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Archive 2017 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use

  
 
BSPhotog
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


Much of the internet chatter about the nuances of AF modes and settings seems to center in sports and wildlife applications. Though some of that has application here, mostly it is just noise. I have shot Nikon since film and I generally am one to use AF-C with single point all of the time. I have experimented with dynamic 9 points (AF-C D9) with mixed results.

Anyone have a better philosophy? Have I been missing the boat not using different modes? Just curioud.



Oct 16, 2017 at 05:41 PM
MRomine
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


BSPhotog wrote:
I have shot Nikon since film and I generally am one to use AF-C with single point all of the time.


Same here w/backbutton focus.



Oct 16, 2017 at 06:06 PM
loosetrucks
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


On D750's I'm using back-button focus in conjunction with AF-C 3D. For most situations, I'm treating it like AF-C Single Point. But in the instance the motion become erratic, the 3D tracking will move around with the subject. It's been working for me since I got the cameras in 2014.


Oct 16, 2017 at 06:12 PM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


loosetrucks wrote:
On D750's I'm using back-button focus in conjunction with AF-C 3D. For most situations, I'm treating it like AF-C Single Point. But in the instance the motion become erratic, the 3D tracking will move around with the subject. It's been working for me since I got the cameras in 2014.


Is that reliable with shallow DOF? I'd always be worried about the camera making a decision and losing the eye, for instance.



Oct 16, 2017 at 06:48 PM
GumaRodak
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


The d750 AF has face detection enabled in viewfinder mode to focus priority on closest eye with these settings.
AFS - group mode, auto
AFC - group mode

Should be similar with other nikon recent dslrs...



Oct 17, 2017 at 02:24 AM
InSanE
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


center point afs is all you need 90%
no wonder so many complain about focus errors, forget everything auto, 3d, 4d bs



Oct 17, 2017 at 02:49 AM
FrancisK7
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


I'm AF.S for 99% of the day since I focus and recompose.

Now with the D850 I can trust Auto AF.C on the dancefloor which has increased my keeper ratio at the party. Low light + people jumping and moving around fast is a good test for an AF system.




Oct 17, 2017 at 07:58 AM
ahaug
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


Afs- single point for portraits and ceremonies and toasts
Afc - group for the dance floor
Afc- everything else



Oct 17, 2017 at 08:07 AM
elkhornsun
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


Each Nikon camera is different with respect to autofocus. I have had the D1x, D100, D200, D300, D2h, D2x, D3, D800e, D810, D850, D7200, D500, D610 cameras and they all performed differently. Group AF provided no benefits with the D750 but it works incredibly well on the D500. Dynamic AF performance with the number of points chosen works differently on each and every camera.

The new 153 point autofocus system with the greatly increased number of cross type autofocus sensors and a dedicated AF processing chip, is a huge leap forward in autofocus performance. The D5, D500, and D850 are a class apart from any other camera from any manufacturer.

With the D850 I am getting good results with DAF 25 points and with Group AF. Group AF works better on the DX D500 camera as there is less chance of having the camera focus on the wrong part of the body or the wrong person in a group as with dance floor action.

Steve Perry put together an excellent e-book on the Nikon autofocus system and it is worthwhile investment.

Back Button AF-C is what I use all the time. It was the switch to back button autofocus that was awkward at first but now find it extremely helpful and enables me to shoot faster. Before the switch I would focus and then use focus lock and adjust the frame and then shoot. Much much faster with AF-C and BB autofocus.




Oct 18, 2017 at 12:54 PM
RyanFlynn
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Nikon AF modes for wedding and portrait use


InSanE wrote:
center point afs is all you need 90%
no wonder so many complain about focus errors, forget everything auto, 3d, 4d bs



If I'd ignore one post in this whole thread, it'd be this one. ^^^

For me, AF-C 3D for almost everything, almost all the time for me. Works fantastically well on the 750 and 850. When things are super dark and challenging I'll use AF-C Grp D9.



Oct 28, 2017 at 07:12 PM





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