Focus in Cl Release Mode

[chas._boehm]

<p>I'm using an SB900 mounted on a D810 in Cl Release Mode attempting to take multiple shots about 1.5 sec apart of a group of excited youngsters after a sports match. I find many of the pics are out of focus. I'd like a recommendation for appropriate camera settings..or other helpful comments. Currently using AFC 3d and 51 Focus points and Jpeg/Normal.</p>

<p>Remember: Take pics of your family.</p>

<p>ChasBOEHM</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>I think there's a custom setting to determine whether priority shifts to release in burst mode. AFC and release priority will allow a blurry shot if AF has not found focus before the shutter fires.<br>

Try A1. </p>

[hapien]

<p>Might be worth trying liveview AF-F with auto face recognition. Or stripping af focus point number to include only cross type points.</p>

<p>How is it with SB-900 and CL drive mode. I have tried SB-800 with CL drive mode 1s intervall and usually got three frames before flash power was out. Better to use single drive mode and wait until flash ready light is lit.</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>If you are near enough, use a 28-35 mm lens. Stop down to f5.6 or more, even beyond f11. It is not a landscape shooting now.<br>

It is a tough task for the camera to follow single subject in a fast moving group (AF-C, 3D) - you are bound to have some unsharp images.<br>

If you want AF to follow one selected person in a group, you could do better with a more selected number of active af-points. With a selected af-point follow just one person and let the smaller aperture/greater depth of field to take care of the rest.<br>

AF-on thumb button can help.<br>

Manual focusing can be faster than changing the focus point, even if not so accurate.<br>

Lots of possibilites here - get feedback, test, evaluate, learn.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>I'm not a huge fan of the Dynamic 3D mode with all 51 points - it's sluggish and for tracking focus, in my experience, just a bit too slow. If I really need to rely on the AF being able to track movement, I prefer the Normal Dynamic mode with 9 or 21 points. It responds a lot faster.<br>

From your description, it's not fully clear to me how much movement there still is, and whether you actually need fast focus performance. If it isn't about tracking movements quickly and without a lot of hunting, then simple single-point AF mode, or manual focus will work just as well, and probably more accurate too. Since the SB900 is plenty powerful, you should be able to use a relatively small aperture to have sufficient depth of field to cover minor focus inaccuracies, and with a D810 you can push the ISO up far enough to avoid high flash output (with longer recycling times).</p>

[chas._boehm]

<p>There are a couple good suggestions in these responses that I will act upon in another week or 10 days. I prefer using my 50 mm/1.4 prime lens. (lightweight and fast)</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions!</p>

<p>ChasBOEHM</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>This link explains the custom setting pretty well, I think, with illustrations of what results each setting is likely to produce:</p>

<p>http://nps.nikonimaging.com/technical_solutions/d4_tips/autofocus/</p>

[CvhKaar]

<p>my 50 mm/1.4 prime lens<br>

THis lens can set a limit in the accuracy and speed of focussing, since AF action is donew wide open, and that means at AF time the DOF for the camera while using 51 AF points ( and certainly when using CI and release priority) will cause a lot of time focussing on the wrong subject will happen.<br>

When you want to use this lens, then it makes sense to<br>

- Limit the number of focussing points to 9 ( like mentioned above)<br>

- Move the AF actuation to tne separate button on the back of the camera, so you can pre-focus without actually releasing, and keep focussing at CI through the whole proces of framing and releasing.<br>

- Set aperture at a f4.0 max ( above F8/f11 this lens is less sharp, sharpness sweetspot is between f2.8 and F4.0 )</p>

 

[chas._boehm]

<p>C.P.M.:<br>

Your thorough, concise recommendations worked perfectly with more than a dozen test shots.</p>

<p>Thank you... and other responders. Nine focus points, Aperture priority, AF-ON; Fire away!</p>

<p>ChasBOEHM</p>