What Every Photographer Should Know About Autofocus

Autofocus-Points-Camera-Lens

Get Twice As Many In Focus Images Without Buying A New Camera OR Lens!

If you use your autofocus points incorrectly you’re just rolling the dice and hoping you’ll get a great shot.  If you learn how to use your autofocus points correctly you’ll dramatically improve the number of keepers you get from each photo shoot.

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About Johnny Yakubik

Johnny Yakubik is the Founder- Editor- Publisher- Chief Cook and Bottle Washer at Modern Lens Magazine. He's a professional family and portrait photographer living in Southern California. You can see some of his work at http://californiabeachphotography.com

56 comments

“Canon 5D Mark III you have the most advanced autofocusing system that Canon offers. There are 61 autofocus points and as many as 41 cross-type autofocus points depending on the type of lens you’re using with the camera”

Forgetting the Canon 7DMKII 65-point all cross-type AF?

Why do people only see what they want to see – please re-read.
“One the flip side if you’re shooting with a Canon 5D Mark III you have “ONE” of the most advanced autofocusing systems that Canon offers. There are 61 autofocus points and as many as 41 cross-type autofocus points depending on the type of lens you’re using with the camera”.

For me, the article was a waste of my time, not informative at all. I also hate it when one has to chase an article through page > after page > after page >after page, well, you get the idea and not come away with any solid information. JMHO & 2₵

What every photographer should know about autofocus (and this article). If you read your instruction manual, you will learn how to use your autofocus correctly.

Summary of the article: Sometimes use one focus point, and other times use groups of points. Read your manual to know when to use which.

I will save everyone time and trouble as I also get fed up with these click next page advert scams. It says read the instructions that came with your camera and Practice !!!!! Gee I learnt a lot there 🙁

Go with center single point for focus and set your camera to back button focus. All your problems are solved.

That’s only true for subjects that are not moving. Moving subjects, such as sports, you can’t always use the center focus point and frame the subject correctly.

I don’t know what lesson in autofocusing is the author trying to teach other than suggesting that you dump your camera with only one cross-type focusing sensor and get something which has 41 cross-type sensors.

I don’t know what lesson in autofocusing is the author trying to teach other than suggesting that you dump your camera with only one cross-type focusing sensor and get something which has 41 cross-type sensors.

You should typo check this, ctrl+f one & corss.

I get very basic with this, using a different camera system no doubt, but i use spot and lock it exactly where i want it, then keeping the button half pressed, I recompose the photo how I want it to look.

Manual or ae lock with a dedicated button to avoid weirdness there (exposure lock also set to spot when im being finnicky). All depends how much time I have, worst case, with no time up my sleeve – ‘auto everything’ point ‘n pray’.

I’ve read that using the center point and recomposing is the way to go. I’ve also With equal conviction that center the closest single point on the closest eye gets the sharpest image. Depends on the day of the week I guess. I shoot Canon 5d Mark III. Any suggestions? Also, shooting a group, what’s the best suggestion then?

So, let me get this straight. People would prefer to pay for modern technology, then turn it off. Manual focus has its place with difficult scenes that are stealing focus, but to suggest using it exclusively is…. A little fanatical. Modern autofocus does a far superior job of nailing single point focus than you could ever do through the mirror of a dslr, and much much quicker.

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