Focus Mode for BIF

[fotogrob]

Making a trip to Conowingo MD. A mecca for eagles in the Northeast this time of year. I Programmed my D500 focus mode as single point default and Grp assigned to the Pv button. Although its almost second nature to me to press the Pv when a bird flies, I'm wondering if making Grp the default focus mode is a better strategy since 98% of the time I'll be shooting them in flight. Could be one of those 6 of one--half dozen of another question but I'd appreciate your opinion. If you know you'll be shooting mostly BIF, do you keep Group or another multi point mode as your default? Thanks.

 

[Jerryjaws]

You’ll wanna use group focus at the damn. Also since I go to the dam a lot in November you’ll wanna be there at 5am to get a parking spot. They closed the employee lot and the upper lot. So parking is a nightmare.

 

[Fishboy1952]

Personally I have the default on my D500 to be group AF and single point assigned to the PV button. My logic was if the bird is stationary and I want single point, I have the time to perform the extra action to depress the PV button. Now if it takes off in flight and I’m trying to react to the bird and keep it in the frame, all I need is to keep depressing AF-ON (BBAF). One less activity to do when things get busy.

 

[DRwyoming]

Personally I have the default on my D500 to be group AF and single point assigned to the PV button. My logic was if the bird is stationary and I want single point, I have the time to perform the extra action to depress the PV button. Now if it takes off in flight and I’m trying to react to the bird and keep it in the frame, all I need is to keep depressing AF-ON (BBAF). One less activity to do when things get busy.

That's exactly how I think of this. When I need Single Point I have time, when I need my preferred action focus mode (Group or a small Dynamic mode) I want the simplest and fastest way to get there and that's just hitting the AF-ON button with my thumb.

 

[fotogrob]

Thanks to all for your responses. Think I will switch back to Grp as default. Fishboy's logic convinced me.

 

[wild-pics]

I use Single Point on Pv button, Group on AF On and Auto Area on the Joystick with D500/500pf.

 

[Icarus]

I keep single focus point on PV button, and then I change the back focus button, depending on what I'm shooting. That way if I'm shooting grp/small dynamic on back focus button, I still have quick access to single point focus when I need it. If I'm not shooting BIF, I keep back focus button on single focus point.

 

[gordon_g]

Personally I have the default on my D500 to be group AF and single point assigned to the PV button. My logic was if the bird is stationary and I want single point, I have the time to perform the extra action to depress the PV button. Now if it takes off in flight and I’m trying to react to the bird and keep it in the frame, all I need is to keep depressing AF-ON (BBAF). One less activity to do when things get busy.

Yep when going to an area that you know you will be using one focus point more I switch mine up like this as well..

 

[KCPhoto]

I use Single Point on Pv button, Group on AF On and Auto Area on the Joystick with D500/500pf.

I have group AF on BBAF, single point on joystick press, and area on PV. Might have to try switching PV and Joystick as I have a hard time not moving the point around vs activating AF sometimes, especially if hands are very cold.

 

[fcotterill]

That's exactly how I think of this. When I need Single Point I have time, when I need my preferred action focus mode (Group or a small Dynamic mode) I want the simplest and fastest way to get there and that's just hitting the AF-ON button with my thumb.

I use Single Point on Pv button, Group on AF On and Auto Area on the Joystick with D500/500pf.

As it was when I had a D500, I use this same setup on my D850, with AE-L or Spot-meter on Fn1 (swop the latter with Custom shooting banks). The joystick is indeed fickle to depress properly in a hurry. A D780 style rear panel would solve this, provided AE could be assigned to AFOn+AutoAF

(BTW, as it stands the D780 is hamstrung to configure for action shooting).

 

[wild-pics]

I have group AF on BBAF, single point on joystick press, and area on PV. Might have to try switching PV and Joystick as I have a hard time not moving the point around vs activating AF sometimes, especially if hands are very cold.

Reason I have Auto Area on Joystick is so that I could quickly move my thumb from Auto Area to Group Area on BBAF to get a more accurate shot, specially when birds are randomly flying up a cliff face and then diving down again. I only have a fraction of a second to change before the bird disappears down the cliff face.

 

[Ken Miracle]

First some disclaimersI try to keep things simple and as close to the same as possible on my D500 and D850 and I do not use back button AF (did for a year but it offered me no advantage over having AFC on and pressing the shutter button half way down to focus and it tied up my thumb that I use to move my focus point).
On birds as large as eagles and especially in the open I use single point AF whenever possible to keep the camera from accidentally grabbing a wing tip if using a shallow depth of field ... I do have my preview button set to go to group AF and use it if needed. When I am shooting sitting birds I frequently have very little time to thread between branches or get quickly on the eye of a bird that pops into view. However with birds in flight ironically I usually have more time to push the PV button and go to group as needed and as you said it is muscle memory for me with either camera body. Good birding and good shooting.

 

[Neil H.]

If using back-focus, having the AF/on for single point and the "joystick" for group gives the best of both worlds. For action shooting keep the thumb on the joystick. For sitting ducks keep the thumb on the AF/on button. Simples! Also, it only takes a fraction of second to move the thumb from one to the other.