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Does shooting manual focus make you a better photographer?

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sportyaccordy

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Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
 
Think of it as a part of the learning process to becoming a better photographer. Not every shot can be achieved using manual focus. However there are occasions when your camera will not be able to lock focus requiring you to take over such as in extreme close ups.
 
sportyaccordy said:
Does shooting manual focus make you a better photographer? Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
If the shot can't be achieved properly with autofocus but can be achieved with manual focus then the photo will be better so presumably that means the photographer must be better.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF then the photographer is neither better nor worse.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF but the photographer tries to use manual focus and messes the shot up then he is a worse photographer.

In the abstract, therefore, the answer is yes, no or (perhaps) maybe, maybe not.
 
No, but when using shallow depth of field, it forces you to pay closer attention to the subject to select the point of critical focus.
 
Gerry Winterbourne said:
sportyaccordy said:
Does shooting manual focus make you a better photographer? Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
If the shot can't be achieved properly with autofocus but can be achieved with manual focus then the photo will be better so presumably that means the photographer must be better.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF then the photographer is neither better nor worse.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF but the photographer tries to use manual focus and messes the shot up then he is a worse photographer.

In the abstract, therefore, the answer is yes, no or (perhaps) maybe, maybe not.
Click to expand...
 
hotdog321 said:
No, but when using shallow depth of field, it forces you to pay closer attention to the subject to select the point of critical focus.
Click to expand...
 
Like most activities in life, we have to apply thoughtful analysis to it to learn anything from it. If all you are going to do is point and shoot and not think about the experience, you can't learn diddly-squat!
 
Gerry Winterbourne said:
sportyaccordy said:
Does shooting manual focus make you a better photographer? Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
If the shot can't be achieved properly with autofocus but can be achieved with manual focus then the photo will be better so presumably that means the photographer must be better.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF then the photographer is neither better nor worse.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF but the photographer tries to use manual focus and messes the shot up then he is a worse photographer.

In the abstract, therefore, the answer is yes, no or (perhaps) maybe, maybe not.
Click to expand...
That is what I like DEFINITIVE answers ... LOL

And you are of course correct. There is a right and wrong time to use manual-focus, (and it takes a skill set to be able to properly when and how to use it most appropriately).
 
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Gerry Winterbourne said:
...

In the abstract, therefore, the answer is yes, no or (perhaps) maybe, maybe not.
Click to expand...
+1

I think the question is more . . . the people that focus manually . . . do they happen to know more about using a camera?

What is the cause . . . what is the effect?

It's like saying . . . people who drive fast really well have fast cars. So if I buy a fast car . . . will I be good at driving fast? Or is it that people who can drive fast really well then decide to buy fast cars?

Take care & Happy Shooting!
:)

--
My Personal Flickr Favs . . .
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tacticdesigns/sets/72157631300869284/
 
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sportyaccordy said:
Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
Every care taken when shooting manual should be taken when shooting AF.

Some folks may feel as though they are better photographers. Other folks get their jollies using their cams like machine guns.

The results determine whether you've been a better photographer on any given day.

--
Once you've done fifty, everything else is iffy.
 
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Does shooting manual focus make you a better photographer?

NO
 
PhotoTeach2 said:
Gerry Winterbourne said:
sportyaccordy said:
Does shooting manual focus make you a better photographer? Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
If the shot can't be achieved properly with autofocus but can be achieved with manual focus then the photo will be better so presumably that means the photographer must be better.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF then the photographer is neither better nor worse.

If the shot can be achieved properly using AF but the photographer tries to use manual focus and messes the shot up then he is a worse photographer.

In the abstract, therefore, the answer is yes, no or (perhaps) maybe, maybe not.
Click to expand...
That is what I like DEFINITIVE answers ... LOL

And you are of course correct. There is a right and wrong time to use manual-focus, (and it takes a skill set to be able to properly when and how to use it most appropriately).
Click to expand...
I also sometimes use manual focus to check whether AF is getting it right in a particular set of circumstances. Over time that leads to a better understanding of when I can trust AF.
 
sportyaccordy said:
Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
Never use manual focus anymore except for extreme macro on a tripod.
MF worked great in the 1950s though.
 
sportyaccordy said:
Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
How you achieve consistent results are irrelevant.

There might be a statistical correlation between photographers who took time to practice manual focusing and those that produce consistent good results, but this is not a mutually exclusive relationship. Manual focusing capability is more of an indicator of dedication to the art rather than a requirement in and of itself.
 
sportyaccordy said:
Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
If you have to ask, then you're missing what makes one a better photographer.
 
Does shooting with a Canon 5DR with some L glass make me a better photographer?
 
sportyaccordy said:
Open ended question. I personally don't think so but I'm curious to hear what other people think.
Click to expand...
Manual focus is just another tool to draw upon when needed.

I had occasion to take a shot of a semi-clear logo sticker on glass, with some complex hard edge scenery behind it. Autofocus in that case would emphasize the background instead of the intended subject. Manual focus helped trivially capture it the way I wanted and with no further ado.
 
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