Basic Settings Flashcards
Basic shooting and playback settings
Focus
Can be adjusted automatically, manually, or using touch controls; is governed by your choice of focus mode and AF-area mode.
Choosing a focus mode
Controls how the camera focuses. Can be selected in the i menu, and the photo and movie shooting menus.
As a default the focus mode can also be selected by holding the Fn2 button and rotating the main command dial.
AF-S single AF
For stationary subjects.
Press the shutter release halfway, if the camera is able to focus the focus point will become green. At default settings, the shutter can only be released if the camera is able to focus (focus priority).
AF-C continuous AF
For moving subjects.
Camera focuses continuously while the shutter-release is pressed halfway. At default settings the shutter can be released whether or not the subject is in focus (release priority).
AF-F full-time AF
Camera adjusts focus continuously in response to subject movement or changes in composition. Focus locks when the shutter-release is pressed halfway. Movie mode only
MF manual focus
Focus manually. The shutter can be released whether or not the subject is in focus.
Low-light AF
For improved focusing when lighting is poor choose AF-S and choose ON for custom setting a11 (low-light AF)
AF Area Mode
AF area mode controls how the camera selects the focus point for auto focus.
Can be selected in the i menu, and the photo and movie shooting menus.
As a default, AF area mode can be selected by holding the Fn2 button and rotating the sub-command dial.
Pinpoint AF
Use for pinpoint focus on a selected spot in the frame.
Only available in photo mode using AF-S.
Single-point AF
Camera focuses on a point selected by the user. Use with stationary subjects.
Dynamic Area AF
Camera focuses on a point selected by the user. If the subject briefly leaves the selected point, the camera will focus based info from surrounding focus points, letting you concentrate on composition in shots of moving subjects. This option is only available in photo mode when AF-C is chosen.
Wide area AF (S)
Wide area AF (L)
Camera focuses on a point selected by the user. Use with stationary subjects. The focus points for Wide area AF (S) are wider than Single point AF, and Wide area AF (L) is wider still.
Auto area AF
The camera automatically detects the subject and detects the area. At default settings, the camera gives priority to portrait subjects. If a portrait subject is detected, the selected subject will be indicated by a yellow border. (If multiple faces are detected, you can choose your subject using the multi selector). Subject tracking can be activated by pressing the OK button.
Quick Focus Point Selection
For quicker focus point selection, you can:
- Chose “every other point” from Custom Setting a5 (focus points used) to use only a quarter of the available focus points (does not change focus points in Wide are AF (L)).
- If you prefer to use the sub-selector for focus point selection, you can chose Select Center Focus Point from Custom Settings f2 (custom control assignment) > sub-selector center to allow the center of the sub-selector to be used to quickly select the center focus point.
Subject tracking
When Auto-area AF is selected for AF focus mode, pressing OK enables focus tracking. The focus point will change to a targeting reticule; position the reticule over the target and either press OK again or the AF-ON button to start tracking. The focus point will track the selected subject as it moves through the frame (in the case of portrait subjects focus will track the subject’s face). To end tracking press OK a third time. To exit subject tracking mode press the (?) button.
Camera may be unable to track subjects if they move quickly, leave the frame, or are obscured by other objects, change in size/color/brightness, etc.
