How is your picture-taking coming along? I hope all is well with you… and those that you love.
Today, we are talking about a subject that is often discussed, but rarely will you find helpful information on how to conquer this challenging aspect of photography.
The subject? How to successfully manually focus a lens.
With today’s sophisticated autofocus technology, why would you ever want to manually focus your camera lens?
Some situations, such as low contrast, or a busy convoluted background, can wreak havoc with autofocus sensors. Having the ability to switch to manual focus can save a picture opportunity.
There are other moments where foreground objects might cause a problem with autofocus, or at a minimum create a ‘delay’, and then your picture is gone.
Our FREE Quick Guide this week is titled “Six Tips and Techniques for Manually Focusing a Lens”.
It was written for us by Aaron Seefeld. Aaron is rapidly becoming one of our ‘tech’ experts here at Photzy.
Aaron addresses the issue of why you may want to manually focus a lens within the paragraphs of his guide.
He says…
- You’ll encounter scenes where autofocus won’t get the job done.
- Maybe it’s a requirement for a challenge or an assignment.
- Many excellent older less expensive lenses don’t have an autofocus drive mechanism.
- Some people prefer to do the job themselves.
In his guide, Seefeld discusses…
- Why it’s important to be familiar with your gear
- How to set yourself up for success by using your diopter
- How your camera lets you know when your subject is in focus
- What zone focusing is and how you can use it to your advantage
- Some basic tips for getting started out in the field
If you’ve struggled in the past with manual focus… You are going to LOVE this guide!
Photo Credit: Aaron Seefeld
