Focusing in tricky lighting

[sbougon]

Colin, my D7000 focuses sharper using the back button focus with the AE-L/AF-L. Can't say why, it just does. Even better than live view.

[Colin Southern]

Colin, my D7000 focuses sharper using the back button focus with the AE-L/AF-L. Can't say why, it just does. Even better than live view.

Got me beat. Unfortunately, the OP has a D90, not a D7000.

My 1Dx and 1Ds3 focus just the same no matter how I do it.

[loosecanon]

Err our modern cameras have multiple focus points. The controls enable you to tell the camera which one to use and so where to focus. If you just let the camera choose the focus point then it will just go the the closest point it can easily focus on, which may be in the background or foreground. Learn how to select focus points.

[Andrew1]

Blake, you might not have enough light to auto focus but perhaps enough to see?? Manual focusing with some AF lenses is still pretty touchy though. http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Ni...cat_nikon.html

[blakemcguire]

Welcome to the real world of photographic limitations and compromise

So true.

[blakemcguire]

Blake, you might not have enough light to auto focus but perhaps enough to see?? Manual focusing with some AF lenses is still pretty touchy though. http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Ni...cat_nikon.html

I've looked into these before, but I hear they mess with the center focus point and metering. Is this true?

[blakemcguire]

Err our modern cameras have multiple focus points. The controls enable you to tell the camera which one to use and so where to focus. If you just let the camera choose the focus point then it will just go the the closest point it can easily focus on, which may be in the background or foreground. Learn how to select focus points.

If you read the original post, I say that I'm using a single point.

[blakemcguire]

Which do you guys think will help more in this situation, the AF assist on a flash, or a 2.8 lens?

I can afford a flash now with the money I've made shooting events, or I can keep saving and get a 24-70 later on. I have a very basic manual only flash as is.

[AB26]

Hi Blake,
Get yourself a Led Lenser, the X21 should solve all your problems - 1064 Lumen.

[proseak]

There are quite a few "ifs" in what I'm about to say, so please bear with me.

The first is this - is Live view an option for you? If so, there may be a Nikon equivalent to the Magic Lantern for Canon, which includes a signal amplification for the display, which means that it can be made bright enough for manual focus in very poor conditions.

HTH

Peter

[jcuknz]

Another option is to get a camera with a better AF system, ie. one that has a small single spot target area which will select out the actual point you want to focus on rather than covering a wider area which may include things you don't want as is obviously happening in the OP's case. Though becuase of its size there are hazards in general shooting if one is not careful. I am sure that is why my focus is off in the 'mother deer' shot I posted awhile back. Her body is sharp but not her head and eyes
A further hazard is what mode OIS one uses, continuous or just for the shot, if the latter the image in the viewfinder can be jumping around so one is not sure on what the AF is targetting on.