51 pt AF, just 50 chances to get it wrong?

[kirbinster]

Can someone please help me out with the 51 auto focus points on the D300 -- I just don't get when to use this. I typically just use one focus point as I know what I want to be in focus will be in focus. It seems to me with 51 focus points you don't know what the camera will choose and you have 50 chances that what you want in focus won't be.

I find that is single mode AF when you select 51 points you see which ones the camera uses as they light up, but in continuous focus mode you have no clue what the camera is doing. What am I missing????

[zephod]

I don't know if you've watched this or not but it really does explain everything really well. Go to D300S from Nikon then choose digitutor, after that select focus and then the focus movie/tutorial at the top of the window that pops up. It goes through all modes and explains a lot about the various modes and how to use the AF points.

Hope that helps,

Doug

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by kirbinster

Can someone please help me out with the 51 auto focus points on the D300 -- I just don't get when to use this. I typically just use one focus point as I know what I want to be in focus will be in focus. It seems to me with 51 focus points you don't know what the camera will choose and you have 50 chances that what you want in focus won't be.

I find that is single mode AF when you select 51 points you see which ones the camera uses as they light up, but in continuous focus mode you have no clue what the camera is doing. What am I missing????

"but in continuous focus mode you have no clue what the camera is doing. What am I missing????"
After you select your point of focus on your subject the camera will continue to focus as your subject moves...even if very slightly. It's similar to AI Servo in the Canon lineup. The downside, the camera will allow you to take the photo even if the focus had not locked on...pretty sure there should be an audible beep when the focus locks on, however. (my wife is out with the camera right now, so I can't confirm that)


Vince

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by kirbinster

I find that is single mode AF when you select 51 points you see which ones the camera uses as they light up, but in continuous focus mode you have no clue what the camera is doing. What am I missing????

To see active focusing points display, you have to do the following:

1) Select 9, 21, 51 or 3D 51 focusing points via custom setting a3
2) Continuous mode (C)
3) CL or CH
4) Select Dynamic-area AF instead of Auto-area AF

Try that on a TV show.

[sander1991]

I've played around with my D300s' auto focus settings and it seems that when you select Auto on the AF-Area Selector (on the back of the camera) and continuous on the AF-Mode selector on the front of the camera, it does not show what focus point it locks its focus on..
If I am not mistaken, this is what you are complaining about, right? I definitely agree with you on that one - I have no idea why on earth it is this way..? As your title states, it leaves photographer with 50 chances to get it wrong.. Only work around i've found is to put the AF-Mode in Single.. It will still select the focus point by itself (the camera) but still show you what it is locking its focus on..

[sk66]

Originally Posted by kirbinster

Can someone please help me out with the 51 auto focus points on the D300 -- I just don't get when to use this. I typically just use one focus point as I know what I want to be in focus will be in focus. It seems to me with 51 focus points you don't know what the camera will choose and you have 50 chances that what you want in focus won't be.

I find that is single mode AF when you select 51 points you see which ones the camera uses as they light up, but in continuous focus mode you have no clue what the camera is doing. What am I missing????

You're not missing much...
The active focus point lights up momentarily in single mode because you have time....They then disappear to allow you to see what you are focusing on/compose. In continuous mode they are not shown because the points would be constantly illuminating/flickering obscuring the view.
I use Dynamic/Continuous 21 or 51 points when shooting birds. 9 or 21 points when shooting more predictable subjects. I'll switch to spot and single for "stationary" subjects.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by sander1991

I've played around with my D300s' auto focus settings and it seems that when you select Auto on the AF-Area Selector (on the back of the camera) and continuous on the AF-Mode selector on the front of the camera, it does not show what focus point it locks its focus on..
If I am not mistaken, this is what you are complaining about, right? I definitely agree with you on that one - I have no idea why on earth it is this way..? As your title states, it leaves photographer with 50 chances to get it wrong.. Only work around i've found is to put the AF-Mode in Single.. It will still select the focus point by itself (the camera) but still show you what it is locking its focus on..

I believe what that mode is designed to do is to let the camera pick the subject and focus on that (probably the nearest, or largest, and if I remember correctly, I think it has the intelligence to recognize skin tones and choose a person instead of a tree)

[sk66]

Originally Posted by auto-focus

I believe what that mode is designed to do is to let the camera pick the subject and focus on that (probably the nearest, or largest, and if I remember correctly, I think it has the intelligence to recognize skin tones and choose a person instead of a tree)

Yup, never use that mode myself... Might be great for P&S/ street style shots.

[kirbinster]

I've been playing around with it some and it seems to work quite well for birds in mid-air. But if you try to shoot a duck on the water sometimes it picks the duck to focus on while other time it picks a ripple in the water.