# Why Nikon 51-point Auto Focus?



## KmH (Oct 16, 2009)

In case you were wondering!

With 15 cross-type focus points:

Nikon Imaging | Nikon D Technology THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

By comparison a D90/d3000/D5000 only has the Multi-CAM 1000 AF module with 11 focus points and only 1, the center one, is a cross-type focus point.


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## dhilberg (Oct 17, 2009)

Interesting, thanks for the link!


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## Garbz (Oct 17, 2009)

Cool. Nice article.


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## SpeedTrap (Oct 17, 2009)

*Why Nikon 51-point Auto Focus?*
Because it is just a whole lot of Awesome


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## KmH (Mar 14, 2010)

Lets run it through again.


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## Hamtastic (Mar 15, 2010)

KmH said:


> *Why Nikon 51-point Auto Focus?*



Because Canon's version had 50?   

_Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...

Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?

Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.

Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?

Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?

Marty DiBergi: I don't know.

Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?

Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.

Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.

Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?

Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven. 
_


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## ann (Mar 15, 2010)

huh?


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## Sam6644 (Mar 15, 2010)

Hamtastic said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > *Why Nikon 51-point Auto Focus?*
> ...



:thumbup::thumbup:


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## Overread (Mar 15, 2010)

Pfft





xkcd: Spinal Tap Amps

And yes more cross points and AF points is a great thing to have *says the 400D user with 1 cross type point...*


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## Sam6644 (Mar 15, 2010)

all of my points are cross points


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## pbelarge (Mar 15, 2010)

Would someone provide a little more detail as to what "_cross points and AF points " _are/and do?

Thanks


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## Dao (Mar 15, 2010)

pbelarge said:


> Would someone provide a little more detail as to what "_cross points and AF points " _are/and do?
> 
> Thanks



I beleive the cross type AF point have a pair of sensors that is perpendicular to each other  (Vertical and Horizontal) for more accurate AF.  And it usually works with fast lens.

So the AF speed of a EF 50mm F/1.4 lens on a XTi is slower than when it is paired with a 40/50D which has cross type AF point.


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## myfotoguy (Mar 15, 2010)

Good article, thanks. Will be useful when explaining why this focus system is better than a D90 (your example), for those that are trying to decide between the two and focusing performance is a criteria.


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## PhotoXopher (Mar 15, 2010)

Having had the D40 (3 points), D60, D5000, D90, D200 and D300s I can definitely say the 51 point focus is incredible, especially when trying to stay locked on an erratically moving object. I never fully understood the point until I had it, now I need it


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