Autofocus points and rule of thirds

[kou_lee]

<p>Why haven't manufacturers placed autofocus points at the rule of thirds points? It would make composing an image and focusing easier I would believe.</p>

[kevin_delson]

<p>You're assuming the designers know what and how we wish to compose.<br>

You're also assuming the rule of thirds is a rule.<br>

It's a non issue since you have 2 alternatives.</p>

<p>1) Focus & recompose<br>

2) Manually select the focus point you want</p>

[William Michael]

<p><em>"Why haven't manufacturers placed autofocus points </em><strong><em>at the rule of thirds points?"</em></strong></p>

<p>What Kevin wrote . . .</p>

<p>And also, <strong><em>which</em></strong> rule of third points should the manufacturers use ? ? ? . . .</p>

<p>The set of thirds points for this image, which I composed for printing square: <a href="../photo/10963073&size=lg">http://www.photo.net/photo/10963073&size=lg</a></p>

<p>Or the third points for this which I composed to print Widescreen Format: <a href="../photo/10707752&size=lg">http://www.photo.net/photo/10707752&size=lg</a></p>

<p>Or for this shot which I composed to print to 5x7:<br>

<a href="../photo/10442931&size=lg">http://www.photo.net/photo/10442931&size=lg</a></p>

<p>All these were shot with a dSLR – but all have different “rule of third points” . . . and in some images I didn't adhere to those rules, either.</p>

<p>WW</p>

 

[Hamor Photography]

Kou, some do (sort of; see William's point above about which Rule of Thirds). From Wikipedia:

 

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS

 

"Canon's latest professional SLRs, the EOS-1D Mk III [sic, looks like this wasn't updated when the IV

was released] and EOS-1Ds Mk III have 19 cross-type sensors for higher accuracy, as well as placing

the cross-type sensors to complement the Rule of Thirds."

 

This is also illustrated on Canon's product pages under the features tab showing the location of the

sensors roughly lining up with the Rule of Thirds.

[JDMvW]

<p>That's not really the purpose of the focus points anyway.<br>

If thirds are important to you, just swap out the screen for one with a grid, even if the <em>lines</em> are not on the thirds as such, they make it easy to judge space in thirds. There are gridded screens available even for many cameras that do not technically have interchangeable screens.</p>

[976photo]

<p>A lot of DSLRs have the option to turn on the grid in the viewfinder. I know mine does (D5000), I just leave it on and use them for guides when I do want to apply the rule of thirds. Also helps to keep your pictures straight if you use the horizontal lines like a level.</p>

[dan_south]

Autofocus sensors are smaller than image sensors. They can't spread AF points all across the frame. They have to

cluster them in the middle.

 

What if you want to compose a portrait using the rule of thirds? Which part of the face goes right at the point where the

lines marge? The nose? The chin? The left eye? The rule of thirds is only a loose guideline. You have to apply your own

taste and sense of organization to make it work when.