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Using single-shot autofocus

Techniques

24 October 2007 10:11

Single-shot autofocus is ideal for shooting subjects that aren’t moving. In single shot mode the AF will lock onto the subject when you press the shutter, and stay focused at the same distance for as long as the shutter is held down. This is great for static subjects, but if either you or the subject moves, the camera will stay focused on the original point, resulting in a blurred picture. You’ll have to press the shutter again to refocus on the subject.

In single shot mode the camera won’t allow you to take a picture until the focus has locked onto the subject, which is usually indicated by a green focus confirmation circle in the viewfinder display (and often an audible beep).

Single shot AF is also useful when you want an area to be in focus that doesn’t match any of the focus points available. Before you frame the subject, point the camera so that the focus point falls exactly on the area that you want to be in focus then press the shutter halfway down until the camera locks onto the subject. As long as you keep the shutter half-pressed you can now re-frame the picture before pressing the shutter all the way down to take the picture. This can take a little practise to ensure that you get the focus spot-on without taking two images. You must remain the same distance from the subject when you reframe for the technique to work but it means that you don’t always have to focus where the focus points are positioned