Rules of Third with AF-Mode

With the highly touted 39-points AF-Area Mode feature on the D7000, I was curious how well that works for the following scenario:

1) Rule of Third to focus on subject: I've read many blogs about using center focus only, then AF-Lock or hold the shutter half-way, and then recompose the picture to fit the subject into the rule and shoot. Question for this scenario is will the new AF-Area Mode take care of this by knowing initially that the subject to focus on is in the '3rd' of the quadrant

2) Rule of Third with a shallow depth of field to blur out background, same as above

Does anyone have experience with this?

You are trying to compare apples to watermelons. Yes, they are both fruit but there is where the similarity ends.

The "Rule of Thirds" is based on the artistic merits of the image. The D7000 AF Area Mode only wants to focus on the points in the area.

It will "know" the area to focus on ONLY if YOU appoint that area to be focused.

Hope this helps.

Pete

Good point Carolina Photo Guy. I should be clearer, for scenario 2, if I want to focus on an object while blurring out the background, but the subject is not directly in the center but in a corner of the quadrant, what is the best way to point focus to that subject?

Simple. Point focus on the spot you want to be sharp, then recompose the shot while holding the shutter button halfway down to maintain focus.

Hope this helps.

Pete

In the case you describe, you should use a single point focus. You can move the single point with the arrow keys, or the way I do it is to focus on the point, then hold the shooting button down half way which locks the focus. And of course re-compose the photo.

So, that is the most common method I've read and I'm supposed that if I want to blur our background, then in addition to using a shallow DOF, I should use a single point AF then an not the bigger ones, I.e 11, 39?

If you are trying to get the Bokah effect of out of focus background, it is obtained by using a wide open F stop. The focusing ability of the camera does not cause the blurring effect of Bokah.