Focussing point and recompose

[nikonuser]

I'll try to explain this the best I can...... when taking a portrait photo, I
1. focus on the eyes using the centre focus point
2. press the shutter button half way to focus
3. recompose on the head and body while keeping the shutter button press down half way
4. press the shutter button fully to take the picture.

By doing this I hope to get the eyes as sharp as possible.
But......when I come to review the image by chimping it shows the red centre focus point as being on the persons chest and not on their eyes......so am I doing something wrong or would the half pressing of the shutter button secure focus on the eyes??
I'm using a Nikon D700
Thanks
Dave

 

[Splog]

Half pressing the shutter button just holds focus or locks it. It doesn't track the focus point.

 

[nikonuser]

Hi Steve - so are you saying that the focus point will be locked on the eyes even though it is showing as being on the chest when chimping
Dave

 

[AJQS]

Hi Steve - so are you saying that the focus point will be locked on the eyes even though it is showing as being on the chest when chimping
Dave

Yes - it's just showing that the focus point used to focus was in the center, which of course is now not over the eyes.

 

[nikonuser]

AHH!! many thanks for clarifying that Alan, its been bugging me for some time whether the image has been focussing on the eyes or chest!!.....(even though the eyes were in focus)
thanks
Dave

 

[redhed17]

AHH!! many thanks for clarifying that Alan, its been bugging me for some time whether the image has been focussing on the eyes or chest!!.....(even though the eyes were in focus)
thanks
Dave

If you're using wide apertures, then you may want to consider using the closest focus point to the eye to keep recomposing to a minimum, as a very shallow depth of field could cause a change in focus during the recompose. In good light any of the focus points should be good enough to focus.

The central 15 focus points are the better Cross Type sensors btw, so you don't have to use the central point if you want to continue to focus and recompose. :shrug:

I always use the closest focus point to minimise as much as possible the need to recompose. The 51 focus points on my D300S are spread across more of the frame than the D700 so I can normally place a focus point pretty much on the place I want to focus on without recomposing. There may be a certain amount of recomposing with the D700 no matter which focus point you use anyway because of the smaller frame coverage of the focus points.