Has Anyone Here Tried Nikon Z9 Pre-release Burst/Capture

I find that when shooting some subjects, my reaction time is always too slow to capture some birds making sudden moves. I was shooting Mountain Bluebirds and American Kestrels perched and then diving for a bug. Also, hovering and then diving for a snack. I captured several shots, but missed many more. Although pre-release capture only works with C30 or C120 (JPEG modes), I think it would work great for my purposes. It would work great for lightning, as well. It opens a whole new world of possibilities. It would also eliminate camera shake from pressing the shutter button. I have a lightning app on my phone that works the same way and it is amazing to see what you can capture with it. Now if I can just get a z9 now that they are available again!!!

Joe

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-e ... ntage.html

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-e ... -mode.html

If it works the same way that Olympus Pro Capture does (I suspect it does), I believe it will work fine. Too bad it's jpeg only. Found it strange that it took several years for other brands to catch on.

I played with it briefly, but the jpg only makes it a non-starter for me.

I've tried Pre-release Capture with my Z9 and it works beautifully.
I agree that it would be best if it worked with RAW files. Maybe it will eventually with a new firmware upgrade.
But for now, if using it makes the difference when trying to capture a bird as it flies off its perch or if I want to capture a lightning flash, then I'll gladly settle for using it at 30 fps with full resolution 45MP JPEG images. If I pay attention to proper exposure and white balance then the JPEG image is workable.

Scott Fairbairn wrote: I played with it briefly, but the jpg only makes it a non-starter for me.

Scott,
I have an Olympus camera and sat next to someone who used the Nikon system to precapture.  The two systems are quite a bit different.  Olympus is much more user friendly.  Accessing the system on the Nikon menu can be confusing.  While Olyumpus allows you to select a specific number of frames, Nikon only allows you to select a time (seconds)--i.e if you select one second of time in pre-capture, then you capture 30 frames or 120 frames pre-frames.  To me only 30 fps makes sense.  Another difference is with Nikon you can select 1 to 4 seconds to determine how many frames are captured after you press the shutter button.  If you select one second, you get 30/120 fromes and the camera will no longer capture any frames.  So if there is still action going on, you would miss that action or have to release the shutter button and then press it again.  However, if you select four seconds, then you will continue photographing after the initial shutter press until you release the shutter button.  This is the only mode that makes sense to me.

I did want to comment about your reaction to Raw mode only or bust.  Yes, Raw has a much larger dynamic range that allows you to recover light and dark colors in post.  However, if the photo is properly exposed when in JPEG, then that extra dynamic range is really not that important.  Granted that you have to be much more careful about exposure.  The only scenario where that extra dynamic range is really important is when you're photographing birds like a Belted Kingfisher that has such bright white around the neck and darker colors on the body.  For birds like that, then Raw is definitely important.  I've sat next to a number of people in a blind that only use JPEG and their image quality was comparable to any images that I've ever seen.

I could go on about what a capture mode is best used for, but that's another discussion.

On a side note, Canon's R7 is supposed to have a precapture mode that is accessible, but I don't know anything about it.

SantaFeJoe wrote: I find that when shooting some subjects, my reaction time is always too slow to capture some birds making sudden moves. I was shooting Mountain Bluebirds and American Kestrels perched and then diving for a bug. Also, hovering and then diving for a snack. I captured several shots, but missed many more. Although pre-release capture only works with C30 or C120 (JPEG modes), I think it would work great for my purposes. It would work great for lightning, as well. It opens a whole new world of possibilities. It would also eliminate camera shake from pressing the shutter button. I have a lightning app on my phone that works the same way and it is amazing to see what you can capture with it. Now if I can just get a z9 now that they are available again!!!

Joe

  Hi Joe,
    I also played with it a few times after I got my Z9 but always would forget when a situation arose to use it.  Finally, I remembered with a hawk that I was watching and got to use it recently.  It worked fine, got the shot of it leaving the tree and 7 frames later it hitting too close to the ground to see.  For me, the biggest negative of the Nikon "pro-capture" was that it captures only 12 megapixel  JPGs, not full size ones.  Since I am usually cropping since I am not that close to the bird, that limits the files quite a bit.  So I have stuck with just trying to shoot as fast as I can when my subject jumps off.  One of these days I will have to try the OM-1.  Meanwhile I will stick to the Z9.  A couple recent shots of a Say's phoebe hunting insects with the Z9 taken the old fashioned way:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@N00/52666462515

ricardo00  Hi Joe, wrote:    .......... For me, the biggest negative of the Nikon "pro-capture" was that it captures only 12 megapixel  JPGs, not full size ones.  Since I am usually cropping since I am not that close to the bird, that limits the files quite a bit.  So I have stuck with just trying to shoot as fast as I can when my subject jumps off.  One of these days I will have to try the OM-1.  Meanwhile I will stick to the Z9.  A couple recent shots of a Say's phoebe hunting insects with the Z9 taken the old fashioned way:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@N00/52666462515

Nice image! According to the link below, you can capture 45mp JPEG’s at the c30 setting. The smaller images are captured at c120.

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-e ... -mode.html

Thanks for your response.

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:

ricardo00  Hi Joe, wrote:    .......... For me, the biggest negative of the Nikon "pro-capture" was that it captures only 12 megapixel  JPGs, not full size ones.  Since I am usually cropping since I am not that close to the bird, that limits the files quite a bit.  So I have stuck with just trying to shoot as fast as I can when my subject jumps off.  One of these days I will have to try the OM-1.  Meanwhile I will stick to the Z9.  A couple recent shots of a Say's phoebe hunting insects with the Z9 taken the old fashioned way:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/60519499@N00/52666462515

Nice image! According to the link below, you can capture 45mp JPEG’s at the c30 setting. The smaller images are captured at c120.

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-e ... -mode.html

Thanks for your response.

Joe

Thanks!  Weird I do have it on c30 and it is only capturing 12 mp JPEGs.  Not sure why.
Ricardo

Ricardo,
I've read a little about the pre-release mode. The mp that the camera records are based on the JPEG you choose in camera. I believe that if you select the JPEG fine option that has the star the camera will record JPEG images at 24.7 mp.

Gene Gwin wrote: Ricardo,
I've read a little about the pre-release mode.  The mp that the camera records are based on the JPEG you choose in camera.  I believe that if you select the JPEG fine option that has the star the camera will record JPEG images at 24.7 mp.

In spite of what the article that I linked above says, I believe that the highest quality option available is JPEG normal. Fine is not an option. It’s strange that Nikon is so unclear about this feature and the link I posted above is on Nikon’s own site saying 45 mp images are possible in pre-release mode. In other places, they say that normal is the only option. I think that 60fps may now be available, but nothing is clear with them.

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z9 ... gs_04.html

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote:

Gene Gwin wrote: Ricardo,
I've read a little about the pre-release mode.  The mp that the camera records are based on the JPEG you choose in camera.  I believe that if you select the JPEG fine option that has the star the camera will record JPEG images at 24.7 mp.

In spite of what the article that I linked above says, I believe that the highest quality option available is JPEG normal. Fine is not an option. It’s strange that Nikon is so unclear about this feature and the link I posted above is on Nikon’s own site saying 45 mp images are possible in pre-release mode. In other places, they say that normal is the only option. I think that 60fps may now be available, but nothing is clear with them.

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z9 ... gs_04.html

Joe

My understanding is that 60 fps is available only in the DX mode.   I know someone who is extremely knowledgeable about the Z9.  I'll ask them about the available jpeg modes in pre-release and post what they said here.  I agree that it shouldn't be that hard to just clearly say how the system works.  

Have a friend who is a Nikon Ambassador and I dropped him a note about acceptable pre-release jpeg options. He confirmed what you believe that only jpeg normal can be used. He also said that he believes that will change in future updates.

I’m curious if anyone has bought this ebook. At 1296 pages, I’m sure there is plenty of useful info, as compared to Nikon’s manual. Even though I haven’t bought the camera yet, I may order it to be ready for that day. Of course, it’s by Thom Hogan.

https://www.zsystemuser.com/z-system-bo ... kon-4.html

Joe

SantaFeJoe wrote: I’m curious if anyone has bought this ebook. At 1296 pages, I’m sure there is plenty of useful info, as compared to Nikon’s manual. Even though I haven’t bought the camera yet, I may order it to be ready for that day. Of course, it’s by Thom Hogan.

https://www.zsystemuser.com/z-system-bo ... kon-4.html

Joe

  If you have the patience to read a 1,296 page book (and can remember it), go for it!  Personally I rather be about using my Z9 and if I have problems, google and/or post on a forum to figure out the problem.  Some people seem to prefer the shorter Steve Perry book (and and sure there are others) on the Z9:
https://bcgwebstore.com/product/the-ult ... otography/