newbie42

Many of the photos I take currently are in low light and of slightly moving subjects, so I keep the setting at AF-C. I'm new to this, and have followed online tutorials to set up the various AF settings including setting up the back button focus (but do not have the front one disabled). I'm experiencing a significant lag time between focus and when the shutter opens. Sometimes it won't respond at all. I've tried trouble shooting for each setting -- even taking photos in the fully automatic setting -- but to no avail.
Any suggestions of what I might try?

Bill_de Loc: US

Try choosing between bbf and half press shutter button.

Use custom settings A4 and F4

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newbie42

Thanks, Bill
Will do

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

I am waiting for my D7500 to arrive, but I have been reading and watching vids for about a month now. SO with that being said, my thoughts:

1) either BBF or Shutter button focus. You have to disable one otherwise neither will give you positive results
2) Check to see if your focus lock is on. Not sure what menu it is in, but when you have it activated, the shutter will not release until the camera acquires what it considers "exact focus". If you disable this, that will probably stop the "lag" you are experiencing. ( in low light, focus can be slower.... so if you shoot without the focus lock on, you probably should use AF-C with BBF and keep the back button pushed all the way thru the series of pics. You might not get great focus on the first frame or two, but it should acquire and then lock on)

Please let me know if this helps

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

The first part of this video can be a bit basic, but I will have my new D7500 next to me and I will be watching this video as I set up my camera. I probably won't do it exactly like Jared, but I will have a great basic set up.

Hope this helps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1copk_Sns&t=351s

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Although I shoot a D500, this might help Try AF S. I more luck with that on subjects that are slow. Also try single point focus. Group focus will pick the closest object. Also reading Steve Perry's "secrets to the Nikon Autofocus System" may help.

Pegasus Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

The D7500 is a phenomenal camera, but like anything else that has myriad controls and features, it can be set up incorrectly and then people complain about it and dismiss it as a bad camera.

Sounds to me like you scrambled the settings a little bit and maybe you're not quite clear on what back button focus is all about.

It has already been suggested that you get Steve Perry's superlative book Secrets of the Nikon Autofocus System. I cannot reinforce that suggestion enough. When I got my D7500 last Christmas, that was the first thing I read. It comes in a pdf, which makes it eminently searchable. Mr. Perry has updated the book for the D7500 and so I just used that as my search term which makes it fun to skim. I did read it from cover to cover, so to speak as Mr. Perry has an engaging writing style that keeps you interested in the subject. There is a section on Back Button Focus and a step by step procedure just for the D7500.

If after you have read the nook, or at least, that chapter with the BBF procedure for the D7500, you still have issues, come back here and we can talk about it. I'm sure you have no issues with putting in some effort to clarify some things in your mind and that book will be immensely useful.

In fact, Mr. Perry just sent an update to this book last week. So it's very current.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

This is a must-buy for anyone using a Nikon.

https://backcountrygallery.com/secrets-nikon-autofocus-system/

ChristianHJensen

You probably have the shutter button priority set to focus - this means that the camera will NOT fire the shutter until the camera has a confirmed focus lock (even if it might be in focus). Since this happens in low light it is likely that this is what happens. You can change the priority to shutter which will make the camera fire the shutter even without a confirmed AF lock - but obviously you can get pics that are out of focus.

TrishV Loc: Now living on Whidbey Island, WA

I too own a Nikon D7500 and had trouble with focusing but found the following link very helpful - good luck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2UJbkOECOI

Pegasus Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

I just watched that video, or rather, just the first few minutes. I don't think the narrator actually understands what he's describing. The AF-S is not just "single", it's "single-servo" meaning that when you press the shutter halfway, it freezes the focus at that instant. This is great for stationary subjects, so think of AF-S and AF-stationary, as opposed to AF-C for Continuous-servo for moving subjects.

The S in the rotation stands for Single Point focus, not just "single."

Also, I noticed that he removes the SD-card without turning off the camera and inserts it back in, again, without turning off the camera. I'll bet he does not switch off the camera when he swaps the lens. The Nikon manual specifically states to turn off the camera before inserting or removing the SD card. This may be overcautious, as you do want to make sure there is no I/O going on with the SD-card when you pop it in and out. This is the same thing when removing it from the PC, make sure you right-click eject it first to make sure all I/O operations are complete.

TrishV Loc: Now living on Whidbey Island, WA

Yes I did notice that about the SD card which is something I would never do and yes I agree in the beginning he sort of rambles on however I persisted with the video and got some good information at least good for me. I now find that my camera is focusing much better and doesn't lose focus like it was before but then I am a wildlife photographer and I really only listened to that portion which pertained to that - I am sorry I should have included that in my message.

Pegasus Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

No need to apologize, you did just fine. I just didn't have the patience to watch the whole video after those glaring issues.

The D7500 is excellent for wildlife photography and BIF. I set mine up with BBF as per Mr. Perry's opus and it focuses like a charm all the time. I find that I use the Group setting more often than not. I leave it on Grp by default.

no nameJoe

What lens are you using?. I noticed that if you have the vr set to normal the camera slows down to focus so try active vr and the camera focuses much faster