New tricks for an old dog.

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited December 30, 2011 in Wildlife
Nope there won't be one doggie picture in this set. When I first got my D3 I tried out the 3D AF for a short bit and hated it and never gave it a real try again. The other day I was out in the wetlands and I was using my normal AF setting of 9 point dynamic AF with the AF mode set to single point. I've used this because I had found that using fewer AF points seemed to speed up the AF. I was shooting GBH's flying into and out of their nest and while I was getting OK results I was losing some captures as I was trying to obtain a AF lock on my subject.

I looked at the scene and saw that I had a clear sky as my BG and good light. I figured that these were settings where the 3D AF should work. I set the D3 to the 3D 51 point dynamic area setting. I initially set the AF mode to dynamic area and later tried the auto area AF setting (that's when no AF point is illuminated. When working with the dynamic area setting I choose a focal point to the left of the screen for compositional purposes (the GBHs were flying left to right). The results were excellent. I took this one sequence of 17 captures from the GBH flying to the nest through his landing and every capture was well focused and had good comp. Now I wouldn't try these settings with a very busy BG but for the conditions I had that day they worked extremely well.

D3D7417-XL.jpg

D3D7418-XL.jpg

D3D7420-XL.jpg

D3D7422-XL.jpg

D3D7428-XL.jpg
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"

Comments

  • DsrtVWDsrtVW Registered Users Posts: 1,991 Major grins
    edited December 28, 2011
    I agree Harry if you have single subject no busy BG it works great. Many birds or other objects it has a tough time deciding what to lock on. Maybe works better for Football or Soccer players running up field. But I do not use it often.
    Chris K. NANPA Member
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  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited December 28, 2011
    Talk about perfect, Harry! Best, Pam
  • Dennis KaczorDennis Kaczor Registered Users Posts: 2,413 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2011
    Interesting about the 3D harry as I have tried this a few times and ended going back to single point or 9 point AF. I will have to have another look a this again, and run a few tests when the hawks come around again.
    Regards - Dennis

    Dennis Kaczor Photography
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited December 29, 2011
    That looks like it worked exceedingly well. Canon has an AF sensitivity adjustment which changes how fast it will acquire a new subject. One would ordinarily think that you'd want to acquire your target as quickly as possible. However, setting it to the lower end of the adjustment helps to avoid the AF from locking onto new objects introduced into the frame as the bird flies across the background. Maybe your Nikon has a similar feature that would help 3D work better on busy backgrounds as well.
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  • D90markD90mark Registered Users Posts: 79 Big grins
    edited December 29, 2011
    Great set. Love that feather detail in the last two images.
    http://mpcimages.smugmug.com/
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2011
    DsrtVW wrote: »
    I agree Harry if you have single subject no busy BG it works great. Many birds or other objects it has a tough time deciding what to lock on. Maybe works better for Football or Soccer players running up field. But I do not use it often.

    It did a fine job maintaining focus when the GBH flew past trees behind it and in front of it. I tried it later on a smaller subject (a green heron) with a very busy BG and it didn't do well which I expected. I'm gonna keep using it and give it some more testing during future shoots and report back on it.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2011
    PGM wrote: »
    Talk about perfect, Harry! Best, Pam

    Thanks Pam, I was happy with the results.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2011
    Dennis Kaczor wrote: »
    Interesting about the 3D harry as I have tried this a few times and ended going back to single point or 9 point AF. I will have to have another look a this again, and run a few tests when the hawks come around again.

    I would definitely give it a try Dennis. I'm happy with the results I'm getting back so far.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited December 29, 2011
    kdog wrote: »
    That looks like it worked exceedingly well. Canon has an AF sensitivity adjustment which changes how fast it will acquire a new subject. One would ordinarily think that you'd want to acquire your target as quickly as possible. However, setting it to the lower end of the adjustment helps to avoid the AF from locking onto new objects introduced into the frame as the bird flies across the background. Maybe your Nikon has a similar feature that would help 3D work better on busy backgrounds as well.

    Good call Joel. In fact, I had my focus setting with lock-on set to "Long".
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2011
    D90mark wrote: »
    Great set. Love that feather detail in the last two images.

    Thanks
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2011
    Harry, did you take these hand held, or with a gimbal head, or what? They are all so sharp. Thanks! Pam
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2011
    PGM wrote: »
    Harry, did you take these hand held, or with a gimbal head, or what? They are all so sharp. Thanks! Pam

    These were handheld Pan.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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