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Autofocus vs. Manual


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14 replies to this topic

#1
K-9

K-9

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When do you use each and how often?  It's tough to say for me, as I seem to use AF more than I used to, but always still finding myself in situations where I use manual focus.  I'm definitely more split down the middle than someone who always relies on AF.  When I do more serious work, I always tend seem to MF.

 

I use autofocus for:

General photography, snapshots, family shots

Sports / Action

Some street photography

 

I use manual focus for:

Portraits

Street photography

Macro

Still life / abstract

Landscapes



#2
Stas

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I use manual focus for:
1) portraits - to be focused on eyes
2) Night photography (especially to focus on the stars)
3) scenes where I have nothing to focus on.

in other cases I using auto focus.

To k-9 why do you use a manual focus for landscapes?

#3
K-9

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To k-9 why do you use a manual focus for landscapes?

 

To control what parts of the scene I want in focus.  And especially when using the hyperfocal distance.



#4
Stas

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Thank you. Is it a big difference betwen focus to infinity and the hyperfocal distance?



#5
K-9

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Definitely, depending on the aperture and how much foreground you want in focus.

#6
TBonz

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I agree - I don't do many landscapes but would also use manual focus if I was looking to control my DOF or focus point.

 

I do use manual focus for some sports as I find it easier and more reliable.  Other sports I use AF...I'll occasionally shot a game with both at different times of the game...



#7
alden

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I usually shoot landscapes with a very small aperture, so focus was never something I was concerned with.

 

Unless I have a close subject in the fore ground, of course. 



#8
greenwing

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I use manual for macro, pretty much everything else is AF.

 

I met a landscape pro the other day who dismissed hyperfocal distance - if the foreground interest is in focus, and I'm at f/8 or smaller, he said, then the mountains are sharp too.

 

He wasn't too impressed with manual exposure, either.

 

Chris



#9
Thumper

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I use autofocus for almost everything.

#10
K-9

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I use manual for macro, pretty much everything else is AF.

 

I met a landscape pro the other day who dismissed hyperfocal distance - if the foreground interest is in focus, and I'm at f/8 or smaller, he said, then the mountains are sharp too.

 

He wasn't too impressed with manual exposure, either.

 

Chris

 

Depends on the lens.  He can get away with that with a wide angle lens, but if you're using a medium tele and you're focused on the foreground, you could be at f11 and still not have infinity sharp.



#11
rocknrumble

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Up to this point I only manual focus with Macro shots. But that may change if I get a Samyang lens.



#12
PrettyCranium

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Manual only for macro right now for me too.



#13
Verglace

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I only manual focus with macro, I set it at 1:1 and move the camera back and forth. I don't trust my eyesight enough to manual focus on thin DOF.



#14
Chrisf

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I would use manual if I find that auto focus is hunting too much when tracking a moving subject. Of course I go back to auto once it has stopped hunting.



#15
Jerry_

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Mostly AF.

Using MF for:
- macro,
- with large apertures (I rather tend to swith to MF),
- if I am not happy with what the the AF is focussing on (and I dont want to change the setting of the AF field measures)