Comments on: How to Use Focal Lock http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock 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 03:26:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jan Shanhun http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-243986 Jan Shanhun Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:42:53 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-243986 Really helpful tips re fireworks thank-you. Will go suss out my spot in advance! Really helpful tips re fireworks thank-you. Will go suss out my spot in advance!

]]> By: Melody Tregear http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-214666 Melody Tregear Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:07:27 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-214666 Hi Darren, Just a quick question: do I leave my setting on autofocus or manual focus? I ask because I've been trying to use this technique, but the minute I move the camera, even though the shutter is pressed half-way, it wants to start re-focusing. I've only recently acquired my first DSLR, having only ever used a compact and I'm really battling with my focus. Kind regards, Melody Hi Darren,
Just a quick question: do I leave my setting on autofocus or manual focus? I ask because I’ve been trying to use this technique, but the minute I move the camera, even though the shutter is pressed half-way, it wants to start re-focusing. I’ve only recently acquired my first DSLR, having only ever used a compact and I’m really battling with my focus.
Kind regards,
Melody

]]> By: Steven http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-156938 Steven Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:48:49 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-156938 craziemutant- In that case I would try and pre-focus (guess) using as large a DOF as you can while maintaining an adequate shutter speed. Then pray a bit and make sure he takes many photos. Basically, "shooting from the hip", with the same roll of the dice outcome. But, you may get lucky. Bringing a P&S along is not a bad option either :) craziemutant-

In that case I would try and pre-focus (guess) using as large a DOF as you can while maintaining an adequate shutter speed. Then pray a bit and make sure he takes many photos.

Basically, “shooting from the hip”, with the same roll of the dice outcome.

But, you may get lucky.

Bringing a P&S along is not a bad option either :)

]]> By: craziemutant http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-155447 craziemutant Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:17:55 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-155447 @Steven I sense sarcasm but that may be just how I read it. But either way, this whole thing still strays from the original problem. Non-photogs taking the photographer's picture with their DSLR. I handed off my camera to my sister than a worker some where the other day and both pics came out with me/us(the subject/s) out of focus because they didn't know how to properly do so. I don't see a solution but to sit them down and teach them if you know them or just bring a point and shoot as a back up. Apparently it's a hard concept to grasp. @Steven I sense sarcasm but that may be just how I read it. But either way, this whole thing still strays from the original problem. Non-photogs taking the photographer’s picture with their DSLR. I handed off my camera to my sister than a worker some where the other day and both pics came out with me/us(the subject/s) out of focus because they didn’t know how to properly do so. I don’t see a solution but to sit them down and teach them if you know them or just bring a point and shoot as a back up. Apparently it’s a hard concept to grasp.

]]> By: Steven http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-154219 Steven Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:20:16 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-154219 Focus lock is still a bit of a hit or miss since the photographer may unintentionally move the camera away from the plane of focus. For macro work you are shooting manually anyway (or should be). Before trying focus lock I would try: 1- set a different focus point inside the camera. 2-take a photo This may be slow at first, but the more you use it the faster you will be at selecting and shooting. At some point you wont have to look at your camera at all to make these adjustments. If you cant swing that, and/or you camera has a very limited number of focus points or what you want to capture does not fall on one of the points you can try this trusty method that has been used for a very long time: 1- Set lens to MANUAL 2- Focus your lens with YOUR HAND 3- Take a picture Focus lock is still a bit of a hit or miss since the photographer may unintentionally move the camera away from the plane of focus. For macro work you are shooting manually anyway (or should be).

Before trying focus lock I would try:

1- set a different focus point inside the camera.
2-take a photo

This may be slow at first, but the more you use it the faster you will be at selecting and shooting. At some point you wont have to look at your camera at all to make these adjustments.

If you cant swing that, and/or you camera has a very limited number of focus points or what you want to capture does not fall on one of the points you can try this trusty method that has been used for a very long time:

1- Set lens to MANUAL

2- Focus your lens with YOUR HAND

3- Take a picture

]]> By: craziemutant http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-152544 craziemutant Sat, 22 Jan 2011 07:59:20 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-152544 @Elsie He seems to have strayed from his original point. But here, he explains to use the focus lock um...function when the auto focus misfocuses your subject. Say you're photographing a child and his ice cream. So you go ahead and try to auto focus. You want him to the left of the frame so you get all this wonderful action in the back. But little to the center is a balloon vender in the background that catches the camera's focus instead. You don't realize it and snap anyway. You're now left with a shot of a balloon vender and a child with his ice cream out of focus. To counter this, before you take your shot, you want to aim the center of your viewfinder at the child. Then half press the shutter button to auto focus on him. While still half pressing the shutter button, compose your shot the way you want it. In this case, to the right to show the action. Like the balloon vender. Now that everything's set and the child hasn't dropped the ice cream, press the shutter button the rest of the way to take your shot. You should now have a child with his ice cream in the fore ground, in focus, and the balloon vender along with what ever else in the back ground, out of focus. Now to talk about how he started the article. He was speak about how you hand off your camera to someone else to take your photo. They just perhaps know about the half press, auto focuses, not knowing what it was focusing on and assumes their subjects i.e. you, are in focus and just takes the shot. When in reality, you weren't focused and grandma in the background was. He then suggests the practice of the focus lock, which is a great tool you'll most likely use often from now on, but does not explain how that helps the situation he started with. You see, it took his whole article then my whole comment to explain it again. Try explaining that to the guy you hand your camera to in about 30 seconds. You're probably better off handing it to a fellow photog that knows about focus lock. P.S. Sorry about the long comment. =/ @Elsie He seems to have strayed from his original point. But here, he explains to use the focus lock um…function when the auto focus misfocuses your subject. Say you’re photographing a child and his ice cream. So you go ahead and try to auto focus. You want him to the left of the frame so you get all this wonderful action in the back. But little to the center is a balloon vender in the background that catches the camera’s focus instead. You don’t realize it and snap anyway. You’re now left with a shot of a balloon vender and a child with his ice cream out of focus.

To counter this, before you take your shot, you want to aim the center of your viewfinder at the child. Then half press the shutter button to auto focus on him. While still half pressing the shutter button, compose your shot the way you want it. In this case, to the right to show the action. Like the balloon vender. Now that everything’s set and the child hasn’t dropped the ice cream, press the shutter button the rest of the way to take your shot. You should now have a child with his ice cream in the fore ground, in focus, and the balloon vender along with what ever else in the back ground, out of focus.

Now to talk about how he started the article. He was speak about how you hand off your camera to someone else to take your photo. They just perhaps know about the half press, auto focuses, not knowing what it was focusing on and assumes their subjects i.e. you, are in focus and just takes the shot. When in reality, you weren’t focused and grandma in the background was. He then suggests the practice of the focus lock, which is a great tool you’ll most likely use often from now on, but does not explain how that helps the situation he started with. You see, it took his whole article then my whole comment to explain it again. Try explaining that to the guy you hand your camera to in about 30 seconds. You’re probably better off handing it to a fellow photog that knows about focus lock.

P.S. Sorry about the long comment. =/

]]> By: Elsie http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-152205 Elsie Fri, 21 Jan 2011 05:24:36 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-152205 I am still not clear about focus lock. If you focus on persons face and lock in the focus why not just push shutter rest of way down and take the picture I am still not clear about focus lock. If you focus on persons face and lock in the focus why not just push shutter rest of way down and take the picture

]]> By: craziemutant http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-151606 craziemutant Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:49:49 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-151606 @jennyg Manual focus is you focusing. So it's always stopped at whatever you focused your shot at. Focus lock won't apply to manual focus because the camera isn't controlling it. You are. That's what manual means. Does that make sense? @jennyg Manual focus is you focusing. So it’s always stopped at whatever you focused your shot at. Focus lock won’t apply to manual focus because the camera isn’t controlling it. You are. That’s what manual means. Does that make sense?

]]> By: jennyg http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-151412 jennyg Tue, 18 Jan 2011 04:17:57 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-151412 I shoot with a nikon d5000, I do use auto focus and I do use the "focus lock" technique a lot. I used to just hold the shutter halfway & recompose my photo but i found the camera trying to "refocus" to where ever the main focus point is. I then realized that I have to HOLD down the AF/EF lock at the same time as the shutter, kind of unconfortable but i do it & it seems to work. I havent used manual focus yet because the few times I tried using it my subjects were out of focus. does the same technique work for manual focus. Focus and Recompose? I shoot in manual mode, AF single (most of the time). Also I was told it's best to use the center focus point and recompose your frame so that you get used to using that focus point all the time instead of switching it around and forget where was your last focus point and then you'll get an out of focus picture/subject... I know I made that mistake quite a few times :-) I shoot with a nikon d5000, I do use auto focus and I do use the “focus lock” technique a lot. I used to just hold the shutter halfway & recompose my photo but i found the camera trying to “refocus” to where ever the main focus point is. I then realized that I have to HOLD down the AF/EF lock at the same time as the shutter, kind of unconfortable but i do it & it seems to work. I havent used manual focus yet because the few times I tried using it my subjects were out of focus. does the same technique work for manual focus. Focus and Recompose? I shoot in manual mode, AF single (most of the time).
Also I was told it’s best to use the center focus point and recompose your frame so that you get used to using that focus point all the time instead of switching it around and forget where was your last focus point and then you’ll get an out of focus picture/subject… I know I made that mistake quite a few times :-)

]]> By: craziemutant http://www.digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-focal-lock/comment-page-1#comment-150999 craziemutant Sat, 15 Jan 2011 03:58:22 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/?p=182#comment-150999 That's great and all. But how do you explain that to the person taking your photo at a party in less than 30 seconds? That’s great and all. But how do you explain that to the person taking your photo at a party in less than 30 seconds?

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