The new Z8 firmware version 2 has a few other updates (other than bird tracking) that are really useful. One of my favorites is the Cycles AF-area mode. This is a custom mode that can be applied to any button on the camera. Here is how it works. First, go into your controls (f) in custom settings, Limit AF-area mode selection (a8) and check the autofocus modes you use the most. I chose Auto Area, Wide Area Large, 3D and single point. The rest of the modes I don’t use, so by not checking these boxes these modes will not appear in this new cycle AF mode. Next, go to your Controls (f) in custom settings, and choose Custom Controls Shooting (f2). You need to choose a button to apple the Cycle AF mode to….I use the red dot video button on top of the camera next to the shutter. Select this button (or whatever one you want) and go through menu and choose Cycle AF-area mode. Now when I hit the video button my camera cycles through the autofocus modes I have selected in the earlier step.
I just returned from Borneo and tried this method out for days in the jungle. After a few days I found myself preferring to switch to a different autofocus modes using the Cycle AF feature rather than pressing one of the ‘F’ buttons on the front of my camera. Cycle AF is so fast that I really didn’t feel like I was missing shots by not using the a function button on the front of the camera. And I found that often I wanted to stay in a new autofocus mode more than a few frames, so I didn’t have to keep pressing a function button. No more using the ‘I’ menu to change autofocus modes for me, I’ll be using the Cycle AF-area mode in the future. There is no right or wrong here, choose a setup that works for you to increase your keeper rate.
Currently the Z8 has this option and the Z9 doesn’t, but I’m sure with the upcoming Z9 firmware update this will be added…