Technical Solutions | Z 7II/Z 6II TIPS

Basic Settings for Landscape Photography

The following are the recommended settings for photographing landscapes:

Photo shooting menu
Focus mode Single AF
AF-area mode Single-point AF
Diffraction compensation On
Vibration reduction • Hand-held photography: Normal
• Tripod photography: Off 1
Silent photography On
Custom Settings menu
a6 AF activation Shutter/AF-ON
a10 Low-light AF On
d4 Exposure delay mode 1 s 2
Other settings
Release mode Single frame
Monitor mode Monitor only

1. Settings for lenses with on-board vibration reduction vary with the lens (see this section).

2. We recommend that, where available, an optional remote control be used in place of [Exposure delay mode].

Focus Mode: Choose "Single AF" (AF‑S) and "Single-Point AF"!

Choose [Single AF] (AF‑S) for [Focus mode] and select [Single-point AF] for [AF-area mode]. This is the standard combination of settings for landscapes and other static subjects: focus will lock once you have chosen a focus point and pressed the shutter-release button halfway.

Vibration Reduction: Choose "Normal" for Hand-Held Photography!

Choose a vibration reduction option according to whether the camera is mounted on a tripod. [Normal], which offers a comparatively high level of vibration reduction, is recommended for hand-held shots of static subjects. Note that if an F mount lens with a vibration reduction switch is attached via an optional FTZ mount adapter, the [Vibration reduction] item in the camera menus will be grayed out and unavailable, and vibration reduction options will instead have to be selected using the switch.

Tripod Photography

The recommended settings for tripod photography vary with the lens:

Z mount lenses:

Choose [Normal] for lenses with on-board vibration reduction, [Off] for other lenses.

F mount lenses:

If you are using one of the lenses listed below, slide the lens vibration reduction switch to "NORMAL". Users of other lenses should consult the lens manual.

  • AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20 mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
  • AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
  • AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300 mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR
  • AF-P NIKKOR 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR
  • AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80 mm f/2.8-4E ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 24-70 mm f/2.8E ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 70-200 mm f/2.8E FL ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 120-300 mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 180-400 mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 200-500 mm f/5.6E ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 500 mm f/4E FL ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 500 mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
  • AF-S NIKKOR 600 mm f/4E FL ED VR
FTZ Mount Adapter Firmware

Support for the Z 7II/Z 6II is available from FTZ mount adapter firmware version 1.10. The current mount adapter firmware version can be viewed by selecting [Firmware version] in the camera setup menu when the adapter is attached. For more information, visit the Nikon website for your country or region.

Silent Photography: Choose "On"!

Choosing [On] for [Silent photography] in the photo shooting menu enables the electronic shutter, helping prevent blur caused by vibrations from the mechanical shutter.

Silent Photography

Select [Off] for [Silent photography]:

  • during flash photography,
  • when using long-exposure noise reduction or flicker reduction,
  • to shoot at high ISO sensitivities (Hi 0.3–Hi 2.0), or
  • if you notice distortion in photos of moving subjects.

In these cases, we recommend that you select [Auto] for Custom Setting d5 [Shutter type]. The camera will automatically switch between the front-curtain and electronic front-curtain shutters according to shutter speed, helping prevent blur caused by camera motion.

Low-Light AF: Choose "On"!

When photographing sunsets, night scenes, and other dimly-lit subjects with AF-S selected for focus mode, choose [On] for Custom Setting a10 [Low-light AF] to help the camera focus.

Exposure Delay Mode: Choose "1 s"!

Custom Setting d4 [Exposure delay mode] is used to delay release of the shutter for a set time after the shutter- release button is pressed. A delay of a second or more helps reduce blur caused by the camera moving when you press the shutter-release button. appears in the display when an option other than [Off] is selected.

Monitor Mode: Choose "Monitor Only"!

To prevent the monitor turning off should you accidentally trigger the eye sensor with your face or hands while composing photographs, use the monitor mode button to select "monitor only" mode.

"Prioritize Viewfinder"

When "prioritize viewfinder" is selected for monitor mode, the camera behaves much like a traditional digital SLR: in photo mode, putting your eye to the viewfinder turns it on and displays the view through the lens, but the shooting display does not appear in the monitor when you take your eye away. Menus and pictures can still be displayed in the monitor using the MENU and buttons. "Prioritize viewfinder" mode is recommended for current or former users of digital SLR cameras who prefer to frame hand-held shots in the viewfinder.