Mastering Autofocus: Proven Tips for Optimal Performance

[@a.beckwith4576]

Thanks Scott, your my encyclopaedia for everything photography and common sense. I watch all your videos and then rewatch somewhere down the line to reinforce and embed my gained knowledge and always without exception I learn something else.👍

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Wow, thank you. I'm so happy to hear that and glad I can be of help. Thanks for watching.

[@raymondpenalver7095]

Thanks for explaining this subject on focusing so well Scott, loved those Red Kite images!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Thank you Raymond. Much appreciated.

[@hurleygreen927]

We appreciate all of your autofocusing tips! Thanks...

[@GiuseppeGessa]

Fantastic video Scott, well explained and full of important tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Hi Giuseppe. Thanks very much.

[@brianbull6339]

Once again another excellent video well worth watching with some useful tips that I can take away with me.Keep them coming.👍

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Much appreciated Brian. Thanks for watching.

[@Fenrissa]

Thank you for this very well explained, detailed and truly helpful video. Your work is appreciated a lot!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Happy to help. Thanks for watching.

[@randyschwager2515]

Thanks for the great information!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching.

[@orcaspest]

Thank you for the great tips. Beautiful photos!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching.

[@micter59]

Thank you for taking time and energy to explain all those concepts and tricks. It's the first time I see one of your video, and I really appreciate it !

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching.

[@kayhamilton5943]

That was amazingly informative many thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching.

[@LouisaLee63]

Great photos of the squirrels jumping!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Glad you like them, thanks for watching.

[@dance2jam]

Always appreciate your viewpoint and explanations. This serves as a beginning to those that wish an understanding of how to use the system to benefit their photography. I know it seems as though this discussion can get into the weeds very quickly. However, an important distinction in mirrorless technology is that the phase detection system is on the main sensor itself - and can be only in a horizontal array - which explains when the system can get stuck on vertical structures in the background, and ignore horizontal structures in the foreground. DSLRs, on the other hand, have small lenses that focus light onto their separate sensor - with reported aperture of f/22. That makes it a bit easier to resolve such structures in good light - with low light remaining an issue. The inability of "todays" cameras to focus low light on the sensor also explains why in mirrorless "Live View" you do not see changes of DOF past a certain point (i.e. f/5.6) reflected in the EVF. Mirrorless technology will likely get better. DSLR technology, however, will likely not evolve much since most camera brands are moving into the mirrorless market. "One More Thing" as Peter Faulk as Lt. Columbo, famously, use to say: This is the first time I've heard an argument for more elements in the lens (to aid the speed of AF), rather than the contrary one of the more elements, the less light gets to the sensor. As you like to point out: Read your manual - your mileage might vary. Elements and coatings can help reduce flare, glare, fringing - all of which can help images look sharper - so blanket statements need to be qualified. For the sake of this discussion, you do provide a jumping off point - which is exceptionally well done as always.

[@dentom1954]

Thanks Scott. Yet another very informative video.

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching.

[@bambyrandhawa9957]

Many thanks. Fantastic leaning.

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching.

[@echoauxgen]

I have to say well done explaining both DSLR and Mirrorless! With all the options with AF you need a options from elbow to wrist paper on your wrist and memory as to where what button to press while you look through the eyepiece. What most reviews never mention is that each capture is like aiming at a fast moving critter first getting the camera up to the eye then selecting an option on the "fly" so to speak, all things are so fast and some far away that looking at the rear screen is most impossible and tracking is not completely with in the screen and you follow across a wide area trying to keep subject in the frame. Thinking fast and clearly is not an option, there are many captures not taken because the camera is not set for the many. The blessing is the cameras continuous AF also triggers multiple shooting like 3 to 10 or even 15 frames a second so something comes out right out of the many for the many seconds you hold down the shutter. AF options are so mind bending that remembering all for the split second of need makes the shot most tiring but the effort most rewarding personally. Great multiple angle shots of the red squirrel....what a feat of many cameras in focus all at the sametime!!!!

[@GjrygjfgcRfyghgkiy]

Wow amazing! I just bought a whole filters set for landscape from Kase. Can't wait to try! thanks for sharing!

[@karyleianawildernesscapes]

Always informative with facts!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Happy to help. Thanks for watching.

[@rogermaioli]

You mentioned elsewhere that you never really liked back-button focusing, but that's a handy solution for avoiding the trade-offs between single-shot and continuous autofocus. I thought it might have merited at least passing mention in the video -- which I very much liked nonetheless.

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Good point Roger. Thanks for watching.

[@tomasbordi362]

Thanks Scott for another great video! Regarding the single shot or continious focus, I prefer using back-button focus to have them both in one so to speak. Speaking of processes in the camera, would this technique differ? I also heard a tip to set a button on the lens to "manual/auto focus" so have a DMF function at hand when needed.

[@TrueLweek]

One thing. Mechanical AF was present only in Nikon system and was widely replaced after 2010. You can of course get second handed camera and lens with this system but most of camera and lenses after 2010 didn't include or support this system. But what is true is mechanical manual focus versus focus by wire. Mechanical foucus is great to save battery life and is present in all DSLR from all brands. While focus by wire is quite modern thing used primary in MLC cameras because it allow more wild lens constructions and allow faster linear stepper AF motors (SONY XD is the best motors on the market so far). And while you cannot use optical finder without camera turned on then there is any reason left to implement mechanical manual focus.

[@sarahmitchell4729]

Excellent video. Your photographs are amazingly beautiful. Are you using auto ISO

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Thank you Sarah. No I always use manual ISO. Not that there's anything wrong with auto ISO at all, I'm just a bit of a control freak and like to make the decisions for myself. Thanks for watching.

[@veselinvasilev9362]

Thanks!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Thanks for watching.

[@davidligon6088]

Another very helpful video. Is it true that DMF does not use Continuous AF (PDAF) on Sony cameras? So if I am using DMF and the bird takes off, it will not continuously focus?

[@garyloader1416]

DMF does not continuously focus on Sony. For the subject you describe you need to use continuous af.

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Thanks David. No, DMF doesn't continually focus - it is effectively single shot AF but it leaves the MF switched on so that you can fine tune the focus without having to switch into MF mode.

[@agrs1974]

Some i agree with and some not. The focus limiter is definitely a great point but i find that zone or wide gives me the best BIF shots. Using the A7RV with the 200-600. I will also look at my sensitivity. Thanks.

[@sigurdrille9693]

Thank you, great tips, great photos! ISO 10000 on the squirrels…? Your files clean up really nicely👍 Only after a long and tiresome focusing calibration did my DSLR Canon 90d get sharp images on the 32MP crop sensor with my Sigma 150 to 600, and that was just one lens to work on. So not having to do that seems a real advantage in a mirrorless body to me. Love your pictures, as always!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Thanks very much. glad you like it. Here's how I clean up my high ISO images kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooWTZHSGqd-lmtE. You're completely right about the lens calibration. Thanks for watching.

[@kristianvrum8979]

Well, the high ISO is one thing, but is 1/3200 really needed to capture a squirrel?

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

To capture a jumping squirrel at that close a distance, yes! They jump fast anyway but the closer the subject is the faster you need to be. I was at 280mm-320mm, so the squirrels were probably around 3m away. (The footage in this video was slowed down to 50%)

[@GregorMima]

The downfall of DSLRs was their AF tec. The AF chip is decoupled from the sensor. This means it needs to be 100% calibrated and on the same focal plane as the sensor. And that´s the problem. You always have production tolerances, often marked as -5 to +5. And if you are unlucky you get a +5 sensor and -5 (or worst) AF unit. It ment Canon service had to calibrate the sensor to your DLSR. Or worst replace your shiney new 1D since it was outside of tolerances. Oh and dont let me start with front/back focus on lenses, which is mostly gone with modern cams.

[@leehanley71]

Hi Scott, great and helpful video 👍🏽 for Sony cameras for BIF I use wide focusing on my A6400. Ive had some great images and some not so great, is the continuous AF (which I also use) any good on this camera when you have used it? What are your thoughts on it. Thanks, Lee. 👍🏽📸

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Hi Lee. The continuous AF on the A6400 works fine, but it's only as good as the instructions you give it. So when you are using wide, you are telling it that you want it to focus on something in the frame. The camera will use its algorithms to decide what to focus on. Sometimes it will get it right and other times it won't. When you use a smaller area, or single focusing point, you are giving the camera less to think about/process and it will do a better job, because it's not trying to analyse the wide area, just the small point. But that relies on you being able to keep the point over the subject. So with practice both you and the camera will be able to do a better job. With those jumping squirrels, there is no way I would have got as many in-focus shots using wide, as I did using a single point. (And I got quite a few more shots than I posted in the video). I hope that makes sense, let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for watching.

[@leehanley71]

@@WalksOnTheWildSide Cheers Scott for your reply I appreciate it 👍🏽📸 single focus point with more practice would that be good for birds in flight? As long as I can keep the subject in the point?

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

The A6400 has a mode called "Tracking: Expand Flexible Spot". When you use this, you're telling the camera to focus on whatever is on the spot and then to track it. So if it moves off the spot, the spot will move with it. There are two keys to making this work. (1) Make sure the spot is over the subject when you hit the shutter and (2) make sure the subject doesn't go outside the frame - otherwise the camera can't track it. If you do this with continuous autofocus, you'll get lots more shots in focus.

[@leehanley71]

@@WalksOnTheWildSide Thanks Mate, will definitely give this a try 📸👍🏽

[@philippemalmede5746]

🙂👍

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

🙌

[@cottonbomb8272]

omfg it has Chinese subtitle?!?!?!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

I like to try and provide the content with a range of subtitles so that people can watch along. It's only based on google translate, but I hope its good enough.

[@cottonbomb8272]

@@WalksOnTheWildSide it's definitely comprehensible, brilliant decision！

[@TIME-4689]

너 파나소닉 써볼래?

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

나는 항상 모든 브랜드를 시도해 볼 준비가 되어 있습니다.

[@erik1836]

Thanks!

[@WalksOnTheWildSide]

Thank you very much for the tip Erik. Much appreciated.