How should I focus portraits at f/1.4 with a 50mm prime on APS-C?
Asked 12/28/2016
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I’m shooting portraits with a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 on a Canon APS-C camera. At f/1.4 the depth of field is very shallow, so I want the most reliable way to place focus. For portraits, is it better to use a single autofocus point on the eye, use focus-and-recompose, or switch to manual focus? What do portrait photographers typically do when working with such narrow depth of field?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
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With a shallow depth of field, the proper focus will depend on what the portrait is trying to communicate. For example at f:1.4 it will be difficult to achieve sharp focus on both the subject's eyes when using a typical oblique portrait pose (and impossible for a profile pose). In an oblique pose, which eye is in sharp focus will portray the subject differently.
This is part and parcel of the general nature of shallow focus lenses, what isn't in focus is as important as what is. The image is a gestalt. Great portraits are often made by what is in focus in addition to an eye or two...a hand, the weave of the subject's clothes, part of the hairdo, etc.
Originally by user50888. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user50888
9y ago
0
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For very shallow depth of field, the safest approach is usually to use a single AF point and place it on the eye you want sharpest. Which eye matters: in angled poses, you may not get both eyes sharp at f/1.4, so choose the eye that best supports the portrait.
If your camera has good off-center AF points, use one directly over the eye. Focus-and-recompose can work, but at f/1.4 it may shift the plane of focus and cause missed focus, especially at close portrait distances.
For maximum precision, Live View with magnification is often the most accurate method, though it’s slower and better for more controlled portraits.
Manual focus through the optical viewfinder is usually less reliable with modern AF lenses and standard focusing screens, which often don’t show ultra-shallow depth of field accurately at f/1.4. It can work with practice, but autofocus is generally easier and more consistent for still portraits.
In short: use a single AF point on the chosen eye for most portraits; use Live View magnification when you need the highest precision.
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