Where's the focus point?

[merv]

Can anyone tell me now to see where the camera has focused when viewing an image? I used a D300 for an airshow with the 9 point dynamic focusing and I am wondering if I missed the target on some of the shots of planes in formation and might have been better using the 21 point system although slightly slower. What would the rest of you use for planes? merv

 

[cowasaki]

Nikon's NX software's EXIF viewer will show you the focus point as does you camera if you turn the feature on.

 

[merv]

Thanks Darren. I have the D300 and 700 - can you tell me how to switch it on in camera? Also I have Opanda 2.30 Exif viewer on my computer. Cant quite see how to highlight the focus point. merv

 

[TTK]

Nikon View and Nikon NX2 will show you the focus points used..

 

[Oli R C]

If you've used dynamic focus, then your subject may have moved from the selected focus point before you took the shot. So looking at the focus grid may not really tell you anything.

If you happen to use Aperture 3, that will also tell you which focus point was selected.

EDIT: I've kind of phrased this post badly, but I'm sure you'll get the jist.

2nd EDIT: To put it another way...

The whole point of using Dynamic Focus, is that it allows you to recompose after you have 'locked on' to your subject. Your settings dictate how much recomposition is allowed, but if you have used the Dynamic Focus as it's intended, and have consciously recomposed shots, then your subjects may not fall under your selected focus point when you check back through your images.

So, as said, your findings may not reveal all that much, so it's worth bearing that in mind.

 

[cowasaki]

I would have to have a look but on the D200 you just press UP after taking a shot! Not got the manual here at the moment.

 

[merv]

Hi Oli, thanks. I was a little surprised this time with quite a few slightly out of focus shots. I was using the 9 point focusing setting on my D300 with continuous servo and dynamic area mode. I thought it was pretty foolproof as long as you locked on soon enough which I did. Maybe the 21 point system would have been better although I know its slower. I was wondering about the 'point of focus' in case the autofocus had locked onto a cloud beyond the group of planes rather than on a plane. I was also shooting with a 70-200 VR2 and 1.4 TC so whether or not this would have contributed to loss of quality I dont know. They say the 1.4 is OK. merv

 

[Oli R C]

I've found a few shortcomings of Dynamic Focus, and it's mainly when the weather is dull, which is a bit frustrating.

As for choosing 9 or 21 point, that just depends on how much the planes move around the viewfinder while you're tracking them. I would have thought 9 would be ok, but I've not done anything like that. As far as the cloud is concerned, I guess it would depend on the type of cloud, but I wouldn't think it would 'prefer' the cloud over the plane, if you are accurate enough when you press AF-ON.

 

[merv]

:bonk:Here's 4 examples of out of focus shots. By the way, the camera is set to FOCUS release mode. The shutter speed is high so camera shake should not feature. I was using D300 with 70-200 VR 2 and 1.4TC. In Dynamic area mode with 9 point focusing system and continuous servo (C) Any suggestions as to what is wrong. Not all shot bad thank god
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Help please
merv:bang: