how do i know if i am focusing right?

Question

how do i know if i am focusing right? like when i look in the viewfinder there is this circle and it is in half. what is that? and sometimes the bottom half is blacked out....i am confused... just learning photography...have no clue what i am doing...help please?! i think the camera i am using is a nikon fm10. sorry i am a bit confusing. i just don't really understand this...

what does it mean if the bottom half is like blacked out?

Answer 1

An old technique to help you learn to focus is to tape a piece of newspaper to a well lit wall and practice focusing on it. If you can read the print its in focus.

The circle in the center of your focusing screen with the line through it is called a "split image rangefinder". A line will appear as 2 sections when its not in focus _- or _ _ when its in focus.

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure this is a "split screen" focusing mechanism.

Point at the part of the subject you want most in focus, rotate the focusing ring until a distinct edge or line comes together and does not appear to be "split." It's harder to tell if you're pointing at an area that has no distinct lines or contrasty edges in it, so try to find an edge.

Then you're in focus.

Older Nikons - I've had several - are notorious for this split screen mode of focusing. Some people hate it. But it works fine when you get used to it.

Answer 3

If the bottom half is blacked out, just move your camera very slightly so that you can look through the finder at a little different angle. That should clear it up. Experiment a little bit.

Answer 4

put the object you want to focus in the center of that circle. try to rotate your focusing ring until the circle in the center fits instead of in half.