Lenses for D700

Sorry Merv, got dragged out to a 50th Birthday :beer:

Each post in the thread is numbered top right in the blue band. (this one is 41)

There are a great number of options and fine tuning available within the focus system of the top end Nikons, I have had my D300 close to 2 years and still learning.

As gpa said a1 - FOCUS, camera will not fire unless in focus.

a4 - Focus Tracking with lock on - This is how long the camera waits before refocusing, for fast moving objects I would suggest OFF or SHORT.

AF area modes, for your bike shots where you are panning. As you are keeping the subject in the centre of frame, I would suggest 9 point, or single point, this will restrict the cameras search for focus targets to this smaller area.

I would also suggest popping an image on the motosport forum, and asking for advice on the best settings / favoured settings by other D300 users for that particular discipline.

PM me your e-mail address and I will send you a useful .pdf on the D300, it makes more sense than the manual and suggests some basic settings, it also explains what effect changing those settings does, and it is simpler to follow than the manual.
 
This is turning into a very informative thread, for a new D300S owner.
 
Skyman said:
This is turning into a very informative thread, for a new D300S owner.
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Skyman, read this LINK it is Ken Rockwells user guide, easier to follow than the manual, and more informative, however please take with a pinch of salt what Ken says, he can be fickle to say the least, but his user guides are clear and helpful (setting up the Nikon off camera flash for one).

Merv I have e-mailed you a .pdf guide of the D300.
 
Thanks Martyn got it
We've come a long way from talking about lenses for the D700 where this thread started. I've decided I'd be better to concentrate on using the 300 properly with help from you guys.:clap::clap:
 
Grant - in your post #29, fourth line where you say 'not dynamic, as it is usually only for Scene recognition (groups of people for instance) Do you not mean 'NOT autoarea AF which is for scene.......(the rectangle symbol) Is the dynamic one not the one with the multi points? Sorry for querying you:help:
merv
 
merv said:
Thanks Martyn got it
We've come a long way from talking about lenses for the D700 where this thread started. I've decided I'd be better to concentrate on using the 300 properly with help from you guys.:clap::clap:
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No problem Merv, to be honest there is not a lot of difference between the operation of a D300 and D700.
 
merv said:
Grant - in your post #29, fourth line where you say 'not dynamic, as it is usually only for Scene recognition (groups of people for instance) Do you not mean 'NOT autoarea AF which is for scene.......(the rectangle symbol) Is the dynamic one not the one with the multi points? Sorry for querying you:help:
merv
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On the rear by the LCD you have the AF Area switch, the top one is big rectangle auto AF area - for now do not use this.

The next position is Dynamic area either 9, 21 or 51 point depending what you have selected in MENU a.3

The bottom position is Single point (usually where mine lives ;) )

I use single point 90% of the time, 9 point Dynamic the remaining 10% of the time.

For the purpose of getting you to grips with this system Single point would be the safest option, at least you can see what object in the frame you are focusing on. If you are panning moving Bikes 9 or 21 point may help give you some latitude if you cannot keep them in frame behind the single focus point
 
Merv give me a call and I'll talk you through it, much easier than posting reams of instructions over the web, I in now if you want to call:thumbs:
 
Guys after 56 posts I think i should give you all peace and go out and try my new found skills. Will keep you posted and thanks all for your help. Some of your names are getting so familiar i feel i am making new friends:clap::clap:
 
merv said:
Guys after 56 posts I think i should give you all peace and go out and try my new found skills. Will keep you posted and thanks all for your help. Some of your names are getting so familiar i feel i am making new friends:clap::clap:
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Merv, you are welcome :thumbs:

You realise we expect to see some in focus results posted ;)
 
merv said:
Guys after 56 posts I think i should give you all peace and go out and try my new found skills. Will keep you posted and thanks all for your help. Some of your names are getting so familiar i feel i am making new friends:clap::clap:
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Sorry about the crit earlier...Merv on the images in your gallery, but it sounds like you've got some very useful advice on master the finer points of using your camera, so I look forward to the results

Peter
 
Criticism no problem guys. Will make some posts soon. Cheers - merv :clap::clap:
 
Very observant SDB! Juse another query. Have found DISPLAY MODE in the playback menu. Is show the focus point in each photo as a little red rectangle. Is this the focus point selected, where focus was achieved or neither. Does it confirm that FOCUS WAS ACHIEVED? I notice that some photos have NO RED SQUARE at all - what does this mean? Need an answer to this or the headbanger will return. thanks guys:wave:
 
merv said:
Very observant SDB! Juse another query. Have found DISPLAY MODE in the playback menu. Is show the focus point in each photo as a little red rectangle. Is this the focus point selected, where focus was achieved or neither. Does it confirm that FOCUS WAS ACHIEVED? I notice that some photos have NO RED SQUARE at all - what does this mean? Need an answer to this or the headbanger will return. thanks guys:wave:
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Never used DISPLAY MODE in the playback menu Merv, however I can select the function (red square) on ViewNX when I have downloaded my raw images, strangely not always on all of them ... my understanding is it shows the active focus point, or that is what it appears to be showing.

To be honest it is a function that my brain has filed under "of no use to me" section, which could have gone in the "getting close to American levels of analysis" section.

Your presumption that no red square would indicate focus was not achieved could be correct, it sounds plausible.
 
merv said:
Very observant SDB! Juse another query. Have found DISPLAY MODE in the playback menu. Is show the focus point in each photo as a little red rectangle. Is this the focus point selected, where focus was achieved or neither. Does it confirm that FOCUS WAS ACHIEVED? I notice that some photos have NO RED SQUARE at all - what does this mean? Need an answer to this or the headbanger will return. thanks guys:wave:
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If it was Canon (and I'd be surprised if Nikon was any different) the red square in playback only shows which AF point was active, nothing more significant, and can be turned on or off.

It doesn't necessarily show what was in fact focused on (rarely does in my case, as I use centre point focus and recompose technique) and can still show even when focus has not been achieved.

I have it turned off ;)
 
page 250 of user manual - no red square will show if camera was unable to focus using continuous focusing, or if continuous focusing was used with auto-area auto-focus...[paraphrased for ease of undertanding]



guess what, I have never bothered with it either, like Martyn, filed away under "of no use to me" ;)
 
I saw somebody use this feature on their D700 yesterday....personally, I've never used it in all my time of owning Nikon bodies.
 
I think what I meant was that one of you guys, dont remember who, confirmed that no focus point by referring to some program and this was useful in convincing me. I would not intend using it in every photo , but certainly in the case of a bad shot, it would be interesting to look for the red square to convince me the camera had not focused (in addition to what my eyes tell me) Phew that was longwinded! Thanks guys. Will observe radio silece for a while now:clap:
 
Well guys - heres some of my latest attempts!
1
DSC_5550.jpg

2
779.photobucket.com/albums/yy75/merv2009_photos/FOCUS%20ON%20DUCKS/DSC_5550.jpg[/IMG]
3

DSC_5538.jpg


4
DSC_5474.jpg

5
DSC_5472.jpg

6

DSC_5459.jpg

7
_DSC5407.jpg

:clap::clap:
 
Looks like this thread is one of few that have been conclusively effective in helping someone - glad its sorted Merv!
 
Merv ... I will take that rubbish D300 off your hands for £50 :lol:

Really glad we got that sorted :thumbs:
 
Thanks guys - couldnt have sorted it without you. All for the sake of one word 'RELEASE' Never want to hear it again. Prefer 'RELIEF'. Was having trouble living down the saying 'you couldnt shoot a sitting duck'
Went to the local Wildlife and Wetlands Trust at Strangford Lough and it is fantastic - 25-30,000 Brent Geese have arrived for the winter.

Speak to you soon and no doubt will have more queries in the near future. Have looked at other forums but none are a patch on this one.
Thanks again
MERV:clap::clap::clap:
 
They're rubbish. You need a D700 ;) :clap:
 
I've a mate who has just moved from a 1D to a full frame 5D. Make you puke wouldnt it? Maybe I should go up? No maybe not! Reassure me the D300's a great camera!
 
merv said:
I've a mate who has just moved from a 1D to a full frame 5D. Make you puke wouldnt it? Maybe I should go up? No maybe not! Reassure me the D300's a great camera!
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On several occasions I have nearly pushed the "add to basket" on a D700 / D3, as great a camera as they are, I would gain nothing with the majority of shooting I do, if there was a drop in price due to a new model release I may consider it, it would have its uses, but it would still be secondary to my D300.

Think I will save for a 500 f4 :D
 
Got a Siggy 150-500 and will try it out with my new found focusing skills. There are a lot of mixed feelings about this lens so will post a few findings in a new thread soon (hoping not to hear any ' I told you so's and you get what you pay for!':nuts:
 
Yes Kumimajava it does have OS. Supposed to work well - havent been out yet with it:wave:
 
guys - left the ducks behind and went to the bikes today to try my focusing skills. The bikes are a wee bit faster than a duck! Maybe see you in the Motorsport forum:clap::clap:
 
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