why does Z5II chose these settings?

mesija said:

I shoot aperture priority, auto iso with minimum shutter speed.

There are 3 shoots where camera choose 1/8000 of a second shutter speed with high iso in bright daylight.

Upon playback I confirmed I have correct settings in the menu, and in the 4th image camera choose settings as I would expect, ISO lowest possible to maintain minimum shutter speed.

I didn't change any settings, I've only opened auto iso settings menu.

I can't explain 1/8000 high iso shoots...

Any ideas?

Click to expand...

When you choose auto ISO, there is still a minimum ISO setting, and the auto ISO will not drop below that ISO. There is also a maximum auto ISO and a minimum shutter speed for auto ISO.

By any chance that the control ring on your lens is unintentionally changing the ISO setting? Clearly I am merely guessing, as I have no access to your setup.

Is it possible that Minimum Shutter Speed in the ISO sensitivity settings was set to 1/8000?

Per Nikon's manual

"Shutter speeds may drop below the selected minimum if optimal exposure cannot be achieved at the ISO sensitivity chosen for [Maximum sensitivity]."

But also, look at other settings.

And what was the starting ISO value set to? Was it higher than base ISO (100)? If so, say if you set ISO to 400 and enabled Auto ISO, then the camera will start with that value (400) and adjust shutter speed up to get an optimal exposure before dropping the ISO.

That might explain why fourth image used a slower shutter speed if Auto ISO was enabled and ISO was set to 100. Or maybe Auto ISO was not enabled for the fourth image and ISO was set to 100 by you.

I can replicate with my cameras in bright conditions the same behavior you are seeing by putting camera in Aperture priority, setting ISO to a higher value than base, and turning on Auto ISO.

I just did an experiment - The sun is bright, the sky is clear and I went in front of my house where there is a almost white concrete driveway with a silver and a white vehicle in front. It is very bright and there are a lot of reflections off of the vehicles.

ISO sensitivity settings so that Maximum Sensitivity is set to ISO 6400, Minimum Shutter Speed is set to Auto. ISO is set to 400. Auto ISO is on. Lens aperture is set at f/4.

When I point the focus sensor at the white vehicle the camera picks a shutter speed of 1/8000 and ISO of 400 (it didnt change ISO). For the same scene, If I set ISO manually to 100 and leave Auto ISO on the camera picks a shutter speed of 1/2000 and ISO of 100, which is what I would expect. If I have set the camera to ISO 400, auto ISO on, and change the aperture to f/2 then then the camera drops the ISO to 100 with a shutter speed of 1/8000 which again is what I would expect given that I have opened up the aperture by two stops

If I close the aperture down to f/5.6, f/8 etc the shutter speed drops as expected.

You also have some exposure compensation dialed so you are adding EC to multiple camera automagic adjustments (shutter speed and ISO Auto) .

--
If cameras and lenses can have autofocus then why can't I?

mesija said:

I shoot aperture priority, auto iso with minimum shutter speed.

There are 3 shoots where camera choose 1/8000 of a second shutter speed with high iso in bright daylight.

Upon playback I confirmed I have correct settings in the menu, and in the 4th image camera choose settings as I would expect, ISO lowest possible to maintain minimum shutter speed.

I didn't change any settings, I've only opened auto iso settings menu.

I can't explain 1/8000 high iso shoots...

Any ideas?

Click to expand...

Another guess. I use back dial for compensation but it happens to me to hit the ISO button and accidentally turn the dial just after without noticing. It changes the minimal ISO setting and thus the shutter speed, and I ended asking myself why that ISO and why that shutter speed, just as you. So maybe.

I've saved settings to U3 previously that day, so I could recall what my settings were.

ISO was set to 25600 (min shutter speed to 1/200, max iso to 6400), and because conditions were so bright, camera used highest possible shutter speed and as high ISO to try to get to that base ISO.

I still don't know how or when was ISO set that high.

I deliberately turned off control ring on lens, the only thing I have set up on the lens is one custom button for AE lock.

Off topic question - can I setup image playback to have base playback option with exposure info?

Currently I have two playback options, because the one mandatory won't let me display exposure info. It's annoying if I accidentally toggle between options.

mesija said:

I've saved settings to U3 previously that day, so I could recall what my settings were.

ISO was set to 25600 (min shutter speed to 1/200, max iso to 6400), and because conditions were so bright, camera used highest possible shutter speed and as high ISO to try to get to that base ISO.

I still don't know how or when was ISO set that high.

I deliberately turned off control ring on lens, the only thing I have set up on the lens is one custom button for AE lock.

Off topic question - can I setup image playback to have base playback option with exposure info?

Currently I have two playback options, because the one mandatory won't let me display exposure info. It's annoying if I accidentally toggle between options.

Click to expand...

As I'm not sure what would exactly suits you best (histogram, compensation...?), the most simple answer to me is to encourage you to look at d19/d20 custom settings :

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_monitor_shooting_display_248.html

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_viewfinder_shooting_display_249.html

You can even go deeper in customizing each sub setting by using right arrow on the Multi Selector Pad.

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/the_menu_button_21.html#using_the_menus

Any chance you were in "High Speed Frame Capture+"? (C15 or C30)

There's a known bug in these modes where the camera will pick a very high ISO and shutter speed even when the light would permit a lower ISO and shutter speed.

Pierre Lagarde said:

As I'm not sure what would exactly suits you best (histogram, compensation...?), the most simple answer to me is to encourage you to look at d19/d20 custom settings :

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_monitor_shooting_display_248.html

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_viewfinder_shooting_display_249.html

You can even go deeper in customizing each sub setting by using right arrow on the Multi Selector Pad.

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/the_menu_button_21.html#using_the_menus

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've set up shooting display based on your instructions!

My issue is with Playback Display Options.

Main playback photo has file name / size / date / image type.

I've also added focus point info.

For additional photo info I've added basic shooting data and highlights.

What I really want is only one playback photo with basic shooting data (aperture, iso, shutter speed), I don't need File name / size, etc...

Can this be set up?

mesija said:

Pierre Lagarde said:

As I'm not sure what would exactly suits you best (histogram, compensation...?), the most simple answer to me is to encourage you to look at d19/d20 custom settings :

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_monitor_shooting_display_248.html

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_viewfinder_shooting_display_249.html

You can even go deeper in customizing each sub setting by using right arrow on the Multi Selector Pad.

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/the_menu_button_21.html#using_the_menus

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've set up shooting display based on your instructions!

My issue is with Playback Display Options.

Main playback photo has file name / size / date / image type.

I've also added focus point info.

For additional photo info I've added basic shooting data and highlights.

What I really want is only one playback photo with basic shooting data (aperture, iso, shutter speed), I don't need File name / size, etc...

Can this be set up?

Click to expand...

See "Playback Menu/ Playback display options".

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/pbm_playback_display_options_296.html#

mesija said:

I shoot aperture priority, auto iso with minimum shutter speed.

There are 3 shoots where camera choose 1/8000 of a second shutter speed with high iso in bright daylight.

Upon playback I confirmed I have correct settings in the menu, and in the 4th image camera choose settings as I would expect, ISO lowest possible to maintain minimum shutter speed.

I didn't change any settings, I've only opened auto iso settings menu.

I can't explain 1/8000 high iso shoots...

Any ideas?

Click to expand...

I’ve had similar issues with aperture priority with auto ISO. Occasionally the camera will make a strange choice. It”s fixed by turning the camera off then on. Shooting in very variable conditions (eg a very dark scene followed by a very bright one) seems to provoke the strange choices which stick and the reboot resolves the problem. Nowadays I typically use Manual with auto ISO, this works better for me. This is with both Z7ii and Zf.

Pierre Lagarde said:

mesija said:

Pierre Lagarde said:

As I'm not sure what would exactly suits you best (histogram, compensation...?), the most simple answer to me is to encourage you to look at d19/d20 custom settings :

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_monitor_shooting_display_248.html

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/csmd_custom_viewfinder_shooting_display_249.html

You can even go deeper in customizing each sub setting by using right arrow on the Multi Selector Pad.

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/the_menu_button_21.html#using_the_menus

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've set up shooting display based on your instructions!

My issue is with Playback Display Options.

Main playback photo has file name / size / date / image type.

I've also added focus point info.

For additional photo info I've added basic shooting data and highlights.

What I really want is only one playback photo with basic shooting data (aperture, iso, shutter speed), I don't need File name / size, etc...

Can this be set up?

Click to expand...

See "Playback Menu/ Playback display options".

https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/pbm_playback_display_options_296.html#

Click to expand...

Playback has a lot of options and settings. I don't think it's described very well in the manual.

Z6 iii Playback (Image Review) display choices. So many possible displays to cycle through! Updated Aug 2025.

To operate Playback, pressing the DISP button cycles to the next review display. Or use the up/down 4-way arrows to cycle through the displays, in either direction.

~~

Settings:

Menu button --> Playback menu -->Playback display options

I turned on many of the options in Playback:

[ ] = off, [x]= checkmark, on.

[ ]Focus point -- show the red focus box in the scene. I like this, but it is distracting to me.

[x] Mark first shot in series. Continuous bursts get a count of shots, and it's easy to jump to the next burst set: Use the joystick left-right to skip to the next or previous burst. joystick up/down steps through every frame. Single frames are "bursts" of 001 with this turned on. I like this! And each burst set is a single thumbnail when zoomed out! Very useful and efficient.

~~

Display views:

....it appears that there is a stock view that can't be turned off, this gets the "first shot in series" icon, and it shows which card has this image. One row of basic shooting data at the bottom. A bit confusing when I was playing with the display settings.

And these checkmarks below are each separate views! if you checkmark all of them, there's 6 different views, with the "shooting data" also having up to 5 or more screens of data.

[ ] exposure info -- I think this is a simplified one row of exposure data at the bottom.

[x] highlights -- this shows the overexposure blinkies, and the scene is shrunk a little so that the exposure data is on the view edges, outside the scene. I use this view most of the time.

[ ] RGB histogram -- a small top left quarter of the screen scene view, with the histograms stacked on the right side, and more white balance info at the bottom.

[ ] shooting data -- this is a set of 5 screens of shooting data lists -- I had this turned on since it includes the actual focal length as one of the data rows. Lots of data! It's kind of annoying to cycle through all 5 sets to get to the next display choice. Now I've turned it off again, since the focal length shows on the next view, "overview".

Oh, I see these multiple screens of data numbers can be included or excluded at the bottom section of this playback display settings lists. So it's possible to shorten the number of screens of data info. Maybe I'll revisit this, and enable a subset of all this data.

[x] overview -- the scene only takes up a quarter of the view, like the RGB histogram page, with a large white histogram on the right, and 5 rows of shot data, including the actual focal length.

[x] none--picture only. no distractions!

[ ] file info -- just like "none", with a "6/72" shot 6 of 72 in the camera. and a burst count if that display option is on. Maybe I'll try this instead of None, but I don't want both of these.

~~~

Examples from the Reference guides:

The online guides don't show these example displays. This is clipped from the Z6 iii Reference Manual PDF, page 214. There should be similar pages for any Expeed 7 camera. And as usual, click "Original Size" for a better version of this image.

The (red) "1" view is always included.

I use the the (orange) 3, 6, and 7 views. Press the DISP button to cycle through these, or the up/down 4-way controller to cycle in either direction.

Sounds like a really great reason to not use auto ISO.

Bob A L said:

Sounds like a really great reason to not use auto ISO.

Click to expand...

I used auto ISO very extensively. The OP was not familiar with how auto ISO's various parameters: namely auto ISO works between a minimum ISO and a maximum ISO that you need to specify. It is not like you switch to auto ISO and it is all automatic.

jthomas39 said:

The (red) "1" view is always included.

I use the the (orange) 3, 6, and 7 views. Press the DISP button to cycle through these, or the up/down 4-way controller to cycle in either direction.

Click to expand...

I'm using view 1 and 2.

What I really want is only view 1 with exposure data from view 2.

I don't want to accidentally cycle between views.



Is that possible to configure? I haven't find a way how.

shuncheung said:

Bob A L said:

Sounds like a really great reason to not use auto ISO.

Click to expand...

I used auto ISO very extensively. The OP was not familiar with how auto ISO's various parameters: namely auto ISO works between a minimum ISO and a maximum ISO that you need to specify. It is not like you switch to auto ISO and it is all automatic.

Click to expand...

It failed me couple of times, but it's probably my error.

I agree it's very useful, especially the ability to set up minimum shutter speed based on focal length of the lens...

That's how I would usually shoot, so if I can automate it, why not?

By the sunny f16 rule this shutter speed for this shot should have been should have been about 1/4000 for the ISO 400 setting. However dial in that 0.67 EV setting and a shutter speed of about 1/3400 would be in place. I suspect that the reason 1/8000 was chosen was due to the Sun being in the frame. However I would expect that would produce a darker image than that shown. Thus my question, did you do some editing on the levels of this image? BTW if you did it was the correct thing to do for this image because IMO the balance in this image is spot on Perfect.

As for the rest of your images they do follow the sunny f16 rules. Concerning the higher ISO values set for some of the images this is just an example of why I only use Auto ISO in situations where the light is changing quickly. It's one thing about the Zf that I really like, you have that big dial on the top so you can tweak the ISO at will with the camera at your eye. With my Z50II I find that ISO button a bit too recessed and it's more than twice as long to change an ISO setting.

I will also note that on my Z50II in auto ISO the camera will boost the shutter speed to it's max of 1/4000 second and jack the ISO to whatever value it takes to get that shutter speed with the set aperture value when I mount the 50-250 zoom and have the ISO max set way high. With the 16-50 at 50mm I get much more rational values but with the 50-250 it will shoot the ISO as high as allowed at any focal length setting. BTW when I do use Auto ISO I keep the max set to 3200 and if I see shutter speed getting to low for a specific shot I will manually dial the ISO to a higher setting as needed to get the shutter speed high enough to reduce subject motion blur. Note I have the ISO increments set to 1 stop to allow quicker changes.

Tips here concerning Auto ISO.

1) You can reset the base ISO manually to a higher value than the Max ISO setting. Just turn push that button and turn the ISO to what you need for that shot.

2) Go into Custom Controls and reset the ISO increment (b1) to one stop. I have never understood the need for 1/3 stop increments for the ISO values. This is NOT critical for exposure and a real time waster if you need to override the Base ISO setting.

3) Set your max ISO to a value that you are comfortable with in regards to Noise and Image Detail. Keep in mind that Noise reduction will reduce the Image Detail as you increase the Noise Reduction level. I keep my Max ISO at 3200 because I know that DXO DeepPrime 3 will remove that level of noise without any visible loss of detail in a 100% peep. BTW Nikon NX Studio will also do a great job with ISO 3200 noise.

I'm confused.

How does auto ISO work?

Given I have minimum ISO set to 100, maximum to 6400 and minimum shutter speed to 1/200...

a)

I was under the impression auto ISO will keep ISO on 100, to keep the noise minimum, and will only increase the ISO if lighting conditions don't allow 1/200 shutter speed?

b)

camera is allowed to use any ISO between minimum and maximum ISO and shutter speed equal of higher to minimum shutter speed?

Is auto ISO settings common for all PASM modes?

If I want custom settings I need to use U1-3 modes?

All images are unedited.

On mirror-less bodies you get fairly accurate live representation of final exposure, so I find it's much less of an issue to get exposure you want.

I have permanent +2/3 exposure compensation because I find matrix metering on z5II underexposes for my liking.

Every camera is designed to choose settings that will produce a photo in which the metered area will have a midtone lightness. When delegating one or both exposure settings (f-stop or shutter speed) to the camera, or when delegating ISO to the camera, the setting(s) it chooses will be to produce a photo with a midtone lightness; a lightness corresponding to a reading of 0 on the in-camera meter.

The four photos were made in aperture priority mode plus auto ISO. Shutter speed (a setting that determines exposure) and ISO were both delegated to the camera. All four scenes were backlit. In three of the four photos, the Sun is within or just outside the frame. Strong specular highlights are visible in all four photos.

Also, the camera had an exposure compensation setting of +2/3 stop.

The first photo has the Sun in the frame and bright highlights on the ocean. Given the f/5 aperture and the +0.67 stop EC setting, the camera chose the fastest possible shutter speed to reduce exposure as much as possible and an ISO of 400 in an attempt to produce a photo 0.67 stop brighter than a midtone.

The fourth photo also has the Sun in the frame and bright highlights on the ocean. Given that the Sun is lower and is seen through high, thin clouds, it's not quite as intense. The camera was able to select ISO 100 and pair that with a 1/1000-second shutter speed to produce a photo with a lightness 0.67-stop greater than a midtone.

For some reason, the camera chose very high ISOs for photos two and three. Why, is beyond me. It's almost as if you had switched from auto to manual ISO and dialed in those settings. In the lighting conditions that were present, the camera chose the necessary shutter speeds to produce photos two-thirds stop brighter than a midtone.

mesija said:

I'm confused.

How does auto ISO work?

Given I have minimum ISO set to 100, maximum to 6400 and minimum shutter speed to 1/200...

a)

I was under the impression auto ISO will keep ISO on 100, to keep the noise minimum, and will only increase the ISO if lighting conditions don't allow 1/200 shutter speed?

Click to expand...

Here's a relevant excerpt from the Z5II Reference Guide, "Auto ISO sensitivity control automatically adjusts ISO sensitivity if optimal exposure cannot be achieved at the value selected by the user."

What that means is, when a semi-auto exposure mode (aperture priority or shutter priority) is active, the camera will target use of whichever ISO has been manually selected. For example, suppose you dial in an ISO of 6400 for a photo in a dark room. After going outside, you change from manual to auto ISO and make a photo of a sunlit scene. ISO 6400 is still selected. The camera will do its best, while still working within the parameters you've set, to pair the manually-selected ISO of 6400 with exposure settings that will produce a photo with a midtone lightness.

If you're in aperture priority, it will target using the selected ISO and increase shutter speed accordingly. If you're in shutter priority, the camera will target the selected ISO and open or close the lens to pair with that setting. In either scenario, the camera will endeavor to produce a photo having a midtone lightness. That can be accomplished with a wide range of exposures.

You can confirm this by bringing your Z5II's EVF up to your eye and pressing the ISO button. If it doesn't read, "Auto ISO," rotate the front command dial to put ISO in auto. The display in the EVF will read, "Auto ISO XXXX," with the Xs being the ISO that's been selected as the target. If you press the ISO button again, rotate the rear command dial and watch as the selected ISO changes.

If you want the camera to choose the lowest possible ISO so the exposure it's paired with will be the strongest possible, dial in ISO 100 before or after putting the camera in auto ISO mode. Then, choose your preferred f-stop (aperture priority) or shutter speed (shutter priority).

mesija said:

b)

camera is allowed to use any ISO between minimum and maximum ISO and shutter speed equal of higher to minimum shutter speed?

Click to expand...

It's allowed to use any available ISO but will target use of the ISO that's been dialed in.

mesija said:

Is auto ISO settings common for all PASM modes?

Click to expand...

Yes, you can change between aperture and shutter priority and the auto ISO function will work the same. Of course, if you put the camera in manual plus auto ISO, the camera has no control over the two exposure settings. All it controls is ISO so, that setting will be chosen to pair well with the exposure you've selected.

mesija said:

If I want custom settings I need to use U1-3 modes?

Click to expand...

U1-3 allow you to configure, store and recall three custom configurations. You can also choose any of the available exposure modes (PASM) and customize that configuration. This effectively gives you three custom user configs and a custom exposure mode from which to choose.