hi guys! I'd like to talk just a bit about focus and what i've learned this past week. It's helping me improve the clarity of my images, and i hope the things i bring up here will help some of you who may also be struggling with focus.

Manual versus Automatic Focus: i almost always use automatic focus. i think the camera does a much better job than i do in most cases. i do use manual focus when i want to shoot a macro shot where my subject is surrounded by branches/grass/leaves, etc. because if i use automatic focus, so many times, my cam will focus on some stray twig or piece of grass that's sticking out instead of my subject.

Automatic Focus (AF) settings:

1. Monitoring Auto Focus (MAF), this is my camera's default setting. This mode will shorten the time needed to focus as the cam automatically start adjusting the focus before you even press and hold the shutter half-way down. As soon as we got my cam last year, Kemal took it out of MAF because it drains your battery significantly.

2. Single Auto Focus (SAF): this is where i have my camera set. Focus does not begin until you press and hold the shutter halfway down. Soon as you press the shutter halfway down, focus is locked.

3. Continuous Auto Focus (CAF): this mode will also drain your battery if you use it all the time. But it's good if you're shooting moving subjects with continuous focus. When your cam is in this mode, the cam starts focusing before you press the shutter halfway down, and then it will continue to adjust focus even after you've pressed the shutter halfway. If the subject is moving too fast though, my cam will have problems making focus adjustments.

How to choose a focus range finder frame:

Guys, i've found out that this is just CRITICAL to getting a properly focused image. i was wondering what in the He_L
my problem was with focus, and kemal and i figured out i've had my focus range finder frame NOT set properly. It's making ALL the difference now.

1. Multipoint AF: this is my cam's default setting. This setting is good when it's hard to focus on a subject that's not in the center of the frame. I would recommend using this setting when shooting a group of people. I'm thinking this mode is good when shooting a landscape also, but i haven't tested it yet and compared it to the Center AF.

One thing i wanna say about MAF...if you're having problems with images not having a sharp focus, check to see if your AF range finder is set in MAF. I had forgotten and left my cam in MAF for about 2 months now and have been wondering what's been happening with my focus. Duh...i just forgot all about this. I have to constantly think about things like this 'cause it's so important!

2. Center AF: This range finder is ONLY the center of the frame. I will use this range finder most of the time. What a HUGE difference it makes using Center AF vs. Multipoint AF...at least if you're taking a picture of a person, an animal, or an object.

3. Flexible Spot AF: This range finder is good when you want to focus on a VERY small subject or narrow area, especially if the subject is out of the center area.

APERTURE/DEPTH OF FIELD

Ok...all that said about automatic focus settings, i wanna tell you what i learned that i was doing wrong which was causing my focus to be off.

I've learned that when my aperture is set at, for example, f/2, only a small part of my image will be in focus, and i will have a very shallow DOF.

Ok, now if my aperture is set at say f/4, more of my subject will be in focus and my DOF will not be so shallow.

If i set my aperture at say f/8, i will have a large focal area, and DOF will not be shallow at all.

If i'm taking a picture of a person and i want to have their entire body in focus, i'd better have my aperture setting around f/8. Also, if i'm shooting a landscape and want most of the entire scene in focus, again, f/8 is the aperture i'd want to use (that's the highest my cam can go).

Now if i'm shooting a macro and want to focus on just one small part of the subject and have a very shallow DOF, i'll want my f-stop to be about 2.5 or something.

Anyway, it's finally becoming clear to me how aperture and DOF go hand-in-hand, and how my f-stop setting will make a HUGE difference on what is in focus in my image and what is not. Then when i decide on aperture, i will set my shutter speed to deal with the lighting.

Also, i'm still learning how far away to stand from my subject and how much to zoom in.

Anyway, i just wanted to share all this, hoping perhaps if any of ya'all are struggling with focus, that maybe a little bit of what i've said will help.

Focus is the biggest issue i have right now. I wanna nail it every time. Kemal and i are practicing every day, and i'm seeing a difference already.

That cat image i posted in my gallery...set wrong. Range finder was on multi-point instead of center. If i had had the setting right, i would have gotten a much better focus.

Anyway, sorry this is so long, but i thought this was important information that i wanted to share. Maybe for many of you it's just basic stuff. I've been shooting for 2 years though, and i'm just now really understanding all this. I'm a slow learner, but i think i'm getting there! :)

ya'all have a fantastic Sunday! :)

Message edited on: 11/13/2005 11:38