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<blockquote data-quote="BackdoorArts" data-source="post: 666490" data-attributes="member: 9240">Because I've run into this in more than one instance I need to clarify something that many people get wrong - AF-C S and AF-C d51 are both single point focus settings. So saying you &quot;use single point focus&quot; is a misnomer, or at least incomplete. The only difference between the two is how the focus point moves or tracks after locking. Before achieving focus both modes allow you to move the focus point within the viewfinder anywhere within the focus box so it can be used for the initial focus lock. After that is where the difference happens. With AF-C S you are required to keep that single point on the spot you want to remain focused, which I would posit is a near impossible task when handholding a big lens against a fast bird. With AF-C d51 (or any other dXX setting) after the focus point initially locks it is free to move within the set number of focus points to stay locked on the original spot. So if the bird is migrating north, south, east and/or west within the viewfinder the camera is going to try and keep the same part of the bird in focus. The problem in referring to the other modes as &quot;non-single point&quot; or worse yet &quot;multi-point&quot; is that it's not correct. Modes like Group or 3D are &quot;multi-point&quot; because they allow the camera's focusing system to choose the locked focus point from among multiple points. The camera may then lock on multiple points, but only because they are equidistant and all in focus. I can't tell you how many times I've seen questions that ask about using multi-point focus but &quot;not being able to get multiple things in focus&quot;. If you understand the difference great, but perpetuating &quot;single point&quot; instead of saying &quot;center point&quot; (which is almost always the case) can cause a great deal of confusion.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="BackdoorArts, post: 666490, member: 9240"] Because I've run into this in more than one instance I need to clarify something that many people get wrong - AF-C S and AF-C d51 are [B][I]both[/I] [I]single point[/I][/B] [B][I]focus[/I][/B] settings. So saying you "use single point focus" is a misnomer, or at least incomplete. The only difference between the two is how the focus point moves or tracks [I][B]after locking[/B][/I]. Before achieving focus both modes allow you to move the focus point within the viewfinder anywhere within the focus box so it can be used for the initial focus lock. After that is where the difference happens. With AF-C S you are required to keep that single point on the spot you want to remain focused, which I would posit is a near impossible task when handholding a big lens against a fast bird. With AF-C d51 (or any other dXX setting) after the focus point initially locks it is free to move within the set number of focus points to [U][B]stay locked[/B][/U] on the original spot. So if the bird is migrating north, south, east and/or west within the viewfinder the camera is going to try and keep the same part of the bird in focus. The problem in referring to the other modes as "non-single point" or worse yet "multi-point" is that it's not correct. Modes like Group or 3D are "multi-point" because they allow the camera's focusing system to [I]choose the locked focus point from among multiple points[/I]. The camera may then lock on multiple points, but only because they are equidistant and [I]all[/I] in focus. I can't tell you how many times I've seen questions that ask about using multi-point focus but "not being able to get multiple things in focus". If you understand the difference great, but perpetuating "single point" instead of saying "center point" (which is almost always the case) can cause a great deal of confusion. [/QUOTE]

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