THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO:

MASTERING YOUR
DSLR AUTOFOCUS
The Journal of Wildlife Photography 1
MASTER YOUR AUTOFOCUS
PART ONE

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 2

Aside from the invention of the 35mm sized camera, the biggest foundation of knowledge before we dive into real world application.
thing that has happened to wildlife photography has been the inven- Thus, in this first part, we are going to dive head long into the nuts
tion of auto focusing. In the pursuit of our passion as wildlife pho- and bolts of your auto focus system, focusing on what the various
tographers, we have become critically dependent upon this techno- options are and identifying those that you need to be using right now.
logical breakthrough of the 1980s. Yet, when it comes to the auto
PHASE DETECTION VS CONTRAST DETECTION –
focus systems inside of our cameras, I find that this is a grey area of
YOUR CAMERA HAS BOTH
misunderstanding for many photographers.
In today’s world, autofocus systems can be divided into two catego-
So much effort is placed on understanding exposure theory, depth
ries (or systems if you will): Phase Detection and Contrast Detection.
of field, and composition. Yet, if you can’t get a sharp photograph
As the heading above suggests, chances are that your camera has
then all off that other stuff means nothing as you trash photo after
both of these. But before I even begin to talk about these two differ-
photo in frustration at your computer. We polled both subscribers to
ent autofocus systems, you need to keep one thing in mind: despite
The Photographer’s Journal and folks on social media about what
their names, both systems are acquiring focus using contrast. This
aspect of photography is the most confusing to them. Guess what
is really important, because it is the building blocks of every autofo-
the #1 answer was?
cus system. Contrast is everything to the ability of your camera to
If autofocus systems are confusing to begin with, then I think it’s achieve proper focus.
best to shy away from the technical aspects of how your autofocus
For the sake of this article I do not feel like there is any need to dive
system actually works inside of the camera. I am more interested
into the what is actually happening inside of the camera when using
in talking about the stuff you need to know about – such as how to
phase or contrast detection systems. What is important is to under-
functionally use your’ autofocus system, and in a way that actually
stand that both systems are built upon contrast. So here is the sim-
makes sense. There are some technical things you will want to know
ple explanation of these two systems:
about - like what the heck cross type sensors are - but the primary
goal here is to discuss the various autofocus settings and their ap- 1. Phase Detection is what your DSLR uses when you are focusing
plications in the real world. through the viewfinder. It is very fast at acquiring focus, but it is not
quite as accurate as Contrast Detection. The exception to the rule
If you are not adjusting your autofocus settings for different situ-
here would be Sony and Olympus systems. Phase Detection is a
ations, then you may be either holding yourself back, or worse yet,
new feature in these cameras. Some of the older or less expensive
fighting with yourself in the field. When used correctly, autofocusing
models will not have this type of autofocus system, while others,
systems revolutionize our wildlife photography. When used incor-
such as the extremely popular a7RII, require you to go into the menu
rectly, manually focusing can be more reliable. And who wants to
and select Phase Detection or Contrast Detection as your autofocus
manually focus if you don’t have to?
setting.
This is the first part of a two part series on mastering your auto fo-
2. Contrast Detection is what your DSLR uses when you focus directly
cus. Like most things in life, it’s probably best to start with a solid
off the image sensor.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 3

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 4
 FOCUS POINTS

Focus points, also known as focus sensors, are the little squares that
you see while looking through the view finder. Entry level cameras
may have as few as 11 of these such as the Nikon D5000 or 9 focus
as is the case with the Canon Rebel T5. Conversely, the higher end
cameras will have significantly more autofocus points to work with
such as Nikon’s D5 which has 153 or Canon’s 1DXm2 which has 61
focus points.

Don’t let the number difference between the D5 and the 1DXm2 fool
you into assuming that one is necessarily more complex than the
other. These companies simply go about solving the problem of fo-
This is an example of the various focus points in your viewfinder. This particular
example comes from the Nikon D5 which has 153 focus points. Only the squares cusing a little bit different.
are selectable here. The small dots in between are not actually selectable only
function to assist in focusing. Though Nikon’s D5 may have more focus sensors, only 55 of those
are selectable inside of the viewfinder - whereas all focus points are
When you focus in Live View, you are focusing directly off the cam- selectable on the 1DXm2. On the D5, the other focus sensors are
era’s image sensor. Contrast Detection is much more accurate than there to help you grab a hold of your subject -they are working in
Phase Detection. However, it is also abysmally slow. For landscapes conjunction with those 55 selectablefocus points at all times to fill
this is fine, and I highly recommend composing and focusing through in the gaps between.
Live View for all of your landscapes – save for when shooting at night.
Still with me? I hope so. If not, move on because this bit isn’t as im-
On the other hand, when it comes to wildlife photography, Contrast
portant as what is coming up.
Detection is just not suitable for getting the job done as you cannot
continually focus on a subject. Regardless of whether you are a wildlife or landscape photographer,
focus points are meant to be moved! On workshops, I regularly en-
So, for the purpose of wildlife photography, we accept the fact that
counter folks that do not realize this. Its actually the biggest rookie
Phase Detection is a bit less accurate than Contrast Detection sim-
mistake I see when it comes to autofocus. Learn how to do this if
ply because of the speed in which we are able to focus. And to be
you do not know already. Nikon and Canon go about this differently.
purposefully redundant here, we also have to understand that both
systems are using contrast to acquire focus. VERTICAL VS CROSS TYPE SENSORS
Since Phase Detection autofocus is the primary tool being used in When it comes to the actual focus sensors in your camera, remem-
wildlife photography, the rest of this article will apply only to that. ber that everything is based upon contrast. Vertical and Cross Type
sensors are the different types of focusing sensors that you have to
work with.
The Journal of Wildlife Photography 5
The Journal of Wildlife Photography 6
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The Journal of Wildlife Photography 7
 Regardless of whether you are using Here is the problem with cross-type sensors: as a wildlife photogra-
vertical or cross-type sensors, auto pher, just because you have 99 of these in you brand new D5 or 41
in your brand new 1DXm2, doesn’t actually mean you can use all of
focus systems are designed to lock them. Huh?

onto contrast. The more defined It all depends upon the lens that you are using AND its maximum ap-
that the contrast is, the faster your erture. I hate to say this, but this is where things can get a bit com-
plicated. This part is a tad technical but bear with me.
camera will focus. For the Nikon D4 and D4S, all lenses with a maximum aperture of f/4
This is different from the Phase Detection vs Contrast Detection stuff or faster can use all cross-type sensors. On these two cameras, the
above in that regardless of which of those two systems you are us- cross-type sensors are all located in the three center columns of fo-
ing, you are still working with vertical and / or cross type sensors to cus points. This meant that any f/4 or f/2.8 lens could focus on both
obtain focus. vertical and horizontal lines down the middle 15 selectable focus
points in your viewfinder. The same held true for the Canon 1DXm1.
Here is the difference:
Skip ahead to the Nikon D5 and D500, which share the same sensor
• Vertical type sensors are one dimensional and are only able to de- as each other, and we find things get a touch more complicated. Now,
tect contrast on vertical lines. as you will see in the diagram that accompanies this article, those
same 15 selectable focus points can still be used as cross-types,
• Cross type sensors are two dimensional and can detect contrast
just as in the D4 and D4S. But this is a new generation of tech and
on both vertical and horizontal lines, making them faster and more
there are 99 cross-type sensors instead of 15. However, depending
accurate than their vertical counterparts. So, if vertical type sensors
upon the type of lens you are using, only some of those sensors are
are only able to detect contrast on vertical lines, whereas cross type
available to you.
sensors detect contrast on both vertical and horizontal lines, we can
claim that not all focal points are created equal. And this can have a To be honest, I was a little surprised with how this works. For Nikon,
real impact upon your photography. it is not quite as simple as f/2.8 lenses can use all of these, f/4 can
use those, and f/5.6 are limited to this. Take some of the key wildlife
As you go up in price with modern day DSLR cameras, you tend to
lenses for instance. The two most recent models of the 600mm are
add more cross type sensors into the autofocus design. Going back
limited 63 of the 99 cross type sensors with many of those existing
to Nikon’s D5 which contains 153 focus points, 99 of those are cross
in an odd strip of focus points near the edge. The new FL version of
type sensors. Likewise, of the Canon 1DXm2’s 61 focus points, 41
the 500mm f/4 VR on the other hand can utilize all 99 points. And
of those are cross type sensors.
then you have the 200-400, which despite being a $7k+ lens and f/4,
Now to really confuse you. . . can only utilize the cross-type sensors in the middle three columns
of focus points like any lens can that is an f/5.6 or slower lens.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 8

What gives?

Canon functions much the same way. There may be 41 cross-type

sensors, but only certain lenses can take advantage of this. With
Canon, however, things are much more simplified. All f/2.8 lenses
can use all 41 cross-type sensors AND an additional 5 double cross-
type sensors down the middle for extra precision. F/4 lenses such
as the 600mm and 500mm –regardless of model – can use all 41
cross-type sensors. But the 200-400 can only access 31 without its
built in teleconverter and the three center columns with the TC. And
just like Nikon, anything f/5.6 or slower can only access the middle
three columns.

So, what is one to do if you are limited to certain areas of the frame
where you can access these cross type sensors? Does this mean
that you really are better off selecting a focus point from the mid-
dle of the viewfinder? Not necessarily. Remember that the other fo- Hands down, the most challenging subjects to keep up with and focus on for me
cus sensors work perfect with recognizing contrast in vertical lines have been small members of the weasel family - and most notably, this long tailed
weasel in its white phase of winter. The small-er an animal is, the more difficult it is
and acquiring focus. There are plenty of vertical lines to be found in
to keep with and autofocus on. Due to their speed and agility, there is no predator
feathers, fur, the edges of eyes, etc. This doesn’t mean your vertical that regularly preys upoon this species. It’s situations like photographing long
line needs to be a tree. It just means that you are better off not trying tailed wea-sels when you need all the help you can get by using cross type sensors,
to focus directly on horizontal lines like the backs of mammals. But continusous AF, back button focusing, and a dialed in tracking system. At the end of
the day though, luck still plays a big role. But, as the saying goes, chance favors the
why would you be trying to focus on the back of an animal anyways? prepared mind.
The vertical-type sensors will search for and find something vertical
to grab a hold of, but this search will just take a moment longer. The advantages of cross-type sensors kick in when you are trying to
focus on a puffin the size of a football flying past at nearly 60mph
The primary advantage of cross-type sensors is when your camera hour, or a snow white colored ermine that is darting around in the
is trying to track a subject as it moves across the frame or for when snow like it is on crack cocaine. It is the incredibly difficult situations
you are trying to keep up with an erratically moving subject. Sim- in which the cross-type sensors really shine, and in these situations
ply put, in these scenarios the cross-type sensor will increase your understanding where those particular focus points are can make a
chances of staying locked on given the option to detect contrast in huge difference in the success rate in your ability to keep focus with
both vertical and horizontal lines. A bull elk is not an erratically mov- those types of subjects.
ing subject. Nor is a great grey owl perched on the top of a tree.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 9

It might be at this point that you might be wonder why you shouldn’t autofocusing is based upon one thing: contrast. Without contrast,
just always use the center focus points sense the cross-type is guar- our cameras and lenses struggle to acquire critical focus. Contrast
anteed to be there. Limiting yourself ONLY to the center focus points is the play of light and shadows. Thus, the more light available in the
tremendously limits you creatively. scene, the more accurate and the faster your autofocus system will
be. The less light, the slower and the less accurate it may be – think:
I approach my photography as a form of visual art – not a docu-
overcast days, shooting inside of deep shadows, etc.
mentary record of the world. If all you care to do is just capture a
snap shot of a species, then by all means just use the center focus AUTOFOCUS MODES – SERVO/CONTINUOUS/SINGLE/ETC
points. However, if you care at all about visual flow or composition
The various autofocus settings can not only be confusing, but quite
then always sticking your subject in the middle of the frame is going
overwhelming – especially in the so called “flag ship” camera mod-
to cripple you.
els like the Nikon D4 / D5 or the Canon 1DX / 1DXm2. From the dif-
Some photographers work around this by using a “focus and recom- ferent settings regarding focus tracking to the multitude of AF area
pose” method. In essence, you can acquire focus with the center modes, these are the options that will really make your camera’s aut-
point and then lock it in via an AF-L (autofocus lock) button, or by ofocusing prowess shine. That is, if you know what they are, what
using the back button focusing method (more on this later). Once settings you need, and how to set them.
acquired, you can swing the lens around to set up your composition
When we talk about AF Modes, we are talking about things like Con-
and fire away.
tinuous AF (Nikon) or AI Servo (Canon) vs AF-S (Nikon) or One-Shot
Though it may be a fast way of obtaining focus, the problem with AF (Canon). Understanding the differences in these settings is ex-
recomposing is the Pythagorean Theorem. I will save all of us from tremely important.
the math behind this, but let it suffice to say that when you recom-
Before we can dive into ANY of the autofocus settings, you have to
pose your shot, the area you wanted in critical focus, is no longer
know how to even access these autofocus modes.
the same distance from you. This difference can be as small as a
half a foot, or as much as 5 or more. Shooting with a smaller ap- NIKON
erture such as f/8, and therefore a greater depth of field, can help
offset this. But do you always want that much depth of field? And On the front of your camera, next to your lens mount, you will find a
even with this additional depth of field, that part of your composi- switch that will have two options: AF and M.
tion that was most important may very well still fall outside of the Naturally, AF stands for autofocus and M stands for manual. This is
range of critical focus. how you can quickly adjust your camera from autofocus to manual
If you don’t remember anything else about what I have covered in without having to flip any switches on your lens. In the middle of this
this section, at least remember that regardless of the camera you switch is a button called the AF-mode button. And when you press
are using, the type of autofocus system you have, or what type of and hold this button you activate your autofocus settings.
focus points you have inside of your camera, this whole game of

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 10

While adjusting your AF settings with the dials you would normally Once your camera has obtained focus it will stop autofocusing and
adjust exposure settings, you will need to continue holding down lock the focus as long as you hold the shutter-button halfway down.
this little button – which can be a touch awkward sometimes. The
• AF-C / AI Servo: continuous / continuous-servo. When AF-C / AI
various settings will be displayed both in the viewfinder and on the
Servo is selected, your camera will continuously autofocus on a sub-
LCD at the top of the camera.
ject.
CANON
• AF-A / AI Focus: This option let’s the camera make the decision as
To adjust your autofocus settings, you tap the Drive AF button on the to what autofocus mode the camera should be in depending upon
top of the camera. Unlike Nikon, you do not have the option to turn what the subject is doing. If the subject is still, then your camera will
the cameras autofocusing system off and on with these buttons, opt for single shot. If your subject is moving, then the camera will de-
but you do use the top and back dials to toggle through the various fault to continuous / servo. The single shot setting is used when you
selections. The various settings will be displayed both in the view- have a relatively static subject that is not expected to do a whole lot
finder and on the LCD at the top of the camera. of moving around. If your subject was to move, when you press the
AF-ON button or hold the shutter button halfway down, your camera
Now that we know how to actually bring up our AF settings, we can
will refocus again. In other words, when you are in the AF-S setting,
begin making adjustments. You have the option to look down at the
once your camera acquires focus it will then disengage the AF sys-
LCD on the top of your camera, through your viewfinder, or the back
tem until you re-press the shutter or AF-ON button. Continuous auto-
of your camera to see the adjustments you are making.
focus (or AI Servo) on the other hand does just as the name implies,
By simply pressing the AF-mode button on the side of the camera it continuously tries to focus.
(Nikon), or pressing the Drive AF button on top of the camera (Can-
At first glance, it would seem as though Continuous / Servo would be
on) you will only bring up your settings in the viewfinder and the top
the natural choice for wildlife photography. Whether you are photo-
LCD on your camera. If you wish to see all of this on the back of the
graphing a roseate spoonbill, a coastal brown bear, or a poison dart
camera’s LCD, then you will need to tap the “info” button for Nikon
frog – animals move. It is as simple as that. For the most part, this
or the “Q” button (Canon) on the back of the camera first to bring up
assumption is correct. There is always the possibility of movement
all of your settings, and then hold down the AF-mode button. If you
or action, and it is quite often that this action helps to create interest
are using a D5 or D500 and the info button brings part of your menu
or tell a visual story with our photography. However, continuously
instead of your settings, simply tap it again.
autofocusing does come with its own drawbacks as well.
AF-S VS AF-C VS AF-A
When our AF system continuously attempts to autofocus, the cam-
With the AF-mode button engaged rotating the thumb dial will toggle era is constantly trying to make micro adjustments. The focus will
back and forth between AF-S and AF-C. The “S” stands for single move in and out ever so slightly and this will often times result in
shot and the “C” stands for continuous. random slightly out of focus (OOF) photographs as it does so.

• AF-S / One Shot AF: single shot / single-servo.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 11
 Static subjects, such as these two Eastern
Screech Owl chicks above, are the perfect
situation for AF-S / One Shot AF mode.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 12

 Likewise, subjects that are moving, such as
this least tern in flight, is when you want to
use AF-C / AI Servo

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 13

If you read Nikon and Canon’s literature on this, both companies ENTER: THE AF-ON BUTTON!
predict that when shooting with Continuous / Servo you will have a
random assortment of in focus and out of focus images due to the
micro adjustments being made.

With single shot, this will not be the case simply because once the
AF system acquires focus, this focus will remain locked in as long as
the shutter button is pressed halfway. So, if an animal is sitting rela-
tively still, meaning that its distance from you is not changing, then
single shot can produce more consistent results. Even if your subject
is turning its head, preening, yawning, scratching, etc. As long as the
DISTANCE isn’t changing, and you have the appropriate depth of field
for that distance, then you do not need to continuously autofocus.

Now, if you are photographing an animal that is not perched or

sitting in one spot, then you want to be prepared for action and
changes in distance between the subject and your lens. This is
when AF-C comes into play. Birds in flight, animals walking, frogs
jumping around, or any other situation where movement is happen-
The AF-ON button does exactly as the name implies – it turns on the
ing or expected, you can set you camera to AF-C / Servo to keep up
autofocus. This little button is located on the back of your camera
with whatever is going on.
just to the left of your thumb dial so that it can be easily found and
The problem with wildlife photography though, is that often times accessed by your thumb. On some consumer model Nikon cameras,
we have no idea what is going to happen in the wild. There are so you may have to assign this button in the custom functions menu,
many variables that we both cannot control and we do not even but on the higher end “prosumer” and professional bodies, you will
know about, that are going on at any given time. Therefore, even find a dedicated AF-ON button.
when a subject is just kind of sitting around and the distance is not
Your camera will come programed to allow you to activate your AF
changing, there is always the possibility for something to happen
by both pressing down the shutter button halfway or by pressing the
unexpectedly. So, by its very nature, wildlife photography demands
AF-ON button. But I am going to argue that you should absolutely
that we expect the unexpected and be prepared at all times for the
not be using your shutter button to activate the autofocus of your
extraordinary. And so lucky for us, camera companies have built in
camera. Too much is happening here. Delays occur. Lag happens
an amazing work around.
– albeit very short lag. And you make life much more complicated
when it comes to using the various AF Modes effectively.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 14

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Journal of Wildlife Photography of Wildlife Photography
• Every issue is packed with • Every issue is packed with
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depth articles to bring you depth articles to bring you
workshop level information workshop level information
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The Journal of Wildlife Photography 15

When we separate the AF from the shutter button, allowing only the
AF-ON button the on the back of the camera to handle this function, Back button focusing is the most effecient
we are effectively “back button focusing.” Ever heard of it? I’m sure was of using your auto focus system.
you have. That’s all it is – using the AF-ON button. Wildlife photogra-
phers love it, and I don’t know of a single professional wildlife pho-
tographer who doesn’t do this.
Sony
However, simply using the AF-ON button is irrelevant to us if we do
not first disconnect AF function from the shutter button. For our Sony friends, there are three steps to setting up back button
focusing on your cameras. They are as follows:
Of course, Nikon, Canon, and Sony go about doing this differently. . .
1. Menu > Custom Settings > Custom Key Settings > AEL Button >
Nikon AF On
Inside of your Custom Settings menu, you will find an option under 2. While still in Custom Key Settings, go to AF/MF button and choose
the Autofocus menu entitled AF ACTIVATION. AF/MF Ctrl Toggle.
This allows you to choose which buttons you would like to assign for 3. Back under Custom Settings, go to AF w/shutter and select Off.
activating the autofocus. By default, it will be set to Shutter / AF-ON.
But if you switch this option to just AF-ON, then you will effectively Once you have assigned the AF activation solely to the AF-ON but-
separate the autofocus activation from the shutter button, leaving ton, your autofocus will only engage while you are holding down this
the AF-ON button the sole responsibility. button. If you were to hit your shutter button the autofocus does not
activate and the focus of the lens does not change. This means that
Canon you now have the option to either hold down the AF-ON button if you
want to continuously autofocus on a moving subject, OR let go of
Over the years, Canon has played around with where they hide their
the AF-ON button once you have acquired focus to effectively “lock”
option to set up your AF-On button. So, depending upon your camera,
your focus on a static subject. Since pressing the shutter button will
you may need to refer to the manual. But, for most new models, you
can find this option in the Custom Controls menu under Shutter, AF- only trip the shutter, as it no longer activates the AF system, all you
ON, AEL buttons. Canon’s system writes out the options with a for- have to do is set you camera for AF-C / AI Servo and you now have
all the benefits that AF-C, AF-S, AND manual have to offer!
ward slash to denote what happens with the shutter button and what
happens with the AF-ON button: Shutter / AF-On. To disconnect the Bird in flight? Hold down the AF-ON button while shooting to contin-
autofocus from the shutter button, chose: Metering Start / Meter + AF uously autofocus on the subject. Working a bear laying on the side
Start. This will assign your autofocus only to the AF-ON button. of a river eating salmon? Hit the AF-ON button until you acquire fo-
cus on the bears face and then let go. This will leave the focus right
where it is and keep your system from making continuous micro ad-
justments and causing you to have 1/3 of your images out of focus.
The Journal of Wildlife Photography 16
Photographing a two-toed sloth in the mangroves of Panama and modes that most people seem to concern themselves over. Nikon
can’t seem to get the AF to lock on because of the contrast of the and Canon and Sony and Olympus throw a multitude of options at us
leaves around the sloth’s face? Don’t hit the AF-ON button at all and with these things. And it seems like just about every photographer
instead simply reach out and focus manually. If you had tried to do out there has their own personal preference on which area mode is
this before, you would have to manually turn off the AF function of best used for which situation.
the lens or camera before adjusting the focusing ring of the lens.
Before I get into my preferences on the matter, it will probably be
Hopefully these examples let you see that by simply tapping, hold- helpful if we explain some of the basics here. The various camera
ing, or not touching a single button on your camera, you can have
all three of the key AF modes instantly. No digging through menus.
No thinking about or trying to remember how to do it. No lag time Understanding the different AF Area Modes in
between locking on autofocus and tripping the shutter during fast
your camera is the backbone to mastering your
paced action. It’s wonderful. It’s amazing. And its guaranteed to make
you jump higher, run faster, tighten your buns, give you a better back- auto focus system.
hand, and have cuter kids!

Another added benefit of separating the AF activation from your

shutter button is the ease in which you can manually override focus.
manufacturers have different names for their area modes. Howev-
Despite all of the technological breakthroughs that have happened
er, by and large, despite the difference in names, they are largely the
with autofocusing over the years, there are still situations in which
same in terms of function.
despite all of its sophistication, it just cannot handle focusing. Pho-
tographing in heavy falling snow is one situation. Trying to focus on Single Point (Nikon) / Manual AF Point (Canon): When it comes to
a subject that is shyly hiding behind things such as a tree or leaves auto focus area modes, this one is a simple as it gets. The Nikon
on a branch is another (sloth in Panama example). The fact of the name says it all. Single Point. It’s just one single auto focus point /
matter is, the more time you spend out in the field the more likely sensor that you are activating the acquire focus. This is as basic as
you are to find scenarios where it’s just plain easier to manually fo- it gets in the world of auto focus.
cus. And if your AF activation is still tied to your shutter button, then
Spot AF (Canon): This is a feature only available on prosumer and
you will need to flip a switch on the side of your camera or turn your
professional Canon cameras starting from the 7D to new models.
lens’s AF off. But if you are using the AF-ON technique, then all you
This is not available on Nikon systems. Spot AF takes a single fo-
have to do is simply reach out and focus your lens. That’s it. It is that
cus sensor and reduces the area on that focus sensor down to a
simple.
small spot. In theory, this would be used in situations when even
AF AREA MODES the one single focus sensor is still to “large” to focus on a part of
your subject – situations you would otherwise just go ahead and
When it comes to questions about auto focus settings, it’s the area
manually focus for.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 17

Real world reviews of this seem mixed to slanted strongly against the 1980s and leap into the present and future. This is where the tech
it. Some Canon photographers say they get good results using this behind the AF systems really begin to shine.
feature. Many others say its practically worthless because of the
With Dynamic / Point Expansion, we are still using a single AF point to
variability in the results.
acquire focus, however, additional focusing sensors become linked to
Flexible Spot (Sony): Sony’s flexible spot, like just about everything that single point and kick in when needed to help acquire of maintain
in the auto focus system, is basically a hybrid of Canon and Nikon’s focus. With Nikon, you can set this to 9,25, 72, 153 (these numbers
systems. The Flexible Spot is similar to Canon’s Spot AF, but it gives vary with camera models and yours may be 9,21,51). The numbers
you three size option which in essence blend Single Point and Spot represent the number of AF points that are linked together in order
AF together. Small, medium, and large are your options. You chose to help you achieve and hold focus. Let’s say you are using 9 points,
from how big of a spot you want to work with. The camera remem- or what is called D-9. On the newer model cameras, you will see the
bers your decision, and only that size area will be used to focus with. center focus sensor in the cluster illuminated with your standard
little rectangle, while the other AF points are represented as small
Dynamic AF (Nikon) / AF Point Expansion (Canon)/ Expanded Flex-
dots. Altogether, there are an additional 8 supporting AF points that
ible Spot (Sony): When we get into Dynamic / Point Expansion, we
will kick when needed. Your AF system will attempt to lock focus
go from bare bone auto focus functions that have been around since
with the point you select. But if you slip off your subject, the other
The Journal of Wildlife Photography 18
8 points are activated in order to try and reacquire focus. The same
goes for the other dynamic AF settings. You physically select the AF
sensor that priority should be given to, while your camera will link
the additional sensors around it to be activated if necessary.

Canon offers a very similar set up here with their AF Point Expan-
sion. Canon limits you to two options: 4 and 8 point expansion. Like
Nikon’s Dynamic AF, Canon attempts to acquire and maintain focus
by using a single autofocus sensor. If focus is lost however, then the
additional surrounding points kick in. Though Canon labels these
as 4 and 8 point expansion, there are effectively 5 and 9 AF points
working here. The idea behind the naming is that you are expanding
out to include and additional 4 or 8 points.

As our auto focus systems continue to evolve and we gain more

and more AF sensors to work with, the over all physical size of these
clusters grow smaller. On the Nikon system for instance, 25-point
dynamic AF in the D5/D500 is about the size of 9 point with the D4/
D810. Likewise, Nikon’s 9-point dynamic AF, that was added back to
the D5 via a firmware update, is the size of Canon’s 5 point expan-
sion.

3D-Tracking (Nikon) / Lock On AF (Sony): Nikon’s 3D-Tracking works

in conjunction with it’s Dynamic AF. You select the Dynamic AF set-
ting you wish to use, such as d-9. The Dynamic AF setting func-
tions as it normally would unless the subject moves OUTSIDE of the
group of AF points associated with that setting. When this occurs,
3D-Tracking kicks into play and changes the AF points automatical-
ly to “track” the subject around the viewfinder.

This option has evolved considerably over the years. Back in the
D300 days, it was completely worthless.

Today however, many photographers are met with good success ra-
tios when using 3D-Tracking. Personally, I still find that there is quite
a bit of variability in results when using this.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 19

Group (Nikon) / Zone AF (Canon) / Zone (Sony): Nikon offers an aut- compared to the days of film. But with that said, so much of what I
ofocus area mode that it calls “group,” but is represented as Grp on want to do with my camera is subjective.
Nikon’s LCD and in the viewfinder. When Group is selected, you will
I prefer to simplify my options as much as possible. I don’t want to
see 4 AF points illuminated at all times in the viewfinder. Technically
have to fidget with different focusing modes, so I use the back but-
there are 5 here, but the center point is not illuminated. At first glance
ton focusing technique. I also want to know that if I miss a shot be-
this may seem very similar to Nikon’s Dynamic AF area modes –
cause of focusing, that it is my fault and not my camera’s. I can work
only paired down. However, Group does function differently in that it
harder, perfect my technique, slow down, think things through, and
activates ALL OF THE FOCUS POINTS in that little cluster and gives
be more exact next time. The camera on the other hand simply does
priority to the one that lands on the closest areas of the subject your
what it does.
focusing on. This means that when you are photographing a large
bald eagle flying past at relatively close distance, if the bottom AF Thus, when it comes to auto focus area modes, I shoot with single
point happens to hit the wing of the bird nearest to you, then it will point, 9-point, or 25-point now that this is the same size in the D5 as
grab focus on the wing instead of the head of the bird because that 9-point was in the D4. For Canon, the equivalent would be manual
part is closer. AF point, 4-point expansion, and 8-point expansion. Likewise, with
Sony this would be Flexible Spot medium, and Expanded Flexible
Canon’s Zone AF works very similar to Nikon’s Group. The main dif-
Spot. The difference between the number of AF points in Nikon and
ference between these two however, is the number of AF points that
Canon, if you remember from above, is based upon the number of
can be used this way. The basic Zone AF of the Canon 5dM4 for in-
AF points offered in their cameras. Thus, the fewer the number of
stance, utilizes 15% of the available AF points giving preference to
AF points available, the larger an 8/9 point cluster will be.
the one that lands on the closest part of the subject. The Large or
Wide Zone AF uses 21 AF points the same way. Simplifying the options down to small clusters of auto focus sensors
gives us maximum control over our cameras, while still exploiting
AUTO-AREA AF (NIKON) / AUTOMATIC AF POINT SELECTION
the cutting-edge technology that comes with our camera’s auto fo-
(Canon) / Wide and Center (Sony): Exactly as the names of these cus system. Simplification means that we reduce the margin of er-
imply, this is automatic autofocus. In essence, you do nothing. You ror in camera. We want to lessen the possibility that AF sensors are
have control over nothing. The camera picks what to focus on and going to grab something else in the frame, causing us to miss out
when to focus on it. This is the ultimate point and shoot mode. on that potentially once in a lifetime opportunity. If our AF systems
function by locking onto contrast, there are far too many scenarios
So what does it all mean?
out there in which contrasty foregrounds or backgrounds fool our
When it comes to photography, I’m pretty old school. I don’t want my AF sensors into switching focus.
camera making a whole lot of choices for me, though I do love all of
The smaller the area of sensors that can be activated the better.
the technology in our cameras these days.
TRACKING
What we can accomplish with today’s tech is simply extraordinary

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 20

A big part of the success rate in our cameras today comes from our tion called Focus Tracking with Lock On. The exact option may vary
some depending upon the camera model you have, but you will most
This is Nikon’s recommended settings for most forms of sport photography. likely fund this under a3.
However, given the unique challenges we come across in wildlife photography, I
recommend changing the Block shot AF response to a setting of 4. The default Here, you will find two basic options that you can adjust: Blocked
comes set at 3. Shot Response and Subject Motion. By default both of these come
pre-set at a mid-point on the scale. Blocked Shot Response allows
you to adjust how long the camera will stay locked onto a subject
when that subject goes behind an obstacle, before the camera will
attempt to refocus. The smaller the number, the quicker the camera
lets go. The larger the number, the longer it holds on. For sports pho-
tographers who may be working with multiple subjects and wanting
to jump from person to person quickly, a smaller number is suggest-
ed here. For wildlife photographers who are typically only working
one single subject, a setting of 3-5 is a better option. Personally, I
have my D5 set to a Blocked Shot value of 4.

As for Subject Motion, the name says it all. Here, you can adjust the
setting to compensate for the type of movement you might find in
your subject. A subject that is back and forth, zig zagging everywhere,
and moves about with little to no predictability is going to need the
Erratic setting. Subjects that just plod along, slow and steady, com-
auto focus system’s ability to stay locked onto the subject as we pletely predictable, may be better at the Steady setting. I leave this
keep pace with it. In other words, our camera’s need to be able to setting at Normal.
track the subject, even as things change in the view finder.
Canon
This is different than what Nikon is trying to do with its 3D-Tracking
mode. Canon, Nikon, and Sony are all on board with this and allow Canon essentially offers the same sort of control over your tracking
for you to control the nuances of how they keep up with a subject. options as Nikon does, but breaks things up a little differently. In-
Like so much of what we are discussing in this article about auto fo- stead of one single user defined set of options, Canon offers presets
cus, for landscape photography this is all a moot point. But for wild- that they call Cases. Because Canon offers these individual presets
life photographers, this is absolutely critical. to get you started, for general wildlife photography, Case 2 is going
to provide your best settings.
Nikon
You can manually tweak all of the settings inside of the Cases, but
Nikon’s tracking ability can be found under the Custom Settings op- Case 2 comes pre-set with Subject Tracking Sensitivity set to Locked

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 21

On: -1. Per Canon’s explanation, this setting is best used for fast CONCLUSION
moving subjects when there is a possibility of them moving away
Auto focus is everything in wildlife photography these days. Yet, de-
from the selected auto focus points, or when objects may momen-
spite our modern obsession over technical perfection with exposure
tarily obscure subjects. In other words, exactly what you are likely to
and noise, it is all too common to overlook the nuances of our cam-
encounter photographing wildlife every single day in the field.
era’s auto focus system.
Sony
In this part 1 of Mastering Auto Focus, we concentrated strictly on
the technical side of the equation. Cross-type sensors, disconnect-
Canon makes these easy on photogra-phers in that they provide pre-sets called ing the auto focus from the shutter button, the importance of con-
Cases. For wildlife photographers, Case 2 is the best balance of settings for trast, tracking, and AF modes. In the next issue of TPJ, we will move
tracking subjects.
beyond the technical and focus on the practical application of the
various options and settings. When to use what and why.

PUTTING THE TECHNOLOGY TOGETHER

• Phase detection auto focus is best for wildlife while Contrast De-
tection of better for landscapes

• Auto focus is all about contrast.

• Cross type sensors are guaranteed to be in the center of your view-

finder and can pick up both vertical and horizontal contrasting lines
– making them better for erratic subjects

• For subjects that are not erratic, you can use any and all other sen-
sors. Just realize they are only going pick up contrast along vertical
lines. The more distinct the vertical contrast is, the faster and more
Sony places their tracking sensitivity under a very appropriately accurate these focusing sensors will be.
named option called AF Track Sens. Sony borrows from Canon here
• Disconnect your AF from you shutter button and only back button
in that the lower the setting, the more “locked on” the tracking is.
focus. Just do it. There is a small learning curve in terms of getting
Alternatively, a higher number allows for a more responsive auto
used to this. However, the benefits are extraordinary.
focus, giving you the ability to quickly jump from subject to subject
without having to re-actuate the AF system. For general purpose • For static subjects or moments, use single shot in order to forgo
wildlife photography, I recommend dialing in a setting of 2 for better missing shots due to micro adjustments in your auto focus.
tracking of subjects.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 22

• For moving subjects use continuous / servo to keep focusing on
your subject.

• Remember back button focusing gives you the ability to go back

and forth between either single shot or continuous instantly.

• For wildlife photography, stick with small, focused AF cluster or

single point. Use single point in cluttered situations where precision
is paramount. Use dynamic AF (Nikon) /expanded (Canon) for mov-
ing subjects. For landscapes, using single point.

• Your camera’s ability to lock onto and keep up with a subject is a

big part of each new generation of auto focus system. For Nikon
shooters, consider adjusting your Focus Tracking to a setting of 4.
For Canon shooters, I highly recommend Case 2. For Sony shooters,
adjust your AF Track Sens to a setting of 2.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 23

MASTER YOUR AUTOFOCUS
PART TWO

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 24

In the last edition of the Photographer’s Journal, we ran the first always searching for, always aiming towards, and largely dictates
part of our series on Mastering your Autofocus system. In part 1, how I approach the technical side of photography.
the focus was on simply understanding the various AF settings in
I prefer simplification. My personal focus is on light, composition,
your camera. We discussed the difference between cross type and
mood, and gesture. I am not interested in dialing in a different setting
vertical type AF sensors. Phase detection vs Contrast Detection AF.
for my Blocked Shot Response with every situation. For a lot of the
In other words, it was all technical. All the stuff most people would
Auto Focus system, I am looking for a way to dial in basic settings
probably classify as absolutely boring.
that work in most situations for me, and adjust what really needs to
This installment of Mastering your Auto Focus System will be dif- be adjusted to accomplish my goals as necessary. This is my dis-
ferent. This is the real world stuff; how it all applies in the field. In claimer to you. My artistic declaration. And maybe, a fair warning.
part 2, we cover case studies and discuss exactly what AF strate-
Let’s begin. . .
gy I chose to use in order to accomplish my goals. Of course, all of
this is a lot like Photoshop in the sense that there are multiple ways SANDWICH TERNS (BOW CHICKA WOW WOW)
of accomplishing any one thing. But with auto focus, it’s a bit more
philosophical in approach. Single Point and Single Shot

As photographers, we make conscious decisions as to how complex Photographing shorebirds, those little balls of kinetic energy, that are
or how simple we want to make things in the field. Some folks are just standing around on the beach can be a bit blasé if you ask me.
ultra-techy in their approach to the craft. They want the latest and Sand, bird, water. Boring. It doesn’t do anything for me. By its very
greatest technological options at their fingertips, and they are deter- nature, it’s all too documentary for my tastes. But this doesn’t mean
mined to use all of it. Custom functions are dialed in and programed that I turn my nose up at photographing shorebirds. By no means.
for various situations. Rules are set. And everything is tweaked ac- Instead, it means that I am always hunting for ways to make photo-
cording the situation. They love the technology. The mechanical wiz- graphs of shorebirds more captivating.
ardry of the system. The cutting edge of the latest sensors. This isn’t One way of doing this is to get own and dirty. I don’t mean getting
me. down on my knees. I don’t mean setting my tripod down as low as it
I am an artist first and foremost. My interest is not technical per- will go to the ground. I am talking lens on ground with me sprawled
fection. My interest is creating captivating images of the natural out on my stomach and getting sand on my face. It’s not the most
world. Images that tell stories and capture people’s imaginations. respectable of positions to be in.
This doesn’t mean that every photograph I create is a great work of Certain bird photographers from sunny Florida will rain on your pa-
art - the ones that I have chosen to illustrate my auto focus strate- rade by saying you are doing it all wrong by getting this low. Don’t
gies below, for instance, were picked for their ability to communicate listen to them. Experiment for yourself. Test the waters if you will.
the technical considerations that goes into this stuff as opposed to Just because their vision is one of sterility and defined “rules” does
their artistic merit. But art and vision and ultimately an attempt at not mean yours should be as well.
capturing the mystery and magic of the natural world is what I am

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 25

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 26
Thumb your nose at such attempts to breed conformity, and always front of the lens, I am going to have focusing issues. Now, with a
be suspicious of anyone touting a right or wrong way of doing some- 600mm lens, which is what I used to create this photograph, there is
thing. no way that my lens will focus on the sand itself. The minimum fo-
cusing distance of this lens is about 18 feet. Instead, what will hap-
Finding myself face down in the sand does a number of things for
pen is my autofocus system will be tripped up by the presence of
my photographs. Chief among them is that it puts me at eye level
something sitting directly in front of my lens if the area mode is large
with my subject. This is the default position of a wildlife photog-
enough to overlap it in the viewfinder. It will attempt to focus, never
rapher. This is ALWAYS my “go to” perspective to start with when
actually achieving this, and will endlessly search for something to
photographing animals. You can always choose to adjust your per-
lock on to. That is, unless I am either manually focusing, or using a
spective from there of course by getting higher, or even lower, based
very small and limited AF-Area Mode.
upon compositional considerations. But I start here: down low, eye
to eye - no matter how low or how uncomfortable or how inglorious Personally, I don’t want to manually focus unless it is absolutely nec-
of a position this may be. essary. Sometimes it is necessary, as you will see soon enough. But
it’s not 1967 and so I refuse to shoot like it is unless I must. I wasn’t
The second thing this does for me is it helps divide up the compo-
born for another 15 years after that anyways.
sition into three separate dimensions – foreground, middle ground,
and background. Landscape photographers obsess over this stuff. Thus, for this situation, I set my AF-Area Mode to Single Point and
Wildlife photography is really no different. I am always searching for effectively shoot with the equivalent of Single Shot as well (different
ways to breathe depth and dimension into my photographs. I want from Single Point). If you remember from the first part of this series,
to create the illusion of three dimensions on the two-dimensional Single Point gives us exactly what the name implies: one single AF
plane of a photograph, and composing in such a way as to bring sensor point to focus with. Nothing more. Nothing less. And yes, be-
these three plains together is a simple way to do just that. lieve it or not, there is a “less” if you shoot Canon.

The third thing that getting so low does for me is that it creates a By limiting everything to a single focusing sensor, I am able to con-
situation in which I am literally shooting THROUGH the sand - here trol EXACTLY where my camera is going to focus. This is critically
is the subjective touch for me. The sand is the foreground element important for me, especially when I am so close to my subject. Depth
of course. Shooting through it, blurring it out in front of my lens, cre- of field is a function of distance. The closer I am to my subject, the
ates an ethereal feel to the image. It softens things. It makes you more exact I must be when shooting small f/stops.
pause to consider the situation. It adds interest and a unique feel to
Pop Quiz: 99% of the time, where should you try to focus? If you said
the photograph. It’s ethereal. Ethereal: adjective, of or relating to the
the butt, you are wrong. =) Obviously the answer here is the eye.
regions beyond the Earth, lacking material substance, suggesting
the heavens. Yes please. Using Single Point to focus, I can move my focusing point in the view-
finder and place it right on the eye of one of these birds. As to which
The problem with this, however, is that by trying to literally shoot
bird I chose to focus on matters greatly here because the lower bird,
through sand, through any object purposefully composed right in
the female, is right on the edge of the out of focus sand.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 27

So, if I were to focus on her, I could potentially find myself battling This is a known fact. Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, everyone knows
with the sand. Luckily, both of these birds were on the SAME PLANE this. And, everyone details this in their descriptions of how their
OF FOCUS. This means that they are equal in distance from my lens. different AF modes function.
Thus, I can focus on the eye of the male on top and will get both birds
These birds aren’t getting any closer. Nor are they moving away. My
in focus.
sandwich terns are completely focused on getting their groove on
Now, the second part of this AF setting equation was shooting in Sin- here. They are like flapping rocks. So why sacrifice up to 50% of my
gle Shot Mode. Single Shot (again, different from Single Point), means photos? I want to lock focus once. Let it remain there. And capture
that once my camera acquires focus, it will not attempt to adjust or all of the images in focus.
refocus until I actuate whatever button I have programed to engage
The other reason I don’t want to continuously auto focus in this situ-
the auto focus. As I shoot with the technique called “back-button
ation is because of those flapping wings. Up and down, up and down
focusing,” I have no need to switch my camera into the Single Shot
they go – pretty much constantly. If I am using continuous focusing,
setting. I have disconnected the auto focus from the shutter button.
and one of those wings moves down in front of my AF sensor for
This means I can shoot as many photos as my card or buffer will
more than a second, which birds will hold strange wing positions in-
let me and never will the camera actually engage or turn on the auto
termittently when copulating, then my camera may try to switch fo-
focus of my camera. Only if I press the AF-On button on the back of
cus onto the closer object. No gracias.
my camera will auto focus kick in. Once I am convinced that I have
acquired focus, I can then let go of the button and my focus will sit Single Point and Single Shot (via back button focusing) are the way
right where it is until I tap the AF-On button again. to go here for me. They simplify things. They allow me to focus ex-
actly where I want to focus and leave that focus locked on no matter
The reason that I would want to do this here, is for two reasons.
what.
First, the bodies of the birds are not really moving. Sure, they are
going up and down a bit here, but they are staying the same dis- WHITE FACED CAPUCHIN – GOING MANUAL
tance from my lens. If I try to continually focus on them (Continu-
ous Servo / AI Servo) then the camera will always try to make small On a recent trip to Honduras, we found ourselves floating down the
micro-adjustments to the focus. The results could be as much as Cuerro River (Leather River) in search of primates. All around us we
50% of my images being slightly out of focus. Let me repeat that. could hear black howler monkeys roaring in the canopy of the rain-
If I am trying to continuously auto focus on my subject, as much forest. Individual tribes of these monkeys were calling out into the
as 50% of my photos may be out of focus. It is not always as high morning air declaring their existence to the world and defining terri-
as 50%. The closer you are to your subject, the less variables your torial boundaries in the process.
camera has to contend. The more defined the lines of contrast are As we approached one of these groups that were down relatively
where you are attempting focus, the easier it is for you camera to low, and right along the edge of the river, our guide who was pilot-
lock on focus. However, given the design and purpose of Continu- ing the boat noticed a small white face peering out from the foliage!
ous / Servo focusing, the micro-adjustments being made will always This was pretty unusual. I have seen plenty of white-faced capuchin
return a sizeable percentage of OOF (out of focus) images.
The Journal of Wildlife Photography 28
monkeys, but they are normally in large groups themselves. And they
are NEVER within feet of howler monkeys.

Looking deep into the dense vegetation that lined the river, I was
met with two coal black eyes set against a beautiful white face. We
locked gazes for a moment and I instantly realized the potential for
this photograph.

The problem with this situation was basically everything. I had but a
very narrow gap in the vegetation. This was 600mm territory. I was
on a boat and handholding. Locking focus onto this little face, with
the shallow depth of field associated with f/4, handholding a 600mm
and Nikon D5, in a small boat, added a whole lot of potential prob-
lems.

Working through situations like this is all about first identifying ex-
actly what the obstacles are that you must overcome. That is exact-
ly what I spelled out in the paragraph above. Identify the problems,
then work through the solutions to each one separately in your mind.

This was, without a doubt, a job for Manual Focus and NOT allowing
my AF to engage at all. Or, well, I should say it was a job for manual
focus, a high ISO, fast shutter speeds, and the VR II setting on my
lens as a moving boat (pitch and yaw) is the precise example that
Nikon uses when describing the function of this particular setting.

The reason that I chose to manually focus here instead of using Sin-
gle Point (or if I was shooting with Canon, Spot Focusing), was due
to the movement of the boat. This wasn’t a situation I could fine tune
the focusing on. As soon as I started to position my focus sensor
over the face, the boat would move, and I would slide off the mon-
key. This was a very narrow window to shoot in. Subtle movements
in the boat would have me grabbing a hold of the surrounding vege-
tation.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 29

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The Journal of Wildlife Photography 30

On the other hand, because I was shooting with back-button focus- earlier that day. To say that we were all exhausted would be some-
ing I was able to switch over to focusing manually in the blink of thing of an understatement. We were dog tired. It had been a long
an eye. Instead of having to fumble with my lens to find the AF / M day, brutally cold, with deep snow, and we had already filled memo-
switch on the side (and then remember to turn back on when I was ry cards. Naturally, everyone would be on the verge of falling asleep
done with this particular subject), I was able to simply reach out and when suddenly a long-tailed weasel appeared out of nowhere.
rotate my focusing ring – making sure I just didn’t hit the AF-On but-
Long-tailed weasels are often confused with ermine. Both are wea-
ton while working this monkey.
sels. Both are small. Both live in the Northern Rockies. Both turn
When I manually focus, I like to cheat. But, given that this isn’t a com- white in the winter. But one is bigger than the other and this is the
petition, is it really cheating? What this means is that I like to get my big one, the long-tailed weasel.
focus as close to my subject as possible and as quickly as possible.
You typically find these big little weasels one of two ways. Either you
So, instead of turning and turning and turning the focusing ring until
see a little black spot darting across the snow (their black tipped
things come into view, I acquired focus quickly on the massive wall
tail), or you think you see a white napkin or small plastic bag blow-
of green around the capuchin, and then tweaked things manually.
ing across the snow. That’s it. Chances are, you have driven right
Again, this is a HUGE benefit of using the back button focusing tech-
past one of these guys in Yellowstone if you have been there in the
nique – instant access to continuous, single shot, and manual focus
winter – and you had no idea they were there.
in such a way that allows you to use all three as needed.
The snow coach slammed on breaks, or well, as much of a slam on
The look that was happening here was only going to last a very brief
breaks as it could in the snow, and we all piled out to prepare our-
moment in time. So if this was going to happen at all, it was going to
selves for what can only be described as the wildlife photographer’s
have to happen quickly. Hitting focus on the wall of vegetation and
Special Olympics. Weasels are fast. They are agile. They are small.
then making my focus tweaks manually allowed me to obtain focus
They explode into any and every direction in the blink of an eye and
VERY fast. By shooting with back button focusing, I was able to both
there is simply no way that a human, especially one wearing snow
AF and tweak my focus manually without adjusting any settings or
boots and carrying 20lbs of gear, can actually keep up with them.
switches on my camera or lens.
Let’s just say that everyone lost about 10lbs of body fat this after-
Once the focus was set, it didn’t really matter how the boat pitched noon, and probably cleared out all arterial plaque in the process.
or yawed. The face of the capuchin would always be the only thing
In the winter months, the long-tailed weasel is hunting rodents that
in focus - unless the distance changed.
are in a state of torpor. Torpor is basically true hibernation, not like
LONG-TAILED WEASEL – CONTRAST, CROSS TYPE SENSORS, the stuff that bears do. Body temps drop to just a couple degrees
AND CONTINUOUS SERVO above freezing and heart rates slow down to 1 beat a minute as an-
imals go into a near frozen comatose like state until the warm up
A couple years ago I was in Yellowstone National Park during the
again in the Spring.
winter on a snow coach. We were traveling back from Hayden Valley
where we had photographed red foxes and river otters in the snow

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The Journal of Wildlife Photography 32
To find these rodents, weasels use their powerful sense of smell. sensors either. Remember, a cross-type sensor is one that can de-
Once the scent is picked up on, they dive down into the snow, enter- tect contrast in both vertical and horizontal lines - not just vertical.
ing into the hibernaculum of the sleeping ground squirrel, and pro- Because of this discrepancy, that is to say, because different lenses
ceed to eat them while they sleep. If it’s a big meal, they will curl give me access to a different arrangement of cross-type sensors, I
up and sleep the day away inside of their prey’s home after eating select the focusing sensors that I am 100% sure will be cross-type:
them. If it was small, they explode back out of the snow and dart off the center. No matter the camera, and no matter the lens now-a-days,
at seemingly a thousand miles an hour in search of another meal. you can be sure that the center column of focus points in your view-
finder correspond with cross-type focusing sensors. Have you ever
The frenetic energy of these little weasels makes them the equiva-
heard that your camera will focus faster when you use the center
lent of a mammalian hummingbird. The boundless energy is dumb-
focus points? This is why. Those are cross-type sensors, meaning
founding. Your four-year-old toddler has nothing on these guys. Add
that it focuses a bit faster because it can do so on either vertical or
to this the fact that they are white against white snow, their move-
horizontal lines.
ments are completely erratic and unpredictable as they are prey spe-
cies themselves, and you have one serious problem on your hands By selecting the center focus points, I assure that I have the best set-
trying to photograph these guys while they are hunting. tings dialed in for finding and locking onto what little contrast may
be there. This is not a go to setting for all situations of course. You
It’s moments like this when we come to depend upon the full pow-
don’t actually need those cross-type sensors in many, if not most,
er of modern auto focus systems. Birds in flight are a piece of cake
situations. And by depending upon the center focus points, you limit
compared to something like this. We want everything working in our
what is possible in terms of composition – especially when shooting
favor to help improve the odds that we actually come home with at
closeup. But when you need that extra help, you always know those
least one or two in focus images.
cross-type sensors in the middle got your back.
As I mentioned in the bit about identifying your challenges in regard
Now that I know I am going to be using the center focus points in my
to the white-faced capuchin, here, one of the biggest obstacles that
viewfinder, the next step is to determine which AF-Area mode I am
I faced was the overall lack of contrast to work with. The winter
going to use. You will recall that the AF-Area mode is the pattern of
phase long-tailed weasel was white on white against the snow. To
auto focus sensors you are using to try and acquire focus. When it
add insult to injury, the sky had clouded over, and it was getting late.
comes to something as fast and erratic as this long-tailed weasel, I
This means very little light, and even less contrast for my auto focus
use Dynamic-25 points on my Nikon D5.
system to lock onto.
The Dynamic-25 setting allows me to select one single AF sensor
When the going gets tough, in regard to contrast or erratic movement,
that will be my priority focusing point. This is the focus point I want
I set my focus using cross-type sensors. You will recall from the last
to try and keep on the weasel to focus. In addition to this single fo-
issue of the Photographer’s Journal that each camera is completely
cus sensor though, are an additional 24 focusing sensors that are
different in terms of where cross-type sensors are located, AND not
linked around it. These all have secondary priority and only engage
all lenses have the capability of working with all of those cross-type
if the focus point in the middle of the D-25 pattern loses focus.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 33

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 34
So, let’s say that I acquire focus on the head of my long-tailed weasel micro adjustments. But I can assure you, I would have 100% out of
as he runs through the snow. Suddenly, the weasel darts to the left. focus if it wasn’t trying to constantly adjust the focus in this situa-
I try to keep up of course, but since I cannot predict these kind of er- tion.
ratic twists and turns, I find myself constantly trying to play catch up.
Again, I am back-button focusing. Thus, in order to engage the Con-
Well, when he zigs and zags like this, and I lose focus, the additional
tinuous Servo focusing, all I have to do is simply hold down the AF-
24 surrounding points now all kick into gear to try and grab focus on
On button. As long as this button is being pressed, my camera is
the weasel. Brilliant!
doing everything it can to find focus on my subject.
I rarely use Dynamic-25, opting for Dynamic-9 in most situations with
It should never be your strategy to approach every situation like this
my D5. Dynamic-25 creates a large area of potentially active AF sen-
one. Yes, you have the technology in your camera, but all of these
sors with lots of room for error in terms of grabbing onto contrasty
options come with drawbacks. Relying only on the center focusing
backgrounds or foregrounds. But when the subject is truly this fast
points means you limit yourself creatively in terms of composition.
and this unpredictable, Dynamic-25 it is.
Using Continuous Servo / AI Servo is guaranteed to create out of
Now, for you Canon shooters out there, Dynamic-25 would be the focus photos for you in all situations because of the constant mi-
equivalent of Canon’s 8-point AF expansion. At first it may seem like cro-adjustments performed by the camera. And shooting with large
8 points is a far cry from 25 points. However, the devil here is in the AF-Area Modes like Dynamic-25 or 8 Point Expansion increases the
details of how many auto focus points each camera body has to be- possibility of you grabbing focus on other things than your subject.
gin with. On Nikon’s D5, I have 153 AF points. Not all of these are ac- But, in the right situation, such as this extremely fast and erratically
tually selectable, thank God. But those that are not manually select- moving long-tailed weasel in the snow, these tools can be brought
able are there to still assist. Now, compare this to the 61 points of together to help you come home with in focus photos that would not
Canon’s top-shelf 1DMii. Because Canon has fewer AF points in its have been possible otherwise.
system, 8-point expansion (which equals 9 total AF points) is about
BULL ELK – KEEPING THE AF-AREA MODE SMALL AND TIGHT
the same size as Nikon’s Dynamic-25. The same holds true for other
Nikon cameras as well actually. Going back one generation to the D4 This past fall, I chased the elk rut from Colorado north to halfway
body, Dynamic-9 was the equivalent of the new generations Dynam- across Alberta, Canada. Part of this epic journey was born out of
ic-25 because there were less AF points to work with and therefore it frustration with my library of elk photos. It had been a couple years
took fewer to cover the same amount of landscape in the viewfinder. since I had created anything new and compelling that caught my eye
with this species and I wanted to change that. A lot of my editorial
Last but not least is the matter of Continuous Servo / AI Servo. Re-
clients buy elk photos. I needed new elk photos. But, the other half
member, this is a weasel. This sucker is fast. Erratic. Nearly impossi-
of the equation was climate change. Quite simply, it was too darn
ble to keep up with. And I need all the help I can get. In this situation,
hot and I was chasing temperatures that allowed for the rutting be-
I want my camera’s auto focus to be constantly running, trying to
havior to take place during daylight hours.
focus, making micro adjustments, and helping anyway it can. Sure,
40% or more of my photos might be out of focus because of those

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 35

I started the trip in Rocky Mountain National Park – one of my all-
time favorite locations to photograph big bull elk. This was dead.
Peak of the elk rut (theoretically) and temps were in the 80s. Noth-
ing stirred. I needed highs in the 50s. So, I traveled north. I hit up su-
per-secret elk locations in Wyoming. Then Jackson Hole. And onto
Yellowstone. I spent a couple weeks traipsing around these parks,
and only when we had an early season snowstorm with 8 inches of
fresh snow, did the elk activity happen. When it warmed up a couple
days later, the activity shifted into the night when temps were cool-
er. So, north I went. Missouri Breaks, nothing. On to Canada. Banff.
Ice Fields Parkway. And finally, Jasper National Park. Here, nearly
1,500 miles north of where I started out in Rocky Mountain Nation-
al Park, I finally found the rut in full swing!

Of all the GIANT bull elk I found drunk on their own testosterone in
Jasper, it was a bull deep in the forest that proved to be the most
impressive. He saw over a harem of about 30 cows, and his antler
spread was simply amazing. Shooting inside of a forest can be chal-
lenging though. Bull elk in an open meadow? No problem. Anything
inside of a forest, with trees, and shrubs, and vegetation, and stick,
and twigs, and chaos, and distraction EVERYWHERE, well, that is
a different story. Despite all of this, I prefer the forested images. I
like forests. They do so much for a photograph, creating dimension,
mood, and just setting the stage for everything. Open meadows can
be a bit boring. So, when I found this big boy sticking to the trees, I
knew this was the elk I wanted to follow.

Like all of the other situations detailed here, I went about making
a mental check list of the problems that needed to be overcome.
The two big challenges of photographing elk in the forest are al-
most one in the same: cluttered branches and those big antlers.
The very things that work to make compelling photographs here
are the biggest obstacles that must be dealt with. Both are compo-
sitionally challenging. And both will grab your auto focus in a heart
beat thanks to their contrast.
The Journal of Wildlife Photography 36
My elk was steadily on the move. Stopping for moments to bugle. This gives me some level of control over it. And in cluttered forested
Pausing only to take stock of his harem. But then moving on, either situations, control is everything when it comes to focusing.
trying to keep up with the harem, or chasing them around to taste the
INCOMING WIDGEON – AF BUMPING AND FRAME BURSTS
air for pheromones and thus their receptiveness to his advances.
It was winter and cold and windy. The water was salt, but that didn’t
With this steady action, this was not going to be a situation for Sin-
stop it from turning to slush and ice near the banks. This particular
gle Shot or Manual Focus. No. This was a job for Continuous Servo
morning, I found myself sitting waist deep in this wintery half frozen
/ AI Servo focusing. I needed a setting to keep up with the action. It
soup and as happy as could be. Oh Cambridge, Maryland, how I love
wasn’t fast and erratic like a long-tailed weasel, but it was movement.
your ducks.
Back-button focusing meant that I needed only to press the AF-On
button to keep the AF system engaged and focusing on my elk. The sun and wind were both at my back – a perfect setup for ducks
in flight. You see, birds prefer to both land and take off into the wind.
Back to the matter of the branches and antlers though, I needed a
With the wind at my back, the ducks were coming straight at me, in
small and tight AF-Area mode that would give me some leeway if I
gorgeous light, with wings flared. An ideal situation for sure.
lost focus for a moment with all the running about in the woods but
was small enough for me to plant squarely on the face of this beast But as perfect of a setup as this could be for duck photography, the
without tripping up and hitting the antlers or a branch. problem I faced was the fact that I was trying to lock focus on a foot-
ball sized bird flying at me at roughly 50mph and capture in focus
Enter Dynamic-9 point (or AF 4-point expansion for Canon).
images of them before they dumped into the water. Of all the chal-
Small enough to target small places. And yet, it gives you a wide lenges you will face, a subject coming straight at you – especially
enough pattern of AF points to help you reacquire focus quickly when with speed – is by far the most difficult scenario for focusing (aside
lost. This is my go-to AF setting. Pick up my camera right now and from a white on white running weasel).
you will find this AF-Area dialed in and ready to go. Different situa-
In terms of camera settings, I approached this situation much like I
tions call for different settings, but this is my starting point with the
did with the long-tailed weasel:
Nikon D5.
• Continuous Servo / AI Servo
Dynamic-9 point allowed me to set my focus on the face of this
bull elk without running the risk of locking focus on those expan- • Cross-type sensors by using the center focusing points
sive antlers. Anything larger, like D-25 (AF 8-point expansion) and I
would run the risk of hitting the antlers or branches if the addition- • Dynamic-25 (8-point expansion for Canon)
al AF points engaged. Some ducks were larger than others. And so I did find myself jump-
As I stated at the beginning of this article, my philosophy is one of ing back and forth between Dynamic-25 and Dynamic-9 because of
simplification. I want my focusing strategy to be one that is as com- an issue with focusing on the wings of the duck when stretched out
pact and as simple as possible. in front.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 37

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 38
Dynamic-9 did, in theory, give me more control in terms of where I Now, if you were to bump your auto focus, track, bump, track, bump
placed my AF points, but by and large Dynamic-25 always gives me as you wait for them to get into place, if you lost focus off the bird
the better results overall. for a moment, your only doing so by a couple of feet. All you do is
then reposition your focus point on the subject, and bump again.
But here is the thing about this situation: it wasn’t the camera settings
This allows you to continuously track your subject and ensure that
that brought it all together. Instead, it was a focusing TECHNIQUE
you safeguard against focusing to infinity and back again.
called bumping. Bumping is a standard practice in bird in flight pho-
tography. But it works in all situations where you have a subject that Make sense?
is coming in fast and hot, OR straight at you.
If the bird is not coming directly at you, when it comes into range
Auto focusing bumping is exactly what the name implies. Instead of you hold down the AF-On button and start shooting. In the situation
holding down your AF-On button through the action, you bump the of this widgeon however, things are a bit different.
AF-On button to acquire focus, track your subject for a moment, and
To begin with, I was bumping my auto focus as I watched the bird
then bump it again. The idea behind bumping is that you are engag-
coming into view. Bump, wait, bump, wait, bump. This allowed me to
ing and disengaging the AF in bursts so that you never lose focus
keep up with the bird. As the bird approached shooting range how-
by more than a few feet. You don’t want to wait to acquire focus on
ever, instead of just banging down on the AF-On button and shoot-
your flying bird once it is in range to shoot. This is a recipe for fail-
ing 14fps, I worked in short, quick, bursts. As the bird approached, I
ure. So, as the bird comes into range, you bump.
would fire off 4 or 5 frames, let go of the shutter button AND the AF-
Picture it this way: On button, and then hit them again. By doing this, I was forcing my
auto focus to readjust its focus with the bird’s new position. Shoot-
A bird is flying in. You see it at a distance, its coming to you, you even
ing in continuous helps the AF to keep up with the bird of course.
predict its going to make a great photograph, but it’s too far out to
But by releasing the auto focus and then hitting it again, it ensures
shoot. You need to go ahead and get to tracking your subject though
that I lock on at least once more for another burst of frames before
so that way when the bird does come into position, you have focus
the duck hits the water.
and are ready to shoot. If you were to raise your lens up, hold down
the AF-On button to lock focus and continue holding it, you run the Whereas I am bumping my AF-On button as I wait for the bird to come
risk of completely missing the shot. Why? Because all it takes is into range, with the actual shooting I am holding down the AF-On
one momentary lapse in perfect tracking of the bird for you to lose button, but only long enough to pull off 4-5 frames. Once I have fired
focus. And if you are holding down the AF-On button continuously, my burst. I reacquire focus, and fire off another burst while holding
then your camera will begin to search for a subject to lock onto by down the AF-On button. Bumping and bursting.
first reaching out to infinity, and then zooming all the way back in to
Shooting in bursts like this works in all sorts of situations. Of course,
minimum focusing distance, AND THEN back out to where your sub-
anything and everything coming straight at you I highly recommend
ject was. Put the emphasis on the word “was” because by the time
that you shoot in short bursts and then reacquire focus. But any-
your AF system gets back to that spot, your subject is LONG GONE.
thing moving fast and / or changing directions and / or changing

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 39

distances from you and your lens, should be shot in bursts. Assum- So, regardless of how you “master” the technical parts of photogra-
ing your focus system will lock on to your subject and keep perfect phy, the only thing that really matters is that you do master it - some-
focus throughout all of the action is a recipe for soft photos. Shoot, how, someway.
refocus, shoot, refocus, shoot refocus. This is how you ramp up your
success rate in these situations.

CONCLUSION

There really isn’t a right or wrong way to utilize your auto focus sys-
tem. There are, however, ways to make your life simple, or a whole
lot more difficult. The above case studies were all chosen because I
felt that when combined together here, they covered the breadth of
possibilities that you may encounter in the field.

The idea behind using case studies like this was to reveal my philos-
ophy or strategies on focusing. Other photographers may have other
opinions. Maybe you have found that certain modes work better for
your style of photography than what I have described above. That is
wonderful! There are so many different ways to achieve your goals
in photography and what is most important is that you find methods
and strategies that are intuitive to you. If you are nailing your focus
in similar situations to those that I described, but with a different
approach than mine, I highly recommend you stick to that. The less
you have to actually think about what you are doing, the more mental
energy you have to put towards what really matters in a photograph
- which has nothing to do with exposure and focusing.

The technical side of photography is just one side of the coin. This
whole business of writing with light is very much a left brain / right
brain pursuit - which is why many photographers are also musicians
(myself included). Getting to the point where the technical and tech-
nique become second nature to you, only places you at the starting
line in this game. What comes next is your ability to communicate,
to create, to bring together all of the elements of chaos in the natu-
ral world to make art.

The Journal of Wildlife Photography 40

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The Journal of Wildlife Photography 41