Focussing technique for portraits & group pics

My question below is when I use my 24-70 for portraits / group pictures -- with 3 to 12 feet distance and typical 2.8 to 4 apperture (with lens wide open accuracy of focus becomes important due thin DOF).

Which technique from two below will give me better acuracy:

1. Use only centre focus point, focus on eye/face and then recompose.
2. Select focus point nearest to face (top point). Focus this point on face, do minor recompose.
3. Use all nine focus points. Let camera decide - Take pic if it has focussed some where on body.

If this question has been addressed in some other place, kindly give me link. Thanks for help.

No to #3. It will pick what it thinks is the best focal point.

I usually keep it on the center focus point, aim for the eyes and recompose. I've tried using your 2nd option but I found myself readjusting the focal point very often and it was a pain in the rump.

ssmanak wrote in post #12891644
My question below is when I use my 24-70 for portraits / group pictures -- with 3 to 12 feet distance and typical 2.8 to 4 apperture (with lens wide open accuracy of focus becomes important due thin DOF).

Which technique from two below will give me better acuracy:

1. Use only centre focus point, focus on eye/face and then recompose.
2. Select focus point nearest to face (top point). Focus this point on face, do minor recompose.
3. Use all nine focus points. Let camera decide - Take pic if it has focussed some where on body.

If this question has been addressed in some other place, kindly give me link. Thanks for help.

It's amazing you asked this question.... Will have to search, but someone posted a really good article about typical focusing errors. It's pretty advanced stuff, so I'll dig around for it and post.

From memory if one uses the center focus point and recomposes, it's almost guaranteed to be back focused.

Here is the article..... Some really good pointers below.

http://visual-vacations.com …focus-recompose_sucks.htm

You should be aware of the depth of field the f stop will give you. Using f5.6-f8 is more advised for groups.

mrgooch wrote in post #12891765
You should be aware of the depth of field the f stop will give you. Using f5.6-f8 is more advised for groups.

agree, stopping down will give you more depth of field and a little more room if focus/recomposing, depending on distance/subject distance, and all that good stuff.

checkout the DOF calculator and input your variables
http://www.dofmaster.c​om/dofjs.html

Interesting article but I never had the problem with back focusing when I use center focus and recompose. Maybe that technique needs to be mastered. Recomposing involves minor movement of the focal plane and I don't think it affects the photo much. however, I'm not totally alienating option #2. It just requires more adjusting in camera before each shot. Both #1 & #2 are good techniques.

davidc502 wrote in post #12891763
Here is the article..... Some really good pointers below.

http://visual-vacations.com …focus-recompose_sucks.htm

CameraMan wrote in post #12891810
Interesting article but I never had the problem with back focusing when I use center focus and recompose. Maybe that technique needs to be mastered. Recomposing involves minor movement of the focal plane and I don't think it affects the photo much. however, I'm not totally alienating option #2. It just requires more adjusting in camera before each shot. Both #1 & #2 are good techniques.

Correct Cameraman, that article is inaccurate, as you can see from the tests I posted in the recent post on this. I show the most obscene amount of recomposure, from one corner to the other. It shows when somebody has a theory and posts it as fact, however in real-world shooting, you can see it is not that big a deal, or a complete non-factor.

https://photography-on-the.net …p?p=12888366#po​st12888366

To answer the OP, #2 is best, then #1.

As long as you pick correct (big enough) DoF, you'll never have issues with focus/recompose technique - at least for portraits (the situation will be different for macro shots).

pulsar123 wrote in post #12892188
As long as you pick correct (big enough) DoF, you'll never have issues with focus/recompose technique - at least for portraits (the situation will be different for macro shots).

Again, I did a macro sample where the DOF is less than 1 inch. I focused in the upper left corner, took a shot, then recomposed the subject to the lower right corner.

subscribing.

you really posted this in the wrong area. the people or wedding section would be better.

AF - all point - the camera will select closest object to the camera.
group - full body shooting - like formals depends on which body - FF or Cropper you shoot with.

With a cropper - can get a large group 10-12 all in focus with f4 on 24mm L
ff - say 35mm or 50mm - you will have to drop down to around f6-ish to get everybody in focus.

focus on person in center of group (front to back).

this is a good starting point - experience will help you decide for different situations.

davidc502 wrote in post #12891763
Here is the article..... Some really good pointers below.

http://visual-vacations.com …focus-recompose_sucks.htm

Thanks. It precisely answers. Back focus by approx 3 inch at 7 feet for full height portrait.

One observation on article - as you recompose, even the verticle plane will rotate thereby further increasing backfocus.

ssmanak wrote in post #12891644
...
If this question has been addressed in some other place, kindly give me link. Thanks for help.

http://www.dofmaster.c​om/dofjs.html

I use it a lot and it helps a lot.

3 feet at 70mm on 500D is more like a macro shot, not

, IMO.

It's a good idea to stop your lens down to the smallest aperture possible when shooting a group photo, especially if thereis more than one row of people.