need advice on NIKON D5100 AUTOFOCUS

[rahulvartak]

Thankful if somebody can shed some light on 1.) Is the center AF sensor of the NIKON d5100 similar to that of the canon 600d in terms of flexibility.i.e. The canon 600 d central AF sensor is a f2.8 sensor.Does the NIKON one have similar capability? 2.) The canon 600 D implements phase detection autofocus in QUICK mode in LIVE VIEW.Is it possible to “indirectly” implement this in the LIVE VIEW of NIKON d5100?..

[Brendon]

1) There is no info that I have seen whether the Nikon central AF is more sensitive with f2.8 lenses. However the spec isn't as important as the implementation. Nikon for instance has better AF tracking abilities than a Rebel series Canon.

2) AFAIK Nikon doesn't allow phase detect AF in live view. You have to rely on the slower contrast detect live view or use MF. Do note that the Canon 600D will AF once and lock the focus. If you move a bit the photo will be out of focus.

[rahulvartak]

Thanks Brendon..I was just thinking about not using the viewfinder for most "non action" shots and thought that since phase detection is projected to be much faster than CDAF would a canon 600D be better than NIKOND5100 in that sense because of its QUICK mode in LIVE VIEW...or is it that the NIKON CDAF is faster than the CANON QUICK MODE?..Your comments please..

[Brendon]

If you are using it on a tripod then the Canon Quick mode is faster and easy to use. If you are using it handheld then its not a good option as the mirror will temporarily cause a blackout of the screen while it focuses and then it will flip the mirror back up again. I had tried this method and didn't like it at all but your mileage will vary.

If you really want to use an LCD to shoot then consider using Sony DSLRs/DSLT cameras as they use phase detect continuously so there is zero blackout and you can even capture and track action shots using the LCD. However Sony has very limited lens availability in India and support is available only for their camera bodies bought in India.

[rahulvartak]

But in terms of seconds how much difference does it really make in capturing say a telephoto (300 mm- 400mm ) image of a reasonably still wildlife subject ,like a resting tiger ,using a QUICK MODE on a canon and CDAF on a nikon?

[Brendon]

If you are using a long lens then its much better to use the viewfinder to stabilize the lens. Handholding a long lens and using the LCD is not recommended.

Generally it takes 2 seconds or more for Nikon to lock focus using live view. Canon can do it within 1 second if sufficient light is available. However long lenses can hunt if contrast is not available so its also advisable to use the OVF when shooting with long lenses.

[aim120]

If you are going to shoot with a lcd its better to look at the Sony SLT it has PDAF in live view and video,its viewfinder is 100% coverage what you see is what you get .Also unlike the D5100 and 600D which has 1 cross point sensor the SLT has 3 cross point sensors.

Even the mirrorless like M4/3 and NEX cameras are better then CDAF in nikon and canon DSLR cameras.

[rahulvartak]

That almost negates the advantage of the QUICK VIEW in CANON ...So it seems for stills NIKON D5100 seems to be the better of the two..also I feel the NIKKOR range is a notch higher than canon lenses in terms of quality..what are your thoughts?..

[lightwave]

That almost negates the advantage of the QUICK VIEW in CANON ...So it seems for stills NIKON D5100 seems to be the better of the two..also I feel the NIKKOR range is a notch higher than canon lenses in terms of quality..what are your thoughts?..

Hahaha Vimal you have a future friend here trying to stir the pot.
A Body is only as good as the lens in front of it and lens is only as good as the eye behind the body. Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony ... makes no difference. Provided you can get the right gear. Eg. if you need 600mm in future go for Nikkon. If 70-200 2.8 or 100-400 go for Canon. Just an example. There are no generalisations. So before you put your foot into it, decide what your future gear is ging to be. THEN see which brand is strong for that gear and go for it.

[rahulvartak]

If you are using a long lens then its much better to use the viewfinder to stabilize the lens. Handholding a long lens and using the LCD is not recommended.

Generally it takes 2 seconds or more for Nikon to lock focus using live view. Canon can do it within 1 second if sufficient light is available. However long lenses can hunt if contrast is not available so its also advisable to use the OVF when shooting with long lenses.

what is your experience with AUTOFOCUS on NIKON or CANON with extenders which bring down the maximum aperture to 6.5 ?..