Is there a way to set a button to change from Single Servo spot...to Continuous servo with more focus points,

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Andrew Lamberson

Andrew Lamberson

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I prefer to "normally" shoot Singe Servo, single spot, manual with auto ISO (thank you Steve!) I want the detail in the eyes.

So...I'm happily getting those wonderful spot shot in the eyes of the the little birds and bugs and I hear Geese coming in. I want to switch "modes' at a touch of one button to:

Continous servo mode, with a set shutter speed (to freeze the wings, auto ISO, large number of focus points and set at F8.

Is there a way to program a button to get exactly what I want? A then when I release it I go back to my single servo, single spot, auto iso,

I have a Nikon D500.

I have looked, and searched and played with the buttons but it seems beyond me!

I have all of Steve's books, so if it's in there please point it out.

Maybe a "user" button?

Thanks!

Andy
 
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Andrew Lamberson said:
I prefer to "normally" shoot Singe Servo, single spot, manual with auto ISO (thank you Steve!) I want the detail in the eyes.

So...I'm happily getting those wonderful spot shot in the eyes of the the little birds and bugs and I hear Geese coming in. I want to switch "modes' at a touch of one button to:

Continous servo mode, with a set shutter speed (to freeze the wings, auto ISO, large number of focus points and set at F8.

Is there a way to program a button to get exactly what I want? A then when I release it I go back to my single servo, single spot, auto iso,

I have a Nikon D500.

I have looked, and searched and played with the buttons but it seems beyond me!

I have all of Steve's books, so if it's in there please point it out.

Maybe a "user" button?

Thanks!

Andy
Click to expand...
With the D500 you can do portions of what you want but not everything.

If you use Back Button Auto Focus (BBAF) there's no real reason to shoot in Single-Servo mode as with BBAF you can release the AF-ON button at any time to fix the focus which is the main thing you get out of Single-Servo mode. By running in AF-C all the time but only activating focus via the back panel AF-ON mode you get the benefits of instant tracking when you want it (just keep holding the AF-ON button in) but also get the benefit of focus-recompose shooting like you get in Single-Servo (AF-S) mode.

If you go to BBAF and keep the camera in AF-C mode all the time you can take it a step further with the D500. You can assign the AF-ON button to just AF-ON which will just use whatever AF Area mode is selected via the AF Mode switch (over near the lens release on the front of the camera). Then you can take another button like the PV (defaults to DoF Preview) and assign it to a specific AF Area mode of your choosing. That way hitting the rear panel AF-ON button triggers one focus mode and hitting that button while also holding in the front PV button triggers a second optional AF Area mode.

That's the way I use my D500 as well as my D850 and D5. The AF-ON button just activates AF operation, the shutter release button has AF Activation disabled so it doesn't start an AF cycle and I have my PV button set to select Single Point AF Area mode and the main camera set to my action mode which is usually Group or D25(or D9 in supporting cameras).

That does most of what you asked about but it doesn't change the aperture or shutter speed so you still have to spin the front panel dial to change aperture and rear panel dial to change shutter speed on the fly. But it does provide instant changes from Single Point AF Area mode for slow moving or static subjects by just holding in the PV button, it eliminates the need to run in AF-S mode (Single Servo) at all as you can do focus-recompose shooting just by focusing, letting go of the rear panel AF-ON button with your thumb and recomposing and shooting and also supports lightning fast change to an action oriented AF Area mode like Group or D25 just by holding in the rear panel AF-ON button but NOT holding in the PV button.

So no, I know of no way to make all the changes you asked about with a single button press but you can get an awful lot of it by setting up BBAF with a secondary AF Area mode selector button.
 
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On my D600 I have U1 and U2. I can put a totally different exposure values into each and change on the fly. I did this while shooting ospreys a couple of years ago. I would meter the at water level and save the to U1. Then I would meter the bird in the air and save that to U2. Without removing my eye from the finder I could change from water to air with turning the dial 1 click. I believe several Nikon bodies have this feature. But in Nikon's way they didn't put it on the D4, D5 and I don't the D6 has it either. I tryed the save banks with my D3 and Nikon help could not make it work.
 
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Ken and DR,
Thanks that is a great video and and instructions that DR gave. I had previously set my camera the way they suggested.

It keeps my auto ISO so that is good. I was hoping there was a way to also switch shutter speed and apature be to presets but that's a no go apparently.

I just have to remember in the heat of the moment to change my shutter speed if needed!

As Larry points out there are no U1 U2 settings on the D500 like his camera.

Steve talks about the BF button assignments in his book which is very helpful.

Thank you for the help.
 
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Andrew Lamberson said:
There is no U1 and U2 on the 500 unfortunately.
Click to expand...

I use the Photo Shooting Menu Banks, have it assigned to the Video Button so its one press and a click on the rear Dial. 90% of the time I'm in Bank A which is set for manual plus Auto ISO but if I need to get to a very low shutter speed on the hurry up I just click to Bank B which is shutter priority at 1/100th, f/8 and manual ISO 100. Yes I could get there staying in manual, cranking down the SS, checking if Auto ISO has reached base limit then changing the f/ stop to suit. Just find it much quicker now to flick through Custom Banks.

Also for AF I've limited options to single, group and d9/25 so just 3 options to flick through.

Using BBAF with single on AF button and d9/25 on centre joystick push.

Find all of this works well on D5, D850 and D500
 
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Graham Clark said:
Using BBAF with single on AF button and d9/25 on centre joystick push.
Click to expand...
I tried the center joystick approach but I guess my thumb is too clumsy as when the action was hot I'd just as often start scrolling through focus point selections as activating Group AF via a single straight in push. I practiced that for a while but missed too many shots when there was just a slight angle on the joystick and the focus point started sliding across the viewfinder instead of activating Group AF as desired. I suppose I could disable AF Point selection for the joystick but I find that feature very convenient.
 
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I just talked to Nikon and the following cameras have the U1 and U2 settings. D600, D610, D750, D7500, D7000, D7200. I would if I were you just buy one of these bodies assign to birds in flight duty.
 
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Larry Shuman said:
I just talked to Nikon and the following cameras have the U1 and U2 settings. D600, D610, D750, D7500, D7000, D7200. I would if I were you just buy one of these bodies assign to birds in flight duty.
Click to expand...
Can't say I agree with that approach.

- The D500 is one of the best BIF cameras out there with excellent AF performance a solid notch above the cameras in that list, it is arguably the best DX format BIF camera available.

- With a D500 set up for BBAF with a secondary focus mode it's a simple button press from shooting position to take care of AF Area switches and the camera is always in AF-C mode for instant action.

- The U1/U2 approach to quickly switching shutter speed and aperture still requires twisting a knob. Achieving the same result on the D500 when shooting in Manual Exposure/Auto ISO mode only requires the spin of one or both control dials easily accessible with the forefinger or thumb while never having to take your eye from the viewfinder or moving your hands from the normal camera support/shooting position. Depressing the lock and spinning the mode knob for U1/U2 requires at least moving your hands from best lens holding position, especially with longer lenses typically used for BIF images.

Basically switching to one of the cameras listed above simply for the U1/U2 mode options results in degraded AF performance, reduced frame rate and doesn't really buy anything in terms of quickly changing shutter speed or aperture as it still requires changing a knob setting and one that's less convenient than the command dials accessible from normal shooting position without taking your eye from the viewfinder.

I'd say chasing the U1/U2 functionality is a step backwards compared to BIF work with an optimally set up D500.
 
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I have a D600 and I was using it to shoot ospreys my right hand was at the shutter button and my left hand was at the dial both pressing the lock and switching between U1 and U2. The whole kit was on a kirk gimbal. True a D600 is not a D500 but I had no problem operating this way and my results prove it
 
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Larry Shuman said:
I have a D600 and I was using it to shoot ospreys my right hand was at the shutter button and my left hand was at the dial both pressing the lock and switching between U1 and U2. The whole kit was on a kirk gimbal. True a D600 is not a D500 but I had no problem operating this way and my results prove it
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For someone that currently owns a D600 or similar camera that makes a lot of sense as that camera doesn't support on the fly BBAF with second area mode option on the PV button. But for the OP that already owns a D500 I wouldn't recommend stepping back in frames per second and AF performance to pick up the U1/U2 mode options, at least not for BIF work.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not for a moment suggesting your method can't or won't work. It clearly does work and I'm certain your images demonstrate that. I'm just saying if you already own a camera optimized for fast action work like the D500 all it takes is some setup to achieve the same kind of on the fly switching and perhaps in a quicker and easier manner than relying on the custom programmed U1/U2 modes.
 
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The D500 has 4 Custom Settings (pg 292 in Users Manual). Basically you set up the camera with your desired settings in one of the 4 choices (A-D, which you can rename) . These settings will be starting points and can be changed. Unless you re-save the new settings the old ones will still apply the next time you select them. I use a D5 and set "B" (now called "Birds" for birds in flight, Manual, F2.8, 1/1000s, ISO-Auto, Group Auto-Focus, exposure comp "0". Each time I select Setting "Birds" I have the same starting values.
 
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DRwyoming said:
Can't say I agree with that approach.

- The D500 is one of the best BIF cameras out there with excellent AF performance a solid notch above the cameras in that list, it is arguably the best DX format BIF camera available.

- With a D500 set up for BBAF with a secondary focus mode it's a simple button press from shooting position to take care of AF Area switches and the camera is always in AF-C mode for instant action.

- The U1/U2 approach to quickly switching shutter speed and aperture still requires twisting a knob. Achieving the same result on the D500 when shooting in Manual Exposure/Auto ISO mode only requires the spin of one or both control dials easily accessible with the forefinger or thumb while never having to take your eye from the viewfinder or moving your hands from the normal camera support/shooting position. Depressing the lock and spinning the mode knob for U1/U2 requires at least moving your hands from best lens holding position, especially with longer lenses typically used for BIF images.

Basically switching to one of the cameras listed above simply for the U1/U2 mode options results in degraded AF performance, reduced frame rate and doesn't really buy anything in terms of quickly changing shutter speed or aperture as it still requires changing a knob setting and one that's less convenient than the command dials accessible from normal shooting position without taking your eye from the viewfinder.

I'd say chasing the U1/U2 functionality is a step backwards compared to BIF work with an optimally set up D500.
Click to expand...


I agree, DR, and I will add that shutter frames per second would be very limited for BIF... I have a D750 and I've tried it. 6 frames per second is half the frame rate of a D500 and your keeper rate stinks at that speed. You can get them in focus fine but your chances of catching the perfect wing position is greatly limited... Don't get me wrong, it will work, its just not as good an option as what you're suggesting.
 
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DRwyoming said:
I tried the center joystick approach but I guess my thumb is too clumsy as when the action was hot I'd just as often start scrolling through focus point selections as activating Group AF via a single straight in push. I practiced that for a while but missed too many shots when there was just a slight angle on the joystick and the focus point started sliding across the viewfinder instead of activating Group AF as desired. I suppose I could disable AF Point selection for the joystick but I find that feature very convenient.
Click to expand...

Yeah, had a similar issue to start with but not now. Guess a lot of it comes down to muscle memory.
 
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Graham Clark said:
Guess a lot of it comes down to muscle memory.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that makes sense and I felt like I could train myself out of it but finally gave up and reverted to Single Point on the PV button and Group or Dynamic on the main camera setting activated by the AF-ON button.

My thought at the time was 'why not have 3 modes on the fly?' and set up AF-ON for activation in the camera mode(D25), PV for Single Point and joystick press for Group which seemed pretty slick.... except for my clumsy thumb :)
 
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I have never used BBF. I've tryed it but its uncomfortable and a bit clumsy since I come from a very large manual focus motor driven system. Attached are two shots taken using the U! and U2 on the D600. Fps doesn't seem to be an issue with me. The shot were made using a Sigma 800mm F:5.6 AF and a D600.
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At least with the D8XX cameras and the D500 one can use option A7 Store by Orientation settings to "choose whether the viewfinder stores the focus points and AF-area mode for vertical and horizontal orientations separately."

I have the vertical orientation set for single point autofocus and the horizontal orientation set for continuous AF with a multi point AF mode. If a bird is on a branch I can use single point autofocus and when it gets ready to take off I have the camera held horizontally (landscape mode) and the camera is using my BIF autofocus settings. I have found this to be very useful.
 
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Having read these interesting responses, the message seems to be, use what works for you. Yes, you will be limited by the camera functions But finding a system that suits and most importantly gets the picture you are after is the end goal. I have a D7500 which has a U1 and U2 option which I have set up for static and moving subject which leant towards aperture mode . My D500 is set up with BBF on the preview button as I am left eye dominant which precludes the use of the AF On button to avoid jabbing my thumb in my eye and I use manual mode with auto ISO, it took a little practice to remember to check setting and adjust accordingly but I found that I would have to do that anyway to match the conditions. With the D500 if I am after fast moving images I just up the shutter speed to annaapropriate speed say 1/3200 range, conversely I lower the rate if it’s likely to be larger, static or slower subject and anticipate what DOF I want and when I have an image to shoot I just need to adjust focus. I find the challenge of anticipation and thinking has improved my skills and my keeper rate has improved as a result.
 
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On my d850s, I have one of the front of body programmable buttons set to Group mode, so simple push changes from SS to a small group which makes it easy to track a bird.
 
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