D800 focus trap: Guessing that I am late to this topic, I briefly checked this site and found nothing on this. Perhaps I missed it but here goes: On the D800, apparently Nikon decided...

retlaw Loc: Northern New Jersey

Guessing that I am late to this topic, I briefly checked this site and found nothing on this. Perhaps I missed it but here goes:

On the D800, apparently Nikon decided to remove the important feature of being able to block taking a picture when the camera is out of focus. These settings can be found in menu items a1 and a2. If set to allow shutter release only when in focus, the camera ignores the setting and always allows the shutter to activate. This results in many out of focus shots. (Yes, I have the latest firmware.)

This problem is discussed on other forums; however, I would appreciate your input on this.

Thanks in advance.

MMC Loc: Brooklyn NY

I do not use this option to block taking a picture when camera is out of focus. I think that I have to decide shoot picture or not. Sometimes it makes sense to take a picture out of focus. This is a link to interesting article http://www.popphoto.com/gallery/blur-method-slow-your-shutter?i=360896&s=5

retlaw Loc: Northern New Jersey

MMC wrote:

I do not use this option to block taking a picture when camera is out of focus. I think that I have to decide shoot picture or not. Sometimes it makes sense to take a picture out of focus. This is a link to interesting article http://www.popphoto.com/gallery/blur-method-slow-your-shutter?i=360896&s=5

Absolutely right MMC; I agree. While I normally do decide when to shoot, on some occasions I need to spray and pray like when there are fast BIF. Unfortunately the bird's position changes so fast that by the time the camera obtains focus, the bird has moved but it fires anyway. Then when I do track the BIF and have focus, the camera can't fire because it is busy processing its last out of focus shot.

wolfman

retlaw wrote:

Guessing that I am late to this topic, I briefly c... (show quote)

Did you notice if the green dot was illuminated when you took the shot? I just set a1 to focus, aimed at a dark corner, no green dot, shutter would not fire. Is it possible it's focusing on something other than your subject?

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

I don't know if you are just unfamiliar with your new Camera or if you have lots of experience with it.
I don't have a D800 so I can't speak directly to your specific problem but I have poked around the net about what you say.
It would seem some people have and some people don't have your problem!
As you know there are over 50 focusing points in the AF mode so one would do well to understand how this all works!
I'm surprised all the "tech nuts" who could possibly own a D800 haven't posted what they know about your problem.
I saw one link talking about a fix to focusing problem but it was from June 29, 2012 so .....

retlaw Loc: Northern New Jersey

wolfman wrote:

Did you notice if the green dot was illuminated when you took the shot? I just set a1 to focus, aimed at a dark corner, no green dot, shutter would not fire. Is it possible it's focusing on something other than your subject?

No green dot and still fires!
Thanks for checking.

retlaw Loc: Northern New Jersey

TucsonCoyote wrote:

I don't know if you are just unfamiliar with your ... (show quote)

Thanks for your reply and for checking the net. I did not find that some did not have this problem but I do not doubt it. As far as the tech people, I just posted this so they may not have seen it.

This feature works correctly on my D300s and I love it.
Thanks

MtnMan Loc: ID

retlaw wrote:

No green dot and still fires!
Thanks for checking.

Well I'll be darned. I thought it was working on mine but wondered why some of my shots taken quickly don't seem to be in focus. I was attributing it to camera movement but it could well be the camera hadn't finished focusing yet.

These are shots at moving wildlife sometimes from a moving platform (e.g. boat).

I guess I need to build the discipline to watch for green dot.

I have another issue with the D800 no one else seems to have. I find the ISO drifts up on its own. I have auto ISO turned OFF OFF OFF!!!! (Three times because last time I posted on this many didn't get what I wrote and told me to turn auto ISO OFF. It is OFF!). Maybe that works as well as turning the switch to not fire till its focused.

So I've been working on checking my ISO before each shot. Now I need to check for the green light too. Bummer.

But sometimes I'm OK with them...

MtnMan Loc: ID

wolfman wrote:

Did you notice if the green dot was illuminated when you took the shot? I just set a1 to focus, aimed at a dark corner, no green dot, shutter would not fire. Is it possible it's focusing on something other than your subject?

See manual pps 281 and 282.

If using AF-C (a1) with Release + focus the manual says, "Photos can be taken even when the camera is not in focus".

I use AF-S: a2. It is only supposed to not fire on focus.

What is the OP using?

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I'll have to check, but this option may be for use when using rapid fire shooting, not individual shots. This is how I recall reading about the option. Try it in CL or CH and shoot a burst out of focus and see if it will fire.

retlaw Loc: Northern New Jersey

MtnMan wrote:

Well I'll be darned. I thought it was working on m... (show quote)

Big Bummer!! I can not check for a green dot when birds are flying and I have to keep my eyes on the target. This really sucks.

retlaw Loc: Northern New Jersey

MtnMan wrote:

See manual pps 281 and 282.

If using AF-C (a1) with Release + focus the manual says, "Photos can be taken even when the camera is not in focus".

I use AF-S: a2. It is only supposed to not fire on focus.

What is the OP using?

I have both a1 and a2 set to focus only.
Thanks for your input.

retlaw Loc: Northern New Jersey

SteveR wrote:

I'll have to check, but this option may be for use when using rapid fire shooting, not individual shots. This is how I recall reading about the option. Try it in CL or CH and shoot a burst out of focus and see if it will fire.

No matter what the settings, it will fire when not in focus. Let me know what your D800 does.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

retlaw wrote:

I have both a1 and a2 set to focus only.
Thanks for your input.

with A1 set to focus only and AF-C is used the camera will not focus lock

from the manual

BillyDuds Loc: North Carolina

retlaw wrote:

Guessing that I am late to this topic, I briefly c... (show quote)

I've experienced the same issue with my d800. I agree completely with you that the camera ignores the setting designed to prohibit out of focus shots.

Like you, I scoured photography forums and learned that this is a common problem with the d800. Indeed it seems to be a flaw with all units, not just yours and mine.

I first encountered this issue when attempting to learn "trap" focus, as described by David Busch on pages 173-175 of his excellent guide to the d800. I e-mailed him two months ago, (May 2013,) and he responded very quickly and courteously:

"Yup. The latest firmware has a bug that causes the D800 to ignore focus priority settings under certain conditions. That renders trap focus and some other behaviors invalid. At the time the book was written, a fix seemed on the way, but it has not appeared as anticipted. I'm still hoping for a fix, but it's been a long time.
David"

I wish I had better news, but maybe, fingers crossed, Nikon will eventually get around to correcting the bug. I hope so, because I'd really like to use that feature.