> 3 minute read

How to Change Focusing Points

While your camera can do a great job of picking which subject to focus on, taking control of this yourself is a good way to get more creative with your composition.

An autofocusing point (AF point) is the part of the frame that your X Series camera uses to focus on a subject. You’ve probably noticed them already, lighting up green when you shoot a picture. When your camera is set to Advanced SR AUTO mode, AF points are chosen automatically based on which object is closest to the camera.

However, you can also manually control which focusing point is used. This is useful when you want to be specific about where your camera should be focusing; for instance, when photographing a person or object that isn’t the closest thing to the camera, or isn’t in the centre of the frame.

Using a Single AF Point

To be super specific about which focusing point you are using, we need to use Single Point AF mode. You can’t do this in Advanced SR AUTO mode; you’ll need to use another mode, such as Program (P).

STEP 1 Press MENU OK and scroll down to AF/MF SETTING.
STEP 2 Choose AF MODE and select SINGLE POINT.

You can also change focusing point mode from the Q Menu, or via the default Function (Fn) button.

When you start shooting again, you’ll notice a single square focusing point in the middle of the frame, and when you half-press the shutter release button, this is where the camera will focus – and nowhere else, which lets you be really selective.

But what if you don’t want to have your subject in the middle of the frame? After all, good composition rarely requires this. No problem – it’s easy to move it.

If your camera has a Focus Lever, simply move this to begin moving your focus point around the screen. You can press the Focus Lever in to return to the central AF point.

If your camera doesn’t have a Focus Lever, press the AF button on the back of the camera and use the four-way selector buttons to move the active focus point up, down, left, or right.

Once you’ve selected your focus point, simply half-press the shutter release button to return the camera to shooting mode.

When you start moving the active focusing point around (it will light up green), you can also change its size by turning the rear control dial. Small sizes are handy for when you want to be more selective about where you are focusing, such as through a chain-link fence or the branches of a tree. Larger sizes make the job of finding your target a bit easier.

Moving the active focusing point away from the middle of the frame is a good way of shooting off-centre compositions, but it’s not the only way. You can also use the focus>lock>recompose method we outlined in an earlier article. Single Point AF makes this technique much easier.

Your Next Steps

• CHALLENGE Switch into Single Point AF mode and get selective with your focusing. Try to photograph a subject that’s midway into your scene, with something in front of it and behind. Post your favourite picture to social media using the hashtag #learnwithfujifilm. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.