Hang on here, I thought auto mode looked for the nearest subject to the camera and locked on to that, and face recognition was incorporated into that mode, it's supposed to be for beginners taking group shots of people, simple mode, now we have the the "recent discovery" of the shortfalls of dynamic mode, I thought it might be great for tracking birds against a clear sky!
This is driving me to drink, which is probably it's only advantage!!
Face detection requires color information from the metering sensor... it is available in 3D and as a setting for matrix metering (D5).
Auto mode used to be slower and more erratic, IMO it is more useful now... especially for things that are extremely difficult to acquire/track. But it is still not a "perfect solution," nothing is (or ever was)...
Another test image from yesterday. Nearly full frame (slight crop due to rotation). *Handheld, D5, 400/2.8 + 2x @ f/8, d153/5/erratic. There were additional branches/distractions which I removed in post. Selected focus point reported as being at the top of the shoulder. At 100% the image suffers from a bit of CA (corrected) and softness due to the 2x. The head/eye is well away from the initial point selected, but focus held long enough even though there was plenty of detail for it to refocus on.
Improvement for sure....
Usually group works okay if wings are up or if the wings are beating fast like hummers as it can't see them and grabs the body which is ideal. But for larger birds and even smaller ones close to you (like these mergansers) group will often grab near wing as was seen in the previous (now removed) image.
>>>
I thought auto mode looked for the nearest subject to the camera and locked on to that, and face recognition was incorporated into that mode, it's supposed to be for beginners taking group shots of people,
>>>>>
That is indeed how Auto AF seems to work.
However, there is the alternative "3D Tracking AF" in which the photographer selects which part of the target that he wishes to Track.
sk66 wrote:
Face detection requires color information from the metering sensor... it is available in 3D and as a setting for matrix metering (D5).
Auto mode used to be slower and more erratic, IMO it is more useful now... especially for things that are extremely difficult to acquire/track. But it is still not a "perfect solution," nothing is (or ever was)...
I think that auto mode is the cameras default setting..I can't remember now as I new how to configure Nikon's AF; but my first Nikon the D7100 arrived with he default in auto AF mode.
Like a few others this is getting confusing for me
Been doing some reading on the Nikon manuals that are on line. Can someone please explain how the standby timer comes into play with all of this ? Forgive me it this was addressed in previous posts.
According to the manual on line for D500 Tips Autofocus Basics:
The Standby Timer
Choose long standby times to keep the timer active and avoid the delay that occurs when it is reactivated (note that this increases the drain on the battery). If you’re at a soccer match and the default six-second timer expires while you’re waiting for a player to line up a corner kick, the delay may make you miss the golden moment following the kick. In situations like these, we suggest setting the timer to a minute or more.
Standby timer is the time delay between when the camera is deactivated (shutter/AF-on released) and when it goes into standby mode (metering/displays disappear).
IMO, it is irrelevant to active shooting. Mine are all still set to the default 6 sec.
AnnJS wrote:
>>>
I thought auto mode looked for the nearest subject to the camera and locked on to that, and face recognition was incorporated into that mode, it's supposed to be for beginners taking group shots of people,
>>>>>
That is indeed how Auto AF seems to work.
However, there is the alternative "3D Tracking AF" in which the photographer selects which part of the target that he wishes to Track.
IME, all modes of AF will lock onto the first thing it can. Auto will evaluate multiple points of good contrast/focus simultaneously and may average them. It will likely be the nearest point of good contrast/focus *IF* the AF starts from a short focal distance. Sometimes it can be beneficial to preset the focus towards one extreme in order to take advantage of this behavior.
p.15 #10 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
sk66 wrote:
Another test image from yesterday. Nearly full frame (slight crop due to rotation). *Handheld, D5, 400/2.8 + 2x @ f/8, d153/5/erratic. There were additional branches/distractions which I removed in post. Selected focus point reported as being at the top of the shoulder. At 100% the image suffers from a bit of CA (corrected) and softness due to the 2x. The head/eye is well away from the initial point selected, but focus held long enough even though there was plenty of detail for it to refocus on.
I'm trying to understand you. What was the initial focus target?
p.15 #11 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
la puffin wrote:
I'm trying to understand you. What was the initial focus target?
The face/eye is where I activated focus and where it has stayed, even though the initially selected (primary) point had moved to the top of the near shoulder when the shot was actually taken.
It's kind of interesting that the D5 only displaying the initially selected point in dynamic modes is actually useful for this testing.
p.15 #12 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
sk66 wrote:
The face/eye is where I activated focus and where it has stayed, even though the initially selected (primary) point had moved to the top of the near shoulder when the shot was actually taken.
It must be my inexperience with the subject because I'm only really seeing detail in the feathers down by his feet. Because of that, I don't think the TC should to blame. If his eye is in focus, shouldn't that hole on his beak be more defined? Again, I've only shot bird with guns
p.15 #13 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
la puffin wrote:
It must be my inexperience with the subject because I'm only really seeing detail in the feathers down by his feet. Because of that, I don't think the TC should to blame. If his eye is in focus, shouldn't that hole on his beak be more defined? Again, I've only shot bird with guns
The details are larger/coarser down by the foot. The point is not really the overall sharpness/IQ, and in reality even 1/1600 is pushing it for handholding the 400/2.8 +2x IMO; particularly because I wasn't using the shoulder mount for this image (2x FL is my default minimum w/ long FL's)... I'm fighting a lot of "negatives" with this image.
The point is that the initially selected AF point had moved to the near shoulder (lower left edge in this crop) and the focus did not shift to that point with it. Out of two separate bursts of 3 images, focus held for all 6.
p.15 #14 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
sk66 wrote:
The point is that the initially selected AF point had moved to the near shoulder (lower left edge in this crop) and the focus did not shift to that point with it. Out of two separate bursts of 3 images, focus held for all 6.
Then are you satisfied that you can set the AF to perform as with previous models?
You know you could've turned on the VR and kept the AF point on the eye
p.15 #15 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
I've been following this thread with interest. It seems most of the discussion about the AF is dealing with shooting BIF. What about other things (I think Trenchmonkeymentioned shooting rodeo). What about AF settings for things like sports, etc.
Just curious how people have their cameras set up for other things as well and which AF mode might work best.
p.15 #16 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
pjheller wrote:
I've been following this thread with interest. It seems most of the discussion about the AF is dealing with shooting BIF. What about other things (I think Trenchmonkeymentioned shooting rodeo). What about AF settings for things like sports, etc.
I've shot volleyball, football, soccer, tennis, polo, water polo, surfing, baseball and basketball and either use D9 or Single Point. I think the system being "hyperactive" as someone else put it, works great for these sports, if you're used to trying to keep you AF point on the intended target. Especially with shooting a burst, if I move off off my target, I'm trying to get back on it and want the main point to reachieve (is that a word?) AF as quickly as possible.
p.15 #17 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
la puffin wrote:
Then are you satisfied that you can set the AF to perform as with previous models?
You know you could've turned on the VR and kept the AF point on the eye
I haven't decided as of yet... but I'm getting to the point of being satisfied/confident with setting/using the D5's dynamic modes.
I tend to leave VR off at SS's above 1/500 or so... but it's always worth a try. I use it so seldom I tend to forget about it . In this case the selected AF point was at the limit of the field; in order to keep it on the eye the composition would have to be changed (I could have backed off and shot looser).
p.15 #18 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
pjheller wrote:
I've been following this thread with interest. It seems most of the discussion about the AF is dealing with shooting BIF. What about other things (I think Trenchmonkeymentioned shooting rodeo). What about AF settings for things like sports, etc.
Just curious how people have their cameras set up for other things as well and which AF mode might work best.
My settings are generally pretty much the same irregardless of the subject/situation (unless studio). The three variables I change the most are AF points (as few as possible to keep on target), metering mode (as small as possible/suitable), and exposure compensation for metering errors.
I don't think I can define it any closer than that...
p.15 #19 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
kwilliam8 wrote:
If anyone from Nikon NPS is reading this thread, surely you must admit that your documentation of AF area modes (and especially Dynamic Area modes) is not clear enough for photographers to get the most out of these systems. Most photographers on this thread have read all the available Nikon documentation, but this material is not enough. And if the new version of dynamic area modes on the D5/D500 is a bug of some sort, please let us know. There is nothing wrong in admitting a mistake. Surely it is far worse to say nothing and give the appearance of not caring about your customers.
Sincerely, Keith Williamson...Show more →
On 3/10 I sent the thread to the NPS Technical Rep. for the Northeast Region and I never received a reply. Perhaps other NPS members can forward the thread to their reps and we may get a reply from Nikon.
I switched over to Group shooting BIFs and my keeper rate went way up, no more Dynamic Modes for me.
p.15 #20 · UPDATE - Nikon D5/D500 Dynamic AF Issue
viczig wrote:
On 3/10 I sent the thread to the NPS Technical Rep. for the Northeast Region and I never received a reply. Perhaps other NPS members can forward the thread to their reps and we may get a reply from Nikon.
I switched over to Group shooting BIFs and my keeper rate went way up, no more Dynamic Modes for me.
I've been in discussion w/ Nikon tech support w/ little result...
I honestly do not see how group mode could possibly increase the keeper rate... other than requiring greater diligence in keeping the initially selected point/group on the desired spot.
. In this case the selected AF point was at the limit of the field; in order to keep it on the eye the composition would have to be changed (I could have backed off and shot looser).