Using multiple focal points

Hi, a newbie here. I am not having much luck yet when I use Manual Mode. I'm only having about 35% success when focusing on my subjects (the others being a light bit to far or to close). I'm wondering if I need to go get my eyes checked, it's been a few years or so since I bought these glasses.

Anyhow tomorrow I am taking a bunch of photos of folks at a family gathering at a park. There will be some group shots from 4 people to 9 people.

I'm not sure how to make certain I get everyone's face in focus when using the Program modes (or Manual for that matter).
I'm thinking I need to use the Landscape Mode but I really would like some bokeh behind the folks when I photograph them.
Is there a way to use the Portrait Mode with multiple focal points? Or multiple focal points in Manual mode and I'll hope for the best?

Can anyone help me out with some suggestions? Thank you

I have a Nikon D3200, the kit lens, a 35mm 1.8 fixed, and the 70 - 300mm

Went aren't you using auto focus?

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

Have you dialled in the Diopter Adjustment Control?

I experiment with Manual Mode a couple times a week. I just don't seem to have much success hitting where I want the camera to focus. For example, if my kids are in a tree I often think I have it on their face but come home and throw it on the computer and discover I actually go the leaves right behind them in focus or the branch right to the side of their head.
That's why I wondered if it was my eyes that are the problem.

I've tried the diopter adjustment control twice. I have the book "Nikon D3200 for Dummies" ...... perhaps I'm more of a dummy than the average dummy I just reread the passage again and tried adjusting it again. I realized it likely IS my eyesight because I have the adjuster turned all of the way to the end. Time to see the optometrist.


What about getting multiple people in focus? Any advice for that before I had out tomorrow? Thank you.

Try to shoot at f/8 or higher, shutter speed over 1/60 (with your 35) and keep the ISO as low as possible. Use autofocus with AF-S or AF-C and 21-point focus. You might consider fill flash. You might also search youtube for "photographing groups outdoors" and get some tips.

First of all get your eyes checked. Mine are pretty bad. I have 3 spectacles - very near, monitor and distance - as my eyes deteriorated, I kept the old ones. I can read perfectly without specs. That said, I use the ones I use to work on computer monitor for photography. That gives me reasonable focus on the scenery.

For manual Focus, first of all you must be able to see the text in View Finder perfectly. In case the diopter adjustment is deficient, get an add on corrective eyepiece.
DK-20C +0.5 Correction Eyepiece from Nikon
These are available in various values. For critical focus I use the "Range Finder", which is normally spot on.

Now for practical shooting. At medium to far distances my AF lenses work fine. At close distances, the AF is pretty vague. I attribute it to "distractions" in the focus rectangle. Some times it focuses ahead some times behind and 50% spot on. What I do is
. Try to set the AF point where there is no ambiguity - middle of the flower, rather than at the edge, where the AF may focus at the edge or behind it.
. When shots are critical and I want to use wide aperture, say F1.8 or F2, I take one shot at that aperture and another one at F5 to F8 (depends). In case I missed the focus on the eye in a portrait, I at least have a sharp image.

Secondly I have found that with AF-C, the camera fires whether the focus is acquired or not. AF-S is more reliable - it will not fire if focus is not achieved.

For large groups, I always use F8 to F11 - same for close ups of flowers. That ensures that there is enough DOF for a decently sharp image.

@singlerosa and @aroy have pretty much answered your question, I just wanted to say welocme to the forum - And post up your pics after the gathering so we can see how you got on!

Good luck

The suggestions here are what you need, but I just want to add that multiple focus points do not mean that the camera will adjust in a way to allow multiple objects at different distances to be in focus. Multiple focus points are utilized by the focus system for focus acquisition and tracking, but the system can only lock on one focal distance at a time. Whether or not multiple focal distances are in focus depends on depth of field. Lenses used to have hyperfocal markings showing you what distances outside the focal point would be in focus at various apertures, but that's a thing of the past. Get yourself a Depth of Field Calculator app. It can come in extremely handy in situations like yours. Enter your lens' focal length and distance to focal point and it will tell you the distances in front and behind that will also be in focus at a given aperture. Use that aperture to insure your subjects are in focus.