D300 AF-Assist light: any way to override silly programming?

LiveAwake

According to the manual (and confirmed by experience), the D300 AF-assist light will only come on when you are either in "Auto-Area AF" mode or when you specify the CENTER focus point in "single-point" or "Dynamic" mode.

This seems completely ridiculous to me. Why should the camera assume that I don't want added light for my AF just because I'm using a focus point other than the center one? :huh

I virtually always use single-point focus, and virtually never use the center focus point. This leaves me in the dark if I want a little added light to help me auto-focus. The same restriction applies to the infra-red AF-assist light on my SB-800 or the SC-29 TTL cord.

Am I missing something? Did Nikon get smart and release a firmware update that fixes this? Why in the world? :dunno

Any work-around would be greatly appreciated.

borrowlenses.com

Our guess is the light can only be pointed toward the center of the frame so that's what is used to assist auto focus. It would certainly by VERY cool if, as you moved the AF point around, the AF assist light followed, but that's not going to be implemented any time soon.

LiveAwake

I could see that, perhaps, for a telephoto lens with a far-away subject, but the light covers a big enough area to assist many/all of the focus points quite easily with a shorter lens/closer subject. I think the IR light on the SB-800 covers even more range. I really don't think the light would be useless using focus points other than the center one (it helps in auto-select mode, after all, and that mode does not always choose the center focus point).

r3t1awr3yd

Ironically I've both been glad about and cursed this feature (same on the D90).

For shots in total darkness (with no modeling lights even), it's the bane of my existence.
For subtle candid pj style shots, not having that "warning light" is the greatest thing ever.

LiveAwake

r3t1awr3yd wrote: »

Ironically I've both been glad about and cursed this feature (same on the D90).

For shots in total darkness (with no modeling lights even), it's the bane of my existence.
For subtle candid pj style shots, not having that "warning light" is the greatest thing ever.

I agree, but you can easily turn off the AF-assist if you want to. I have it in the "My Menu" section so I can get there fast. I just want a way to turn it ON when I want it.

LiveAwake

I wrote to Nikon about this question. Not sure if I'll hear back, but I'll post here if I do.

LiveAwake

From Nikon:

It indeed is not currently possible to have the AF assist illuminator light in any other focus point but the center one, when on single-point AF is selected on the camera, as explained on page 273 of your user's manual. We'll be more than glad to pass your feedback along to our design group for consideration in a future update or new product.

r3t1awr3yd

That's awesome that they answered and are willing to listen to us crazy users

LiveAwake

Yeah . . . I hope they go for it, but most likely even if they do it will just be a feature in a new model. Better than nothing, though.

fdisilvestro

If you use an SB 800 (or Sb 600, or SU 800) you have a choice of more focus points, Check page 362 of the user manual. Available focus points depend on focal lens range. The SB 900 allow the use of any focus point in some focal ranges.

LiveAwake

fdisilvestro wrote: »

If you use an SB 800 (or Sb 600, or SU 800) you have a choice of more focus points, Check page 362 of the user manual. Available focus points depend on focal lens range. The SB 900 allow the use of any focus point in some focal ranges.

Hmm, I found the chart you were referring to (on p. 361, though). Strange, and what seems like fairly arbitrary choices by Nikon which points to enable/disable in different circumstances.

Also strange to me that the flash model makes a difference. I figured it would be all about the camera.

Anyway, thanks for the info.

fdisilvestro

Also strange to me that the flash model makes a difference

I think it is due to the pattern of illumination of the infra red AF assist light of the flash. The SB 800 and SB 600 were designed with the 11 point multicam 2500 (D2 series and F6) in mind.

The SB 900 was released after the 53 point multicam 3500.

The AF assist light of the camera will only work with the center focus point.

LiveAwake

fdisilvestro wrote: »

I think it is due to the pattern of illumination of the infra red AF assist light of the flash. The SB 800 and SB 600 were designed with the 11 point multicam 2500 (D2 series and F6) in mind.

The SB 900 was released after the 53 point multicam 3500.

The AF assist light of the camera will only work with the center focus point.

Hm, that's a reasonable guess - makes sense.
Thanks.

fdisilvestro

One more thing, Nikon updated the manual after they released the SB900. In the new edition (available for download at the nikonusa site) the info is in page 362, and it shows the patterns for the SB 900. From 20 to 105 mm you can use any of the focus points of the D300