Apr 28, 2016 With the release of the D5 and D500, Nikon have introduced an “automatic AF Fine Tune” feature into their range of dSLR cameras. We’ve spent a couple of days with our D500 in the Reikan lab running tests to get an idea of how Nikon’s new feature performs. AF Fine Tune. Explanation: In this menu you can fine tune the autofocus to let it focus consistently on a slightly shorter or longer distance. Tips: Avoid this menu! The autofocus of the D7000 is excellent and before playing with this setting better ask a professional camera service. Fine tuning the autofocus is worth considering only.

In this photography lesson I will show you a simple method of testing auto focus in your camera, see if you have front or back focusing problem and how to do an AF fine tuning.


INFORMATION FROM THE VIDEO:

Your camera can have back focusing or front focusing problem.

If you focus on the eyes with the wide aperture (let assume around f/2), your DOF should be as it is show in this image:

If you are focusing on the eyes and you get just nose in focus, you have a FRONT FOCUSING problem as it is shown in this image below:

If you are focusing on the eyes and you get ears and hair in focus instead, you have a BACK FOCUSING problem as it is shown in this image below:

Before you do any fine-tuning try to reset your camera first. It might help to fix your focusing problem:

1. Put camera on Auto
2. Go into the Shooting Menu and set it back to default
3. Go into Customs Menu and set it back to default
(Do steps 2 and 3 even if you have never changed anything).
4. Now do a full camera reset (the 2- button reset as shown in your manual) and hold for five seconds.
5. Turn camera off and on again and see if things improve.

Try to do those steps with the lens, you have focusing problems with.

The following are the cameras, which have a focusing adjustment feature:

Nikon

  • D7000
  • D300
  • D300s
  • D700
  • D800
  • D800E
  • D4
  • D3
  • D3x
  • D3s

Canon

  • 7D
  • 50D
  • 1Dx
  • 1DsMk3
  • 1DMk3
  • 1DMk4
  • 5DMk2
  • 5DMk3

Sony

  • SLT-A77
  • A850
  • A900

Olympus

  • E-5
  • E-30
  • E-620

Pentax

  • K-5
  • K7D
  • 645D
  • K20D
  • K2000
  • K200D

Different manufacturers call this feature differently:

Nikon: AF Fine Tune
Canon: AF Micro Adjustment
Sony: AF Micro Adjustment
Olympus: AF Focus Adjust
Pentax: AF Fine Adjustment

AF Fine Tune in Nikon D7000:

Go to: Menu -> Setup Menu -> AF fine tune

– Set AF fine tune to “On”

– Go to Saved Value and adjust your focus:

“+” – “front focus situation” – move the focused point away from the camera
“-“ = “back focus situation” – moves the focus closer to the camera

HOW TO TEST AF FOCUS IN YOUR CAMERA:

  1. Get a ruler and put it on the table.
  2. Choose a target line on the ruler to focus on.
  3. Set your camera on a tripod and point at the ruler at 45 degrees angle.
  4. The camera should be far enough from the ruler to be able to auto focus.
  5. Use the widest aperture (smallest F-number).
  6. There should be a good even light and proper exposure.
  7. Use S-AF/One Shot Single Point focusing mode.
  8. Make sure that your center focus point is set directly on the target line.
  9. Take a picture using auto focus. See if your target is in focus. Try a few time.

You can also use a devise called Datacolor SpyderLensCal SLC100 for more precise fine-tuning:

Related posts:

Nikon D3400 AF Settings

Nikon D3400 and included 18-55mm VR AF-P.bigger.

March 2017 Nikon D3400 ReviewNikon ReviewsNikon Lens Reviews

Help Me Help You

I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.

The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.

I got mine complete with lens at Adorama, also in red. You also can get it at B&H, also in red, at Amazon in all forms and at Crutchfield in all forms. It also comes as a kit with both the new 18-55mm VR AF-P and new 70-300mm DX AF-P lenses at Adorama and at B&H. Auto-tune not showing up in plugins list.

If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.

If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!

If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.

As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. There is no PDF or download; this is for if you want print from your browser window. Thank you!

Thanks for reading!

Mr. & Mrs. Ken Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.

Introduction

This is how you set the autofocus (AF) system of the Nikon D3400. See my Guide to Nikon AF Settings for other cameras.

Many of these settings are locked-out when the D3400 is in the green AUTO mode, set on the big top dial. I shoot in the P mode, which allows all these settings. For this page, use the P, S, A or M modes and you'll have access to all these settings. If you're trying to do something below and it won't work, it's probably because you have the top dial set to AUTO.

The D3400 only autofocuses with the latest AF-S lenses. Traditional (screw-type) AF lenses from 1986 through today will not autofocus on the D3400. If your lens says 'AF-S,' you're fine; most lenses sold today for the D3400 are AF-S.

The D3400 will not work with any lens with an aperture ring, even if it's AF-S.

Most non-Nikon lenses from Tamron, Tokina, Quantaray, Sigma and anyone other than Nikon may not autofocus at all on the D3400. Good luck; I rarely suggest these. If money is tight, I buy used Nikon lenses via eBay.

Autofocus systems are fast, but not instantaneous. You have to hold the shutter down halfway so the AF system can focus and lock, and then the camera will fire instantaneously when you press the shutter the rest of the way. See Preventing Shutter Delay for more.

The great news is that the D3400 is set-up right out of the box to work great under almost every situation. Unlike earlier cameras, this tutorial is going to be easy.

Free Live Help (USA only)

Want free live phone support?

In the USA, call (800) NIKON-UX.

My Favorite Settingstop

Here's how I set my D3400 for various conditions. I'll explain how to set these in the next section.

Everything

The D3400 is set perfectly by default.

Fine Tuning Auto Focus Nikon D5000 For Sale

I leave the D3400's autofocus settings as it came from the factory for most of my shooting.

I'll go to one of these other settings only if the default settings of AF-A and Auto Area (explained below) aren't working for me.

Still Subjects top

For still subjects, I leave it as above, or might set it to AF-S and Single Point (explained below) if the default isn't selecting the correct things all by itself. /little-snitch-342-key.html.

Moving Subjectstop

For sports and moving subjects, AF-A and Auto Area as set by default usually work, but if I'm going to be shooting sports all day, I'll set it to AF-C and 3D-tracking (explained below). This lets the D3400 track action as it moves around the frame and towards and away from the camera!

Select an appropriate AF area with the D3400's Multi Controller to select your subject, then as you keep the shutter button pressed halfway and keep shooting, the D3400 will keep that subject in focus as it moves all around the frame!

Handing Your D3400 to a Non-Photographer top

Ryan and Daddy, photo by mom. enlarge.

The D3400 makes great photos, even when used as a point-and-shoot. (OK, the shot above was shot by my wife on my D40, but you get the point. The D3400 is even better.)

When I hand my D3400 to a non-photographer, I leave the D3400 at its defaults of AF-A and Auto Area. This lets the D3400 figure out where to focus, and it works great.

You can set AUTO on the top dial and it will choose this AF mode, as well as reset a lot of other things back to default.

Focus Mode Switch top

The D3400 has no Focus Mode Switch of its own. This is one of many ways the D3400 saves money so it can do pretty much the same thing for $500 as a $6,500 Nikon D5 does.

Many, but not all, AF-S lenses have their own AF Mode Switches.

On the lens, M is manual focus, like the 1950s. Turn the focus ring on the lens and look for the focus confirmation dot in the finder.

'A,' 'AF,' 'A/M' or 'M/A' is autofocus, which is how I use the D3400, and what I'll describe below.

If your lens has a switch, leave it in AF or M/A.

Focus Modetop

This is where you select Auto or Manual focus.

You set the Focus Mode by pressing the ( i ) button to display the INFO screen.

Once the INFO screen is displayed, press the Multi Selector and highlight the first option along the bottom of the INFO screen.

When the AF selection is highlighted, press OK to adjust it.

Your choices are:

AF-A

I use AF-A, the D3400's default.

AF-A means 'Auto Focus — Automatic' mode selection.

AF-A magically selects between the AF-S and AF-C modes explained below. This clever AF-A mode looks at the subject: if it's holding still, the D3400 locks the focus in AF-S mode, and if the subject is moving, the D3400 tracks it as it moves nearer and farther in AF-C mode.

AF-S

AF-S is 'AF-Single.'

The D3400 focuses once, and then locks AF for you to recompose and shoot.

AF-A is smart enough to set this automatically for you if the subject is still.

AF-C

AF-C is 'AF-Continuous.'

The D3400 keeps focusing as the subject moves. Use this for sports and vehicles in motion, like cars, birds and aircraft.

AF-A is smart enough to set this automatically for you if the subject is moving.

MF

M is Manual focus.

Set this on your lens if you can, not here in this menu, since if you select it on your INFO screen, you're now stuck in manual focus regardless of how you set your lens. If you're like me, you'll forget you set this, think your lens or camera is broken and send it in for repair!

Turn the focus ring on your lens until the picture is sharp, or look for the electronic 'Focus OK' dot on the lower left of the viewfinder.

Set MENU > SETUP (wrench icon) > Rangefinder > ON and an additional bar graph will help you focus manually.

AF Area Modes top

These modes select how the D3400 uses its 11 AF sensors as marked in the finder.

Left at its default setting, the D3400 chooses and uses whichever it needs, automatically.

If you want to pick them manually, press the ( i ) button and use the Multi Selector to highlight the second option along the bottom of the INFO screen.

When the AF-Area Mode selection is highlighted, press OK to adjust it.

Fine Tuning Auto Focus Nikon D5000

Your choices are:

[ o ] Single Point

The Single Point mode is most helpful for still subjects.

In Single point, the D3400 uses only the AF area you select.

I use this (or 3D tracking below) if the Auto Area mode isn't picking the correct sensor for me.

In the Single Point mode, you can select which AF area is used with the Multi Selector.

Press the rear multi-selector in any direction to choose any sensor. The sensor lights only for a moment to let you know you've selected it.

To re-select the center sensor, press the middle OK button.

[ - o - ] Dynamic Area

Nikon D5000 For Sale

This is an older tracking mode left over from earlier cameras; the 3D mode below is even better.

These let you select which sensor to use to start, and then the D3400 is allowed to use any of the sensors around the one you selected as it sees fit.

In these settings, the D3400 first uses whichever area you select with the rear multi-selector, and will use the other areas automatically if the subject moves away for a moment.

You won't see which area is selected in the finder, but you can see it on playback if you use the right software.

[3D] 3D-tracking

3D-tracking is marvelous. It lets the D3400 track things as they move around the frame, and shows you which sensor is selected as it tracks your subject.

The rear multi-selector is also used to select the first AF area from which the D3400 tracks.

With 3D tracking, you may prefer always to focus with the middle sensor, and then move the camera to recompose. The selected AF sensors move around by magic, saving you the trouble of selecting them!

This really works. I use the 3D mode for sports, running animals and birds in flight if Auto Select isn't working for me.

[xxx] Auto Area (default)

Auto Area lets the D3400 guess which AF area to use.

In Auto Area, the D3400 almost always gives a great, in-focus shot.

I use this setting almost all of the time.

I only use the settings below if Auto Area isn't guessing my subject properly, for instance, if it's focusing on a closer distraction instead.

Thanks for reading!

See also my Nikon D3400 User's Guide:

MENUS

PLAYBACK MENU< NEXT

Nikon D5000 Firmware

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