Focus mode versus focus area
Two separate settings control autofocus, and they are often confused:
- Focus mode decides when the camera focuses and whether it keeps updating. Examples are single, continuous and manual.
- Focus area mode decides where the camera looks. Examples are single point, zone and wide area. These are covered in the guide to camera focus points.
This article is about the first one. If you want the full sequence of steps for sharp photos, start with how to focus your camera.
Single autofocus (AF-S or One-Shot)
In single autofocus the camera focuses once when you half-press the shutter button. When it confirms focus, it locks, and stays locked for as long as you hold the half-press. If the subject then moves toward or away from you, the camera does not follow.
Best for still subjects: landscapes, architecture, product shots, and posed portraits. Many cameras will not fire in this mode until focus is confirmed, which prevents out-of-focus shots but can feel unresponsive in poor light.
Continuous autofocus (AF-C or AI Servo)
In continuous autofocus the camera keeps adjusting focus for as long as you hold the half-press or the AF button. If the subject moves, the focus point tracks it, within the limits of the camera and lens.
Best for children, pets, sports, wildlife, and traffic. It uses more battery, and on some cameras it will fire even when focus has not been confirmed, so your keeper rate depends on the subject, the light and the lens. Pairing it with a tracking or subject-detection area mode usually helps.
Automatic autofocus (AF-A or AI Focus)
Some cameras can switch automatically between single and continuous if they detect that the subject has started moving. It sounds ideal for beginners and can work well, but the switch is not always predictable. Many experienced photographers prefer to choose single or continuous themselves. Some mirrorless cameras do not offer this mode at all.
Manual focus (MF)
In manual focus you turn the focus ring yourself. It is useful for macro, low light or low contrast, when something sits between you and the subject, for astrophotography, and for fixed-distance techniques such as the one in the hyperfocal distance guide. Focus peaking and magnified live view make it far more accurate than it used to be.
What the modes are called
Names vary by brand and sometimes by model. Check your manual to be sure.
| Behavior | Canon | Nikon | Sony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | One-Shot AF | AF-S | AF-S |
| Continuous | AI Servo AF | AF-C | AF-C |
| Automatic | AI Focus AF | AF-A (some models) | AF-A (some models) |
Fujifilm, Panasonic and OM System generally use AF-S and AF-C style labels (Panasonic and OM System often write AFS and AFC). Smartphones usually handle this automatically.
Which mode should I use?
| Situation | Suggested mode |
|---|---|
| Landscape or architecture | Single |
| Posed portrait | Single, or continuous with face and eye detection |
| Child or pet at play | Continuous |
| Sports and wildlife | Continuous |
| Street, with a subject walking toward you | Continuous, or manual with a preset distance |
| Macro on a tripod | Manual, or single with magnified view |
| Night sky | Manual |
If you are unsure, single is a safe default for still subjects and continuous for anything that moves or might move.
Back-button focus
Many cameras let you move autofocus off the shutter button and onto a rear button. The shutter button then only takes the picture. This lets you switch between locked and tracking focus without changing modes: hold the button to track, release it to lock. Some photographers love it and others prefer the half-press, so it is a matter of taste. Try it before relying on it for something important.
Common mistakes
- Using continuous mode and recomposing after a half-press, which can refocus on the new framing
- Using single mode for a moving subject and wondering why focus lags behind
- Assuming the automatic mode will always choose correctly
- Forgetting the lens has its own AF/MF switch
- Changing focus mode but not the area mode, so the camera still looks in the wrong place
Frequently asked questions
What are the three types of focus? Usually single, continuous and manual, with automatic as a fourth on some cameras.
What focus setting should I use? Single for still subjects, continuous for moving ones, manual when autofocus cannot cope.
What does focus mean in photography? It is the plane at a given distance that appears sharpest in the image. Everything else gradually blurs by comparison.