Camera Labs

I have been reading a little bit about a technique that can be used to focus different parts of a frame and would like to learn a little bit more about it.

I read that to get different parts of a photo in focus you can half press the shutter release button while the item you want to focus on is in the centre and then move the frame so that item is in a different part of the frame.

I have had a little play with idea on my camera and it seems to work with close up shots but i havent yet had a good test around the idea.

Do you use this technique often and is it affective? are there set circumstances that this is most usefull in or does it work with all types of shots including landscapes where there may be a building in the frame?

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Tobywuk personal website || My Flickr
Gear: Sony a700! || CZ 16-80mm! || Sony 75-300 || bag: Crumpler PB xxxl / Lowepro slingshot 200

Hi Toby, the half-press to lock the focus is one of the most useful lessons to learn with any camera - it also works with compacts.

So point at the subject, half press to lock the focus, then with the button still half-pressed, recompose, then press fully down to take the shot.

We do have a workshop for this planned in the future...

I think it when doing this it I use it most when doing the rule of 3rds because when you put your main subject off to the side most of the time it will focus of too something in the background.

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Camera: Canon 40D, 17-85mm IS
Knowledge of Photography: Hours of reading and videos.
Computer: iMac 24inch 3.06Ghz 4gb ram 500gb HD Nvidia 8800 GS 512mb

I use it all the time with spot metering, it's a great tool -- remember to set auto foucs to AF-S, not AF-C (AF-C will over ride this feature and focus continually)

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BrianS
D50, 70-300mm VR, 50mm f/1.8

Use the AF-Lock if you want to use it with continuous AF.

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Graham
Flickr