Nikon Z5 II - Setup

I have written down what I learned so far about my new Z5 II. Maybe it is useful for some of you.

https://rgr-photography.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-nikon-z5-ii-setup.html

It is a work in progress, however.

On my Z6 iii, the a20: custom monitor shooting display was kind of confusing, since it was different and way more flexible than my old Z6's method.

I wrote up a long post for the DISP options. So many options!

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4812404#forum-post-68387766

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I really like the virtual horizon "a18: Virtual horizon type=B" and have it turned on in most of my display views. It's a thin line with tick marks and a center mark. The offset tick marks show the direction to tilt the camera to get to level. The line turns green when it's exactly level, so I can spot it out of the corner of my eye when composing the scene. I like that I can use the horizontal line to fix left-right tilt, even though I'm pitching the camera up or down a little, for composition reasons.

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Blink the DX!

The DX icon can be set to blink in the view, to remind me I'm in DX. (But I still forget that I'm in DX occasionally).

(I had to look this up -- where is it! Oh, here it is, I never would have guessed.)

Menu --> Shooting menu --> Image area -->DX crop alert = ON.



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Handing to casual users since I use the AF-On=Only setting:

I have U3 for "action shooting". It's just two clicks of the mode dial from my usual Aperture mode, so I can switch without looking at the dial. 1/1000 shutter, Shutter priority, etc, etc.

I have U1 for "hand to a new person, simplified controls". For those group shots, etc.

A simple data display view, Program mode, Wide area-large, Auto ISO, Single frame release. Half press shutter focusing. Easy!

Still thinking about what to use U2 for.

Alternate AF-On button, also used for 3D handoff:

On my Z6 iii. Your Z5 ii should work similarly.

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I use AF-On=only. (My half press shutter locks exposure only, the default. I use this lock on difficult lighting scenes.)

The AF-On button is normal, no overrides. I typically shoot AF-C, Wide Area small + subject detect.

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AF-On and DISP are both autofocus:

in the Custom Controls Shooting menu, I reassigned the DISP button and the joystick center press:

DISP button=AF-area mode+AF-On. This setting has a right arrow to select from the list of area modes. I selected 3D-tracking. This will also use whatever Subject Detect mode is enabled for the AF-On.

Sub-selector center=DISP.

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Hand off:

I hold Af-On, and when the subject is detected, I can let go, then press the DISP button. This is easy to do by feel. I think I need to press the DISP button within about 1/2 to 1 second to hand off the subject. Now it tracks all over the scene.

3D only:

If I just press the DISP button, not the AF-On, it's in 3D tracking mode. Before pressing DISP, I center the desired 3D subject in the center of the AF-On's current AF box. That's usually in the center of the scene, but if I had moved the AF box with the joystick, that's where the 3D box will appear.

Hold the DISP button, and the 3D tracking box appears and starts tracking. Stop holding the button, and the 3D resets for a possible new subject-- good.

I like this 3D only for tracking focus on landscape subjects too. I can track that focus and recompose the scene, and even move around while keeping focus. Nice! Of course, this only works in AF-C. If I'm using AF-S, the DISP button just matches the AF-On focus method. (I think that's new with the Z6 iii, maybe the Zf or Z8 revert to auto area?)

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Display modes

I don't switch Display modes very often, so the joystick press works fine for me.

Even with the Display modes on the joystick, when I do Image Review, that uses the DISP button anyway. I got used to this difference quite quickly.

Thanks for adding those.

Thank you

thanks, that sounds like a good button setting. (I'm still experimenting on my z6iii)

Rene Gr said:

I have written down what I learned so far about my new Z5 II. Maybe it is useful for some of you.

https://rgr-photography.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-nikon-z5-ii-setup.html

It is a work in progress, however.

Click to expand...

One thing you might want to add in your write up under the User Modes is remind people that the camera remembers not only the basic exposure and AF settings, but other settings in the menus. Plus it also remembers (and resets to) the shooting mode you used to create the User Mode and this cannot be changed (you would have to re-create the user mode or modify it and resave it). Just some things that are may not very obvious to new users.