Nikon Z Focusing Tips for Easier Use

Nikon Z cameras have some great autofocus capabilities. But like everything else in life, you need to know how to efficiently use them to get the most out of it. Here are five focusing tips for Nikon Z cameras to help you do that, using settings you might not be aware of.

These are what I think are the five biggest focus settings tips. You can find all of them – along with entire lessons on how to focus with Nikon Z cameras and more – in the Nikon Z Photography Fundamentals course. Sign up for the free previews and use coupon code “blog20” for 20% off the entire course.

Nikon Z Focus Tips (Do You Use These Settings?)

Watch this video on YouTube.

Limit AF-Area Mode

The first thing you should do is identify which AF-area modes you don’t use.

Are you a landscape photographer? Then you probably don’t need more than one Wide size; perhaps Wide (L) is the only size you need.

Portrait photographers who need to ensure precision with shallow depths of field probably aren’t going to use Auto-area.

You can remove these options you don’t use from the “shortcut” menus for a faster selection of the ones you do use.

Go to Custom settings a (Autofocus or Focus) menu and look for Limit AF-Area Mode selection. Highlight the options you never or rarely use and press the multi selector right to remove the checkmark. I’ve removed Pinpoint, Dynamic-area (S), Dynamic-area (L), Wide-area (S), Wide-area (C1), and Wide-area (C2).

Now, when you’re selecting an AF-area mode from the i Menu, or using a custom control assigned to AF-area mode, rotating the command dial will only take you through the checked options. You won’t see the ones you don’t use.

You can still select all of the modes in the main camera menu or by pressing OK/tapping on the AF-area mode option in the i Menu. But using the command dial will be much faster.

Store Points by Orientation

If you’re constantly switching between horizontal and vertical camera orientations, you’re going to be focusing on different areas of the screen. Do you really want to reposition that focus point every time you change the camera orientation?

You can store where that focus point is for each different orientation – horizontal, vertical with the grip up, and vertical with the grip down.

Again, in Custom settings a, look for Store points by orientation and turn this On (select Yes). Now, the focus point will go to the last used position for that orientation; it’s saved.

Newer cameras will have options with Focus point and Focus point and AF-area mode. Selecting Focus point will save the position for each orientation; it’s like selecting Yes in older cameras. The Focus point and AF-area mode will save not only the position for each orientation but also the AF-area mode you’re using for each orientation.

For example, you’re using Single point in the lower third of the screen in a horizontal orientation. In a vertical orientation with the grip down, you’re still using Single point in the lower third. With the grip up, you’re using Wide (L) in the upper third of the screen. maybe for a portrait. That will all be saved for each orientation. Whichever AF-area mode you used last in each orientation will be saved in each position used.

With this setting Off, the focus point position will remain in the same absolute position on the screen when the camera is rotated.

Save Focus Position

What about when you cycle the camera power? Do you want the focus area to be reset to the center of the screen every time you do that, or do you want it to go back to the last point used?

You’ll find this option in the Setup Menu. I prefer to have this On so the focus point stays where it is when power is cycled. Just think through your own use cases.

Just note that, depending on several other variables, this may not behave as expected whether it’s off or on. Be aware of where your focus point is when you power the camera back on.

Live View/Starlight View

You and/or your camera may struggle to focus in low light, especially at night. There just isn’t enough light available for the sensor to find that contrast and focus.

All Nikon Z cameras have a type of “low-light boost mode” to help out with this.

The first is found in all cameras; it won’t work in all situations but it’s worth trying out if you’re struggling in low light. It’s found in the Custom settings d (Shooting/display) menu and is called either View mode or Apply settings to live view.

• Apply settings to live view: Turn this Off
• View mode (Photo Lv): Set this to Adjust for ease of viewing > Custom > Set Picture Control Adjust for ease of viewing.

This will make your display appear more like an SLR; you won’t see your camera settings applied, including exposure settings. You might find it easier to focus in low light now, but you need to realize that your exposure won’t be previewed.

That setting can sometimes work better in low light. If you have a newer camera – and you’re operating in extreme darkness – look for Starlight view in that same menu, which is the next option.

This’ll really slow things down so the camera can gather what little light there is. If you’re recomposing, do it slowly so the image can catch up. But you’ll find it much easier to focus in darkness with this option enabled.

Program L-Fn buttons

Many Nikon Z photographers aren’t taking advantage of their button customizations. Several Nikkor lenses have customizable buttons on the lenses called L-Fn and L-Fn2 (for lenses with two).

These are great opportunities to program additional focus functions. Do this in the Custom settings f (Controls) > f2 Custom controls (shooting) menu. You’ll find focus functions in this submenu that you can’t find anywhere else in the Nikon Z menus.

For example, I have my L-Fn button programmed to “AF-area mode (3D-tracking) + AF-ON.” So long as I’m in AF-C mode (where 3D-tracking is available), I can automatically start tracking something as soon as I press that button. It doesn’t matter which AF-area mode I’m in. I could be in Auto-area, using the whole screen to focus, but if I instantly want to track something, all I need to do is push that button. No need to change my AF-area mode first. Instant tracking. (In this case, 3D-tracking starts at the last-used focus position when initiated from Auto-area).

Some of the other focus functions available here (camera-dependent), are:

• Select center focus point
• Save/Recall focus position
• Switch eyes
• Cycle AF-area mode (then choose which options)
• Set a specific AF-area mode
• Set a specific AF-area mode and command autofocus (AF-ON)
• Starlight view/View mode (as described earlier)
• Focus peaking display

Go through the list and see what might be valuable to you for the type of photography you do.

Easier focusing with Nikon Z

These are just five things you can do now to focus more efficiently in Nikon Z cameras.

Experiment with different settings and practice. Find what works for you.

Please leave something in the comments if you have any questions or additional suggestions.

And if you want to learn everything about focusing with Nikon Z cameras – along with other technical aspects like camera setup and exposure – check out the Nikon Z Photography Fundamentals course. Use “blog20” for 20% off that course.