Seeing the auto-focus point when viewing photo (Page 2): When you do that the plane of focus has moved and the point you focused on is very unlikely to still be in the plane. That...

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

PHRubin wrote:

What I do is compose, pan to where I want to focus, focus, pan back to original composition, shoot. So if I focus on a person's eye, then pan to re-center the person and shoot, when I check the photo the highlighted focus point is not on the eye.

When you do that the plane of focus has moved and the point you focused on is very unlikely to still be in the plane. That plane is parallel to the sensor. Unless you moved parallel to recompose (which would mean really moving your body to the left or right) then that point is just no longer in that plane. It might still be in focus depending on your depth of field though.

The 80D has 45 focus points. It is better to select a point closer to your target.

EdU239 Loc: The Northeast

PHRubin wrote:

I mostly use my 80D. In both chimping or in DPP4 I can view the focus points with the one used highlighted. I have found, however, it is NOT highlighting where I focused in the field of view since I spot focus, then recompose. It is simply telling me which focus point I selected to spot focus with!

Is this true for all cameras and post processing programs that show and highlight focus points?

It seems to me that in effect you are composing the picture, focusing, then recomposing the picture and changing the focal point. As I understand it, locking the focus locks a focal range, but not a specific point. I think you need move the focal point to the desired position within the composition and then focus rather than creating a new composition after you focus.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

PHRubin wrote:

What I do is compose, pan to where I want to focus, focus, pan back to original composition, shoot. So if I focus on a person's eye, then pan to center the person and shoot, when I check the photo the highlighted focus point is not on the eye.

I use BBF on my D7100 and D500, center FP and lock, focus on eyes release BBF and recompose. Eyes will stay in focus.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Bultaco wrote:

I use BBF on my D7100 and D500, center FP and lock, focus on eyes release BBF and recompose. Eyes will stay in focus.

If your recomposition involves a very small move, the eye might still be within the DOF. But if you tilt your lens so that the eye, which was in the center of the frame when you focused is now half way to the right (or left) side of the frame, then the eye may no longer be in focus since it is no longer the same distance from the part of the sensor which is now reading the image of the eye.

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

ToBoldlyGo wrote:

Think about this. Why would it show the focus point on the eye? You moved the focus point. The camera doesn't know that you physically moved it. As far as it's aware, you kept the camera in the same spot. It's showing the last successful focus acquisition.

Correct. The camera knows only its internal focus point. If you single spot focused on an eye, the moved the camera, the camera would have to have some sort of object tracking to show the focus point (e.g. eye) in the recorded picture.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

dsmeltz wrote:

If your recomposition involves a very small move, the eye might still be within the DOF. But if you tilt your lens so that the eye, which was in the center of the frame when you focused is now half way to the right (or left) side of the frame, then the eye may no longer be in focus since it is no longer the same distance from the part of the sensor which is now reading the image of the eye.

Try it, you'll like the results.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Look in your guidebook. You can turn off that lit focus point so you won't see it when looking at the LCD screen.

PHRubin wrote:

I mostly use my 80D. In both chimping or in DPP4 I can view the focus points with the one used highlighted. I have found, however, it is NOT highlighting where I focused in the field of view since I spot focus, then recompose. It is simply telling me which focus point I selected to spot focus with!

Is this true for all cameras and post processing programs that show and highlight focus points?

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

PHRubin wrote:

I mostly use my 80D. In both chimping or in DPP4 I can view the focus points with the one used highlighted. I have found, however, it is NOT highlighting where I focused in the field of view since I spot focus, then recompose. It is simply telling me which focus point I selected to spot focus with!

Is this true for all cameras and post processing programs that show and highlight focus points?

How could the camera remember? It can't.

It can only remember the X/Y location of the focus point that was used, not the subject matter you were looking at.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Longshadow wrote:

I think I figured out a better way to state it:
It will display the focus POINT(s) used, not what subject they/it was focused on.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

PHRubin wrote:

I mostly use my 80D. In both chimping or in DPP4 I can view the focus points with the one used highlighted. I have found, however, it is NOT highlighting where I focused in the field of view since I spot focus, then recompose. It is simply telling me which focus point I selected to spot focus with!

Is this true for all cameras and post processing programs that show and highlight focus points?

You must be using BBF. I know of no program smart enough to show you the "real" focus point in this case, because you have moved the camera to recompose.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Bultaco wrote:

Try it, you'll like the results.

I have and it works as I have stated. The eye ends up soft at f-1.8 and even 2.8.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

nadelewitz wrote:

Are you locking the focus at any time? On what?
it sounds like you are not, and the camera is focusing on the one point, even if it isn't over the eye.

OF COURSE I lock the focus and exposure!

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

EdU239 wrote:

It seems to me that in effect you are composing the picture, focusing, then recomposing the picture and changing the focal point. As I understand it, locking the focus locks a focal range, but not a specific point. I think you need move the focal point to the desired position within the composition and then focus rather than creating a new composition after you focus.

If I have the camera using all points, the odds areit won't select the one on an eye. I am usually taking shots of fleeting moments and don't have time to manually select the one focus point that will fit the composition.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

People, my QUESTION was whether or not ALL cameras and programs work this way. The answer is likely YES.

ToBoldlyGo Loc: London U.K.

PHRubin wrote:

People, my QUESTION was whether or not ALL cameras and programs work this way. The answer is likely YES.

Your question isn't entirely clear, as evidenced by the responses, some of which are asking a different question to the one I thought you asked. Calm down. I think I know what you asked, but you might want to state it a little more clearly. I could be the one who's misunderstood after all.