Why can't my D300 do this?

[Sanford]

<p>Sometimes I like to shoot street photography "from the hip". With my lowly D50 I set it to the "closest focus" setting and fire away. It alway takes the photo and almost always get it exactly right. When I try this with the D300, which doesn't have a "closest focus" setting but something much more complex, the lens hunts, or does nothing at all and may or may not eventually take the picture. It's as if the little computer inside is entire perplexed and can't just make a decision. Maybe the older, simpler stuff really is better.</p><div></div>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>I find "closest focus" on my D50 to work surprisingly well, even in not fantastic light, with that same lens. I agree... What's up with that?</p>

[evan_goulet]

<p>What about using manual mode and hyperfocal settings? - Even older and simpler than your 50D!</p>

[sattler123]

<p>What Evan said - just use manual focusing.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I've once in a great while used the D200's closest-focus method (in situations not unlike what you're describing), but most of the time, it's trouble for me. But then, I'm often in field situations where there might be some foreground foliage or other distractions, and that's where it always gets things wrong. Now, that being said: I think that manual focusing and the work that in entails (unless you're in REALLY good light and thus have some room to work) sounds especially fiddly when encountering street shots like the example above.</p>

[Sanford]

<p>I guess I could give guessing manual focus a try but I've never been particularly good at it and it is a bit sloppy with AF lenses - the focus ring doesn't stay put.</p>

[curt wiler]

<p><em>"the focus ring doesn't stay put"</em> - it will if you take autofocus off the shutter release button, which I find is much easier for everything except extreme action.</p>

[evan_goulet]

<p><em>"I guess I could give guessing manual focus a try but I've never been particularly good at it"</em></p>

<p>Using the hyperfocal distance takes a lot of the slop out of guessing.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Nikon removed the "closest focus" option in its Mulit-CAM 3500 AF module. Therefore, none of the D300, D700, D3 and D3X has that capability. Instead, there is a somewhat similar "Auto Area" mode.</p>

[Hector Javkin]

<p>The capability for something like "closest focus" is back with the D90. When set to "face recognition" (a setting some might consider to be unncessary fluff) it will focus on the closest face.</p>

[walterh]

<p>Sanford the image you post is a good example of hyperfocal setting. Southern Califormia sun and it is impossible to have the focus wrong. You do not need a D50 to have hyperfocal settings right.</p>

<p>In dim light you can practise AF and recompose for shooting out of the hip. If you hold the focus by keeping the shutter release button pressed the AF will stay in place.</p>

[Sanford]

<p>Walter - I'm in NORTHERN California. Ok, maybe by some peoples definition it could be called Central California, but pleeeeese, never Southern California.</p>

[tholte]

<p>" Maybe the older, simpler stuff really is better." With that kind of thinking you could take it a step further like others have suggested, use manual settings like most of the great street shooters have done for over sixty years. </p>

[Sanford]

<p>"Older" is a relative term, I meant last year, not last century.</p>

[wentbackward]

<p>Sanford,<br>

That shot from the hip, in that light, is real simple and I concur with others, use your hyperfocal length, know your lens and get off autofocus, it's bad for you. Doing this is called a snapshot!<br>

You may also have the camera set to wait for focus before releasing the shutter, check settings a1 and a2, set them to release or release+focus , it'll be near enough for that type of shot.<br>

Paul</p>

[Sanford]

<p>Yes, I think that "release+focus" might be the answer. That's where I originally had it set but when it came back from repair everything was changed. When Nikon repairs a camera they also do a firmware update and reset many, but not all the settings. It takes awhile to get one of these set up just the way you want it.</p>

[tholte]

<p>Sanford, you are not quite following what we are trying to tell you, use manual focusing and forget the AF when doing this type of photography. Learn how f stops and shutter speed relate to distance and available light and you won't be blaming your D300 anymore. </p>

[Sanford]

<p>Tim - I know exactly what you are saying. Yes, I know all about manual focus! My question was why can't the D300 duplicate what the D50 can do so well and so easily ever time. </p>

[ken_kartes]

<p>Sanford, I feel your pain. I have a D70s that does closest focus, I wish my D300 had the same feature. Have you tried the different configurations for using the different focus settings?</p>