Off-Centered Focal point indicator - D800

churin

I am getting familiar with D800. The following is my newbie question:
When I press the shutter button half way a small square indicator shows up on the viewfinder. It was once located in the center but now it is away toward the left side.
How can I control the location of the focal point indicator?

Ironheart

With the multi-selector. You can drive the active focal point around like a joystick or push the center to center it. See page 96 in the manual, you may have to unlock the focus selector with the lever that surrounds the multi-selector.

Don't take this the wrong way, but this is a super basic element of using any Nikon camera. Might I humbly suggest you read the manual or buy a book that leads you through the features? I recommend Thom Hogan www.bythom.com

WestEndBoy

When I bought my D800, I read the manual and the "D800 Digital Field Guide" from cover to cover before I seriously used the camera.

churin

I could hardly wait for the test shooting but you are absolutely right in suggesting that. I will go back to the manual and one of those books I have gotten(Mastering the Nikon D800 by Darrell Young).

Msmoto

My suggestion……download the manual from the Nikon website.

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/17722

Save it an you can then search for a word…. like "focus". This allows a much more efficient way of looking through the manual.

Gareth

^^^yip, this is what I always do.

I also suggest reading the whole manual.

There are things in the manual that you will not realise you can do unless you read it, and years later you will think "I'm sure I saw somewhere that I could...."

WestEndBoy

^^^yip, this is what I always do.

I also suggest reading the whole manual.

There are things in the manual that you will not realise you can do unless you read it, and years later you will think "I'm sure I saw somewhere that I could...."

That is a very good point. One of my projects sometime this spring will be to reread my Coolpix A and D800 manual. It won't take long as I can skim things I know. But if I find two or three new things, it will be worth it.

churin

I downloaded the Manual but wondered how I can search for a word as Msmoto suggested. Could anyone help?

PB_PM

At the end of the manual there is an index, look for auto focus.

churin

I thought that the pdf file for D800 manual is set up so that I can search a word within the file by entering the search word.

Vipmediastar_JZ

one quick tip: you can reset the focus point to the middle by pressing the button in the middle in the multi selector

spraynpray

My suggestion……download the manual from the Nikon website.

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/17722

Save it an you can then search for a word…. like "focus". This allows a much more efficient way of looking through the manual.

Just read the whole thing ten times because if you don't know about the focus points, I'll bet there are a hundred other things you don't know and will not absorb after reading the manual only once.

sideways

@Spraynpray +1 to that :-)

The pro level cameras have so many functions and choices in how you configure them that it will take several readings to figure it all out. Expect to keep coming back to the book as you come to try out live view, video, bracketing, HDR, off camera flash, tethered shooting ... yada yada

roombarobot

I thought that the pdf file for D800 manual is set up so that I can search a word within the file by entering the search word.

Use the "Find" feature of your PDF reader, it is usually under the "Edit" menu.

Ironheart

Also most PDF readers will let you go to the index and click on page numbers to jump to the indicated page. There is also Nikons manual app for smartphones and tablets.

MikeGunter

Hi,

@churin Control +F will open a search Window within the Adobe Reader.

I think you are specifically looking for 'focus point'.

My best,

MIke

churin

Thank you all for the suggestions how to use the pdf file.

macsavageg4

Yeah I read through most of the manual for the D800 before I got mine too. I was already familiar with what this thread is on since the D800 and D7000 are similar with how their software packages work. I have randomly forgotten to switch out of different AF modes and the like. I also try to remember that when I have it on single point and I am not chasing targets to lock the option to move the focus point.

ThomasHorton

I am one of those guys that reads the manual before I buy a camera. One of my photog buddies never reads the manual. I guess she likes being surprised. She tells me that even if she did read the manual, she would probably forget what she read.

Weird how different people handle things.