Focus: Hello I am having trouble with the focus/then recompose technique. I use center focus and single shot but my trouble is the recomposing part. The shot never seems to be in focus...

NikkiCee

Hello

I am having trouble with the focus/then recompose technique. I use center focus and single shot but my trouble is the recomposing part. The shot never seems to be in focus once I move it. Any advice on how to make this work.

Canon T31
Canon 430ex speedlite (attached to stand with umbrella)
50mm f/1.8

F/2.8
1/200
ISO: 200

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Make sure the camera is set to single shot! Do you keep the shutter half-way pressed when recomposing? Maybe try BBF.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

I see nothing wrong with this focus.The subject is sharp.

NikkiCee

speters wrote:

Make sure the camera is set to single shot! Do you keep the shutter half-way pressed when recomposing? Maybe try BBF.

That would be yes to all your questions. Maybe I need to practice this more :(

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

It is a very nice shot. Maybe except for the eyes, the subject has a pleasing softness to it, nice for portraits.

gdwsr Loc: Northern California

Be careful when recomposing that you do not change the distance of the sensor plane from the subject. For example, on this shot, as you recomposed her head actually moved closer to the sensor. To conceive this set your camera on a tripod at a level with a subject's head. Measure the distance to the sensor plane marked on your camera body to the eyes. Now tilt the camera down at the feet and measure the distance from the eyes to the sensor plane, the distance will be different (probably closer) . it is not much but could make a difference.

Try using the zone focus so you don't have to recompose.

Hope that helps.

Welding Teacher Loc: Greeneville, TN

I'm not sure about the Canon but with Nikon I can see the focus points in the Nikon Software when viewing the image.

It does look like her eyes are slightly softer than her skin.

I have seen mention of this for Canon too but don't know if it exists. It may let you see where your camera was focused at the time the picture was taken.

LenNC Loc: Chapel Hill, NC

Welding Teacher wrote:

I'm not sure about the Canon but with Nikon I can see the focus points in the Nikon Software when viewing the image.

It does look like her eyes are slightly softer than her skin.

I have seen mention of this for Canon too but don't know if it exists. It may let you see where your camera was focused at the time the picture was taken.

I have a Canon and it does have focus points. Nice feature.

Nate Loc: Ann Arbor, Mi.

Nice shot.
You are correct, It's a bit soft,. it could be sharper, but for images such as this, the focus is just as it ought to be.

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

There are two types of auto focus, one will latch onto a point, and attempt to follow it. Good for moving subjects. It does not freeze the focus point. So your camera re-focuses when you move it to recompose the shot. Make sure you have the static one.

I have a Nikon- so I found this for you. Hope it applies to your model.

http://jefflynchdev.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/canon-eos-7d-autofocus-modes-explained/

Dave Johnson Loc: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Hey NikkiCee, recomposing might be the problem. If you used a 50mm lens you must have been standing within ten feet of your subject. At that distance the focal plain at f2.8 is pretty thin. If you angle the camera up to focus on her eyes and then angle the camera down to recompose the shot the focal plain will have moved. You can correct this by using a different auto focus point. On the back of your camera in the upper right are two buttons, I believe the left button is the one you use to change the AF Point. Press that and use the arrow keys to change the AF Point. Another option would be to use a longer lens. Something along the lines of an 85mm to 100mm. That way you could back up a ways to get the same shot the difference being the focal plain is wider for a given aperture setting and the focal plain won't shift as much when recomposing. If I did it right this link might explain it better.

www.clickinmoms.com%2Fblog%2Ffocus-and-recompose-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly%2F&ei=BufvUa_hMISE8gTjhIBo&usg=AFQjCNEqrKAn2OXPlb6B9sJVIb8PEVJ8Ag&sig2=ZH9u5UT3g0-VbfwkcT8Vvg&bvm=bv.49641647" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.clickinmoms.com%2Fblog%2Ffocus-and-recompose-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly%2F&ei=BufvUa_hMISE8gTjhIBo&usg=AFQjCNEqrKAn2OXPlb6B9sJVIb8PEVJ8Ag&sig2=ZH9u5UT3g0-VbfwkcT8Vvg&bvm=bv.49641647,d.eWU&cad=rja

Penny MG Loc: Fresno, Texas

NikkiCee wrote:

Hello

I am having trouble with the focus/then recompose technique. I use center focus and single shot but my trouble is the recomposing part. The shot never seems to be in focus once I move it. Any advice on how to make this work.

Canon T31
Canon 430ex speedlite (attached to stand with umbrella)
50mm f/1.8

F/2.8
1/200
ISO: 200

This shot is great. The eyes may be minimally soft, but it works well in this particular photo! Nice job!

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

NikkiCee wrote:

Hello

I am having trouble with the focus/then recompose technique. I use center focus and single shot but my trouble is the recomposing part. The shot never seems to be in focus once I move it. Any advice on how to make this work.

Canon T31
Canon 430ex speedlite (attached to stand with umbrella)
50mm f/1.8

F/2.8
1/200
ISO: 200

I use this technique all the time with, like you, single point, dead center focal point. It's not the camera, it's something that you are doing - I don't mean that in a bad way toward you but it really is something you're perhaps not doing.

Okay. Focus on (in the case of this photo) on your lady's face. Do not release the half press and recompose. Her face will be in focus and in the light you had, she should be in overall focus. If you're not holding that half press when you recompose, that's the problem. If you're holding the half press but moving slightly, forward or back, that could be the problem.

As long as you hold that half press the focus and exposure are locked and cannot move.

Hope I helped... good luck

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

NikkiCee wrote:

Hello

I am having trouble with the focus/then recompose technique. I use center focus and single shot but my trouble is the recomposing part. The shot never seems to be in focus once I move it. Any advice on how to make this work.

Canon T31
Canon 430ex speedlite (attached to stand with umbrella)
50mm f/1.8

F/2.8
1/200
ISO: 200

Instead of using the center point, why don't you move your focus point to the top of your view and keep the camera still. It's a known fact, the when you move the camera in an arc after focusing, there will be some slight softness due to the nature of lenses and physics.

Next time you want some advise please include the metadata (EXIF) so we can see if there's also another problem with why your image is soft.

NikkiCee

drj521 wrote:

Hey NikkiCee, recomposing might be the problem. If... (show quote)

Your explanation made perfect sense. I will definitely try changing my focal point next time. Thank You!!