Lesson 60 of 100
Checking sharpness on your LCD screen
No prior knowledge needed. Keep your camera or phone beside you and try each control or idea as it appears. The aim is understanding, not memorising terminology.
Focus and blur are not the same problem
A photograph can look soft because focus landed in the wrong place, because the subject moved, because the camera moved, or because of optical limitations. Before changing autofocus settings, identify which kind of blur you actually have.
Single and continuous autofocus
Single AF, often AF-S or One Shot, is intended for subjects that stay at roughly the same distance. Continuous AF, often AF-C or AI Servo, keeps updating while the focusing control is active and is normally more suitable for moving subjects.
Focus area
The focus mode controls how focusing behaves; the focus area controls where in the frame the camera looks. Beginners often change one while thinking they changed the other.