Need advice on selecting auto focus options for my D7000

Camera Fun

Senior Member
I'll try to keep this short. I've read a lot on the focus modes but I'm looking for some thoughts from more experienced D7000 owners. I quit using auto-area AF as it sometimes selected points I didn't want it to use. For moving subjects, I've set U2 to use AF-C with 21 points and the Release priority so I'm comfortable with that for now.

My main question is what option to use for my U1 setting that will work for still subjects but still allow for some subject movement.
AF-A with single point?
AF-A with 9 point?
AF-C with single point and the fous priority option?
AF-C with 9-point and the focus priority option?

Also, what are your thoughts on the number of focus points? 39 or 11?

Finally, what are your thoughts on Focus Tracking with Lock-On? Leave at default setting? Change period? Turn completely off?

Thanks
 
you will find most professional use the AF-S single point focus as it lets you choose the point you want in focus...they focus on the chosen spot and then re frame...no focus will follow movement unless you are in one of the tracking modes
 

Camera Fun

Senior Member
Thanks for all the replies and the assistance. I think I'm getting better at understanding focus option so let me know if I've interpreted the following correctly. I grasp AF-S so I'll concentrate on AF-A & AF-C.
AF-A single point will be either AF-S (still subject) or AF-C (moving subject) since single point is available in both AF-S & AF-C.
AF-A 9 point is the same as AF-C 9 point and will keep focusing until shutter button is fully pressed.
Therefore, if a subject had the potential to be moving, I would want to use AF-A 9 point or AF-C 9 point so the camera would allow for some movement.
Question: Won't AF-A 9 point and AF-C 9 point produce the same results?
In just playing around the house with my camera, it seemed that AF-C adapted to movement better than AF-A but that wasn't a very scientific test.
Question: Would there be any advantage to using AF-C set to focus priority instead of release priority?
 

eurotrash

Senior Member
For fast-moving subjects, here are my camera settings on the D7000:
Assign the AE-L/AF-L button to "AF-ON" (f4)
Set the dial to CH
Set focus mode to AF-C
Set AF-C Priority Selection to "release" (A1)
Set Focus Tracking with lock-on to "off" (A3)
Use single point mode and shoot away.


explanation: AF-On allows you to decouple the shutter button from the focus button, which means you can HOLD the AF-On and the camera will keep finding focus because you are at AF-C(continuous). You're using CH(continuous high) to get a high framerate. Release priority allows you to shoot regardless of focus because a fast moving subject has an always-changing focus area. You only use "Focus Priority" for static subjects. Focus tracking with lock on is the amount of time it takes for the camera to begin focusing again after the initial focus was acquired. If set to OFF, the camera will always be "on the hunt" while your thumb is pressing AF-On. Single point makes the camera faster, because it doesn't have to think much. This is my own settings for action and it works.

(taken from a sticky on the subject here at Nikonites.)
 

eurotrash

Senior Member
AF point 9 or 11 or 51 point etc selection does nothing other than make scrolling and selecting the AF points faster through your viewfinder. It does NOT diminish the amount of focus points that the camera actually USES to grab focus on objects (to my understanding anyway) I use whatever is fastest in the current situation. But, that said, I usually use single point a lot of the time anyway
 

rawhead

Senior Member
For fast-moving subjects, here are my camera settings on the D7000:
Assign the AE-L/AF-L button to "AF-ON" (f4)
Set the dial to CH
Set focus mode to AF-C
Set AF-C Priority Selection to "release" (A1)
Set Focus Tracking with lock-on to "off" (A3)
Use single point mode and shoot away.


explanation: AF-On allows you to decouple the shutter button from the focus button, which means you can HOLD the AF-On and the camera will keep finding focus because you are at AF-C(continuous). You're using CH(continuous high) to get a high framerate. Release priority allows you to shoot regardless of focus because a fast moving subject has an always-changing focus area. You only use "Focus Priority" for static subjects. Focus tracking with lock on is the amount of time it takes for the camera to begin focusing again after the initial focus was acquired. If set to OFF, the camera will always be "on the hunt" while your thumb is pressing AF-On. Single point makes the camera faster, because it doesn't have to think much. This is my own settings for action and it works.

(taken from a sticky on the subject here at Nikonites.)

Tried these settings at a local footy game today. Worked very well. Thanks for the post. Pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/84744710@N06/

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2
 

Camera Fun

Senior Member
I'm not ready to jump into the AF-On setting for the AE-L/AF-L button yet. I see how it could be advantageous but I want to learm more of the camera before trying to advance to something like that. But to build on my learning and use of auto-focus modes (and keeping focus with the shutter button) how do you prefer to use the AE-L/AF-L lock button? Exposure? Focus? Both? Have you set the AE-L/AF-L button for one and the Fn button for another?
 

eurotrash

Senior Member
If you have no idea of how the features of your camera work, you are right in avoiding combining them. Start to learn exactly what different focus modes do and don't do, and USE THEM so that you can see the effects in real time. Obviously this setup is well-thought out and in my experience, it's very good at doing what it intends.

I have this mapped to my U1, so I can immediately start shooting action if it arises. Just go back to M or A when you want to and everything is reset to what you set it at there. Easy.

To answer your question, I prefer to use the AE-L/AF-L lock to lock exposure AND focus 100% of the time when I'm not shooting anything that moves quickly.

My Fn button is set for DOF Preview 100% of the time. It functions as a Modeling Flash button when a flash is connected and being controlled manually.
 
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