Manual focusing

LewisHall

LewisHall

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Lately I have started to use manual focus but it doesn't seem to focus where in choosing it to, it just focuses on the same spot everytime :s am I doing something wrong? Thank you everyone in advance :)
 
Have you turned autofocus off?

What lens are you using?
 
That's impossible, manual focusing focuses where you tell it too, unless you are manually focusing and then pressing the shutter and its refocusing because you haven't turned AF off.
What camera are you using?
 
It's a bit of a confusing post Lewis. As Tom said you focus the lens exactly where you want it to focus. I can only assume as others have said that you still have auto focus engaged.

Steve
 
TCR4x4 said:
That's impossible, manual focusing focuses where you tell it too, unless you are manually focusing and then pressing the shutter and its refocusing because you haven't turned AF off.
What camera are you using?
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If you look at the original post it says Nikon D3200...
 
If you mean too much is in focus, then you need to adjust the aperture. There's loads of tutorials & info on aperture & how it relates to 'depth of field' on here & out there. Good luck!
 
This is impossible, Lewis, but it will appear to happen if you still have AF engaged, because it will override the MF when you half press the shutter release. Check that AF is switched off and let us know how you get on?
 
I'm not a Nikon user, but reading carefully, I have a sneaky feeling the OP may really be talking about manually selecting the AF point rather than manual focus without any AF.
 
Ipad and android apps don't seem to be up to much :)

It shows on a PC and I thought everyone could see it. Ah well, live and learn!

Maybe the OP will respond from the wilds of Canvey Island...
 
Oh what a t*** hahaha didnt realise i had to turn off AF sorry everyone :( Thanks Everyone!!
 
MartynK said:
This is impossible, Lewis, but it will appear to happen if you still have AF engaged, because it will override the MF when you half press the shutter release. Check that AF is switched off and let us know how you get on?
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Haha thats what it was me being thick i didnt even realise thankyou
 
LewisHall said:
Oh what a bajingo hahaha didnt realise i had to turn off AF sorry everyone :( Thanks Everyone!!
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:lol: :lol: :lol: oh well we all make these mistakes when learning, well maybe not this but mistakes along the same vain
 
MWHCVT said:
:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: oh well we all make these mistakes when learning, well maybe not this but mistakes along the same vain
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Haha honestly ive had the camera about 3months now and just thought the manual focus didnt work :confused::LOL::ROFLMAO:
 
MWHCVT said:
:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: oh well we all make these mistakes when learning, well maybe not this but mistakes along the same vain
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Agreed, many moons ago I decided to switch to 'Back Button Focusing' so I went in to the menus set it all up tried it out and put my camera back in its bag. After that and because of commitments I didn't get to take the camera out of the bag for nearly two weeks.....(You know where this is going dont you..:rolleyes:).... Yep, went out with my gear got to the location I wanted to shoot from, went to take the first shot and used the shutter button half press...."Oh No the camera is metering but the autofocus isn't working, Is it the lens ? tried another...nope, AF switched off ?.... nope. Damn it the camera is shafted (insert lots of expletives and visions of a large repair bill). Eventually remembered I had changed to BBF :coat::exit: sense of great relief tinged with sheepish look of stupidity.
Happens to us all.
 
Gazamonk said:
Happens to us all.
Click to expand...
That story, Sir, is an exact description down to the word of my experience with that focus button!
biggrin3.gif


Another story was, when my LCD screen broke...
nono.gif

Shooting in the forrest, chimping like always, wondered of the blueish tints on screen, thought it was the darkness between the furs... but when later in bright, sunny spots, it continued with the blue tint!?
Checked everything, and finally concluded, it was time to send the D300s to Nikon for a makeover.

Continued disheartened with the day's shootings, until it suddenly struck me!
Had been playing the night before with WB settings for indoor shoots... back to "Daylight" setting and LCD screen was okay again!

Glad nobody knows about this!
goofy.gif
 
That's all sorted out then, Lewis. Don't worry about it, things were a lot simpler when I started photography - no auto focus, auto exposure, metering modes etc - but we still managed to screw things up, like thinking there was a film in the camera when actually........well, I'm sure you can guess the rest.

I still have my moments. I use back button focus most of the time and leave the camera set up for it, but often forget to explain how to use it, or change it back to shutter release activation, if I hand the camera to someone else to take a few shots. That can cause a bit of confusion!
 
Gazamonk said:
Agreed, many moons ago I decided to switch to 'Back Button Focusing' so I went in to the menus set it all up tried it out and put my camera back in its bag. After that and because of commitments I didn't get to take the camera out of the bag for nearly two weeks.....(You know where this is going dont you..:rolleyes:).... Yep, went out with my gear got to the location I wanted to shoot from, went to take the first shot and used the shutter button half press...."Oh No the camera is metering but the autofocus isn't working, Is it the lens ? tried another...nope, AF switched off ?.... nope. Damn it the camera is shafted (insert lots of expletives and visions of a large repair bill). Eventually remembered I had changed to BBF :coat::exit: sense of great relief tinged with sheepish look of stupidity.
Happens to us all.
Click to expand...

MartynK said:
That's all sorted out then, Lewis. Don't worry about it, things were a lot simpler when I started photography - no auto focus, auto exposure, metering modes etc - but we still managed to screw things up, like thinking there was a film in the camera when actually........well, I'm sure you can guess the rest.

I still have my moments. I use back button focus most of the time and leave the camera set up for it, but often forget to explain how to use it, or change it back to shutter release activation, if I hand the camera to someone else to take a few shots. That can cause a bit of confusion!
Click to expand...

Jan K. said:
That story, Sir, is an exact description down to the word of my experience with that focus button!
biggrin3.gif


Another story was, when my LCD screen broke...
nono.gif

Shooting in the forrest, chimping like always, wondered of the blueish tints on screen, thought it was the darkness between the furs... but when later in bright, sunny spots, it continued with the blue tint!?
Checked everything, and finally concluded, it was time to send the D300s to Nikon for a makeover.

Continued disheartened with the day's shootings, until it suddenly struck me!
Had been playing the night before with WB settings for indoor shoots... back to "Daylight" setting and LCD screen was okay again!

Glad nobody knows about this!
goofy.gif
Click to expand...



Well this makes me feel alot better :LOL: Thanks everyone for your help!!
 
Was just playing about with the camera and was just wondering how you turn the autofocus off?
 
.
 
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LewisHall said:
Was just playing about with the camera and was just wondering how you turn the autofocus off?
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Been playing with a D5100 today, and think it works the same way on the D3200: press "Info" twice and you can use joystick to scroll down to "Focus", press "Ok" and select wanted focus method...

I think....
biggrin.gif
 
I've managed to do it but still doesn't seem to focus the only way it focuses is by putting it on auto, focusing and then put it back to manual but then I still can't choose any other point to focus on if that makes sense :s haha
 
Switch your lens to manual too... probably also the fastest way to force manual focus!

But if you want manual focus, then your focuspoints are of no use?

Manual focus means, you have to use the focusring on your lens to lay your wanted focus plane... or am I missing something here?
 
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Jan K. said:
Switch your lens to manual too... probably also the fastest way to force manual focus!

But if you want manual focus, then your focuspoints are of no use?

Manual focus means, you have to use the focusring on your lens to lay your wanted focus plane... or am I missing something here?
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I had the lens on manual too mate, so you cant use the focus points when it's on manual?
 
LewisHall said:
I had the lens on manual too mate, so you cant use the focus points when it's on manual?
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Nope, it's on Manual.

Although this might be the best time for my usuall rant 'Your camera was designed to AF, just use AF', Manually focussing a modern AF camera is like unplugging your food mixer and using it with elbow power, it'll work, but it's not as efficient and takes longer. Or it's just plain stupid.

There's loads of bits of camera technique, composition, lighting, different styles and genres of photography, processing methods etc. There's no need whatsoever to start arsing with manual focus before you've got the hundreds of hours of 'basics' under your belt. Just learn how to make the AF focus on what you want it to.
 
Phil V said:
Nope, it's on Manual.

Although this might be the best time for my usuall rant 'Your camera was designed to AF, just use AF', Manually focussing a modern AF camera is like unplugging your food mixer and using it with elbow power, it'll work, but it's not as efficient and takes longer. Or it's just plain stupid.

There's loads of bits of camera technique, composition, lighting, different styles and genres of photography, processing methods etc. There's no need whatsoever to start arsing with manual focus before you've got the hundreds of hours of 'basics' under your belt. Just learn how to make the AF focus on what you want it to.
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Not strictly true Phil, most of what I do requires my camera to spend more time with AF off than on, that said, I use AF as much as is possible :thumbs:
 
MWHCVT said:
Not strictly true Phil, most of what I do requires my camera to spend more time with AF off than on, that said, I use AF as much as is possible (y)
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To be fair though Matt, your photography isn't really the 'norm' though is it?
 
Phil V said:
To be fair though Matt, your photography isn't really the 'norm' though is it?
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Beat me to it, was just going to intimate same. No disrespect Matthew but your stuff is very specialised and almost all nocturnal so AF isn't really suitable for you. Lewis is a novice and imo Phils advice holds, use the technology to make life easier and concentrate on the basics of photography.
 
Phil V said:
Nope, it's on Manual.

Although this might be the best time for my usuall rant 'Your camera was designed to AF, just use AF', Manually focussing a modern AF camera is like unplugging your food mixer and using it with elbow power, it'll work, but it's not as efficient and takes longer. Or it's just plain stupid.

There's loads of bits of camera technique, composition, lighting, different styles and genres of photography, processing methods etc. There's no need whatsoever to start arsing with manual focus before you've got the hundreds of hours of 'basics' under your belt. Just learn how to make the AF focus on what you want it to.
Click to expand...

Okay thanks so I'm probably best just to keep using AF thanks again
 
Phil V said:
To be fair though Matt, your photography isn't really the 'norm' though is it?
Click to expand...

:lol: your right I'm not exactly normal ;) I guess the question should be to the OP why are you looking to use manual over auto focus?
 
MWHCVT said:
:lol: your right I'm not exactly normal ;) I guess the question should be to the OP why are you looking to use manual over auto focus?
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I guess I just thought that that's what most of you use to get a more accurate focus point rather than the camera choosing :S lol
 
LewisHall said:
I guess I just thought that that's what most of you use to get a more accurate focus point rather than the camera choosing :confused: lol
Click to expand...

What I think you really want to get familiar with is manually selecting your focus point for auto focus as it sounds from what your saying there that your currently using (full auto) auto focus? If the camera is picking the focus point it feels is appropriate
 
MWHCVT said:
What I think you really want to get familiar with is manually selecting your focus point for auto focus as it sounds from what your saying there that your currently using (full auto) auto focus? If the camera is picking the focus point it feels is appropriate
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What he said.
Lewis are you using the camera in a creative mode e.g. Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority. If you use one of the "do it all for me auto modes" the manial selection of focus points may not be available.
Anyone with a D3200 to help him out. Not familiar with it.
 
MWHCVT said:
What I think you really want to get familiar with is manually selecting your focus point for auto focus as it sounds from what your saying there that your currently using (full auto) auto focus? If the camera is picking the focus point it feels is appropriate
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Yes this sounds right, so what should u be going on to choose the focus point my self? Aperture priority etc?
 
LewisHall said:
Yes this sounds right, so what should u be going on to choose the focus point my self? Aperture priority etc?
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Hmm not a Nikon shooter so I'm far from the best to ask but yeah if they run the same as canon to select an AF point your also going to need to be in a program mode so Aperture, Shutter or Manual...I'll see if I can find some details
 
MWHCVT said:
Hmm not a Nikon shooter so I'm far from the best to ask but yeah if they run the same as canon to select an AF point your also going to need to be in a program mode so Aperture, Shutter or Manual...I'll see if I can find some details
Click to expand...

Okay thank you :)
 
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