Auto Focus

How does your DSLR Auto Focus Actually Work?

Anthony Thurston

We all use the autofocus (AF) systems in our DSLRs on a daily basis, they are one of the most important aspects of our cameras - without them achieving perfect focus would mean a slow manual process. We have all heard terms like "Phase Detection" or "Contrast Detection" and know they are referring to the AF system, but what does it actually mean? What is actually going on behind the scenes in our cameras?