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Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D300
Page 529
infinitely short, short, medium, and long. If focus is
shifting when you don’t want it to, pick a longer setting. If
focus isn’t shifting when you want it to, pick a shorter
setting.
3. Changes to the autofocus algorithms have made it more
likely that you’ll want to use a shorter setting than
Normal
, at least in any Continuous release shooting
method. Depending upon your other autofocus settings, a
large jump in focus distance
between
shots (e.g. fast
moving object) sometimes throws the camera off unless
you shorten this setting. So, if you’re shooting in either
Continuous release shooting method, consider not using
the default for this function. I say “consider” because I’ve
experienced mixed results. Sometimes I want it short,
sometimes longer, but the results don’t seem to be
perfectly predictable. In general, however, shorter seems
better to me when shooting continuously.
Custom Setting #A5 Autofocus Initiation Method
(AF activation)
Nikon bodies have long had a number of flexible and useful
autofocus customizations, and this function is one of the
classics. The default behavior of most autofocus cameras is
that autofocus begins when the shutter release is pressed
partway. That’s the default on the D300, as well, although
you can also initiate autofocus by pressing the
AF-ON
button.
However, you can use this Custom Setting to
remove
autofocus initiation from the shutter release press:
Shutter/AF-ON
Shutter release triggers focus [default]
AF-ON only
Only AF-ON button triggers focus
