Hello everyone! I am Danielle. In this video I will be sharing 5 time saving tips that I use
on my Nikon cameras to shave off those crucial few seconds out in the field, while I am shooting.
If you don't have a Nikon camera, then don't worry too much because some of the tips might just be applicable
to your camera brand as well. So, here we go...
In wildlife photography every second counts...and that is why I like to set up my camera to save me as much as possible time, while I am preparing,
shooting and reviewing my photographs in camera. As I said, I am using a Nikon D850 to demonstrate
the tips...but the tips might just be applicable to your camera. If you're shooting with a Nikon,
then the menu numbers might differ slightly, but the concepts and the names all remain the same.
So, let's start with tip number one tip. #1. Make use of your sub selector.
We like to also call this the joystick, and if you're lucky enough to have one on your camera,
then make use of it in shooting mode. I use it to move around my focus points. I find it much more
convenient, and much faster, than using the multi selector, which is further away from my back button...
which is the button I use to focus. So, for me using the sub selector is much more convenient when I am
moving around my focus points. On this point, I also like to activate focus point wrap around. What that
means is if I have selected the focus point to the far right of my screen - of my viewfinder - and I want
to quickly access the focus point on the far left of my viewfinder, then all I have to do is go one
to the right...and it will immediately start again and hop to the left of the screen. So it wraps around.
I don't have to toggle through all the focus points to get to the left-sided one. I can just keep going
right. It will wrap-around and it will start again left when I am falling off the edge of my viewfinder.
So that I find saves a lot of time. It is also applicable for top and bottom. For focus points
the top and bottom of your viewfinder as well. When pressed down, my sub selector activates focus...but
with a different autofocus area mode...then my back button activates. So my back button - my AF-ON button -
is set to single point focus, and my sub select to set to dynamic nine. So therefore, I have two
autofocus area modes very close to each other...and that saves a
lot of time. Especially when you have a heavy lens to hold, and the usual button that you would
use is on the left side of the camera. You have to take your hand off the lens. Drop your camera
usually down. Press the button. Change your autofocus area mode...and then lift your lens back up.
But, with these two buttons, activating a different autofocus area mode, it saves
a lot of time. I use my back button as my primary focusing button, but it's probably just because
old habits die hard, and I think it's a very good idea to use the sub selector to toggle around your
focus points...and then press it in to activate your autofocus. I think that will save even
more time than taking your finger off the back button, and putting it on the sub selector.
But, it's your choice. Either way, it saves a lot of time to do it this way. I will quickly show you how
to set that up. To customize your sub selector, go into your menu...down to custom settings menu...
all the way down to controls...
...custom control assignment. Then you will see this button over here...and it says sub selector. Now, this
refers to pressing the sub selector to the sides and up and down. If you select it, you can make your
sub selector act as your multi-selector, or as your focus point selection. Now all that this does...so, if
you say same as multi-selector, you have a scroll and a display next. This refers to playback zoom.
So, this is only for when you are playing back a photograph. So, say we select same as multi selector,
and we say scroll. It means that when you play back your photograph, and you zoom in,
then your sub selector is going to scroll around the zoomed image. If we select
display next, or previous frame. Then, when you zoom into your photograph afterwards...
and you use your your sub selector...it's going to flip from photograph to photograph.
So it's going to then select the next frame. So that's all it does when you select...
the same as multi selector. So that doesn't have an influence on moving your focus points around.
If you select focus point selection, and you're in playback...so there's your photograph...and now you
touch your sub selector. What it's going to do, is it's going to put you straight into shooting mode.
It's not going to scroll through your images...and even if you zoomed in,
and you push your sub-selector to the right, or the left, it's immediately going to activate your
focus points...and take you into shooting mode. If you then go to the next option...over there. Sub-selector center...
so that's basically for when you press the sub-selector in as a button...and that's
where I have it set to an AF area mode...different to the one set to my back button - my primary one -
plus activating autofocus...and that's what I mean when I say that it's
a second back button that activates a different autofocus area mode.
So that is set up for me as group area autofocus plus AF-ON...and those are the two sub-selector
options. To customize your your sub-selector.
To set up your focus point wrap around, go into your menu system...down to custom setting menu.
Choose auto focus, and go all the way down until you see an option that says focus
point wrap around...and make sure that is set to wrap. Tip #2 ...set-up your
command dial to scroll through images. This is something you have to actually set-up on
Nikon cameras, but check out your camera model. It might already be set-up on your camera model.
I find it much quicker to scroll through the images using my command dial instead of my multi-selector.
It's much slower with a multi-selector...especially if you've just shot, say 15 or 20
shots in succession, and you quickly want to check if you have a keeper...it's really convenient to
just scroll through using the command dial, rather than the multi-selector. So, that's a quick time
saving tip that I use when reviewing my photos out in the field...and this is how you set it up...
Go into your menu system...all the way down to custom setting menu...
down to controls...and then you'll see an option that says customize command dials.
Go down to menus and playback and make sure that that is set
to on...and now you'll be able to scroll through all your images using your command dial.
Tip #3...limit your autofocus mode to AF-C only. I am on AF-C for 99.9% of my shots.
That together with back button focus, covers all my options I find. The reason why I am giving you
this tip, is because I have had plenty of guests (and I have made the mistake myself)..that in the
heat of the moment, in a chaotic action-packed scene, you press in your auto focus button
on the left, and you scroll the wrong command dial. So, the one changes your auto focus area mode, and
the other one changes your auto focus mode. So, say you want to quickly change from single point to
dynamic nine...and you're not using any shortcuts to do so, and you're also not using your sub-selector,
then you might find that you accidentally switch from AF-C to AF-S. I have seen this happen plenty of
times...and then you miss the shot, because it's a movement shot...there's movement in
the shot...and unfortunately the camera doesn't track that because it's on AF-S instead of AF-C.
That's why I like to limit my auto focus mode to AF-C only. It's the way I shoot. As I have said, I am in AF-C
most of the time, so it doesn't bug me. If i do find that I need to use AF-S, it's usually in a scenario
where I have a lot of time to change...and then I can go into my menu system...and activate AF-S,
if I want to...but to prevent myself from accidentally going on to AF-S, I set-up AF-C as the only option.
...and this is how you do it. Go into your menu system...all the way down to custom settings menu. Autofocus.
...and then go down until you see an option that says autofocus mode restrictions...and then select AF-C.
Tip #4. Storing points by orientation. This refers to focus points, and I know for sure
that this is available in some other camera brands...other to Nikon. What this does, is the
camera remembers where you last left your focus point, in the orientation that you were in. So, if
you were in landscape orientation, it remembers where you were. If you turn your camera then into
portrait orientation, it will remember the focus point that you used last in portrait orientation.
I find this to be very helpful, because sometimes you're in a scene...and you want to have, for example,
an environmental shot. Where you portray the animal in its environment...and the focus point for example is
off to the far left of your viewfinder. Then quickly, before it does anything, you want to get a
portrait...a tightly cropped portrait shot of the animal, so you turn into portrait orientation,
quickly zoom in, click...and then you want to go back and wait for the animal to do something
in the environmental shot...and that's where storing points by orientation would
come in handy, because as soon as you turn your camera into portrait orientation,
your focus point would be on the top. On the eye of the animal. Top third of the viewfinder.
Another scene where this is helpful, is when you are shooting a bird in flight, or you're waiting
for a bird to fly. Now the nifty thing about some cameras - and with Nikon specifically - is that
with the orientation...not only can you activate a certain position of a focus point, but you can also
activate a certain autofocus area mode with that orientation. So, you're waiting for the bird to fly...
it's on the side of your viewfinder, because you're leaving space for it
to fly into your frame, and not clip the wings. Not cut it off. So, you zoomed out and you're waiting...
then you quickly want to turn into portrait orientation. Zoom in. Get a nice beautiful tightly
cropped portrait of this bird...but, for that, for example you want to be in single point...but for the
landscape orientation, you want to be in group, or dynamic 9, or whatever you use for birds in flight.
...and what you do is, you set-up your portrait orientation to have the focus point
on the top third, together with single point...and then you set-up for landscape to be on group, or
whatever, and the focus point is towards the left of the viewfinder. This is really handy...What
you will see - with portraits mostly - and as always there are exceptions - but mostly with
portraits (tightly cropped portraits), your focus point will mostly be on the top third of your viewfinder...
because that's where the eyes are, and you don't want to crop the legs, or the body
off below. So, usually for my portraits, I see that my focus point is on the top third...
and if I leave it there, in portrait orientation. Tip #5...make use of your custom settings.
Nikon calls this user modes, or photo shooting menu banks, or menu banks.
To me this is the ultimate time saver, and I have spoken about this in previous videos...
What this means (in a nutshell) is that you can save a group of camera settings - together -
and you can save a few sets, and flick/change between the sets really quickly...
at the click of a button. On a shortcut. So, for example, you are shooting a portrait of a animal,
and you're at 1/1000 sec, or whatever you have set for a portrait...and then
the animal starts walking into the shade, and you see it as a brilliant panning opportunity...
now instead of scrolling all the way from your fast shutter speed down to 1/15 sec,
for example, you can just quickly flick between your banks...or your user
modes...and you go from 1/1000 sec to 1/15 sec...really quickly!
You can add other settings as well to those banks, or those user user groups, and that's really handy
because you often want to - especially when you're getting creative in photography - you often want
to change quickly between groups of settings. I have done a very extensive video on how to do this, so
check out the link below, and you will see that you can set it up...depending on your camera other user modes
or photo shooting menu banks. These are five of my time saving tips. I am sure there are plenty more,
so if you have any other tricks up your sleeve, you are welcome to leave a comment below...
and tell me what you like to do, to save time when you're out in the field. Thank you very much for
watching our video. Please remember to subscribe to our channel, and click the bell icon to get
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