Master Panning Photography on Nikon Z cameras | Z 8 | Z 24-120mm F4 S | Settings Guide

Panning is a photography technique used to instil speed or motion in moving subject. In this video, I visit the old Hill St Building (currently MCI building) to make use of its colourful facade to create interesting panning shots. I'm also exposing all the best settings to master panning photography for your Nikon Z cameras, though it also works well for any camera.

Find the perfect background, and you can get some interesting shots with the panning technique! This effect is entirely created in camera, no AI.

Here’s the key takeaways from the video:

Exposure Settings
- Aperture F9 to F13.
- Shutter Speed 1/30 to 1/6.
- ISO will be whatever you need after adjusting the aperture and shutter to make a well-exposed image.
Camera Settings
- Vibration Reduction on. (for smoother panning)
- d14 Releasing timing indicator set to Type B or C for no blackout mode. (Nikon Z8 or Z9 only)
- Photo Flicker reduction set to OFF for no blackout mode. (Nikon Z8 or Z9 only)
- Autofocus on AF-C, 3D Tracking.
- High burst mode. (6 FPS was enough for me)
Panning Technique
- Use a stable monopod or tripod.
- Left to right or right to left movements only.
- Use L-bracket extended as an extra handle if you have one.
- The key to sharp images is that the speed of the pan must match the speed of the moving vehicle going across the frame. This is very important.
- The presence of traffic lights will mess up your timing if it affects the speed of the moving vehicles.
- Do not hit the shutter immediately while shooting, follow the subject for a short distance to match its speed before pressing the shutter. After pressing the shutter, continue following its movement across the frame.
- Personally, I prefer interesting vehicle shapes like bicycles, motorbikes, buses or construction vehicles.
- You don’t have to wait for singular subjects. A group of vehicles work just as well as long as at least one vehicle looks sharp.