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Nikon D60 Stay Focused Guide (Stay Focused Guides)

Here are some tips to follow. In any of these instances, you can use your autofocus to get you close by locking focus on a key part of the scene and then turning off the autofocus so you just have manual focus. Nature photographers often shoot in low-light conditions that can some-times make it hard to see to focus. We become dependent on autofocus in such situations.

Watch the AF lights in your viewfinder as your camera finds focus. This will tell you where the camera is focusing.

Great photos are born in the camera.

Keep the shutter release pressed to lock focus or hold the AF button down if your camera has one as you move the camera back to the composition and then press the shutter release all the way to take the picture. The standard way that autofocus works in cameras is for the camera to choose what it thinks is the best focus point from an array of AF points across the scene. This works in a lot of situations. One example is an animal that continually comes to a specific area in the composition. Simply select an AF point where the animal is likely to be. You need to learn the idio-syncrasies of autofocus with your camera.

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Where does it seem to have problems? This comes from using your camera in all sorts of situations. Every time that I purchase or test a new camera, I always take it out and play with it before I have to use it seriously. Hybrid Your camera offers at least two options for autofocus: Continuous autofocus allows the camera to focus continually as you take pictures, updating the progress of a moving subject, for example.

A third option on many cameras is a hybrid. This type of autofocus allows the camera to decide when to use single-shot autofocus and continuous autofocus. It seems like the camera is always choosing the wrong type of autofocus and screwing up my focus as I shoot.

Northern Lights Photography settings

A dramatic way of photographing a landscape with trees is to shoot it against the sun so the sun creates a starburst pattern through the trees. But that dramatic effect also can cause problems with autofocus. Try moving the camera to autofocus without the sun and then reframing the composition. You also might have to change the camera to manual focus for scenes like this. Depth of field is so shallow that even a slight change in focus can make the difference between a good picture and one for the trash. Very often the camera will choose the wrong point for focus up close.

For this reason, many of the best macro shooters use manual focus for close-up work. Move your camera around and lock focus on an important part of your subject. Keep that focus locked and gently move your camera toward and away from the subject until you have exactly the right spot in focus.

Another thing that drives you crazy up close is when the camera starts focusing to infinity.

10 Tips For Better Autofocus In Nature Photography - Outdoor Photographer

Many lenses have focus limiters for just this reason. If you need fast autofocusing, you need a fast lens. For fast-moving wildlife, a slow lens can have a big effect on how quickly you can get the animal in focus. The problem is that they significantly reduce light to the focal plane of the camera and that results in less light to AF sensors. In this case, especially, you may be required to use a fast lens with a teleconverter to coax your AF system to work.

Give your camera and lens a head start by starting the autofocusing early.

Northern Lights Photography Settings

This is especially important for moving subjects, such as flying birds. Start by pressing the shutter button lightly, which engages your autofocus. If your camera has a specific AF button on the back of the camera, use it to start your autofocus the camera is only focusing and not setting exposure or setting off the shutter. Lenses and systems that allow manual focusing at the same time that your autofocus is on can help, too. Do a little prefocusing manually before you need your autofocus to work. A phase-detection system can thus establish focus with a single reading and adjustment, making it quicker than contrast-based systems and much better for moving subjects and in dim light.

10 Tips For Better Autofocus In Nature Photography

Contrast-detection AF measures contrast at the image sensor, the idea being contrast is at its maximum when the image is sharply focused. A contrast-based AF system must take multiple readings to determine and set focus: After the first reading, focus is adjusted and another reading is taken. If the contrast is greater, another adjustment is made in the same direction and another reading is taken, and so on, until contrast starts to decrease.

If the second reading shows less contrast than the first, an adjustment in focus is made in the opposite direction, then another reading is taken, etc. The result is that contrast-detection AF requires multiple readings and adjustments, taking longer than phase-detection AF to establish focus. I presently own a Olympus and want to upgrade. I am a Senior Citizen, elderly and cannot afford a camera of my taste. I have won quite a few, including Best-of-Show ribbons with my Olympus 4. I am really out of date. I am in the same boat as John.

At almost 72 years old not only is their a cost factor in what I can afford, but the lack of ability to tote around all the heavy equipment as I did years ago. Recently took an eight hour course on nature photography and the one tip that made it worth the cost is the back button af feature.

Thanks for providing this wonderful feature for free. Work with it and it will be the best friend you have in photography. Solved many out of focus problems. Intereting and usefull to step back and be reminded of the basics one has started to take for granted, also very useful for new er photograhers.

You will need to adjust the shutter speed as the strength of the Northern Lights changes through an evening. Holding your breath and keeping very very still is not gonna cut it. Maybe it will even be windy. Not in the dark. But test it, it may not be exact. Ideally, find your focus during daylight hours, and either memorise it or make a mark on your lens rim use tape, white marker, Tippex etc. And always zoom out completely, the Northern Lights occupy a large space in the sky, and we want to capture as much of it as we can. Earlier, we talked about the problems of being a living, breathing human body.

Every time you touch your camera you will shake it, causing a possible blur in your photo. Remote control is best. Some cameras can use apps. Get to know your camera. Once you are out, set everything up and do some test shots.

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Adjust the settings as needed. If your image is too bright, lower your shutter speed or ISO. If your image is too dark, up your shutter speed or ISO.

Cameras Focus Modes Explained: When to Use Continuous Auto Focus, Single Auto Focus or Manual Focus

Use all the same settings as above for the Northern Lights. And then the aim is to freeze the subject, you, in motion. Do some test shots to get used to the method and find the best lighting. You have a photo of yourself under the Northern Lights!