D700 settings with 300mm f2.8 for night time sports

<p>Hello,<br />I'm using a D700 and a AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 ED VR I for night time sports and sometimes when I press the shutter the camera doesn't fire, like it can't focus fast enough. <br />I've tried Dynamic AF Area of 9, 21, and 51. Changed the Focus Tracking with Lock-on from short to long. My AF-C is set to Focus Only, and the Built in AF-Assist illuminator it OFF.<br>

Can someone recommend which settings I should use? Thanks.</p>

<p>"Focus Only" is going to only fire when your subject is in focus. Try your setting at "Release + Focus". Also try AF Assist ON.</p>

<p>I don't think the small AF assist lamp will help with a 300mm lens, it is better to leave this off.</p>

<p>Is the lens new or used. I had similar problems with a Sigma 70-200 that I kind of wore out! Are you sure lens and camera couple correctly, and tightly?<br>

How about in daylight lighting? does same thing happen?<br>

Laura's suggestion 'focus only' is good idea. My d300's are set to "release", I'm pretty sure.<br>

But 'focus only', with nightime lighting, and lots of movement, could be the cause.</p>

<p>I agree with Jordy.<br>

Focus assist lamp range on D700 is perhaps about 9 ft or less efective at the limit.<br>

Your lens minimal focus as perhaps 7.5 or 8 ft, so perhaps not much to make use of the lamp.</p>

<p>Sounds like you have Focus Only (a1) set since it won't fire when you press the shutter.You don't say what sport. I do some low light sports (football) and use a D300.<br>

Maybe I misunderstand how focus tracking with Lock-On works, but wouldn't the Long setting cause more of a delay in focusing when the subjects are moving rapidly and distance to subject changes quickly say as you switch from the quarterback to the receiver in football. I understand using Long might be better if taking photos of one player and other players pass between camera and subject but everything happens so quickly I don't know that long would be an advantage.<br>

I'm in a learning process with low light sports. I use the AF-ON button rather than the press shutter release half way for activating focus which seems to work for faster and better focus for me since by holding the AF-ON button down and with focus to continuous I get more in focus shots than if I use the shutter half pressed method.<br>

If you have any settings suggestions as to what is working for you I'd appreciate hearing about them.</p>

<p>In low light its just difficult for the autofocus to find good contrast to work.<br>

I shoot a lot of soccer, often with very low light, and its a big difference to focus a player with a black-white striped trikot or a player with an unicolor red one. <br>

You can set the camera to high ISO so the images you get are bright, but these settings dont work for AF-sensor, and the real light situation limits the use of AF.<br>

Regards<br>

Martin</p>