Nikon Z 7 Quick start guide

Professional

Technical Guide

—N-Log Recording—

Table of Contents

N‑Log: A Primer ................................................................... 3

• Why Use N‑Log?...............................................................................4

Filming N‑Log Footage ...................................................... 6

• Using Camera Controls.................................................................10

• View Assist.......................................................................................11

• Ensuring Consistent Exposure....................................................12

N‑Log: A Primer

The term“N‑Log”is an amalgam of“N”, for“Nikon”, and“log”,

short for “logarithmic function”. The logarithmic function

in question is that used in digitizing light levels based on

the density characteristics of negative lm to render expo‑

sure dierences much as humans perceive them. This is

known as a “log curve”.

The process of lming movies using a log curve is referred

to as “logarithmic” or “log‑format” recording. Log format

recording preserves highlights and shadows in scenes in

which they would otherwise be lost and is intended for

footage that will be processed post‑production, when

color grading can be used to produce high‑quality video

with a wide color gamut that takes advantage of the large

amount of tone information available for an expanded dy‑

namic range and smooth color gradients.

Nikon’s unique N‑Log format was developed to take full

advantage of sensor dynamic range. It oers excellent bal‑

ance between highlights and shadows and is optimized

for 10‑bit movie recording.

Why Use N-Log?

Shooting in N‑Log format preserves details in highlights

and shadows and expands the range of eects available

through color grading.

Preserving Details in Highlights and Shadows

N‑Log preserves highlights and shadows in high‑contrast

shots, such as those that mix indoor and outdoor lighting.

Non–

N‑Log

Footage shot without N‑Log shows

loss of detail in highlights.

N‑Log

N‑Log produces colors with less ap‑

parent contrast but more variation.

N‑Log

+ color

grading

Highlights, shadows, and color

variation preserved.

Improved Color Grading

Third‑party movie‑editing software that supports color

grading can be used to process the same footage in a va‑

riety of dierent ways, as is shown in the examples below.

No color grading

To record N‑Log footage, connect the camera to a digital

recorder that supports 10‑bit video. Use a Type C HDMI

cable (available from third‑party suppliers) and be sure

the camera is o before connecting or disconnecting the

cable.

Digital recorder

Choose cable with connector for

external device

To lm N‑Log footage:

1 Select 10 bit for Output data depth.

N‑Log footage can only be

recorded at a bit depth of

10 bits. In the setup menu,

select 10 bit for HDMI >

Advanced > Output data

depth.

Filming N‑Log Footage

2 Enable N‑Log recording.

Return to HDMI > Ad‑

vanced in the setup menu

and select On (cannot

record to card) for N‑Log

setting. Note that N‑Log

footage is recorded only to

the external device, not to

the camera memory card.

3 Congure the recorder for HDMI input.

For details, see the documentation supplied with the

device.

4 Start lming.

If On is selected for HDMI> Advanced> External re‑

cording control in the camera setup menu and the

recorder supports the Atomos Open Protocol, you can

start and stop recording using the camera movie‑re‑

cord button (page 10); otherwise, you will need to

enable recording on the external device. Contrast can

be enhanced for display on the camera during record‑

ing (view assist; page 11).

When the camera standby timer expires, the monitor

will turn o and HDMI output will end. Choose No

limit or a time longer than the anticipated recording

time for Custom Setting c3 (Power o delay)> Stand‑

by timer.

N‑Log Recording

While N‑Log recording is in eect, Picture Controls cannot be

used, ISO sensitivity cannot be set lower than ISO 800 or to

values of from Hi 0.3 to Hi 2, Active D‑Lighting and high ISO

noise reduction turn o automatically, and photographs will

not be taken when the shutter‑release button is pressed all

the way down. The camera may also have trouble focusing;

this is not a malfunction. The subject will be displayed in the

monitor, not the viewnder, regardless of the display mode

selected, and icker or noise may be visible in the display.

Note that because HDMI output is not available when the

camera is connected to devices running SnapBridge or

Camera Control Pro 2, these applications cannot be used for

N‑Log recording.

Filming N-Log Footage

Frame Size/Frame Rate

Note the following when choosing a frame size and frame

rate for N‑Log recording:

Frame size/frame rate Notes

3840× 2160 30p • Icons and characters in the monitor

display at low resolution, but this has no

eﬀect on the footage actually recorded.

• The angle of view is reduced to about

90% (Z6 only; on the Z7, the angle of

view is reduced only when the DX image

area is selected).

3840× 2160 25p

3840× 2160 24p

1920× 1080 120p N‑Log recording not available.

1920× 1080 100p

1920× 1080 60p

No restrictions apply.

1920× 1080 50p

1920× 1080 30p

1920× 1080 25p

1920× 1080 24p

1920× 1080 slow-mo N‑Log recording not available.

Using Camera Controls

If On is selected for HDMI> Ad‑

vanced > External recording

control in the camera setup

menu and the recorder sup‑

ports the Atomos Open Pro‑

tocol, you can start and stop

recording using the camera

movie‑record button(for information on whether your re‑

corder supports the Atomos Open Protocol, contact the

manufacturer). The camera displays Ain movie live

view and Bduring movie recording. During recording,

check the recorder and recorder display to ensure that foot‑

age is being saved to the device.

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