Focus points

Dogdots

I always shoot my photos in Manual, but I have been playing around with the A-Dep setting because I like the multi focus points.

Does Manual have that option? I have a Rebel XTI.

If this isn't posted in the right spot---please move it

Dogdots/Mary

ziggy53

Dogdots wrote:

I always shoot my photos in Manual, but I have been playing around with the A-Dep setting because I like the multi focus points.

Does Manual have that option? I have a Rebel XTI.

If this isn't posted in the right spot---please move it

Dogdots/Mary

Hi Mary,

As far as I know in Manual mode you can set individual focus points or multiple points, but the camera will not guess which points or set the aperture for you like the A-Dep mode does.

What I suggest is that you use A-Dep mode and half-depress the shutter button to get the camera to suggest an aperture setting (you may have to do this several times because A-Dep changes its "mind" often) and then switch to Manual mode and single point focus selecting the point to match where you want prime focus to occur.

In a short time you'll get the hang of how to set your own aperture and focus points without using A-Dep mode.

Scott_Quier

In manual (as well as P, Av, and Tv) you have the option of setting the desired focus point or activating all of them. If you activate all of them, the camera will choose the focus point that coincides with the closest element in the photograph and focus there. See page 40 of your owner's manual for more on which AF point is selected.

In A-Dep, the camera uses all the focus points and, determining the distance of the scene at each focus point, will recommend a aperture that will provide a Depth of Field that will include all these points of the scene within the lens' hyperfocal range. Quoted from the Xti owner's manual (pg 72), "Objects in the foreground and background will be in focus automatically. All the AF points will function to detect the subject, and the aperture required to attain the necessary depth of field will be set automatically. <A-DEP> stands for Auto-Depth of field. this mode sets the depth of field automatically.

Dogdots

ziggy53 wrote:

Hi Mary,

As far as I know in Manual mode you can set individual focus points or multiple points, but the camera will not guess which points or set the aperture for you like the A-Dep mode does.

What I suggest is that you use A-Dep mode and half-depress the shutter button to get the camera to suggest an aperture setting (you may have to do this several times because A-Dep changes its "mind" often) and then switch to Manual mode and single point focus selecting the point to match where you want prime focus to occur.

In a short time you'll get the hang of how to set your own aperture and focus points without using A-Dep mode.

I have noticed that the A-Dep mode does like the change its "mind" alot which I find very confusing sometimes. I really don't know of anyone who uses this mode, but thought I would mess around with it a few times and see what it does and how it does it.

I like your idea of switching to Manual mode and single point focus using the aperture settings I get off of A-Dep. I did think of doing that once, but was not sure how it would turn out. Dang...I should have just taken the time and tried it. Someday I will learn

Dogdots/Mary

Dogdots

Scott_Quier wrote:

In manual (as well as P, Av, and Tv) you have the option of setting the desired focus point or activating all of them. If you activate all of them, the camera will choose the focus point that coincides with the closest element in the photograph and focus there. See page 40 of your owner's manual for more on which AF point is selected.

In A-Dep, the camera uses all the focus points and, determining the distance of the scene at each focus point, will recommend a aperture that will provide a Depth of Field that will include all these points of the scene within the lens' hyperfocal range. Quoted from the Xti owner's manual (pg 72), "Objects in the foreground and background will be in focus automatically. All the AF points will function to detect the subject, and the aperture required to attain the necessary depth of field will be set automatically. <A-DEP> stands for Auto-Depth of field. this mode sets the depth of field automatically.

Ok...my book is in my hand as I'm reading and replying to your response. And I didn't even have to dust it off

I found I had my camera set on partial metering all the time--shame on me!

I see this is something I should have checked out right away as it can really help me in what I'm taking a photo of----shame on me again!

I never take photos on Auto (that's my hubby's setting) unless I'm really hard up and in a tight spot to get the photo or messing around. Manual is where I take almost all my photos. The A-Dep was a venture out of Manual and just tying it out.

I am really curious as to what metering mode people use most often or is this something that should be changed to when ever you are out taking a photo---probable so. But I wonder which metering mode would help the best when your just out walking around taking photos. I'm assuming that it all depends on what the person likes to see in his/her's photos.

Thanks for the page numbers to find the information I needed. You did the work I should have done---shame on me again and again!

Dogdots/Mary

ziggy53

Dogdots wrote:

... I am really curious as to what metering mode people use most often or is this something that should be changed to when ever you are out taking a photo---probable so. But I wonder which metering mode would help the best when your just out walking around taking photos. I'm assuming that it all depends on what the person likes to see in his/her's photos.

...

Pathfinder might have your answer:

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=695258&postcount=3

Dogdots

ziggy53 wrote:

Pathfinder might have your answer:

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=695258&postcount=3

Thanks ziggy....and yes, my answer was there

Dogdots/Mary