> 5 minute read

Switching Between Single, Wide, and Zone AF

Of course, you want your photos to be sharp and in focus, but what do the different autofocus modes do and when do you use them? Here’s how to make sense of the different settings on your camera.

When your camera focuses, it uses one of a number of focus points to detect whether the subject is in focus or not. These focus points are spread around the frame so as to cover the whole field of view and they can be used in one of three ways:

• Together, covering the entire frame and focusing on the closest object to the camera. This is what happens in SR+ AUTO mode.
• Together, in groups called ‘zones’ that can be moved to different parts of the frame.
• Individually, for precise focusing on specific objects.

You can switch into different focus point modes by pressing MENU OK to access the camera’s main menu and then choosing AF/MF SETTING > AF MODE. You’ll see SINGLE POINT, ZONE, WIDE/TRACKING, and ALL options. These can also be accessed more quickly from your camera’s Q Menu, or by way of the default AF MODE Function (Fn) button.

Note that you can’t swap between these focusing modes in SR+ AUTO mode. Try another mode, like P or A, instead.

• 1
• 2

Let’s have a look at some situations in which each of these focus point modes can be useful and give you a creative advantage.

Single Point Mode

As the name implies, Single Point mode restricts AF to just one point, which is very useful when you want to focus at a specific place in a scene. When combined with shallow depth-of-field, this lets you be really specific about which aspects are sharp and which are blurred.

You can reposition the active AF point by moving the focus lever or pressing your camera’s AF button and using the four-way selector buttons. You can also use the rear control dial to change the size of the active single AF point – smaller is more selective; larger is easier to use.

Zone Mode

Zone mode is a very welcome halfway house between Single Point and Wide/Tracking modes. In this mode, you can select a grid of individual AF points and have the camera automatically pick a point within this zone so that an object is kept sharp. The camera AF system will move from spot to spot, but stay within the restricted part of the frame.

You can move this zone about and adjust its size in exactly the same way as you would for in Single Point mode: move the focus lever or press the AF button and use the four-way selector buttons. The camera’s rear control dial controls the zone’s size (choose the size that suits your subject best).

Wide/Tracking Mode

In some ways, this mode is the complete opposite of Single Point – rather than just one AF point, it uses all of them.

If your camera is set to single AF (AF-S), the Wide mode is used. This detects the closest high-contrast object and locks focus on it when you half-press the shutter release button. You can then recompose the image while holding down the half-pressed shutter button, or to continue to a full press to take a picture.

In continuous focusing (AF-C) mode, Tracking is used to follow objects that are moving around the frame. Your camera will automatically switch between active focus points to maintain sharp focus on the subject.

All Mode

This mode makes it easy to cycle through the three focusing modes without having to delve back into the menus. With All selected and the focus point selection display active, use the rear command dial to scroll through the different focus mode options.

The focus point selection display is activated by pressing your camera’s focus lever, so the focus points appear on the rear screen or in the viewfinder.

Picking the Right Setting to Use

There are no hard-and-fast rules for which AF mode should be used with certain types of photography, and often which one you choose will come down to personal preference. That said, here are some guidelines to get you started. As always, feel free to experiment.

Portraits

Ever heard the expression, ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’? Well, that should give you a clue about where to focus when you’re shooting a portrait. To be that precise, we need to use a single AF point. Move it so that it covers your subject’s face, or their eyes if you are close enough.

Sports and Wildlife

Action can be hard to photograph, but you can increase your chances of keeping a subject in focus by using Zone AF mode – make it large enough to cover the whole subject and position it roughly where you want the subject to be in the frame. Switch to AF-C mode and you should be good to go.

Spontaneous Moments

Whether it’s reportage-style street photography or pictures of your kids running around the garden, Wide/Tracking AF mode is a great choice when things are chaotic or unpredictable. You’ll be able to react quickly without having to think too much about where your focus point is positioned.

It’s worth noting that if you have Face Detection AF enabled, this will take over from whatever AF mode is set when a face is noticed in the scene. To stop this behaviour, simply turn off Face Detection from the camera’s Q Menu.

Your Next Steps

• CHALLENGE Photograph the same subject with all three AF modes – Single Point, Zone, and Wide/Tracking. What did you notice about the way you worked? Is there a difference in style between the three pictures? Post the results to social media with the hashtag #learnwithfujifilm and #focuspoints. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.