I spent today photographing shore birds at the edge of a lake. D7000 with F4.5 400mm VR ED lense.

I had AF-C focus mode with "release"
Initially I used CH shutter mode so the camera would shoot bursts of exposures.

A flock of 20 or more Dowitchers gradually wandered so close the camera didn't want to focus. But even when the birds were far enough out the camera wouldn't always shoot when I pressed the trigger. I missed many great shots of birds bathing 12 feet out, preening and shaking their fluffed feathers.

I switched to AF-S mode and set the camera to single exposure (S)
But the Camera was still reluctant to shoot. I found if I changed birds, so the focus was forced to re-adjust, the camera would usually shoot. I must have had some auto-focus combination of settings that did not make sense. What causes this reluctance to shoot, even when the camera seems to be focused?

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Search for an August thread on the same subject. It was titled "Shooting Blanks".

Auto focus is a deep subject.

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Was the lens attempting to focus or just inactive and unresponsive? What the green "focus achieved" light on when trying to trigger? Did another lens result in the same problem? Was trigger mode set to "Release" or "Focus"? Did focusing on a distant object work, 12 feet is pretty close since minimum focusing distance is 3.3meters.
There are a lot of variables unknown by us to offer any more than a wild guess.
Stan
St Petersburg Russia

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Take it home and point at a blank white wall ..it will not focus ....you must have an edge or pattern for it to focus ..use singe centre point AF-S like all the pros do ..focus on an edge and then re frame ....

>...use single centre point AF-S like all the pros do...

That's a bit of an exaggeration! All the experienced photographers I know choose their AF settings to suit the subject.

I often use centre-point (with AF-C and the AF-ON button) and re-compose, but it's not the best option in all circumstances. With some types of subject I select an off-centre AF point, or use 9- or 21-point Dynamic area AF.

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
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we can shoot 1000+ pics in a couple of hours no time to hiss about changeing settings !!!

Quantity vs quality? How many are keepers at that rate? Even the best bursts are mostly wasted shots even if one is chosen to keep.
Brian is right, experienced users use tools as needed for the intended results. Some of the best, shoot the least, planning a shot if a slow scene and planning the anticipation if a fast scene. Pro landscape or wildlife shooters spend much more time preparing a shot than shooting.
Stan
St Petersburg Russia

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about 60-70% are keepers but most problems with people blinking/people moveing at low shutter speeds ..usually take 2 of each shot to allow for blink /changing to black and white re cropping...

I'm an amateur with a new camera. I didn't even know about the green focus light. The lighting was flat. The birds were wading in glassy gray water almost the same color as themselves. They were very close. The camera may have had trouble finding an edge.

I'll work with these ideas. I'm going back tomorrow.

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dont let the camera find the edge ..you find it within the central single focus point...then re frame..you shuould have no problem with those feathers but the white chest or water yes you will have a prblem