Nikon Z6 III vs Z8: N-RAW Video Noise Comparison @testcams

testcams This video compares the N-RAW 8K and 6K raw video noise performance between the Nikon Z6 III and Z8. I also dive deeper in the Z6 III video flicker issue I covered in my last video, including a new post-processing workaround. Here's a link to my previous video about the Z6 III video flickering issue:

youtube.com/watch?v=gGn7OG3VW2I

0:00 Methodology
0:45 1st YouTube Compression Warning
1:10 Original Exposure
1:32 Shadows +1EV
1:44 Shadows +2EV
1:53 2nd YouTube Compression Warning
2:14 Shadows +3EV
2:29 Shadows +4EV
2:41 Shadows +5EV
2:56 Spatial Noise Reduction
3:16 Temporal Noise Reduction
3:48 Resolve Deflicker Effect
4:01 Viewing with Resolve Scopes
6:28 Analytical Analysis of Frames

updated 2 years ago

Nikon Z6 III vs Z8: N-RAW Video Noise Comparison

testcams 2024-07-24 | This video compares the N-RAW 8K and 6K raw video noise performance between the Nikon Z6 III and Z8. I also dive deeper in the Z6 III video flicker issue I covered in my last video, including a new post-processing workaround. Here's a link to my previous video about the Z6 III video flickering issue:

youtube.com/watch?v=gGn7OG3VW2I

0:00 Methodology
0:45 1st YouTube Compression Warning
1:10 Original Exposure
1:32 Shadows +1EV
1:44 Shadows +2EV
1:53 2nd YouTube Compression Warning
2:14 Shadows +3EV
2:29 Shadows +4EV
2:41 Shadows +5EV
2:56 Spatial Noise Reduction
3:16 Temporal Noise Reduction
3:48 Resolve Deflicker Effect
4:01 Viewing with Resolve Scopes
6:28 Analytical Analysis of Frames

Panasonic S1II Dynamic Range for Photos

testcams 2025-08-28 | Deep-dive into the Panasonic S1 II's class-leading dynamic range for photos, which is achieved through an undisclosed implementation of dual-gain sensor technology.

My S1 II tech investigation thread on DPReview:

dpreview.com/forums/post/68359209

Novel use of Z8 focus limiter to measure AF system stress and performance

testcams 2025-07-08 | This video demonstrates how you can use the Z8's FW 3.0 focus limiter to evaluate how much stress the AF system is under for a given subject and lighting scenario.

Simple method for checking focus shift on Nikon lenses

testcams 2025-06-17 | Nikon just announced firmware 3.0 for the Z8 camera, which introduces a new feature called "Maximum Aperture Live View". Normally Z bodies perform autofocus operations with the lens stopped down to match the shooting aperture, up to f/5.6. This allows the camera to avoid the image blurring affects of Focus Shift, which is when the focus plane of the lens shifts when you change the aperture. However there's negative side effect of this stopped-down focusing on Z cameras - worse AF performance in low light, since the smaller aperture means less light enters the camera for AF operations. The new Z8 3.0 firmware introduces an option where you can have the camera focus at the lens's wide-open aperture, which improves low-light AF but also creates the potential for focus shift.

In this video I outline a simple procedure you can use to check if your Nikon lens exhibits focus shift and to what extent. You can use this knowledge to decide if and when you should use the new "Maximum Aperture Live View" feature for each of your lenses.

Nikon Z6 III Firmware 1.10 Flickering N-RAW and vs Nikon Zf

testcams 2025-02-28 | My second video evaluating the flickering reduction in Z6 III firmware 1.10. In this video I compare additional ISOs, N-RAW, and vs the Nikon Zf.

Nikon Z6 III Firmware 1.10 Video Flickering Fix

testcams 2025-02-26 | On 2/26/25 Nikon released firmware 1.10 for the Z6 III, which included a change Nikon described as "reduced noise in dark areas of N-Log videos". In this video I compare the N-Log noise performance of the new firmware vs the old, specifically the flickering issue previously highlighted on my channel.

Nikon Z6 III vs Zf: N-Log Video Noise Comparison

testcams 2025-01-13 | A noise comparison between the Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Zf for N-Log video. N-Log ISO 800, 5000, 6400, and 25,600 are compared. For each increase in ISO the exposure was adjusted via the shutter speed.

Both cameras were shot with the same Nikon Z 24-70 f/4 S lens @ f/8. WB was set via a white card. Exposure placed highlights just below N-Log clipping, with 18% grey card exposed to near 36% in N-Log, lit via LED lighting. Processed in Davinci Resolve with only a CST and sharpening applied - no exposures adjustments were performed. Shot 4K @ 30fps, processed on 4K timeline and rendered to HD.

Demystifying Log ISO, Exposure, and Noise

testcams 2024-12-28 | Deep-dive into how ISO works for log video in cameras. I highlight N-Log but the information applies to all log formats, including S-Log, C-Log, V-Log, etc... This is the first part of a series, where I hope to take the mystique out of log video and make it as easy to use as regular video.

0:00 - Introduction
0:37 - Photography exposure analogy
1:32 - Log ISO vs Sensor ISO
3:35 - Why Log uses a higher native ISO
7:07 - ISOs above native ISO
9:29 - ISOs below native ISO
10:10 - Why Log has more noise
11:53 - How Expanded ISOs work
17:27 - Overexposing Log (ETTR)
19:08 - Additional Technical Details
20:15 - Conclusion

Corrections:
08:46 - Note that although the BM cameras switch to the second gain level at ISO 1250, the actual native ISO levels for each gain level are ISO 400 and 3200. This means ISOs 100 through 320 and ISOs 1250 through 2500 are "expanded" ISOs, which I describe in the "ISOs below native ISO" section.

Nikon Z6 III Video Flickering: Not just extreme conditions

testcams 2024-08-05 | Demonstration of the Nikon Z6 III video flickering issue occurring with ISO 3200 footage directly out of camera without any shadow adjustment or processing other than a straight conversion from N-Log to Rec.709. Note that in screencast footage of my Resolve color tab the "curves" icon for the node is turned on but no curve adjustment was made - that's a control point I added but didn't alter.

Kuods to Robert May for finding the issue and being objective on its reporting. Same for Jordan Drake @ PetaPixel, who took a balanced view and is keeping an open mind on the ramifications.

Here are links to previous videos on the subject, both my own and Robert May's, who originally discovered the flickering issue.

youtube.com/watch?v=PpkWdnRuob0
youtube.com/watch?v=gGn7OG3VW2I
youtube.com/watch?v=9EWPmvbIyYo
youtube.com/watch?v=k9fm6Kk412c

0:00 Introduction
1:47 Flickering @ ISO 3200

Nikon Z6 III Video Flickering issue (with workaround)

testcams 2024-07-22 | In this video I demonstrate the Nikon Z6 III video flickering issue first reported by Robert May. I show how the flickering is likely the result of a sensor black level issue, which causes no only random variations in tint between magenta and green but also slight variations in the brightness of the deep shadows, which manifests as a random flicker.

Special thanks to Robert May for finding this issue and publishing his excellent videos about it, along with suggesting Davinci Resolve's deflicker tool as a workaround.

Here are links to Robert May's videos demonstrating the flickering issue:
youtube.com/watch?v=9EWPmvbIyYo
youtube.com/watch?v=k9fm6Kk412c

0:00 Introduction
1:33 Blacklevel issue in still images
2:12 Same blacklevel issue for videos
2:39 Issue visualized by video scopes
2:56 Flickering desaturated
3:15 Flickering deconstructed in individual frames
4:05 Robert May's deflicker workaround
4:30 YouTube's compression mangles noise

Understanding Dual Gain ISO on the Nikon Z6 III and other cameras

testcams 2024-07-09 | Explanation of what Dual Gain ISO is, why it's important, how to find the dual gain ISO level for your camera (using the Nikon Z6 III as an example), strategies for taking advantage of it, how it affects N-Log, and what the future holds for possible improvements. Although this video uses the Nikon Z6 III as an example, the concept applies to all cameras with dual gain ISO sensors, including other cameras from Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc...

To help make this technical subject easier to understand I use analogies and simplifications to the underlying mechanisms involved in dual gain ISO. If you'd like to dive deeper and gain (ahem) an even greater understanding of how sensors implement dual gain ISO I suggest reading the Aptina Dynamic Response Whitepaper on the subject, which Bill Claff hosts on his PhotonsToPhotos site:

photonstophotos.net/Aptina/DR-Pix_WhitePaper.pdf

0:00 What is Dual Gain ISO?
2:15 How to find Dual Gain ISO level
5:17 ISO doesn't cause noise
6:10 Dual ISO shooting strategy
7:19 N-Log and Dual Gain ISO
7:52 Future: Dual ISO readout

Nikon Z6 III Viewfinder Refresh Rate Measured

testcams 2024-07-05 | Quick video measuring the refresh rate of the Nikon Z6 III's EVF, with the "High FPS Viewfinder display" setting to both OFF and ON. I also measure the refresh rate of the rear LCD.

Nikon Z6 III Sensor Readout Speed Measurements

testcams 2024-07-03 | My full sensor readout speed measurements of the Nikon Z6 III.

Results page for my open-source rolling shutter measurement project:
horshack-dpreview.github.io/RollingShutter

Project homepage:
github.com/horshack-dpreview/RollingShutter

0:00 Introduction
0:20 Photo readout speeds
1:46 Video readout speeds
3:40 Comparing results
6:39 Methodology

Nikon Z6 III vs Z6 High ISO Compared

testcams 2024-06-30 | Comparison of low-light High ISO noise performance between the Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Z6. A scene was set up and metered for a normal, centered exposure at ISO 100. The shutter speed and ISO were then doubled for each ISO in 1EV increments until reaching ISO 51,200. The results raws were pulled into ACR/Photoshop and all settings zeroed out except for the profile set to camera-matching neutral, sharpening of 45/0.7/35. Both chrominance and luminance noise reduction were disabled.

0:00 Methodology
0:54 Describing comparison
1:31 ISO 100
1:47 ISO 200
1:59 ISO 400
2:12 ISO 800
2:28 ISO 1600
2:51 ISO 3200
3:12 ISO 6400
3:31 ISO 12800
4:01 ISO 25600
4:41 ISO 51200
5:55 Summary

Nikon Z6 III vs Z6 Dynamic Range Compared

testcams 2024-06-29 | Comparison of the base ISO (100) dynamic range between the Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Z6. A scene was set up and metered for a normal, centered exposure. It was then progressively underepxosed in 1EV increments until reaching -10EV of underexposure. The results raws were pulled into ACR/Photoshop and their exposure adjusted in post to match the original centered exposure. All ACR settings were cleared except for sharpening (45/0.7/35). Both Chroma and Luma noise reduction were disabled. The Camera Neutral-matching profile was used.

Both cameras were fitted with the same copy of a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 S lens. The electronic shutter was used on both cameras.

0:00 Introduction
0:33 Normal Exposure
1:21 1EV Underexposed
2:10 2EV Underexposed
2:42 3EV Underexposed
3:25 4EV Underexposed
4:38 5EV Underexposed
5:52 6EV Underexposed
7:22 7EV Underexposed
8:18 8EV Underexposed
9:09 9EV Underexposed
9:41 10EV Underexposed
10:32 Recap

Nikon Z6 vs Z6III Live View Lag and Continuous Shooting Blackout Comparison

testcams 2024-06-28 | Nikon Z6 vs Z6 III comparison of the Live View lag for normal and magnified views and a comparison of the Live View blackout time for the various continuous shooting modes. This was filmed at 120fps and then slowed down in post so that the lag between the smartphone's stopwatch app and the cameras' LV can be measured.

0:00 Introduction
0:05 Z6 Live View lag, Normal View
0:34 Z6 III Live VIew Lag, Normal View
1:04 Z6 Live View lag, 100% Magnified View
1:38 Z6 III Live View lag, 100% Magnified View
2:09 Z6 Single-Shot Blackout
2:36 Z6 III Single-Shot Blackout
2:58 Z6 Continuous Low 5fps Blackout
3:34 Z6 III Continuous Low 5fps Blackout
3:53 Z6 Continuous High+ 8fps Slideshow Lag
4:09 Z6 III Continuous High 16fps Blackout
4:40 Z6 iii Continuous High+ 20fps Slideshow Lag

Record HDMI camera output for $15

testcams 2024-06-25 | How to record the HDMI output from your camera into your computer for $15 or less using one of the inexpensive HDMI USB 3.0 capture cards based on the MS2130/MS2131 chipset and OBS Studio software.
0:00 - Which Card to Buy
2:34 - OBS Studio Setup

PiBox HDMI USB 3.0 Capture card ($15):
amazon.com/dp/B0CQ11QZ3L

OBS Studio download:
obsproject.com/download

Instructions outlined in video:

1. Buy the PiBOX USB 3.0 HDMI Capture Device currently sold for $15 on Amazon. To get an even cheaper card, search for "MS2130" on AliExpress.

2. Download, install, and run OBS Studio

3. Cancel the Auto-Configuration Wizard

4. Go to the "Sources" pane and click "+". Select "Video Capture Device". Click "OK". Select the capture card from the "Device" dropdown. For "Resolution/FPS Type" choose "Custom". Set Resolution to 1920x1080. Leave FPS set to "Match Output FPS". Set "Video Format" to "YUY2" if available, otherwise pick MJPEG (compressed, lower quality than YUY2). Click "Use custom audio device", scroll back down and select the HDMI card from the list of Audio Devices.

5. Click "Settings" in the "Controls" pane

6. Click "Audio" and set all the "Global Audio Devices" to "Disable" to remove all audio sources other than the HDMI capture card.

7. Click "Video" and set "Output (Scaled) Resolution" to 1920x1080. Set the "Common FPS Values" to either 30 or 60, whichever you prefer.

8. Click "Output". Change "Output Mode" to "Advanced". Click the "Recording" tab. Set your desired output directory in "Recording Path". Set "Recording Format" to "MPEG-4 (.mp4)". Set "Video Encoder" to either one of the hardware encoders if available on your system (ex: NVENC for Nvidia), or to x264 to use the software-based encoder. Scroll down to "Encoder Settings" and set "Rate Control" to CBR. Set the Bitrate to 5000 Kbps, although you can experiment with higher/lower rates depending on the amount of motion/detail in your video. Click the "Audio" tab and set your desired bitrate in "Track 1". OBS requires you to always record an audio track so if you don't need audio just set the bitrate to a low value to keep its space usage to a minimum. Click "OK"

9. Click "Start Recording" to begin recording video. Click "Stop Recording" to end.

HDMI cards to avoid:
* Any of the USB 2.0 cards. Some claim 1080 60fps support but it's a fake 60fps that inserts blank frames
* WARRKY Video Capture Card with HDMI passthru and audio in-out. This card fails to detect a 30fps on some Nikon camera, including the Zf/Z8/Z9
* ACASIS 4K HDMI Capture Card. Takes 10+ seconds to sync to any HDMI signal

Tip for improving low-light autofocus on Nikon Z8/Z9 cameras

testcams 2024-05-09 | Video demonstrating how to change the focusing behavior on the Nikon Z8/Z9 cameras so that focusing occurs at a larger aperture. This will supply more light to the autofocus system, which will reduce focus hunting and increase focus speed and precision.

0:00 Z cameras focus with aperture stopped-down
0:25 Benefits of focusing stopped-down
0:43 Drawback of focusing stopped-down
1:00 Introduction to technique
1:22 Focus hunting in low-light
2:40 Focus hunting stops at larger apertures
3:23 Setting up technique
4:15 Shooting with technique

Nikon NX Tether Version 2 Demo

testcams 2024-02-08 | A quick run-through of Nikon's NX Tether Version 2.

I demonstrate the following:

0:00 Toggling the various LV preview overlays
0:26 Focusing by clicking in the LV preview
0:34 Magnifying the LV preview
1:03 Manipulating the various exposure and configuration settings
2:31 Application options
3:08 Taking photo, automatically loading into Photoshop
3:40 Continuous interval recording, storing images on computer
4:52 Image destination options
5:00 Switching image type (jpg, raw)
5:49 Recording video, including refocusing while recording

Notes:
* Switching between Stills and Video mode requires toggling the rocker switch on the camera. There is no way to switch modes in NX Tether
* I had to manually add Photoshop as a registered app using Tools, Options, Destination, Software to View Pictures After Transfer, then navigating to the Photoshop executable

Sonys excessively-difficult password reset puzzle

testcams 2024-01-21 | The ridiculous puzzles Sony subjects its users to when attempting to reset a password on their PlayMemories site.

How Nikon Zs silent mode slows aperture blades by 3x

testcams 2023-12-23 | Demonstration of how the silent mode on Nikon Z cameras slows down the movement of the aperture blades on native Z lenses in attempts to reduce the sound made by the aperture blades during exposures. IMO this actually makes the sound more noticeable, and worse, slowing the aperture movement limits the continuous shooting rate of Z cameras, sometimes below their rated silent-mode specifications.

Nikon Z mysterious post-exposure aperture behavior

testcams 2023-12-18 | Discussion at dpreview.com/forums/post/67423070. A demonstration of how some Z bodies open the aperture up after every exposure. This is unrelated to the widely-known stopped-down AF aperture behavior in which the camera keeps the aperture at a minimum of f/5.6 and only stops down further during exposures.

Nikon Z AF-S Continuous focus resampling demonstration

testcams 2023-12-16 | Demonstration of how Nikon's AF-S focus mode on Z cameras doesn't actually focus just once and stop but instead continuously resamples focus of the target, akin to AF-C, likely as a measure to correct any potential lens movement imprecision or variance, in addition to other possible reasons. This behavior isn't unique to Nikon cameras - this "open loop" method of focus has been documented before, the seminal work being from a Dpreview member named WilbaW in his article "Busted! The Myth of Open-loop Phase-detection Autofocus", which can be read at dpreview.com/articles/5402438893/busted-the-myth-of-open-loop-phase-detection-autofocus

ZStacker - Nikon Z Automated Focus Stacker, Proof-Of-Concept

testcams 2023-12-02 | Details here: dpreview.com/forums/post/67394654

Quick demonstration of automating the creation of focus stacks on Nikon Z bodies by allowing the user to set both the starting point (nearest focus) and ending point (furthest focus) visually in the camera, in contrast to the in-camera implementation where the user can only set the starting point, with the ending focus (furthest) determined by trial and error via the "number of shots" setting. This POC is implemented in a Bash script and uses gphoto2 to control the camera remotely over USB, although it would work over a WiFi MTP connection as well. The presentation ends with the stacked images imported into Helicon Focus.

Focus and Recompose Demonstration

testcams 2019-10-20 | Quick animation showing how focusing and recomposing can yield out-of-focus images due to the shifting of the focus plane.

Sony A7r IV USB-C Image Transfer Performance

testcams 2019-09-29 | Quick test demonstrating the USB 3.x USB-C desktop image transfer speeds for the Sony A7r IV.

Here are the results:

The camera transferred 585 MB of raw images in 25.58 seconds, which is 22.90 MB/s.

Sony A7r IV Imaging Edge Remote Image WiFi Transfer Performance

testcams 2019-09-29 | Quick test demonstrating the 5Ghz WiFI transfer speeds for images from the Sony A7r IV when using Sony's Imaging Edge Remote application. I tested with both Remote Live View enabled and disabled.

Here are the results:

With Remote Live View enabled the A7r IV transferred a 117 MB uncompressed raw in 33.97 seconds, which is 3.44 MB/s.

With Remote Live View disabled the A7r IV transferred a 117 MB uncompressed raw in 23.00 seconds, which is 5.09 MB/s.

XferMax X8 Review and Users Guide

testcams 2019-09-14 | My review and user guide of the XferMax X8, a portable media card backup device. Note that the moiré on the XferMax screen is an artifact of the video - I had to choose between capturing sharp and readable text, which comes with moiré, vs slightly defocusing the lens to eliminate the moiré but at the expense of readability.

0:00 - Introduction and Overview
1:28 - Accessories you'll need to purchase (Batteries, USB charger, SSD)
2:14 - Major issue with certain USB power adapters
4:44 - Installing the internal SSD
6:04 - Ergonomics
7:10 - Full Backup
11:18 - Performance
12:43 - Battery Life
13:13 - Thermals
13:46 - Incremental Backup
14:10 - Time Backup
14:38 - Dual Backup
16:08 - Sync
16:51 - Files Browser
20:25 - Transferring files to your Desktop/Computer
20:58 - WiFi transfers to iOS devices
21:30 - Recovery Feature
22:10 - Settings
24:35 - Summary and Conclusion

Tethering an iPad to review images from cameras in real-time

testcams 2019-06-14 | Demonstration of using a tethered iPad to serve as a secondary, larger display for reviewing images shot from your camera in real-time. I also demonstrate iOS 13's new voice command features, which allows you to navigate through the tethering session with your voice.

Using an iPad and iOS 13 to backup media cards

testcams 2019-06-11 | Demonstration of using the new external storage support in iOS 13 to copy and backup files between an XQD media card and an external SSD. This setup would be useful for backing up files when shooting away from home. I'm running the first iOS 13 development beta on a 6th Gen iPad 9.7".

Nikon Z6 4K Video: Lake Tahoe Snow, May 2019

testcams 2019-05-26 | Filmed with the Nikon Z6 and 70-300 AF-P FX lens.

Nikon Z6/Z7 Tip: Focus peaking + Exposure Zebras at same time for movie mode

testcams 2019-05-25 | Nikon Z cameras wont allow Exposure Zebras and Focus Peaking to be enabled at the same time (for movie mode). This video describes a tip/hack for doing so. Steps:

1) Disable Focus peaking in Custom Setting Menu \ d Shooting/display \ d10 Peaking highlights
2) Enable Exposure Zebras in Custom Setting Menu \ g Movie \ g6 Highlight Display
3) Re-enable Focus peaking in Custom Setting Menu \ d Shooting/display \ d10 Peaking highlights

Exposure Zebras will be available whenever you're in AF mode (AF-S/AF-C/AF-F)

Focus peaking will be available whenever you're in Manual Focus (MF) mode. Or when you temporarily go into MF mode by turning the lens focus ring to override AF-S/AF-C/AF-F mode

Nikon Z AF Tip: Temporarily locking focus while recording video in AF-F mode

testcams 2019-05-25 | In this video I demonstrate a method for temporarily locking focus while recording a video in Nikon's full-time AF-F focus mode.

Nikon Z Auto Area AF Issue: Not switching to foreground faces

testcams 2019-05-24 | In this video I demonstrate an issue with the Nikon Z's Auto Area AF mode, where it fails to detect/switch to a foreground subject. This has particular implications for Face/Eye detect because by not recognizing and focusing on a foreground subject the camera will fail to recognize foreground faces that enter the frame.

Jared Polin demonstrating this same issue here:
youtube.com/watch?v=gxqa_f6LsQI (at 17m34s into video)

Credits:
Photo of man by Ludvig Wiese on Unsplash

Nikon Z Eye AF Tip: Using touchscreen to quickly switch between faces

testcams 2019-05-23 | In this video I demonstrate how to use the touchscreen instead of the multi-selector to direct the camera to quickly switch between multiple faces in the frame. Normally a touchscreen press in Auto Area AF point engages the Object Tracking mode, which it still does when Face/Eye detection is enabled. However, immediately after engaging Object Tracking the camera will switch to detect the face under the Object Tracking box, cancelling Object Tracking mode and switching to face/eye detection mode.

Note this Object Tracking to Face switching behavior only occurs with the touchscreen. If you instead press the "Ok" button engage Object Tracking then the camera will stay in Object Tracking mode even when a face is detected under the tracking box.

0:00 -Standard Face/Eye Selection Method - Multi-Selector
0:11- Faster method using touchscreen to engage Object Tracking

Correction @ 1:10 - On-screen text reads "Object Tracking without only Face Detection Enabled". It should read "Object Tracking with only Face Detection Enabled".

Credits:
Photo of man by Ludvig Wiese on Unsplash

Nikon Z Eye AF Experimentation: Face Selection Priority

testcams 2019-05-23 | More free-form experimentation to determine what factors affect Nikon Z6/Z7's Eye/Face Detect AF feature. In this video I experiment to determine how the camera decides which face to select when multiple faces are present in the frame

0:00 - Based on distance or last Active AF point?
0:45 - Based on most recent face selected?
1:33 - Based on the face size? (largest or smallest?)

Credits:
Photo of man by Ludvig Wiese on Unsplash

Nikon Z Eye AF Experimentation: Rotation, Size, Tracking, Distortion

testcams 2019-05-22 | More free-form experimentation to determine what factors affect Nikon Z6/Z7's Eye/Face Detect AF feature. In this video I experiment with rotation, face size, tracking movement, and various types of distortion.

0:00 - Rotation
0:54 - Face Size
2:19 - Tracking Movement
2:59 - Distorted (Warp)
5:17 - Distorted (Perspective)

• Red outline means no face or eyes or detected
• Large yellow outline means a face is detected but not eyes
• Small yellow outlines means an eye is detected
• Alternating between a small and large yellow box means the camera is intermittently detecting eyes vs face

Credits:
Photo of man by Ludvig Wiese on Unsplash

Nikon Z Eye AF Experimentation: Exposure, Noise, Color, Blur, Texture

testcams 2019-05-22 | More free-form experimentation to determine what factors affect Nikon Z6/Z7's Eye/Face Detect AF feature. In this video I experiment with exposure, noise, skin color, selective blur, and various skin textures.

0:00 - Exposure/Contrast
2:22 - Noise
3:13 - Skin Color
4:49 - Skin Texture (Selective Blur)
11:01 - Skin Texture (Emboss Filter)
14:01 - Skin Texture (Oil Paint Filter)
15:34 - Skin Texture (Ripple Filter)
16:23 - Skin Texture (Mosaic Filter)

• Red outline means no face or eyes or detected
• Large yellow outline means a face is detected but not eyes
• Small yellow outlines means an eye is detected
• Alternating between a small and large yellow box means the camera is intermittently detecting eyes vs face

Credits:
Photo of man by Ludvig Wiese on Unsplash

Nikon Z Eye AF Experimentation: Focus, Blocked Facial Features, Dog

testcams 2019-05-22 | Some free-form experimentation to determine what facial features the Nikon Z6/Z7's Eye AF feature is using to detect eyes and faces. In this video I experiment with focus, various combinations of blocked facial features, and morphing/dissolving between human and dog faces.

0:00 - Focus/Defocus Detection
0:55 - Blocked Facial Features Detection
7:30 - Human/Dog Morph Detection

• Red outline means no face or eyes or detected
• Large yellow outline means a face is detected but not eyes
• Small yellow outlines means an eye is detected
• Alternating between a small and large yellow box means the camera is intermittently detecting eyes vs face

Credits:
• Photo of man by Ludvig Wiese on Unsplash
• Photo of dog by Alexandru Rotariu from Pexels

Trick to avoid dust during lens changes on Nikon Z6 and Z7 cameras

testcams 2019-02-12 | This video demonstrates a method to close the shutter curtains on Nikon Z cameras during lens changes to avoid dust accumulation while the mount is open, the same as the Canon EOS R camera does automatically.

Steps:
1) Turn the camera off.
2) Remove the XQD card. This isn't essential but a precaution to make sure the camera doesn't attempt to access the card when the battery is pulled in step 4.
3) Turn the camera on and wait a few seconds.
4) Remove the battery. This will trigger the camera to close the shutter curtains.
5) Perform your lens change. Be very careful to not touch the shutter curtains - they're very close to the mount on Z cameras and extremely delicate.
6) Reinsert your XQD card and battery and turn the camera on. You'll immediately see an error message asking you to press the shutter button. This is because the camera does not expect to find the shutter curtains closed at power-up - for orderly shutdowns the Z cameras always leave the shutter curtains open. Simply press the shutter button once to reopen the curtains.

Eliminating Sony Writing to memory card Unable to Operate errors

testcams 2018-02-10 | This video describes a workaround for eliminating "Writing to memory card - Unable to Operate" errors on Sony mirrorless cameras when reviewing images after shooting.

One-time setup:

Set your image "Auto Review" time to a setting other than 'off'. I use 5 seconds.

Shooting behavior change:

After taking a photo, do not half-press the shutter. If you do the camera will immediately return to shooting mode, which will cause the "Writing to memory card" message if you then attempt a playback before the image(s) have finished writing to the card. Instead, press the playback button, which will take you out of "auto review" and into playback mode. There may be a pause/delay after pressing the playback button while the camera writes the most recent photos to your SD card, but you will no longer get the error message. The only scenario in which you'll still get the error message for playback is if you exceed the shooting buffer capacity of the camera.

Precut - Adobe Premiere edits without transcoding

testcams 2017-05-30 | Precut is my free, open-source utility for creating media files from edits in an Adobe Premiere file without transcoding or recompression. Precut works with other NLEs as well - it only requires that your NLE support exporting to a FCP7 XML file (Final Cut Pro 7). Precut runs on Windows, OSX, and Linux.

0:00 - Introduction
1:26 - Create sample Premiere Sequence
2:48 - Precut app tutorial
7:13 - Precut app execution
8:25 - Viewing Precut output in Premiere

http://www.testcams.com/precut

Joe McNally at 2017 CES for Nikon

testcams 2017-01-06 | Joe McNally giving one of his animated and entertaining presentations inside Nikon's booth at the 2017 CES.

airnef - realtime download demo

testcams 2015-10-11 | A demonstration of the realtime download and downloadexec features new to Airnef version 1.1. You can watch the original Airnef video at youtu.be/Lro2sSHqP68

Airnef is a free, open-source utility for wirelessly downloading images and videos from your WiFi-equipped Nikon and Canon cameras. airnef runs on the Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux operating systems. Go to http://www.testcams.com/airnef for more information and download links.

Here's a full list of the new features in version 1.1:
* Realtime downloads - transfer images from your camera as you shoot them
* Sony camera support
* Renaming engine - allows you to customize the names of directories and files for images you download
* Download exec feature - optionally launch your favorite image viewing or editing application for each file downloaded
* Fixed support for the Nikon J5 and P900

airnef - Wireless image and movie downloads for Nikon cameras!

testcams 2015-09-16 | Airnef is a free, open-source utility for wirelessly downloading images and videos from your WiFi-equipped Nikon and Canon cameras. airnef runs on the Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux operating systems. Go to http://www.testcams.com/airnef for more information and download links.

Sections:
00:00 - Introduction
00:45 - Selecting basic method for choosing which images to download
00:56 - Selecting images in the camera for download
02:14 - Configuring Windows to automatically switch to your camera's network
03:07 - What happens after clicking 'Start Download' for images selected in the camera
03:55 - Transfer Report after downloads have completed
04:37 - Select images on the computer for download
06:02 - Automatically skipping files you've already downloaded
07:30 - Previewing which files will be downloaded based on selected criteria
08:06 - Using verbose logging to see information about skipped files
08:32 - Fault tolerance and automatic recovery from failed connections
10:40 - Conclusion

Articles about Airnef:
http://www.dslrbodies.com/accessories/software-for-nikon-dslrs/software-news/finally-desktop-wifi.html

Nikon 2015 CES: Joe McNally and Ron Magill

testcams 2015-01-07 | Presentations from photographers Joe McNally and Ron Magill in Nikon's booth at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show. Filmed with a D750 @ 24p 1/50 f/8 24p ISO 3200.

Las Vegas New Years Fireworks 2015

testcams 2015-01-01 | Filmed with a Nikon D750 and 70-200mm f/4 VR @ f/4 1/25 ISO 3200 24fps. Music is "Grass" by Silent Partner.

D800 vs D810 vs D750 High ISO Video comparison

testcams 2014-12-16 | High ISO video comparison between the D800, D810, and D750. All used a Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 ZF.1, "Standard" picture profile, 108024p, "High" Movie Quality , "Normal" High ISO NR . Focus is on the lettering of the Tamron box. All cameras were mounted the same distance to the target but the D750 framed wider; this is because the D750's FX video mode crops less of the sensor vs the D800/D810. Here is the sensor area used for FX movies on the three bodies (vs the full sensor size of 35.9x24mm):

D800: 32.8 x 18.4mm (1.0945 horizontal x 1.304 vertical crop)
D810: 32.8 x 18.4mm (1.0945 horizontal x 1.304 vertical crop)
D750: 35.9 x 20.2mm (1.0000 horizontal x 1.188 vertical crop)

Here are the exposure settings for each ISO tested in the video:

ISO 3200 = f/2 1/50
ISO 6400 = f/2.8 1/50
ISO 12,800 = f/4 1/50
ISO 25,600 = f/5.6 1/50
ISO 51,200 = f/8 1/50 (D800 shot ISO 25,600 and pushed 1EV in post)

Sony A7 Series Manual Focus Comparison

testcams 2014-07-31 | The Sony A7r, A7, and A7s have varying levels of maximum magnification for manual focusing, based on their different megapixel counts. This video demonstrates how the magnification level affects the ease at which a subject can be manually focused. Shot with a Voigtlander 40mm Ultron II lens (Nikon mount) @ f/2.8 at a subject distance of 9 1/2 feet. Live View output was captured over HDMI with a HyperDeck Shuttle 2, using the Apple ProRes 422 codec.

DotTune coming to Magic Lantern!

testcams 2013-02-23 | The guys over at Magic Lantern have developed an automated version of DotTune! This video demonstrates their first alpha implementaiton. All that's required of you is to set up an Autofocus target and establish critical focus of the target in Live View and Magic Lantern will take care of the rest, performing an automated scan of all possible AF tune values to find the optimal value that yields the most consistent focus, then saving that final value in your camera when done.

When Magic Lantern releases this feature in their next official build it should be compatible with all tunable Canon DSLRs bodies that Magic Lantern supports.