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

George K wrote:

From Page 34 of the D50 manual:

"Select Single Area or Dynamic Area for Custom Setting 3 (AF-Area
Mode). Manual focus area selection is not available with Closest
Subject, which is the default setting in Auto, Portrait, Landscape,
Child, and Night Portrait modes."

If you are using the Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Child, or Night
Portrait mode you can not set the single focus point since these modes
all use the Closets Subject mode, see page 20 of the D50 manual.

Gak. What a crock. Does O'Reilly have a _Nikon Firmware Hacks_ book?

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 06:35:56 +0000, scenic_man wrote:

George K wrote:

From Page 34 of the D50 manual:

"Select Single Area or Dynamic Area for Custom Setting 3 (AF-Area
Mode). Manual focus area selection is not available with Closest
Subject, which is the default setting in Auto, Portrait, Landscape,
Child, and Night Portrait modes."

If you are using the Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Child, or Night
Portrait mode you can not set the single focus point since these modes
all use the Closets Subject mode, see page 20 of the D50 manual.

Gak. What a crock. Does O'Reilly have a _Nikon Firmware Hacks_ book?

The obvious solution to this problem is to use manual, aperture priority,
or shutter priority modes instead of auto, closest subject, portrait,
landscape, child, or night portrait.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

1. Select Menu
2. Select Wrench
3. Select Detailed
4. Select CSM 3 -- AF Area Mode
5. Choose the single area mode.


Get back out.

Works with PASM modes only, (and maybe one of the macro modes);

In the viewfinder, at the bottom toward the left will be the viewfinder
selection display. It will show five dots in a plus shape. Choose the
one you want used for AF function by using the rocker switch.

Good Shooting, Have fun, Merry Christmas,

Joe

my canon has an option in the menu about shooting without card: on/off so it
clearly knows either is possible.

regarding the manually selected focus point: when set up it functions in all
manual/semi-manual modes, with the camera-controlled selection only
defaulting when camera is in an auto-preset mode such as landscape or sport,
which i personally never use because i like to tell the camera how to shoot,
and not the other way around


"George K" wrote in message
ps.com...
You are obviously easily amused. I have read post here about how Canon
digital SLRs should not be able to be used without the CF card
inserted. Obviously the Canon user did not know about computer tethered
control and shooting of the Canon DSLR. And there were a number of
posters explaining the poster needed to review all the material
included with their camera.

After reading the Rebel XTi/EOS 400D manual, I see on page 40 that the
camera only uses closet focus point in the Auto mode and on page 56
that AF modes are only selectable in the P mode. Sounds familiar.

news.slingshot.co.nz wrote:
step 1 - sell nikon on ebay
step 2 - buy canon dslr of your choice
step 3 - consult manual, set centre focus point easily and simply with
logical steps which are easy to recall

lol sorry guys this probably isnt helpful but i couldnt resist


"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?

My bad, add step as follows:

3a. Select pencil

Sorry -- too much speed, not enough control, now damage repair. Such
is life. Joe


joefoto wrote:
1. Select Menu
2. Select Wrench
3. Select Detailed
4. Select CSM 3 -- AF Area Mode
5. Choose the single area mode.


Get back out.

Works with PASM modes only, (and maybe one of the macro modes);

In the viewfinder, at the bottom toward the left will be the viewfinder
selection display. It will show five dots in a plus shape. Choose the
one you want used for AF function by using the rocker switch.

Good Shooting, Have fun, Merry Christmas,

Joe

No, but you are welcome to write a hack. You will need a cross compiler
(since the D50 is not an Intel chip), debugger and need to write two
programs. Note no one has done a software hack on the D70 yet, so maybe
it is not as simple as you think.

I forgot, updating the firmware on Nikon requires 2 programs as noted
above and one has to apply them in a specific order. There are many
post about users not following the instructions and having some
problem. Nikon also warns that if the updates are not done properly one
may lose the ability to update the firmwares.

scenic_man wrote:
George K wrote:

From Page 34 of the D50 manual:

"Select Single Area or Dynamic Area for Custom Setting 3 (AF-Area
Mode). Manual focus area selection is not available with Closest
Subject, which is the default setting in Auto, Portrait, Landscape,
Child, and Night Portrait modes."

If you are using the Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Child, or Night
Portrait mode you can not set the single focus point since these modes
all use the Closets Subject mode, see page 20 of the D50 manual.

Gak. What a crock. Does O'Reilly have a _Nikon Firmware Hacks_ book?

Emily wrote:
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?

It's just a wild gues but... RTFM.

Don