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Af-s vs. Af-c

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jfriend00 said:
you can't do manual focus,
Click to expand...
The other may be true but this one doesn't seem to be. Manual override works fine.

I also been playing with the function button for AF lock, which so far works for me. I know some people really like the AF-on button technique, I never did. There just aren't that many times I need to to use the focus lock function it provides + I have smaller hands which might be why it seems awkward to me. Maybe on a smaller camera but on a D200-D700 it's a stretch.

Usually I know when I will want to be using AF-S and I don't really need it to be this "dynamic". Again it's just how I feel about this.
 
Airbus5466 said:
[Is] a child sitting on a chair moving the head/eyes/arms considered to be a static subject? [Should I use AF-S or AF-C?]
Click to expand...
Sometime you can capture a semi-stationary subject like this with single-shot focus and sometimes you can't.

Depends on how much the subject moves relative to the depth of field produced by your selected lens (focal length), aperture, and subject distance.
 
Last edited:
Sorry if the answer to this question is apparent to all, but I am still new to D800e. Is there a way to decouple the half press function to AF?

Thanks in advance.
 
Stacey_K said:
jfriend00 said:
you can't do manual focus,
Click to expand...
The other may be true but this one doesn't seem to be. Manual override works fine.
Click to expand...
So you do a half-press and while holding the half press without losing the half press and without triggering the shutter, you reach with your other hand for the focus barrel and manually refocus?

Thank goodness AF-ON was invented - IMO it's a lot easier. I just press AF-ON to acquire initial focus and then release it and then I'm free without holding anything else to manually tweak focus if I want. I do all my macro shooting this way and sometimes some landscape shots where I'm tweaking for max DOF.
 
vbuhay said:
Sorry if the answer to this question is apparent to all, but I am still new to D800e. Is there a way to decouple the half press function to AF?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Custom Setting Menu a4 AF activation OFF (AF-ON only).
 
Thanks,

I just did found it my self.:-O
 
I use AF-ON only, AF-C, Single Point. As John said, it covers a variety of situations without needing to change settings.

As for static subjects, not only does the subject need to be stationary, the camera must be stationary as well. I find that when I am trying to hand-hold a macro shot that my movement is the significant factor due to the shallow DOF. The same could be true for portraits with wide apertures.
paulski66 said:
With AF-S, the shutter will not fire until the focus is 100% locked in. For non-moving subjects, such as portrait situations, this is preferable, as it is assumed you have more time to compose/focus and that you will only want to take the shot once focus is locked in, resulting in a tack-sharp image.

I think these default behaviors can be over-ridden via the menu system, too.
Click to expand...
I believe this changed between the D700 and D800E. With the D800E it only prevents the shot if the camera has not yet achieved focus. Once focus has been achieved it will take the shot even if the subject has gone out of focus.

One used to be able to Focus Priority to do focus trapping. Can't do that with a D800E, as far as I can tell.
 
I use AF-S S for hours on end at dark wedding receptions. I took over 500 shots tonight alone using this method. The AF assist beam from the SB-910 is simply brilliant in the dark. I never have a problem locking focus; it's instant.

I've also found AF-S less jumpy when trying to lock focus on an eye, at a large aperture. I switch back and forth between AF-S and C single point throughout the day, just depending on the situation.
 
benjaminblack said:
I use AF-S S for hours on end at dark wedding receptions. I took over 500 shots tonight alone using this method. The AF assist beam from the SB-910 is simply brilliant in the dark. I never have a problem locking focus; it's instant.

I've also found AF-S less jumpy when trying to lock focus on an eye, at a large aperture. I switch back and forth between AF-S and C single point throughout the day, just depending on the situation.
Click to expand...
You don't find the SB910 AF beam causes front or back focus? It's a known problem.

AF-c also has a tendancy to micro hunt on static'ish' subjects in low level warm lighting. AF-s may be better in that scenario.
--
Have Fun
Photo Pete
 
I shoot kids all the time, pretty much every day. I almost always use AF-S. The only time I use AF-C is when I want to shoot them running around and I want to track them.

I like AF-S because I use the focus recompose technique a lot and it works well for me. When I switch to AF-C I have focus recompose problems (as the focus point continues to focus on whatever it's pointed at after I've moved the camera, which might now be a wall 15 feet behind the child). I could see where using the AF-on button would be effective and once you learn it/master it could be even better. I haven't felt the need to switch though as I don't have any keeper rate problems.



Is it even possible to use the focus recompose technique with single point, AF-C and using the shutter to acquire focus?
 
Nexu1 said:
Is it even possible to use the focus recompose technique with single point, AF-C and using the shutter to acquire focus?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't recommend it and don't use it myself, but apparently there are some dynamic focus modes where you can point the center focus sensor at the subject, half-press in AF-C to start focusing and then recompose and the camera will track your original subject as you recompose.
 
Airbus5466 said:
Hi,

Photographing a near static subject, like photographing for example a child sitting on a chair moving the head/eyes/arms - is this considered to be a static subject and should I use af-s? is af-s more precise? why not use af-c all the time combined with af-on button?

How do you select between these two modes?

Regards
Erik
Click to expand...
Best of both worlds there and lots of people use their cameras that way. Saves selecting for different situations.
 
Robin Casady said:
paulski66 said:
With AF-S, the shutter will not fire until the focus is 100% locked in. For non-moving subjects, such as portrait situations, this is preferable, as it is assumed you have more time to compose/focus and that you will only want to take the shot once focus is locked in, resulting in a tack-sharp image.

I think these default behaviors can be over-ridden via the menu system, too.
Click to expand...
I believe this changed between the D700 and D800E. With the D800E it only prevents the shot if the camera has not yet achieved focus. Once focus has been achieved it will take the shot even if the subject has gone out of focus.

One used to be able to Focus Priority to do focus trapping. Can't do that with a D800E, as far as I can tell.
Click to expand...
Yes that's correct. From I've read, it sounds like focus trapping may have been brought back in the D4s. Hard to understand what Nikon is up to with this functionality.
 
Photo Pete said:
Photo Pete said:
I use AF-S S for hours on end at dark wedding receptions. I took over 500 shots tonight alone using this method. The AF assist beam from the SB-910 is simply brilliant in the dark. I never have a problem locking focus; it's instant.

I've also found AF-S less jumpy when trying to lock focus on an eye, at a large aperture. I switch back and forth between AF-S and C single point throughout the day, just depending on the situation.
Click to expand...
You don't find the SB910 AF beam causes front or back focus? It's a known problem.

AF-c also has a tendancy to micro hunt on static'ish' subjects in low level warm lighting. AF-s may be better in that scenario.
--
Have Fun
Photo Pete
Click to expand...
Forums ate full of known problems and conventional wisdom. Photography is something different. That's where you use the tools you have to get a job done. I'm just playing, but in all seriousness, I shoot 30-40 weddings a year, most have incredibly long receptions, and the SB-910 never fails me with its focus assist. Last night I photographed an African wedding, there were over a hundred people on the dance floor, it was epic! Pitch black with lasers shooting all over the place, never once used AF-C. I do use AF-C when I have a well lit dance floor, but that's not the case very often.
 
Both of mine cameras are permanently set on AF-C but I don't use AF-On because I constantly change focus points. And changing my finger from the stick to AF-On button is too much work.

Another difference is that on AF-C in the low light the AF-Assist Illuminator will not work. But AF on D800 is so good that I don't miss it and actually I don't want it.
 
benjaminblack said:
Photo Pete said:
benjaminblack said:
I use AF-S S for hours on end at dark wedding receptions. I took over 500 shots tonight alone using this method. The AF assist beam from the SB-910 is simply brilliant in the dark. I never have a problem locking focus; it's instant.

I've also found AF-S less jumpy when trying to lock focus on an eye, at a large aperture. I switch back and forth between AF-S and C single point throughout the day, just depending on the situation.
Click to expand...
You don't find the SB910 AF beam causes front or back focus? It's a known problem.

AF-c also has a tendancy to micro hunt on static'ish' subjects in low level warm lighting. AF-s may be better in that scenario.
--
Have Fun
Photo Pete
Click to expand...
Forums ate full of known problems and conventional wisdom. Photography is something different. That's where you use the tools you have to get a job done. I'm just playing, but in all seriousness, I shoot 30-40 weddings a year, most have incredibly long receptions, and the SB-910 never fails me with its focus assist. Last night I photographed an African wedding, there were over a hundred people on the dance floor, it was epic! Pitch black with lasers shooting all over the place, never once used AF-C. I do use AF-C when I have a well lit dance floor, but that's not the case very often.
Click to expand...
This is interesting, and contrary to much advice on this forum. Makes me think I should give AF-S and flash focus assist another chance and see how it does for me.
 
SushiEater said:
Both of mine cameras are permanently set on AF-C but I don't use AF-On because I constantly change focus points. And changing my finger from the stick to AF-On button is too much work.

Another difference is that on AF-C in the low light the AF-Assist Illuminator will not work. But AF on D800 is so good that I don't miss it and actually I don't want it.
Click to expand...
I just don't get why you can't af with the stick and move af points ? Wish nikon would just do it with a firmware update, I use af on all the time and it's a pain going back and forth from stick to af button
 
+100, set focus to back button in af-c mode. Hold button in, keep holding it in while carefully releasing the shutter. I think maybe a lot of people don't get sharp images because they hit the shutter button too hard and the camera shakes, hit the shutter button like your target practicing with a rifle, very softly.

Larry
 
It all depends on whether you have your AF-C set for focus priority or shooting priority. If you have AF-C set for focus priority, the camera won't shoot until the subject is in focus. I have my camera set for AF-ON along with AF-C and focus priority.
 
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