Comments on: 10 Reasons to Turn off Your Autofocus http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus Discover how to use your digital camera with our Digital Photography Tips. We are a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in our understanding of photography. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:32:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jean-Pierre http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-250540 Jean-Pierre Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:56:23 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-250540 On full manual (i set the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and manual focus), I took this photo and I'm sooo proud to say that I was able to do that. I took two photos in burst mode, this was the first photo. Let me know what you think in the flickr comments if you have a chance! http://www.flickr.com/photos/45517597@N07/6751980673/ On full manual (i set the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and manual focus), I took this photo and I’m sooo proud to say that I was able to do that. I took two photos in burst mode, this was the first photo. Let me know what you think in the flickr comments if you have a chance!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45517597@N07/6751980673/

]]> By: PaulB http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-247584 PaulB Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:14:39 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-247584 All good advice, I can think of another example, working as a wedding photographer in Devon, I'm thinking about shots when the confetti is being thrown! Fools auto focus nearly every time All good advice, I can think of another example, working as a wedding photographer in Devon, I’m thinking about shots when the confetti is being thrown! Fools auto focus nearly every time

]]> By: Hassan Alsaffar http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-239511 Hassan Alsaffar Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:56:05 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-239511 Hello every one, nice post. Just wanted to add one more thing where you don't use your AF; it's when shooting underwater. All the best Hassan Hello every one, nice post. Just wanted to add one more thing where you don’t use your AF; it’s when shooting underwater.
All the best
Hassan

]]> By: Jeff Sinon http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-239043 Jeff Sinon Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:40:47 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-239043 One feature I use on my Canon camera, and I assume other brand have it, is back button focus. Devorcing focus from the shutter button removes almost all unintended refocusing issues. One feature I use on my Canon camera, and I assume other brand have it, is back button focus. Devorcing focus from the shutter button removes almost all unintended refocusing issues.

]]> By: carlos castro http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-238843 carlos castro Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:51:09 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-238843 Use single point autofocus and you won't have problems at all, except for fast moving subjects (raindrops, falling objects) in which you have to focus in advance. In general, i use this method and my pictures are always razor sharp or blurry, whichever I WANT. I use nikon. Cheers! Use single point autofocus and you won’t have problems at all, except for fast moving subjects (raindrops, falling objects) in which you have to focus in advance. In general, i use this method and my pictures are always razor sharp or blurry, whichever I WANT. I use nikon. Cheers!

]]> By: thygocanberra http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-238784 thygocanberra Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:32:56 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-238784 ... and one other thing - most kit (zoom) lenses are not made for autofocus - the focus ring just doesn't have as much travel as it ought to. Even my Nikon 18-200VR doesn't have a great focus ring. The 35 f1.8 is so much better in this respect. … and one other thing – most kit (zoom) lenses are not made for autofocus – the focus ring just doesn’t have as much travel as it ought to. Even my Nikon 18-200VR doesn’t have a great focus ring. The 35 f1.8 is so much better in this respect.

]]> By: Tim http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-238324 Tim Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:54:06 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-238324 How about just setting your focus point to center focus point if your worried (and rightly so in some cases) about the camera selecting a different focus point other than what you wanted to focus on. Like for shooting HDR, or portraits. By doing so I know where the camera is focusing...right where I want it to. And Rodney, would you try and photograph a sporting event using only manual focus. How about just setting your focus point to center focus point if your worried (and rightly so in some cases) about the camera selecting a different focus point other than what you wanted to focus on. Like for shooting HDR, or portraits. By doing so I know where the camera is focusing…right where I want it to.

And Rodney, would you try and photograph a sporting event using only manual focus.

]]> By: thygocanberra http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-238261 thygocanberra Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:20:12 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-238261 That's all good advice. I am bemused that when part of the mantra to sell dSLRs is 'greater control' the old focussing screen split prism of film SLRs is not utilised. And added to that, the viewfinders of most (all?) of the entry level (and some above) dSLRs are woeful, (eg in comparison with my old Pentax ME Super). If you are like me and have strong glasses you will have a very hard time manually focussing with these tiny viewfinders. Frankly I'd trade all the video implementation and toy effects and some megapixels for a really nice viewfinder on a small dSLR. That’s all good advice.
I am bemused that when part of the mantra to sell dSLRs is ‘greater control’ the old focussing screen split prism of film SLRs is not utilised.
And added to that, the viewfinders of most (all?) of the entry level (and some above) dSLRs are woeful, (eg in comparison with my old Pentax ME Super). If you are like me and have strong glasses you will have a very hard time manually focussing with these tiny viewfinders. Frankly I’d trade all the video implementation and toy effects and some megapixels for a really nice viewfinder on a small dSLR.

]]> By: Rodney C. Davis http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-238252 Rodney C. Davis Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:08:31 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-238252 Wait. Stop! I haven't read all the comments, but so far I'm not seeing what immediately jumped to my mind after reading this article. I'm one of those guys that got started in photography back when you had to use a real dark-room, and "digital" was not a well-known word even in reference to clocks or watches. But the hobby was too expensive for me and I had to give it up for years. Then 3 years ago I got a Sony DSLR and to this day I'm not as satisfied with my work as I used to be back in the day. The article made me hit myself on the forehead... literally. I really need to shut everything down on this beast and just put the settings to what I would have been doing with my old reliable Pentax that didn not have a light meter. So what's my question? Ummm Can we see an article on reasons to turn ON your autofocus? Seems like this article is recommending turning it off in just about all scenarios. And I think its the best advice I ever heard. Wait. Stop! I haven’t read all the comments, but so far I’m not seeing what immediately jumped to my mind after reading this article.

I’m one of those guys that got started in photography back when you had to use a real dark-room, and “digital” was not a well-known word even in reference to clocks or watches. But the hobby was too expensive for me and I had to give it up for years.

Then 3 years ago I got a Sony DSLR and to this day I’m not as satisfied with my work as I used to be back in the day. The article made me hit myself on the forehead… literally. I really need to shut everything down on this beast and just put the settings to what I would have been doing with my old reliable Pentax that didn not have a light meter.

So what’s my question? Ummm Can we see an article on reasons to turn ON your autofocus? Seems like this article is recommending turning it off in just about all scenarios. And I think its the best advice I ever heard.

]]> By: Scott Webb http://www.digital-photography-school.com/10-reasons-to-turn-off-your-autofocus/comment-page-3#comment-238250 Scott Webb Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:02:03 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=11341#comment-238250 Focus lock is a blessing for a bunch of these points. I still think it's important for everyone to explore manual focus of course. AF isn't the enemy :) Focus lock is a blessing for a bunch of these points. I still think it’s important for everyone to explore manual focus of course.

AF isn’t the enemy :)

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