How do I stop my Canon Rebel T3 from refocusing when I press the shutter?
Asked 2/8/2013
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I’m new to photography and using a Canon Rebel T3 with the 18-55mm lens, sometimes with a close-up filter. I half-press the shutter to autofocus, and when the image looks right I press fully to take the shot. But sometimes the camera tries to refocus instead of taking the picture, which often results in a blurry shot—especially when shooting very close subjects. How can I make the camera keep focus and take the picture when I press the shutter?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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The problem is at such close distances, the depth of field is very shallow. That means that if you move the camera an inch, your subject will no longer be in focus, and the camera will try to refocus.
Many autofocus systems will "hunt" as they try to focus on close objects.
If you have a tripod, use it. The autofocus will probably work, as the camera will no longer be moving.
Are you using AI Servo or AI Focus mode for focusing? If so, you may want to try the One Shot mode, which will lock focus once you half-press the shutter.
But for macro, I would suggest not using autofocus at all. Change the camera to manual focus. Focus until the subject is more or less sharp, then stop using the focus ring, and simply rock back and forth, moving the camera towards the subject and then away to reestablish focus. In other words, with the lens focusing at a fixed position, move yourself and the camera back and forth until the subject is at that distance.
There are some tips for handheld macro focusing here: Are there macro focusing techniques for handheld shots?
Originally by user4191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4191
13y ago
0
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At very close distances, depth of field becomes extremely shallow, so even a tiny camera movement can throw focus off. When that happens, the camera may try to refocus and “hunt” instead of shooting.
On your Rebel T3, use One Shot AF rather than AI Servo or AI Focus. In One Shot AF, a half-press locks focus, so the camera is less likely to keep changing focus as you press the shutter.
For close-up or macro-style shots, autofocus often struggles. A better approach is to switch to manual focus, set focus roughly where you want it, then gently move the camera slightly forward and back until the subject looks sharp before taking the shot.
A tripod can also help a lot by reducing movement, which makes focus more consistent.
In short: use One Shot AF for focus lock, or use manual focus for close-up work, especially with a close-up filter.
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