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Focusing issues with Z7ii - Weddings and Dance Floor

focus z7ii wedding dance floor low light focus tracking

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5 replies to this topic

#1
Geoffthemonk

Geoffthemonk
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Hey Folks, new to the community but not new to Nikon, been shooting Nikon for over 10 years as a wedding photographer. 

 

After much thinking about which brand I go with as I transition from DSLR to mirrorless, decided that I am too heavily invested in Nikon and thus, rather that switching to Sony, I will invest in Nikon mirrorless. Picked up a Z6ii and a Z7ii about 6 months ago. I do 2-3 destination weddings every year and have loved how my D750 and D810 perform in low light, late evening beach settings. I shot my first destination wedding with my new Z7ii and Z6ii earlier this month (both have the latest firmwares installed). I'll be honest I was a little disappointed by how the two mirrorless performed when the light started to get low. I normally use 'subject tracking' or eye/face detection' when I am shooting a wedding (except for when doing portraits where I use single focus point sometimes). Daytime went well and both cameras were quick in grabbing focus where I wanted to. Later in the evening, when the dance floor opened, both cameras started giving me trouble. Since the wedding was on a beach and the dance floor was setup on the sand where there were no other lights, the DJ set up his dance floor lights on several posts around the floor, pointing mostly at the dance floor but some were pointed at the DJ's station and the head table as well. These lights were obviously coming on and off and at times quite rapidly as you would expect on a dance floor. Both mirrorless cameras just went nuts with this setup and had a heck of a time capturing focus. They just simply wont. I had to take out my trusted D750 and D810 and found them to be much more reliable with catching focus in this situation than my two brand new mirrorless would. I tried the mirrorless one more time but the issue was the same. Both camera with fast moving lights (that were also changing colours along with coming on and off rapidly) struggled to capture focus. The subject tracking and the face detection squares in the view finder were bouncing up and down like mad while I was trying to take pictures. 

 

The reason I have posted this long winded story in the forum here is to know if there is something I need to do differently with a mirrorless when shooting dance floors? Do other wedding photographers on this forum have seen this issue at all. Can this be addressed or this is life with mirrorless cameras?

 

Thanks a bunch folks.

GW



#2
Merco_61

Merco_61
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  • LocationUppsala, Sweden

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What lens(es) did you use?

 

What were your AF settings? There are several parameters that affect more modes than you would think.



#3
fallout666

fallout666
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  • Locationcfl area of space coast

based on what mecro_61 said we need info on what lens and your af setting. from someone that had issue when went from D7200 to Z6 i had to go out do practice shoots a lot to get use to how this camera acts different from DSLR body i had. it will take time to get used t it. also make sure have all firmware updates. 



#4
Geoffthemonk

Geoffthemonk
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I was using 24-70 f2.8. Camera was set to AF-C (back button focus), I tried single point, multipoint dynamic area focus, subject tracking, face/eye detection with both wide area and small area. Results were more or less the same, camera had trouble grabbing focus. I also tried switching to AF-S, did not improve matters much.

 

Please let me know if any additional info my help.

 

BTW, yes my firmwares are up to date on both cameras.

 

Thanks guys.



#5
Merco_61

Merco_61
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  • LocationUppsala, Sweden

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Z or F-mount on an FTZ?



#6
fallout666

fallout666
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  • Locationcfl area of space coast

which mount for 24-70mm F/2.8 for lens please. and marco can give better help too. 







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: focus, z7ii, wedding, dance floor, low light, focus tracking