AF-Area Modes; 9-points vs single-point

[Mako2011]

I usually use the lock switch on the back to lock the focus point to the center unless I want to use one of the others. Won't the lock switch keep the focus point from automatically moving?

Thanks!

Jim

Jim, I just tested. No, the lock switch will not keep the AF sensor selected as primary. It may still change in rare cases as Mollysnoot2 has showed.

Hi Mako,

Thank you for the VERY quick test and response. Your answer is making me wonder if I wouldn't be better off using a single focus point with AF-C rather than 9 point since it's rare that I photograph a moving object.

Can you make any recommendations about single point?

I shoot mostly handheld and my subjects are usually dynamic. Either I'm tilting or the subject is leaning or giggling or some other dynamic movement is going on. In those situations, 9pt gives me better results. When the target is very small, the DOF is very tight, and the area around the target is outside the DOF based on my aperture setting...I change to single. Hope that helps but actually....practice with both modes will get you to where you want to be that fastest....IMO

 

[Jim Holtz]

Thanks for the help!

Jim

 

[JCB123]

Thanks for pointing this out. I took some time to check this and managed to reproduce the behaviour you described. You are quite correct. (OK you knew that)

9 point mode does behave as per the manual and as I described most of the time, but on occasions it either selects or rapidly switches to an adjacent point.

What matters though is your point that selecting single point might be preferable in some circumstances.

I don't relish being proved wrong but hopefully this discussion has been useful. At least I am a liittle wiser for it.

Regards
John

 

[Mollysnoot2]

9 point mode does behave as per the manual and as I described most of the time, but on occasions it either selects or rapidly switches to an adjacent point.

Absolutely agree: most often 9-point is the best option, even for only slightly dynamic situations (e.g. very little movement), but it just occasionally behaves a bit unexpectedly. I really do wish Nikon would document the D7000's AF system more comprehensively!

M