Autofocus mode in Portrait Setting

StudioVoxPopStudioVoxPop Registered Users Posts: 132 Major grins
edited February 1, 2008 in Technique
I have a Nikon D300 and have begun shooting portraits with strobes. What autofocus settings would you suggest using?

I'm using single-servo AF but am not sure if it's best to use Single Point AF or Auto-area AF. The Auto-area AF seems to not always focus on the eyes which is unfortunate but I'm not sure if relying on a single point is better.

If anyone who shoots portraits has any thoughts, I'd appreciate hearing them!

Justin

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,065 moderator
    edited January 31, 2008
    The answer to this is going to vary along with other variables:

    Lens in use (and focal length).
    Desired f-stop.
    Number of subjects.
    Distance to subjects.
    Distance to background and type of background.
    Desired effect (narrow DOF, etc.)
    Desired final size of image.

    Generally, it is important to get the eyes (at least) in focus, or one eye if that is your intent. If the eyes are not in apparent focus, most viewers will question the focus of the entire image. The larger you intend to print, the more important this seems to be.

    You might find that careful manual focus is best, especially if you can use magnified Live View. This might not work with children, who might not sit still, so it might be better to have more DOF in that situation and chose a single point (use one of the 15, or maybe it's 11, cross type points) for autofocus, and place that point on an eye. (Does that require Custom Setting a8?)
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • StudioVoxPopStudioVoxPop Registered Users Posts: 132 Major grins
    edited January 31, 2008
    The way I've most often tried to focus on the eyes is by using the center focus point, putting it over my subject's eye, pushing the shutter halfway down to focus the image, re-composing and shooting. Does this sound like the proper technique?
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,065 moderator
    edited January 31, 2008
    StudioVoxPop wrote:
    The way I've most often tried to focus on the eyes is by using the center focus point, putting it over my subject's eye, pushing the shutter halfway down to focus the image, re-composing and shooting. Does this sound like the proper technique?

    That depends upon the lens used and the distance to subject and the DOF of the image.

    In short, no, focus and recompose will not always yield acceptable results.

    If used at a distance with a longer focal length lens and a smaller f-stop it can work pretty well, especially at small print sizes.

    If you are working a scene with minimal DOF and a relatively short lens and large aperture, it might miss focus because of the change in geometry when you focus and recompose. The problem would be easily noticed at large print sizes.

    Generally, try to use a single focus dot that is closest to the eye in the composition that you want to use for prime focus, usually the eye closest to you.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,065 moderator
    edited January 31, 2008
    You might check out the following thread for more information about the problem with "focus and recompose".

    http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=5642
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • StudioVoxPopStudioVoxPop Registered Users Posts: 132 Major grins
    edited January 31, 2008
    That is an excellent article-- thank you!

    I've been focus-recomposing at shallow depth of fields and short distances and I think that could be why so many of my subjects' eyes aren't coming out in focus. Now I'll select the focus point manually-- thanks again! clap.gif

    Justin
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited January 31, 2008
    What a well written article. Thanks Zig!
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • AdaptiveAdaptive Registered Users Posts: 30 Big grins
    edited January 31, 2008
    I don't know much about Nikon but I generally only use Servo mode for action shots. For canon servo mode is made for Predictive and Erratic Motion. (Example: F1 Formula race car driving 150 mph through the twisties. Slap on servo mode and watch your autofocus track the motion!)

    For portrait settings your model doesn't move very fast or erratically so you should do fine just shooting in one shot mode. Even if your model is a kid or teen jumping around, you should do fine with one shot mode.

    Again, I can be totally off because we're talking about canon compared to nikon. Canon's autofocus is superior so I figure nikon is following close behind or at least attempting. :)
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,065 moderator
    edited February 1, 2008
    Adaptive wrote:
    ... Canon's autofocus is superior so I figure nikon is following close behind or at least attempting. :)

    I see your smiley, but I have shot alongside Nikon D2H/D2Hs shooters and those things are amazingly fast to autofocus, even in tough lighting conditions. Easily the equal to my Canon 1D MKII in autofocus. :D
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • AdaptiveAdaptive Registered Users Posts: 30 Big grins
    edited February 1, 2008
    ziggy53 wrote:
    I see your smiley, but I have shot alongside Nikon D2H/D2Hs shooters and those things are amazingly fast to autofocus, even in tough lighting conditions. Easily the equal to my Canon 1D MKII in autofocus. :D

    Hmm.. I'm not sure, I've used a D2Xs before and in my opinion it was on the slow side compared to my 1DIIN. I didn't get to play with the D2Xs on the track though. Wait I just realized you said D2H? I never touched a D2H and I don't even think I've heard of that before.
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