The Nikon Z9 was already one of the best cameras for photography – and now a huge firmware update has made it, on paper, the most powerful flagship around for video, too.
The firmware v.2.0 update, which will be available as a free update from April 20, brings an impressively lengthy list of new features, including video boosts that (on paper) nudge it ahead of the Sony A1 , Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R3 .
The update includes a new raw video format, called N-Raw, that means the Nikon Z9 can shoot 12-bit raw at up to 8K/60p internally, without completely destroying your workflow with storage demands.
This is because N-Raw files apparently squeeze all that info into a file that's about half the size of an equivalent ProRes Raw HQ file. If you prefer to edit in the likes of Final Cut Pro, then there is also the option of shooting in the ProRes Raw HQ format, although only up to 4K/60p.
Perhaps more useful for everyday video shooting is the new ability to shoot oversampled 4K/60p video. Oversampling uses a sensor's native resolution (in this case 45.7MP) and uses that extra data to produce a 4K image with more detail (and less noise) than a cropped 4K frame.
Other benefits for video shooters include new waveforms (which, like histograms, help you check your exposure in real-time) and a red recording frame indicator around the edge of the display to confirm when you're actually shooting. But the update has a few treats for stills shooters, too.
One of the most useful for action shooters is 'pre-release burst'. This lets you pre-empt important moments by half-pressing the shutter, which will see the Nikon Z9 buffer images for up to a second – then if a big moment does happen, you can fully press the shutter and it'll capture a burst for up to four seconds afterwards, too.
Interestingly, Nikon has also managed to improve the refresh rate of the Z9's EVF (electronic viewfinder), something that is usually only possible via a hardware upgrade. You can now raise this to 120fps, which brings it level with the Canon EOS R5 and Sony A1, and should make the preview appear smoother when you're training it on fast-moving subjects.
The only downside is that this EVF improvement will apparently bring a hit on battery life, so may be best-reserved for special occasions. Still, there's no doubt that these improvements, along with Nikon's announcement that it's developing a new wired Remote Grip MC-N10 accessory for controlling the Z9 externally, are big boosts in its quest to win its mirrorless flagship battle with Sony and Canon.
Analysis: The Nikon fightback continues
The Nikon Z9 ($5,499 / £5,299 / AU$8,999) is a niche professional camera and many of these updates – in particular, raw 8K/60p video – will likely only appeal to a small subset of that niche. Given the Z9 is only a few months old, you could also argue that the features should have been included from the start and may have even been held back as part of its launch strategy.
Still, Nikon would be far from alone in doing this, and the size of the update is significant in its battle for the mirrorless flagship crown with the Sony A1, Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R3. On paper, it's the most powerful non-cinema camera around for video, and one of the strongest for stills, too.
This is partly because Nikon chose to make the Z9 a big, chunky professional tool that's significantly heavier than its Sony and Canon rivals. It's also newer than the Sony A1, Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R3, so we can expect both of those camera giants to fight back soon – either with new firmware, or new camera bodies.
For example, Canon arguably hasn't even released its direct Nikon Z9 rival yet, with rumors suggesting it could launch a Canon EOS R1 later this year. The flagship mirrorless camera battle, then, is likely more about the halo effect it can create around a lens system, as much as the specific tools that firmware updates like this bring to pros.
There's no doubt, though, that Nikon has shown that it's very much at the forefront of mirrorless camera tech again with the Nikon Z9 – and its fightback against Sony and Canon is only good news for photographers and videographers.
This PS5 problem is putting me off buying any more physical games
I tend to buy the majority of my games digitally on PS5, simply because I’m too lazy to get off my couch and switch discs. Yes, I know they’re often more expensive, but the convenience that digital games offer tends to justify the extra cost for me.
However, when it comes to PS4 to PS5 upgrades, there’s been some real bargains to be had if you picked up the physical versions. For that reason, I opted to buy physical copies of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Death Stranding , purchasing the games for significantly less than their digital equivalents and upgrading to the PS5 version for no extra cost (or a cheeky £10 fee in Death Stranding’s case).
Unfortunately, though, the way the PlayStation 5 handles PS4 discs that are upgraded to the next-gen version is nothing short of irritating – to the point where it’s stopping me from buying any more physical games.
Dumb delivery
So what’s the problem exactly? Well, when you insert a PS4 disc into your console, you can either choose to install it or upgrade it to the PS5 version. It’s a slightly cumbersome process, particularly compared to how Smart Delivery on Xbox Series X |S will automatically install the best version of the game available, but at least it’s easier to determine which console version you’re actually installing.
Once that’s done, and your fancy new PS5 version is ready to play, you’d like to think you could delete the PS4 icon from the home screen as, obviously, it's now obsolete. But that’s sadly not the case.
Every time I start my PS5, I’m presented with the PS4 versions of my games, often ahead of their sparkly PS5 upgrades. Not only does this serve to clutter up the home screen, but it’s surprisingly easy to click on the wrong version and accidentally begin the installation process for the PS4 version.
Worse still, some games don’t offer unique icons for their PS4 and PS5 versions, which means you’re relying on the small “PS4” or “PS5” label to distinguish which version you should actually click on, which is hardly ideal.
Unfortunately, there’s no way of preventing the PS4 icons from appearing right now, as they’ll pop up every single time the PS5 reads a disc in the drive. Speaking of which, I really wish the disc drive wouldn’t spin up as frequently as it does – if I’m not playing that particular game, the console shouldn’t need to constantly check whether I have the digital license or not.
It doesn't have to be this way
While the PS4 icon ultimately serves to show there’s a disc in the console, you’d like to think Sony could figure out a more elegant way of overcoming this problem. It’s clearly possible, as the same situation doesn’t occur on Xbox Series X. If you insert an Xbox One game that’s been optimized for Xbox Series X, you’ll only see one icon, not two versions to choose from. Put the same game in an Xbox One , and you’ll only be granted the version that can be played on that hardware: the Xbox One version. Simples.
Strangely, this icon issue wasn’t actually a problem when the PS5 launched. Sony’s console would previously show one icon for both PS4 and PS5 versions of the game, and you could select which one you wanted to launch. However, there were countless stories of people playing or installing the wrong version of the game, thinking it was the PS5 version. This led Sony to separate the two, creating one solution, along with the problem we have now.
It may seem trivial, then, but the way the PS5 handles PS4 discs that have been upgraded does make me second-guess whether to buy a physical copy. I’d rather not have to deal with this annoying issue, and knowing that it doesn’t occur with digital copies, as you can simply delete the PS4 version once you have the PS5 version installed, is another reason to dodge buying discs for now, at least.
NHL All-Star Game live stream 2022: how to watch online from anywhere
The National Hockey League's Las Vegas takeover promises one of the most entertaining NHL All-Star Weekends ever, from a face-off in the Fountains of Bellagio to blackjack on the Strip and, of course, the All-Star Game itself. It's time for showboating and for pure, outrageous skill to take center stage, so read on as we explain how to watch a 2022 NHL All-Star Game live stream online wherever you are.
The Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews captains the Atlantic Division team; the Flyers' Claude Giroux leads the Metropolitan Division; the Jets' Kyle Connor takes charge of the Central Division team; while Connor McDavid of the Oilers skippers the Pacific Division team.
Connor has both Cale Makar and Kirill Kaprizov on his team, which could either produce glorious fireworks or a hilarious horror show, and that's exactly what the All-Star Weekend's about.
The Skills Competition is being held a day ahead of the mini tournament, which follows a 3-on-3, single-elimination format, and you can read on for details on how to get an NHL All-Star Game live stream and watch the game online, no matter where you are in the world right now.
We've also listed the rosters and details of the Skills Competition further down the page.
How to watch 2022 NHL All-Star Game FREE: live stream ice hockey in the UK
How to watch a 2022 NHL All-Star Game live stream from outside your country
Unfortunately, if you try to watch your domestic coverage of the NHL All-Star Game from somewhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem - geo-blocking.
That's where the broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It's a common problem for streamers all over the world, but there's an easy solution.
NHL All-Star Game live stream: how to watch in the US
How to watch 2022 NHL All-Star Game: live stream in Canada
How to watch 2022 NHL All-Star Game FREE: live stream ice hockey in Australia
NHL All-Star Game rosters 2022
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
Pacific Division
NHL All-Star Skills Competition 2022
The 2022 All-Star Skills Competition is being held on Friday, February 4 , starting at 7.30pm ET / 6.30pm CT / 4.30pm PT . This year it will encompass seven events, two of which will take over world-famous Las Vegas landmarks.
An ice rink has been built into the Fountains of Bellagio for the Fountain Face-Off , in which eight competitors will aim to shoot pucks into five targets in the fastest time - after being rowed to the rink, naturally.
Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Strip will be partly shut down for a giant game of blackjack involving pucks and giant cards.
And, of course, there are the old favorites Fastest Skater , Hardest Shot , Breakaway Challenge , Accuracy Shooting , and Save Streak .