With Nikon Z 6II now shipping, there still isn’t a lot of great consolidated information about the camera when it comes to autofocus.
All everyone says is, “this is a pre-production model.” Which we all know, doesn’t mean anything when it comes to the core features and performance. When has pre-production versus a production model ever shown dramatic improvements to the core features compared to launch?
Anyway, I’ve read all the literature and watched several videos to see what’s going on with the new Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II autofocus and how it’s improved. I’ve been trying to figure out if autofocus alone is worth the upgrade if you already have a Z6, because as it’s looking, actual performance for general eye and face tracking seems about the same, or if it’s better, it’s only slightly.
Here are some cool new features I personally like that might make a big difference to your photography.
3 2 Improvements to the Nikon Z6 II Autofocus
This was actually wrong, Sorry 🙁 – Tracking now has eye and face detection override – I haven’t seen anyone mention this but I saw it in fro’s last video where he was shooting with the tracking mode, and on the Z6 II, it auto switched to the face detection. This is great as it matches what everyone else is doing with their implementation of tracking. Fro messed up here and had the two cameras in different modes . . . Fro, you had one job. Compare AF between the Z6 and Z6 II while keeping them both in the same AF modes. Not hard. It’s amazing how bad these YouTubers are.
Anyway, have you guys, and gals ever seen those videos where the dudes point the Nikon Z6 at someone that’s totally out of focus and the camera stays focused on the background? Then use this to discredit the camera’s ability to autofocus while every camera on the planet does this? Yes, you have.
So what you do here, is you set your tracking button to fn2. When the face or eye isn’t engaged or stuck on the background because the foreground is just a giant bubble of bokeh, you flick the tracking mode and, place it right in the center of the body that’s out of focus, and boom, it finds focus instantly, except now, maybe it will do that, then override to face and eye af. Takes less than a second.
Eye detection in Zone Boxes – You can now use the Wide Zones and the eye AF will only engage inside that little box.
This is actually nice because 99% of the time when I’m not shooting single subjects with just my kids, I use the zone box. Having the option for it to engage eye AF with these boxes could be useful. Although, hopefully, there is a quick way to toggle it on and off, because I don’t always want the eyes in focus when using my zone boxes. Sometimes if someone is holding a torch or a volleyball, you want that in focus, not their eyes. Which is why I was always fine with this in the past.
One problem I have with this too is the Nikon Zone box is very small to begin with. It would be nice if they increased the size of that box to make this feature more useful.
Better Low Light AF Improvement – It’s said the Z6 II is better in low light when it comes to autofocus. I think the number is around .5 to 1 stops.
It’s hard to find the real numbers because the rating is typically attached to an f-stop value and Nikon has a low-light AF function that you can turn on. But with the Z6 II supposedly with an f2 lens, you can get up to -6 EV.
Nikon says officially that the Z6 with firmware 2.0 was able to perform at a range of -2EV to -3.5 EV and when enabling low light AF it would extend to -4EV to -6EV. And now the rating is up to -4.5EV when not extended with the low light function.
Why not always leave low-light AF turned on? Because it can bloom out the image on the EVF for a second while finding AF and some people don’t want that.
What Nikon Still Needs To Improve
Visual Feedback Lag– Right now there are still some issues with the visual feedback boxes lagging when tracking or using eye and face AF. I can’t fully understand why Nikon hasn’t fixed this yet.
Remember the Canon EOS R was like this when it first came out, those little boxes would draw at like 12fps or slower and it just made the camera feel unresponsive even though the hit rate was totally fine. Then Canon improved it all of a sudden everyone said the autofocus was better even though the hit rate was the same.
So clearly people are getting pulled in by perception and for the most part, and when anyone watches AF comparison videos online, this is all they look at.
If there is a quick way to improve the refresh rate of these boxes, Nikon should do that asap. Having used the Canon R6 I have to say those little boxes are so responsive and work at such a fast refresh rate. They are glued to the subject and even the sizes animate. Even though it doesn’t necessarily improve autofocus, it makes the experience more confident.
But maybe there is some core feature of the OS or processor where Nikon can’t improve this with the current hardware. If that’s the case, that’s too bad, because this alone makes the camera feel cutting edge, even if it has no impact on hit rate.
Tracking Implementation – Right now it’s looking like the only way to engage the tracking mode is to set it as a function button and manually engage it. It would be nice to have that tracking box be much smaller, and have it always on so it works without any user input. Now that there is face and eye detection override when tracking is engaged, this would be a really nice way to work in some situations.
We’ll know more as the camera is released and actual photographers get their hands on it. But for now, this is all I can glean from what’s online.
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My Z6 ii arrived today. The tracking box in Auto AF doesn’t seem to override and switch to Eye AF when you select a face to track (like the Fro video) and I can’t see a mention of it in the manual. Maybe I’m missing something. I’ll keep poking and fiddling.
Generally AF acquisition is faster than Z6. Tested on a hyper toddler (the ultimate stress test). Eye AF working at 10,000 ISO just as well as daylight.
Visual lag, as you mention above, is still a thing, but only if you’re subject (or camera) is moving erratically and quickly.
My favourite feature so far is the monitor/EVF sensor disabling when you flip the screen.
I will be shooting a wedding with the Z6ii in a few weeks & in the meantime I’m going to order an R6 for comparison.
that’s interesting with the tracking override. It definitely did something like that in Fro’s video. Or did he actually have the two cameras in different modes as people suspected? . . . I wouldn’t be surprised.
re: Fro video…To me it looks like at 9:39 on the Z6 II the sequence starts with Tracking enabled, and then halfway it is disabled, probably by error/by the operator, and it reverts to Auto AF and therefore Eye AF and the face box, which is smaller than then Tracking box. The Z6 example on screen left stays in Tracking enabled mode.
that’s unfortunate. I’ll modify my article.
Also I had the R6 last week for testing. It’s a fun camera. That little tracking box is crazy responsive. The problem is, I tend to shoot off the screens and with these flippy screens, I find that I’m fiddling, rotating, orienting, adjusting the screen constantly and it kind of takes away the fun a little of shooting. I was using my R for landscape stuff mostly and with that style of photography it wasn’t as much of a problem, but for general day to day stuff it was bugging me. I was thinking of getting an R6, but now I kind feel like the screen will drive me nuts unless it’s a product, video or landscape camera. But I do want to try out the new 50 and 85. I’ll definitely keep my R around for awhile longer.
And I love shooting out of the EVFs but I’m 6’3″, so I’m shooting down on most people ( especially in Japan ), and when I wear contacts, I have to have a toric lens in my left eye, so it gets all crazy when I close that eye.
Hmmm. Yeah the flippy flippy is defo useful for the R5’s resolution (as you say: product, landscape, architecture) and video, but maybe not so much for the other RF bodies, unless you are living like Gulliver on Lilliput. I hear you on the constant fiddling and rotating – it’s all a bit 90s Handycam.
So does this make it easier shooting from the hip? The z6 eye sensor was far too sensitive I could never do it easily, it’s annoying
Oh yes much easier. You just give the monitor a lil’ tilt and the eye sensor is disabled. I agree, the Z6 eye sensor sensitivity is super annoying.
Any other changes you’ve noticed?
No, nothing significant.
Have you ever used a Sony a7iii or similar body? I’m trying a friend’s right now and I have to say their support for eye AF in different AF modes is revolutionary. I took some candid street photos and it was so easy to focus on composition and forget about the AF, I’ve never experienced that before.
I’ve always been happy with Nikon AF for non-people though
Yes, I have shot the Sony system professionally for a few years, including the A7iii. Sony’s implementation of eye AF flexibility is probably where quite a few Nikon shooters want the Z line to be, and soon.
My default A7 III AF setup for weddings and street candids was something like Lock-On AF Expand Flexible Spot, which would grab an eye if detected. This covered 90% of the day.
I also assigned AF-On (press and hold) to a custom AF state of Wide Area + Eye AF, so that if some kind of cool unexpected thing just happens in front of you, just mash the AF-On button and fire the shutter, and let the camera do it’s thing. Also a great setup for street photography.
That said, you can get quite close to this setup with the Z6/II. Set the camera to Auto Area AF + Eye AF and the camera chooses for you (like the Sony A7 iii) and with the quick press of an Fn button you’re into subject tracking (albeit without an Eye AF visual overlay). Just as fast, if not faster.
I found changing AF modes (or anything for that matter) too sluggish on the Sony bodies. With Nikon I can cycle AF modes MUCH faster with the dials. It depends on what pace you need to shoot at though. I shoot in fast-paced, high pressure environments, so it matters to me.
Canon R6 AF seems to be in the same ballpark as Sony, can’t wait to try it.
Thanks that’s really helpful. I keep feeling ambivalent about the Z 35mm 1.8 Vs the Sony version. The Sony is smaller, it’s not world’s smaller but in the hand it really feels it.
I felt less concious taking photos but it’s probably all in my head! I’ll have to try your technique on the Sony. Do you use AF on the shutter normally then over back button AF given you’ve mapped it to something else?
Yes AF on shutter. I think it was AF-On, it might have been the neighbouring custom button. I just sold my entire Sony kit, so can’t remember exactly!
I haven’t used either 35mm, but read plenty about them. The Sony looks nice to carry around, but the Z is apparently better corrected. Have you tried the Zony 35mm 2.8? Its tiny size is awesome for street, as is the 55mm 1.8.
I am mulling over the 35mm 1.8s vs adapted the Tamron 35mm 1.4 F mount to the Z6 II, to pair with my 85mm 1.8s. Alik loves the 35mm 1.8s but I need to test it myself.
What made you decide to switch systems?
Z6 has been always my go to casual camera. I prefer the handling, files and glass to Sony, but needed slightly better AF and dual card slots for work. Z6 II addresses that so I’m happy.
What glass do you have on the Nikon?
50 & 85 1.8s. I have a 50mm 1.2 on pre-order, and will pick up a 35 & 24 soon, or maybe the 24-70mm 2.8s since it is apparently a great performer. Will rent first I think.
For Sony I used the 24mm 1.4 Gm, Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.4, Sony Zeiss 55m 1.8, 85mm 1.4GM and owned a ton of manual Voightlander lenses.
You definitely like the primes then 😉 I’d be interested to hear what you think of the 24mm vs the 1.4 GM. I’ve heard the 24mm 1.4 GM is very good!
I’m trying out the A7III with a Sony FE 35mm 1.8. I’ve got the 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 24-70f4 on the Z.
I wish Nikon added the extra control rings on their 20mm and 24mm like the Sony. It’s strange, Sony has some Amazing glass, but all anyone wants to talk about are the Tamron and Sigma lenses.
As an ex Fuji shooter I was in awe that some of the newer Sony primes have aperture rings.
I’m curious, could you explain when you’d go for a 24mm prime over a zoom? Normally on the wider end I’ve always shot a zoom and started my prime journey from 35mm.
I’ve seen a few Sony shooters use the 24mm as a walk around but I can’t imagine if it would be too wide or not for me. I certainly use a 24mm a lot for environmental work.
I kind of like starting primes at 35mm as well. Then going for the zooms on the ultra wide end. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years. There are a few advantages though. Like at f1.8 with a 24mm you can lower that shutter time for less star trails when shooting astro. f1.8 on a 20 to 24mm lets you do I think about 15 to 20 seconds exposures for astro and that lets in a lot more light than an f2.8. Or if you needed a longer exposure for for your foreground and you’re doing exposure stacking f1.8 helps at night. And then the prime will have better overall performance with sharpness wide open. For everything else, when you’re on those zooms shooting f8, it’s not going to matter so much. I get a little CA with my Sony Zeiss 16-35mm, but it’s not the end of the world.
I don’t typically like 24mm as a walk around either. Street shooters love it but I have the Fujifilm 16mm and never really use it anymore. It’s just too wide for Japan. If I was shooting in LA more with the nice architecture it could be more useful, but in Japan everything is chaotically laid out and images can quickly get cluttered. I’m thinking around that range at like 24mm prime might be nice for video with my kids though, if I wanted better quality than a GoPro.
Is it the 16-35 GM that you have? Sounds like you and I follow the same view on our prime starting point.
I find the UK hard to photograph (where I live). All the buildings are so old and it does often feel chaotic and lots of traffic. If anything I prefer using a 50mm in the UK whereas 35mm is my favourite everywhere else.
I have the 16-35mm f4 Zeiss / Sony. It’s been great for the last 8 years for me. It was a nice upgrade from my old Canon 16-35mm f2.8 II. Not perfect but it’s been fun.
But yes, when I was living in LA downtown was great for wide lenses, Nice lines, straight streets great architecture, cool bridges and freeways. Fukuoka city planning is a bit of a mess. Everything is on top of each other, all the wires and phone polls are above ground. 4 different alphabets written on every building, curvy crazy streets. Everything feels messy so I like 50mm to 85mm for street stuff. Sometimes I even use that Fuji 90mm which is amazing because Fukuoka is such a high fashion city, everyone dresses to the tee.
Do you find the 85mm works in the streets with its physical size? I tried to use it in Copenhagen and I got a lot of looks or people avoiding shots…
I know in Japan they are a lot more relaxed about cameras though.
I take off the lens hood. And I still do the thing where I pretend I’m shooting something else and pretend to look irritated or impatient when someone walks in my shot even though I’m actually shooting them. But it’s also Japan, where I’m the tall redhead tourist, and I feel like Japanese don’t really pay attention to their surroundings as much as people in LA do, people kinda just do their thing there. I’m definitely way more careful in LA were people always on edge and confrontation is expected.
I was talking to some friends in Japan that are Chinese / or Japanese and they say me and my buddy who is Cuban / Spanish descent get away with a lot more than they get away with because we just look like foreign tourists. Anytime someone gets mad at me in Japan, it’s always the white guy.
The last few years of Sony glass seems to be impressive. Some of its lighter, sharp and well built from what I can see. They look rather nice too
And those Zeiss Batis lenses have such a nice rendering. I still want that 85mm Batis.
Did you grab a techart adapter so you can use those Voigtlanders on the Nikon?
Not yet Alik but its a great idea, I just need to decide which glass to keep. Got a 15,35,50 and 110mm. Also Voightlander have made stuff for Nikon in the past so I’m keen to see what their plans are for the Z mount,.
I’ll take a look at the 35mm 2.8, I hadn’t looked yet. The Sony 35mm 1.8 is about 100g lighter than the Sony and a good 3cm smaller in length. It’s roughly the same as the Fuji 23mm 1.4 only quiet AF and WR
Is the Z6 ii heavier than the Z6? Any chance anyone knows the actual weight of the two.
Yes it is marginally heavier. Almost unnoticeable in the hand.