Nikon 990 - Manual (Page 34)

Basic Photo
gra
ph
y:
F
ocus
34
Autofocus Mode
At settings of “autofocus” or “macro close-up”, the camera
automatically focuses on the subject in the selected focus area
when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway (in A-REC
mode, the camera automatically focuses on the subject in the
center focus area). The autofocus system operates in one of
two modes:
In A-REC, autofocus mode is determined by whether the LCD
monitor is on or off: continuous AF is used when the monitor
is on, single AF when it is off. M-REC offers additional settings
that give greater control over autofocus mode.
How it works AF Mode Pros and cons
Camera focuses
when shutter-
release button
pressed halfway
PRO
Photographs can only be
taken when camera is in
focus; saves batteries
CON
Slight delay before
camera focuses
Single
Camera adjusts
focus continuously
Continuous
PRO
Minimizes time required
to focus
CON
Photos can be taken
even when camera is
not focused—check AF
lamp before shooting
Getting good results with autofocus
Autofocus performs best when:
• There is contrast between the subject and the background. For ex-
ample, autofocus may not perform well on subjects that are the same
color as the background.
• The subject is evenly lit.
Autofocus does not perform well when:
• The focus area contains objects at different distances from the camera.
For example, autofocus may not perform well when photographing an
object inside a cage, as the bars of the cage will be closer to the camera
than the main subject.
• The subject is very dark (the subject should not, however, be too much
brighter than the background).
• The subject is moving rapidly.
If the camera is unable to focus using autofocus, use focus lock to focus on
another subject at the same distance, or measure the distance to your
subject and use manual focus. For more information, see:
“Focus lock” (following)
“Advanced Photography: Manual Focus”
For more information on:
Autofocus mode (M-REC)
Focus area