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<blockquote data-quote="Eyelight" data-source="post: 369060" data-attributes="member: 24753">In Auto-area AF, I don't think you can move the focus point, so you are&nbsp; likely using Dynamic-area AF, which is similar to what @HoroscopeFish&nbsp; mentions, but you have 11 focus points instead of 9 (assuming a D3200).Dynamic&nbsp; would work for portraits as long as you are watching where it focuses&nbsp; and adjusting as needed, but it is designed for a subject that may move&nbsp; off the chosen focus.&nbsp; Depending on how close the subjects, lighting,&nbsp; and the resulting depth of field, you may want more control over the&nbsp; focusing.The big thing is knowing what the camera is doing and&nbsp; why so you can control it.&nbsp; Bear in mind there is only one focus point&nbsp; (meaning the focusing distance) in any image.&nbsp; There is depth of field&nbsp; in front of and behind the focus distance, but the sharpest plane in the&nbsp; image will be at the focus distance.I tend to use AF-S (focus&nbsp; mode) and Single-point AF (AF-Area Mode), because I think it gives me&nbsp; the most control over where the focus point for the subjects I shoot.&nbsp;&nbsp; But it also is probably the closest mode to my old trusty film camera,&nbsp; so a little nostalgic bias maybe.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Eyelight, post: 369060, member: 24753"] In Auto-area AF, I don't think you can move the focus point, so you are likely using Dynamic-area AF, which is similar to what @HoroscopeFish mentions, but you have 11 focus points instead of 9 (assuming a D3200). Dynamic would work for portraits as long as you are watching where it focuses and adjusting as needed, but it is designed for a subject that may move off the chosen focus. Depending on how close the subjects, lighting, and the resulting depth of field, you may want more control over the focusing. The big thing is knowing what the camera is doing and why so you can control it. Bear in mind there is only one focus point (meaning the focusing distance) in any image. There is depth of field in front of and behind the focus distance, but the sharpest plane in the image will be at the focus distance. I tend to use AF-S (focus mode) and Single-point AF (AF-Area Mode), because I think it gives me the most control over where the focus point for the subjects I shoot. But it also is probably the closest mode to my old trusty film camera, so a little nostalgic bias maybe. [/QUOTE]

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