Nikon Camera D810 Users Manual

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Focus
This section describes the focus options available when 
photographs are framed in the viewfinder.
 Focus can be 
adjusted automatically (see below) or manually ( 0100).
 The 
user can also select the focus point for automatic or manual 
focus ( 094) or use focus lock to focus to recompose 
photographs after focusing ( 096).
To use autofocus, rotate the focus-mode 
selector to  AF.
Autofocus Mode
The following autofocus modes can be selected during 
viewfinder photography:
Autofocus
ModeDescription 
AF-S Single-servo AF
: For stationary subjects.
 Focus locks when shutter-
release button is pressed halfway. At default settings, shutter 
can only be released wh en in-focus indicator (I) is displayed 
( focus priority ; 0 307).
AF-C Continuous-servo AF
: For moving subjects.
 Camera focuses 
continuously while shutter-release button is pressed halfway; if 
subject moves, camera will engage  predictive focus tracking 
( 0 88) to predict final distance to subject and adjust focus as 
necessary.
 At default settings, shutte r can be released whether 
or not subject is in focus ( release priority; 0 306).
Focus-mode selector 
						

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Autofocus mode can be 
selected by pressing the 
AF-mode button and rotating 
the main command dial until 
the desired setting is displayed 
in the viewfinder and control 
panel.
Control panel Viewfinder
AThe B  Button
For the purpose of focusing the camera, 
pressing the  B button has the same 
effect as pressing the shutter-release 
button halfway.
APredictive Focus Tracking
In  AF-C  mode, the camera will initiate predictive focus tracking if the 
subject moves toward or away from the camera while the shutter-
release button is pressed halfway or the  B button is pressed.
 This 
allows the camera to track focus wh ile attempting to predict where the 
subject will be when the shutter is released. AF-mode button Main command 
dial
B button 
						

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ASee Also
For information on using focus priority in continuous-servo AF, see 
Custom Setting a1 ( AF-C priority selection , 0 306).
 For information 
on using release priority in single-servo AF, see Custom Setting a2 
( AF-S priority selection , 0 307).
 For information on preventing the 
camera from focusing when the  shutter-release button is pressed 
halfway, see Custom Setting a4 ( AF activation, 0 308).
 See Custom 
Setting a12 ( Autofocus mode restrictions , 0 314) for information on 
limiting focus-mode selection to  AF-S or AF-C  and f9 ( Customize 
command dials )> Change main/sub  (0 351) for information on 
using the sub-command dial to choose the focus mode.
 See page 39 
for information on the autofocus options available in live view or 
during movie recording. 
						

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AF-Area Mode
Choose how the focus point is selected during viewfinder 
photography.
•Single-point AF : Select the focus point as described on page 94; 
the camera will focus on the subject in the selected focus point 
only.
 Use with stationary subjects.
• Dynamic-area AF : Select the focus point as described on page 94.
 
In AF-C  focus mode, the camera will focus based on information 
from surrounding focus points if the subject briefly leaves the 
selected point.
 The number of focus points varies with the 
mode selected: - 9-point dynamic-area AF : Choose when there is time to compose 
the photograph or when photographing subjects that are 
moving predictably (e.g., runners or race cars on a track).
- 21-point dyna mic-area AF: Choose when photographing subjects 
that are moving unpredictably  (e.g., players at a football 
game).
- 51-point dyna mic-area AF: Choose when photographing subjects 
that are moving quickly and can not be easily framed in the 
viewfinder (e.g., birds).
• 3D-tracking : Select the focus point as described on page 94.
 In 
AF-C  focus mode, the camera will track subjects that leave the 
selected focus point and select new focus points as required.
 
Use to quickly compose pictures with subjects that are moving 
erratically from side to side (e.g., tennis players).
 If the subject 
leaves viewfinder, remove your finger from the shutter-release 
button and recompose the photograph with the subject in the 
selected focus point. 
						

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•Group-area AF : The camera focuses using a group of focus points 
selected by the user, reducing the risk of the camera focusing 
on the background instead of on the main subject.
 Choose for 
subjects that are difficult to  photograph using a single focus 
point.
 If faces are detected in  AF-S focus mode, the camera will 
give priority to portrait subjects.
• Auto-area AF : The camera automatically 
detects the subject and selects the 
focus point; if a face is detected, the 
camera will give priority to the portrait 
subject.
 The active focus points are 
highlighted briefly after the camera 
focuses; in  AF-C mode, the main focus 
point remains highlighted after the other focus points have 
turned off.
AF-area mode can be selected 
by pressing the AF-mode 
button and rotating the sub-
command dial until the desired 
setting is displayed in the 
viewfinder and control panel.
Control panel Viewfinder
AF-mode button Sub-command dial 
						

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A3D-tracking
When the shutter-release button is pressed halfway, the colors in the 
area surrounding the focus point are stored in the camera.
 Consequently 3D-tracking may not produce the desired results with 
subjects that are similar in color to the background or that occupy a 
very small area of the frame.
AAF-Area Mode
AF-area mode is shown in the control panel and viewfinder.
AF-area modeControl panelViewfinder
Single-point AF
9-point dynamic-area AF*
21-point dynamic-area AF*
51-point dynamic-area AF*
3D-tracking
Group-area AF
Auto-area AF
* Only active focus point is displayed in the viewfinder. Remaining focus points provide 
information to assist focus operation.
AManual Focus
Single-point AF is automatically selected when manual focus is used. 
						

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ASee Also
For information on adjusting how long the camera waits before 
refocusing when an object moves in front of the camera, see Custom 
Setting a3 ( Focus tracking with lock-on , 0 308).
 See Custom Setting 
a5 ( Focus point illumination , 0 309) for information on choosing 
how the focus point is displayed in dynamic-area and group-area AF, 
a11 ( Limit AF-area mode selection , 0 314) for information on 
limiting AF-area mode selection, and f9 ( Customize command 
dials )> Change main/sub  (0 351) for information on using the main 
command dial to choose the AF-area mode.
 See page 40 for 
information on the autofocus options available in live view or during 
movie recording. 
						

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Focus Point Selection
The camera offers a choice of 51 focus points that can be used to 
compose photographs with the main subject positioned almost 
anywhere in the frame.
 Follow the steps below to choose the 
focus point (in group-area AF,  you can follow these steps to 
choose a group of focus points).
1Rotate the focus selector lock to  ●.
This allows the multi selector to be 
used to select the focus point.
2Select the focus point.
Use the multi selector to select the 
focus point in the viewfinder while 
the exposure meters are on.
 The 
center focus point can be selected by 
pressing the center of the multi 
selector.
Focus selector lock 
						

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The focus selector lock can be rotated 
to the locked (L) position following 
selection to prevent the selected 
focus point from changing when the 
multi selector is pressed.
AAuto-area AF
The focus point for auto-area AF is selected automatically; manual 
focus-point selection is not available.
ASee Also
For information on choosing when and how the focus point is 
illuminated, see Custom Setting a5 ( Focus point illumination, 0 309) 
and a6 ( AF point illumination , 0 310).
 For information on setting 
focus-point selection to “wrap around,” see Custom Setting a7 ( Focus 
point wrap-around , 0 310).
 For information on choosing the 
number of focus points that can be  selected using the multi selector, 
see Custom Setting a8 ( Number of focus points , 0 311).
 For 
information on choosing separate focus points and/or AF-area modes 
for vertical and horizontal orientations, see Custom Setting a9 ( Store 
by orientation , 0 312).
 For information on changing the role of the 
multi selector center button, see Custom Setting f2 ( Multi selector 
center button , 0 341). 
						

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Focus Lock
Focus lock can be used to change the composition after 
focusing, making it possible to focus on a subject that will not be 
in a focus point in the final composition.
 If the camera is unable 
to focus using autofocus ( 087), focus lock can also be used to 
recompose the photograph after focusing on another object at 
the same distance as your original subject.
 Focus lock is most 
effective when an option other than auto-area AF is selected for 
AF-area mode ( 090).
1Focus.
Position the subject in the 
selected focus point and 
press the shutter-release 
button halfway to initiate 
focus.
 Check that the in-
focus indicator ( I) appears 
in the viewfinder.