Blowing the Focus/Recompose?

[Mamarazzi_2008]

I tried doing that whole Focus and recompose to get sharpness through out last weekend and.....well....not so good. I would choose the face to focus on with my middle point, and then recompose to sharpen but things just came out blurry all around.
Is there more to it than what im doing?

[OsmosisStudios]

Im confused: how does focusing and recomposing improve sharpness?

[wulf]

I think it might be a problem in explaining what is being done. "Focus and recompose" wouldn't add sharpness but would, potentially, allow a composition that puts the sharpest point of focus in an area not covered by a focus point.

It would be useful to see a sample picture or two. The lack of sharpness might be caused by camera shake (too low a shutter speed) or too narrow a depth of field (wide open aperture).

Wulf

[natek313]

My guess is that when you go to recompose the shot, you're unknowingly moving the camera slightly closer to or away from the subject, which is throwing off your focus.

But, like wulf said, some sample pictures would help.

[Digidave]

Originally Posted by natek313

My guess is that when you go to recompose the shot, you're unknowingly moving the camera slightly closer to or away from the subject, which is throwing off your focus.

But, like wulf said, some sample pictures would help.

Or, your camera is set to Continuously refocus for moving objects. If you have your camera set to "Spot Focus" + "AF-C", your camera will refocus for wherever that spot is pointed.

In other words, to achieve what you want to do.

1) Be sure your camera is set to "Spot Focus" (Center Spot)
2) Be sure your camera is set to "AF-S" (AutoFocus - Single Servo). This will lock your focus.
3) If your lens has stabilization, be sure to wait a couple of seconds after reframing in order to give the lens time to stabilize.
4) Point the Center Spot at your primary subject
5) Press shutter release half way to lock focus
6) Reframe your shot being sure to hold the shutter release half way & wait a second or two

[Mamarazzi_2008]

i think it may be that my understanding of reframing a shot is lacking. Can someone give me a better explanation of when/why you would use this? And give an example of the original shot and then reframed?

I know that part of my problem was I was shooting WIDE open.

[OsmosisStudios]

If youre using your 50mm f/1.8 lens, you focus using the centre focus point on your subject (say the model) and then recompose. This way the focus stays on the model but he/she is not dead-centered in the frame.

It's a compositional tool.

[Mamarazzi_2008]

See - I am using that lens and that was what I was doing but it was turning out badly. I will try and get something uploaded in the morning to show you. Maybe there is something else going on?

[OsmosisStudios]

Your focusing method. If you're using a continuous focus, the camera doesnt lock focus on the subject, it re-focuses as you move. Use the Servo focus mode and you'll be golden.

[kstangent]

Why Focus-Recompose can give non-accurate focus – How A Commonly-Used AF Technique Causes Focus Errors. | DigitalPixels.net - Photography Blog