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Summary

Lesson 43 from: Mastering Your Digital Camera

Chris Weston

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Lesson Info

43. Summary

Ensure you have a good grasp of focus with this summary on focusing techniques.
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Summary

so to summarize, your camera has three main focus modes. Single servo. Continuous server on manual. Single servo is ideal for static subjects, while continuous servo is ideal for moving subjects. Auto focus works by detecting contrast. If there's no contrast, a camera cannot focus automatically the F points in the viewfinder, the tool the camera uses to detect contrast and usually the center of points of the more accurate and responsive when deciding on your point of focus. If you're photographing an animal or a person most of the time, you should focus on the eyes. When focusing on a moving subject, try and anticipate where the subject will be when you press the shutter, turning to sharpness there is only one point of focus. That's the focus distance. Everything in front of or behind the point of focus is out of focus. But there is an area either side of the point of focus that appears sharp. This is the area referred to by the term depth of field. Now, depth of field is influenced by...

camera to subject distance and focal length. It is controlled, however, by lens aperture. Now a small lens aperture gives deep depth of field, a large lens aperture give shallow depth of field. Hyper focal distance. Focusing is a technique for maximizing depth of field for action shots and moving subjects you can employ. Focus tracking. When subject movement is predictable. Used fewer F points when subject movement is unpredictable. You'll need to use morayef points on the more unpredictable the movement the morayef points you need. But remember, using multiple F points slows down auto focus because the camera has to assess every single point when making focusing decisions, and that just slows things down. The focus tracking delay function tells the camera toe. Wait before adjusting. Focus Distance. This is used to avoid the camera refocusing on objects to obscure the main subject momentarily, when there is no clear line of sight between the subject and the camera and in low light and low contrast situations, Manual focus may be the quickest and most accurate way of focusing, and that's it for focus. Remember to review the course notes, and I'll see you in the next wave

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Ratings and Reviews

mark jacobson
 

What a marvelous course! What a marvelous teacher! When I went to college, my father would always ask me about my professors, more than the courses themselves. He was passionate about learning and although too busy with earning an income to go beyond an undergrad degree, continued to read 50 books a year. I still remember how he'd get almost visibly excited when I'd tell him about some special professor who taught with such enthusiasm and, more than just passion, evident delight and joy in the subject. 'Ah they're the best, son. How wonderful you have such a teacher." Well, he passed away decades ago but if he were still around I'd get a kick out of telling him about Chris Weston, the 'Prof' of this course. He's one of the very special ones: a teacher who's loved and lived his vocation--his avocation--since he was a boy--and still is as excited about it now as he was then. The result: a course that seems to be more a labor of love--of pouring far more energy and thought into the details then one typically finds in these courses--than anything else. Bravo Chris! I'm already on to your next one.

user-6402bf
 

Chris is an amazing instructor who dissects theory giving amazing analogies that bring concepts to life. I have rarely been able to sit through most video course for more than a half-hour but watched this one from beginning to end. A good refresher course if you've been away from the camera for awhile or there are some concepts that still illude you. I highly recommend this course and look forward to watching his others. Thank you for the clarity and great explanations.

Sky Bergman
 

This was an amazing class. I have looked at a number of basic photography classes. This one was by far the best I have seen. Chris is an exceptional teacher. He breaks things down into digestible information and then inspires you to be creative. Thank you!

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