Nikon D200 Group Dynamic Settings

With Group Dynamic AF, you’ll select the sensor you want to use and the D200 will use it as the primary focus sensor. This setting allows you to be very precise in using individual groups of AF sensors by using selectable “grouped sensor patterns.” It’s somewhat similar to Single Area AF, except that the immediately surrounding sensors are also active, in a cross-shape (see figure 9 below). This allows some erratic movement from your subject, as long as the movement is not too large.

 

 

This works a lot like Dynamic Area AF, except that the active sensors are in a movable cross shaped pattern, instead of all eleven being active at once. This mode is best for erratically moving subjects that do not move very far. Maybe you are shooting an ant crawling around on a flower. He keeps moving, but your camera is bolted down to the tripod. This allows the camera to keep close focus on a small area, while allowing the subject to move around within that area.

Many sports photographers also use this mode for sports shooting. It allows an area around the primary focus point to stay active, which helps track a moving person, but not all eleven AF sensors are in use which might tend to pull the autofocus to another unintended person moving nearby.

Center Area Pattern 1, in Figure 9, is only one selection of Custom Setting A4. Pattern 1 also has another mode called Closest Subject Priority, which we’ll consider in the next section.

Nikon D200 Group Dynamic AF Closest Subject Pattern 1

In Group Dynamic AF Closest Subject Pattern 1, the camera focuses on whatever is closest and/or brightest in the viewfinder. In figure 10 is a simplified series of D200 screens that represents the focus sensors in use in this mode. Notice that no one particular sensor has the initial focus:

Since the D200 is using Closest Subject Priority, the camera will select the brightest and closest subject it can detect. It uses the cross-shaped pattern above to do so, and then tracks the movement of the subject across the AF sensors. The camera makes the choice of which sensor to use, initially, and as the subject moves from AF sensor to sensor.

For more detailed information on how Closest Subject Priority works, please see the section entitled “Dynamic Area Autofocus with Closest Subject Priority” later in this article.

Nikon D200 Group Dynamic AF Center Area Pattern 2

This particular mode of Custom Setting A4 works just like Pattern 1. The only difference is that the pattern is no longer in a cross-shape, but instead uses either a horizontal or vertical line of three or four AF sensors. In Figure 11 below you canl see a representation of how the thumb toggle switch moves the line pattern around.

Pattern 2 has a little trick available. Notice in Figure 11 above how the center pattern is a horizontal line of three sensors. Well, you can simply press the middle of the thumb switch and it will switch to a vertical line. In Figure 12 below, you will see the two CENTER selections that you may switch between.

Nikon D200 Group Dynamic AF Closest Subject Pattern 2

The final pattern available in the D200’s Group Dynamic AF is Closest Subject Pattern 2. This works just like any of the Closest Subject Area methods work, except that the AF sensor is in the same horizontal or vertical arrangement we considered in the last section.

In Figure 13 & 14 we see the same idea as in Figures 11 & 12, except that no particular sensor has the initial focus control.

You may also toggle between horizontal or vertical CENTERs with the thumb button center switch. See Figure 14.

This Group Dynamic AF mode may feel a bit overwhelming or confusing at first, since there are so many selections, toggles, and patterns. But, read it over several times, set the settings, and play with your camera. You’ll come to understand it very well with a bit of usage.

Group Dynamic AF is a very powerful group of functions. Use them well, and you’ll be rewarded with better images.

Nikon D200 Dynamic Area Autofocus with Closest Subject Priority

Remember how the Dynamic Area Focus works? If a bird landed BEHIND your rabbit, the D200 may decide it likes the bird better? Well, this version of Dynamic Area AF uses Close Focus Priority to ignore any objects or people behind your primary subjects.

 

You have NO control of what sensor is in use, but you will see an indication in the viewfinder screen of which sensor is in use. The D200 manual on page 54 states that you will NOT see a viewfinder indication of which sensor is in use. This is apparently a misprint in the manual, which I think is a close copy of the Nikon D2x manual. In testing the Nikon D200, the Dynamic Area modes, including this one, all show which sensor is in use. The Nikon D2x does not show you which sensor is in use while using it in AF-C mode, while is does in AF-S mode. I’m glad to see that the D200 always shows the active sensor.

In Dynamic Area with Closest Subject Priority, there is no indication of which AF sensor is in use UNTIL you start the AF by pressing the shutter button half way. But, then, you will see a red sensor flash showing which AF sensor is focusing on your subject. You cannot control that sensor in this mode, though.

The camera focuses on whatever is closest and/or brightest in the viewfinder. In figure 16 at right is a simplified Nikon D200 screen that represents the focus sensors in use in this mode. Notice that no one particular sensor has the initial focus:

This mode is great for snapshooting, or for group shots, or any time you don’t want to make any focusing decisions, yet still want great pictures. One of my favorite reasons for using it is the old two person background gap problem we discussed before. How many of us have beautiful pictures of the background, while the two people we wanted to take a picture of are completely out of focus? When you focused your camera, YOU were looking at the people, but the camera sees the gap between them, and a nice bright something in the background. Voila, ruined picture!

Close Focus Priority pretty much eliminates that problem, since the subjects are closer than the background. But, what happens when someone walks between you and your subjects? Do you want the camera to focus on the new closer subject? Not usually! So, it is also important that custom setting a5 is left ON with this AF mode. Focus Tracking with Lock-On prevents anything that might move in front of our “locked on” subject from interfering with our focus.

Please note, though, this warning from Nikon: “Camera may be unable to select focus area containing closest subject when telephoto lens is used or subject is poorly lit. Single-area AF is recommended in these cases.”

So, all you birders, wildlife shooters, and sports photographers out there take heed. It may NOT be a good idea to use Closest Focus Priority with your big telephoto lenses, unless the subject has very high contrast. Be forewarned! Why not try regular Dynamic Area AF instead.

Now let’s move on to a new technology introduced by the Nikon D200, namely, Normal or Wide-Frame Focus Zone Selection.