Auto focus making people lazy?

One reason and probably the main one in getting a DSLR is I want to control what I am focusing on rather than let technology take over.
Does anyone else prefer to do the work themselves or become "lazy" and let the camera do all the work?

EDIT is the poll script on the site faulty? its added two options of garbage??

I use both, depending on the situation. Given that my eyesight is getting worse with age autofocus can be a blessing. No reason not to use it as far as I can see. There are plenty of factors that you can work on your self on a DSLR. If autofocus helps than why not?

Hmm, apparently 17% of people use grewt4354325432, which is definitely some thing new to me!

I use AF most of the time, centre spot only. For macro and tripod work in general I use MF virtually all the time.

I would like to use manual focus more but…
1. My eyesight is not as good as it was. I now wear glasses.
2. Although Pentax DSLRs may have better viewfinders than most they are not a patch on my LX(especially with the Action Finder fitted).
3. And I probably have become ‘lazy’ to some extent but then again sometimes all the options we now have can get in the way, e.g. with AF on half press let the camera get close to focus then manually tweak the focus press the shutter… and nothing happens – (except the bird flies off and I miss the shot.) because I had forgotten to switch to MF.

My eyes are terrible. So I use manual control of the camera's AF

* The shutter release button is set to NOT autofocus on half touch.
* I use centre focus all the time
* Pressing the AF button on the back engages autofocus.

That enables me to carefully select the focus point, but make use of the cameras accurate focus (especially when shooting at f/2.4 and wider). Kind of "auto-focus-on-demand".


Matt

I really wanted to say fdcgfdsgfds gsdf, but I thought I'd be honest! For me it depends on the situation. If I'm handheld and want to get the picture fast then I use autofocus (centre or selective point). If I'm doing my flower macros with the tripod then I go manual. To me, it's all down to what you're taking, where, when....

So I opted for both in the end, not fdcgfdsgfds gsdf

Fiona

I still have an older collection of Pentax fast glass (A series) lenses, so manaul is the way to go for me as autofocus is not an option.

Also hoping I can focus better when the Katz Eye turns up later this week.

I must admit that I do like the twiddly bit when it comes to focusing, guess I'm just old school

That's excellent, didn't know it was even possible.
I think that's about the third time I have used your settings for one thing or another.

Thanks.

Looks like you could do with some more modern glass, Quick-Shift Focus on some of the newer lenses will let you auto-focus with a half press, then adjust manually whilst still half pressing, then fully depress. I'ts a feature of some modern lenses that many people overlook.

But the obvious answer is both, depending on the circumstances. If I was to use manual focus whilst shooting the wedding at the weekend, I'm sure I'll get nowhere, but for macro and other circumstances, manual is the way to go.

Sorry, just don't understand the point. 'I want a fully automated camera to be in manual control' makes no sense to me at all. If you're concerned about technology taking over why buy a DSLR? Just use an old manual film camera, then you are 100% in control. The technology will always be there, but there is always an often forgotten 'off' button!

Thanks to a Katz Eye focusing screen, I'm no more lazy with AF than I am with MF. I can (usually) tell whether the AF is focusing accurately on what I want. If I see that camera has done the work wrongly, I will make it try again, or I will switch to MF.

AF does save me effort and time in most cases, though.

ps. It's good that you've put two options in the poll for Welsh speaking readers.

I used a split prism screen in my DS but felt it might be hindering my composition. After a year of using the K10 I have now put a split prism screen in that too and am much happier manually focussing.

I wanted the stamens sharp in this image and wouldn't have achieved it with auto-focus or my unaided eyesight.

I for one don't need anything but the stock screen, use manual focus most of the time, af sometimes.
I was always lazy, can't blame the camera there....
Nice shot Peter! glad you got a setup that works for you and helps you to get results like that.

After I readjusted my K10D's viewfinder recently, I discovered that skills acquired during long years of manual focusing with slow lenses that resulted in black discs in the middle of the viewfinder, had not entirely left me, and they got better with a bit of practice.

So yes, skills unused become lost.

Photographing bits and bobs I'm selling on eBay, I always use MF, although this could be related to the fact that the lenses I use for this are not AF.

For anything moving, AF is usually better, and AF-C is a lot better than I expected it to be.

Just as I can barely sign my own name recognisably these days, since I make 98% of my non-cash payments online, AF is the future, as is online banking.

I recently bought a DA* 300mm and will give that a try. I think where I’m going wrong is releasing the shutter button while I manually adjust the focus. Maybe I should also look at changing the K10 focusing screen.

Just my two cents worth for the older members with eyesight problems and for spectacle users: I have recently had a cateract removed from my right eye and now only need to adjust built in dioptre in viewfinder, brilliant. Before this various add on dioptre correction lenses worked for me. Now no longer need these. Deep joy.