I need some help with focusing on a D200

Hair Bear · Mar 13, 2007

I had a full days use on the D200 at the weekend and used my old Nikon F801 film camera at the same time

The F801 was soooo much easier to focus and hold on a spot.

I have been having a few problems setting the D200 up and getting focus spot on.

Have you got any tips for getting used to the digital focus system and the D200 settings

Glen C · Mar 14, 2007

Not sure how experienced you are with it yet but... the focus selector switch on the front of the camera designates how your camera will focus. M for manual, C for continous focus, and S for single focus. C means your camera will constantly be focusing as you move it around with the shutter half pressed (good for sports). S means you can focus on an object by pushing the shutter half way and it will remain focused on that object (still subjects). These settings can be adjusted in the menu under Custom Setting>AUTOFOCUS.

If you know all that can you be more specific as to what problem you're having?

Hair Bear · Mar 14, 2007

I have no problems with the top level stuff mentioned

My problem is getting a setting that matches my style or experience with the F801

The F801 has a central spot in the lens that you can use to lock onto vertical lines.

Half press on the trigger and it focuses, you can then hold it and reframe - D200 is a two button job

F801 locks on target easy either hand held or at the hip - D200 seems to be fighting for a focus point.

D200 will move the central area to find focus points.

Bottom line I have missed a couple of shots by miss focusing, focus just a little off say in hair rather than eyes.

It seems more difficult to get this so I'm thinking I may have a setting I could change that would make the camera act a little more like the film SLR or I need to understand more the whys and wheres of the D200 system so need some pointeres

Its a hard one to describe!

Flash Harry · Mar 15, 2007

You need to select one only of the focusing sensors, it'll tell you in the manual how to do this, the camera is hunting because you have not set it up to your personal preference.

Hair Bear · Mar 15, 2007

Im just finding this out FlashH

I got sent this link and it proved your point

http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/d200_multi-cam_af/nikon_d200_multi-cam1000_review_2.html

I need to study the settings and select one I can work with

emogirl · Mar 19, 2007

READ YOUR MANUAL....it tells you how to set up your preferences!!!

newrmdmike · Mar 19, 2007

haha.

and on a side note, d200 doesn't have to be a two button affair

Hair Bear · Mar 20, 2007

emogirl said:
READ YOUR MANUAL....it tells you how to set up your preferences!!!

err thanks Kim!

Just keep in mind I am a bloke and we don't do manuals.

I just met a local pro photog who works on several EMAP mags and he is also using the D200 and agreed they don't work well out of the box.

It needs setting up to match your style etc

newrmdmike, give me a pointer as to where I can find and sort that out please

digital flower · Mar 22, 2007

Hair Bear said:
Just keep in mind I am a bloke and we don't do manuals.

You should try and get over this. The camera has too many features not to use the manual.

newrmdmike · Mar 22, 2007

about too many functions i agree . . . unfortuanatly some reading may be needed, however you don't have to use every function.

for one button focusing:

hit menu go down to custon setting menu (picture of a pencil) select autofocus, a6 will be af activation, put it toshutter/af-on ok.

now the shutter will focus for you.

digital flower · Mar 22, 2007

Well I didn't mean that it had too many features in a bad way. More like the OP is never going to figure out how to set it up or use the menus on their own. Therefore they are not going to get the most use out of the machine.

dewey · Mar 22, 2007

The D200 is an amazing machine - I love it! I however don't think Nikon should dumb it down because some folks buy a camera they don't know how to use. It's silly to say it has too many features... I'd love for Nikon to add a few more.

It might have too many featuers for some people... usually the people who buy it as a status symbol. I agree that it does require some setup, but it doesn't have the little pretty picture modes for a reason... its a camera marketed towards professionals.

Sure the manual is a bit bland... but I guess all manuals are! :lol:

Hair Bear · Mar 23, 2007

newrmdmike said:
about too many functions i agree . . . unfortuanatly some reading may be needed, however you don't have to use every function.

for one button focusing:

hit menu go down to custon setting menu (picture of a pencil) select autofocus, a6 will be af activation, put it toshutter/af-on ok.

now the shutter will focus for you.

Miss understood my request slightly.

My shutter does focus when activated. What I was looking for was half touch to lock focus, rather then using the AF-L button (hence two button focus lock)

Can I get this into one button on the the shutter release like the old Nikons?

Hair Bear · Mar 23, 2007

newrmdmike said:
about too many functions i agree . . . unfortuanatly some reading may be needed, however you don't have to use every function.

for one button focusing:

hit menu go down to custon setting menu (picture of a pencil) select autofocus, a6 will be af activation, put it toshutter/af-on ok.

now the shutter will focus for you.

Miss understood my request slightly.

My shutter does focus when activated. What I was looking for was half touch to lock focus, rather then using the AF-L button (hence two button focus lock)

Can I get this into one button on the the shutter release like the old Nikons?

newrmdmike · Mar 23, 2007

but it does lock when you use the button on the back?

mine locks with 1/2 press.

hmmm . . . strange, i'll try and look it up for you this afternoon and will repost, i'm packing up to head home this weekend . . . so expect it to be later!