nikon d300 best sport autofocus setting

[great adventure]

dear all d300 user,

I think I am very dissapointed with d300-70-200 2.8-nikon focusing,
as I dont feel the focusng is fast?? or I might got a wrong setting.

I set the aperture mode 2.8 and let the camera choose the shutter speed automaticly
I set my focus to centre point/ and I choose c for continue shooting but I feel
that my d70 nikon with 70 - 200 sigma 2.8 is even better and faster

can you please recommend me the best fast autofocus setting for speed boats
shooting, and which iso are you using>>> I tried iso 200

please see my picture at the gallery and let me know

thank you very much for your assistance

best regards


yousif

[pyro]

Is this the 70-200 "VR" lens you're using?

Set the focus switch on the lens to "2.5m-∞" not "FULL"

It will skip the close range when it autofocuses, making it much faster.

[great adventure]

yes I got vr nikon lens

could you please explane me more about setting if possible

thank you

[pyro]

Set it like this.
It will ONLY focus on far objects and will focus faster.
http://i33.tinypic.com/2uzfknc.jpg

[great adventure]

Set it like this.
It will ONLY focus on far objects and will focus faster.
http://i33.tinypic.com/2uzfknc.jpg


dear pyro,

thank you very much for your reply.. waw thats great

infact greg advised me long time ago when I were using my d70s/sigma 70-200-2.8
to set my focus at ( . ) centre focus, and the aperture on 2.8

but on d300 nikon the technology is totally different as we must set it at dynamic
area with 9, 21 points plus (c) for continue shooting. and not centre focusing...

will try this week end

best regards
yousif

[Scream And Fly]

Yousif,

Your aperture setting depends on what you're shooting. Generally, F2.8 may be too shallow for shooting boats - you may want to try F4. This will also help with AF speed as well. Set your focus point in the center, but do not use the "wide" setting. When using continuous mode, compose, shoot three-four shots, then recompose. Always watch your focus point and not necessarily your entire subject.

Greg

[David Alaniz]

I have a D-300 18-200vr. This past weekend the Thunderbirds were here for an air show. I took with from my back yard along with about another 500 shots. Everything was in auto - with the jets being so fast the auto focus did good. Sure, I missed a few with some blur but over all I have to give a good grade for the all around list. I kept in auto because I wanted to see how the camera was handling the fast pace. This photo - f/10.0, 1/800, 200mm, WB Auto, Sharpness hard. I would like to have the 70/200vr 2.8 but $$$. Maybe in the future, for now I go to a few boat races and enjoy. Not sure how to post this pic, see how this works.
http://i33.tinypic.com/fmtehd.jpg

[Scream And Fly]

Nice pic, but why F/10 and 1/800? Those values are counterproductive to shooting action.




I have a D-300 18-200vr. This past weekend the Thunderbirds were here for an air show. I took with from my back yard along with about another 500 shots. Everything was in auto - with the jets being so fast the auto focus did good. Sure, I missed a few with some blur but over all I have to give a good grade for the all around list. I kept in auto because I wanted to see how the camera was handling the fast pace. This photo - f/10.0, 1/800, 200mm, WB Auto, Sharpness hard. I would like to have the 70/200vr 2.8 but $$$. Maybe in the future, for now I go to a few boat races and enjoy. Not sure how to post this pic, see how this works.
http://i33.tinypic.com/fmtehd.jpg

[pyro]

If you copy/paste the "IMG codes for forums" that TinyPic supplies, it will display a full-size photo, like this:
http://i33.tinypic.com/fmtehd.jpg

Not bad. ;) With that much mid-day light to work with, you could easily have used Shutter priority mode to keep the shutter speed well over 1/2000 where you would be virtually immune to shake blur, even with the VR "off".

[pyro]

Greg beat me to the punch on the settings it chose in auto.
I can't trust my shaky hand to shoot 200mm action at enything under 1/2000. :eek:

[great adventure]

dear all photographer members

thank you all for sharing your fast focusing experiance
will try everything on friday 40 pic with centre focus
40 pic with dynamic 9pints focus 40 pic with dynamic 21 and 51
and see the difference

[pyro]

Yousif-

You should really use the center focus for action as Greg suggested. It will likely be faster because it doesn't need to analyze the whole scene to determine what you're focusing on. Just compose and shoot! If you're using a wide aperture setting like 3.2 or 4.0, focus is very tight. If the dynamic focus picks the wrong boat to focus on, you miss the whole shot. If you keep it at CENTER and aim the center at the boat, that's where it will focus! :)

-chad

[great adventure]

great information chad,

for sure will do. also special thanks to our great admin mr greg and david
I really were thinking to sell my d300 and go for d3 but I changed my mind now lol

[David Alaniz]

Yes, single point AF Mode. Had to do this....it would focus faster. As fast as they were coming over the house I would aim for the "obect" panning as fast as I could and hope for the best at times. I am also in the early stages of learning. My family is now grown giving be more time to enjoy. I will try this pic the correct way - thanks. f/7.1 ISO-200 170mm Auto. PS-Keep that D300 and Good Luck! Also take the advice posted here - gooood!
http://i34.tinypic.com/97jvwg.jpg

[pyro]

Some good settings for action, I use some mild ISO boost to keep the shutter speed fast.

82mm f/4 1/1600 ISO-250 (shooting from another boat at 90+ mph, slightly cropped)
http://i33.tinypic.com/e7fr4p.jpg

200mm f/3.2 1/2000 ISO-200 (this has been cropped down somewhat)
http://i35.tinypic.com/2ibkarq.jpg

a few more here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chadklein/sets/72157606130165406/

[great adventure]

http://www9.0zz0.com/2008/10/25/19/999772070.jpg


http://www3.0zz0.com/2008/10/25/20/985839151.jpg


cution The end of my photography day, ????????????????
=====

[Scream And Fly]

Yousif, the D3 is an awesome camera, but there are some things to keep in mind:

First is the focus points on the D300 are spaced out to fill most of the frame. On a D3, the all the focus points are more centrally-located, since the frame is much larger. I do not understand why Nikon did not expand the focus point coverage for the larger frame of the D3.

Second, you'll loose the cropped field of view of the D300. This may be something you want, or it may not. Generally for sports, the D300's smaller field of view is an advantage.

Greg


great information chad,

for sure will do. also special thanks to our great admin mr greg and david
I really were thinking to sell my d300 and go for d3 but I changed my mind now lol

[great adventure]

hi guys

did any one of you tried the panning action????? with slow shutter speed??

[Scream And Fly]

hi guys

did any one of you tried the panning action????? with slow shutter speed??

Hi Yousif,

Yes, I pan photos from time to time. Just set your exposure and shutter speed manually. I never use VR on the lens either, thought some people find it helpful to use it.

[jayboat]

Good advice here, thanks. I've been very happy with my D300.
Usually shoot boat races with the 80-400 because the offshore stuff is so... offshore.

my flickr stuff is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jay2boat/sets/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3208/2925159116_08b6f6b3ee.jpg

[jayboat]

hi guys

did any one of you tried the panning action????? with slow shutter speed??

yes. :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/2999292538_8af523a4ca.jpg

[great adventure]

jayboat

thank you very much for your great picture's

waw amazing panning

yousif

[great adventure]

Good advice here, thanks. I've been very happy with my D300.
Usually shoot boat races with the 80-400 because the offshore stuff is so... offshore.

my flickr stuff is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jay2boat/sets/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3208/2925159116_08b6f6b3ee.jpg


jayboat

waw I'm very impressed with (miss geico) catamaran boat..??
is it a smoke... which comming out of the top side of the boat..??

[Scream And Fly]

Yousif, what you see is not smoke - it's optical distortion from the heat exiting the turbine :)

[jayboat]

Lycoming turbines, to be precise. Makes for some very cool images. :cheers:

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7036/kw078603chj6.jpg

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2213/sbipc081211024jn9.jpg

[kuczman]

Bets could be made that it is smoke filling Miss Geico's cockpit ;).

I am always amazed at the quality of D300 pics. The more I want it the less its manual side of operating it intimidates me.

[jayboat]

Had some good luck last weekend from a helo... used the shutter priority mode at 1/2000th to negate vibration, 51 points, auto ISO...
the whole set and larger versions are here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jay2boat/sets/72157610411625217/).

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/2499/fmo1129081434800qi8.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/3081216884_811fe6d7aa.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3196/3069981756_faf4325819.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/3069147693_42093e5c9c.jpg

[great adventure]

http://www8.0zz0.com/2009/01/16/16/907682307.jpg

[pyro]

Awesome shot. Panning background blur really gives the feel of speed...

http://www8.0zz0.com/2009/01/16/16/907682307.jpg

[Scream And Fly]

Very nice shot Yousif, is this one of the boats you built?

[great adventure]

Very nice shot Yousif, is this one of the boats you built?

hi greg how are you... I miss you

no greg, this is an old american catamaran 20 feet boat called centurion
we saw this boat by mistake at the j. yard at next country qatar
we switched it to ourboard, you dont believe it... its even faster than stv cat.
onece you accelerate and also very stable at top speed..

hehhee just wait form my new boat... its in the way greg

thank you for your comment, and passing

yousif

[Shaun K]

70-200 when youre close ! Hello Greg !!:cheers: Looking forward to shooting in the spring ! Hello Frank Mole' !:cheers::cheers: Is that the Jay I know ?:confused::thumbsup:

http://shaun.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p54986428-5.jpg

http://shaun.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p668359150-5.jpg

http://shaun.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p628179357-5.jpg

http://shaun.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p597750353-5.jpg

http://shaun.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p521064446-5.jpg

http://shaun.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p39411987-5.jpg

http://shaun.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p103692901-5.jpg

http://shaunnycgraphics.com (http://shaunnycgraphics.com/)

[jayboat]

70-Looking forward to shooting in the spring ! :cheers: Is that the Jay I know ?:confused::thumbsup:



Heya Shaun! Small world... :thumbsup:

[Sharkey-Images]

hi guys

did any one of you tried the panning action????? with slow shutter speed??

If you can't get the panning down, then there are other ways to create it ! :thumbsup:

It's sure been a while Greg!

This section is so great !!!

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p207363371-3.jpg

[Sharkey-Images]

Another HOT shot .... ;)

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/img/v6/p450034076-3.jpg

[great adventure]

http://www7.0zz0.com/2009/02/21/07/619588682.jpg