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	Introduction
	Body & Lenses
	Built-in flash
»	Autofocus
	Metering systems
	Camera controls
	Controls - continued
	CSM - Custom settings
	Detailed images

It used to be that you pointed your AF camera at the subject, lining it up in the little frame lines in the viewfinder, waited for the auto-focus to kick in and focus, then snapped the picture.
 

Nikon N80 thumb rocker switch .

On older cameras this could take a while, and could become frustrating when the subject was moving or in poor light. The older auto-focus systems were prone to "searching," or racking the lens focus in-and-out. With moving subjects it could be hard to keep focused.

With the N80, this is no longer much of a problem. The auto-focus (AF) on the N80 is best described as snappy. Instead of the single sensor as on most older AF cameras, the N80 has an array of five sensors that cover left-right, top-bottom, and center. 

You have multiple choices on how the AF system is used. If you are shooting a still subject like a flower or landscape, then you most likely will leave the AF system set to use just the center AF sensor. Just like the older cameras, the N80 will then focus on what the center sensor sees. But, let's say you are shooting a scene with two of your friends standing a few feet apart. In this case, you would normally have to point the center sensor at one of the people, lock the focus, then swing the camera back to your original composure. Otherwise, the center sensor would focus the camera on the background behind the two people, and you would have a lousy unfocused picture of your friends.

The N80 allows you to simply change the sensor being used by pushing the thumb rocker switch in the direction of the person you want to focus on. The left or right sensor then provides focus instead, and you don't have to move the camera. This works very well, and is easy to use. 

As you change focus sensors with the thumb rocker switch the sensor receiving control briefly lights up in red, and then becomes a much bolder black color. When you look at the viewfinder screen, it is easy to see which of the five focus sensors have control. You can select them at will, instead of swinging your camera around, locking the focus, and recomposing to shoot.

An alternate way of using the focus sensors is to simply set the camera on "dynamic" focus. This mode uses all five sensors at once in a wide array that allows the camera to notice the subject, and switch to that sensor. The camera generally will choose the brightest and closest object in the viewfinder in dynamic focus mode. That works fine as long as this is the subject you are taking a picture of, which is generally the case.

If you are shooting action, or a subject that is moving in any way, you can use the dynamic focus to your advantage. The AF system will lock-on to the subject as it moves across the viewfinder, and will actually follow the subject as it crosses the various focus sensors, keeping it in focus. This is very useful for sports, bird, and action photographers.