Focus Points

[jtmorales]

I've seen a few people comment here and there on what focus points they use when shooting. I thought it would be a good idea to ask the Pros what they us when shooting.

Do you allow the camera to choose the focus points, do you always use the center focus point or do you choose based on the situation? I'm just getting into some studio work and I was just curious what people use. Like when you are shooting a group or individual, indoor vs outdoor....ect.

Thanks

[Hermes]

In the studio, unless i'm using a large aperture to try and get bokeh, I use a corner AF point with the camera in portrait orientation to focus on the subject's eyes and then swith the lens to manual so I dont have to focus again until the setup changes (obviously I check to see that it has focused properly first).

[ghosh]

Hello
That’s a good question, Well it depends. While shooting a butterfly (macro photography) you should point to the tentacles (the more minute details are in focus the more the over all photograph looks focused).
It all depends up on your composition. What you want in focus and what you don’t want in focus should your idea while shooting.
Suppose you are using a lens such as 28-200 mm. You zoom to 180 mm while taking a particular photograph. you want every thing (most of the things near the subject ) in focus. Then go for higher F number ( Very small opening). Which in turn will increase the depth of field, which in turn will bring most of the things near the object in focus ( not always in focus but more clear and not blur. Hope you understand what I mean).

Please keep in mind when ever you want every thing to be in focus please use FIXED LENS. Else if you use a lenses such as 28- 200 mm then you have to keep the focus at infinity.
I always use center focus in automatic mode while shooting because that’s fast and I decide well in advance what I want in focus and what I don’t want.

If you are shooting a group of people in studio and want every one to be in focus then please go for FIXED LENS. You have 50mm fixed lens which is quite popular among studio photographers. If you dont want every one in focus then go for zoom lens, zoom to maximum and focus on some ones EYE. With Maximum F number (Full open aperture) may be you will get just 1 or 2 people in focus. rest may be blurred.

IT ALL DEPENDS UP ON YOUR TEST ...( I am not very good at explaining, hope you understand what I mean)

[PhotosGuy]

"Do you allow the camera to choose the focus points," Never.

"do you always use the center focus point or do you choose based on the situation?" It's all in my Sig. ;)

[MJP]

"ve always use a manual focus point eventhough the mark N have a hhmm...gee i dont remember how many focus points the mark n have...also depends on the situation if the subject is unpredictable then change the Cn17 configuration....