Trouble with the right focus

[RondaLee]

Hello. I am having trouble getting the right areas of the pictures to focus. Check out these two frames, taken seconds apart. In the first one, the bunny is clear and the baby is blurry. In the second, the baby is clear and the bunny is blurry. I would like the baby to always be clear. Ideally, the whole foreground of the picture clear, the background haziness is ok. What am I doing wrong?

*** Sorry, I think it put this post in the wrong thread. I have never posted in one of these kind of forums before, I am usually just the silent reader. I don't know how to move it. But I would still love any advice!

[Geoff F]

Autofocus?

With auto focusing your camera decides on the most suitable area to have sharply focused and false focus problems are common.

Watch where the camera places the focus point, if your display indicates the focus areas. Having everything in focus requires a fairly narrow aperture; which is likely to cause other problems so it may not be possible to have all of a scene in focus.

If possible, as an alternative work around, arrange your scene before shooting so you get all the required items within the available focus depth.

[Mike Buckley]

It will be very helpful if you explain whether you used manual focus or auto focus. If you used auto focus, provide the camera manufacturer and model and all details about the mode of autofocus. Also explain whether you used a tripod, provide the shutter speed and focal length, and explain whether your system has image stabilization and, if so, whether it was enabled.

Some of that information will probably prove to be irrelevant but it still may be helpful especially if tangential discussions occur.

[rpcrowe]

Rhonda...

Depth of field works basically this way...

1. it depends on the f/stop (aperture) with smaller apertures (larger f/numbers) having the greatest area in focus, depth of field (DOF)...

2. DOF also depends on the distance focused on... with a longer distance having the greater DOF... normally the DOF is 1/3 in front and 2/3 to the rear of the distance focused on...

3. DOF is also dependent on the focal length being used with shorter focal lengths providing greater DOF.

4. finally DOF is determined by the circle of confusion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_confusion with the larger format size having the greater circle of confusion.

In order to optimize the DOF in your image, the focus point should have been between the two subjects (child and stuffed toy) and 1/3 behind the toy and 2.3 in front of the child. Additionally, the smaller aperture that you use, the greater area will be in focus. However, we don't get a free lunch. In using a smaller aperture, you would need to increase the time of exposure and/or to increase the ISO. When you increase the time of exposure you are taking a chance on blur from camera movement or a blur from subject movement. When increasing the ISO, you could experience higher noise in the image.

Finally, if either of the subjects must be OOF, my pick would be for the stuffed toy to be the one that is OOF with the focus nailed on the child's eyes...

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Don't feel bad, I used to have this problem too.
The cure is learning to control your camera to obtain the results you want.
A lot of that comes from getting off of the 'Auto' setting. =:>)

[Manfred M]

Rhonda - I'm going to move this out of the thread you posted in and into a more appropriate discussion thread.

My first guess would be the same as Geoff's. The autofocus mechanism of your camera decided to focus on the wrong subject (from your standpoint). This can be an issue and is one of the reasons I usually use a single focus point, focus on the subject and then reframe the shot before pressing the shutter release The point of focus should be the subject's eyes (or more properly the eye closest to the camera).

[inkista]

A lot of how to fix this issue depends on what camera you're using, what its autofocus system is like, and what control you have over it. For example, you may have been using a face-detection AF mode, and in one frame, it recognized the baby's face, and in the second, the toy's.

If you were using a dSLR or other enthusiast camera that gives more control, you can often select a specific AF point that covers the portion of the frame you want to be where the camera focuses. Or you can set the single AF point in the center of the frame and use a half-press to lock focus, and then recompose the frame.

You can also use a smaller aperture (bigger f-number) setting to increase your DoF and hopefully get both the baby and the bunny in focus at the same time. If you're shooting with a lens wide open in order to get enough light for a good exposure, you may want to consider adding flash, which would let you stop down the lens to a smaller aperture setting.

[RondaLee]

Thanks all. To answer some of the questions, I used a Nikon D5100 with at 30mm prime lens. Aperture set at F2.2. Exposure 1/1000. ISO 400. Used on manual setting. It was indoors, in a room with some natural light. No tripod, I feel like I can move with the baby easier without a tripod. I am often changing my angles and position between frames so I find tripods to limit that movement. I hesitate to use a flash. In my inexperience and not great equipment, the flash always seems to make the people look more harsh and gives that strong shadow behind them. And my flash takes a while to reset so I can't take rapid shots in a row. I was using the auto area focus mode, would I have better results with the single point area focus or the dynamic setting? And as far as I know, my camera does not have the face detection mode. Or does it? I like to shoot by looking through the window, not using the screen. Is there a way to get the focus box with the window? (I know the window has a fancier name but I can't think of it).

I have had this camera for almost two years and still feel like there is so much to learn about it and it's capabilities. Thanks again for your answers. Trying to learn all I can from others. And thanks to Grumpydiver for moving this post to its appropriate location.

[Inkanyezi]

You might consult your camera manual to find out how to use a single focus point and set it to where you like the camera to focus. It is rather simple, but I don't know which button to press on your camera. Most cameras have the option to use the central focusing spot, while some cameras also allow you to move around to use an off-center focusing spot. However, the in-step models often have less reliable focusing spots outside the centre one. The easiest might be to set focus by aiming the centre point and then recompose the image as desired.

Look in the manual for AF-Area Mode, and how to select Single-point AF. The point may be moved around with arrow buttons.

[Mike Buckley]

In addition to Urban's helpful comments...

You shot at 1/1000 second. For children that age, when they are really active I will stop the action using 1/500. When they are inactive, I'll use 1/250. Doing so would have given you one or two stops more light and allowed you to use an aperture one or two stops smaller. That would have given you a larger depth of field (more margin for error).

It's ideal that you eventually practice enough to learn how to get the most important areas of the scene in focus using such a large aperture if that style is your preference. Until you're able to reliably make that happen on all of your shots, use a smaller aperture on the really important shots.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Ronda,

Welcome to the CiC forums from me.

I like to shoot by looking through the window, not using the screen. Is there a way to get the focus box with the window? (I know the window has a fancier name but I can't think of it).

The 'window' is called the 'Viewfinder', it will show which focus point(s) are in use when you half press the shutter button - if you can't see them, it is possible you need to adjust the little knob beside the Viewfinder for your eyesight - I know if I have it mis-set, I can't see them.

I would recommend finding out how and selecting the 'Single' focus point.

And as far as I know, my camera does not have the face detection mode. Or does it?

I think 'Face Detect' may only work using the rear LCD screen (aka "Live View" in camera's manual), but I wouldn't recommend it anyway, better for you to be in control of choosing the focus point - there's the risk of it thinking a toy has a face.

I hesitate to use a flash. In my inexperience and not great equipment, the flash always seems to make the people look more harsh and gives that strong shadow behind them. And my flash takes a while to reset so I can't take rapid shots in a row.

You're correct that if you use the built-in flash on the camera, it can produce harsh results.

If you get a separate one that you can use 'off camera' - or on camera and 'bounce' the flash off the ceiling - that can help. I will face the same problem you have when my grand-daughter becomes mobile in a few months. You might like to see what I achieved with bouncing the flash off my daughter's ceiling recently; Baby pics 3 - manual bounced flash

Anticipating the need to be able to shoot quicker in coming months, I am currently researching flash options that will allow me to shoot on or off camera with automatic exposure control.

Cheers, Dave

PS
Could you do me a favour please?
Could you click Settings (right at the top),
then Edit Profile (on left)
and put your first name (Ronda) in the Real Name field
and where you are (roughly) in the Location field,
then click the Save Changes button below and to right,
this helps everyone give you more personal and relevant answers - thanks in advance.