Manual Vs Auto Focus

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Oct 25, 2019
Has someone ever asked you to shoot in the MANUAL focus option? What will be your reaction or reply? When technology has given you the freedom to shoot in autofocus, when point and shoot with the autofocus option made your photography easy then why we need to shoot in manual focus. I guess this will be your answer and reaction. Correct?

I will be highlighting the pros and cons of both the options of manual and autofocus in this small article but we need to understand both the options too before getting in this article.

Auto Focus - This is advanced technology within your camera lens. The camera adjusts the lens to obtain/get the focus of the particular subject. The sensor communicates with your lens to pick the contrast and light level but mainly choose the contrast. Once the contrast achieved correctly then this will capture the sharp images for you. Also, How fast is your lens to focus and capture the subject is also related to the sharp images, sometimes your lens is not fast enough to focus the speedy subject then you miss the sharp images and your images will out of focus, blurred, shaken etc. This may be because of low light conditions. Choose a lens in which the focus's speed is fast enough to capture the subject. When your lens hunt for the focus then you will be hearing a motor sound before capturing the images Ignore this and focus the subject. When your lens's autofocus system struggling to obtain the focus, It means there is a low light situation then accordingly you have to set a setting to capture the subject.

PROS
  • Camera Determines the sharpest Focus
  • faster than the manual mode, save time
  • Better quality but depending upon the lens's make.
  • It's automatic and good for a beginner.
  • Good for shooting movies, fast subject, action subject etc
CONS
  • Not precise as the manual focus
  • Sometimes capture the incorrect focus due to the fastest speed.
  • Autofocus does not work great in bad weather conditions like fog, overcast etc.
  • Creates unbearable sound
Manual Focus - There is one ring on the lens, called a focal ring. It adjusts the focus to shoot sharply but this will create little hard noise but its ignorable. Manual focus is a little difficult as compared to autofocus. But practice makes you more comfortable with the manual focus. I assure you once you are comfortable with manual focus and started getting a great photograph as compared to Autofocus then you will forget the autofocus system.

PROS
  • Manual focus works great in low light conditions and gives you the correct focus.
  • Manual works really great when you are shooting through glass, fences, grass.
  • While using manual focusing you control 100% of your lens.
  • Manual Focus works really great for macro, portrait, HDR and multiple exposures
  • Works great in Fog and Smoke. Try it
CONS
  • Manual focus consumes more time & energy, sometimes you miss the shot.
  • The manual focus is a little slower as compared to AF to calculate distance and speed.
  • Will miss Speedy and action subject always.
  • Need tripod all the time.
  • Keep checking your images on your camera LCD.
  • Too slow than an autofocus system.
As I always mention in all the articles of mine that is keep experiment. Shoot the same subject with the Autofocus and manual focus system. feel the difference and share your experiences.

Keep experimenting and have wonderful and happy photography to you all.

Photographer and blogger Prasenjeet Gautam (www.prasenjeetgautam.com) has captured all the above images. INDIA

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