getting the best from autofocus on a 40D

trapper501

trapper501

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yesterday went out for a play just trying to improve our techniques with the new lenses and body before we go to Namibia in 4 weeks time.

Still having trouble with getting the focus right, we played with the settings and decided on A1 focus, which I think is the right name for subjects that stand still but then move off giving the camera the chance to track them.

How does it do this though? I get the initial bit, half pressure and get the chosen focus point on the chosen bit of subject, but if the thing moves do you have to keep the focus point where it was relative to the subject?

I was trying a tip I was given on another thread about focusing on the eye of a bird, I tried doing that with a selected focus point but I was truly rubbish at it and never did get an eye in focus. (using a 100-400 at 400mm)

This shot shows a lovely blurred background, but a blurred bird too. Great lichen shot.

IMG_1457.JPG


Any tips? Elephants and lions should be easier than this, but I'd love to get great bird shots too.
 
going through some others this is the closest I got to an eye shot I think

IMG_1465.JPG


I think I wasn't selecting a focus point at that time but trying to get a camera chosen one on the eye.
 
Your thoughts are correct when you say keep the bird against the selected AF point, and I think it's AI (Servo)mode, not A1.
 
A good technique on the 40D is to disable the AF on the shutter button completely and just use the thumb button to AF. That way you can set focus and then recompose the shot without the camera trying to refocus when you take the shot.
 
Mangelwurzel said:
A good technique on the 40D is to disable the AF on the shutter button completely and just use the thumb button to AF. That way you can set focus and then recompose the shot without the camera trying to refocus when you take the shot.
Click to expand...

I only noticed that button at the weekend, and then I saw it being mentioned on the forum.

I can see that could be quite helpful, I sometimes miss a shot because the autofocus changes its mind while I have my half pressure on the shutter button. The trouble being you need that for IS so you can't go too fast.
 
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