D810 focus and recompose technique

[HEA-45]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

 

[Humanoid]

No it does not.

Using AF-On with AF-C (continuous servo) and set AF-C for release will do it. If there is a delay perhaps exposure delay mode was on or timer. There should not be any delay.

Ray

 

[WyoPhotog]

I'm not sure about the timing between focusing and shooting but when you focus and recompose if the focus point that the camera sees looks out of focus after recomposing, at its default setting the camera will not release the shutter. You can change this default by going to the custom setting menu and setting a1 to release (if you're using AF-C) or a2 to release (if you're using AF-S). These settings will allow the shutter to fire whether the camera "sees" a correct focus or not.

Ed

 

[BrettDR]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

It sounds like the camera was set up for back button focus (not focus recompose although that is a use for BBF) with focus mode set to "focus" priority rather than release which is how BBF is generally set up.

What focus priority means is the camera will not release the shutter unless the area under the focus point is in focus (although I believe if you hold the shutter down long enough it will release eventually but I haven't tried to confirm this so I may well be wrong on this). This setting will screw up the point of using BBF for focus and recompose, obviously.

Generally, BBF is set up with focus priority being "release" which means that regardless of whether the area under the focus point is in focus or not, pressing the shutter will take a picture right then. I have mine set up for AF-C (generally) with focus priority being release on the first shot and focus on the following shots (menu a-1). This means that when shooting a burst, the first picture will be taken as soon as the shutter is released and may or may not be in focus and that the camera will try and get a focus lock for the following pictures, which may slow down the FPS.

Hope this helps.

 

[EMs1950]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

 

[WyoPhotog]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

 

[EMs1950]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

--
Best Regard
EMs1950

But if he holds down the AF-On button while recomposing then his focus point will change from what he had originally intended.

Ed

Not in AF-S mode. Pressing an holding AF-ON locks the focus.

--
Best Regard
EMs1950

 

[WyoPhotog]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

 

[WyoPhotog]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

 

[Tony Beach]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

A better choice is to use 3D-tracking with AF-C and keep the the AF-ON button depressed until you take the shot. Acquiring focus and then leaving it where it is while changing the angle of the camera can itself cause changes the what is or isn't within the focus plane, and if you or the subject moves even slightly this will also change that. For less critical focusing tasks, such as establishing hyper-focal focus distance, where you want to set focus and wait to take the shot, set AF-C priority selection (A1 in the menu) to Release.

 

[EMs1950]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

 

[dcBear78]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

A better choice is to use 3D-tracking with AF-C and keep the the AF-ON button depressed until you take the shot. Acquiring focus and then leaving it where it is while changing the angle of the camera can itself cause changes the what is or isn't within the focus plane, and if you or the subject moves even slightly this will also change that. For less critical focusing tasks, such as establishing hyper-focal focus distance, where you want to set focus and wait to take the shot, set AF-C priority selection (A1 in the menu) to Release.

 

[pxlwz]

I'm not sure about the timing between focusing and shooting but when you focus and recompose if the focus point that the camera sees looks out of focus after recomposing, at its default setting the camera will not release the shutter. You can change this default by going to the custom setting menu and setting a1 to release (if you're using AF-C) or a2 to release (if you're using AF-S). These settings will allow the shutter to fire whether the camera "sees" a correct focus or not.

Ed

What WyoPhotog said. This threw me off too, at first. It seems, that the D810 (and maybe other Nikon cameras?) still checks the focus point after recomposing, even if AF-on is not pressed. A2 set to "release" works in this case.

Markus

 

[michaeladawson]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

 

[WyoPhotog]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

 

[j_photo]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.

--
Best Regard
EMs1950

But if he holds down the AF-On button while recomposing then his focus point will change from what he had originally intended.

Ed

Not in AF-S mode. Pressing an holding AF-ON locks the focus.

--
Best Regard
EMs1950

Oh, I see your point. I have my camera configured so that pressing AF-On activates the focusing instead of using a half shutter button press. Then when I release the AF-On button the focusing stops and isn't activated when I press the shutter release.

So many choices. :-D

Ed

On second thought, I don't see your point. AF-On always initiates focus. I think you're thinking of AF-L(ock).

Ed

He is correct. The problem with the OP's post is he is not specific about how the camera is set up. All he says is that supposedly the AF-ON button is being used to initiate focus. He doesn't state whether he is using AF-S or AF-C... an important distiction! He says his camera is set for "focus and recompose". By itself that is meaningless.

If the camera is set to AF-S then pressing the AF-ON should lock focus (green dot) and then he can recompose (keeping the back button pressed). The shutter should trip immediately upon shutter button press as long as the green focus lock dot is lit.

If the camera is set to AF-C (which too many people in this thread simply assume, although that is how most people use BBF) then focus and recompose will work by focusing and then releasing the AF-ON button and recomposing. But... the release mode needs to be set to Release Priority in this case or the shutter may not trip after recomposing.

--
Mike Dawson

Interesting. This isn't quite how my D800 works. I'm sitting with it right now and testing as I write this. In brief, when focusing with AF-On only, Focus priority never works with AF-C.

Details:

Focus is set to a4 AF activation: AF-ON only. In each case, I focus on a near subject using AF-On, then recompose so that an out of focus far-away subject is under the focus point.

There is only one combination of settings which causes the camera not to trigger the shutter: AF-S, Focus priority, stop pressing AF-On before recomposing.

All other possible combinations of focus settings and AF-On activation allow the shutter to fire even though the recomposed subject is completely out of focus:
--AF-S, Focus priority, continue to press AF-On while recomposing on unfocused subject.
--AF-S, Release priority, release AF-On or continue to press AF-On while recomposing on unfocused subject
--AF-C, Focus priority or Release priority, release AF-On or continue to press AF-On while recomposing on unfocused subject.

When the D800 first came out, focus priority didn't work in any combination when using AF-On. It was a later firmware update that restored focus priority to the one scenario listed above (also known as focus trap). When the camera was first released, there was a lot of frustration in the omission of this functionality. It was a pleasant surprise when it was later restored.

All of the above is only true when shooting with AF-On only. If you change a4 to Shutter/AF-On, then focus priority works with AF-C.

Joe

 

[Dyun27]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

It should have been set to release priority instead of focus priority with AF-ON in AF-C or AF-S mode.

When it is set to focus priority and you recompose and push the shutter button, the shutter won't fire until the camera feels that whatever you're pointing it at is in focus. That's what selecting focus priority does. It makes sure the camera doesn't take a picture until the subject is in focus.

When it is set to shutter release priority, the shutter will fire regardless of whether the subject is in focus or not. It will do whatever you tell it to do. Aim the camera at your subject, focus using AF-On, recompose and push the shutter button.

Do not keep your thumb on the AF-ON button if you have it set to AF-C mode and you plan to recompose, because as long as you have your thumb on the AF-On button, the camera will use the selected AF point to focus and re-focus on whatever that AF point touches as you're moving the camera around.

--

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[EMs1950]

I rented a Nikon D810 over the weekend. The camera was setup for focus and recompose- that is the focus function was disabled for the shutter-release button and enabled for the AF-ON button. This technique worked fine as long as there was little delay between focusing and recomposing. Many times a longer delay (10 seconds?) was required, and then the shutter-release button would not work until I re-focused. Does this sound right? Any comments?

In AF-S Mode keeping the AF-ON button pressed while recomposing and releasing should work.