Focus ONE spot or multiple?
Apr 16, 2019 17:16:43 #
Given all the emphasis on this site for lens sharpness and DXO scores and a potential 0.3% impact of a UV filter and an impact of a lens extender and so much the similar, one would think purposefully changing the plane of focus would be an anathema to all in the same way as it is to me ...
Apr 16, 2019 17:21:59 #
olemikey
Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida
Shooters preference!! Subject/situation dependent. That said, I prefer spot focus with a wider area metering setup (10-13mm). Everything else is optional for occasional settings as subject/situation changes.
Apr 16, 2019 17:43:04 #
billnikon wrote:
For birds in flight, using one spot is sometimes hard to use because of the erratic flight. I use GROUP AUTO FOCUS, which show 4 spots in the middle of the viewfinder, but actually there are a tight group of 16 within that. So I use this for birds in flight.
I do use single spot focusing for a bird in branches, I simply push my back button focus, which I have assigned to a single spot focus, put that one spot on the bird, and it is in focus.
I do use single spot focusing for a bird in branches, I simply push my back button focus, which I have assigned to a single spot focus, put that one spot on the bird, and it is in focus.
Thanks Bill for this - I have been practicing on birds lately and want to get better at it. I'm going to give this a try! A lot of birds are squirrelly and never stay on the flight pattern I expect :-)
Apr 16, 2019 18:20:42 #
I mostly use single point focus. The camera does not know what you want in focus.
Apr 16, 2019 18:43:59 #
therwol
Loc: USA
hassighedgehog wrote:
I mostly use single point focus. The camera does not know what you want in focus.
If you move that single point around to what you want to be in focus after composing the picture, then no problem. The OP is talking about using only the center point.
Apr 16, 2019 19:49:18 #
therwol wrote:
If you move that single point around to what you want to be in focus after composing the picture, then no problem. The OP is talking about using only the center point.
This presumes that the manual is clear how to do that. My Panasonic Lumix ZS60 manual is not clear at all. So I do use center focus then lock and recompose like I did on a film SLR.
Apr 16, 2019 20:12:32 #
therwol wrote:
Okay, this is very crude. I did this in Paint. I... (show quote)
Thank you for posting this and adding some clarity to the issue of using the single center point with recomposing vs composing first and then moving the focus point to the desired focus target. Your diagram is a big help. The last sentence in your post is very significant. For learners, the issue becomes "when does it matter and when doesn't it?"
CHG_CANON said "...one would think purposefully changing the plane of focus would be an anathema to all in the same way as it is to me..." I greatly admire his knowledge and willingness to share it, but in this case I think he's taking a rather extreme view. Of course, there are probably many on the other side who see no problem with using the center point to focus and then recomposing. I think more guidance on this issue would be helpful to novices!?
Apr 16, 2019 20:30:58 #
therwol
Loc: USA
srt101fan wrote:
The last sentence in your post is very significant. For learners, the issue becomes "when does it matter and when doesn't it?"
I think mostly it will come down to experience and observing results. You are not likely to do depth of field calculations when out and about to see if it may cause a problem. As I see it, and this was my experience in the film days, it's function of distance and f/stop. The closer your subjects are, the more it may matter, and it is especially true when using the larger (smaller number) f/stops. If you're taking landscape pictures from some distance, it really isn't going to matter at all.
Apr 16, 2019 20:51:33 #
Apr 16, 2019 23:04:08 #
Apr 17, 2019 03:34:55 #
I have a Nikon D500. I use BBF with nine focus points, the joystick is assigned to group focus and the fn1 button is assigned to single point focus so all bases covered. First two options for fast moving subjects and single point for slow moving subjects and static scenes.
Apr 17, 2019 03:44:52 #
srt101fan wrote:
I don't shoot with a tripod very often, but I assume that it would impair your ability to move the camera to get the center point on target and then move the camera again to recompose. So I assume that tripod shooters set up the camera to compose, and then move the focus point, not the camera, to allow focusing on the target, wherever that might be....
To each his or her own. Peace. But you really don't use a Tripod much I'd guess. That is what the Head is for. I meter and/or focus all the time and then slightly move the camera to recompose or re-frame. And yes, on occasion I have moved the focus point. But I'm so often using a camera on a tripod for a close-up or macro that I am manually focusing anyway.
Apr 17, 2019 04:18:13 #
therwol wrote:
Okay, this is very crude. I did this in Paint. I... (show quote)
Surely your original plane of focus diagram 'A' should be a concave curve, as should your diagram 'B' which, depending on the amount of shift, should keep your main subject closer to 'in focus' than it might otherwise seem. However - the amount of shift, in practice, is likely to be too small (relative to distance) to make a difference. There are other factors to take into account (zoom factor)? Looks like we are all splitting hairs? I shall take some pics and pixel peep.
Apr 17, 2019 07:07:43 #
I did not carefully read each post so please forgive me if this has already been said. Modern camera have wonderful algorithms that will look at the picture, find the nearest eye, and provide perfict focus for that eye. If you let the camera do all the hard technical work while you are free to concentrate on composition (which cameras suck at) you will often get very pleasing photos. In cases like above it's good to have multiple focus spots. On the other hand, many of us are "old school" we can get by very well with a small movable of spots that we place on the subject, or even use one center spot to focus with then turn off the auto and recompose. Another option is to use focus peaking if you have it and manual focus while you want the the focus to be. There are many good options.
Apr 17, 2019 08:52:46 #
roowad_1950
Loc: Arizona
I have always used the center focusing spot as long as I've been photographing.
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