How did the Nikon z8 Autofocus perform with Birds in Flight?

With the help of four raptors... Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, Harris's Hawk, and a Barn Owl... I put the Nikon z8 autofocus system to the test!
How well did it perform? Watch to find out. And along the way, I'll provide tips on increasing your in-focus success rate.
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[@FrancescoBorsotti]

How about using a smaller area mode (not wide) and once obtained the focus activate the 3d tracking assigned to a function button? It should work much better

[@arpinkus]

Thanks for that info. He made it much harder (slower) than it needed to be.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

Thanks for the tip.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

@arpinkus So, you're able to do all that while a bird is in flight, 50 feet from you? It's a good tip. But, not practical if the subject is moving fast.

[@FrancescoBorsotti]

@@ParkerPhotographic Steve Perry has published several videos and a guide (specific for Z8/Z9) about how to achieve that. I found his suggestions very useful.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

Thanks for the info. I'll check it out and try it!

[@trekhardfilms]

I rented the z8 and the camera guys told me the Nikon searches for contrast. As I watch your video, the owl is not contrasted enough when it's close to the veg and that would be why it's out of focus, as opposed to depth of field. I had this same problem when photographing juncos down on the ground eating seeds.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

Thanks for the info!

[@RajagopalanRamaprabhu49]

good video and much needed one.
I have a suggestion. Can you try Nikon D500 with 200 -500 with the new Nikon z8 with 180-200.
I have a gut feeling that Dslr works better

[@ParkerPhotographic]

I'm curious to know why you think the DSLR would work better?

[@borocotochacha]

The 200-500 is the lens which failed most with Z system. Extremely slow!
When birding, 95% of the time I begin with L Wide Area and then 3D AF at FN1 or Display button set to Auto Area, FN 2 for FX/DX, and FN3 for pin point when bird is kind of hidding. All with Z9

[@ParkerPhotographic]

Thanks for the info. I pre-ordered the z180-200. I'm looking forward to getting that next month, hopefully.

[@bbq-man3058]

i use the 200-500 around 2 weeks after release, i love this lens. But it is nothing with Z and nothing for BIF, not with f and not with z
to slow, much much slow for bif

[@ParkerPhotographic]

I agree. I have the z180-600 pre-ordered and can't wait for it to arrive! I'll do a comparison video once I test it out.

[@j.kimmer1509]

Like some Nikon Z9/Z8 user.. AFon is for initiating focus wide L ... I have Fun1 button for choosing 3D+AFon (thumb) to focus .....then I have Func2 as Singlepoint + AFon (thumb) ... like some other users have said... I have to play the Nikon finger piano to tell the camera how to focus for different situations. Works for me... On my Canon R7 and R5 I just press AFon and finds / Tracks BIF most of the time...unlike Nikon. Hoping Nikon will continue to improve with software upgrades.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

Thanks for the info!

[@Mr09260]

If you used a Z Lens like the 180-600 it would be a BETTER result

[@ParkerPhotographic]

And it is! I have the 180-600 and it's 10x better.

[@tectorama]

Some strange choices of area focus modes.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

And what would you use?

[@NunmoiaSaiville]

Agreed. Why area focus mode?...

[@NunmoiaSaiville]

Wrong choice of focus mode.imo.

[@alexwesterhof793]

DOF has to do with focal lenght and distance but nothing with distance of background. Seperation however is.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

D.O.F. is affected by
1. focal length
2. aperture
3. distance of subject to background
4. distance of the subject to camera
D.O.F. - Depth of field is the distance between the closest and farthest elements (subject + background/foreground) in a photo that appears acceptably sharp.
Moving your subject closer to OR further from the background alters the "D.O.F."

[@alexwesterhof793]

@@ParkerPhotographic ever used a DOF tool?
Never ever is background a consideration. Because the camera doesn't know where the background is. The lenses are focused on subject, nothing more, nothing less.
So to complete the full list of parameters which influence DOF:
1 focal length
2 distance
3 aperture
4 sensor size
No background

[@ParkerPhotographic]

My d.o.f. tool is my camera.
In the real world; if you move your subject away from the background the background becomes blurrier. If you move closer to your subject the background becomes blurrier.
You're speaking in terms of a "scientific" or "technical" approach. I teach photography in an easier, real-world approach. Photographers don't need to buy a "d.o.f. field tool" when they can do as I mentioned and see the result.

[@alexwesterhof793]

No, you mistakenly used DOF in stead of separation/blur.
DOF = Depth of Field and is something technical.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

@@alexwesterhof793 You're explanation is too complicated. It's pretty simple, actually. Do you agree that if you move your subject away from the background, the background will be blurrier? I teach a simple method that resonates with students.

[@mikemelchior3608]

You are in the wrong focus mode. Try somthing more focused for wild life and not landscape. The results will surprise you.

[@justingates1122]

un in 3d

[@nickhardcastle1]

Wrong use of focus modes.

[@ParkerPhotographic]

Please elaborate how you use them.