A novice asks........

TuscanR · 1 Feb 2004, 14:44 (Ref:858945)

Dear all This may seem like a really stupid question but I have to ask it. I recently attended the Silverstone Rally school where a friend of mine was competing to win a scolarship to drive an MG ZR ( he didnt win ). I went along to give a bit of moral support and take a few snaps just in case anything exciting happened. Anyway..... I got talking to the freelance photographer that was there and he let me have a little look at his camera, I can remember that it was a Nikon but not much else but it had an ability to lock onto a 'target' and keep it focused. How does it do that? It it just a function on the camera body? Is it a trick lens ? Or a combination of both? As I only have an EOS 300V I was truely blown away but that.

If anyone could let me know that would be great, many thanks.

On a personal note if that was you out there that day can I say a big thank you and the words of advice you gave me really paid off and thanks once again for taking me out onto the course itself.
Paul.

**Tim Falce** · 1 Feb 2004, 15:24 (Ref:858975)

Hi Tuscan
This is a feature of the Nikon body, probably a D1 or D100.
It is called predictive autofocus and basicaly it takes a couple of focus readings and predicts where the subject is going and adjusts the focus acordingly. Nikon also have a few lenses out with silentwave motors inside that speed focusing.

TuscanR · 1 Feb 2004, 17:18 (Ref:859098)

Thanks falcemob, not a cheap technology then, but amazing. Does Canon have a similar feature on its top of the range models and if so what is the approximate cost? A boy can dream of affording one!

**Tim Falce** · 1 Feb 2004, 19:42 (Ref:859355)

Not sure about Canon, but they have other neat gadgets such as image stabalisers on a lot of their lenses.
They are all coming down in price. The Nikon D100 and Canon equivalent are about £1100 now.

**Aysedasi** · 3 Feb 2004, 14:02 (Ref:861404)

Nothing too unusual about predictive - I've was using it on my EOS100 to good effect 12 years ago......

TuscanR · 3 Feb 2004, 17:49 (Ref:861609)

Well Aysedai, my EOS 300V is the first camera I have ever bought and when the guy offered me a go with his it was nothing short of a revelation! As the title suggests I am a novice. So what sort of model Canon does this feature start on and how much of my hard earned cash should I expect to pay??

neil_davidson2 · 4 Feb 2004, 10:59 (Ref:862456)

If I remember right the EOS33 has predictive autofocus and a price tag around the £300 mark for just the body.

Rich_F · 11 Feb 2004, 09:29 (Ref:870374)

My venerable EOS 50e has predictive focussing too. There are plenty of good second hand cameras around with this feature.

**Aysedasi** · 12 Feb 2004, 13:13 (Ref:871857)

I'll flog you my EOS100 body........

kdr · 12 Feb 2004, 15:10 (Ref:872065)

heres a novel suggestion. switch the autofocus off. pre focus on a point on the track that the cars pass thru(preferably a nice bend). when they arrive go bang bang on the shutter release...bingo!

**Aysedasi** · 14 Feb 2004, 00:37 (Ref:873743)

Even with my poor old eyesight, there are times when I have to do that.

thebear · 14 Feb 2004, 03:55 (Ref:873820)

Quote:

Originally posted by TuscanR Anyway..... I got talking to the freelance photographer that was there and he let me have a little look at his camera, I can remember that it was a Nikon but not much else but it had an ability to lock onto a 'target' and keep it focused. How does it do that? It it just a function on the camera body
If anyone could let me know that would be great, many thanks.

That is also a feature of some of the `lesser' Nikons.

I have an N-75 (possibly F-75 in the UK).

The feature is called "Continuous Servo AF" and is activated automatically if the subject you have focused on (with the partial push on the shutter release) moves.

In addition, if "Sports" mode has been selected it is automatically activated.

A futher enhancement is "Predictive Focusing". :confused: The camera continuously anlayzes the image and as the focus follows a moving object, if you pan the camera and something momentarily blocks the subject you are focusing on (tree/telephone pole, etc) the camera will estimate the correct focus point when the subject reappears.

Last but not least, you can select where in the image you wish the camera to focus, i.e.: exact center, mid-left, mid-right, center top or center bottom of the image.

This can be handy if you wish to take a picture of someone off to one side of the image and not have to "fool" the camera as to them being in the center and then shifting to the desired composition.

kdr · 14 Feb 2004, 20:50 (Ref:874307)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
Even with my poor old eyesight, there are times when I have to do that.

well you're in good professional company there ayse!

lcfp2297 · 25 Mar 2004, 02:43 (Ref:918666)

Tuscan, Your 300V should have predictive focusing...stick it in sports mode (the little running man) and that will turn it on...

Cheers

jase · 25 Mar 2004, 13:43 (Ref:919125)

Quote:

Originally posted by kdr
heres a novel suggestion. switch the autofocus off. pre focus on a point on the track that the cars pass thru(preferably a nice bend). when they arrive go bang bang on the shutter release...bingo!

I do that with my little Fuji f602.

thebear · 25 Mar 2004, 23:30 (Ref:919638)

Quote:

Originally posted by jasongore
I do that with my little Fuji f602.

So did everyone else in the days before PHD (Push Here Dummy) auto-everything cameras.

jase · 26 Mar 2004, 06:51 (Ref:919835)

But, depending how close you are, autofocus may not be able to keep up with the speed of the car, and if your panning is off you will still miss the shot. This can still happen when locking the focus,

Getting it right:

jase · 26 Mar 2004, 06:53 (Ref:919836)

Getting it wrong:

Hugewally · 26 Mar 2004, 17:29 (Ref:920286)

Well that could also be the result of a too slow of a shutter speed...

A bit higher shutter speed will also make the AF recycle faster from what I've seen. I still stuck on the old panning shots at 1/100-1/125. I find that the 1D DSLR I have is real picky about sharp focus at those panning speeds, and that's even with using fixed focus... When I remember to bump up the speed to 1/250+ things get a bit better...

Also with my Canon, the AF seems to have it's best response if I keep the f stop under f/11. More light in, faster AF...

Finicky things these digital sensors are...

Martin

thebear · 27 Mar 2004, 02:11 (Ref:920795)

Quote:

Originally posted by Hugewally
Martin

Welcome back to the forum(s)!

Speaking of "Back", how's yours?

Hugewally · 2 Apr 2004, 05:07 (Ref:927016)

Thanks for asking, but it's not the back, it's the right knee... Surgery went fine. Limped all around the Rolex 24. Still limping, but seeing the doc again next week... Still, it seems much better than before the knife!!

martin

**Snapper Baz** · 2 Apr 2004, 18:38 (Ref:927745)

The Bear...does that make you somewhere like Tampa? ...trying to figure out wher your hiding out! Also from Silverstone Britsport day...125th panned...sold a few of today to the driver!

**Snapper Baz** · 2 Apr 2004, 18:45 (Ref:927750)

Oooops-here's the image! (it IS sharpe in real life!!)

thebear · 2 Apr 2004, 21:41 (Ref:927880)

Quote:

Originally posted by Snapper Baz
The Bear...does that make you somewhere like Tampa? ...trying to figure out wher your hiding out! Also from Silverstone Britsport day...125th panned...sold a few of today to the driver!

Wrong coast.

I am ~ 180 miles ENE of Tampa.

Try again?

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