Force Nikon D50 to autofocus on the center

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Emily - 16 Dec 2006 09:22 GMT

My Nikon D50 will autofocus reputedly using one of three foci (left,
center, right) but in practice, it always uses the left to autofocus upon.

I'd like to switch it to the center since my use model is to focus and then
compose before shooting. It's a pain in the butt always shifting to the
left just to focus when the center is my focal point before the photo is
composed.

Do you know how to force the Nikon D50 to use ONLY the center to autofocus?

Reply to this Message

Dr Hfuhruhurr - 16 Dec 2006 09:43 GMT

> My Nikon D50 will autofocus reputedly using one of three foci (left,
> center, right) but in practice, it always uses the left to autofocus upon.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Do you know how to force the Nikon D50 to use ONLY the center to autofocus?

It's actually got 5 focus areas.
Set the Menu AF area mode to Single are then use the thumb wheel thingy
to select the focus area. Should default to Centre.

Doc

Reply to this Message

DoN. Nichols - 17 Dec 2006 05:25 GMT

According to Dr Hfuhruhurr <doc.hfuhruhurr@gmail.com>:

> > My Nikon D50 will autofocus reputedly using one of three foci (left,
> > center, right) but in practice, it always uses the left to autofocus upon.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Set the Menu AF area mode to Single are then use the thumb wheel thingy
> to select the focus area. Should default to Centre.

    Assuming that it is enough like the D70 (which I have), you also
need to be in either Program, Aperture, Shutter, or Manual modes, *not*
the AUTO mode.

    In the Auto mode, it will always select whatever is the closest
subject in one of those zones -- which may or may not be what you want.

    If it is always using the left zone, it sounds as though you are
in one of the other modes, and have moved the selected zone to that
area. That is done (at least on the D70) with the tilting poker chip
which also navigates the menus -- not with the thumbwheel or the index
finger wheel (I think that one of those is missing from the D50).

    Note that the poker chip can navigate the menus (if you are in
menus mode), or can select images (vertical arrows), or display modes
(horizontal arrow) to select between normal image, histogram, image with
blown highlights indicated by blinking from black to white and back, or
one of two sets of information from that stored with each image. Also
-- if none of these modes are selected, it will move the autofocus zone
around on the viewfinder screen, using rectangular outlines to indicate
which one is active. On the D70, there is a vertically-traveling slide
switch below the poker chip which will lock the autofocus zone in
whatever location it currently is in. I don't know whether the D50 has
this switch, but if it does not, it is a strike against the camera for
someone who wants to control the camera.

    Good Luck,
        DoN.

Signature

Email: <dnichols@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Reply to this Message

Adrian Boliston - 17 Dec 2006 14:30 GMT

> .... On the D70, there is a vertically-traveling slide
> switch below the poker chip which will lock the autofocus zone in
> whatever location it currently is in. I don't know whether the D50 has
> this switch, but if it does not, it is a strike against the camera for
> someone who wants to control the camera.

Just found a picture of the d50 rear:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond50/page7.asp

and it seems the focus area lock switch is missing! I'm sure it would not
have cost them much to include this simple but useful switch, but it was
probably removed for "marketing" reasons to help justify the extra cost of
the d70s.

cheers adrian www.boliston.co.uk

Reply to this Message

DoN. Nichols - 18 Dec 2006 03:01 GMT

According to Adrian Boliston <adrian@boliston.co.uk>:

> > .... On the D70, there is a vertically-traveling slide
> > switch below the poker chip which will lock the autofocus zone in
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> and it seems the focus area lock switch is missing!

Ouch! That means that you will be needing to always look at
where the autofocus zone indicator is, and correct it if it has been
bumped to other than where you want it.

> I'm sure it would not
> have cost them much to include this simple but useful switch, but it was
> probably removed for "marketing" reasons to help justify the extra cost of
> the d70s.

    Almost certainly. That, the bracket mode switch, and the
depth-of-field preview switch are all missing.

    But you can work around all of those -- though the
depth-of-field button would require several shots to work around, and
"chimping" (examining the LCD display -- probably zoomed in
significantly the better to evaluate the focus.

    Good Luck,
        DoN.

Signature

Email: <dnichols@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Reply to this Message

Dr Hfuhruhurr - 18 Dec 2006 09:31 GMT

> According to Dr Hfuhruhurr <doc.hfuhruhurr@gmail.com>:
> >
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> In the Auto mode, it will always select whatever is the closest
> subject in one of those zones -- which may or may not be what you want.

Nope. It's selectable from the Menu. You can select Closest subject,
Dynamic area or single area.

> If it is always using the left zone, it sounds as though you are
> in one of the other modes, and have moved the selected zone to that
> area. That is done (at least on the D70) with the tilting poker chip
> which also navigates the menus -- not with the thumbwheel or the index
> finger wheel (I think that one of those is missing from the D50).

My mistake (for the terminology) it is the poker chip thing on the D50
to select the focus area but once single area is selected it will
default to centre.

> Note that the poker chip can navigate the menus (if you are in
> menus mode), or can select images (vertical arrows), or display modes
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> this switch, but if it does not, it is a strike against the camera for
> someone who wants to control the camera.

Not on the D50, but as mentioned setting to single area achieves the
same. Plus it's cheaper and got a better viewfinder. :)

>     Good Luck,
>         DoN.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>     (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
> --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Reply to this Message