P mode on Nikon Z Cameras: Trying to get P* mode to work on my new Z7II. Doesn’t work at all. Auto ISO off or on. So I tried on my Z50: no workie. Checked Internet. Many with problem.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Trying to get P* mode to work on my new Z7II. Doesn’t work at all. Auto ISO off or on.

So I tried on my Z50: no workie.

Checked Internet. Many with problem. Also on Z6. No solutions.

Must be a menu control. Ideas?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The * asterisk simply indicates you have adjusted the proposed exposure by the camera in (P)rofessional mode. So, put it back into P and adjust the shutter speed or aperture and the P* should then be displayed.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

CHG_CANON wrote:

The * asterisk simply indicates you have adjusted the proposed exposure by the camera in (P)rofessional mode. So, put it back into P and adjust the shutter speed or aperture and the P* should then be displayed.

I get the P*. The problem is nothing else happens when I rotate the thumbwheel. It is supposed to go through combinations of fstop and shutter speed that satisfy the meter. Tried different metering choices too. Nothing.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

IDguy wrote:

I get the P*. The problem is nothing else happens when I rotate the thumbwheel. It is supposed to go through combinations of fstop and shutter speed that satisfy the meter. Tried different metering choices too. Nothing.

Page 107 for the Z7II reference manual indicates using the main command dial to make adjustments, invoking "flexible program" and then showing the P* icon.

Have you made any program modifications / function assignments to the main command dial, perhaps?

IDguy Loc: Idaho

CHG_CANON wrote:

Page 107 for the Z7II reference manual indicates using the main command dial to make adjustments, invoking "flexible program" and then showing the P* icon.

Right. I know how it is supposed to work. The problem is it doesn’t work.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

IDguy wrote:

Right. I know how it is supposed to work. The problem is it doesn’t work.

It's highly unlikely two difference cameras fail with the same basic capability of digital cameras. If there, with the cameras in your hands and the reference manual, you can't determine what changes you've made, consider calling the experts at Nikon and get some ideas.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Got it. Sorta.

It appears auto ISO causes the problem. I had been using it setting up my U settings on both cameras. P* doesn’t play with auto ISO. When you turn auto ISO off there is a delay in the P* settings changing which is why I didn’t catch it on my first try.

I was seeking to try P* for my U3 setting on the Z7II. Z50 doesn’t have U3.

Manuals deserve a footnote.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

IDguy wrote:

Got it. Sorta.

It appears auto ISO causes the problem. I had been using it setting up my U settings on both cameras. P* doesn’t play with auto ISO. When you turn auto ISO off there is a delay in the P* settings changing which is why I didn’t catch it on my first try.

I was seeking to try P* for my U3 setting on the Z7II. Z50 doesn’t have U3.

Manuals deserve a footnote.

Hooray!

BebuLamar

CHG_CANON wrote:

Hooray!

My Nikon Df which is much older than any of the Z. I tried the P* with auto ISO and it does work but the range for it to work seems to be much more limited. I can't get the shutter speed higher than 400 nor lower than 25. I think not lower than 25 because I have 24mm lens on.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

IDguy wrote:

Trying to get P* mode to work on my new Z7II. Doesn’t work at all. Auto ISO off or on.

So I tried on my Z50: no workie.

Checked Internet. Many with problem. Also on Z6. No solutions.

Must be a menu control. Ideas?

I am just curious. Why do you want to use P mode?

IDguy Loc: Idaho

JD750 wrote:

I am just curious. Why do you want to use P mode?

P* mode is nice because you control both shutter speed and fstop with the rear wheel. This leaves your index finger for other buttons such as ISO, EV, and function buttons.

The Z7 has three U modes. I use M exposure mode with auto ISO for U1 and U2. U1 is for wildlife: min fstop and shutter speed by auto ISO with min speed of 1/1000. U2 for landscape with f16 and starting speed of 1/50…but auto under auto ISO. U3 is for generic: ISO 64, f7, and 1/60 to start.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

IDguy wrote:

P* mode is nice because you control both shutter speed and fstop with the rear wheel. This leaves your index finger for other buttons such as ISO, EV, and function buttons.

The Z7 has three U modes. I use M exposure mode with auto ISO for U1 and U2. U1 is for wildlife: min fstop and shutter speed by auto ISO with min speed of 1/1000. U2 for landscape with f16 and starting speed of 1/50…but auto under auto ISO. U3 is for generic: ISO 64, f7, and 1/60 to start.

Thank you!

BebuLamar

IDguy wrote:

Got it. Sorta.

It appears auto ISO causes the problem. I had been using it setting up my U settings on both cameras. P* doesn’t play with auto ISO. When you turn auto ISO off there is a delay in the P* settings changing which is why I didn’t catch it on my first try.

I was seeking to try P* for my U3 setting on the Z7II. Z50 doesn’t have U3.

Manuals deserve a footnote.

Does it still switch to P* but doesn't change the combination of the shutter speed and aperture? If so I know why. There are many lighting condition when P and auto ISO would cause that to happen especially in low light condition. The aperture is already at maximum. The shutter speed when auto ISO is one isn't going to be lower than 1/focal length. When auto ISO is off it can be as long as 30 seconds. And thus in many conditions neither the shutter speed nor aperture would change.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

IDguy wrote:

Manuals deserve a footnote.

As a Mathematician P*, in the context of Auto ISO makes little sense. The equation x*y = constant makes sense. If the constant = 10, then x=2 means y=5 and x=4 means y=2.5,
but for x*y = z, if x=2, there is no unique solution; the machine doesn’t know whether to choose y=5 {in which case z=10}, or y=6 {in which case z=12}, or … or …. or

IDguy Loc: Idaho

rehess wrote:

As a Mathematician P*, in the context of Auto ISO makes little sense. The equation x*y = constant makes sense. If the constant = 10, then x=2 means y=5 and x=4 means y=2.5,
but for x*y = z, if x=2, there is no unique solution; the machine doesn’t know whether to choose y=5 {in which case z=10}, or y=6 {in which case z=12}, or … or …. or

One can do what one wants with algorithms. For example you can program it to minimize ISO while maintaining exposure outside the set ISO base…while maintaining shutter speed or aperture. But they apparently chose to just ignore it so P* doesn’t work if auto ISO is selected. That is OK but deserves a footnote.