Focus during wedding?

[elaine marie]

Just a quick poll.

 

What method of focusing do you find your self using most during a

wedding...Manual or auto? A short explanation why?

 

<P>Elaine Marie

[picturesque]

Autofocus most of the time, for speed. Manual zone focus some of the time, for speed and to nail a shot (in low light and for processionals, for instance).

[fotografz]

Ditto.

[patrick_viebey___orlando__]

I think Nadine hit a good point - recognize what the limitations are on auto focus. Work within them, so you don't surprise yourself with fuzzy pictures.

 

I think it also depends on how much you trust your camera (and it's capabilities). My trusty (and aged) Canon A1 has no autofocus. I don't much trust the autofocus on my D1X, and fully trust it on D2X (given enough light and objects that work well with af).

[bruce_rubenstein]

I have yet to use an AF camera that had a viewfinder that was at all close to the viewfinder of a MF camera (F100 & D200). I use AF just about all the time. You do need some time to learn to use the AF system of your camera, and often get the right lenses to get the most out of it. AF often works much better with the pro grade 2.8 lenses than the slower consumer lenses.

[jfr]

On an autofocus body, 99% of the time AF. On my MF-gear, 100% MF. In total about 5% of the shots with MF.

 

I've tried to beat the AF in outdoor light, but you can't. It's way more precise. As long as there is light i trust it.

[shaun_carter]

autofocus...except in situations where autofocus struggles such as low light. then it's manual.

[35mmdelux]

always manual. using manual primes w/ F5 and Leica.

 

in my short AF period I found AF too slow and focusing on wrong item.

[wedding-photography-denver]

Decent light = AF for the bulk

 

low light, depends on the lens/cam in use

 

Processional/Recessional = MF zone

 

Portraiture formals/groups = MF for the point of sharpest focus and f-stop/DOF desired

 

General shooting and 80% or more of the day is AF center/recompose.

[wedding-photography-denver]

Paul A.

 

Wow, I always found the AF on the F5 pretty much spot on. Did you ever have it adjusted by Nikon?

[karenco]

Auto. I use my left hand to hold the flash, so I don't have a spare hand to focus with.

[al_kaplan1]

Always manual. I can nudge the focussing tab on Leica 35 and 50mm lenses with my middle finger but mostly just fine focus by moving all of me. With flash the depth of field will usually cover you anyway. I try to always keep the focus set to a point more distant than I'm likely to need to focus on. That way I always know which way to turn the lens ~ no hunting back and forth.

[jmichaelc]

AF 99% of the time, zone focus when i absolutly can't get a lock.

[djphoto]

Since my aging eyes lost their ability to focus quickly and accurately nearly 15 years ago, I don't have much choice. If autofocus had never been invented, I would be shooting Leicas for all 35mm work.

[khaisy]

AF 90% of the time

[francis_cardullo___dayton_]

AF 98% of the time, Zoned AF/MF durring processional / Recessional, MF only when lighting makes AF impossible. It's simply too hard to quickly MF with the 20d's viewfinder.

[lex_jenkins]

I manually focused everything for decades and still don't use an AF film SLR. But when I do supplement to kit with AF I don't fight what the gear does well.

 

With my dSLR, AF 95% of the time, mostly using a single sensor focus point that move around with the selector paddle. I use the group options less often, and then only when I can stop down enough for better DOF.

 

Of the times I'm using AF, at least half the time I'm in continuous focus mode using the shutter release button to activate focus.

 

The other half the time, for shots that aren't so hurried, I'll switch to single servo mode and use the AF/ON thumb button to activate focus so the shutter release button doesn't inadvertently refocus after I recompose.

[em1310]

AF most of the time... depending on the light and location for BG by themselves I use manual.

[crystal-lite]

Mostly manual but on occasions auto-focus when required.

[laurenm]

I'm finding myself using manual a lot. Maybe my lenses but it it seems to be quicker.

[eric merrill]

Both. One of the things I love about full-time manual focus is that I no longer have to decide. I leave my lens in auto focus mode, and then whenever I want, I simply tweak the focus a bit. I have the custom function set that moves focus to the * button on the back instead of the shutter release.

 

 

Eric

[jennifer valencia]

I always use autofocus, but I change the autofocus spot frequently to make it easier on myself. That's probably my most-used button on the camera! I wear glasses (strong prescription) and I just don't trust myself with manual focus. The only time I use manual focus is when the camera absolutely can't autofocus.

 

Jennifer