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Z8 Wife Mode

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Radu Tenenbaum

Radu Tenenbaum

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I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
 
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
P mode, 3D AF with no subject detect or single point. Tell her to put square over what she wants a picture of and press shutter. If she can handle a little finessing of that, turn on auto subject recognition within wide small AF with a 3D or single point override in an Fn button.
 
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
perhaps set it to P and let the camera decide the exposure, and don't set the back button AF-ON.
 
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
Mine is a Z50ii with a 28-400mm lens. She takes it everywhere. Generally it’s on P mode.

She won’t even pick up my Z8, especially if my 180-600 is attached. She just laughs at me if I ever suggest it.
 
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It took my wife about a year to get back button focusing. Even so, she sticks to her iPhone 90% of the time.
 
PLShutterbug said:
She won’t even pick up my Z8, especially if my 180-600 is attached. She just laughs at me if I ever suggest it.
Click to expand...
I've got a 180-600 on the way. Now way is she going to be interested in picking that up.
 
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
And this is why I believe that Nikon should have the User modes rather than Banks. In fact, I'll go one step further, I wouldn't mind if my pro spec Z8 and Z9 had those "lowly "amateur" modes on a separate dial. Let me explain:

There is really nothing wrong with those "amateur" symbolled modes like "Landscape", "Portrait", "Sport", "Macro" etc. modes that are often found on those "lesser" model cameras as they set the camera parameters to what are essentially "User" modes as found on the likes of the Z7/Z7II etc. A starting point to where you want to be for a specific task and a quick way to get there.

In "User" modes, we essentially set the camera up to do exactly what the "amateur" modes set for us as well. We may set up User 1 to be "Landscape" but unfortunately you have to remember what you set up User 1 to be and yet those "lowly" amateur modes have it there as a symbol on your camera - no need to remember! The parameters for "Landscape" would be probably f8 and 1/125sec and the AF point set to somewhere to focus at the right distance for the particular focal length which is even better. You can of course adjust any of these parameters to suit the particular scene, but when you go out of that User mode and come back, it is set to the normal parameters - you know where you are again, the standard staring point. Banks keep your changes which may not be what you want as a standard setting.

For me, it wouldn't bother me if our pro spec Z8/Z9 had these "amateur" modes as a dial and get to know them as they are a great starting point for what you are going to use anyway. You know what they parameters are and a minor adjustment when in there gets to what you may require.

In this case, you set the mode to what you think your wife will require. In fact, I am sure she could easily operate the camera with little input from you if these modes were available.
 
I don't get Nikon's decision to not make bank settings persistent. At least give us the option; a bank menu item to turn persistence on or off.
 
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I don't get Nikon's decision to not make bank settings persistent. At least give us the option; a bank menu item to turn persistence on or off.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Being able to make it permanent should be an option and I have no idea why it can't be implemented. It really defies logic.

As for User modes, it could be an "i" Menu item instead of a dedicated dial which would take up room on a camera which we don't have. You would then go into "i"Menu, then have an icon for say "User Mode" and then once in "User Mode" there would be icons or headings labelled "Landscape", "Sport", "Bird in Flight", Bird Perched", "Portrait". You set these up how you like. The other option would be to use a Function button to jump straight into the "User Mode" on the rear LCD and VF and then select from the list as required.
 
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
She has no interest in settings or she has no interest in using your camera? If she has expressed interest and desires to remedy the knowledge gap it is one thing, but if there is no interest in learning about the settings or in using the gear she is best served with her iPhone. “Wife mode” is of little value for shooters of any gender if there is no shared interest in the pursuit.

I have absolutely no interest in opera. Shortening the performance and translating the Italian to English is not going to change that.
 
egk4260 said:
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
She has no interest in settings or she has no interest in using your camera? If she has expressed interest and desires to remedy the knowledge gap it is one thing, but if there is no interest in learning about the settings or in using the gear she is best served with her iPhone. “Wife mode” is of little value for shooters of any gender if there is no shared interest in the pursuit.

I have absolutely no interest in opera. Shortening the performance and translating the Italian to English is not going to change that.
Click to expand...
One cannot take a reasonable picture of a bird a long ways away with a phone camera, but can with a camera with a telephoto lens. The Z50ii with the 28-400, or the Z8 with the 100-400, will. For those who understand this and are willing to accommodate the size and weight, but have no interest in going through a long learning curve to learn the details of great photography, an easy-to-use mode allows them to get the result without the learning.

My wife is a great example. She shoots pictures with her kit she could not get with her phone, but she wants it easy. P mode provides that. She wants the result and understands some compromises must be made (use a bigger, heavier tool) but wants it to be as simple as possible.
 
I agree with you, but you are describing someone who is interested in using the gear, understands situations where it is of value, and may benefit from simplified settings to assist on a learning curve. If one has no interest however it seems an exercise in futility. Hence my question, lack of interest or lack of knowledge?
 
Lance B said:
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
And this is why I believe that Nikon should have the User modes rather than Banks. In fact, I'll go one step further, I wouldn't mind if my pro spec Z8 and Z9 had those "lowly "amateur" modes on a separate dial. Let me explain:

There is really nothing wrong with those "amateur" symbolled modes like "Landscape", "Portrait", "Sport", "Macro" etc. modes that are often found on those "lesser" model cameras as they set the camera parameters to what are essentially "User" modes as found on the likes of the Z7/Z7II etc. A starting point to where you want to be for a specific task and a quick way to get there.

In "User" modes, we essentially set the camera up to do exactly what the "amateur" modes set for us as well. We may set up User 1 to be "Landscape" but unfortunately you have to remember what you set up User 1 to be and yet those "lowly" amateur modes have it there as a symbol on your camera - no need to remember! The parameters for "Landscape" would be probably f8 and 1/125sec and the AF point set to somewhere to focus at the right distance for the particular focal length which is even better. You can of course adjust any of these parameters to suit the particular scene, but when you go out of that User mode and come back, it is set to the normal parameters - you know where you are again, the standard staring point. Banks keep your changes which may not be what you want as a standard setting.

For me, it wouldn't bother me if our pro spec Z8/Z9 had these "amateur" modes as a dial and get to know them as they are a great starting point for what you are going to use anyway. You know what they parameters are and a minor adjustment when in there gets to what you may require.

In this case, you set the mode to what you think your wife will require. In fact, I am sure she could easily operate the camera with little input from you if these modes were available.
Click to expand...
Conversely if, from your starting point, you want to switch shooting modes you can't. If you make changes, from your starting point, for the shooting you are doing, then need to use a different bank, even for a second, you have to enter them all again when you switch back.

I know some people love them but the stated reason banks came back to the Z9, was the result of pro user feedback on the Z6/Z7 bodies. I expect they thought, if you can't please everyone probably best to please your target audience. I would also like to see an option for "Sticky/Persistent" and linked banks - not that I would use them but at least it would cover more bases for those who don't get them.

When I last saw anyone asked, they said maybe but with minor options, that make major changes, they get a disproportionate number of support issues. I suspect that it's not a big deal given it's trivial to revert them back to last saved, in a couple of seconds.
 
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egk4260 said:
I agree with you, but you are describing someone who is interested in using the gear, understands situations where it is of value, and may benefit from simplified settings to assist on a learning curve. If one has no interest however it seems an exercise in futility. Hence my question, lack of interest or lack of knowledge?
Click to expand...
No, sorry I wasn't clear.

MY wife (not the OP's, obviously ...) is interested in the result, nice bird photos, not the gear. My wife would be happier if she could get similar results from her phone as what she can lugging around the Z50ii/28-400. But she realizes she can't, because whenever she tries she is disappointed with the fuzzy, low-res images she gets with her phone. So ... to get the result of acceptable bird photos she is willing to put up with just so much tech - but she isn't at all interested in learning the intricacies of technical photographic technique. Give her a long lens and Program mode and she's happy.

So ... this is nothing about learning curve. I've suggested many, many, many times in our 44 years together that I could teach her how to better use whatever camera was around her neck, and she has no interest. She just wants the result of an acceptable photo - "acceptable" being her standard, not a professional or advanced amateur's standard.

I think it's a reasonable assumption that the OP's spouse is similar.
 
Partner mode or buddy mode. In my experience, it isn't limited to wives. There are husbands like this, too.
 
I second the I-menu option. It can be implemented with firmware, and thus be the same on every Z model. Allowing the settings to be labeled makes it even more attractive - “Landscape”, ‘Kids Play”, “Picture of Us (I.e. handing the camera to a stranger)” etc.
 
AstigmaticOwl said:
Partner mode or buddy mode. In my experience, it isn't limited to wives. There are husbands like this, too.
Click to expand...
I guess I could have titled the OP more inclusively, but in this instance it was about my wife.
 
Vince P said:
Lance B said:
Radu Tenenbaum said:
I'd like to set up a bank for my wife who has no knowledge or interest in all the various settings and associated options offered on the Z8. So what are your settings for point and shoot functionality, or should I just have her stick to the iPhone?
Click to expand...
And this is why I believe that Nikon should have the User modes rather than Banks. In fact, I'll go one step further, I wouldn't mind if my pro spec Z8 and Z9 had those "lowly "amateur" modes on a separate dial. Let me explain:

There is really nothing wrong with those "amateur" symbolled modes like "Landscape", "Portrait", "Sport", "Macro" etc. modes that are often found on those "lesser" model cameras as they set the camera parameters to what are essentially "User" modes as found on the likes of the Z7/Z7II etc. A starting point to where you want to be for a specific task and a quick way to get there.

In "User" modes, we essentially set the camera up to do exactly what the "amateur" modes set for us as well. We may set up User 1 to be "Landscape" but unfortunately you have to remember what you set up User 1 to be and yet those "lowly" amateur modes have it there as a symbol on your camera - no need to remember! The parameters for "Landscape" would be probably f8 and 1/125sec and the AF point set to somewhere to focus at the right distance for the particular focal length which is even better. You can of course adjust any of these parameters to suit the particular scene, but when you go out of that User mode and come back, it is set to the normal parameters - you know where you are again, the standard staring point. Banks keep your changes which may not be what you want as a standard setting.

For me, it wouldn't bother me if our pro spec Z8/Z9 had these "amateur" modes as a dial and get to know them as they are a great starting point for what you are going to use anyway. You know what they parameters are and a minor adjustment when in there gets to what you may require.

In this case, you set the mode to what you think your wife will require. In fact, I am sure she could easily operate the camera with little input from you if these modes were available.
Click to expand...
Conversely if, from your starting point, you want to switch shooting modes you can't. If you make changes, from your starting point, for the shooting you are doing, then need to use a different bank, even for a second, you have to enter them all again when you switch back.

I know some people love them but the stated reason banks came back to the Z9, was the result of pro user feedback on the Z6/Z7 bodies.
Click to expand...
They didn't come back to the Z9, it was always going to be Banks in pro spec cameras like the Z8 and Z9, as it has always been. The D800/E, D810, D850 and D3, D4, D5, D6 had Banks. Lower "amateur" cameras like the D750 etc had "Scene" modes or User modes. The D750 had a selection on the left top dial for "Scene", which then brought up a menu of 16 scene modes like Portrait, Landscape, Macro etc. This is exactly what I was suggesting could be incorporated into a future Z9II as well as Banks, not instead of.
Vince P said:
I expect they thought, if you can't please everyone probably best to please your target audience. I would also like to see an option for "Sticky/Persistent" and linked banks - not that I would use them but at least it would cover more bases for those who don't get them.
Click to expand...
When in a User mode, you can alter any parameter, but when you jump out, it reverts back to the saved option. You have your starting point where you know what the parameters are, the normal starting point for that User mode.

If in Banks and you alter something, it stays there and the next time you go into it your starting point has altered which means you then have to remember what was altered if it is not readily shown what that alteration was.

Both can be implemented.
Vince P said:
When I last saw anyone asked, they said maybe but with minor options, that make major changes, they get a disproportionate number of support issues. I suspect that it's not a big deal given it's trivial to revert them back to last saved, in a couple of seconds.
Click to expand...
It's quite simple. As I stated above, you can have both Banks and you can have User modes. There is no reason both can't be used. The idea that you must have one or the other is quite absurd.
 
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