For the most part, camera firmware updates are a relatively unexciting affair, mostly bringing bug fixes and minor new features. However, occasionally, manufacturers will introduce major new capabilities via firmware upgrades, and Nikon's latest firmware update for their flagship mirrorless camera, the Z 9, has introduced one of the most exciting features we have seen in years.
Coming to you from Morten Hilmer, this great video shows you the new Auto Capture mode introduced in firmware 4.00 for the Nikon Z 9 mirrorless camera. Auto Capture is exactly what it sounds like: the camera will automatically record photos or videos based on three parameters: specific subject motion, subject distance, and subject type (person, animal, or vehicle). While devices like trail cameras and external accessories have enabled these capabilities before, I have never seen this feature built into a professional camera, and when you consider the powerful autofocus and image quality of the Z 9, it quickly becomes apparent how tremendously useful this could be in a wide variety of scenarios, such as wildlife photographers who do not want to disturb a subject or sports photographers who want to capture multiple angles, to name a few. As a Canon user, I am certainly a bit jealous. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Hilmer.
Are you a proponent of baiting wild animals to get photos? Because that’s exactly what Hilmer did to get his shots, cool new camera features not withstanding. By advertising his video to the FStoppers user base you are propagating and encouraging a highly unethical wildlife photography practice that many professionals are continuously fighting against. You might want to rethink your stance.
Oh please, "highly unethical", yeah ok. Photographer hangs two chicken breasts from a tree on his own land. How dare he! Light the torches, grab the pitch forks!
Are you saying the MILLIONS of people who bait animals to their land daily with bird feeders are equally unethical? What about the millions of tourists who visit national parks? That has a far greater negative impact on animals than the odd photographer baiting for a shot. Should we condemn all of them too? Hunters too. We should jail the lot of them.
Yes, some wildlife photographers are on their high horse about it but lets be realistic here, in the great big scheme of things impacting animals even if every photographer in the world started baiting it wouldn't even be a blip compared to the actual harmful things humans do that impacts the wild world.
Let me guess, you're a Sony A1 user?
you must be fun at parties...
So? He isn't killing the subjects and beautiful photos of wild animal species increases awareness. You are wound way too tight.
There's nothing wrong with baiting, as long as the photographer has researched that the bait being used won't harm the animal, Or better yet, it might even be good for them. There are too many restrictions as it is for photographers. Should we ban guides too, because we did not explore the area ourselves!
Talk about Propagating an unethical Photography practice, Who are these High and Mighty Photographers to set what is unethical or not! That's a bunch of BS!
The ones on the ground, protecting their turf...
I think this auto capture feature is very exciting and will give users the opportunity to get different kinds of shots you can't currently get. Would love to see versions of it released on the other brands and models
This is bad for photography.!
I hate this Auto Capture.!
It will be different story if my brand implement it in my camera.
I'm so excited to talk about this new exciting thing that I'll spend over half of this video explaining how excited I am. Gosh, it's so exciting! Did you see that? How excited I am? Really, I'm very excited.
Time to ditch that Canon then.
Baiting animals to photograph is not wildlife photography. It’s just not. No judgement one way or the other. Also your telling the rest of the planet( half million subscribers) to bait all these animals with who knows what kind of food.