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Which AF point do you use?


6 years 2 months ago #563028 by Jill Pomeroy
Good evening all.  I was looking around at various post about autofocus and found that most people are shooting center point, and then recomposing.  Figured I would run this by you all to see what was your preferred auto focus mode?

Just wondering
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6 years 2 months ago #563031 by effron
Center most of the time, because I usually shoot static objects. Hummers in flight, all I can get and 3D tracking.....
Why so serious?
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6 years 2 months ago #563069 by garyrhook
I honestly don't understand why anyone would recommend recomposing for a subject that might move. Especially with a shallow depth of field.

I use single point focus, only the 11 AF points that are worthwhile, and move it around with the joystick on my D750.

Use set and recompose for static subjects, or a deep DoF. Or, as Effron said, many points + 3D for something dynamic.

IMO, of course. But what do I know?
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6 years 2 months ago #563071 by effron
I just posted a link to Arthur Morris' switch to Nikon for mainly the AF excellence in the Nikon forum. Its an interesting read....
Why so serious?
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6 years 2 months ago #563154 by Shadowfixer1
I am a focus with the center point and recompose photographer. I don't have a problem with shallow DOF. Why would I? I focused on the subject to begin with. I find it faster than fiddling with a joystick or controller button to move the focus point. It's what you had to do when I started and I still do it today.  
www.betterphoto.com/?ramshots
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6 years 2 months ago #563155 by G Vernon
With shallow depth of field using focus recompose is problematic simply because your angle of view will change and usually the eyes of whatever you are focusing on will indeed drift out of focus.
It´s so easy to use a single focus point and toggle it around the frame until it lays on the point of focus you need.
If dof is sufficient to cover the entire subject then it´s less of an issue.
I always link to this explanation and diagram when this topic comes up:
digital-photography-school.com/the-probl...us-recompose-method/
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6 years 2 months ago #563181 by Shadowfixer1

GJ-Vernon wrote: With shallow depth of field using focus recompose is problematic simply because your angle of view will change and usually the eyes of whatever you are focusing on will indeed drift out of focus.
It´s so easy to use a single focus point and toggle it around the frame until it lays on the point of focus you need.
If dof is sufficient to cover the entire subject then it´s less of an issue.
I always link to this explanation and diagram when this topic comes up:
digital-photography-school.com/the-probl...us-recompose-method/

Never had an issue in 40 years with focus and recompose.
www.betterphoto.com/?ramshots
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6 years 2 months ago #563196 by effron
Forty years, indeed...I agree with focus and recompose. When we older guys were learning, there was no joystick and I'll use the "old dog" adage here again. I actually drift in and out of focus messing with it. Of course, there is NO wrong way to do it if it works for you.
Why so serious?
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6 years 2 months ago #563201 by G Vernon
I was mostly referring wide aperture, shallow depth of field where focus is critical - when you are dealing with a focus plane of only a few centimeters for example in close up portrait photography focus recompose will not give you the sharp area where you need it most because the point of focus moves when you move the camera usually resulting in back focus. I knew a baby photographer recently who´s images were 9 times out of ten out of focus - when she started using the proper AF point on the eye in the frame instead of focus recompose, her hit rate became almost perfect...
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6 years 2 months ago #563205 by effron
I have no issue with the camera focusing, I keep my thumb on the af-on button so its ALWAYS in focus whether my camera is moving or not. I use the recompose method in bird photography, and they move more than a baby, and get over 90% in focus easily. Back button focus is of course entirely another issue...
Again, there is more than one way to get it done, yours works for you, mine works for me....
Why so serious?
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