Photography

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A place to politely discuss the tools, technique and culture of photography.

This is not a good place to simply share cool photos/videos or promote your own work and projects, but rather a place to discuss photography as an art and post things that would be of interest to other photographers.

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When do you use manual focus? (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by DiablolicalScientist@alien.top to c/photography@viewfinder.pro

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I feel like autofocus is so good. Are there times that you use manual focus? When I am looking through the view finder it almost seems impossible to actually manual focus a shot anyway.

Am I doing something wrong here? Just checking. Thank you.

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[–] ApplicationConnect55@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Old dude here.

I can understand the young shooter's situations because almost all of them have only used autofocus gear. It's something you have to practice at. Some lenses don't even have imprinted scales. Switch to using your camera to all manual.

The young shooters who are into film photography are the ones that are getting that experience. When they apply that knowledge and experience to their digital, those are the ones that excel the most.

I started back in the late 60's when film was the sensor and manual focus was the norm. I rarely, rarely use autofocus and auto settings on my digital gear. I don't even pixel-peep. In fact, I have gaffer's tape covering the rear screens.

After 4 decades of shooting transparency film, I still pretty much get what I want in two, maybe three, exposures. One learned exposure mighty well due to the unforgiving latitude of slide film. There was no "fix it in Post", you did that in-camera.

I still shoot digital photography like I've always shot film-based photography. Haven't the need to 'machinegun' exposures to get what I need or rely on autofocus as long as my vision hangs in there.

For video, I use my lens scales and maintain the distance from the subject as I record. After two seasons at NFL Films as a sideline Arri SR2 camera operator, I can still nail manual focus.

Set your camera to manual focus and practice, practice and practice.