How are people using Group Focus on D750/D810?

JJ10 · Apr 20, 2015

I would be interested in learning how and if people are using Group Focus on your camera? How have you found it in general or is it just a option like the scene modes etc that lots of us never use.

How would it go at events for example, with flash, and will Flash Lock work correctly with Group Focus?

I note when the D7200 was released lots of people said the lack of group focus was a deal breaker for them so it would be good to see how people are finding it.

I have the D750 and was thinking of trying it with flash at an event I will be attending soon.

Totomo Yap · Apr 20, 2015

I use it with AF-S in low-light, when my focus target is off-center.

Also, use to tracking target in AF-C mode.

Realiable.

Dyun27 · Apr 22, 2015

I use it in AF-C mode when I shoot portraits or when I'm tracking a bigger bird in flight. It works pretty well. I haven't quite figured out what it's BEST for, but for peoples' faces it seems to work better than selecting AF-C 9 points or single point.

I found an article from Photography Life describing the function of the Group area mode:

Nikon Group-Area AF Mode

photographylife.com

"When pointed at a subject, all five focus points are activated simultaneously for the initial focus acquisition, with priority given to the closest subject. This differs from the the Dynamic 9 AF mode quite a bit, because D9 activates 8 focus points around the center focus point, with priority given to the chosen center focus point. If the camera fails to focus using the center focus point (not enough contrast), it attempts to do it with the other 8 focus points. Basically, the camera will always prioritize the central focus point and only fail-over to the other 8 if focus is not possible. In contrast, Group-area AF uses all 5 focus points simultaneously and will attempt to focus on the nearest subject, without giving preference to any of the 5 focus points."

JJ10 · Apr 22, 2015

Thank for this information very helpful.

T O Shooter · Apr 22, 2015

JJ10 said:
I would be interested in learning how and if people are using Group Focus on your camera? How have you found it in general or is it just a option like the scene modes etc that lots of us never use.

How would it go at events for example, with flash, and will Flash Lock work correctly with Group Focus?

I note when the D7200 was released lots of people said the lack of group focus was a deal breaker for them so it would be good to see how people are finding it.

I have the D750 and was thinking of trying it with flash at an event I will be attending soon.

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

reidry · Apr 22, 2015

T O Shooter said:
JJ10 said:

I would be interested in learning how and if people are using Group Focus on your camera? How have you found it in general or is it just a option like the scene modes etc that lots of us never use.

How would it go at events for example, with flash, and will Flash Lock work correctly with Group Focus?

I note when the D7200 was released lots of people said the lack of group focus was a deal breaker for them so it would be good to see how people are finding it.

I have the D750 and was thinking of trying it with flash at an event I will be attending soon.

Click to expand...

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

T O Shooter · Apr 22, 2015

reidry said:
T O Shooter said:

JJ10 said:

I would be interested in learning how and if people are using Group Focus on your camera? How have you found it in general or is it just a option like the scene modes etc that lots of us never use.

How would it go at events for example, with flash, and will Flash Lock work correctly with Group Focus?

I note when the D7200 was released lots of people said the lack of group focus was a deal breaker for them so it would be good to see how people are finding it.

I have the D750 and was thinking of trying it with flash at an event I will be attending soon.

Click to expand...

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

Click to expand...

amobi · Apr 22, 2015

I used it once in a wedding and stopped. It did nothing for me except that I missed a lot of shots. I used it both in procession and first dace. I'm back to Af-C single point 100%. I do not shoot sport or BIF. If I do who knows.

gucio33 · Apr 22, 2015

T O Shooter said:
reidry said:

T O Shooter said:

JJ10 said:

I would be interested in learning how and if people are using Group Focus on your camera? How have you found it in general or is it just a option like the scene modes etc that lots of us never use.

How would it go at events for example, with flash, and will Flash Lock work correctly with Group Focus?

I note when the D7200 was released lots of people said the lack of group focus was a deal breaker for them so it would be good to see how people are finding it.

I have the D750 and was thinking of trying it with flash at an event I will be attending soon.

Click to expand...

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

--
A Canon G5 and a bit of Nikon gear.
-
The trouble with normal is it always gets worse - Bruce Cockburn
-

Click to expand...

Of course none of us know the inner workings of the Nikon focus algorithms, or if some of us do they're not telling!

Click to expand...

i wasn't referring to algorithms; I was referring to Nikon not telling us what applications group is suppose to excel at.

T O Shooter said:

Take this for what it's worth, the Group Area AF was developed for the D4S. In this video, of course sponsored by Nikon Asia, Dave Black shoots Motorcross and Superbikes and raves about the Group Area AF - he's shooting superbikes at 65mph inches from the action, states he's not using any pre-focus and the D4S tracks them right in.

Click to expand...

Keywords in the above might be "sponsored by Nikon Asia". I'm betting he doesn't miss with 9 pt either. Or even single.

Perhaps you should watch the video?

T O Shooter said:
T O Shooter said:

Click to expand...

Watch it.

BobWorrell · Apr 22, 2015

T O Shooter said:
reidry said:

T O Shooter said:

JJ10 said:

I would be interested in learning how and if people are using Group Focus on your camera? How have you found it in general or is it just a option like the scene modes etc that lots of us never use.

How would it go at events for example, with flash, and will Flash Lock work correctly with Group Focus?

I note when the D7200 was released lots of people said the lack of group focus was a deal breaker for them so it would be good to see how people are finding it.

I have the D750 and was thinking of trying it with flash at an event I will be attending soon.

Click to expand...

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

JJ10 · Apr 22, 2015

amobi said:
I used it once in a wedding and stopped. It did nothing for me except that I missed a lot of shots. I used it both in procession and first dace. I'm back to Af-C single point 100%. I do not shoot sport or BIF. If I do who knows.

That is interesting, in what way did you miss a lot of shots? Failed to nail focus or some other problem?

WatsonPhoto · Apr 24, 2015

I use it extensively in motorsports (car and motorcycle racing) It is excellent for this usage. Works especially well when you have two motorcycles going around a curve and you want to focus on the one closest to you. I think this is intended primarily for sports shooters but could be used to photograph a group of people. But there are always different options with the D750/810. Try the various modes and see what works for your subject types and shooting style.

F9DOG · Apr 24, 2015

T O Shooter said:
I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

--
A Canon G5 and a bit of Nikon gear.
-
The trouble with normal is it always gets worse - Bruce Cockburn
-

Yep, same here. I find 9 point does the same job but consistently better

I have read the description between the 2 many times but in my view, it is saying the same thing about Group as D9, just in a different words. If it doesnt acquire focus from the centre point, it goes to the next one or the nearest one. (Group vs D9). No clear definition of use cases - using 1 over the other.

rubank · Apr 24, 2015

F9DOG said:
T O Shooter said:

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

--
A Canon G5 and a bit of Nikon gear.
-
The trouble with normal is it always gets worse - Bruce Cockburn
-

Click to expand...

Yep, same here. I find 9 point does the same job but consistently better

I have read the description between the 2 many times but in my view, it is saying the same thing about Group as D9, just in a different words. If it doesnt acquire focus from the centre point, it goes to the next one or the nearest one. (Group vs D9). No clear definition of use cases - using 1 over the other.

I agree that Nikon doesn´t give clear info on how their AF actually works, in any mode. But my experience is that, as has already been mentioned, group AF gives priority to the closest subject - while other AF modes don´t - and that once focus is acquired is uses the whole AF area for tracking. If you look at the top LCD it indicates that the whole AF area is active as opposed to choosing 9 or 21 pt dynamic area. This is also my experience when shooting BIF.

T O Shooter · Apr 24, 2015

gucio33 said:
T O Shooter said:

reidry said:

T O Shooter said:

JJ10 said:

I would be interested in learning how and if people are using Group Focus on your camera? How have you found it in general or is it just a option like the scene modes etc that lots of us never use.

How would it go at events for example, with flash, and will Flash Lock work correctly with Group Focus?

I note when the D7200 was released lots of people said the lack of group focus was a deal breaker for them so it would be good to see how people are finding it.

I have the D750 and was thinking of trying it with flash at an event I will be attending soon.

Click to expand...

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

T O Shooter · Apr 24, 2015

F9DOG said:
T O Shooter said:

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

Click to expand...

JJ10 · Apr 24, 2015

OK I tried to put my D750 into 9 point to try it out after some of the comments here but it seems it is not available if you have AF-S selected, only Auto which I never use or in AF-C. Looked in my D750 manual again and I can't seem to see clearly if it should be available in AF-S.

Could some one please confirm if 9poin group focus is available in AF-S mode on the D750?

There have been some interesting points and suggestions raised so far, thanks all.

Brandon birder · Apr 25, 2015

rubank said:
F9DOG said:

T O Shooter said:

I think fellows are getting a "placebo effect" from group AF. No one actually knows, except Nikon, what the intended use for it is. It's like not feeling well and looking up a symptom on the internet. Same symptom might apply to anything from about to give birth to having a heart attack. Same thing looking up the purpose for group. 9 pt has the same uses. So no specific use or specific uses listed in anything I've seen from Nikon that list group as better. While it's on my D750 and D810, and I have tried it, 9 pt does the same thing - only better.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

balico · Apr 25, 2015

So this would mean that for shooting portraits, the camera will focus on the tip of the nose and not the eye!??

billslatteryjr · Apr 25, 2015

More forgiving focus acquisition is group focus's biggest plus. It allows one to be off target some and still get the subject. I used it for dozens of sporting events, maybe 20-30,000 shots, this past fall while stubbornly trying to learn to live with a 5-6FPS rate without spending $3K+ to upgrade from a D4 to same MP D4S. It definitely adds to the number of in focus shots. No placebo effect.

What I'd like to see on a D5 is an expansion of the group focus idea by adding another button next to the AF-ON, like the AE/F-L button on the D810. And a way one could set a focus limit for distance and maybe even allow customizable width for the AF-ON button to use for most shots and have the added AE-L button behave normal for distance shots where you usually have more time to acquire focus. That'd put a big hurting on grabbing the background by mistake. I think I read Sony is introducing something like that.

How are people using Group Focus on D750/D810?

Senior Member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Forum Pro

Member

Forum Pro

Senior Member

Leading Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Forum Enthusiast

Forum Enthusiast

Senior Member

Forum Pro

Forum Pro

Senior Member

Veteran Member

Forum Enthusiast

Leading Member

Similar threads

Keyboard shortcuts