Focusing Modes

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug
Red-Shouldered Hawk (AI Focus AF)
One Shot would work here until he decides to fly
SLR cameras come equipped with four focusing modes, and all of them are very useful in different situations:

One Shot (Canon)/AF-S (Nikon).  This is the standard focusing mode photographers use most of the time.  When you press the shutter half-way, the camera focuses one time and maintains that focus until you take a picture or take your finger off the shutter button.  This mode is perfect for stationary subjects or subjects that are moving but not closer or farther away from you.

AI Servo (Canon)/AF-C (Nikon).  With this focusing mode, when you press the shutter half way, the camera focuses continuously on the subject.  It detects movement  in areas covered by the focus points (either all of them or the ones you've selected) and tries to maintain focus of that subject as it moves.  This is great for action and sports photography, especially when subjects are moving either toward you or away from you.  It helps you maintain focus on your subject.  The downside to this is that it will slightly lower the frame rate of you camera.  You will be able to take fewer pictures per second.

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug
Red-Shouldered Hawk in Flight
AI Focus (Canon)/AF-A (Nikon).  This is a hybrid mode of the first two.  In this mode, the camera starts in One Shot/AF-S mode and will automatically switch to AI Focus/AF-A mode if it detects movement.  This is ideal for stationary subjects that may move at any second, like birds.  If you are shooting a Red-Shouldered Hawk perched on a branch, and he begins to fly, you don't want to take the time to switch autofocus modes.

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug
Red-Shouldered Hawk Taking Flight
This is why I use AI-Focus AF for bird photography
Manual Focus.  Believe it or not, sometimes manual focus works better than autofocus.  When you're focusing on an area of the frame where there is no focusing point, and you don't want to recompose, manual focus works well.  In macro photography, I almost exclusively use manual focus.  If you have put a tele-extender on a lens to make your maximum aperture smaller than f/5.6, you will probably have to focus manually.  If you're concerned about having a sharp enough eye to manual focus correctly,  here's a trick to use.  Turn on live view mode and zoom in on the the area you want in focus, then set your focus manually.  I do this all the time when I put a 2x extender on a 400mm lens.
Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug
Immature Least Bittern, Manual Focus with 2x400mm lens
With the above photograph, the bird was so small and so far away, I needed a 2x tele-extender on my 400mm lens, which required me to manual focus.  So I put my camera in live view mode so that I could see the bird in the preview screen.  Then I zoomed in on the bird's eye and set my manual focus its eye.  Then I fired off a hundred shots, checking my focus every ten or so.  I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to see this again

Notes: Especially when manual focusing, make sure that your viewfinder's diopter is set properly for your eye.  There's a diopter adjustment you can use to make sure that what you see through the viewfinder is sharp.  Look for a dial next to your viewfinder.

Comments

  1. Wonderful goods from you, man. I have keep in mind your stuff prior
    to and you are just extremely great. I really like what you have received here,
    certainly like what you're stating and the way in which by which you
    assert it. You are making it entertaining and you continue to take care of to keep it smart.
    I can't wait to read much more from you. That is actually a terrific web site.


    My page buy instagram followers fast

    ReplyDelete
  2. Veгy nice post. I just stumbled uрon your blog aand wisheԁ to say that
    I've really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
    Αfter all I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope
    you write again very soon!

    my blog post ... ghost

    ReplyDelete
  3. By while using secondary muscles inside shoulders, you're
    working them much more and from different directions as you keep balance inside a handstand
    pushup. This one lone item of equipment, which doesn't take up much room, can adjust your
    physique. We truly realize that vegatables and fruits are the
    healthiest foods around the planet.

    Feel free to surf to my web page ... photo frames - http://natalcharts.org/,

    ReplyDelete
  4. bookmarked!!, I love your website!

    Here is my web page ... Miracolo per Vitiligine

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is fast-becoming a fundamental requirement in all households.
    Some rice cookers can prepare steamed vegetables, soups, stews and lots of other different dishes that you never
    even dreamed of. ” The Native American women produced plentiful crops of corn,
    squash and beans and archeological digs of native villages discovered large quantities of
    shells revealing the Powhatan’s love of oysters, clams and
    other shellfish.

    Here is my website ... aroma rice cooker

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great blog here! Also your site loads up fast! What host are you using?
    Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my website loaded up as fast as yours lol

    Also visit my weblog: revertir la diabetes (ravennastudenti.Org)

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is the right web site for anybody who really wants to find out about this topic.
    You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with
    you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new
    spin on a topic that's been discussed for decades. Excellent stuff, just
    wonderful!

    My web page :: شركة تخزين اثاث بالرياض

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello, Neat post. There's a problem together with your web site in internet
    explorer, may check this? IE still is the marketplace chief and a
    big part of other folks will miss your magnificent writing due to this problem.


    Here is my homepage; bmi calculator men

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Feel free to comment to leave feedback.