How to use manual focusing on a digital camera lens. How to focus correctly on a DSLR or why the camera misses autofocus

All modern cameras have automatic focusing functions. So why do photographers still use manual focusing so often? In what circumstances is it used and how to work with it - read in our lesson!

When might manual focusing be needed?

Difficult cases for automatic focusing. Even though autofocus systems have improved every year, they still struggle at times. You've probably encountered a situation where the automation just doesn't want to focus in a certain place. Instead, it begins to “hunt”, focusing the lens back and forth, but never hitting the target. Let's look at the main difficult cases for autofocus.

• Focusing on low-contrast, translucent objects. Try focusing on a smooth white ceiling or photographing the surface of a window glass. Autofocus in such cases may well give up.
• Autofocus may not work when the subject is blocked by foreground objects. The simplest example is shooting an animal in a zoo through a grille: autofocus may well begin to “cling” to the grille. Instead of torturing the autofocus system, in such conditions it is quite possible to switch to manual focusing.

Nikon D600 / Nikon 85mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor

Between me and the model there is translucent glass (it is this that gives the glare). When shooting, autofocus periodically “clung” not to the face, but to cracks in the glass.

Shooting in strong backlight. For example, when shooting against a bright sunset or dawn sun, you will find that autofocus will work worse than usual.

Night shooting. If autofocus can generally cope with the conditions of a city night, then when shooting landscapes with a starry sky outside the city, all that remains is to focus manually. Automatic focus will not help you here.

Nikon D810 /Nikon AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Nikkor

Shooting the starry sky. If in previous cases autofocus can still be defeated and forced to focus where needed, then in pitch-black conditions you will definitely have to adjust the sharpness manually.

Use of non-autofocus optics. There are many lenses that do not support autofocus features. Among them there are both old lenses that have been discontinued and quite modern optics. Many photographers are interested in antique optics, as they give a unique, “vintage” picture. Fortunately, there are a great many lenses that can be installed on modern digital SLRs (including through adapters).

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.2 Nikkor - super-fast manual focus lens

The shot was taken with an old manual focus portrait lens. Such lenses are usually used to play around with bokeh - an interesting blur in the out-of-focus area.

Landscape photography. When shooting landscapes, it often happens that the foreground (which is usually focused on) is located on the periphery of the frame, where there is not a single focus point. One focusing option in this area is to use manual focus. Also, advanced photographers often use hyperfocal distance when shooting landscapes. This requires focusing the lens at a certain distance, and this is easier to do manually using the focusing distance scale on the lens than using autofocus.

Macro photography. In macro photography, autofocus is very difficult. This happens, firstly, due to the fact that the depth of field in macro photography is extremely small. The slightest change in the distance between the camera and the subject (even a few millimeters) will lead to loss of focus. Secondly, the closer the subject is to the lens, the more the lens lenses have to move to focus, and this greatly slows down the autofocus. Therefore, photographers prefer to focus manually when shooting macro, fully controlling the entire process and thereby eliminating possible automatic errors. At the same time, macro photography is characterized by a special method of focusing: not by rotating the focusing ring, but by moving the camera itself a little closer or a little further from the subject. But more on that below.

Nikon D600 / Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G Nikkor (with macro rings)

The smaller the object being photographed, the shorter the required shooting distance. The shorter the shooting distance, the shallower the depth of field and the more difficult it is for autofocus to work.

How to enable manual focus?

On entry-level cameras (for example, Nikon D3300, Nikon D5500), everything is simple: to do this, you need to set the AF/M (Auto Focus/Manual) switch on the lens to position M.

On entry-level models (for example, Nikon D3300 and Nikon D5500), you need to set the A/M switch to the M (Manual) position.

Autofocus is now disabled. Focusing will be done by rotating the focus ring on the lens (highlighted in blue).

Advanced cameras (starting with Nikon D7200) have two autofocus switches: both on the lens and on the camera. How to use them correctly? If the camera is equipped with an AF-S lens equipped with an ultrasonic focusing drive (most Nikon lenses are equipped with it), then it will be enough to move only the switch on the lens itself to the “M” position.

Please note that if you turn off autofocus using the lever on the camera and leave the switch on the lens in position “A”, you can break the autofocus drive and the lens will have to be sent in for repair. The exception is for lenses that have an autofocus mode with manual adjustment - in this case, the autofocus and manual focus switch on the lens will look like M/A-M. This mode will be discussed in more detail below. If you use an AF lens (and not an AF-S lens), then switching the lever on the camera is mandatory: after all, such lenses are physically linked to the camera with a “screwdriver” focusing drive. And to turn off this drive, you need to turn this lever.

To summarize: when using AF-S lenses, it is better to use the switch on the lens. And when using “screwdriver” AF lenses, you must first switch the lever on the camera.

How do you know which autofocus drive your lens has - AF-S or AF? To do this, just look at its full name.

Motorized lens AF-S: Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G Nikkor
When working with AF-S lenses, to enable manual focusing, simply turn the switch on the lens itself to the desired position.

Lens equipped with a screwdriver AF drive: Nikon 50mm f/1.8D A.F. Nikkor. When using such lenses, you must use the switch on the camera.

Now the camera will focus only manually - to do this you need to twist the focus ring on the lens. Please note that the focus ring on different lens models may be located in different places on the lens barrel: a little closer to the camera or a little further. In addition, the focus ring should not be confused with the lens zoom ring (with its help we “zoom in and out” of the picture.)

Manual Focus Methods

So we know when manual focusing may be necessary. Now let's figure out what methods of manual focusing there are.

Focusing at a specific distance

Perhaps the simplest focusing method, especially if your lens is equipped with a focusing distance scale. Just set the desired distance on this scale, and you're done - sharpness will be at the selected distance. This method is well suited for landscape photography when you need to zoom to hyperfocal distance or infinity. This is where the scope of application of this method probably ends. With focusing on “infinity” everything is simple: it is needed when the objects are very far from us.

At what distance does “infinity” begin for a lens? It all depends on the focal length of the lens. The longer the focal length, the further away the “infinity” is. Usually we are talking about tens of meters. In the case of wide-angle optics, we can talk about several meters. But what should we do if the subject is close to us, but at the same time, we want to make the entire frame sharp without blurring the background? This is where hyperfocal distance comes to the rescue. The hyperfocal distance is the distance at which, when focusing, everything from ½ of this distance to infinity will fall into the depth of field.

The hyperfocal distance will depend on the focal length of the lens and the aperture value at which you are shooting. How to calculate hyperfocal distance? There is a special formula for this, which can be found in our special article on advanced work with depth of field. But it’s easier to use special calculator programs for this. They are available on the Internet, and special applications for smartphones have also been released. Here are some of them:

It makes sense to use the hyperfocal distance when shooting landscapes, when working with wide-angle optics, where it will provide a significant gain in depth of field, allowing you to use it as rationally as possible.

Focusing at a distance will not allow you to focus very accurately, only approximately. This means that this method is not suitable for shooting portraits or reportages with an open aperture.

Landscape focusing at hyperfocal distance

Focusing by changing the shooting distance

This method is often used when shooting macro. Each lens has a minimum focusing distance. Why not choose it? Now that the lens is set to the minimum shooting distance, we simply move the camera to the subject at the desired distance. Holding the camera in our hands, we can move it back or forward a little to catch the focus in the frame.

Focusing using the camera's viewfinder and rangefinder

Modern Nikon SLR cameras are equipped with a special mechanism that can tell the photographer what is currently in focus and where to turn the focus ring to sharpen what is in focus. Let's figure out how it works.

In the viewfinder of the device (in the lower left corner), you can notice the symbols shown below. They also appear during automatic focusing, but when manually focusing the lens they will be most useful.

Symbols for the focusing process in the viewfinder:

To focus in this way, you first need to select the desired focus point in the camera's viewfinder. This is where the rangefinder will work. Now, focusing on the left and right arrows, rotate the focus ring in the appropriate direction until the circle lights up in the viewfinder. Done: you're focused!

Junior Nikon DSLRs (Nikon D3300, Nikon D5500) use a simplified rangefinder operation scheme. There are no right or left arrows, just a circle to confirm focus. To manually focus on these cameras, simply rotate the lens ring until the same circle lights up in the viewfinder.

This focusing method is very accurate. Therefore, it is also suitable for working with open apertures. With its help, it is convenient to shoot portraits with “handheld” optics.

Focusing on the Live View screen

A very interesting, fast and accurate way to manually focus is the Live View mode. When manually focusing through Live View, the photographer can enlarge the desired area of ​​the image, and this enlarged fragment can be used to ideally focus. In my opinion, this method provides the most accurate focusing. In addition, we can control the sharpness of the frame before shooting, whereas in the viewfinder the situation with sharpness is not so noticeable: you have to strain your eyes a lot to understand what is sharp in the frame and what is not.

So, turn on the Live View screen, select the area of ​​the frame that we will enlarge, and click on the button with a magnifying glass (just like we do when viewing captured images). After this, all that remains is to turn the lens focusing ring, focusing on the device’s screen. I often use this method in the most difficult situations, including when shooting portraits with fast portrait lenses. During such shooting, the depth of field can be a few millimeters, which means that focusing must be perfectly accurate. Since in a portrait focusing is on the eyes, I use Live View to zoom in on the area of ​​the frame with the model’s eyes and focus.

Autofocus with manual adjustment. M/A mode

Some Nikon lenses can operate in a very interesting mode, combining automatic and manual focusing. On some lenses, instead of the usual switch between manual and automatic autofocus, you can find an M/A-M switch.

In this mode, by holding the shutter button half-pressed, you can take control of the focus at any time. As soon as you turn the focus ring, autofocus will turn off, giving you focus. This is convenient when you want to manually adjust the focus a little before shooting. Let’s say the camera can’t focus, and the lens “scours” back and forth in search of sharpness. At this point, you can immediately take control, focusing the lens where you need it, without wasting time switching to manual focus mode.

Common mistakes associated with manual focusing

Changing the shooting distance after focusing. Remember that when you change the shooting distance, focus will be lost. It is enough for you (or the subject) to move closer or move back (even a little) for the focus to be lost. This is especially critical when shooting with a shallow depth of field: portraits, macro... After you have focused manually, don’t hesitate - shoot right away! Remember that each new shot will require new focus from you.

Selecting manual focus when it is not appropriate. Not knowing how to set up the autofocus system, many novice photographers, when shooting difficult scenes, simply turn it off and try to focus manually. Something successful comes out of this rarely. Manual focusing is not very suitable for dynamic scenes, reportage shooting, sports, and portraits. Remember that it is often better to be able to set up autofocus, understand its operating modes and select focus points, than to switch to manual focus.

The photographer's arrogance plus non-autofocus high-aperture optics. The main mistake of many novice photographers lies in the belief that focusing manually is easy. This misconception of theirs is the reason for the purchase of all kinds of high-aperture lenses (Soviet, for example) with manual focusing. They say, why pay for an expensive autofocus portrait lens when for three pennies you can buy an excellent portrait lens with manual focus. Because of such arrogance of the photographer, the shooting may result in 2-3 sharp frames out of a hundred. The reason is that in the camera viewfinder it will be completely invisible whether you focused or missed. Focusing accuracy through the viewfinder can only be estimated very roughly. “But before, photographers somehow focused with this optics,” the reader may say. You need to understand that before there were different cameras, more suitable for manual focusing. They (or rather, their viewfinders) were equipped with special focusing screens that could significantly increase the accuracy of manual focusing. And the technical requirements for photographs in those ancient times were lower, so rarely did anyone pay attention to small focusing errors.

A typical focusing error when working with manual high-aperture optics. In the viewfinder the cat seemed quite sharp. As you can see, in fact, it is far from sharp.

Manual focusing with high-aperture optics is difficult and requires a steady hand and strong nerves from the photographer. In my opinion, manual focusing with a fast lens is most convenient in Live View mode with zoom. In general, I definitely recommend using autofocus lenses for shooting portraits.

Instead of a conclusion

Learning to focus manually is an important skill for a photographer. It will help him out in difficult shooting situations and when shooting with equipment without autofocus. I hope this article has helped you become familiar with the topic of manual focusing. Learning to focus quickly and accurately manually takes practice and training. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of going on a photo walk! Be not a lawyer for your work, but a critic - then each time they will become better and higher quality!

Now in our photography course there will be a couple of rather tedious, but necessary lessons on the path to professional photography. The first of them is dedicated to working with focusing. And more specifically, how to correctly set the focus, what focusing modes are available, focusing zones, and when it is better to use which focusing mode.

An involuntary epigraph. I recommend reading this lesson from our photo school with digital, it is best to have a SLR camera in your hands and try to apply what is written immediately in practice.

The games are over, and it's time to take the first step into adulthood. Today I will tell you in detail about focusing and how to work with it. (I talked about what focusing is and its basic properties in our Photography Lesson No. 3).

So. The camera needs to be shown WHAT to focus on. To do this, it has focusing zones.

Focus areas.

The size of the focus areas can vary from a simple point to a fairly large area.

This is what the focus area switch might look like.

With a point everything is more or less clear:

1. Choose where focusing will occur (for example, in the center of the frame or at the edges of the zone). In this case, focusing occurs only in the small square that you have chosen.

2. Arrange the frame. In this case, what you will focus on must be in the zone you have chosen.

3. Actually, you take photographs.

In this case, you are rigidly specifying where focusing will occur, robbing the poor camera of any initiative. In a camera, this type of focusing is called “ Single-zone autofocus."

In most cases, the focus area is left in the center. And in those rare moments when the object of focus is not in the middle, do this:

- place the object they want to focus on in the middle.

- press the shutter button halfway (in this position, the camera does not take a picture, but adjusts the focus. The photo will be taken if you press the shutter button all the way). They wait until the camera adjusts the focus, usually emitting a characteristic squeak (if it doesn’t, read below “focus modes” in the same chapter. You can throw away the camera, if anything, a little later).

- keeping the button pressed halfway so that the focus remains locked, frame the frame as necessary. For example, so that the subject of shooting is in the upper right corner.

- press the shutter button all the way. Get a professional photo.

In the second option, you select a small zone consisting of SEVERAL points. And now you move it in the viewfinder. It turns out that the focus is caught not by one point, but by a kind of trap for the point. This method is called "group dynamic autofocus"

The third method is for the most courageous - you “give over to the camera” the entire autofocus area, and it itself searches for the object closest to itself and focuses on it. This method has a “simple” name “autofocus with dynamic focus selection and closest subject priority.”

That's all I wanted to tell you about focusing zones. But this is not the end of the photo lesson. In order to completely confuse you, they also came up with focusing modes. Although those villains who invented them sincerely believed that they were doing a good and useful thing.

Focus Modes

When I talked about focusing zones, I was answering the question “WHERE will focusing occur?” Now I will tell you about HOW it will work.

Let's try to figure it out in order. There are three focusing modes: tracking, single-frame and manual (who would have thought, but sometimes you need that too!).

This is what the focus mode switch might look like.

When should you use single-frame focusing?

Single-frame focusing, in my personal opinion, is the most advanced and simplest type of focusing. Usually it is turned on by default in digital cameras. It works as follows.

First option. You press the shutter button halfway, not all the way. The camera focuses on the subject. It beeps and BLOCKS focus. That is, it doesn’t change it anymore. After this, you can (holding the button halfway) move the frame in the direction you want and take a photo.

A friend of mine who often shoots with his favorite point-and-shoot camera in clubs has encountered a problem - many club rooms are too dark and autofocus does not work there. He solves this problem in the following way. He looks for something in the illuminated area of ​​the club that is approximately the same distance as the object he wants to photograph. Focuses on a "bright object",locks autofocus, moves the camera to a dark place and takes a picture.

The second option is even simpler. Simply select your subject and press the shutter button all the way down. The camera focuses and immediately takes a photo.

As I said, this is the most commonly used focusing method. It is the most accurate and is suitable for shooting stationary and inactive objects.

When should you use focus tracking?

Focus tracking is useful for shooting moving subjects. In fact, the camera TRY (key word) to keep the moving subject in focus. That is, the focusing motor works constantly and changes the focal length. But how he does it depends on where you are shooting, and on what kind of object it is, and at what speed it is moving. And, of course, from the camera itself. This option can be useful when you take several photos in a row (or perform burst shooting).

AF tracking mode starts when you press the shutter button halfway. While you press it, the camera tries to keep the subject in focus. When you press the button, he will take a photo. If you let go, it will stop working.

When to use manual focus.

It’s clear how manual focusing works - manually, my dear friend, manually! Turn the focus ring or wheel, or pull the lever. Here are the cases when it should be used.

1. A small amount of light.

It's clear why. The camera itself does not see what to focus on - it is dark. Many cameras have an autofocus illuminator, which is designed to help with focusing, but it often fails.

2. Photos in motion.

Typically, tracking autofocus is needed to shoot moving subjects. But, if he can’t cope and doesn’t keep up with the object, then you can do the following. Using manual focus, adjust the camera to the place where the object is expected to appear. When he appeared in this place, the main thing was to press the shutter button in time.

3. Shooting a portrait or some planned complex composition.

When only a detail is in focus, it is often easier and more convenient to adjust the focus in manual mode.

4. Shooting through glass or mesh.

Well, everything is clear here. The camera doesn’t know that you need to shoot what’s behind the fence, and stubbornly focuses on the reflection in the glass or on the mesh. Therefore, you have to forcefully adjust the focus to objects “behind the glass”.

5. Macro photography.

I will not explain what this is as part of this photo tutorial. In a nutshell - shooting objects at a very close distance. So that they appear very large in the frame.

The camera does not always willingly and obediently focus at such short distances. Sometimes they don't focus at all. And with focusing zones, things are not so simple.

6. Photograph of the texture - a flat surface on which there are no contrasting areas.

The fact is that autofocus is based on color contrast. If you try to bring something that has a flat white surface (for example, a sheet of paper) to your eyes, you will easily notice that your eyes themselves begin to look for strokes, dashes, fibers - anything. Because the eye cannot focus on a truly monochromatic material. The same goes for the camera. The greater the contrast, the easier it is to focus (especially in difficult lighting). And if what you are shooting is something monochromatic and inexpressive, and also poorly lit, then the camera may simply not focus on it, and you will have to use manual focusing.

And finally. Each lens (or a camera with a lens, if they are indivisible “until death us do part”) has a minimum distance at which it can focus. That is, closer - the image in the photograph will already be blurred. You can find out this “critical” distance from your passport, from the scale on the lens...

Or experiment by trying to shoot, gradually decreasing the distance. By the way, it happens that the “passport” distance differs from the real one.

The maximum focusing distance is usually infinity. Moreover, it comes after a certain footage. That is. Up to, for example, one and a half meters it is necessary to adjust the focus. After one and a half meters - no longer. Anything beyond that will be sharp.

I've given you a lot of information about focusing. All of it applies to most SLR cameras. The designations may be different, but the meaning will remain the same. Cameras have different controls, the number of focus points, and the presence of modes, but the principle remains the same. I would advise you to practice a little in different modes. Over time, you will choose without hesitation optimal mode. Well, when you become a professional photographer... Do you need it though? Wouldn't it be better to just be a person who takes beautiful photographs?

In this article you will learn about how to use autofocus, what modes it has, why a photo is “out of focus”, blurry, how to avoid this and how, accordingly, to make photos as clear as possible!

Autofocus modes

First, let's talk about what autofocus modes are found in most modern cameras (as well as in some phones and video cameras). So, how do we set up autofocus...

One-Shot AF modeCanon or "AF-S"Nikon)
Most suitable for shooting stationary objects or, if necessary, first focusing and then changing the composition of the frame. When you press the shutter button halfway, the camera locks focus until you either release the button or press it all the way.

Continuous AF mode (AI Servo AF)Canon or "AF-C"Nikon)

Well suited for photographing moving objects. Or if it’s the other way around, you’re moving :) For example, if you’re taking pictures from the window of a moving vehicle. While the shutter button is pressed halfway, the focus will change automatically depending on the movement of objects in the frame, autofocus will, as it were, “follow” these objects.

AI Focus AF modeCanon or "AF-A"Nikon)

Used to automatically switch the autofocus mode. It is present in many SLR cameras and, in my opinion, is quite inconvenient - it is difficult to guess how it will behave, as a “follower” or as a “time-lapse”.

Manual Focus Mode

Typically, this mode is used when autofocus fails, or for special creative tasks. In order to focus manually (switch to manual focus mode), you usually need to use the corresponding switch on the camera lens (especially if we are talking about a camera with interchangeable lenses).

Selecting a focus point/area

If you use autofocus, then in most cameras you can choose which part of the viewfinder (which “point”) will be focused on.

1. Fully automatic focusing and automatic focus point selection. In this mode, the camera usually focuses on the closest object in the frame. In this case, the points that were actually selected for focusing will most likely be marked/highlighted in the viewfinder when focusing is completed.
2. Center point focusing. This mode is available on most cameras, regardless of the manufacturer (Canon, Nikon and others), and is often present not only in DSLRs, but also in compact digital point-and-shoot cameras.
   The peculiarity of this focusing mode is that the camera will focus only on the object that is in the very center of the viewfinder. This can be useful for more accurately focusing on the subject being photographed.
   When choosing this type of focusing, the photographer usually proceeds as follows: points the center of the viewfinder at the subject being photographed, presses the shutter button halfway (on most cameras this leads to autofocus blocking) and then uses the viewfinder to select a good composition, being sure that his camera is focused properly.
3. Focusing on a selected point.
   When you select this autofocus mode, focusing will be done on the point in the viewfinder that the photographer points to. This dot is usually highlighted in the viewfinder. In some of the most modern cameras, you can simply touch the viewfinder screen in the appropriate place to select the focus point. In most SLR cameras, there is a joystick or buttons or a disk (“wheel”) that replace it.
   How is this applied in practice? Let me explain! For example, when shooting a portrait, so that focusing occurs precisely on the eyes of the model, the photographer can choose the focus point - which this moment“superimposed” on the eye of the model, without this it may happen that the camera automatically focuses not on the eyes, but on the nose...
4. Other options. Listed above are three main options for choosing focus areas. But each specific camera may have a greater number of options. Nikon cameras are particularly diverse in this regard.

Autofocus and focus points.
We can see this picture in the instructions for the Nikon D7000 camera

Autofocus illuminator

If the subject you are shooting is too poorly lit, then the autofocus illuminator comes to the rescue! In low light conditions (in the dark), the built-in flash of your camera will automatically open and try to dispel the darkness! If you do not need this, turn off the autofocus illuminator in the menu of your camera (you can refer to its instructions), or switch to manual focus mode (the focus illuminator is also most often turned off).

Problems encountered with auto focusing

“Why doesn’t it focus?” “Why is it focusing in the wrong place?” “Why is autofocus so slow?” Many novice amateur photographers ask these questions!

The instructions for the Nikon D7000 camera have a wonderful illustration showing scenes in which autofocus may not perform at its best.

Difficulties with autofocus may occur in the following situations...

In cases No. 2 and No. 5, I recommend choosing a central focus point and trying to focus with it - EXACTLY aiming at the subject. Then, autofocus is unlikely to let you down! In other cases, if selecting a central focus point does not help, you should switch to manual mode. However, for example, in my practice, difficulties in cases 3, 4 and 6 were extremely rare.

Alignment, constant autofocus correction

But it also happens that even in favorable conditions, autofocus always focuses either a little closer than necessary, or a little further! Most often, SLR cameras suffer from this, especially after changing the lens. The reason may be in the lens, then the service center will be able to adjust it a little for you. This adjustment is called “adjustment”. But in some modern cameras, the focus alignment/correction function for selected lenses is already built-in, and you can get started with it by first reading the operating instructions. However, this is not often necessary.

If anything in the information above is not clear, please ask questions in the comments!

© Karpin Anton 2016

To understand which autofocus mode to choose, you must first understand what you are photographing. Autofocus modes and settings on all cameras are approximately the same. They may have different names and be controlled differently, but the principle is the same everywhere. So what is autofocus?

First, make sure you have autofocus turned on. On advanced cameras (Nikon D700/D800/D7000) there is a separate switch on which there is M mode (manual focus) and some other modes - different autofocuses, or just AF.

M (Manual) mode works the same way cameras worked in the 50s, that is, without autofocus. If you don't have such a switch, then the autofocus modes on your camera are controlled through the menu.

In addition, autofocus lenses with a built-in motor () also have an autofocus switch, very often marked M/A - M. Make sure that the lens is not in manual mode. Do not confuse the AF-S lens type with the AF-S autofocus mode, they are different things, although they are called the same.

Autofocus modes are as follows:

AF-A (Auto). Automatic mode, in which the camera decides for you how to focus. If you don't know exactly which mode you need, choose automatic mode.

AF-S (Single). Mode for static scenes. In this mode, the camera focuses once when you press the shutter button halfway, and that's it. The camera no longer focuses until you release the button. An excellent option for landscapes and...

AF-C (Continuous). Tracking mode, when the camera constantly monitors the subject and adjusts autofocus continuously until you release the shutter button. It turns on when you press the shutter button halfway. This mode is indispensable when photographing wildlife, sporting events, etc.

In the Custom Settings Menu in the Autofocus section you can find AF-S/AF-C priority selection.

Release- this is a shutter that fires immediately, even if the image is completely out of focus. I can hardly remember ever having .

Focus— the shutter only fires when the image is strictly in focus. It's very slow and you risk missing a shot.

I recommend value Release+focus for AF-C, it's somewhere in between. Even if the first frame is out of focus, the next ones will be significantly better when shooting continuously. In this case, you will not lose the first frame, although it will be a little blurry. Focus is good for AF-S because nothing moves in the frame.

In addition, you still have to choose the type of autofocus area.

Nikon usually offers three options:

On some cameras (Nikon D3100), instead of a switch, this is done through the menu:

White rectangle. This is focusing on the nearest object; this mode can be considered automatic, because the camera itself decides which autofocus sensors to use. If you are in doubt which mode you need, choose the white rectangle. In AF-S mode, the AF points where the image is in focus will be highlighted. The more dots are highlighted, the better. In AF-C mode, nothing will be highlighted.

Crosshair. This is a dynamic zone mode, used when photographing moving objects and requires further adjustment, which is discussed below. The crosshair works dynamically in AF-C mode. In AF-S mode, this is the same as spot focusing. In dynamic mode, you select the focus point, and subsequent autofocus behavior depends on the selected autofocus area.

Dot. You simply focus on the selected point, and select the point using the selector that you usually use to flip through photos. It is very convenient when you know exactly what should be guaranteed to be in focus, for example the eyes when photographing a portrait.

Selecting the autofocus area. The autofocus area for dynamic mode (crosshair) depends on the specific camera model, namely how many autofocus points are available. The more expensive the camera, the more points there are. The RGB sensor, which was mentioned in the article about polarization, is responsible for controlling autofocus zones.

Conventionally, areas can be divided into two types:

Multiple sensors (AF-Area). Information about focus comes not only from the sensor you have selected, but also from the points surrounding it, and the surrounding sensors are not highlighted in any way. For example, on the Nikon D7000 you can select a zone of 9, 21 or 39 points. Typically, the faster something moves in the frame, the larger the area required. To be honest, I don’t use these zones, I prefer 3D tracking.

3D tracking. This mode may be present on some models along with a white rectangle and crosshair, on other models it may be somewhere else, for example, when choosing the size of the autofocus area. As the name suggests, this is a tracking mode, and when tracking, not only the distance to the object is taken into account, but also the color. You select a focus point, autofocus clings to what is under this sensor, and then begins to follow it if the subject moves or you turn the camera.

The fundamental difference between AF-Area and 3D tracking is that in the first case, the camera focuses on what falls within the selected autofocus zone, and in the second case, the camera itself moves the zone behind the object, switching autofocus sensors. Therefore, in 3D mode it is very convenient to focus on something specific, then move the camera to frame it differently, but the autofocus will still focus on what it was originally aimed at. This differs from the AF-S mode in that AF-S is not aware if the object moved further or closer during framing, or even flew out the window.

Additionally, 3D tracking can even replace single focus point selection. Instead of going through the points with the selector until you get to the one you want, you can simply visit the center one in 3D mode and then frame it as needed, while the camera will keep focus on the subject, moving the focus point, switching autofocus sensors. At the same time, the subject will not be able to escape from autofocus.

Keep autofocus in auto mode (AF-A, white rectangle), this mode does a great job in most situations without your help. If the autofocus performance does not suit you in any particular case, then start thoughtful adjustments.

That's all autofocus is.

When setting up the camera before shooting, along with the shutter speed, aperture and ISO value, you also need to set the focus mode.

Nikon cameras have many different focusing options. You can select both modes and focus areas.

Focus Modes:

AF-S (auto focus single)- in this focusing mode, the camera begins to automatically focus when the shutter button is pressed halfway. In order to focus again, you need to release the button and press halfway again. This mode is suitable for static scenes.

AF-C (auto focus continuous)- This is a tracking focus mode. When you press the shutter button halfway, the camera constantly tries to focus. She monitors changes in composition or movement of objects. It is very convenient to use this mode in dynamic scenes.

AF-A (auto focus automatic)- this is automatic mode. The camera itself decides which focus mode to use. She chooses between AF-S or AF-C. Many people prefer to use this particular mode, and novice photographers may not even be aware that other focusing modes are available.

M (MF - manual focusing)- This is manual focusing. It turns on near the lens mount in cameras with a motor, and in the camera menu in cameras without a motor. This mode involves manual focusing by rotating the corresponding ring on the lens. For beginners, this focusing method may seem difficult, but professionals mainly use it. Manual focusing mode is a distinctive feature of professional cameras from compact cameras (soap cameras). Automatic focusing does not work correctly in many situations, and in this case only manual adjustment can help.

The photo shows the focus point at which focus was achieved.

Attention: manual mode provides the ability to focus only on one point.

Some Nikon cameras have a built-in rangefinder. It shows the photographer where to rotate the focus ring to focus on a specific subject. Many older lenses that do not have autofocus have focusing scales.

Any central control camera from Nikon has an aiming accuracy sensor. It appears as a green circle in the lower left corner of the viewfinder. When it lights up, it means that the selected focus point has normal sharpness. This indicator is a great help when working with older lenses, such as Nikon 100mm F/2.8 Series E MF

Advanced cameras have precise focus adjustment - Release priority and Focus priority. It is available in AF-C mode.

The most common settings available in AF-C mode are:

1. FPS - frequency - for a camera, the shutter release is more important than focusing accuracy. This got the name Release priority
2. FPS frequency + AF - the camera gives priority to the shutter release, but focusing is also taken into account.
3. Focus - The camera's priority is focusing.

These priority settings determine how the camera will act. It can focus first and then take the picture, or take pictures regardless of the quality of the focus. There is also an average value.

Note:

More budget Nikon models do not work in shutter priority mode ( Release priority) in AF-S/AF-C modes. They operate in focus priority mode. Such cameras cannot take a photo quickly. Even though the shutter button is pressed all the way, the camera will not take photos until it is sure that focusing is done correctly. This is a very serious drawback that is found in amateur cameras Nikon D40, D40x, D3000, D60, D5000, D3100, D3200.

To combat this inconvenience, you can shoot in manual focus mode (M). Some lenses have an M/(M/A) mode. It allows you to take instant pictures while manually adjusting the focus.

Note 2:

Professional Nikon cameras, when shooting in AF-C mode, work with Release Priority. This mode allows you to take pictures by fully pressing the shutter button, regardless of whether the camera is in focus or not. Some cameras have this mode built in by default.

Live View

In this mode, focusing is much slower. The focusing speed decreases by up to tens of times. Live View mode focuses by contrast. Some cameras have two focus modes in Live View. In the first, the camera focuses by contrast, as in amateur cameras. In the second, while focusing, the camera turns off Live View, focuses, takes a photo, and turns Live View back on.

Focus points and areas

Each camera has a different number of focus points and areas. A module located under the camera mirror is responsible for focusing itself. This module calculates phase values ​​and issues focusing commands. Typically, focusing modules have several points by which focusing is calculated. By 2012, Nikon cameras have modules with three, five, eleven, thirty-nine and fifty-one focusing points. The ease of use of the camera and the accuracy of focusing depend on the number of points.

Working with focus points is carried out in focus zone mode - AF-area mode.

• Auto (auto-area AF), automatic adjustment to sharpness based on the nearest object falling within the white rectangle area. Focusing is performed on all available points.
• Dynamic focusing (dynamic-area AF). It works based on one point, but the setting takes into account the values ​​of a number of points located near it.
• Single Point AF. This type of focusing is performed only on one point.
• Additional: selection of multiple zones or 3D tracking. These settings are not available in all cameras.

AF-S single point focusing

Advice:

Amateur and advanced cameras have a programmable button, which is very convenient to switch the focus mode for quick settings. Professional cameras have a special focus mode switch, which simplifies the work and makes it faster.

Note:

Some cameras can show which points were focused. Focus points are marked with square markers. This function is only available in professional (D200, D300) and full-frame cameras. This mode is convenient because the focus points are scaled, so you can easily assess the quality of focusing. In amateur cameras, a similar check can be performed by enlarging the image in playback mode and scrolling with the selector to the desired point. Sometimes the camera does not show which point was focused. In this case, you can use the ViewNX program. it comes with the camera. On the computer display you can see the focus points in more detail.

Note:

Some Nikon cameras in automatic mode do not allow you to change the focus area and type. Other modes allow you to customize everything as needed.

Single point focus in AF-C mode

Looping focus points

This function allows you to move the focus point in a circle. For example, if the rightmost point is selected, then to move it, you need to press the selector in the appropriate direction. This function makes it possible to speed up switching focus points.

Focus area width

Some cameras, such as the Nikon D200, allow you to expand the focus area by making the dots smaller. For example, a camera with 11 focus points switches to 7 point mode, but the focus area expands (7 wide areas are created). In the viewfinder, the zones will visually appear wider, which can sometimes make focusing easier.

Focus adjustment (adjustment)

It happens that the camera is mistakenly focused, focusing behind the subject or in front of the subject. These are called back focus and front focus, respectively. To correct this shortcoming, some cameras have an adjustment. This setting is not available on all cameras. Nikon D300, D7000, D300s, D700, D3(s,x), D800(e), D4 have it.

"Dark" lenses and focusing

Almost all Nikon cameras use automatic focusing without problems only with lenses whose aperture is no darker than F/5.6. You can read about this in the instructions. Autofocus may struggle with darker lenses. For example, Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Asph (IF) Macro will not work correctly when shooting with an aperture of F/6.3. The use of teleconverters also affects autofocus. They lower the effective aperture value. There are only a few models that can handle dark lenses up to F8.0, such as the Nikon D4, although this does not guarantee accuracy at full aperture.

Cross and regular focus points

There is no noticeable difference between cross-shaped and conventional focus points, but it is believed that cross-shaped ones cope better with the task assigned to them.

Focus illumination

Nikon cameras have a special llama that helps focus in low light conditions. The lamp simply illuminates objects, thereby helping autofocus adjust sharpness. Sometimes the best results can be achieved by using a red spotlight flash.

Note:

Many Nikon cameras do not turn on the focus illuminator if single-point focusing mode is selected and a non-center point is selected.

Nikon flagship cameras such as Dh, D2hs, D2h, D1, D1x, D2x, D2xs, D3s, D4, D3, D3x are not equipped with backlights at all.

Single point focusing in AF-S mode

For those who don't understand everything?

If this material is difficult to comprehend, simply switch your camera to AF-A and set it to display a rectangular focus area. For daily, home use, the automatic mode will do its job perfectly. In addition, in professional photography, the use of precise settings is not always justified.

Conclusion:

Using manual focus settings helps you achieve the desired result faster. In order to understand the differences in how focus modes work, you just need to try them all and see how they work and what they affect.

Based on materials from the site: