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Focus Limiter Switch
Apr 6, 2021 11:45:27   #
Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada
 
I am looking for comments on how and when to use the focus limiter switch.
I shoot mainly high school sports. I shoot with Nikon D500 and D4 and use 200-500 5.6 vr and 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr lenses.
Thank you for your help.

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Apr 6, 2021 11:54:13   #
Quixdraw Loc: x
 
On the 200-500 the limiter gives a range of 6 meters to ∞ - should speed up auto focus and reduce searching when engaged - I use it nearly all the time. Can't recall the range on the 80-400, but I do the same there. About the only time I use the full range is the rare times I use one of these lenses for butterflies ord dragonflies.

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Apr 6, 2021 12:08:47   #
Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada
 
quixdraw wrote:
On the 200-500 the limiter gives a range of 6 meters to ∞ - should speed up auto focus and reduce searching when engaged - I use it nearly all the time. Can't recall the range on the 80-400, but I do the same there. About the only time I use the full range is the rare times I use one of these lenses for butterflies ord dragonflies.


So I should use the full setting and not the 0.-6m setting for let's say soccer, football, etc?

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Apr 6, 2021 12:11:09   #
sandiegosteve Loc: San Diego, CA
 
It has come in handy a few times for me, mainly in sports and birds. I see it as working with the AF blocked shot setting. If the occasional "thing" comes in closer than 6m and I know I'm not interested in that area, I'll use it. I don't want the lens to hunt for focus close. For birds, it helps prevent the camera from focusing on a close branch that might be tempting for it when trying to follow in-flight.

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Apr 6, 2021 12:22:39   #
fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM
 
Jules Karney wrote:
So I should use the full setting and not the 0.-6m setting for let's say soccer, football, etc?


Consider these instructions in the Nikon lens manual...


(Download)

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Apr 6, 2021 12:34:48   #
Quixdraw Loc: x
 
Personally, I would not use Full for Sports. Both because things are moving fast, and second because I certainly want to be far enough away from the field of play that the limiter would be fine. Played both, saw enough inattentive folks on the sidelines take a hit.

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Apr 7, 2021 06:27:13   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
Jules Karney wrote:
I am looking for comments on how and when to use the focus limiter switch.
I shoot mainly high school sports. I shoot with Nikon D500 and D4 and use 200-500 5.6 vr and 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr lenses.
Thank you for your help.


I have also used the D500 with the 200-500, I always left it on full, and I always use GROUP AUTO FOCUS, never had an issue.

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Apr 7, 2021 07:13:01   #
david vt Loc: Vermont
 
Fred nailed it above. It just restricts the near end focus, which does improve (shorten) as the lens will not go all the way back to zero.

If you use BBF in continuous mode (and I know you do Jules), it likely will not make much of a difference except when you first push the BBF button.

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Apr 7, 2021 10:27:53   #
Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD
 
I keep the switch set to the far range for sports. Occasionally a coach, player or referee might run in front of your camera and if in continuous/servo mode your lens could focus on the near object. This will slow down the auto-focus getting back to near infinity range for the players on the field. That's all it's good for. It won't improve sharpness or lens performance otherwise.

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Apr 7, 2021 11:44:26   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
I use the full range on all my lenses UNLESS I'm having trouble with focus speed and the limiter can help. That's really all it's intended to address or able to do.

It won't stop the lens from trying to refocus on something "too close", as suggested in some response.

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Apr 7, 2021 13:37:01   #
DBrock4316
 
Group autofocus, I'd like to hear more about that. I shoot with a D500 primarily indoor and outdoor sports, I always struggle to find which focus point(s) to use. I do shoot in AF-C mode. Thank you!

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Apr 7, 2021 15:29:59   #
fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM
 
Jules Karney wrote:
I am looking for comments on how and when to use the focus limiter switch.
I shoot mainly high school sports. I shoot with Nikon D500 and D4 and use 200-500 5.6 vr and 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr lenses.
Thank you for your help.

You might want to consider using the D500's "Focus Tracking with Lock-On" feature. A3 in the Custom Setting - Fine-Tuning Camera Settings menu.

For fast-moving targets (sports for example) where the camera's focus point moves off the target as the target is moving this feature delays the camera's attempt to refocus for the period of time you set in this menu - A3. I often use 'short' but you can experiment to find what works best for you...and the sport you're shooting. I also only use a single-point focus set to the center of the viewfinder. I've tried the 3D, and Group but found the single point works best for me.

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Apr 7, 2021 16:00:01   #
Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC
 
"...So I should use the full setting and not the 0.-6m setting for let's say soccer..." Not an easy single solution scenario... Focus speed relies on the amount of light the optic lets in wide open... and the version of Nikon's focus processor... btw, your D500 has the same EXPEED 5 processor as the D5. While your D4 has the Expeed 3 processor. Yes it makes a difference.

Ok, as for the AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR? I tried it for sports, and works well as long as the action is in pretty much the same plane... Albeit when the player is running directly at you, the lens simply can't pull all those massive glass elements quick enough (at least in my humble estimation).

That said my AF-S 200-400mm f/4 IF ED VR has the same limiter (oo to 6 Meters) however it has a "Magic" Memory Recall Button next to the filter draw which slams the lens to a preset focus distance you set by pressing the Memory Set button (Recall Buttom). So easy to lock on the Keeper with a single button press. If you continue shooting soccer I highly recommend this epic glass.

Finally my AF 300mm f/2.8 focuses so fast with soccer that I simply leave it in full. btw, my hit rate tripled with the AF 300mm f/2.8 over the slower AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6... seriously better sports lens.

Don't know about the 80-400mm though I've heard good things about it (the new version).

Oh, I love my 200-500mm f/5.6 for Fashion Editorials! Those models simply don't run about real fast... and the acuity is stellar as is the epic VR (likely the best VR of any Nikkor I've used) and it is definitely much easier to handle then the 200-400mm f/4.

Hope this helps!

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