Focus Advice Needed !!!

[Jozza]

Hello everyone... need your pearls of wisdom (!?) :shrug:

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG......

Been taking some shots of swans and Chickens and quite frankly they seem very 'soft'.
I've got a Nikon D80 with the 18-135mm lens and the options for focusing are so vast not sure if I'm picking the right one so have you got any tips for focusing?
i.e. Faster shutter speed etc

I was going for minimum depth of field so was on aperture priority set as large as possible... was that wrong?

 

[EOS_JD]

What were the shutter speeds you had? Any exif data you can provide?

 

[Jozza]

Everything else was set on auto. Just looked up one shot that is particularly bad and shutter speed was: 1/80 s
Another one that wasn't quite as bad was 1/125 s

Do you think I should shoot in shutter priority if so what would you recommend for our fast moving feathered friends???

(and please don't say slow roast with a few spuds on the side!!!!)

 

[Steep]

And peas.


Generally the faster the shutter speed the better when handholding and shooting moving objects. Do you have a sample you can show us?

 

[digitalfailure]

I think you should post the images and let us see the exif data from the shots. If you are set on using one of the program modes, shutter priority is the one to handle the birdies.

One thing to remember is that your shutter speed should be equal or greater than the focal length to reduce shake

 

[CT]

There's so many settings that could be wrong here Jozza.

I always shoot Aperture Priority for wildlife as it always gives me the fastest shutter speed possible in any prevailing light if I shoot wide open. (max aperture) I can't see the point in using Shutter Priority and selecting a shutter speed which may not be possible in the prevailing light with the lens in use. Hope that makes sense?

Focus Mode

If you shoot in Single focus mode, the focus is locked once you have the shutter half depressed and a focus confirmation light appears. You only have to hold that half pressed position for a fraction too long (while composing for example) and your critter has moved enough to be out of focus.

If you shoot in Servo Mode the lens auto focuses continuously as long as you keep the shutter half depressed and so compensates for not only the subjects movement but also your own, so it's often the best mode for wildlife and essential if it's moving fast... e.g. flying or swimming,

AF Point.

Usually just select one AF point, probably the centre one, as long as it's fairly easy to keep the AF point over your subject in the viewfinder, e.g. a stationary or slow moving bird. If it's moving very quickly, then you need to enable all the AF points to have any hope of tracking your subject and maintaining focus.

Cameras usually come with all the AF points enabled by default and it's often a hindrance when for example photographing a sparrow in a tree, when the system is just as likely to focus on a branch as on your sparrow. If you choose one AF point then YOU choose what the camera focuses on.

Hope that helps?

 

[Jozza]

Not sure how to post the photo...

I have uploaded a couple in my gallery but I haven't put the worst up coz they are really bad!!!!

I think like CT said that I lock focus and the b****y thing has moved!!!

 

[Jozza]

If you shoot in Servo Mode the lens auto focuses continuously as long as you keep the shutter half depressed and so compensates for not only the subjects movement but also your own, so it's often the best mode for wildlife and essential if it's moving fast... e.g. flying or swimming,

Can anyone tell me how I set this up on my Nikon?

 

[CT]

I think like CT said that I lock focus and the b****y thing has moved!!!

It's highly possible in Single or One Shot Mode Jozza, whatever Nikon call it.

I had to watch it with weddings it was all to easy to hang on to that half press while composing a group. It's so easy for someone in the group to move or even yourself slightly, and you have an oof shot when you press the shutter. For that reason I used to get it all set up and focused, then to to take the shot I'd take my finger off the shutter then press, focus, follow through and take the shot, all in one smooth movement.

The best thing is to have a play with the camera in Single and Servo Modes and see the difference between the two

 

[CT]

Can anyone tell me how I set this up on my Nikon?

Don't you have a little switch on the front of the camera, marked C/ S. usually to the right of the lens looking from the front of the camera?

That's where Nikon used to stick it

 

[CT]

Probably C/S/M

The M for manual focusing

 

[Jozza]

Think I might have found it... Theres a button marked AF and when I press it, the display changes from AF-A to AF-S to AF-C...

Gonna have to go find the manual!!!!

Thanks CT (you love Nikon really!!! )

 

[CT]

Think I might have found it... Theres a button marked AF and when I press it, the display changes from AF-A to AF-S to AF-C...

Gonna have to go find the manual!!!!

Thanks CT (you love Nikon really!!! )

LOL You cracked it I think. It does help to read the manual sometimes.

I DO love Nikon from way back.... had a few.

 

[CT]

The origin of my user title has nowt to do with not liking Nikons.

LOL. I've told this tale before, but it's pretty apt for this thread.

I once removed the focusing screen from a brand new Nikon F4 and attempted to blow a hair off the screen (knowing full well it was a dumb thing to do) and managed to deposit a huge gob of spit on the matte side of the screen which dried in a horrible gooey mess. I couldn't live with it and took it to my repair guy fully expecting to have to fork out for a new screen. He disappeared into the back of the shop and five minutes later returned with the screen as clean as new. He never charged me either, but for months afterwards, I had to endure... "Gobbed in any good Nikons lately Cedric?" whenever I saw him.

 

[Jozza]

The origin of my user title has nowt to do with not liking Nikons.

Lol... oh, I see!!!