AFS single point VS AFC single point thoughts?

Camera Fun

Senior Member
I've been using AFS single point for some time (do general photography of people, events, family, etc). However I'm thinking that AFC single would be better overall in order to account for those times when a subject, that I think will be still, ends up moving slightly. I would set the camera on focus priority. I prefer to use either AFS or AFC over AFA so that I'm choosing the mode I want.
Any thoughts, especially on AFC single point experiences, will be appreciated. Thanks.
 

nickt

Senior Member
It sounds like you are ready to try back button focus (bbf). The basic idea is that you set up your camera to not autofocus with a half press. You will instead autofocus by pressing the ae-l/af-l lock button on the camera back. Holding that button down continuously gives you af-c mode, releasing the button after you achieve focus gives you a pseudo af-s mode so that you can focus and recompose. With this technique you have instant access to either focus mode. It takes a good awhile to get used to it but it ends up being a very valuable tool.
To do this, set af-c mode. Set af-c to release priority in the menu. Then program your ae/af-l lock button to AF-ON. Plenty of threads on this here and other sites.
 
Back Button Focus is a great tool for so many photographers and is something I think everyone should try at least once. Below are a few sites that talk about the how and why of Back Button Focus.

Benefits of Using the AF-ON Button for Autofocus by Nikon USA


BACK BUTTON FOCUSING – EASIER THAN YOU THINK! by Improve Photography


Here is a good YouTube video that goes over the why and how of Back Button Focusing.

You can do a search of the forum on "Back Button Focus" or BBF and see the many threads that have been created on this subject.

Try it, You will like it.






 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Back Button Focus is a great tool for so many photographers and is something I think everyone should try at least once. Below are a few sites that talk about the how and why of Back Button Focus.

Benefits of Using the AF-ON Button for Autofocus by Nikon USA


BACK BUTTON FOCUSING – EASIER THAN YOU THINK! by Improve Photography


Here is a good YouTube video that goes over the why and how of Back Button Focusing.

You can do a search of the forum on "Back Button Focus" or BBF and see the many threads that have been created on this subject.

Try it, You will like it.







I'm going to suggest you try it a few times. It will frustrate you, stick with it.
 
I'm going to suggest you try it a few times. It will frustrate you, stick with it.

I generally tell people to set it up and go shoot a lot for at least 2 weeks. Not on anything very important though. You can not switch back and forth while you are getting used to it though. I pick up my wife's camera and it drives me crazy that it is not BBF. Her hands are not big enough to reach the BBF button on the D7100
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
It took me a while to get use to it. I would get frustrated, not enjoying myself, and switch it back. Then, once my frustration was gone, I would go back and try it again. It was too frustrating for the health of the expensive camera to try and push through.
 

aroy

Senior Member
For critical focusing I use AF-S single point. For subjects that move, AF-C single point. The only problem with AF-C is that at times the body may fire when focus is not fully acquired.
 

Blade Canyon

Senior Member
If you are not using back-button-focusing, then the one drawback to AF-C single point is that you cannot focus and recompose. In other words, if you are shooting a portrait and the focus point is on the person's eye, then you cannot recompose the portrait before shooting, otherwise the focus will change. If you have a lot of time, you can move the focus point in the view finder, but I've never found that to be practical. I use the center focusing point exclusively, then focus and recompose with AF-S.
 
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Camera Fun

Senior Member
If you are not using back-button-focusing, then the one drawback to AF-C single point is that you cannot focus and recompose. In other words, if you are shooting a portrait and the focus point is on the person's eye, then you cannot recompose the portrait before shooting, otherwise the focus will change. If you have a lot of time, you can move the focus point in the view finder, but I've never found that to be practical. I use the center focusing point exclusively, then focus and recompose with AF-S.

I had mixed results with focus and re-compose. My experience was that something in the shot would inevitably not be in the same focal plane as where I had focused so the result was not satisfactory.
 
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