Focus issues- wildlife shots

[jcdeboever]

Here is an example where the camera DIDN'T focus on the branches, even tho the opening was incredibly tiny in this image.

90% of the time with a much bigger opening, it was all branch-focused. I didn't take those shots, so no examples.

this took manual, camera couldnt figure out what the hell i was looking at.


Hidden Fawn by The Braineack, on Flickr

Neat capture.

 

[astroNikon]

BTW, here he is WITHOUT a tree in the way:
1. Something up?
2. Yeah, I'd best check it out.
3. Oh my, worse than I thought
4. I must fly!!

Are these cropped at all?

The squirrel has the same contrast as everything around it !!
Did you check your camera in Photo preview for the focus point?

Are you using VR?
Aperture, Shutter, ISO ?

 

[Peeb]

BTW, here he is WITHOUT a tree in the way:
1. Something up?
2. Yeah, I'd best check it out.
3. Oh my, worse than I thought
4. I must fly!!

Are these cropped at all?

The squirrel has the same contrast as everything around it !!
Did you check your camera in Photo preview for the focus point?

Are you using VR?
Aperture, Shutter, ISO ?

Oh, I goofed around with them considerably.

Here is one of the originals, compressed to jpg, but otherwise untouched. I warmed up the colors to make less 'blue'.
Yeah, VR on, f/8 1/1500 ISO 1000

 

[dennybeall]

Sounds like the OP may have been set on Center-Weighted instead of Spot Focus. My D5300 would have acted exactly as OP describes if set in Center-Weighted.
Personally I would just shift to Manual Focus for those shots or perhaps back button focus????

 

[Braineack]

I'd use AF-C, and then aim for the edge of the head against the background.

and then not use VR at 1/1500sec.

 

[beagle100]

BTW, here he is WITHOUT a tree in the way:
1. Something up?
2. Yeah, I'd best check it out.
3. Oh my, worse than I thought
4. I must fly!!

OK ... "focus issues"
taking pics of squirrels without a tree
seems simple enough even with a $100 camera !

Untitled by c w, on Flickr

 

[Peeb]

Sounds like the OP may have been set on Center-Weighted instead of Spot Focus. My D5300 would have acted exactly as OP describes if set in Center-Weighted.
Personally I would just shift to Manual Focus for those shots or perhaps back button focus????

It certainly ACTED like center-weighted, but no, it was spot. I guess sometimes you just need manual focus.