Why is this out of focus?

[onesix]

For a better understanding of this I strongly recomend reading Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson - the book will go into far more depth and yet is easy to understand when your new to photography

I had that book before our house fire. It is a great book that WILL be replaced.


I was supprised that the shutter speed was so slow in this shot.


If I wanded to keep everything in focus isn't there a magic f#??

 

[Josh66]

If I wanded to keep everything in focus isn't there a magic f#??

Well, the more you stop down, the more will be in focus - but I'm not sure that it would have saved this shot. You will also start to loose sharpness from diffraction if you stop down too much...

Also, stopping down more will make your shutter speed slower - that could become an issue depending on the light.

 

[DScience]

use the thumb button to put a group of AF points on off-center subjects and you'll have superb autofocusing.

Off center subject??

Send that D700 my way, take my D90 and learn how to use it.

 

[onesix]

use the thumb button to put a group of AF points on off-center subjects and you'll have superb autofocusing.

Off center subject??

Send that D700 my way, take my D90 and learn how to use it.

Ya.. I'll get right on that!:lmao:

 

[onesix]

Thank you to everyone that offered constructive help on this question.:hug::

 

[newrmdmike]

looks like you missed the focus is all. In that instance you might like the "closest subject" focus mode. also, as said by everyone else, learn how to use your focus points.

 

[jamsbrown85]

This is really a great discussion. Although i am a free time photographer, i have learned some good skills reading this post. thank you so much. :thumbup:

 

[PHILLIP MAC]

The picture is in focus but in the wrong place does nobody use manuel focus anymore believe me it's more accurate.

 

[musicaleCA]

The picture is in focus but in the wrong place does nobody use manuel focus anymore believe me it's more accurate.

No it ain't. My 7D can focus on AI Servo way, way faster than I can manually. And it's a heck of a lot more accurate too. It's hard enough for me to keep track of a game, let alone fine-tune the focus at such silly distances. :lmao:

 

[Dao]

The picture is in focus but in the wrong place does nobody use manuel focus anymore believe me it's more accurate.

I believe it depends on the situation. Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

 

[Overread]

The picture is in focus but in the wrong place does nobody use manuel focus anymore believe me it's more accurate.

Manual focus is also a lot harder today than it was back in the days of film. Firstly the crop sensor cameras have a smaller and darker viewfinder image when compared to a fullframe digitial and regular film camera - so that can make telling what is sharp and what is not a lot hard to judge.
Further the older film cameras had focusing aids built in to the viewfinder - the digital cameras all lack these (though for some you can have them put in - but most will then also mess up AF functionality).

Digital cameras are made to use AF and the focusing design relies on the assumption that the user will be using the AF feature. There are exceptions (macro is still done in almost all manual focus) but its a general rule that AF is the dominant form of focusing.
Further AF is generally far faster and more accurate than manual focusing when going for a moving subject - learning to use AF correctly though is a skill which has to be learnt in order to get the best out of it.

 

[newrmdmike]

overread nailed it.

 

[fiveoboy01]

use the thumb button to put a group of AF points on off-center subjects and you'll have superb autofocusing.

Off center subject??

Send that D700 my way, take my D90 and learn how to use it.

Perhaps, since your ego is obviously driving your remarks, you can offer some of your "expert" opinion rather than making a stupid comment?

To the OP, the simple fact of the matter is that you focused on the wrong subject. f-stop wouldn't have done anything for your here, you just need to practice a little more at getting the subject you want to be in focus, in focus.