if I had time.

Nice Video as usual Steve, I have one question, maybe stupid, but I have always the focus point (independently from the mode) yellow and not gree. I read something once about it but cannot find it back, could you help about it? is something connected to AF-C? Thanks in advance

Is there now a big difference between the Z8 and Z9 for birding? I was convinced on getting the Z8 as I don't want the bulk of the Z9 but if Nikon is going to prioritize Z9 maybe I should get that and hope we also get a flagship small crop body in the future hopefully a stacked one like a XH2s/OM-1.

Wish mine was, struggling to get sharp images consistently

Nikon is doing amazing job. Sony A1 users like me feel cheated with $6500 camera which hardly gets any update and does not even have eye focus in video which was given in the follow up models. I am looking at switching the camp to Nikon now

I didn't know Sony A1 could have such a problems, Canon R5 eye focus doesn't have problems in such situations even if not having a stacked sensor. But for what I've heard for birds in flight A1 should be still the better among the 3.

Hi Steve, How do you switch from bird to animal without going in I setting? I wanna do that for animal et people on my z8 but I can't find any shortcuts for the Fn buttons. You switched from animal to bird without I settings on many of you clips. Is it because you just skipped that part? Thank you :)

The issue I have with my α1 is (for example), I have the bird locked on (on the eye), while it's perched, and I'm just waiting for it to fly, and when it leaps off to fly away, I press the shutter, but the the focus ended up locking on perhaps a branch back where the bird was perched and didn't track 😞 (yes I'm in tracking)

great

Video?? What about Still Photos?