D810 focus hunting

wildbird2015

New member
Hello, Im new to this so bare with me please. I use a D810 with usually a 600f4 or a 300 f2.8 for mostly bird photography.
I have a problem in that my camera focus hunts a lot causing me to miss many ,many opportunities its frustrating and I wonder if I have some settings wrong perhaps. I use AF/on back button focus, AF-c, single point to control focus area .
I understand its usually a contrast problem but it seems to do this in most situations -- just about pulling my hair out and it does nothing for ones confidence..Can anyone offer a solution please.either on this forum or by emailing me regards Neil ( wildbird2015 )
 
Hello, Im new to this so bare with me please. I use a D810 with usually a 600f4 or a 300 f2.8 for mostly bird photography.
I have a problem in that my camera focus hunts a lot causing me to miss many ,many opportunities its frustrating and I wonder if I have some settings wrong perhaps. I use AF/on back button focus, AF-c, single point to control focus area .
I understand its usually a contrast problem but it seems to do this in most situations -- just about pulling my hair out and it does nothing for ones confidence..Can anyone offer a solution please.either on this forum or by emailing me regards Neil ( wildbird2015 )

First off welcome to the forum. I do some bird shooting also and locking focus can be a problem at times. You might try Group focus if the D810 has that or 9 point. I have moved to group on my D750 recently and have been getting more keepers.
 
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RocketCowboy

Senior Member
Howdy and welcome to Nikonites!

As Don mentioned, you might have better success with the Group focus mode, rather than single point. I haven't used big lenses like the 300/2.8 or 600/4, but I do shoot with the 300/4 and 200-500/5.6 which I would expect to have more focus problems than your glass ... all things considered.
 

wildbird2015

New member
Thanks guy's I try to avoid multiple points as the eye is the important focal target and often this is missed using 9 or more points but I appreciate your help and will try. regards wildbird2015
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
Hello, Im new to this so bare with me please. I use a D810 with usually a 600f4 or a 300 f2.8 for mostly bird photography.
I have a problem in that my camera focus hunts a lot causing me to miss many ,many opportunities its frustrating and I wonder if I have some settings wrong perhaps. I use AF/on back button focus, AF-c, single point to control focus area .
I understand its usually a contrast problem but it seems to do this in most situations -- just about pulling my hair out and it does nothing for ones confidence..Can anyone offer a solution please.either on this forum or by emailing me regards Neil ( wildbird2015 )

You should not have that much problems with focus hunting, especially with those lenses. Does it do it all time, like against the sky, or just when the bird is flying in front of trees or other high contrasty objects?

Another question. Once you do acquire focus does it keep it while tracking, or do you keep losing it? You said that you were new to this, so maybe it just comes down to more practice. No need to be pulling your hair out. This is not golf.:)
 

wildbird2015

New member
Thanks & hello Blacktop, No a typical scenario would be a standard bird shot in open shade. Acquisition is problematic and once gained is soon lost again.
Im new to posting g on a forum sorry to be misleading . I was a pro for 30 years back in the silver halide days and digital is still a challenge to an old bugger like me.
I think probably every camera ever made will cause hunting g pointed at the sky or the other scenarios you mention for sue and I accept that. But this problem is frustrating and tends to knock my confidence as Im never sure of capturing anything and you know Murphy's law . Focus works fine with sparrows but as soon as that great spotted sun bird shows up after not having been seen for ten years the lens hunts until the bird dies of old age....
Jokes and silliness aside, Its a frustrating problem and could well be something Im doing wrong.
I use AF - C , single point as with birds the eye is the critical focus point and I make that decision not the camera with multiple points. had to laugh at your reference to golf.!! I so appreciate your input regards Neil Foster ( wildbird2015 ) for a google search.
 

wildbird2015

New member
Hello, Sorry I thought I had posted a response re D810 focus problem, No a typical example is bird in open shade , finding focus problematic then when it does it often looses it again.Im an ex pro of thirty years so fairly conversant but newish to digital. Therefor Im wondering if there is a setting Im overlooking buried in menu's that holds the key perhaps. So appreciate your help.
 
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