Tips auto focus

Accurate focus is important to get sharp photos. Photos of the focus off difficult or almost beyond repair.

In earlier times, there's only manual focus. Manual focus for digital SLR cameras rather difficult because many cameras have a viewfinder is smaller and less bright. But luckily a modern digital SLR camera has auto focus.

However, we must determine the proper auto-focus mode so that the resulting image sharp and consistent.

Here are some auto focus modes are commonly encountered in digital SLR cameras:

AF-S or single point focus (Nikon) or One Shot (Canon)

This mode is quite simple, you select a focus point, then half-press the shutter button. The camera will lock the focus point. Although the object image moves, the focus remains unchanged.

This mode is specifically for photos that are not moving objects, such as scenery, photo models, products and so on. Be careful in using this mode because if the object image moves the focus to be inaccurate.

AF-C or Continuous auto focus (Nikon) or AI Servo (Canon)

This mode is opposite to the first mode above. When auto focus is activated by pressing the shutter button halfway down, the camera will follow a moving object image motion. This mode is suited for sports photography, birds, and other moving objects.

The way it works is the camera more or less predict object motion picture and then move the focal point according to the predicted. What we need to do is keep pressing the shutter button halfway down and follow the object picture.

In a sophisticated digital SLR cameras, this mode can usually be modified specifically depends on the desire and the movement of the object image.

AF-A or AI-Focus

Auto focus mode is a mixed mode between auto focus mode single shot and continuous servo. When the camera detects the object image is not moving, then automatically will be like auto focus single shot, but if the camera detects the object image moves, it will automatically predict the location and follow the object image.

This mode is ideal for the object image that does not move but will soon move. For objects that are not moving or is moving, the better the auto focus directly using single shot or continuous mode rather than automatic.

Selecting a focal point

9 point auto focus that is usually found in the Canon DSLR cameras

In addition to the above mode auto focus, digital SLR cameras also allow us to choose the desired focus point, or let the camera choose the focus point.

If we choose the camera that determines the focal point for us, usually the camera will try to detect a person's face (face detection) or select the object closest to the camera.

Manual focus

Though in the era of digital SLR cameras, manual focus function has a lot left, but there are some conditions where the absolute focus or manual is recommended for wear.

Manual focus is better to photograph macro / close-ups of small objects, such as insects, flowers and so on. This is because the auto focus is usually fail to detect objects and objects that are too close to the lens and when the object image has low contrast.

In recent years, many digital SLR camera that has live view feature, where we can see directly the object image through the LCD screen. We can also use the zoom button to enlarge the image on the LCD. Using this feature with a manual focus when the camera be placed in the tripod can produce images with highly accurate auto focus.

Tips auto focus

In order to focus images always on target, the following tips that might help:

Use the center focus point, especially when you have a digital SLR camera that beginners or elderly. The focal point of the center is the focal point of the most sensitive and accurate.

Press the shutter button halfway down to lock focus, then you can merekomposisikan photos with the camera shifts to the left or right.

Turn on the lights aids auto focus (AF Assist Lamp) to help the auto focus in dark lighting conditions.

Auto focus often fail when we try to focus on the object image that is less contrast. Therefore, look for the contrast or edge object. Then lock the focus by pressing the button halfway down and rekomposisikan picture by sliding the camera if necessary.

See confirmation of focus in the viewfinder, usually a green circle or a green box. When it appears, it means that the focus is locked perfectly. This applies also when using manual focus.

Use live view features to raise the object image so that the focus be very accurate, but do not forget to use a tripod when using this method. source: infofotografi.com