Al Kaplan
Veteran
My damned cell phone is too complicated, and that's ignoring the fact that it has a built in camera. I want a cell phone with a dial! I haven't owned a TV in maybe ten years.
bmattock
Veteran
Thank you.
kshapero
South Florida Man
true enough, but I really was trying to get it to be as seamless as possible. it is just not the case. Now I know that of course auto focus is doable, it is just is another example IMHO, of over complication of something that has always been pretty simple: turn the focus ring, shot.
user237428934
User deletion pending
I never used a nikon DSLR before. After reading this (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD200/page7.asp) I could use the AF of a D200 correctly. Took only some minutes to find.
Start with using only the center AF field. Then you can experience how good and fast AF can be.
M4cr0s
Back In Black
I find this quite unbelievable. AF is so easy to operate and works so well on modern era cameras. Impressive technology, but of course as with almost any technology, like for instance dripping ink pens, it's not w/o pitfalls. Still a great aid for those of us that haven't got 20/20 vision. I'm frankly surprised you are able to knit your own shoes or operate your computer well enough to write a post and browse a forum! 
Ronald M
Veteran
Welcome to the digital world.
I put my Nikon D700 on M and use it just like I have been doing for 50 years.
Slowly I am learing the new stuff, but honestly do not see a great deal of value in it.
Sports photogs like AF.
I put my Nikon D700 on M and use it just like I have been doing for 50 years.
Slowly I am learing the new stuff, but honestly do not see a great deal of value in it.
Sports photogs like AF.
Bassism
Well-known
Like some others, I usually always tell the camera to only focus on the centre focus point. At that point, it focuses like every other camera I own, except with less work on my part. Of course, it's usually got a Takumar 50/1.4 on the front, but that's beside the point.
That's one nice thing about modern DSLRs. They've got all kinds of fancy wizardry, but you've always got the choice of ignoring it all when you don't need it/can't figure out how to work it properly
That's one nice thing about modern DSLRs. They've got all kinds of fancy wizardry, but you've always got the choice of ignoring it all when you don't need it/can't figure out how to work it properly
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
The easiest way to af focus a D200, if it is like a D700, is to set the S position on the front of the camera and central spot on the back. Focus, keep the shutter half depressed to keep the focus and exposure locked, recompose and shoot. When you have time and the inclination experiment with the other af options.
Bob
Bob
imajypsee
no expiration date
You didn't have enough light for the camera/lens to find focus
You didn't have enough light for the camera/lens to find focus
is probably what the problem was/is. And, though I don't use Nikon, I'm sure you could have easily changed the aperture or ISO to get enough light to focus... OR, selected a different focus point. It's not rocket science.....
(AF;f/2.8; ISO1600; after dark)
Mary in SW Florida, USA
You didn't have enough light for the camera/lens to find focus
is probably what the problem was/is. And, though I don't use Nikon, I'm sure you could have easily changed the aperture or ISO to get enough light to focus... OR, selected a different focus point. It's not rocket science.....
(AF;f/2.8; ISO1600; after dark)So, in low light your manual focus works "better" for you...
Mary in SW Florida, USA
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Whenever I take a picture of a car, I just ...
Pick up OM or XA, turn lens until patch aligns or screen is clear ... Voilà! AUTO focus!
Pick up OM or XA, turn lens until patch aligns or screen is clear ... Voilà! AUTO focus!
Jay Peg
Is shooting .RAW for me?
What I find helps is to separate AF from the shutter release. Set AF to continuous and assign it to a button; your lens by the way is always set to automatic and you have the option of manual. It decreases lag and if you're concerned about accuracy, let hyperfocal cover it.
Al Patterson
Ferroequinologist
It's funny you talk about how complex auto focus is. I've use manual focus stuff for so long it took me over a year to figure out what the "AE-L" button on my DSLR does...
kshapero
South Florida Man
Funny, I am learning knitting next week at the old folks home.I find this quite unbelievable. AF is so easy to operate and works so well on modern era cameras. Impressive technology, but of course as with almost any technology, like for instance dripping ink pens, it's not w/o pitfalls. Still a great aid for those of us that haven't got 20/20 vision. I'm frankly surprised you are able to knit your own shoes or operate your computer well enough to write a post and browse a forum!
OK I am a neanderthal man, what can I say?
gavinlg
Veteran
The nikon AF system is much more complex than the canon and the olympus/pentax systems, but it does work very well when you learn what to use, and when.
Prosaic
Well-known
Well, although I prefer MF lenses on my Nikon, AF is pretty idiot-proof. Just make sure you do not turn either camera or lens AF off. Check the focusing point (highlighted in the finder). And AF-C will try to track a subject, AF-S locks once.
Prosaic
Well-known
Wonder what you think is complex about it? And being a user of both Canon and Nikon SLRs I dont see any difference in the way AF works.
M4cr0s
Back In Black
Hell, my VCR still blinks "12:00"
You actually HAVE a VCR, now that's a piece of ancient technology! I remember them from when I was a kid and how they ate my favorite cartoon tapes, truly evil things!
Funny, I am learning knitting next week at the old folks home.
OK I am a neanderthal man, what can I say?
Knitting is in fact good excerise for your fingers. Might be a bit complicated for a neanderthals brain though, maybe you can ask for a manual?
Jokes aside. Using AF is pretty much like any other aspect of camera usage, it requires a tiny bit of effort to learn. Different cameras (brands) tends to do things a little bit different too, and some lenses are simply not very good at AF'ing due to poor contrast, bad communication with the camera and so forth. If you're used to manual focus SLRs and rangefinders, that half-press-to-focus is indeed weird. If it is any comfort, think of SLRs phase detection autofocus as an automated rangefinder (it basically is, the little gremlin inside your camera moves the lens internals untill whatever's under your focus point/rangefinder patch is a single image/aligned).
/Mac
gavinlg
Veteran
To set up the Nikon d3/d300 AF system you have to go through setting these parameters:
1)Single-point AF
2)Dynamic AF with 9, 21, 51 or 51 3D, or
3)Automatic-area (the silent wonder).
a1 AF-C priority selection
Release
Release + focus
Focus
a2 AF-S priority selection
Release
Focus
a3 Dynamic AF area
9 points
21 points
51 points
51 points (3D-tracking)
a4 Focus tracking with lock-on
Long
Normal
Short
Off
a5 AF activation
Shutter/AF-ON
AF-ON only
a6 Focus point illumination
Manual focus mode
Continuous mode
a7 Focus point wrap-around
Wrap
No wrap
a8 AF point selection
AF51 51 points
AF11 11 point
You have things like the 3 different focus modes, one which tracks the subject and one which mainly uses groups of AF points etc, but some of those modes can't be used with certain AF points and some can't be used in conjunction with 3d color recognition tracking etc. To me it just felt way over complex after years with canon DSLRs. The nikon AF is more configurable but it felt (to me) as if it was over-configurable, to the point where you're just making changes to things for no reason. My 5d tracks reasonable well in c-af mode with the center point without having to worry about the multitude of settings of the nikon system.
Mind you, the 1d AF system is more complex again, but I still find it easy to understand what settings to use and when. The cam3500 in the nikon D's caused me to constantly fiddle and worry that I had the right settings selected.
1)Single-point AF
2)Dynamic AF with 9, 21, 51 or 51 3D, or
3)Automatic-area (the silent wonder).
a1 AF-C priority selection
Release
Release + focus
Focus
a2 AF-S priority selection
Release
Focus
a3 Dynamic AF area
9 points
21 points
51 points
51 points (3D-tracking)
a4 Focus tracking with lock-on
Long
Normal
Short
Off
a5 AF activation
Shutter/AF-ON
AF-ON only
a6 Focus point illumination
Manual focus mode
Continuous mode
a7 Focus point wrap-around
Wrap
No wrap
a8 AF point selection
AF51 51 points
AF11 11 point
You have things like the 3 different focus modes, one which tracks the subject and one which mainly uses groups of AF points etc, but some of those modes can't be used with certain AF points and some can't be used in conjunction with 3d color recognition tracking etc. To me it just felt way over complex after years with canon DSLRs. The nikon AF is more configurable but it felt (to me) as if it was over-configurable, to the point where you're just making changes to things for no reason. My 5d tracks reasonable well in c-af mode with the center point without having to worry about the multitude of settings of the nikon system.
Mind you, the 1d AF system is more complex again, but I still find it easy to understand what settings to use and when. The cam3500 in the nikon D's caused me to constantly fiddle and worry that I had the right settings selected.
Last edited:
M4cr0s
Back In Black
I think you got a bit overwhelmed. Basically you sset the cam to 51 point 3D (and forget) and switch between AF Auto (works just fine mostly) or use AF-S for stationary targets and AF-C for continuous tracking (also work fine if you lock focus on a stationary target with the center focus point and recompose). Alternatively if you want more direct control, AF-S and using the thumbpad to set focus point is also a very valid technique. It's not that difficult
I do not see much reason to use less than the full potential of the exceptional AF system Nikons top line has./Mac
kshapero
South Florida Man
My point exactly.:bang::bang: