Field autofocus V's single point

[wooferdog]

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After 30 years manual focus , I'm using my first auto focus lens on the SL , the 75 App. I'm not sure which mode to use , single point or field ....could someone advise me  in the practical us elf both. Many thanks

[sillbeers15]

Use single point when you want specific location to be in focus out of a busy background.

Use field or zone when the subject are either in group or comes randomly onto a clean background such as sky or water surface.

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[thighslapper]

You will have more success and less aggravation using field with the 75/2, especially wide open.

 

This is counter intuitive ....... with the narrow DOF you would have thought that you would be better with Single Point for accuracy ..... but in fact locking onto the required point is harder than it looks, especially for small objects, flowers, foliage, noses etc .... you can easily find the camera focussing on things in front or behind ...... better to let Field pick an average point centred on the area you want.

 

I’d try a bit of experimentation (as I did) and you will soon find out which is the most reliable.

Edited May 14, 2018 by thighslapper

[jaapv]

It sounds decadent, but Face Recognition is quite useful. It will lock on a face if it can find one, and  revert to Field when there is no face.

[Chuck Albertson]

It sounds decadent, but Face Recognition is quite useful. It will lock on a face if it can find one, and  revert to Field when there is no face.

I've also found face recognition very useful for portraits. It mostly works, even locking onto the nearest eye of the subject, but sometimes gets thrown off if the subject is wearing glasses, or their eyes are shaded (like by a hat brim).

[lx1713]

It sounds decadent, but Face Recognition is quite useful. It will lock on a face if it can find one, and  revert to Field when there is no face.

 

Scott taught me this trick with AFc for video. It's sort of embarrassingly fun to use.

[wooferdog]

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Thank you all for your help .... I'm experimenting , prefer single point , but am missing a few.

[Chuck Albertson]

I've also found face recognition very useful for portraits. It mostly works, even locking onto the nearest eye of the subject, but sometimes gets thrown off if the subject is wearing glasses, or their eyes are shaded (like by a hat brim).

 

Reinforcing this point, most of the security checkpoints I've been through this week have been flummoxed when I show up, until one of the attendants yell at me to take off my cowboy hat and glasses.