Nikon Z9 Firmware 2.0 - Focus Recall for Birds and Wildlife

The third (and maybe final) look at Z9 focusing which started as a test for songbirds and evolved (devolved) into a look at firmware 2.0. In this video, I look specifically at how to program focus recall and how it might really help "pull back" focus to more quickly aquire subjects like closer songbirds.

DOES THIS WORK ON F MOUNT GLASS?
I am using the FTZ1 adapter, does it matter?
Worked great with the Z-mount 70-200mm 2.8.

Let me know in the comments.

Watch the first video below.

Set up your lens to focus at a pre-determined distance:

If you want to improve your bird photography check out:

[brucesummers]

Very helpful videos. Thanks for putting in the effort. I too have a wildlife project on my 1.2 acres where there are 100 coastal oaks and native plants I have added over the past 25 years. I now get more than 50 bird species on the property during the year, which recently added barn owls that have finally nested in the box I put up 5 years ago for them. Biggest attraction has been putting out a 24" x 2" clay dish with water for the bird. Even the red shouldered hawks make use of it from time to time (bathing not drinking).

[AMGOSUK]

Thanks for the vid. I did some testing.
After setting up the custom control allocation - the simple approach to using the new Focus Save and Focus Recall capability is to set the focus on your Z9/lens to the distance/subject you want to return to; then Press the button you have assigned to "Focus Save" until the Yellow symbol appears in the viewfinder -- THEN press the button you want to assign THIS "Focus Recall" to (you can choose to have multiple focus recall buttons and save different distances to each).
While OLDER f-mount super tele prime lenses (and a few zooms) have a Memory Set button on the lens. None of the new Z mount zoom lenses do. Whereas the NEW Z400/2.8TC does as will the Z800/6.3PF. So it will be interesting to see how these work (see later).

When an F-mount AF-S 200/2.0G VRII; 300/2.8 G VRII, 400/2.8E-FL OR 600 E-FL are attached to a Z9 with the FTZII still Memory Set and Recall Preset Focus work precisely as before.
My Z9 would not allow me to use the NEW "Focus Save" option when these non-Z-mount lenses were engaged AND it did not matter which buttons on the camera body I had allocated these roles to.

However, when using the Z70-200/2.8S or Z100-400S you have to decide what to do with L-fn1 and L-fn2 (while there are 4 L-fn2 buttons they all 4 work the same).
Just as an example I assigned Fn1 to Save (individual) focus position and then was able to save 2 preset focus distances to L-Fn1 or L-Fn2. This worked just fine with these top end Zooms.

But what about other Z-mount lenses - well those with a L-Fn button work precisely the same as the 70-200 and 100-400.
The only difference is that there is NO L-fn2 button -- so you have to pick an other button to work as "Focus Save" or "Focus Recall". For me given its position I would use the L-FN button for Focus Save and allocate one of the on-body Fn buttons (Fn1, Fn2, or Fn3) to "Focus Recall" -- the Z100/2.8MC, Z24-70/2.8S and Z14-24/2.8S all work like this.

So what about Z-mount lenses WITHOUT L-FN buttons -- like my Z40mm f/2.0. While I could press and engage "Save Focus" I could not find any Fn button that I could press to make it work IF the button was already allocated to do a job. You have to choose to allocate 2 on body buttons one like Fn1 to "Focus Save" and then another like Fn2 "Focus Recall" AND then you can use this button to recall the focus position. So with Fn1 allocated to "Save Focus" AND FN2 allocated to "Recall Focus" - what one does is set focus at the position you want to save. Press and Hold Fn1 until the yellow flashing indicator appears - then Press and Hold Fn2 until the message "saved to Fn2" appears. You can then use Fn2 to recall this focus position.

To repeat if you are going to use this capability AT ALL you MUST have allocated at least 2 buttons to it in f2 - Custom Controls (shooting) before you attempt to use this capability. I am only "willing to do this" when there are 2 L-fn buttons on the lens. All my other programmable buttons like Fn1, Fn2, F3, are already assigned to focus and shooting recall roles.
When the Z400/2.8TC or the Z800/6.3 I ordered arrive then these both the traditional Memory Set button and have one additional control -- a 2nd Control Ring - and this can be used to manage Pre-focus save and recall choices.

[iancalhaem]

Good news, the latest firmware update for the FTZII F mount adaptor works fine with the Recall Shooting (hold) function.

[iancalhaem]

Also tried the older FTZ F mount adapter and that works fine as well.

[jimd]

Hi Scott, Thanks for the great video. I will add some information. I received my Z800 PF this past Friday. Love everything about it. All weekend I could not get the Memory Set and recall to work on the lens. After watching your video I was able to Set and Recall using the control buttons. What I discovered with this lens is you have to set the On Lens Recall buttons in your Control Buttons Menu to "recall". Makes sense unless you never had to do that with the F mounts 400 f 2.8, 500 f5.6, or the 600 f4. What I also discovered is you can use the On Lens Memory Set button to save focus and use a designated Control button to Recall (I think that is very cool). Also, you have to hold the Set Memory button a tad bit longer than the F mount lenses. I've had my Z9 for a little better than 3 months now, and am loving it more each day. Swallows and Kinglets in flight, yes! IMHO the 3 absolute most important AE Focus Area buttons are Single Point, Wide Area Large, and All-Area. With this setup and the lens Memory Set and Recall buttons, I can cover most situations.

[selianboy]

Very useful for group photography too! I hope they allow this in the Z7II as that is my current choice of camera for the groups I do. The amount of times I have defocused somehow and this would really save the day!
Nice vid...

[alexgarant]

I spoke with a Nikon Tech rep yesterday about assigning these. Notice the "?" when you're in the custom function setup menu. Says "Z mount lenses only". I'd like this feature for my F mount lenses too. Hope they add it in a future firmware update.

[stevenwaldstein]

Thank you. Thank you for this follow-up. It’s just what I was looking for. I think on non-Z mount lenses they are relying on those that have Memory Recall buttons like you showed in your previous videos. Since Z mount doesn’t have that is what prompted me about this and you found the solution.

[willmierisch]

So here's a question, Since the 500PF 5.6 has a "memory set button" or other F mount glass, would I be able to save using the "lens button" and then actually memory recall with the function buttons on the Z9 instead of using one of the 4 buttons on the end of the lens?

Usually the buttons on the far end of the lens are normally the more time consuming part. Let me know if anyone has an answer to this as some say the 500PF does not work for the memory recall feature of the Z9 at all.

Thanks!! Great video.

[alphajam]

I believe the recall feature for the F mount is only if the f mount lens has a recall button on it.

[IAmRch]

I can tell you how I resolve this issue on the R5, perhaps the z9 can do this as well. I program 2 buttons for back button AF. One has eye tracking the other has spot. If the eye become confused and will not focus on the eye and locks onto the background, I press the spot focus and it will force the lens to go to closest focus and acquire focus, then when switch buttons to eye tracking it locks on to the eye and does not attempt to lock onto the background. I found this issue to get worse when I updated to the the previous firmware update. It became less of an issue with the latest firmware update so I don't have to use the spot focus as often because eye tracking AF does not lock onto background as often. Good luck with your new Z9 and hopefully you will find a workaround until Nikon possibly comes up with a firmware resolution or improvement.

[joebecker]

You're right. It does say its only for Z mount. There's an * by it and further down it says that those features are actually only for the Z mount and some of the updates are only for Z 70-200 2.8..

Allong with the ftz being able to have firmware updates, F mount lenses can also be updated through firmware. So hopefully Nikon can get going on this and get it to work with all lenses.

Its a bummer you have to use up two different function buttons to store/activate the focus memory recall. Now we need more function buttons 🤣

[Photographer]

Scott, do you use a field monitor for song birds?

[mark.t.vetphotog]

I found the same...doesn't work on my 500mm f/5.6 PF but DOES work on my Z mount 100-400mm, but NOT if I have a 2.0 TC attached.

[danaswan]

It doesn't work for F mount lens. I just tried it with my 500mm Pf with the F2Z Ii adapter. Sadly, it doesn't work. I too have the problem of the Z9 not focusing on a close bird when it loses focus. I have to hit the recall button on the lens. I suppose it's a problem with contrast focusing of mirrorless cameras. If there is no contrast, no focusing. Maybe eventually a F2Z Ii update.

[tara]

Why can't they make that button pull the focus back to close up and then hit focus button. It only seems when the lenses has to focus from far to close it struggles ?This is because you may not want to focus on the same spot.Or possibly have 2 button control the focus in and out for manual focus. I have the R5 and have seen the same problem.

[michael-k]

Would you have Vahagraphy on your channel?

[زهيرسلمان]

Which is better z7ii
D850
Thank you

[DrNick]

My Sony A1 also got the same problem before, I missed shots several times

[Photographer]

Scott, what happened to this video? Set up your lens to focus at a pre-determined distance: