[Nuno Almeida]

Hey guys, I always have shoot in AF-S Focus priority mode, but I decided to give a shot at release priority and the camera just feels so much faster, I get more shots and has so more shots in focus, in focus priority the camera feels sluggish, I'm kind of used to shoot with manual lenses, is it just me? any consensus?

[normhead]

If burst speed is important as in my little birds I use shutter priority. If continuous focus is a priority as in tracking, I use AF-c and focus priority, and the largest possible selection of AF points. There are many images where your subject isn't moving much, or is staying in the same plane relative to your camera, where shutter priority and AF-s gives you the best odds of achieving the best photo.

You really have to try both out to get a few for what might work best in a specific situation. I have my AF-C focus priority set up on U1, so I don't have to fiddle much with the camera to switch to it.

AFs-
AV modes , usually ƒ5.6 or ƒ8, lowest possible ISO, lens appropriate shutter speed, shutter priority. Monitor shutter speed, and adjust ISO or f-stop if necessary. Usually centre point or single focus point selected.

on User 1
27 focus points selected, TaV, 1/3200s, ƒ8 (if possible), camera selects ISO, AFC, focus priority selected, monitor ISO and lower your f-stop or shutter speed if it gets too high.)

[08amczb]

I'am using backbutton focus, so I can relese the AF button and then take as many shots as I want. With quckshift it's much more useful then AF.S and shutter button half press.

[pathdoc]

Release-priority always for me. Nothing worse than jabbing the button down when a brilliant composition presents itself and not having the shutter fire. Great shots can pass before you know it, and I would rather have a slightly unsharp picture that's only good enough for Facebook on cellphones than no picture at all.

[Nuno Almeida]

Release-priority always for me. Nothing worse than jabbing the button down when a brilliant composition presents itself and not having the shutter fire. Great shots can pass before you know it, and I would rather have a slightly unsharp picture that's only good enough for Facebook on cellphones than no picture at all.

I agree, and it feels like the process from focusing, confirming focus and shooting adds a unwelcome delay, at least that's what I'm feeling after moving to release priority

[normhead]

There are advantages and disavatages both ways..... I would suggest anyone who confines themselves to one or the other probably just hasn't figured out what the other is good for.







Three examples of focus priority, slow frame rate but completely in focus over (approx.) 15 frames.

I've tried this with AF-s and shutter priority, more images but not as many keepers, and definitely not 15 consecutive in focus frames in a row. Lucky to get 7.

Of course when you're using tracking like this, it's essential that you get locked on your subject. I've had frames where were my camera locked on the grass and every image was out of focus. It takes a bit more attention but when it works, it works great.

It automates the process of locking focus and pressing the shutter release. It would seem folks think they can focus, release the AF button after determining the focus has been locked faster than the camera can. I'm betting on the camera. Of course their are situations where your subject isn't moving much, you don't actually need to refocus after each image, and the faster burst speed of shutter priority gives you better odds of a keeper, if you don't run out of buffer.(which happens real quick at 8 frames per second.) And I won't settle for out of focus images. They get deleted real quick.

So maybe if you aren't shooting action, AF-s and shutter priority is better. I've done it successfully both ways, and have worked out my preference on when to use each. That's why my camera is set one way and th other way is on the dial under User1, so I can switch back and forth quickly if needed.

[pathdoc]

@normhead I guess it's just that I've come from film cameras, where the thing would ALWAYS fire when you told it to (and you took the consequences of that, good or bad), and anything else seems very foreign. For a shot that might never be repeated, e.g. one of my kids' dance rehearsals, I would rather retain the right to make the shot at will, regardless of conditions, and take what comes.

If the K-1 (when I get it) really is the magnificent jump up in AF capability that some reviewers are insisting, or with my K-5 in circumstances which I could reasonably expect to be repeated (my kids in the backyard, the dogs in the backyard) I might be prepared to trust it with veto control over the shutter button. Otherwise, I would prefer to retain control.

[Nuno Almeida]

There are advantages and disavatages both ways..... I would suggest anyone who confines themselves to one or the other probably just hasn't figured out what the other is good for.







Three examples of focus priority, slow frame rate but completely in focus over (approx.) 15 frames.

I've tried this with AF-s and shutter priority, more images but not as many keepers, and definitely not 15 consecutive in focus frames in a row. Lucky to get 7.

Of course when you're using tracking like this, it's essential that you get locked on your subject. I've had frames where were my camera locked on the grass and every image was out of focus. It takes a bit more attention but when it works, it works great.

It automates the process of locking focus and pressing the shutter release. It would seem folks think they can focus, release the AF button after determining the focus has been locked faster than the camera can. I'm betting on the camera. Of course their are situations where your subject isn't moving much, you don't actually need to refocus after each image, and the faster burst speed of shutter priority gives you better odds of a keeper, if you don't run out of buffer.(which happens real quick at frames per second.) And I won't settle for out of focus images. They get deleted real quick.

So maybe if you aren't shooting action, AF-s and shutter priority is better. I've done it successfully both ways, and have worked out my preference on when to use each. That's why my camera is set one way and th other way is on the dial under User1, so I can switch back and forth quickly if needed.

Not disagreeing with you, all the way around in fact, I'm sure both have their merits, I have a K-50, I started with cheap old lenses that I learned to love, I was never satisfied with catch in focus, and got used to react to the beep, and eye ball has much has I can, and got some decent shots with it, even some bird's in flight, lately I got a tamron 70-200 f2.8, and although I'm happy with the lens and getting good results, the times when the damn thing just decides not to shoot are so damn annoying. Truthfully I haven't tested release priority enough, but I'm liking my initial results, going to test a bit more, the point is to optimise the system the best I can, being the system the camera and me.

[normhead]

Not disagreeing with you, all the way around in fact, I'm sure both have their merits, I have a K-50, I started with cheap old lenses that I learned to love, I was never satisfied with catch in focus, and got used to react to the beep, and eye ball has much has I can, and got some decent shots with it, even some bird's in flight, lately I got a tamron 70-200 f2.8, and although I'm happy with the lens and getting good results, the times when the damn thing just decides not to shoot are so damn annoying. Truthfully I haven't tested release priority enough, but I'm liking my initial results, going to test a bit more, the point is to optimise the system the best I can, being the system the camera and me.

The window for focus priority is quite small. Release priority is definitely the default, but when focus priority is working and your camera is tracking your subject, it's just a joy, even if it is half the frame rate.