D200 Auto Focus Issue

[lukas_jenkins]

Frequently I find myself wishing I had a D2H or D2X because of the D200's inferior auto focus system. Try

locking on to second base with one of the offset sensors which is not a cross type, it doesn't work...

Besides the lack of multiple cross type auto focus sensors I will explain a common issue I run into. So

today I'm shooting a softball game with my D200 and 70-200mm f/2.8 VR. I'm on the side of the field

about 10 ft past 2nd base on the 3rd base side. So I decided to focus on second base action and outfield

action today. I'm tired of pitchers and batters at the moment. So I already mentioned focusing on the 2nd

base problems. I've learned to deal with it, manual focus. So on to the outfielders. Frequently I get the

fence in focus and the outfielder is out of focus. If i was taking a picture of the fence i would be happy but

I am not. And to make it even better the next shot in the burst is in focus after the ball is caught and its

not suspended in the air above the outfielder (the shot I was going for). Now I have my camera set to

continuous auto focus because the outfielders are normally moving across the field to catch the ball. I also

have the camera set to dynamic auto focus. I figure I put what I want in focus and when it moves the auto

focus should track it... But it seems to pick the fence instead. Any advice?

 

Lukas

[photo5]

That's not backfocus. Backfocus, if I am not mistaken, is when the camera focuses

*closer* to you than the subject you want to focus on. In other words, the lens focuses

*back* from the subject slightly. I've observed the D70 do this on infinity focus, it's really

terrible because it can ruin a photo. It seems like even shooting at f8, which I usually try

to shoot at, the problem damages a photo.

 

Shooting sports I would use manual focus. I don't have the time to wait for the camera to

get it right. Fix your focus on the second baseman (or girl in your case) and wait for the

action to happen. Forget about focus problems and control it yourself.

 

That's my two yen.

 

Dave

[nino]

Try using the camera in closest subject priority and continuous focus. The camera should keep the moving FG action in focus. Sports shooters usually bias the important action to the centre of the frame then reframe just before the decisive moment, and the camera should 'lock-on' to the action. You might also try adjusting the 'lock-on' duration from standard to 'long' deep in the d200 focus menu. You might also try switching the focus array in the viewfinder to 'wide' (also deep in the menus) which give more bias toward the outer areas of the viewfinder. And the beauty of this camera is that once you have set it up you can save it in your custom menus under say 'sports'

Apart from that its just a matter of adapting your style until you have mastered the cameras methods of operation.

Ps: what your talking about is not 'backfocus'. Technically, 'backfocus' is when the rear element of the lens is not focusing the image precisely on the focal plane. ie: the image crossover point (when optimal sharpness is achieved) is not exactly aligned with the film/sensor plane.

[walterh]

The best thing about AFS lenses is that you can override the AF when needed. (OK you get faster AF on a few bodies as well ^^)

[nickspics]

the problem with dynamic focus is the lag of time it can take to actually acquire a subject.... But what a bout keeing the main dot of your d200 as focus, lock it where you want it then do an AF lock? You would have he correct distance, not to worry about it anymore... And for the fence, the camera needs contrasts to work auto focus... If you use AF at the same levels than the fence, and the fence's colors ressemble the player's... The camera will take the biggest, longest contrast... try focusing on the head instead. hope that helps. nick.

[lukas_jenkins]

First off I�d like to start out by saying that I consciously know this image is not the classic

�back focus� all of us Nikonians are used to reading about. I named the 100% crop back

focus simply because I am struggling with keeping the D200 from focusing on what is

behind my subject when it moves. When I initially establish focus everything is fine but

once the subject begins to move the D200 seems to decide that I am not trying to focus

on the player anymore and pick the next object behind it. This problem does not occur

with basketball and lacrosse because the subject I am trying to photograph fills the entire

frame vertical or the entire frame in the landscape position. However with baseball and

softball when I run into this focusing issue the subject is about half 1/3-1/2 of the frame

when shooting vertical (or portrait although I�m not shooting a �portrait� so I say vertical I

guess I could say hotdog style if we want to go back to grade school art class). Also, when

I�m shooting lacrosse I shoot in continuous focus in group dynamic mode. I am hesitant to

take the advice of closest subject priority for the times when other players are in the frame

as well but my main subject is behind them. If I attempted a shot like I just described in

closest subject priority it is a given that the player closest to me that is not my �subject�

would automatically become it based on the D200�s auto focus setting.

 

Dave when I shoot bases I normally do use zone focusing it is just for the outfielders and

pitcher that I use auto focus because the tend to move around and would essentially move

out of the location that I focused on.

 

Nino, I have never attempted what you describe regarding last moment reframing. I

normally either attempt to use the crappy non-cross type auto focus points for

composition or just deal with the subject being centered. I will definitely switch the �lock-

on� to the longest setting and see how that works out. Now when you mention switching

to the �wide� auto focus mode, would you suggest staying in dynamic mode or switch over

to single auto focus mode? I have taken advantage of the D200�s custom menus it is just a

matter of mastering the D200�s auto focus system.

 

AF lock works in theory until the outfielder runs to catch the ball�

 

I thank you for your help as I try to sort through the D200�s auto focus. I frequently

become annoyed with how inferior the non-cross type AF points are compared to the

cross type. I frequently shoot with people who are shooting D2Hs�s and Canon Mark II N�s.

Pretty much every time I think of the 8fps vs. 5fps and the improved auto focus systems of

both. Those are the two things I wish I had but don�t� I would get the D2Hs but I simply

need more than 4MP to crop and then be able to print 16x20�s and 20x30�s. The 8fps

make a huge difference as well. I�ve shot 30+ frames trying to get the ball right before the

batter hits it or as they are hitting it (just as long as it is in the frame and it is a hit ball)

with the 5fps I get the before and after 8 out of 10 times. And my friend who is shooting

8fps gets the ball in almost every sequence (multiple frames).

 

Lukas

[tom_luongo1]

Don't forget that the non-cross sensors each have a specific orientation to which they are sensitive. The top and bottom center sensors detect vertical lines. Everything else, other than the center cross sensor, is sensitive to horizontal lines.

 

If using AF-C, it may help to keep that outmost sensor on something horizontal like the outfielder's belt line.

[nino]

Lukas, im not sure if i was clear about the whole 'wide mode' focus thing but this is what i was talking about

 

 

http://www.letsgodigital.org/html/review/nikon/d200/dslr_EN4.html

 

 

I think this should certainly help you with your problem. Ihave attached the atricle as a jpeg also.

Good luck. Dont give up. Those guys are using $8000 cameras, yours is a lot less.

[andy a.]

Maybe it's silly to suggest this, but are you sure a d2h/d2x/1d2N will fix your problem? You can't really compare your results to other photographers, as everyone's technique is different.

 

I would try changing the lock on to long, and maybe also try none as well to see what happens. I've also had luck using wide mode with the external sensors.

 

On the other hand, if you're 100 ft from a person 10 feet from a nice, contrasty fence, maybe there is no hope.

[gary_lester1]

Hi!

Make sure you have Focus Lock Activation set to On.

Otherwise when using Dynamic Focus focus priority will shift when a higher

contrats subject enters the viewfinder.

Also if you have the release set to Release or Focus and Release you will

lock onto subject when pressing shutter release and not allow Predictive AF

to engage across sensors.

Good Luck!

[judy_0ndrey]

I've been a professional photographer for many years and have always used Nikon, however I can't seem to get ANYTHING in focus with the auto

focus on the D200...I've tried several different settings and NOTHING that I acutally focus on seem to be in focus.. Is anyone else having these problems?

I'm ready to throw in the towel and switch to Canon.

Any help would be welcomed.

[dawid_cymerman]

Did you test the accuracy of your focus with a F 1.4 or even 1.8 lens at those respective

apertures? Shoot some text while auto focusing and you may find that your auto focus is

altogether inaccurate. My D200's auto focus is crap and I know at least one person who

has the same issue. It was like this since purchase, but I was always focusing manually,

since I had many old lenses left over from my Nikon F days. Now that I picked up some AF

lenses, I said "no more." Both my warranty (Mack) and dealer (Calumet) tried to tell me that

"the focus is within factory specifications" and wouldn't fix the camera until I brought in a

D70 and showed them that it outperformed a supposedly "superior" camera with same

lenses mounted on. Maybe you're having the same problem? And some other ones? Like I

said, shoot some text at an angle with a large aperture and you'll be able to tell how

accurate your focus really is to begin with. Then you can start looking at other possible

problems. Hope this helps...

[tom_luongo1]

Also be aware that the autofocus sensors are not necessarily exactly on the AF marking in the viewfinder. The vertical sensors, which are sensitive to horizontal lines if I'm using the proper terminology, could be aligned to the left or right of the AF marking and still respond to horizontal lines that pass through both. Vice versa for the other AF orientation.

 

Try testing the vertical and horizontal sensors on a black dot on a white piece of paper and see what happens.