Gerard Satherley Photography

I use the following settings with the D300 for flight shots. They are the settings that I believe will allow a rapid focus acquisition and sharp images as the bird is tracked. Some situations will require some variations as noted.

External Camera Settings

AF-C  (Focus Mode selector switch on front of camera). This Continuous servo AF selection is best for moving subjects.

[+] Dynamic Area AF (AF Area Mode Switch on the rear of the camera). With AF-C selected, you choose the focus point and then if the subject leaves this selected point the camera continues to track the subject around this point based on how many points are selected at a3 (9,21,51).

Custom Settings

a1    Release + Focus

a2    Release

a3    9 points or 21 points   I use 9 points when the subject is moving in a predictable manner and 21 when erratic.

a4    Off   With this setting the camera immediately adjusts the focus when the distance to subject changes.

a5    Shutter/AF-On

a6    On

a7    No wrap

a8    AF51

a9    Off

Lens Settings

With shutter speeds above 1/1600 I turn VR off, otherwise of have it set to normal. I do this because of the time it takes VR to work and besides at these shutter speeds it is not required.

Set the focus limit switch to ∞ - 8. It aquires focus much quicker than when set on "full".

Technique Tips

Pre-focus when possible.

In most situations because of the good noise handling of the D300 I tend to use 800 ISO to give a high shutter speed.

Depends on a few variables, but I like to use apertures between f/6.7 and f/8.