Blurry photos due to auto focus?

I currently have the gear listed below. And while taking pictures, I notice only about 20% of the time the pictures are focused on the correct area. Most of the time it is either to close or focued on something else.

Could this be due to the fact it is on automatic focus and not manual selection?

Thanks

Post a problem photo with EXIF data intact.
It's pure speculation otherwise.

what phil said stands, however it is suggested that you choose the focus point YOU want the camera to focus on, otherwise it may not choose exactly what you want and could be slightly off.

Give us a photo NothingRemains10......​......

NothingRemains10 wrote in post #10575205
I currently have the gear listed below. And while taking pictures, I notice only about 20% of the time the pictures are focused on the correct area. Most of the time it is either to close or focued on something else.

Could this be due to the fact it is on automatic focus and not manual selection?

Thanks

If you are not deliberately selecting the focus point to use and then placing that focus point over an area with contrast on the subject where you want the focus to be, your results will be a crap shoot.

Using all AF points on a Rebel is definitely a crap shoot. It will find the closest most contrasty thing to focus on and there is a good chance that isn't what you wanted.

NothingRemains10 wrote in post #10575205
I currently have the gear listed below. And while taking pictures, I notice only about 20% of the time the pictures are focused on the correct area. Most of the time it is either to close or focued on something else.

Could this be due to the fact it is on automatic focus and not manual selection?

Thanks

Absolutely. How is the camera supposed to know what your subject is? The AF sensors don't really "see" anything except phase differences in the light. You NEED to explicitly select the ONE focus point that is closest to your intended subject.

JeffreyG wrote in post #10575700
If you are not deliberately selecting the focus point to use and then placing that focus point over an area with contrast on the subject where you want the focus to be, your results will be a crap shoot.

Great word choice!

They should have Best Buy salesman set all cameras to center focusing point before the customers are allowed to leave the store with the camera body...

bauerman wrote in post #10576613
They should have Best Buy salesman set all cameras to center focusing point before the customers are allowed to leave the store with the camera body...

That would probably make the situation worse. The bottom line is that the user needs to take control of the camera, the lighting, and the photoshopping, and basically assume full responsibility for getting their own awesome photos. They can't rely upon the camera to think. Unfortunately, a lot of folks (especially a large segment of the group that buys their SLRs at Best Buy instead of a camera store) moving up from P&S cameras have essentially had their thinking retarded by use of cameras that don't allow for any user input at all. It can be a rude awakening, but, once they make it through and get their attitude readjusted, they will learn how to make the awesome photographs that they need.

My post regarding Best Buy was tongue in cheek....

I agree with your assertions though that people needing to take full responsibility for producing the level of photography that they are trying to achieve.

If everything else fails, read the camera instructions...

JeffreyG wrote in post #10575700
If you are not deliberately selecting the focus point to use and then placing that focus point over an area with contrast on the subject where you want the focus to be, your results will be a crap shoot.

What JeffreyG (and several others) said. Using Auto AF point selection is letting the camera choose what to focus on instead of YOU choosing what you want to focus on.

When I first had my 450D I aways used multi focus points, but since I started using centre focusing, my shots have improved enormously.

killwilly wrote in post #10581806
When I first had my 450D I aways used multi focus points, but since I started using centre focusing, my shots have improved enormously.

+1 !