AF-L/AE-L

[Lee_Maryland]

I have been tried to use AF-L, and AE-L on my D90. I don’t really understand how it works completely, and hopefully someone can help me understand it more. I understand that by holding the focus lock, that I can recomposes the shots. So does that mean, if I lock focus on an object then recomposes and my object will still be in focus? I mean what exactly is the purpose by doing that? I can reframe the object from a different angel, and shouldn’t I achieve the same thing? When would you use AF/AE lock? Portrait? Wedding?

 

[trizzo]

Check the manual. AF-L means auto-focus lock. While you keep this button pressed during taking pictures, camera will keep the same focus distance no matter where you point your camera. AE-L means exposure lock. It means that while keeping this button pressed camera will keep measured exposure data even you change position of camera and focus on something else. Exposure lock is very useful for landscape fotography for taking e.g. panorama shots unless you are on manual mode of course. Then you control exposure by yourself. As I said at the beginning check the manual, it is there (I do not know on which page it is eactly). Hope I helped you a little.

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[KmH]

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Most people turn that auto SPAM off. Check the manual.

OP.

The AE-L/AF-L button can be set to a variety of functions including AF-ON. Read your D90 user's manual - Page 200.

 

[Lee_Maryland]

I understand AF-L will lock the focus, and I can recompose before the shot. But my question is; what is the purpose of doing that? Can I just reposition the shot, then focus? Would I achieve the same thing? I am quiet confused on how and when to use the AF/AE lock.

 

[Patrice]

I understand AF-L will lock the focus, and I can recompose before the shot. But my question is; what is the purpose of doing that? Can I just reposition the shot, then focus? Would I achieve the same thing? I am quiet confused on how and when to use the AF/AE lock.

Let's just assume for a moment your absolutely gorgeous girlfriend is standing by the sea-side looking longingly towards far shores. Of course you think she looks adorable and you would like to capture the feeling of the moment. So you focus on her lovely face, press focus lock, recompose so that she is not dead centre in the frame and press the shutter. Had you not pressed the focus lock button your camera might have refocussed on some far off point causing your lovely girlfriend to be rendered as an unrecognizable blob. All this is of course not necessary if you move your focus point over to her new position in the frame.

 

[MTVision]

I understand AF-L will lock the focus, and I can recompose before the shot. But my question is; what is the purpose of doing that? Can I just reposition the shot, then focus? Would I achieve the same thing? I am quiet confused on how and when to use the AF/AE lock.

Have you heard of back button focusing? Didn't see what camera you have but with Nikons you can assign the ae-l/af-l button to af-on. That takes the focusing ability off of the shutter button. So instead of half pressing the shutter button to lock focus you would hit the af-l/ae-l button and use the shutter button to actually take the picture. It does lock the focus as well.

 

[Crollo]

Had you not pressed the focus lock button your camera might have refocussed on some far off point causing your lovely girlfriend to be rendered as an unrecognizable blob.

Huh, isn't this a normal behaviour of most AF cameras? Or are they continuous auto-focus?

 

[Lee_Maryland]

I understand AF-L will lock the focus, and I can recompose before the shot. But my question is; what is the purpose of doing that? Can I just reposition the shot, then focus? Would I achieve the same thing? I am quiet confused on how and when to use the AF/AE lock.

Let's just assume for a moment your absolutely gorgeous girlfriend is standing by the sea-side looking longingly towards far shores. Of course you think she looks adorable and you would like to capture the feeling of the moment. So you focus on her lovely face, press focus lock, recompose so that she is not dead centre in the frame and press the shutter. Had you not pressed the focus lock button your camera might have refocussed on some far off point causing your lovely girlfriend to be rendered as an unrecognizable blob. All this is of course not necessary if you move your focus point over to her new position in the frame.

Hahaha, thanks. I usually shoot in manual, so AE/AF is not necessary then.

 

[QuadTap]

you only need to lock the focus if you are in continuous focus.. you don't need it to recompose in single-focus mode .. in single focus mode you would focus on something (maybe an eye) get the beep / red light ,recompose, and snap (without semi-pressing the shutter button again to refocus). AE-L is handy, especially if you want to meter for a subject and recompose, the effect being more pronounced in spot and center weighted modes than matrix (which may make AE-L seem to have no affect.. not sure).

youtube is your friend for stuff like this.

good luck and keep shooting...!

 

[ann]

I understand AF-L will lock the focus, and I can recompose before the shot. But my question is; what is the purpose of doing that? Can I just reposition the shot, then focus? Would I achieve the same thing? I am quiet confused on how and when to use the AF/AE lock.

Have you heard of back button focusing? Didn't see what camera you have but with Nikons you can assign the ae-l/af-l button to af-on. That takes the focusing ability off of the shutter button. So instead of half pressing the shutter button to lock focus you would hit the af-l/ae-l button and use the shutter button to actually take the picture. It does lock the focus as well.

not all nikon cameras have this as a function.

 

[Geaux]

Just set mine to control AF. Came in handy during a practice shoot of a stationary subject the other night, locked the focus there and never had to worry about i losing focus while messing with other settings.

 

[MTVision]

not all nikon cameras have this as a function.

They don't? I know some Nikons like the d200, d700 and d3x have a dedicated af-on button but it does the same thing. I just figured most if not all of the newish Nikons had this ability. I know the d40 has this ability - don't know about any older models.....

 

[ann]

I have students with nikon's that don't have that function; only ae-l/af-l. My d700 does and i use it all the time.