Bracketing Setup & Custom Button

Assign BKT Toggle to a Custom Button LANDSCAPE

MENU → Custom Settings (pencil) → f2: Custom Controls → Fn1 or Fn2

The Z7II has no dedicated BKT button like the D810. Assign it manually:

Go to Custom Setting f2 (Custom Controls)
Select Fn1 (front) or Fn2 (rear) — Fn1 recommended for easy thumb access
Set it to "Bracketing burst" — this toggles bracketing on/off with a single press

Alternatively assign to the Movie Record button if you don't shoot video in the field.

Bracketing Settings — 3-Shot at ±2 EV BOTH MODES

MENU → Photo Shooting → e2: Auto Bracketing Set

Why 2 stops over 1: A 1-stop bracket rarely captures enough dynamic range for demanding scenes — you'd need 5 or 7 shots to cover the range a 3-shot ±2EV set handles cleanly. 3 shots keeps card space and merge time down.

SHOTS

3F

INCREMENT

2.0 EV

ORDER

Under → Metered → Over

AE only

Exposure only

02

Shooting Controls

Self-Timer — 2 Second Delay BOTH

Drive mode selector → Self-timer icon → 2s

Press drive mode button (top left of camera back) and dial to self-timer. Select 2s. Eliminates shutter vibration without needing a remote. For astro, pair with Mirror lockup equivalent — the Z7II electronic shutter or EFCS handles this natively.

For astro with very long exposures, consider a remote shutter (MC-DC2 or wireless). 2s is fine for anything under 25s.

Autofocus — Single Point AF-S BOTH

AF-mode button + rear dial → AF-S · AF-area button + rear dial → Single Point

AF-S locks focus once acquired. Single Point gives precise control over where you're focusing — essential for hyperfocal distance setting on landscape or for locking onto a bright star for astro.

Switch to MF for astro once focused — prevents any attempt to refocus during exposure.

03

Display, Metering & Level

Histogram — Always Visible LANDSCAPE

DISP button (cycle) → Select display including histogram

Or: MENU → Custom Settings → d1: Shooting display

Cycle through EVF/LCD views with the DISP button until the histogram is visible in the live view. Enable it in both shooting and playback. For shooting, set a custom display mode that includes histogram + exposure info + level.

Virtual Horizon / Level BOTH

DISP button cycle → include Horizon display · Or MENU → Custom Settings → d1

The Z7II has a dual-axis electronic level. Enable it in the viewfinder display. You can also assign it to appear via Info display. Far more accurate than a hotshoe bubble and works in the dark for astro setups.

White Balance — Landscape & Astro Presets BOTH

WB button + rear dial → K (Kelvin) · WB button + front dial → tint value

DAYTIME

5500K / +6 tint

Neutral-warm. Good for golden/blue hour.

ASTRO / NIGHT

3900K–4200K

Pulls back light pollution amber. Adjust to taste in your location — deeper orange skies may need 3700K.

Shooting RAW: WB is non-destructive. Still set it in-camera so your JPEG preview and histogram match your intended output. Makes field assessment accurate.

04

Focus Peaking

Enable Focus Peaking BOTH

MENU → Custom Settings → d11: Focus peaking

Set Peaking highlights: ON
Sensitivity: Standard (High can give false positives on busy textures)
Highlight colour: Red for daytime landscape; White or Yellow for astro (more visible against dark sky)

Peaking only works in MF or A/M mode with manual focus ring active. Best workflow for astro: Switch to MF, zoom live view to 100% on a bright star, fine tune until peaking highlights fire on the star, then lock off. For landscape, use peaking to confirm hyperfocal focus on foreground texture rather than relying solely on the distance scale.

05

Deep Settings You Probably Haven't Set Yet

Setting	Set To	Why It Matters
Electronic Front-Curtain Shutter (EFCS) Custom Settings → d5: Shutter type → EFCS	Enable	Eliminates shutter shock on tripod. Significant improvement over mechanical at 1/2s–2s where mirror/shutter vibration is worst. Use for all landscape tripod work.
Long Exposure NR Photo Shooting Menu → Long exposure NR	OFF	Long exp NR doubles your exposure time (camera takes a dark frame). Kills your workflow in the field. Handle hot pixels in post — much faster.
High ISO NR Photo Shooting Menu → High ISO NR	Low or Off	Applied to JPEG preview and in-camera RAW. At high ISO for astro, aggressive NR smears star detail. Low keeps the preview accurate to what your raw editor will produce.
Silent Shutter (Electronic) Photo Shooting Menu → Silent photography	Use for astro only	Full electronic shutter is completely silent and vibration-free. Avoid for subjects with fast motion (banding risk) but ideal for night sky with no movement. Do NOT use with flash.
Exposure Delay Mode Custom Settings → d4: Exposure delay mode	1s (backup to EFCS)	Adds a delay between mirror (none on Z) and shutter. Redundant if using EFCS, but useful if you deliberately shoot mechanical shutter in rare cases.
Star Rating / Protect Button Custom Settings → f2 → Playback controls	Assign rating to OK button	Rate keepers in field during playback without needing menus. Speeds up culling dramatically when reviewing a bracket set at location.
ISO Sensitivity Auto Photo Shooting → ISO Sensitivity Settings	OFF (manual ISO for landscape/astro)	Auto ISO will creep up in dark conditions and underexpose stars. Lock ISO manually — 64 for daylight landscape, 1600–6400 for astro.
Live View Exposure Preview Custom Settings → d9: Apply settings to live view	ON	Makes the EVF show you the actual exposure, not a bright boosted preview. Essential for accurate composition in low light so what you see matches what you capture.
Vibration Reduction (VR/IBIS) Photo Shooting Menu → Vibration reduction	OFF on tripod	IBIS can cause micro-vibration on a locked-down tripod if it keeps hunting. Turn off when on sticks. Z7II IBIS is excellent handheld, but tripod use — switch it off.
Flicker Reduction Photo Shooting Menu → Flicker reduction shooting	OFF for outdoor work	Only relevant under artificial lighting (stadiums, offices). Outdoor/natural light work — leave off to avoid any timing delays to the shutter.
Memory Card Priority (Slot 1 / Slot 2) Photo Shooting Menu → Primary slot selection / Secondary slot function	Slot 1 = Primary · Slot 2 = Overflow or Backup	Set Slot 2 to BACKUP (same images) rather than overflow. If you lose a card on a shoot, you want duplicates — not half your images on one card and half on another.
RAW File Type Photo Shooting Menu → NEF (RAW) recording	RAW (lossless or lossy 14-bit)	Lossless compressed at 14-bit is the default best choice. Lossy compressed is fine and saves space for high-volume sessions (astro stacks) with minimal real-world quality difference.
EVF / Monitor Brightness Setup Menu → Viewfinder brightness / Monitor brightness	Auto	Boost viewfinder brightness for dark conditions via Setup Menu — not a Custom Setting. Does not affect exposure, just helps you compose in low light.
Colour Space Photo Shooting Menu → Color space	sRGB	Use sRGB for web, social, and online display — Adobe RGB will look desaturated in any browser or app that doesn't colour-manage. For print jobs, convert in Lightroom/Capture NX2 from RAW at export time instead.
Picture Control for Preview Photo Shooting Menu → Set Picture Control	Flat or Neutral	The JPEG preview (what you see on LCD) reflects this setting. Flat shows you maximum dynamic range without clipping in highlights — more accurate to what your RAW file actually captured.

06

Astro-Specific Workflow Settings

500/NPF Rule Reference ASTRO

Z7II is 45.7MP full frame. The 500 rule will trail at this resolution — use the NPF rule instead:

NPF (simplified): Max shutter = (35 × aperture + 30 × pixel pitch) ÷ focal length

At 14mm f/2.8: ≈ 14–16 seconds
At 24mm f/2.8: ≈ 9–11 seconds
Use PhotoPills or Photographer's Ephemeris for exact calc per lens.

Focus Technique for Stars ASTRO

Switch to MF
Point at bright star, zoom EVF to 100% (Zoom button on back)
Turn focus ring slowly toward infinity until star is smallest/sharpest point
Enable peaking — should fire on star edge at correct focus
Lock focus ring with tape or note exact ring position
Check with 3–5s test shot at ISO 6400 before locking in

Recommended Astro Starting Exposure ASTRO

f/2.8

Aperture

ISO 3200

Start point

15s (14mm) / 10s (24mm)

Shutter — NPF rule

WB: 3900–4200K

Night sky

Check histogram: aim for slight right lean without clipping. Adjust ISO to taste — Z7II holds clean detail to ISO 3200, acceptable to 6400.

07

Field Quick-Reference Summary

Setting	Landscape Day	Astro / Night
Bracketing	3F / ±2 EV (via Fn button)	Single shot — bracket optional
Drive Mode	Self-timer 2s	Self-timer 2s or remote
AF Mode	AF-S / Single Point	MF — focus on star
ISO	64 (base)	3200–6400
Shutter Mode	EFCS	Electronic (silent)
IBIS/VR	OFF (tripod)	OFF (tripod)
White Balance	5500K / +6	3900–4200K
Focus Peaking	ON — Red	ON — White/Yellow
Long Exp NR	OFF	OFF
Histogram	Visible in EVF/LCD	Visible in EVF/LCD
Level	Active in EVF	Active in EVF
Colour Space	sRGB	sRGB
Picture Control	Flat	Flat
Card Backup	Slot 2 = mirror backup	Slot 2 = mirror backup

Nikon Z7 II