Nikon D50 center single-spot focus (how to set?)

My Nikon D50 almost always chooses the left of three spots to focus.
How do I set the Nikon D50 to always autofocus on the center?

Hang in there a minute and I'll do some tests with mine.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

"Emily" wrote in message
.. .
: My Nikon D50 almost always chooses the left of three spots to focus.
: How do I set the Nikon D50 to always autofocus on the center?

Not an easy thing for me to set up at night, but I'll keep trying.
However, are you saying that the focus point you select is not the one
the camera uses? Not sure if you realise that you need to wake up the
focus system but half pressing the shutter release before you can
change the selected focus point.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

"Joan" wrote in message
...
: Hang in there a minute and I'll do some tests with mine.
:
: --
: Joan
: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly
:
: "Emily" wrote in message
: .. .
:: My Nikon D50 almost always chooses the left of three spots to
focus.
:: How do I set the Nikon D50 to always autofocus on the center?
:

"Emily" wrote in message
.. .
My Nikon D50 almost always chooses the left of three spots to focus.
How do I set the Nikon D50 to always autofocus on the center?

OK. Go to the menu.
Choose the pencil icon.
Item 03 AF-Area mode
Choose Single Area (not dynamic or closest)
enter

It should stick to the centre spot.
If not, you can move the selected spot with the arrow keys after you have
half-depressed the shutter release. Tricky with fat fingers like mine,
but...

I have persuaded mine to stay on the centre spot.

HTH
--
Jeff R.

I've done some tests and the camera definitely uses the chosen focus
point. I can post the tests if needed.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

"Emily" wrote in message
.. .
: My Nikon D50 almost always chooses the left of three spots to focus.
: How do I set the Nikon D50 to always autofocus on the center?

I've done some tests and the camera definitely uses the chosen focus
point. I can post the tests if needed.


"Emily" wrote in message
.. .
My Nikon D50 almost always chooses the left of three spots to focus.
How do I set the Nikon D50 to always autofocus on the center?

Don't know if they are the same but on my D70 there is a switch below the
arrow keys with a dot and an L which locks the focus point
HTH
Tim
--
http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/

Not found on a D50. I can't fathom why you'd need it.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

"Tim" no wrote in message
news :
: Don't know if they are the same but on my D70 there is a switch
below the
: arrow keys with a dot and an L which locks the focus point
: HTH
: Tim
: --
: http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/
:
:

It lets one obtain focus on an particular object and lock that focus.
Then one can recompose the image without losing the set focused
distance. This could be used for setting a specific hyper focal point.
There is also an exposure lock that works the same way to lock
exposure.

Joan wrote:
Not found on a D50. I can't fathom why you'd need it.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

"Tim" no wrote in message
news :
: Don't know if they are the same but on my D70 there is a switch
below the
: arrow keys with a dot and an L which locks the focus point
: HTH
: Tim
: --
: http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/
:
:

The D50 supports focus lock see page 34 of your manual for information
and other uses of this feature.

Joan wrote:
Not found on a D50. I can't fathom why you'd need it.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

"Tim" no wrote in message
news :
: Don't know if they are the same but on my D70 there is a switch
below the
: arrow keys with a dot and an L which locks the focus point
: HTH
: Tim
: --
: http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/
:
:

On Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:14:29 +1100, Joan wrote:

Are you saying that the focus point you select is not the one
the camera uses? You need to wake up the focus system by
half pressing the shutter release before you can change the
selected focus point.

Sorry for being too succinct.
I can CHANGE the focus point to be the center but it won't STAY that way!

I half-press the shutter-release button and the focus point selects the
left-most box in the horizontal centerline of the view and I use the
arrow-wheel to CHANGE the focus point to the center box on the horizontal
line of the view and that picture works just fine.

The next shot I take - the focus point is the left-most box again.

All I want is it to ALWAYS choose the center box since I habitually mumble
to myslef "FOCUS - COMPOSE - COUNT" every time I snap a picture of a
subject.

FOCUS: I focus on the "eyes" of the subject
COMPOSE: I compose the picture, generally breaking the scene into thirds
and choosing where to place the subject. This composition step generally
takes the most time, perhaps five or ten seconds per shot. Only about 1/10
of the time is the subject in the center of the shot after the composition
stage is completed.
COUNT: I count to three backward, either to allow the subject to compose
themself, or to remember to steady my aim, hold my breath, and twitch just
my finger and no other muscle in my body when the shutter releases.

The problem is that the very next shot chooses the left-most focus point
most of the time. Of course, if there is a closer subject in the center or
right focus point, it will choose that; but what I want is to force the
Nikon D50 camera to ALWAYS CHOOSE THE CENTER spot to focus.

This is a use model I have been using for decades and I don't wish to
change it. All I wish is to change the camera setting but I can't figure
out how to force the Nikon D50 to STAY in the center-focus position.