PRO ADVICE USE LIVE VIEW TO FOCUS PRECISELY

When you have a static subject and can shoot from a tripod, using Live View with manual focus is an excellent option, as it allows for precision in focusing. This is why it’s a favourite for macro and still-life. In Live View mode, you can use the screen to frame up and focus, and zoom in up to 10x on the image. This allows you to be sure that your focus is exactly at the point you want it, though it’s best to use the self timer or a cable release so you don’t nudge the camera at the moment of exposure, especially when shooting at f/2.8 when a slight jog of the camera can change the focus point. You can also use AF in Live View mode, and many cameras offer touch-focus too, like you’d find on a smartphone screen. However, tracking and focusing on fast-moving subjects in Live View is a real challenge, and generally best avoided.

Focusing manually with Live View

A shot taken on a macro lens at a large aperture of f/.2.8 has an incredibly shallow depth of field that can be as small as a millimetre or two. This makes using manual focus with Live View and zooming in to magnify the point of focus an essential technique if you want to ensure the image is pin sharp at exactly the right spot.