Autofocusing - Nikon D600 Experience Manual To Operations

Nikon D600 Experience
a3: Focus tracking with lock-on
This setting determines how the autofocus system reacts to sudden, dramatic changes
in the distance of the subject when you are working in AF-C autofocus mode, or when
working in AF-A autofocus mode and Continuous-servo AF is active. (As will be
discussed in the Autofocusing chapter, AF-A mode automatically switches between
Single-servo AF and Continuous-servo AF based on subject movement, so you don't
necessarily know which mode it is working in.) The camera can be set to wait a brief
period of time - 1 (Short), a long period of time - 5 (Long), or steps in-between, from 1 to
5 (see Figure 47).
Figure 47 - Focus Tracking With Lock-On setting to determine how long the camera
waits before refocusing on a subject at a different distance, when working in AF-C or
AF-A Autofocus Modes.
For example, you may be tracking a football player across the field when another player
comes between you and your intended subject. This setting will determine if and how
quickly the camera then focuses on this nearer player, or if it continues to focus at the
original distance as the closer player passes through your field of view. If you do not
wish for the camera to suddenly change focus to the nearer player, set to a longer
period such as 4 or 5. If you wish to switch focus to a sudden closer or farther object,
such as perhaps a flock of moving birds where focusing on any bird and not a specific
bird is the priority, then set for a shorter period, 1 or 2, or even set for Off and focus will
immediately change. Keep this option in mind with the various AF-C Autofocus Mode
and AF Area Mode configurations (discussed in the Autofocusing chapter), as it will
likely change depending on your subject and situation. Sometimes you may not want
the camera to quickly refocus on a closer or more distant subject, while other times you
might.
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