D200 Focusing Problem

Well, D80, which is pretty similar, has a focusing mode to always be
focusing even if you pressed half-a-way. It's especially done for moving
object in sport, etc. But I also read couple reviews on the Internet from
several guys (I don't remember, maybe on nikonian.org ?) - when they tried
this mode they got the maximum number of bad unfocused images just because
the camera is constantly searching for a better focus and the picture
quality depends on when you click the button.

I usually don't use this mode allowing the camera to focus when I press
half-a-way. It's fast enough to let me catch whatever I want.

Just D.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm having a heck of a time keeping focus on moving objects w/ my D200.
I'm using a 200-400 f/4 on it, and it's set to "Active" focusing, I've
tried all sorts of combinations on the D200.

I set it to Constant focusing (Of course), I've tried the AF area mode
settings on group, dynamic...all of them, with various combinations
with metering selections.

When I'm doing wildlife or cars, I can't seem to keep the object in
focus as I pan without releasing & re-depressing the shutter release
for exposure reading. I expect that once I compose the object, take a
meter reading & hod the shutter release down part-way, the lens/camera
should hold focus as I pan.

Any suggestions?

Thanks much!!

"Ed Ruf
Well, D80, which is pretty similar, has a focusing mode to always be
Not quite. In AF-C mode on any body below the D200 there is no restriction

D200: "AF-C. Camera focuses continuously while shutter-release button is
pressed half-way. If subject moves, focus will be adjusted to compensate
(predictive focus tracking; 52). At default settings, photographs can be
taken whether or not camera is in focus (release priority).". "P148. Custom
setting a1: AF-C Mode priority Selection. This option controls whether
photographs can be taken whenever the shutter-release button is pressed
(release priority) or only when the camera is in focus (focus priority) in
continuous-servo AF."

nothing is in focus. On the D200 there is an option to enable additional
requirements on the shutter release while in AF-C mode. The D80 does not
have these custom settings.

True. The original message was probably about default setting of AF-C.

Perhaps besides suggesting people dl the complete manual for this camera
to
answer simple questions more easily answered on the Nikon or any camera

Oh, that's you again, how I didn't notice! Btw, D200 manual is about 26
megs. The page 51 explains this simple thing. I will not show you the
URL, you will not like this file. Although the quote from this manual is
above.

review site, such as the storage media used, you should actually read the
manual for your camera and understand how it actually works.

I'm not asking how mine works, I'm asking if anybody had any problems with
one item that I wanted to know before I got my 8GB SDHC card for my own
games. I saw on the internet that a number of guys were having problems with
SDHC cards with other cameras regarding of their support of SDHC, I'm glad
that mine is not having these issues.

Ed Ruf )
http://edwardgruf.com/Digital_Photog...ral/index.html

Every NG has someone who teaches others how to answer, actually that's
nothing new for me who spent over 20 years on different networks including
Internet, I can easily ignore that as usual. There is a simple rule -
don't like - don't read. There are many different guys typing in different
styles, from very polite one to using F-words when their emotions are
beating over. So what? It's impossible to shut all them down or teach them
how to live, I just ignore them.

Just D.

Ed Ruf )
http://edwardgruf.com/Digital_Photog...ral/index.html

Ed, could you tell me please how did you get this one - filter(s) if any,
aperture, ISO, shutter speed, portrait mode, etc.? The complete metadata
would be very interesting, but it's lost after stitching, sorry. I just know
that it's finally done with Adobe Photoshop Elements 3

http://edwardgruf.com/Digital_Photog...ppedni_600.jpg

Thanks,
Just D.

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:55:25 -0500, "Ed Ruf (REPLY to E-MAIL IN
SIG!)" wrote:

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 10:10:00 -0700, in rec.photo.digital "Just D"
wrote:

True. The original message was probably about default setting of AF-C.

Perhaps besides suggesting people dl the complete manual for this camera
to
answer simple questions more easily answered on the Nikon or any camera

Oh, that's you again, how I didn't notice! Btw, D200 manual is about 26
megs. The page 51 explains this simple thing. I will not show you the
URL, you will not like this file. Although the quote from this manual is
above.

review site, such as the storage media used, you should actually read the
manual for your camera and understand how it actually works.

I'm not asking how mine works, I'm asking if anybody had any problems with
one item that I wanted to know before I got my 8GB SDHC card for my own
games. I saw on the internet that a number of guys were having problems with
SDHC cards with other cameras regarding of their support of SDHC, I'm glad
that mine is not having these issues.

My comments are in response to your mention of the D80 nikonians thread and
how you miss mentioning a key fact that imo is the cause of many out of
focus images using AF-C on the lower level Nikon dslr bodies. While I now
mainly shoot a D200, I still own a D70 where this is an issue and one
reason I upgraded. As to the manual, I happen to have dl'd all the manuals,
so size was never an issue.

So as a D200 owner also, can we get back to the original posted
question. It is my understanding that in AF-C mode with the Shutter
button pressed down half way, (Defualt settings) The D200 will
continiously seek to focus. I also know that you can select which
sensors are active to focus as well but the question remains, how is
the performance and the cameras ability to focus on a moving object in
AF-C mode as described by the poster. I dont know, only had mine a
few months and dont do alot of fast sports type shots. ALso Hogan
states that these two sensor settings are best for moving subjects:

"Dynamic Area AF—the camera starts by focusing on
the subject under the currently selected autofocus sensor,
but may move to use another sensor if it detects that the
subject is moving. You control which sensor (either one of
the seven or one of the eleven sensors depending upon
the setting for CSM #A3) the system starts focusing with by
pressing the keys of the Direction pad on the back of the
camera (when the meter is active).

Group Dynamic AF with Closest Subject Priority— an
autofocus function unique to the D2 series, F6, and D200
bodies. It’s an interesting combination of control and
automation: you choose a “group” of sensors with the
Direction pad (either a group of four or five sensors in a
diamond-like pattern or a group of three sensors in a
horizontal or vertical row; which pattern is used for the
group is determined by Custom Setting #A4, described on
page 423). The camera picks which of the sensors
within the group that will be used. But there’s another
wrinkle to Group Dynamic AF: you can also choose to
have the camera pick the center sensor of a group (Center
Priority) or the sensor that sees the closest subject (Closest
Subject Priority). Note that Group Dynamic AF overrides
the Wide Area setting for CSM #A3, if chosen. "

I have not experienced an issue but as stated dont take a great deal
of fast moving pictues (At least not yet). I did buy several books,
and boought several training videos (BlueCrane Video is Great). They
address the issue of focusing in great detail, and I dont think its
the camera or the body, but suspect that the orignal poster just does
not understand how to set the camera, not just the AF-C switch but
also what sensors are active as well. I dont mean that as any insult
on the poster as the camera is complex but I just would find it
surprising if the camera was not performing really well in this area.
I could however be mistaken, which is why I am curious, has anyone
else that owns a D200 seen poor performance in this area of focusing
on fast moving targets ?

Ed Ruf )
http://edwardgruf.com/Digital_Photog...ral/index.html

Ed, could you tell me please how did you get this one - filter(s) if any,
aperture, ISO, shutter speed, portrait mode, etc.? The complete metadata
would be very interesting, but it's lost after stitching, sorry. I just know
that it's finally done with Adobe Photoshop Elements 3

You can see the page with EXIF data for all of the iamges by going go:

http://exif.posted-online.com/

(It works for almost any page.)

-Joel