Autofocus is usually the better choice when speed matters or when the camera can focus more reliably than you can.

Common examples:

• Sports, action, and other fast-moving subjects: AF can track and lock focus much faster, so manual focus may cause missed shots.
• General everyday shooting: AF is usually quicker and more convenient.
• Low light: AF may have an assist lamp or otherwise perform better than manual focusing through a dim viewfinder.
• When your viewfinder or screen makes critical focus hard to judge, or your eyesight makes manual focus difficult.
• With lenses or cameras that are awkward to focus manually, such as tiny focus rings, short focus throw, or menu-based manual focus.

Manual focus is often better when autofocus is unreliable, such as:

• Macro photography
• Static subjects, especially on a tripod
• Situations where the camera tends to choose the wrong focus point

So, use manual focus when precision matters and you have time; use autofocus when speed, tracking, or convenience matter more.