Half-press before you commit
1 min read
The half-press tells you what the camera is about to do. Reading it takes a second and prevents most automatic exposure surprises.
Half-pressing the shutter makes the camera focus and meter, and shows you both — the focus point it chose, and the shutter speed and aperture it intends to use.
Two things are worth reading in that second. Is the focus point on the thing you care about? And is the shutter speed fast enough for the lens you are holding, by the reciprocal rule?
Most automatic exposure disappointments are visible there, before the photograph exists.