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STEPUPTOMANUAL
Manual focus
Autofocus (AF) is wonderful,
but sometimes there are benefits to
focusing manually. AF works by
detecting contrast, so it might fail in
low contrast or in low-light
situations. Plus there are times when
manual focus adjustments are
e s s e n ti a l , l i ke c e r t a i n m a n u a l fo c u s-
only lenses; or shooting for a focus
stack; or pulling focus in a video; or
finding the hyperfocal distance. To
focus manually, simply switch to MF
on the lens, then rotate the focus ring
until your subject is sharp.With close-up subjects and macro
photography, it can be easier to
move the entire camera backwards
and forwards to find the point of
focus. When both the subject and
camera are static it might be
convenient to engage AF to find the
p o i n t of fo c u s , t h e n s w i tc h to m a n u a l
fo c u s to l o c k i t i n p l a c e. A l s o, w h e n
using a tripod, it can be effective to
engage Live View and hit the plus
button to zoom in to the subject
on-screen. Then you can fine-tune
the focus to ensure perfect
sharpness in exactly the right spot.BRIGHT LIGHT TO NIGHT
Uncover the secrets of how to deal with
different light levels in Manual modes
Perfect your metering for better,
more dynamic, exposures
During the summer, we can be blessed with
weather, clear skies and long days. However, as
s o o n a s t h e s u n r i s e s , i t fl i e s h i g h a n d f a s t i n t h e
sky. The morning shadows quickly retreat,
reducing any sense of depth in the landscape. At
the same time, contrast can be a big challenge for
accurate exposures and can be hard to meter for.
A l s o b e a r i n m i n d t h a t w h e re yo u r A F p o i n t i s i n t h e
frame is where your camera will meter from. When
in Evaluative metering mode your Canon DSLR’s
meter will measure the light across the whole
frame, then come up with an average value. In
bright, contrasty conditions, this often renders
your actual subject too bright or dark. If you switch
to S p ot o r P a r ti a l m ete r i n g, yo u’ l l n e e d to b e a b l e to
judge tones accurately to get the most from them.Using Manual exposure mode
and manual focus is great
when you need to shoot light
subjects close-up, like this
white flower we shot indoorsGet more accurate tones
by using the Spot or Partial
metering, ensuring that your
shots pop in the right ways