Landscapes are nice and slow. I don't trust my eyes, so I've always done center point focus, point, focus, switch to manual, then make my shots. Occaisionally I'll move the focus point so I don't have to recompose...but I find that slow.
With a wide angle lens, I will manually focus based on distance...just get to know your lens and understand the hyperfocal distance so things close and far are in focus for the aperture. I don't do the math, just wing it.
For landscapes, my focus is 90% or better. I screw up sometimes.
I've never found it quick enough to move focus points around for people though, so it's center point, half press, recompose, then shoot.
However, I've been experimenting with less important shots to see if I can find a focus mode that actually does what I want "automatically" and is reliable. This passover, at the family seder, I tried using 3D focus with the center zone area on my Nikon, and it was pretty good. I could use my point and recompose technique, and that acquires the target, and "most of the time", it stays with it. I also tried that while we were on the trip at the zoo. I'd have to go through too many shots to actually get statistics, but I am pretty happy with that technique. I got "mostly" keepers...just a few where the camera missed.
That all being said, I think the quality of autofocus is also dependent on your lens. |
