How often do you rely on auto focus? Or, do you mostly use manual?
The reason I ask is the auto focus on my lens seems to be broken, and a friend of mine keeps saying "you should never use auto focus anyway, always use manual!" But I find in some situations it's too difficult to manual focus and usually end up with a blurry photo. Should I really give up on auto focus and only focus manually?
I think people who say you should only use manual are snobs. Just kidding.
I think that it depends on what you are going for. If your camera takes pictures just fine with an auto focus, it seems silly not to use it. It's like having a dishwasher and washing your dishes by hand anyway. Crazy!
I would use the manual features, to play and try out different things, and for when I want something different from the auto focus.
But if the auto focus doesn't work, then I guess you are stuck with using the manual focus. Or getting the camera fixed or replaced.
I think both have their functions- I shoot autofocus when I need to take alot of shots in a short time span and don't have time to focus in between (like Vikdaddy said- sports). I have recently tried using manual focus more often so that I can improve my technique, but there is no real reason to unless you are wanting to play with different "looks" to a photo. I would definately have your camera fixed.
When I started shooting Nikon SLR cameras, and then when I went to Canon digital, I spent about three years doing *everything* manually. I never used AF, Av, Tv etc. It really helped to develop my skills as a photographer, and to understand my gear and what each setting actually does.
But now I use mostly AF. Still shoot mostly in manual mode on the camera, but AF is just so much quicker for most situations. The exception is portraiture where I am using an ultra-shallow DOF (f/1.6 or wider) - I need the fine control of MF because the AF may or may not get it right. Usually I AF, lock it, then manually adjust or move the camera in and out to get it right.
But yeah - using MF just slows you down. Not always a bad thing, mind.
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I think that it depends on what you are going for. If your camera takes pictures just fine with an auto focus, it seems silly not to use it. It's like having a dishwasher and washing your dishes by hand anyway. Crazy!
I would use the manual features, to play and try out different things, and for when I want something different from the auto focus.
But if the auto focus doesn't work, then I guess you are stuck with using the manual focus. Or getting the camera fixed or replaced.
But now I use mostly AF. Still shoot mostly in manual mode on the camera, but AF is just so much quicker for most situations. The exception is portraiture where I am using an ultra-shallow DOF (f/1.6 or wider) - I need the fine control of MF because the AF may or may not get it right. Usually I AF, lock it, then manually adjust or move the camera in and out to get it right.
But yeah - using MF just slows you down. Not always a bad thing, mind.