Tracking focus on a moving insect

4 years 2 months ago #675619 by Randy Shaw
I've been trying to take better photos of insects.   However one challenge for me has been setting focus.  When the insects move, I'm out of focus, which is nearly all the time. How in the world do you maintain focus when shooting insects? 


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4 years 2 months ago #675622 by Nikon Shooter
My usual subjects are waaaay bigger than insects but are
just moving as much and in greater spaces.

The shooting strategy in terms of focus I adopted is the 9
points on BBF and middle delay for recovery — that is the
time given to you to recover target before the AF system
triggers a new AF point search.

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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4 years 2 months ago #675652 by Randy Shaw
Thank you, do you think something like that can be used on macro where depth of field is much more sensitive and small?


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4 years 2 months ago #675658 by Nikon Shooter
The advantage with insects is that they don't usually fly
as fast as birds do… nor as far.

Unless you shoot with a higher pixel count body, you will
have to be pretty close to your subject. In this case, DoF
is just as critical but my concern it that it may take you off
guard and escape the VF. Using a higher pixel count body
allows you to back off a bit and, though the subject will be
smaller, give you a better chance to follow it. The higher pi-
xel count will still render a fair size print.

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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4 years 2 months ago #675707 by effron
BBF works in every mode and subject. I haven't used shutter button focus since digital......and you need a longer lens, at least a 150mm.....

Why so serious?
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4 years 2 months ago #675717 by Nikon Shooter

effron wrote: ......and you need a longer lens, at least a 150mm.....



Yes, I forgot to mention focal length. I use this one:

Micro Nikkor 200mm ƒ4

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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