Nikon D3X D3X User's Manual - Page 116

Framing Pictures in the Monitor (Live View) Select live view (a) mode to frame pictures in the monitor. The following options are available: • Hand-held (g): Choose when taking hand-held shots of moving subjects, or when framing photographs at angles that make it difficult to use the viewfinder (pg. 91). Camera focuses normally using phase-detection autofocus. • Tripod (h): Choose when the camera is mounted on a tripod (pg. k 94). You can zoom in on the image displayed in the monitor for precise focus, making this option suitable for static subjects. Contrast-detect autofocus can be used to compose photographs with the subject positioned anywhere in the frame. A Phase-Detection Versus Contrast-Detect AF The camera normally uses phase-detection autofocus, in which focus is adjusted based on data from a special focusing sensor. When [Tripod] is selected in live view, however, the camera uses contrast-detect autofocus, in which the camera analyses the data from the image sensor and adjusts focus to produce the greatest contrast. Contrast-detect autofocus takes longer than phase-detection autofocus. 90