Manual Focus

RuehlTheWorld

I've only recently started playing around with the manual focus switch on a Canon 550D. Can I ask though, what are the merits of Manual over Auto Focus?

Thanks!

AnCatDubh

One merit in general terms will be when the autofocus can't focus. I know it may sounds obvious, but autofocus will only be so good and will have limitations based on lighting or the ability of the electoronics to interpret the scene - where the mechanisms involved will just continually "hunt" before giving up, whereas manual focus is dependent on your interpretation of the scene. There is a point of accuracy where manual focus (if you are good at it and this point is very important) will be accurate to what you want it to be accurate at; whereas autofocus might be 90%+ accurate. This, only important if your images are of significance I'd guess. If they are snaps and you take lots of them then it may not be significant.

It's like most things in the camera world -Manual controls (aperture, shutter speed, iso, focus) essentially puts the control in your hands rather than the engineers that created your camera.

For speed, there is no comparison and accurate autofocus can be vital.

DaireQuinlan

Yeah I think it should be more "what are the merits of AF over manual focus" . AF is at an advantage if you're trying to take quick pictures of fast moving things. And that's pretty much it really. For example I've had to progressively upgrade my camera bodies from MF to first generation AF to modern AF to keep up with my kid as he went from mostly quiet baby to frenetic toddler and up.

oshead

For doing macro stuff, it's very handy to have the lens in manual mode. Instead of using the focusing ring, you focus by moving the camera in and out till you find the optimal range. This only really works effectively with life-size or closer.

hbr

RuehlTheWorld wrote: »

Can I ask though, what are the merits of Manual over Auto Focus?

Thanks!

The biggest advantage of manual focus is stability. Once you set
your focus point and distance, it won't change if you re-compose
the shot or if you take several shots.

Sleepy

Knowing how to use manual focus gives you access to some second hand lenses that often have better optical quality than many of their modern autofocus equivalents which may cost ten to twenty times the price.

pixbyjohn

http://digital-photography-school.com/7-situations-when-manual-focus-is-better-than-auto

Borderfox

As David says manual focus is very handy for macro especially with live view. I had to get some shots of Monty Roberts schooling a Horse in the RDS, usually he is in a round cage but they also had another cage around that one too so the camera wouldnt focus at all so into manual focus and live view

I know a lot of video guys that only use manual focus

ThOnda

When you are in manual focus and swing out of focus, you'll get nice view of any highlights - very handy and quick tool to see the tonal composition without being distracted by the subject itself.
My eyes are bad, so I am most of the time in AF, but when I want to play, conditions are bad or the subject is not easy for AF to focus, MF comes into play.

.Longshanks.

ThOnda wrote: »

When you are in manual focus and swing out of focus, you'll get nice view of any highlights - very handy and quick tool to see the tonal composition without being distracted by the subject itself.
My eyes are bad, so I am most of the time in AF, but when I want to play, conditions are bad or the subject is not easy for AF to focus, MF comes into play.

Never thought of that!