D7000 , wrong setting ?

[dwijadas_senapati]

<p>Hi Experts,</p>

<p>I have been facing a problem with my new D7000 for quite some time. Attached is 2 photo first one is output after lightroom processing.<br /> <br /><img src="http://www.dwijadas.com/Samreeta-315.jpg" alt="" width="795" height="1200" /><br /> Second one is screenshot from Capture NX to show the focus point.<br>

<br /><img src="http://www.dwijadas.com/Samreeta_RAw.jpg" alt="" width="795" height="1200" /> <br /> Some time when the background is brighter than the subject D7000 wont focus to the subject instead only the background. Camera locks focus and shot the picture. Later while reviewing I notice that focus is in the background not on the subject.</p>

<p>AF-C mode and Priority on Focus.</p>

<p>Thanks for your advice.<br /> Dwija.</p><div></div>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>Maybe I'm missing something but why are you shooting in AF-C mode here in the first place? </p>

 

<p>However, the shot doesn't look bad to me. The focus looks alright.</p>

 

[dwijadas_senapati]

<p>I always shoot in AF-C mode. correct me if anything wrong in that.<br>

The sharpest part of this image is the window curtain at the back of her. maybe zoom out a bit. I have quite a number of pics from different event face same issue.</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>Well...I think AF-S is better for non or slow moving subjects (like in portraiture). AF-C is for shooting fast moving subjects aka tracking. When in AF-C mode, it's faster but it's less certain of getting the shot even with -focus priority- If you got time and a willing subject, I would go AF-S. </p>

<p>Your above pics might be out of focus but it is very close. So close, it's difficult to tell for me. </p>

 

[Matt Laur]

<p>I use ingle servo mode almost always, saving [C]ontinuous focus mode for tracking difficult action situations. In AF-C, you're asking the camera to be looking around for what it perceives as movement by the subject, and your own movement as you recompose is going to fool it. In a situation like the one you're showing us, I'd certainly go with AF-S ... get that focus point where you want it, press the shutter button half way to acquire and lock focus, and then recompose a bit as necessary. At that distance, focus-and-recompose won't cause you any trouble, and will give you far more control over what's happeneing.</p>

[hans_janssen]

<p>I use AFC always and never have such problems. What focus mode is your camera in? 1 point, group or all?</p>

[lachaine]

<p>You should not use AF-C for pictures like this, or indeed, for any pictures when specific and accurate focus is important to you. For a portrait like this, you don't need to focus manually, but you should focus specifically on what you most want to be in focus (the eyes would be a good spot), and put the focus point directly on it. You can do that with single servo and single point focus, or you can do it with 3D dynamic if you have a focus point that's in the right place. That way, the camera cannot not focus there.</p>

<p>You wouldn't need to do any lightroom processing at all if you chose a better background. That one is a little on the bright side compared to the subject. You might also consider having more distance between the model and the background.</p>

[dan_ded]

<p>Strictly speaking, my comments below apply to the D70/D90. I'm not directly familiar with the D7000, but it's probably similar.</p>

<p>I use AF-C, coupled with AF-ON tying focus to the back button, for this sort of shot. In that case, you can just take your thumb off the button to lock focus. So you focus, release back button, recompose, and shoot. And focus remains locked till you hit the back button again. The shutter release button does not refocus, so you can take several shots without bothering to refocus. You more-or-less need to use AF-C, else the camera won't let you shoot if you take your thumb off the button and recompose.</p>

<p>This setting separates focus and shutter release into two separate actions, just as it is with manual focus cameras, while retaining the speed and convenience of auto-focus.</p>

<p>But if you use AF-C with focus tied to the shutter release button, then it will refocus when you recompose. With focus tied to the shutter release, which is the default setting, you'll want AF-S mode.</p>

[john_deerfield]

<p>To add to what has been said, backlight situations can often fool any AF system. The AF system isn't foolproof. In general, the AF system needs contrast to lock focus. Note that there isn't a lot of contrast within your focus point. </p>

[dwijadas_senapati]

<p>Thanks all of you for great comments on the subject. I was using D200, I did face similar issue but very very rare. D7000 seems to be giving me such result often.<br>

<strong><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=2357169">Hans Janssen</a></strong> Single point too, I face this mostly when the background is brighter than subject.<br>

<strong><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=6194840">Dan Ded</a>,</strong> I need to read your comment few time and try. seems complex to me.<br>

<strong><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=5911856">Pierre Lachaine</a> </strong>, this is not a model or not a set, i just found the vase and ask her to pose for me. I would keep the point in mind on creating a gap b/w subject and background. As for focus mode, mostly I use single point focus.<br>

<strong><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=5233527">John Deerfield</a></strong> "<em>The AF system isn't foolproof. In general, the AF system needs contrast to lock focus. Note that there isn't a lot of contrast within your focus point.</em>" My obeservation is also same and it happens even more when the light is less. I will be happy and shoot assuming focus was correct but ultimately camera will outfocus the subject and focus a brighter object around. I was wondering if I am the only one facing such situation. Look at the image down. My focus is on the lady hosting the event, but when I zoom out focus is on the backdrop instead.<br>

<img src="http://www.dwijadas.com/GTO-Dinner-2011-239.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[dan_ded]

<blockquote>

<p>Dan Ded, I need to read your comment few time and try. seems complex to me.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'm sorry about that. I'll try one more time, but if I'm not helpful just ignore me and use AF-S mode for this sort of shot as nearly everyone else has recommended. And, even if I can convey my alternative, you may still not prefer it.<br /><br />As an introduction, consider how a manual-focus camera works. With a manual-focus camera, you focus on your subject first, by turning a focus ring on the lens. Then, when you're done with that, you take the picture by pressing the shutter release. These are two, separate, actions. Pressing the shutter release on such a camera does not change the focus in any way, so you can recompose your shot till your heart's content and still be properly focused on your subject. (Provided, of course, that neither the camera nor the subject have changed position.)<br /><br />Auto-focus cameras are usually configured so that pressing the shutter release both focuses and takes the picture: press it halfway, and it focuses; press it all the way, and it releases the shutter. Still two actions, but not separate: they are controlled by the same button. As long as you point your auto-focus point at your subject, focus, and shoot; you have no trouble. But what if you recompose your shot in between the focusing and shooting steps? In AF-C mode, as you were using, the camera continually focuses on whatever the auto-focus point is pointing at. So when you recompose, and the auto-focus point now covers something in the background, the camera dutifully keeps adjusting the focus and focuses on the background object.<br /><br />This is why you got all the (good) recommendations to use AF-S mode. In that mode, if you point your camera at your subject and halfway depress the shutter release, the camera focuses, and then <em>locks</em> the focus. Now, as long as your shutter remains halfway-depressed, you can recompose your shot, and the camera keeps the focus locked where you first established it on your subject. Push the shutter release the rest of the way and you take your picture.<br /><br />I merely offered a different option that I prefer. My camera, a D90, allows me to reconfigure the AE button on the back of my camera as a focus button. I'll bet your camera has a similar setting. This removes the focus functionality from the shutter release button. I can depress my shutter halfway or all-the-way, and the camera will do no focusing. I have to press the button on the back of the camera to focus. As with a manual-focus camera, focusing and shutter releasing are now two, separate, actions. So I point my camera at the subject, push the button on back of the camera to focus, release the button, and now the focus won't change. So I can recompose and shoot without focus changing. And I can shoot again, and again, etc., without having to refocus as long as neither I nor the subject change position, just as I could with a manual-focus camera.<br /><br />The trouble with my option is that, in AF-S mode, the camera tries to be clever and protect me from taking a shot if I haven't first focused. So if I focus, take my thumb of the back button, recompose, and try to shoot with an out-of-focus object in the background under the auto-focus point; the camera says, "whoa, focus isn't locked, and the object the camera's aimed at isn't in-focus, so I'm not going to let this guy take a picture." And so the shutter won't fire. But in AF-C mode, it doesn't do that, it lets me take the picture. Focus is still "locked", in the sense that it won't change, as soon as I take my thumb off the back button.<br /><br />This is all very long-winded on my part, which is unfortunate. If you were here, I could show you in a couple of seconds. It's not really complex at all.</p>

[blumesan]

<blockquote>

<p>So if I focus, take my thumb of the back button, recompose, and try to shoot with an out-of-focus object in the background under the auto-focus point; the camera says, "whoa, focus isn't locked, and the object the camera's aimed at isn't in-focus, so I'm not going to let this guy take a picture." And so the shutter won't fire. But in AF-C mode, it doesn't do that, it lets me take the picture.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>With most Nikon DSLR's an alternative method allows one to leave the camera in AF-S mode and still use your recommended method. In the Menu set the AF-S shutter release priority to "Shutter Priority".</p>

<p>Another benifit of this technique is that it allows one to use the center focus point (a cross type sensor; usually more accurate than the more peripheral points) to establish focus and then recompose as needed. One caveat; there are circumstances where your initial focus point will no longer be in perfect focus after recomposing. These circumstances are generally rare, and this is not the place to discuss or describe why or how this occurs.</p>

[dan_ded]

<blockquote>

<p>In the Menu set the AF-S shutter release priority to "Shutter Priority".</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'm unable to find such a thing in the menu or in the instruction manual for the D90. (Of course, I could somehow just be overlooking it.) In any case, the OP has a D7000, so what matters is what's in the D7000's menu.</p>

[blumesan]

<p>I too am unable to find this setting in the D90. In the D7000 the option is found in the Custom Settings Menu A2, AF-S Priority Selection. It is in this same location in the D200 and D700.</p>

[vikas_kohli]

<p>Mike - so if I set "AF-S shutter release to Shutter Priority" won't I effectively be reversing out the reason why I set the AE button to set the focus ?</p>

[blumesan]

<blockquote>

<p>Mike - so if I set "AF-S shutter release to Shutter Priority" won't I effectively be reversing out the reason why I set the AE button to set the focus ?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Vikas, I should have written "set the AF-S Priority to <strong>Release</strong> Priority, as opposed to<strong> Focus </strong>Priority" With this clarification, the short answer to your question is: no. For further details, read on:</p>

<p>First of all, now that I have had time to examine the D7000 user's manual, I need to point out a few additions to what Dan Ded and I have written. To transfer the autofocus operation from (a half press of) the shutter release to the AF/AE lock button one must first select the option: "AF-ON" in the Custom Settings Menu #F5 (Assign AE-L/AF-L Button). This differs from those Nikon cameras having a separate AF-ON button on the camera body, which the D7000 & D90 do not.</p>

<p>Next we can examine why one might wish to do this. As Dan explains, this change may be useful to those who first (auto)focus on a particular feature, and thereafter recompose the shot (such that the selected focus sensor then overlies an object not in the same plane of focus as our initially chosen subject). If one does this the results will vary depending on how our camera is set up; and may not be what one desires. Consider the following circumstances:</p>

<p>Autofocus set to <em><strong>AF-S mode </strong></em>and menu settings at their default values (CSM #A2 at focus priority). There will be no problem if you maintain a constant half press on the shutter release while recomposing (focus will remain locked). If you fail to do so, then pressing the shutter release after recomposing will cause the system to refocus (on whatever is under the active focus sensor) before opening the shutter. This will also occur in <em><strong>AF-C mode</strong></em>. Not what you desire; and it has been suggested that this is the problem encountered by the OP.</p>

<p>However if you move the autofocus operation to the AE/AF L Button this will prevent the camera from refocusing when the shutter release is pressed. BUT, as Dan has pointed out, now the shutter will fail to fire. There are two solutions to this problem: (1) Maintain a constant press of the AE/AF-L button while recomposing (focus will remain locked). Or (2) change the setting of CSM #A2 to release priority. A third solution, as suggested by Dan, is to set the camera in AF-C autofocus mode. This works simply because the default value for that mode is "release priority" (CSM #A1). If you have a D90 this is the only option to effect "release priority" since this camera does not offer the options to choose priority in AF-S and AF-C modes.</p>

[marypar4]

<p>One thing I love about D7000..in preview mode(must be set up this way) you can look at where the focus was rendered..very helpful when you think something not in focus..also agree..that AF-c is very iffy. I prefer af-s for most things except birds in flight..which I use. AF-C at 21 points..seems to work better then 39 or 3D..which I have given up on for now..too hit and miss.</p>

[pete_appleby]

<p>As already said, you should be using AF-C for fast moving or unpredictable subjects and AF-S for the subject in your images. Also make sure you have set the AF-S to focus only. I would also try spot or centre weighted exposure if the subject is darker or lighter than the background.</p>