Irishman I am doing progress photos of construction in my Country Club. Put camera in corner - use Manfrotto panorama accessories. Using "auto" and 18 mm. Nikon. Two pictures per room but "white balance is "automatic"". However big windows so room is "in shade".

NEXT: To do better job, set on "M" or "A" at f/8. Autofocus works on "brighter" image but in dark area the camera "searches" to focus
and no mattr what "autofocus" A,S or C the camera cannot "achieve" focus. By using these settings I can set the "white balance" to "daylight" and since the room walls are light tan the result is
very natural, i.e no "bluishness". I have not tried "shade" or "cloudy". Panorama images are made using Panorama Facotry which
works very well...

Switching to "manual" focus works, but I would like the "autofocus" to prevail. Is it the 18mm lens? Nothing serious - it is volunteer and "routine photography" just to show constructin progress..

IRISHMAN Really hot here in Las Vegas !!

Irishman

The problem is that autofocus requires a high-contrast edge within the selected focus bracket. Autofocus will not find a lock on, for instance, a plain blue sky because there's nothing there for it to judge focus. This is made worse by using 18mm, because things tend to shrink in the focus brackets, making it harder to find an edge. But, I guess from reading your post that green mode worked with autofocus given the same situation?

Some possible solutions:

#1 Try changing setting 03 "AF-Area Mode" to "Closest Subject". This will allow the camera to select any focus bracket that contains a contrast edge. My guess is that this is the focus mode chosen by the green mode.

#2 Use manual focus and study a DOF chart to select an aperture and focus point which gets all your room within your depth of field, then pre-focus at that distance and switch to manual focus.

HTH and stay cool Irishman!

Larry - a Bay Area Nikonian
My Nikonians gallery

Larry - a Bay Area Nikonian
My Nikonians gallery

www.tempered-light.com

Irishman
Thank you, Kind Sir !! I can handle the "manual focus" aspects having started with 4 X 5 Busch Pressman!! (I am really old!!)

Closest subject may be the answer and will try that, of course. Will try both at the next session.

These cameras are full of surprises. They try to accomodate "all users" which is great - but film was "straight forward" but the
convenience of digital forces "learning" but the curve is steep !!

Unfortunately the "learning" begins when the camera decides you need more training "especially in the field".

This web page is "extremely useful" and the subscription is well worth it...and thanks again !!

Irishman...

Irishman

Closest subject could be dangerous.
Depending on the aperture used closest subject may mean that what you really want in focus (the whole room presumably) may in fact be out of focus.
I think in your case manual focus and manual selection of the correct f stop and shutter speed may result in more worthwhile images.

Irishman:

The "rooms" are quite large - and as suggested - beyond the "effective" range of any "rangefinder" system. It is easy enough to use manual focus - and the 18mm WA has more than enough "depth of field" at f/8 in a construction site. The "continuous search" activity I am experiencing just shows that it can't do "everything".

"Pay attention to details" has been part of the learning curve for me. To easy to rely on "automatic" having spent years on film from
4 X 5, Rolliflex, Olympus and Nikon !! No real "choices" in comparison to digital. And "subtle" controls that have to be addressed in taking some photographs, i.e. business meetings, external flash. Guide books are a help - but, like computer books, they tend to assume "you know that already, right??" SURE !!!!

And then, of course, there is printing !!

As always, many thanks for your help !! FUN Irishman

Irishman