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Manual or Auto focus?


13 years 5 months ago #5174 by Fiesta!
I was just talking to another photographer I ran into and during the conversation he was telling me people have become to dependent on the AF (Auto Focus) features on most lenses. And that the best way to focus is manually.

This guy was a older guy, and he did mention he had been photographing for nearly 37 years. So half of me wants to believe he was just old school and didn't want to get to current times. Just like my mother who refuses to use a computer. What do you think about manual focus vs auto?
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13 years 5 months ago #5175 by Jorelskid
Well most are dependent on auto because it is hard to focus super sharp on newer dslr. Older camera have split prism focus screen. while most dslr now have clear clear focus screens. So since most people don't buy a different screen to put in there camera(it may screw up metering). So They use auto.
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13 years 5 months ago #5176 by Screamin Scott
I'm an "older guy " too that has been shooting just as long if not longer & I have both AF & MF lenses. Certain situations call for manual focus (macro for one) & other situations call for AF (fast action)...I use the different focus methods depending on the situation at hand. Since my niche is macro, more of my shooting involves manual focus. There are times where AF just won't cut it, like using a zoom lens that has an F5.6 aperture at the long end, in limited light. It will hunt like crazy & you will be lucky if it does find focus. Then if you are shooting birds (smaller ones) that are in heavy foliage. Many times the lens will focus on the nearby leaf instead of the bird. You can't always tell on the LCD if this has happened either. As an "older person" many of my contemporaries have vision problems & they reply on AF to help them & that is OK . Since I have been shooting for as long as I have, I prefer the feel of a solid MF lens & the way the image snaps into focus (on my macro lenses with the focus screen changed over to a split image) It really boils down to being a matter of choice for most people.
Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/
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13 years 5 months ago #5185 by Steven.Powell
When I'm shooting quickly I will use the auto focus, when I have more time or macro shots I will usually always manually focus. Mainly because it makes me feel more in control of the photo.
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13 years 5 months ago #5186 by Fiesta!

Screamin Scott wrote: I'm an "older guy " too that has been shooting just as long if not longer & I have both AF & MF lenses. Certain situations call for manual focus (macro for one) & other situations call for AF (fast action)...I use the different focus methods depending on the situation at hand. Since my niche is macro, more of my shooting involves manual focus. There are times where AF just won't cut it, like using a zoom lens that has an F5.6 aperture at the long end, in limited light. It will hunt like crazy & you will be lucky if it does find focus. Then if you are shooting birds (smaller ones) that are in heavy foliage. Many times the lens will focus on the nearby leaf instead of the bird. You can't always tell on the LCD if this has happened either. As an "older person" many of my contemporaries have vision problems & they reply on AF to help them & that is OK . Since I have been shooting for as long as I have, I prefer the feel of a solid MF lens & the way the image snaps into focus (on my macro lenses with the focus screen changed over to a split image) It really boils down to being a matter of choice for most people.


Thank you for the wonderful answers all of you. Scott I was curious when you say "You can't always tell on the LCD if this has happened" are you shooting with your LCD on or are you referring to looking at the photos in the field on your LCD?
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13 years 5 months ago #5191 by DavidM
I'm shooting 70% time with auto focus and 30% manual
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13 years 5 months ago #5201 by Screamin Scott
I was referring to checking the LCD after a shot to see if the image looks good. Even when you "magnify" the image on the LCD, you can't always tell just how sharp your subject is until you upload the images onto the big screen
Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/
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13 years 5 months ago #5206 by Fiesta!

Screamin Scott wrote: I was referring to checking the LCD after a shot to see if the image looks good. Even when you "magnify" the image on the LCD, you can't always tell just how sharp your subject is until you upload the images onto the big screen


OK I get you. I remember when I first got my camera I was taking photos with the display on :silly: :blink: Good thing I ditched that!
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13 years 5 months ago #5215 by Vladimir
I'm about 60% in automatic focus
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13 years 5 months ago #5259 by Wildfire
It varies depending on what I'm shooting and how much time I have. For the most part I do shoot in manual mode.
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13 years 5 months ago #6206 by The Original Daisy
Most of the time I use manual focus, mainly because I feel more attached to the photo. Does that sound right? :blink:
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13 years 5 months ago #6252 by KVRNut
I use manual focus pretty much all the time with my style of photography but there are times when auto focus is needed. I have to agree with Screaming Scott big time. It's just knowing when to use what type of focus.
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