Stupid beginner question...using AF in manual mode?

[smackitsakic]

This is a very beginner question, but hoping somebody can help!

I'm just in the process of learning about exposure, aperture, shutter speed, etc. as i'd like to use the manual mode more often. I'm at a point where i'm comfortable enough now to venture out and try to snap some photos in manual mode.

One question...is it possible to use auto focus in manual mode, or are you forced to use manual focus? I notice that in manual mode I can't hold down the shutter button half way to engage AF.

Any info would be helpful! Thanks.

 

[burstintoflame81]

You should be able to. Is MF selected on your lens, instead of AF?

 

[bitteraspects]

manual settings and manual focus are two completely different functions.
if you set your camera to "M", your AF is still functional (unless you have switched it off at the lens)
much in the same way you can set your lens to manual focus, while using the camera in full auto or priority modes.

 

[smackitsakic]

Hmm, i'm wondering what's going wrong then.

The AF/MF selector on my lens is in AF, but it won't actually auto focus when I press the shutter button halfway down like it does if i'm in an auto mode (landscape, macro, etc.).

I'll play around some more, but i'm not sure what the problem is.

 

[burstintoflame81]

If there is not enough light, the camera will not autofocus, or have trouble autofocusing because it cannot see enough to figure out what you want to focus on.

 

[crystalhb]

Fellow Saskatchewaner(ite?)! :thumbsup:

Anywho, you definitely should be able to use your autofocus. Phone tech support if you're stumped....

 

[aliciaqw]

Hmm, i'm wondering what's going wrong then.

The AF/MF selector on my lens is in AF, but it won't actually auto focus when I press the shutter button halfway down like it does if i'm in an auto mode (landscape, macro, etc.).

I'll play around some more, but i'm not sure what the problem is.

Do you for some reason have back button focus activated? I have the same camera you do and I can autofocus in manual.

 

[smackitsakic]

Got it figured out! Not sure what the problem was...I think it might have been because I was using the live view function in manual, which I forgot to mention, but regardless, I got it working now.

Thanks for the help!

And yes, fellow Saskatchewanite! Am down in the southwest corner, you?

 

[crystalhb]

Waaaaay up north....
Glad to hear it's working now.

 

[iskoos]

It will not AF when in liveview with shutter button. You gotta press and hold the * which makes it very inconvenient for me. I almost never use liveview.