Center and Spot Focusing

[CanonMan]

Hi. I mainly do aircraft and auto-racing photography and many people advise to use only the center point for focusing. This always confuses me.

What do you mainly use ? I now use an XSi 450D and this weekend I will probably purchase a 60D. Now the 60D has 9 cross-type focus points and as you know the 450D only has one which is the center. The 7D has 19.

Now if most people use only the center or spot focusing then why spend so much more money on a camera with more focus points? I do find myself that if I use all 9 focus points then on too many occasions some of the subject is out of focus.

Do the focus zones on the 7D help that much or do you still find yourself using center or spot focusing only? The 7D is another 400 Euro for me and I am not sure it is worth the extra bucks.

As usual thanks for your advice and comments in advance.

 

[WPJ]

I do a lt of sports, landscapes and general street ptotos.

I used a 7d and mainly use zone based auto focus. This lets me ensure that I get focus in the area I want with out always recomposing.

 

[ishdakuteb]

well...

1. do i have 9 focus points camera: yes, i do. it is my 30d
2. do i have a camera which has more than 9 focus points: yes, i do. they are my 7d and 5d mark iii
3. do i use all those available focus points: no, i do not. i prefer to use any focus points that is falling on power points or horizon unless i am shooting group of people, crop, etc...

with 9 focus points, every single time i put my camera up to my face and ready to shoot... focus point is always selected prior to that point (think about composition, make decision and select focus before shoot...) more focus points do help sometimes but it does slow down my moves, IMO

for sport or bird photography, yes it does help since you hare cluster focus points... as your case, i would prefer 7d over 60d since it does offer cluster focus points, which does offer more helps to aircraft and auto-racing photography...

 

[CanonMan]

Hi. In your opinion are the focus cluster points worth 400 Euro more on the 7D? This is a near 4 year old camera to be replaced soon. I know that the 60 is also on it's way out but I was thinking of putting the 400 Euro towards some more L glass. Decisions decisions

 

[anthonyd]

I have a 60D and I only ever use the center point for focusing.

My preferred way of doing portraits is to lock focus (and do the metering) on the face (eyes preferably), then compose and shoot. Moving the auto-focus and metering to a button in the back (instead of half click) helps a lot with this.

For landscapes and static objects you have plenty of time to focus, expose and compose, so it doesn't really matter, I find, and I don't usually do birds or sports, so I can't help you there.

On a slightly different note, don't buy the 60D or 7D because it has more cross type points or clusters, buy it because of all the other nice features it has. If you can't find anything in its specs that you consider a nice feature (over what you have), don't buy it at all. Also, Canon is close to releasing a 70D and a 7DmII (according to the rumors anyway), so maybe you should wait a few months. If nothing else, the price of the 60D/7D should drop when the replacement appears.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I've used cameras for many years, its only recently that electronics has advanced enough to allow the use of multiple focus points. Its a convenience feature that lets the camera track a moving subject, or focus on a off center subject.

If you don't think you will use the other focus points, you might be better off to wait and see what a new model brings to the table.

One of the truly excellent features is AFMA, I'd avoid a camera without it. It allows you to fine tune the autofocus of your lens to your camera body. If you have a wide aperture lens, that can make a huge difference.

Don't go out and invest $$$$ in a expensive wide aperture f/1.4 or f/1.2 lens unless your camera has AFMA.

 

[ishdakuteb]

Hi. In your opinion are the focus cluster points worth 400 Euro more on the 7D? This is a near 4 year old camera to be replaced soon. I know that the 60 is also on it's way out but I was thinking of putting the 400 Euro towards some more L glass. Decisions decisions

the answer would be NO... i rather spend my time having fun with practicing on nailing focus than spending $400 euro more just like i canceled my ordered on two softboxes from paul c. buff and ordered two fotodiox ez pro. softboxes yesterday to save over $100 (moving on to learn strobist). i do not do sport or bird photography, but i have spent lots of time in practicing on how to focus since i love taking candid images. you can do one point focus on bird photography as if you do it right (note: think about how famous photographers did it in the past without those advance auto focusing points... if they could do it, i do not see why we can't right.)

note: shot with canon 7d, 70-200 IS II, one point auto focus (center if you would like to know), one shot mode (no bust). and this was the time that i have ever shot bird (hanging out with friends) since starting using dslr.

disclaim: i am not a professional photographer. i am just a technical guy who loves photography...

 

[Dylan777]

I'm not an expert in shooting "aircraft and auto-racing photography", but when my kids start running at the beach or chasing balls, I have hard time using center AF. Therefore, shooting with 4-8pts expansion mode, case 2 on my 5D III is quite easy.

 

[ishdakuteb]

I'm not an expert in shooting "aircraft and auto-racing photography", but when my kids start running at the beach or chasing balls, I have hard time using center AF. Therefore, shooting with 4-8pts expansion mode, case 2 on my 5D III is quite easy.

+1 on case 2... as if op has question about case 2 on 7d, i would think that -1 on ai servo tracking sensitivity might be equivalent to case 2 on 5d mark iii. as if i am wrong... feel free to correct since i can not find any reference of this...

 

[risc32]

I've used cameras for many years, its only recently that electronics has advanced enough to allow the use of multiple focus points. Its a convenience feature that lets the camera track a moving subject, or focus on a off center subject.

If you don't think you will use the other focus points, you might be better off to wait and see what a new model brings to the table.

One of the truly excellent features is AFMA, I'd avoid a camera without it. It allows you to fine tune the autofocus of your lens to your camera body. If you have a wide aperture lens, that can make a huge difference.

Don't go out and invest $$$$ in a expensive wide aperture f/1.4 or f/1.2 lens unless your camera has AFMA.

what he said.