When to use which focus setting?

[tyedye]

Is there a tutorial on when to use the different focusing setting/modes? Like my camera has 4 different ones (maybe 5 as I'm not sure how manual comes into play with this). But anyway I have choices of 9-area, 3-area, 1-area

, and spot.​

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I usually just leave all the focus points on.

Sometimes when I'm taking portrait shots, I'll switch on one of the focus points on the top (left if I was holding the camera horizontal) so that the focus point matches where the subjects eyes are.

I've also switched to a single focus point, usually the center, if I'm trying to pick out a subject in a scene with lots of objects at lots of depths (like a bird behind a lot of branches).

Another common setting on camera's is between some sort of focus locking and continuous focusing. The locking focus is useful when you want to lock focus on an object and then recompose your picture. This is sometimes necessary when your subject doesn't line up with any of your focus points.

Continuous focus is great when your subject is moving as it allows the camera to continue to adjust focus until the moment the shutter releases.

I take a hybrid approach. I use a custom function to take focus off of the shutter button and put it on it's own button in the back. Then I leave the camera in continuous focus mode. When I want to let the camera focus, I hold down that button. When I want to lock focus or manually adjust focus, I let go.

Manual focus is much harder with modern cameras because they rarely have a split prism. It's still quite useful at times. Sometimes you can't get an object over your focal point and you aren't in a situation where you can focus and recompose. Sometimes you can't get the camera to focus on the correct thing, like when shooting through a screen. Sometimes, when you are trying to carefully control your depth-of-field and you have subjects at different depths, you want the focal plan to be somewhere between the two subjects. Sometimes you are trying to shoot a distant, moving object (like a plane). In those cases, if you mistrack for a second, it can take an eternity for your autofocus to lock back on.

Some lenses have extra focusing features built into them. Some have a range limiter. If you are shooting birds that are 20+ feet away, you flip a switch on the camera so that it cannot focus on nearby objects. With that setting on, it doesn't take your camera as long to hunt through the focal range trying to find the correct focus.

Another lens setting is the saved focus point. This allows you to pick a focus point and return to it with the push of a button. This might be useful in a soccer game in which you are shooting the action moving down the field. Then, when the ball is kicked towards the goal, you hit the button and the focus instantly moves from the players on the field to the proper setting for the goal.

It can also help to understand how the focus works. Basically, the camera is looking to maximize contrast. It is much easier for it to focus on an object with a really bright-to-dark transition than it is to focus on something all one shade. Most focus points are sensitive to vertical patterns but not horizontal patterns. Some focus points (usually called cross-type) are sensitive to both. Autofocus generally works better with larger apertures because the let in more light and have shallower DOF.

Many cameras (or flashes) also have an autofocus assist. This can be as simple as a light to brighten up the scene or a red/infrared pattern that gives the camera some extra contrast to focus on.

 

[tyedye]

I had a response all written up and lost it. I'll try to write it again but it won't be the same.

Mark - Thank you for all the info you provided. So are you saying that the best one is the 9 area setting?

I do not think my camera has the saved focus point setting. I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ20. I think that when I use the scene settings the camera has certain settings it defaults to regardless what I have set up but I could be wrong about that. I'll have to try some things out and see what it does, the manual was unclear to me.

Here is what I was thinking would be the best settings:
pic of 1 person - 1 area/center
pic of 2 people - 1 area/center
pic of more than 2 people - 3 area
large group - 9 area
scenery - 9 area
action sports - spot (maybe 1 area/center??)
shows - whole stage - 9 area; partial stage - 1 area/center; 1 subject - spot

Is that about right, or am I complicating things and I should just set it at 9 area?

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

On my D70s, I find myself using single area (center) more so than dynamic area, especially when shooting with my 50mm and a shallow depth of field. I don't think I've ever used the closest subject setting. I'm still mad at myself for some missed photos of the MNSSHP parade because I forgot and left my focus set to dynamic after playing around with those settings earlier in the day. I ended up with several shots that would have been really nice if only I had focused on the foreground subject instead of a random pedestrian in the background. Under normal circumstances, I would have had time to notice that I was focused on the wrong subject, but the parade was a-movin' and I was a-snappin' pics as fast as I could. I learned for next time to make sure the camera is set up right for the subject, environment, etc. I'm shooting.

 

[tyedye]

For dynamic area would that be the equal to the 9 area I'm referring to?

I think I'm going to set my camera to center for a default but then for scenery I would want 9 area I think.

 

[Anewman]

Here is what I was thinking would be the best settings:
pic of 1 person - 1 area/center
pic of 2 people - 1 area/center
pic of more than 2 people - 3 area
large group - 9 area
scenery - 9 area
action sports - spot (maybe 1 area/center??)
shows - whole stage - 9 area; partial stage - 1 area/center; 1 subject - spot

Is that about right, or am I complicating things and I should just set it at 9 area?

Not that there is a right or wrong answer, it is all a matter of preference. I am just the opposite if what you are thinking, I just feel that when there is more than 1 or 2 subjects center point allows me to choose which one to focus on while 9 points would be all over and the camera will choose which to focus on. If there is only one subject 9 area would be sure to focus on the subject.

like everything else there are always exceptions.

 

[Lizziejane]

I tend to use centre only if I'm shooting people, and like Mark, I focus on the eyes. If necessary, I'll lock the focus and then recompose. For landscapes, I start will all 9, but pay close attention to where the focus is locking. It will pick the subject(s) closest to your camera, so if that's not what you want to focus on, you'll have to move around a little, or switch to spot or partial focusing.

 

[handicap18]

My preference is to use 1 focus point. One that I choose. I don't like when the camera chooses the focus point (in Nikon terms this is Closest Subject and can be 9 point, 15 point, 30 point and even with some cameras up to 51 point. The camera chooses between all the little boxes in the view finder, sometimes combining 2 or more boxes, thus giving the high number of focus points some camera's have).

With my experience I've found I don't get the focused image I want if I let the camera decide what to focus on. My standard operating procedure is to use the center point. I'll focus on what I want and while half pressing the shutter release I'll recompose the shot if needed. The part I want focused dosen't always have to be right in the center of the image.

I have a dSLR and an older PnS Canon. Focusing is much easier with my dSLR. With my PnS I only have 3 focus points and I really don't know the in's and out's of the foucs points on that camera. With other newer PnS camera's it might be easier. So I would say, which ever option give YOU the option rather than the camera the option to choose what exactly you want to be focused.