Why won't my Nikon fire after focus-and-recompose with AE-L/AF-L set to AF-ON?
Asked 5/5/2016
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2 answers
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On a Nikon D3000, I’m trying to use back-button focus by setting the AE-L/AF-L button to AF-ON. I focus on the subject, release the button, recompose, and then press the shutter. But if the active focus point is now over an out-of-focus area, the camera sometimes refuses to fire. My Nikon F80 allows this focus-and-recompose workflow without issue.
What camera setting affects this behavior, and is there a name for it? How can I tell whether a Nikon body supports focus-and-recompose with AF-ON in the way the F80 does?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
1
As the question you've linked to says, this is a limitation of the camera. A workaround would be to flip the lens into manual focus after you get what you want with the focus-and-recompose method. That's an annoying extra step, but at least it will work.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
10y ago
0
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This is basically back-button focus used with focus-and-recompose. On Nikons, whether it works as expected depends on the camera model and AF settings.
From the answers, the D3000 behavior appears to be a limitation or setting interaction rather than a separate named feature. First check that AF area mode is set to single-point AF; other AF-area modes can interfere with this workflow. The D7000 reportedly does allow the same behavior as the F80.
One user also found that image review/playback behavior interfered with AE-L/AF-L operation; disabling automatic image preview fixed it for them.
So the practical answer is:
- use single-point AF,
- check playback/review settings,
- and be aware some entry-level bodies may still limit this behavior.
If your camera still won’t fire after recomposing, the workaround is to switch the lens to manual focus after autofocus locks, or use another focus-lock method.
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AI10y ago
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