In a recent thread (and several others over the years), the benefits of Eye AF in mirrorless cameras were discussed, comparing the potential inaccuracies of focus and recompose technique with a DSLR through the optical viewfinder.
This has me wondering just how many of us consider absolute accuracy of focus on a subject's eye to be essential or even necessary.
When I review the work of my favourite portrait photographers from a purely technical perspective (as opposed to appreciating the aesthetic value of the photographs as a whole), it's clear that the leading eye wasn't always in perfect focus. Jane Bown's work contains numerous examples... in her captivating portrait of Björk, the leading eye is just out of perfect focus, whilst in her best-known Orson Welles headshot, the focus is considerably behind the leading eye. This takes nothing away from the photos, in my opinion... in fact, it arguably adds to the character of them. Certainly, Bown's clients and publishers found no fault with her images.
In my own photography (which, admittedly, includes very little portraiture) I of course strive for accurate focus, but I don't obsess over it. Minor discrepancies on fast aperture shots really aren't a big deal for me. I realise, though, this is my own personal tolerance, and clearly there are other folks for whom absolute accuracy seems to be of great importance.
How about you good folks - is critical eye focus essential to you, or are you less stringent about such things? Please share your thoughts and vote in the poll
Last edited by BigMackCam; 01-20-2021 at 07:34 AM.