A few questions about Manual focus and focus to infinity

[Kusca]

Before I start, I would just like to say thank you all for you contribution to this website, and for providing help for people new to photography such as my self, for me to be where I am at presently, it would take me much longer had it not been for this website and the advice given.

Now my questions is:
I am reading a few things about Hyperfocus:
In Brian Peterson's great book Understanding Exposure he says "to get everything in the shot shoot f/22 (I have a question about this later), and focus 3 feet away with a UWA lens, and 5 feet away on a normal lens while manually focusing" (not exactly those words just paraphrasing). I have a few questions about this:
1. After this I read about hyper focusing I guessing this is what Brian is also talking about?
2.Why does one have to manually focus this shot why not put it to f/10 or higher, and AF 3 feet away?

3. If your camera has manual focus confirmation what difference does this make then using AF, isn't the camera saying yes you are in focus, where on AF it is putting it into focus itself using the same method it did to confirm your manual focus shot?

4.I heard people say stay away from f/22, I tried to take a photo at f/22 with my Sony 35mm f/1.8 while trying to manually focus, and I think it looks bad, I don't know if I manually focused wrong (but nothing is in focus it seems and at f/22 shouldn't something be in focus?), or if it is diffraction from the lens because I shot at f/22?

2 different pictures first one was edited in LR, both are manual focus at f/22, 1/20 shutter speed hand held with steady shot on.

You might have to pixel peek to see what I am talking about, look at the tree to the right to see what I am talking about.

 

[enzodm]

I tried to answer but I'm not sure I fully understood your questions.

1. After this I read about hyper focusing I guessing this is what Brian is also talking about?

hyperfocal distance is the right term. Yes, although you may make that rule more specific by examing the specific hyperfocal distance for your lens (e.g. here: Depth of Field Table ).

2.Why does one have to manually focus this shot why not put it to f/10 or higher, and AF 3 feet away?

You do not have to manual focus. If you need manual focus, you use it. In this case, if at 3 feet away you do not have any object, you cannot autofocus on it, so you have to resort to manual.

3. If your camera has manual focus confirmation what difference does this make then using AF, isn't the camera saying yes you are in focus, where on AF it is putting it into focus itself using the same method it did to confirm your manual focus shot?

again, you do not have to manual focus, unless necessary. The algorithm for manual focus confirmation is the same as autofocus, so, if autofocus fails or is not precise for some reason, also focus confirmation will fail. In this case is better to use pure manual focus. Remember that you may be more intelligent than your camera .

4.I heard people say stay away from f/22, I tried to take a photo at f/22 with my Sony 35mm f/1.8 while trying to manually focus, and I think it looks bad, I don't know if I manually focused wrong (but nothing is in focus it seems and at f/22 shouldn't something be in focus?), or if it is diffraction from the lens because I shot at f/22?

Your pictures are in fact soft, but I do not know why. As there are many additional variables that make these pictures hard (snow, overcast), if you have to experiment with manual focus and hyperfocal, I would try with some easier situation.