here's something thats bugging me

Clovishound

Senior Member
That happens to me a lot on my Z5. I don't know of anyway to lock into the center or other positions. You probably already know, but you can easily bring it back to center by pressing the OK button.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
Never mind, what I wrote before if you read it.
I couldn't locate a way to lock the focus point like you could with the D500. Other people have complained about it too.
Even if you assign the Sub-selector to change focus points and select center, the Multi-selector can't be disabled. So, you are stuck with just doing a quick re-center using the center button of the Multi-selector of the Sub-selector.
I was thinking if you assigned the Sub-selector to move and center focus points, then maybe it would disable the function of the other button.
 
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Fred Kingston

Senior Member
The feature you're all searching for is called "focus selector lock" It's that manual "L" ring around the multi-selector button on all the DSLRs... The Z cameras eliminated the manual "L" ring and assigned the function to a menu option...

Custom Setting Menu
f Controls
f2 Custom controls
Sub-selector (joystick) center
Select center focus point
 

Danno

Senior Member
I don't know of a way to lock the focus point, but I do not use single-point anymore. I use face or eye recognition and BBF. I will lock the target in the center using the OK button. When my target shows up I position the center point over the subject. Press BBF and the focus point hangs with the subject. I do not shoot birds like you Roy, but that was what I used for Jersey Girl running around the yard and people getting baptized.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
The feature you're all searching for is called "focus selector lock" It's that manual "L" ring around the multi-selector button on all the DSLRs... The Z cameras eliminated the manual "L" ring and assigned the function to a menu option...

Custom Setting Menu
f Controls
f2 Custom controls
Sub-selector (joystick) center
Select center focus point
Hey Fred,
It is the same on the D500, but it only assigns the button to select the center focus point not lock it in place like the lock ring. It would be nice if you could just hold the center button down for a couple seconds to lock the center focus point.
I have the opposite problem that @Roy1961 has. I bump the lock-ring, and it takes me a couple seconds to figure out why I can't move my focus point. "Oh, I locked it."
I think I am going to assign the center button to a pre-assigned focus point again. Might be a bit faster than focus and recompose.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
I think I am going to assign the center button to a pre-assigned focus point again.
That would be the logical thing to do... I don't have a Z camera to play with to try to figure out which might the best process...I'm stunned, after decades of Nikon putting a Focus Selector Lock on their cameras, that they decided to do away with that feature... Although, as you mention (accidentally locking the ring) has been the basis for a brazillion posts on various camera/Nikon forums over the decades too... :D
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
That would be the logical thing to do... I don't have a Z camera to play with to try to figure out which might the best process...I'm stunned, after decades of Nikon putting a Focus Selector Lock on their cameras, that they decided to do away with that feature... Although, as you mention (accidentally locking the ring) has been the basis for a brazillion posts on various camera/Nikon forums over the decades too... :D
Yeah, the amount of time it has taken me to figure out I bumped that ring has gotten a lot shorter over the years. :unsure:😆
A lot of people seem to agree with you on the focus point lock function going away. I guess new users won't miss what they never had. That is probably written on a poster in the Nikon research and design department. "They won't miss what they never had."
 
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