Face detection is becoming commonplace in digital cameras. Your D7000 has four autofocus modes for Live View: Wide Area, Normal Area, Subject Tracking, and Face Priority. These modes are different from the standard modes like AF-S, AF-C, and AF-A. Face Priority mode is probably the slowest of the Live View focusing modes, so use it with a tripod or when your subjects are going to remain fairly still. When you turn on Live View with Face Priority focusing, the camera does an amazing thing: It zeroes in on any face appearing on the LCD and places a box around it. I’m not sure how it works; it just does.
Setting up and shooting with Live View and Face Priority focusing
- Press the Menu button and use the Multi-selector to navigate to the Custom Setting menu, then select the menu item A Autofocus (A).
- Select A8 Live View/Movie AF and press the OK button (B).
A8 Live View/Movie AF - Select AF-area mode and press OK (C).
- Select Face-priority AF (D). Press the shutter release button to exit the Menu mode and get ready for shooting.
Face-priority AF - Activate the Live View function by pressing the Live View button located above the Multi-selector on the back of the camera.
- Point your camera at a person and watch as the yellow frame appears over the face in the LCD.
- Depress and hold the shutter release button halfway to focus on the face and wait until you hear the confirmation chirp.
- Press the shutter button fully to take the photograph.