News

The Nikon Z9 is Getting an Auto Mode Via Firmware

Chris Gampat
No Comments
06/13/2023
4 Mins read
Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Nikon z9 review product images 2.81-80s800 4

Besides winning the award for headlines I never thought I’d write, Nikon is updating the Nikon z9 to firmware 4.0 that gives it an auto mode. But apparently, this isn’t the auto mode meant for people with too much money to spend on a camera and way too much money for lessons. Instead, from the way that it’s explained, it works more like zone focusing — but not and autofocus zone. Think more Leica-style street photography with manual focus — except it’s autofocus. Trust me, Leica can explain it better.

Nikon Z9 Firmware 4.0

Here’s what the new firmware is bringing.

Auto Capture: 

  • Users can set the camera to automatically record still images or video by pre-configuring Auto Capture criteria. The three criteria that can be configured include a [Motion] option that detects subjects that make certain movements, a [Distance] option which begins shooting when a subject is within a certain range of distances,2 and a [Subject detection] option which detects a person, animal or vehicle within the frame. These options can be used either separately or together to automatically trigger shooting when the selected criteria are met.
  • This feature allows the user to shoot remotely and without having to manually determine the timing of shooting/recording, enabling more freedom to perform other tasks, or to leave their camera outside in places they cannot remain for extended periods of time, such as when recording wild animals.
  • When using more than one Z 9, one camera can be used for hand-held shooting as the user moves from place to place, with the other cameras can be set up for automatic shooting from tripods at fixed locations. Auto Capture also enables shooting from multiple angles without using the extension cords previously required to control multiple cameras, eliminating worries about connections during remote shooting. This feature can also be used with the Pre-Release Capture function for more reliable capture of decisive moments.

Advanced Video Recording Functions:

  • ISO sensitivity can now be set as low as Lo 2.0 (ISO 200) with N-Log recording: ISO sensitivity has been expanded on the low end to increase dynamic range in shadows and enable rich and clear expression of shadow tones in which noise is suppressed.
  • Hi-Res Zoom speed options: Speed steps have been increased from 3 to 11 for more precise speed control. Finer adjustment of the zoom speed is now possible, enabling a look that better matches the user’s intent with more stable zooming at slower speeds, for example.
  • Slow-motion video function: This new feature enables high-speed recording of videos that play back at 1/4 (4×) or 1/5 (5×) the frame rate for a slow-motion effect.

Additional Shooting Enhancements: 

  • Customizable shutter sound: Users can choose from five types of shutter sound played when the shutter is released and set a higher volume for the sound.
  • Focus enhancements: Superior subject acquisition performance with 3D-tracking is used to capture stills of small and fast-moving subjects that cannot be detected with subject detection. 
  • Pre-Release buffer expansion: To better respond to the needs of those working on location, the length of time the camera continues to buffer frames before canceling shooting during the Pre-Release Capture phase of High-Speed Frame Capture has been increased from 30 to 300 seconds, allowing users to wait longer between the half press and full press of the shutter-release button.
  • Exposure delay mode: This item is added to the Custom Settings menu, which helps to reduce blur caused by the camera shake that occurs when the shutter-release button is pressed.
  • More custom controls: The number of functions that can be assigned to custom controls has been increased, as well as the number of controls that can be customized.
  • Improved manual focus UI: The focus distance indicator for manual focus newly displays the approximate distance between the camera and the focus position in units selected by the user.
  • Playback enhancements: The new [Frame advance zoom position] option that allows users to choose how the camera centers the display when scrolling through pictures during playback zoom can now be assigned to a custom control. When [Prefer focus point] is selected, the camera centers the display on the focus point active with shooting. Additionally, the accuracy of the progress bar displayed with video playback has been increased.

A Better Camera for Photographers?

We’re not going to lie, the Nikon z9’s new features seem pretty cool for photographers. Besides the type of shutter sound, the new auto-capture mode is bound to prove itself quite useful. If you can tell it to use a 24-120mm to capture people moving back and forth within a specific zone and combine that with the pre-release capture feature, you suddenly have a lot of potential. As we found in our review though, Pre-release capture only works in JPEG mode.

I can see how it will be useful for bird photographers, wedding photographers, event photographers, sports shooters, and law enforcement that use Nikon cameras like the Nikon z9 for stuff like traffic cameras.

I’ll also really give it to Nikon here, I don’t know of any other brand that has features like this. So bravo to them and for making the Nikon Z9, an already attractive camera, more into something folks want to purchase.

auto capture firmware firmware f4.0 nikon z9
Shares
Written by

Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.