Focus and Recompose or Change Focus Point?

Focus-recompose with the centre point almost always. For two reasons really, 95% of the time, for the kind of things I shoot, it makes no difference and the centre-point is faster, easier and very accurate.

The second reason is the outer points on my 5D2 are not great, and not always ideally placed either. But I've used a 5D3 quite a lot and that has wonderful AF all over, so I'd guess it might be more 75/25% in favour of the centre point with that camera.
 
Both. The context for me is invertebrates and flora, and a camera using contrast detect with a focus point that can range widely across the frame.

I often use focus and recompose for the first few shots of an invertebrate subject so as to quickly get something in case it moves off almost straight away. I call these my "safety shots".

Then I often move to focus point. This is because I often want to hold a composition steady, or keep the subject in a particular area of the frame while tracking the subject as it moves, while taking a sequence of shots (not a burst, but a sequence that may involve shots at irregular intervals over the course of several minutes, or longer). I may need to keep refocusing because of the movements, and for this I use autofocus. Swinging back and forth using focus and recompose is unsuitable in either case, and especially so when I need to "catch" the focus as the subject passes through the relevant point in the frame as it gyrates irregularly in a breeze.
 
I used to always be an advocate of using the correct focus point - until I actually tried focus - recompose!

Now I only use centre point and I focus and recompose and my hit rate is way higher!

THere may be times when recomposing is not a great idea though - Macro work has incredibly shallow dof. But for the most part it works well.
 
I use a handgrip on my camera and I much prefer it over any other sort of strap (no dangly bits - ever!). But as it is my only support / security / thing attaching me to the camera, I tend to have it quite tight so I can walk around without really holding onto the camera knowing there is no chance of it slipping. This makes it a bit awkward to get my thumb to stretch around the whole multi pad button to select focus points. For this reason I've ended up adapting and getting used to focusing and recomposing as it's alot easier for me to reach the focus lock.
 
Generally I focus and recompose using the centre point but if working with a wide aperture then it can be more accurate to select a different point - however, as HoppyUK says, with a 5d2 the outer focus points can be a little dodgy - if only I could afford a 5d3 !
 
Centre point and recompose for most things, but for anything moving I change focus point
 
Both, depends on the situation

Handheld shooting - Focus and recompose (much faster)

Tripod shooting - Alter the focus point (saves faffing around moving the camera about on the tripod)
 
I tend to use the focus points most of the time. Especially if I'm shooting a very shallow depth of field, as using the centre then recomposing, can move the plan of focus all too easily, at least for me.
 
Focus and recompose always, no choice about it on three of my cameras, I still do it on digital as well as it takes longer to move the focus point on the compact than it does to move the camera, and on the DSLR there are only the standard Nikon boxes which are never in the right place anyway, although I will move it to a closer one to the subject for moving stuff as I use back button focus with that camera.
 
Focus and recompose here. Assuming it can only cause problems if very close up at low apertures? (neither I which I do)
 
The answer would often depend on the gear in use - some camera/lens combinations are really good for outer focus points and others are absolutely dire.

I use the nearest focus point - unless it gets tricky, then I revert to centre focus - recompose.
 
Focus and recompose for me, unless as other have said, I'm using a really shallow DoF then I'll try and use a different focus point instead.
 
From what I've read if you have a D600, focus and recompose is almost obligatory, as the focus points are very centralised.
On my D700 I will use both methods. If taking a quick shot off centre for example, I will focus and recompose, but if taking a whole sequence off centre, I will change the focus point as I have no problem with using any of my focus points. Although the centre is more "accurate", I see no real world difference between any of the points.
 
I always use the closest focus to the subject. The camera seems to be pretty good with all the focus points thankfully. :)

I was going to say I do that because the camera has 51 focus points, and being nicely spread out because it's a DX sensor it's easier to use a close to subject non central focus point, but I did it from the beginning with the D70 which only had 5 focus points. :)
 
Generally I use the focus point closest to what I want to focus on but that often means a slight bit or recompose too, but nowhere near as much as using the centre point.

I don't have a problem with this in either portrait or landscape orientations using a grip as the relationship between the buttons is the same both ways.
 
Focus recompose but with 3d af setting so the focus point moves when i recompose.
 
Steven001 said:
Ahh, 3d tracking? I haven't used that feature on my D90 yet (not properly) thought it might be useful for moving subject; birds etc
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Its handy, like you say designed for moving subjects but using the recompose technique in 3d works a treat. I use the centre focus like everyone else but in 3d when you recompose with the shutter half way down the focus point moves with you.
 
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I asked the same question on here last year when I was using a 550D was advised to use focus and recompose :)
I found it works well for normal distances but I still use moving the focus point for macro as the depth of field is tiny:)
I have since bought a 7D and its easy to move the focus point around but still use focus and recompose except when using a tripod
 
I did use focus recompose & still do most of the time but if shooting at wider apertures I'm trying to move the focus points more.
 
Was 50/50 on 450D but with 7D its 90% focus points as its so fast to change and accurate, only time need to recompose is if subject is close to the edges
 
rjbell said:
Focus recompose but with 3d af setting so the focus point moves when i recompose.
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Never thought of doing this.
I use the AF-on button, and have got so used to it it's second nature to use my thumb to change the focus point when necessary. I, like a lot of people, find changing a habit quite hard.
Always willing to try a new technique if it helps my photography though.
 
Change focus point here . . . for no technical reason, simply because it's the method that I'm most comfortable with.

I've always done it that way (I guess mainly because for the first year of photography I did little else other than still life) and it's a habit that I've gotten into.
I do it on auto-pilot now without even mentally registering what my thumb's doing, whereas to focus and recompose I'd actually have to pause and think about it :shrug:
 
I just find the centre point more accurate than the others and it works way better in lower light.

My images are sharper using centre point
 
EOS_JD said:
I just find the centre point more accurate than the others and it works way better in lower light.

My images are sharper using centre point
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I think with the 5DII that was very much the case. ;)

AF was the Achilles Heal of the first two versions of the 5D. :shrug: That seems to have been sorted with the 5DIII, though those that had the previous versions may already be locked into using the centre focus point and recompose method, and may not take advantage of all those extra focus points. ;)
 
johnnypanic said:
I tend to use the focus points most of the time. Especially if I'm shooting a very shallow depth of field, as using the centre then recomposing, can move the plan of focus all too easily, at least for me.
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Good post, if using something like a 50mm F1.4 recomposing can be enough to lose critical focus on eyes etc.
 
I also use focus and re-compose most of the time, but as previously stated, it can fail when shooting something close with a very shallow depth of field.

Also, if the subject is fairly stationary and the subject is off centre and you're taking several photos, it can be pretty tiresome to repeatedly 'focus & re-compose', 'focus & re-compose', 'focus & re-compose' on and on, so in those circumstance it's just easier to use one of the other focus points.

Bernie
 
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I look at it this way, those nice people at Nikon went to all that trouble to design a 51 point AF system for me so refusing to use it would be both churlish and disrespectful :D
 
Focus points only. Have always done this for anything below f6.3 or less than 3 meters away. I used to struggle a bit until I learnt the ninja art of using the joystick to select the focus point!
 
dkh said:
Focus points only. Have always done this for anything below f6.3 or less than 3 meters away.
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You do know that the aperture you select is not used until the shutter is pressed? :shrug:

'Faster' f2.8 and wider lenses are better with AF because they let in more light than the kit/cheaper lenses that most of us have. In low light all AF will struggle, and the cross type focus points, usually in the centre, and clustered around work better which is why some people focus and recompose. In good light, even with the cheapest lenses, all the focus points should work well.
 
redhed17 said:
You do know that the aperture you select is not used until the shutter is pressed? :shrug:

'Faster' f2.8 and wider lenses are better with AF because they let in more light than the kit/cheaper lenses that most of us have. In low light all AF will struggle, and the cross type focus points, usually in the centre, and clustered around work better which is why some people focus and recompose. In good light, even with the cheapest lenses, all the focus points should work well.
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I think the reference to aperture was possibly to ensure enough DoF to counteract the movement of focus due to focus/recompose? I might be wrong but that's how I read it and it made sense at that:thinking: particularly with the reference to lower focus distances too.
 
Bristolian said:
I look at it this way, those nice people at Nikon went to all that trouble to design a 51 point AF system for me so refusing to use it would be both churlish and disrespectful :D
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But not all AF points are equal. The centre point focus points are generally better than the outer ones (some cameras have more cross type sensors than others).
 
The centre focus points are usually (up until the more recent 5d3 etc bunch) cross-types and the outer ones verticle. If you are focusing on something with verticle information, the outer ones are fine even in low light - give it a shot?

Thanks Phil, that is what I was saying. And, it's how I focus / shoot. Not saying I'm right or wrong but, for me, it has 'upped' my focussed shots considerably.
 
Bristolian said:
I look at it this way, those nice people at Nikon went to all that trouble to design a 51 point AF system for me so refusing to use it would be both churlish and disrespectful :D
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EOS_JD said:
But not all AF points are equal. The centre point focus points are generally better than the outer ones (some cameras have more cross type sensors than others).
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This is true Jim, but the 3D 51 point AF works fantastically. They went to the trouble of designing & making it, I'm going to use it. I just don't see why you'd focus and recompose when you have that
 
Excellent thread, but I think whats missing is a description of the actual focus/recompose technique. I've only started using it and I always have to remember the plane of focus and work/move within that. I used to do this ages ago and messed up big time because I'd pivot the camera a little here and there and move the plane of focus.
 
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