D3s Focus Points

ianbarber · 16 Nov 2010

Not had the D3s very long and I would appreciate it anyone could answer a couple of questions for me.

1) Does the view finder have a rule of thirds grid that can be turned on

2) Why can't I move the focus point below the shape which I see in the view finder.

awp · 16 Nov 2010

1 - NO
2 - cos that's the way it is!

try 51pt 3D - magic

Cheng · 16 Nov 2010

1. No. You have to buy a grid. It's not a D700.
2. All 51 are inside the lines.

treeman · 16 Nov 2010

Cheng said:
1. No. You have to buy a grid. It's not a D700.

First thing I went to do when I got my D3s was to select grid, and was mightily p***d off when I couldn't find it :bang:
Why they don't have it, i've no idea :shrug:

loplyg · 16 Nov 2010

Why would you want it?

Just clutters the view finder

Surely you can make good enough estimate of what a third is?

desantnik · 17 Nov 2010

1. No, you need a drop in focus screen

2. Welcome to FX, there had to be a compromise to the high ISO capability and this is it.

Arkady · 17 Nov 2010

Nikon assumes that by the time you can afford one of these, you can 'imagine' where the 'thirds' in a particular scene happen to fall - you have eyes, do you not?

treeman · 17 Nov 2010

loplyg said:
Surely you can make good enough estimate of what a third is?

Arkady said:
Nikon assumes that by the time you can afford one of these, you can 'imagine' where the 'thirds' in a particular scene happen to fall - you have eyes, do you not?

I think the OP is mistaken, the grid screen does not divide it up into thirds.
I use it merely as an aid to horizontals and verticals

Ozei · 17 Nov 2010

treeman said:
I think the OP is mistaken, the grid screen does not divide it up into thirds.
I use it merely as an aid to horizontals and verticals

D3 series bodies are supplied with the same screen as the D700 (Type B Brite View Clear Matte VI) - so it may be possible to tweak the D3s firmware to display it (perhaps not?).

The Type B has 3 horizontal lines & 3 vertical lines so as Mark says it's useful for aligning buildings etc but not rule of thirds. Fitting the optional Type E Clear Matte VI to the D3 gives 5 vertical lines & 3 horizontal lines permanently displayed.