Nikon’s Z9 will get 8K 60p RAW video and extra by the use of a big firmware replace | Engadget-MyCyberBase

Nikon has launched the firmware 2.0 replace for its flagship mirrorless Z9 digital camera that provides it vital new video powers together with 8.3K 60p RAW. It additionally provides advantages to photographers with autofocus and EVF improvements along side a brand new function that pre-captures pictures prior to you hit the shutter button. 

The 45-megapixel Z9 used to be already a formidable mirrorless digital camera for video, however the brand new improvements put it forward of all opponents, together with Sony’s A1 and Canon’s EOS R5, a minimum of at the spec sheet. The largest replace is the addition of 12-bit RAW video at as much as 8.3K 60p the use of Nikon’s new RAW video layout referred to as N-RAW, along side 12-bit ProRes RAW HQ seize at as much as 4.1K 60p.

N-RAW “information a limiteless quantity of scene data, but is a considerably smaller report measurement, bearing in mind a lot more recording time and [a] much less extensive workflow,” Nikon wrote in a press unencumber. The recordsdata soak up about part the distance of identical ProRes RAW HQ recordsdata (ProRes RAW HQ 12-bit, 4K 24p video has a knowledge price of 80-140 MB/s). On the identical time, they comprise a considerable amount of element and as much as 68 billion colours, one thing that is very useful for VFX, modifying and colour correction.

An organization referred to as IntoPix in the past mentioned that Nikon could be the use of its TicoRAW generation for RAW video. When the firmware is launched, N-RAW will probably be supported on DaVinci Unravel and Edius, however no longer Premiere Professional, Ultimate Lower Professional or different modifying apps. 

On most sensible of 8.3K 60p, the Z9 can seize N-RAW 4.1K 120p, 60p, 30p and 24p (plus identical PAL codecs) in complete body FX mode, 5.3K 60p, 30p and 24p with a 1.5X crop and three.8K 120p with a 2.3X crop. It additionally creates an MP4 proxy report, bearing in mind “previews, fast transfers or edits at the fly,” in step with Nikon. 

Should you’d fairly shoot ProRes RAW HQ, 8K is not an possibility as seize is proscribed to 4.1K 60p, even though crop choices are to be had. Nikon has additionally offered an “prolonged oversampling mode” handing over 2:1 oversampled 4K 60fps pictures from an 8K seize. That surroundings calls for an excessively speedy CFexpress card, restricted to ProGrade’s Cobalt 650GB or 325GB reminiscence playing cards. Nikon additionally introduced its personal CFexpress card lately, the 660GB MC-CF660G, arriving in June 2022 with as much as 1700 MB/s and 1500 MB/s learn/write speeds.

Video operation may be stepped forward with a number of new options. Essentially the most asked is the addition of a waveform show that a great deal is helping visualize publicity, specifically with in log modes. You’ll additionally put a purple body across the show all over recording and modify the magnification. Different options come with finer ISO increments for smoother transitions and a “Speedy AF On” serve as that allows you to temporarily exchange the AF pace with out diving into menus — any other much-asked-for surroundings.

At the images facet, the Z9 now has a pre-buffer possibility for JPEGs simplest, at 30fps complete answer and 11-megapixel 120 fps modes. It captures buffered photographs when the shutter button is part press pressed, maintaining as much as a 2d of pictures while you totally press it. It additionally keeps as much as 4 seconds afterwards. 

In the meantime, Nikon boosted the EVF’s refresh price to a smoother 120 fps, bringing it consistent with opponents like Sony and Canon — even though enabling the surroundings will cut back battery lifestyles. It additionally added customized Extensive AF zones, letting you choose which portions of your scene are energetic and create two user-defined zones. That approach, you’ll be able to stay the AF and matter monitoring in an outlined space to enhance center of attention reliability. 

The replace is without doubt one of the maximum spectacular I have noticed and considerably improves the $5,500 Z9’s capability and desirability. Options like MP4 proxies are most often simplest noticed on professional video cameras. Alternatively, Nikon has not anything to lose via making the Z9 a limit-free video powerhouse, as a result of not like Sony and Canon, it has no skilled video lineup to cannibalize. The firmware 2.0 improve will probably be to be had to obtain totally free beginning on April 20, 2022 at Nikon’s website online.