Moose's AF basics and preferred AF Modes for Nikon DSLR (D6) and Mirrorless (Z 6II) as of 8 July (firmware versions). I was somewhat surprised to see Moose's reliance on Auto-Area AF.
Moose Peterson on How He Makes AF Work for Him
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Moose's AF basics and preferred AF Modes for Nikon DSLR (D6) and Mirrorless (Z 6II) as of 8 July (firmware versions). I was somewhat surprised to see Moose's reliance on Auto-Area AF.
I did an aircraft shoot with him earlier this year in south TX and I also was surprised he claims he uses all the focus points. I haven't seen the video but he also is often stopped down to f22, f32. He is often at 1/20-1/60 of a second shooting plains such as in the pic above. That is the only way to get a full prop blur.
Ad Astra
Well-known member
I find Auto area works well on my Z 7II if the subject stands out from the background like a bird against a blue sky. Auto area is my preferred focus mode in such situations. Obviously if the background is cluttered in Auto Area the camera does not know which subject you want from several possible choices.
Interesting - all part of Moose’s special sauce!
Rich P
Member
So I'm a bit confused. He says on the roadrunner shot the camera locked onto the eye using auto area AF (animal) but that NX studio displays the focus box on the body of the bird as it's on the same plane as the eye? Shouldn't the red box be displayed over the eye. I'm thinking that animal eye detect doesn't work that well on birds (as it seems at this point it's just for cats/dogs) and the camera just grabbed the portion of the bird closest to the camera.
No, because the firmware is designed to keep the eye locked and you don't have to worry about that. It's like the Sun coming up and giving light to you. It's a given!
I was confused by this interpretation as well, Rich. Moose even said at one point something like, the focal plane is in the same plane as the eye..? From my experience with earlier Nikon software, pre-Studio, the *effective* focal points used for the photo are highlighted. If this is still the case with Studio, I believe Moose’s interpretation is rather loose and doesn’t support Nikon’s Auto-area eye tracking all that well. Any other ideas?
He's talking about AF, and I understand he is using a larger depth of field while the firmware is showing other focal points in focus, he did point out the reason for not showing the eye-tracking focal point and that was because it wouldn't distract you from tracking the eye or should I say bird!
Maljo
Well-known member
He seems a little confused about what eye AF is. If there is no little yellow box on the animal's eye, its not eye AF. He was just fortunate the flank and the eye of the roadrunner were on the same plane.
Maljo
Well-known member
When eye AF is active, it is a little yellow box on the animal's eye and the yellow box is visible in the view finder.
fcotterill
Well-known member
Always interesting to hear how and why different photographers use these AF systems. Thanks for sharing. I use Auto AF sparingly: assigned to Lens-Fn with D850 and D5, I find it useful to grab distant subjects very quickly, as this mode has the propensity to "pull" the subject out of the out of focus backdrop! I then toggle to Single-Point (assigned to Pv) or Group AF (pressing SubSelector centre) for finer focusing This tactic doesn't work every time but when it does, it speeds up grabbing a tricky subject.
Moose seems to be the only guy to single out how the AF Cursor of the D6 is sticky (seriously so) on the assigned subject (and even in low contrast scenes). He wasn't 100% clear if this is being mproved by new firmware (?). Anyway it's intriguing and the similarity to how Z tracking is assigned, points to a convergence / sharing of this AF mode across the D6 and Z6 and Z7. The cameras might be using the same algorithm or even sections of code.
Presumably, the Z9 will refine and expand the scope / tenacity of this Sticky-Tracking algorithm
Update: A more recent D6 Thread on this https://bcgforums.com/index.php?thr...-your-thoughts-on-this-camera.5115/post-47110
Moose seems to be the only guy to single out how the AF Cursor of the D6 is sticky (seriously so) on the assigned subject (and even in low contrast scenes). He wasn't 100% clear if this is being mproved by new firmware (?). Anyway it's intriguing and the similarity to how Z tracking is assigned, points to a convergence / sharing of this AF mode across the D6 and Z6 and Z7. The cameras might be using the same algorithm or even sections of code.
Presumably, the Z9 will refine and expand the scope / tenacity of this Sticky-Tracking algorithm
Update: A more recent D6 Thread on this https://bcgforums.com/index.php?thr...-your-thoughts-on-this-camera.5115/post-47110
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Charles
New member
Hello everyone, Charles here, (don’t how to get my name under the green-dot), I was also curious when I watched the video, how to toggle the little red square Moose showed/spoke of in Auto Area AF, since my D6 wasn’t giving me that option in AAAF. So, I watched again and realized you have to turn on “a12, Auto-Area AF Starting Point” in the menu. Magic!! Move it to the eye or wherever and the D6 tracks it in Auto mode. This is what he was referring to as “eye AF” and, BTW, the D6 will not show a yellow box that tracks the eye, that’s only on the Z cameras. But, it’s tracking whatever you put the little box on. I just figured that out today so not much time playing with it, but so far I keep being surprised how well it works!
Also, above, there was confusion about the Roadrunner and the focus boxes on its breast. The eye and breast of most birds is on the same plane of focus, which means we can put our focus point on the breast and usually the eye will be in focus.
It was interesting also seeing the “focus-boxes” of Moose’s eagle photos that show where the camera recognized areas on the bird that where in the same plane as its eye, the chosen focus point. (Shown in Nikon NX-Studio.)
I plan on looking through my photos, sharp and soft, to see what I may learn about areas to focus on in the “heat of panning”.
Blessings everyone,
Charles
Also, above, there was confusion about the Roadrunner and the focus boxes on its breast. The eye and breast of most birds is on the same plane of focus, which means we can put our focus point on the breast and usually the eye will be in focus.
It was interesting also seeing the “focus-boxes” of Moose’s eagle photos that show where the camera recognized areas on the bird that where in the same plane as its eye, the chosen focus point. (Shown in Nikon NX-Studio.)
I plan on looking through my photos, sharp and soft, to see what I may learn about areas to focus on in the “heat of panning”.
Blessings everyone,
Charles
Good - that helps,Charles - a feature I’m not familiar with.