After a promising launch and major update with version 2.0, Nikon has announced the release of version 3.0 for their flagship mirrorless camera.
As one Z 9 owner, I’ve spent a lot of time over the past year talking about the system and how it serves my workflow as an A-camera for all things photography and videography. The truth is, there are very few things this camera doesn’t do well. When version 2.0 came out and brought waveforms and N-Raw in-camera, it went a step further to allow me to sell off some of the other cameras and give it even more work.
So it’s hard to tell how the Z 9 could get any better, but Nikon has released a firmware update that aims to further refine its edges.
While version 2.0 focuses heavily on video enhancements, version 3.0 is a more even split in terms of new features:
- In addition to the existing 30 fps and 120 fps options for high continuous stills shooting, the Z 9 now adds an option for 60 fps at around 19 megapixels. This feature defaults to DX mode to achieve this higher continuous shooting speed.
- 4K video recording adds high-resolution zoom. It’s basically a zoom method that takes advantage of the camera’s 8K capabilities. This is a feature you may want to use to effectively extend the focal range of your lens without sacrificing resolution. 4K UHD footage is recorded at 8K, then gradually cropped to 4K in real time.
- Improvements to the camera’s low-light autofocus tracking as well as making the 3D tracking system work better will enhance AF capabilities. You also have the option to change the color of the focus box, which can be useful in certain situations.
- High frequency flicker reduction, added in 2.1, is now available in video.
- Timecodes on multiple Z 9s can now be controlled with a single wireless remote system. The ATMOS Ultra Sync BLUE now supported via Bluetooth.
- Vertical playback display allows images to be displayed in portrait orientation during playback.
- The number of buttons that can be customized has increased, including making the Record button programmable.
- Other enhancements include improved Flash workflow, improved on-screen display options, support for the FTPS protocol, and full formatting functionality for CF Express cards.
- There is also the option to override other cameras when specifying a “primary” camera when using multiple systems simultaneously. And, during focus shift shooting, the camera can now remember your original focus point after a series of shots.
I’m excited to see how these improvements will work with my system. Access the link here to load new firmware.
