> 5 minute read

The Times You Need to Focus Manually

Sometimes focusing manually is the best option, especially when you want to take control of exactly where the point of focus lies.

No matter how sophisticated a camera’s AF system gets, there are times when it’s useful (or even essential) to be able to focus manually. All X Series cameras and lenses let you do this, and even help you to nail pin-sharp focus with a series of focusing aids.

When to Use Manual Focus

First let’s have a look at a few instances when you might want to switch away from autofocus, then we’ll show how to make the most of the focusing technology built right into your X Series camera.

Shooting Through Windows or Other Obstructions

One of the most common reasons for switching to manual focus is when you’re shooting through a barrier such as a window or chain-link fence. In this situation, it’s easy for the camera’s AF to get momentarily confused and focus on the window or fence instead of the subject in the distance. If you find this is happening – when shooting a landscape from a car/train/plane window, for instance – then you may do better with MF. The same principle applies when composing through busy crowds or across foregrounds with long grass and other foliage.

When You Don’t Want the Focus Position to Change

In AF mode, your camera will begin to focus every time you half-press the shutter release or AF-On button, but there are plenty of times when you don’t want or need this behaviour, and it’s better to be in MF mode instead.

For instance, when shooting still life scenes or if you are copying paintings or book pages onto the camera, AF is pretty redundant. At the least, it uses unnecessary battery power, and it can even cause unfocused pictures if the active focus spot doesn’t alight with the right object.

When You Want to Be Specific About Where to Focus

Shooting landscapes can be an exercise in precision focusing, particularly if you are concerned with maximising depth-of-field. Using AF in this situation can be frustrating, especially when you are trying to concentrate on composition. By working manually, you can set the focus accurately where you want it to be (maybe a third of the way into the scene, for instance) and leave it there while you get on with making super-creative compositions.

When Shooting Macro Images

Although AF in macro lenses has got a lot better over recent years, it still pays to switch to MF when you are working very close up to small subjects. The amount of depth-of-field available when working at such distances is very small, and with the extra precision that focusing manually gives you can make the difference between a knock-out macro shot and one that is not quite there.

When Shooting Video

Timing exactly when AF moves its attention from one subject to another can sometimes be difficult, and it’s for this reason that filmmakers often use MF mode. When the camera and subject are not moving, such as when filming a talking-head style interview, sudden AF jumps from your subject’s eyes to their gesticulating hands, and back again, can be really distracting. Better to focus manually and leave it set.

How to Focus Accurately with MF

To turn on manual focusing, use the same mode switch you use to flip between AF-S and AF-C. If your camera doesn’t have this, swap between focusing modes using the SHOOTING SETTING menu. Simply press MENU OK and choose SHOOTING SETTING > AF/MF SETTING > FOCUS MODE > MANUAL FOCUS.

You can now focus with the manual focusing ring on the lens. Interestingly, the direction you turn the MF lens ring can be reversed with an option in the camera’s SET UP menu. Either SET UP > FOCUS RING or SET UP > BUTTON/DIAL SETTING > FOCUS RING, depending on which camera you have. This is particularly useful if you’re coming from another camera system and are used to doing things a certain way.

Once you are in manual focus mode, you can use some of the camera’s focusing aids to help you nail critical sharpness.

Focus Peaking

Focus peaking is just one part of the MF Assist collection of tools. With Focus Peaking switched on, sharp areas of the scene are outlined in a colour of your choice. You can pick red, yellow, blue, or white. Turn the focusing ring and you’ll see different areas highlighted as the focus position changes.

Focus Check

When Focus Check is active, touching the manual focus ring enlarges the central portion of the scene to 100% (centred around the currently active AF point/zone) so you can see more clearly what is in focus and what isn’t.

Instant AF

Even though you’re in manual focus mode, this doesn’t mean that AF isn’t useful. Press the AF-L button and the camera will autofocus as normal. Let go and you’ll be back in manual focus mode again.

Depth-of-Field Scale

When focusing manually, you’ll notice a distance scale at the bottom of the viewfinder which tells you how far away the point of focus is, in meters and in feet. The scale also shows you depth-of-field – ie how far in front and behind this point is acceptably sharp.

If you can‘t see this focusing scale, turn it on in your camera’s SET UP > SCREEN SETTING > DISP. CUSTOM SETTING menu.

Your Next Steps

• CHALLENGE Switch to manual focusing mode and shoot a still life composition, posting your favourite images to social media using the hashtags #learnwithfujifilm. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.