Question: Is that 'motion' gotta do with locking focus?

[synkronize]

Hi everyone

I hope someone can spare some feedback and guidance on this query which I have. I'm currently running on 400D and I looked up the manual the other day on how to lock focus. I seem to be able to do this only on Aperture Priority mode but not on Manual? Is anyone having this issue?

Also, i notice in a lot of wedding photography, the photographers will point their camera to one direction, hold the shutter halfway and hear the beep and then the lens/camera moves slightly elsewhere. I tried googling for this but don't seem to have an answer for it and wld be grateful if someone could share some light into this 'mysterious' technique (well to me at least )

thanks in advance!

[Jojie]

Originally Posted by synkronize

Hi everyone

I hope someone can spare some feedback and guidance on this query which I have. I'm currently running on 400D and I looked up the manual the other day on how to lock focus. I seem to be able to do this only on Aperture Priority mode but not on Manual? Is anyone having this issue?

Also, i notice in a lot of wedding photography, the photographers will point their camera to one direction, hold the shutter halfway and hear the beep and then the lens/camera moves slightly elsewhere. I tried googling for this but don't seem to have an answer for it and wld be grateful if someone could share some light into this 'mysterious' technique (well to me at least )

thanks in advance!

I can't answer so much about your lock focus because I don't know what that is.. unless miror lock? or the one where you press the * on the camera.. see what I mean!! I don't know anything about it..

but the latter -- where you describe as professionals pointing at a subject, press the half shutter and move slightly is call re-compositioning or something or rather.. I do that all the time.. The thing is, when you have your 9point focusing centred (as in only 1 active) you have to re-compose... grrr. even this i can't explain. fully. sorry..

but basically what the is.. is focus (get your focusing to whatever you desired -- press the shutter hafl.) then recompose -- as in frame your shot how you wanted it.

[BigFuzzy]

Focus lock should work in ALL modes. Period.

What you're seeing when you hear the beep and see them move camera is exactly them using focus lock.. What they are likely doing is using the central focus point to point at the thing they want in focus, push down half way, and while holding it down half way they recompose the image and when happy finish pushing the shutter.

I hope that helps.

PS In my opinion, anyone who's shooting a wedding and allowing their camera to beep when it focuses is no pro, that's a very amateurish move in my humble opinion. It's distracting and rude to the couple. Turn it off, it screams "I'm new to my camera!"... the focus point blinks while looking through the viewfinder indicating focus has occurred, so you don't need the beep.

[synkronize]

Hi all, thanks ... i think i'll need to relook at my focus lock again on my camera.

For the refocusing part, how does that affect your photo? Like I actually notice this when my wedding photo was being taken - the camera points say at my eye/face level and it moves away downward. So am I right to say that the photographer is trying to get the face/eyes in focus AND the other area which is his 2nd focus? Sorry, I'm just trying to visualize it. I tried playing with this technique the other day but couldn't quite tell the difference so I must have it wrong somewhere.

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by synkronize

For the refocusing part, how does that affect your photo? Like I actually notice this when my wedding photo was being taken - the camera points say at my eye/face level and it moves away downward. So am I right to say that the photographer is trying to get the face/eyes in focus AND the other area which is his 2nd focus? Sorry, I'm just trying to visualize it. I tried playing with this technique the other day but couldn't quite tell the difference so I must have it wrong somewhere.

No, what the photographer was doing was focusing on your face/eyes, then recomposing the shot while maintaining that focus. The subsequent movement had nothing to do with focus, only with composition.

The point being, if he didn't move the camera after focusing on your face, your face would always be in the center which is boring/bad. So, he focused on your eyes/face and recomposed the frame so the subjects in it (ie you) were in a more pleasing place in the final shot.

better?

[synkronize]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

No, what the photographer was doing was focusing on your face/eyes, then recomposing the shot while maintaining that focus. The subsequent movement had nothing to do with focus, only with composition.

The point being, if he didn't move the camera after focusing on your face, your face would always be in the center which is boring/bad. So, he focused on your eyes/face and recomposed the frame so the subjects in it (ie you) were in a more pleasing place in the final shot.

better?

Ohhhh! ok, i get it now, thanks!!

[Anne12343]

I've been reading this section and have a question about focal point. I have a d90. Should I keep the outer button on the back of the camera on the L or on the dot next to it in order to have the focal point stay in the middle of the viewfinder? Thanks.