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Like to keep your shot in the autofocus? In this quick tutorial with our favorite New Yorker David Bergman we learn the different autofocus modes and why you pick one over the other.
David explains: “Way back in the days before auto focus cameras, we all had to learn how to use manual focus. It didn’t matter if the subject was stationery or moving fast, the key to making a good image was using you hand and eye coordination and turning the lens and keep the subject in focus every single time you took a picture. Now we have these incredible computers systems built-in to our camera that can do the work of focusing for us. With great power comes great responsibility, we are given two primary ways to set auto focus and there are reasons to use both. It depends on your camera model but in general the first is called AI Servo or continuous, while the other is one shot or single Servo. Continuous is for a subject in motion. You use back button focus like I do, or by pressing the shutter half way auto-focus is on it will constantly be hunting, searching and adjusting focus, to keep your subjects sharp.”
“There are some other settings you can adjust, but in general the camera will focus on whatever is in the middle of your frame. You can take a picture anytime you want even if your subject isn’t in focus at that millisecond, however theses camera’s are so good, that it almost doesn’t matter how fast your subject is moving, your camera will keep the subject in focus.”
“One shot mode on the other hand is for stationery subjects. Once the camera find focus, it locks on tight and doesn’t let go, no matter where you point the lens. Of course you can deactivate and reactivate the autofocus to force the camera to find focus again, but you couldn’t possibly do it that fast now for a moving subject. Stick to continuous for that. ”
“Which one do I use? Well I’m on continuous focus mode almost all of the time. I can always lock focus lifting my finger off the back button. Or if you prefer using the shutter button you can use the AF lock button. Some cameras have a hybrid mode, that tries to switch back and forth between one shot and continuous, but I find it’s too much of a compromise since the camera might not switch fast enough between modes when your subject moves for example.”
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