Focus is not one concept—it is a set of decisions. Every image answers three questions:

• How much is sharp
• Where sharpness exists
• Whether that sharpness changes

All focus terminology fits within those three axes.

I. Depth of Focus (How much of the image is sharp)

These define the extent and distribution of sharpness across the frame.

Deep Focus / Pan Focus

Everything from foreground to background appears sharp, allowing multiple spatial layers to exist simultaneously without prioritization.

Shallow Focus

Only a narrow portion of the frame is sharp, isolating a subject and reducing visual competition.

Selective Focus (umbrella term)

The intentional decision of what remains sharp and what does not, encompassing both shallow focus and other controlled variations.

Split Focus / Dual Focus

Two distinct areas of the frame are sharp at once while others are not, dividing attention within a single composition.

II. Focus Over Time (How focus behaves during a shot)

These describe how focus moves or updates.

Rack Focus / Focus Pull

Focus shifts from one subject or distance plane to another within the same shot, redirecting attention without changing composition.

Focus Tracking / Follow Focus / Continuous Autofocus (AF-C / Servo)

Focus continuously adjusts to maintain sharpness on a moving subject, either manually or through automated systems.

Focus Hold / Single Autofocus (AF-S / One-Shot)

Focus is set once and remains locked, regardless of changes in framing or subject movement.

III. Optical & Lens-Based Focus Effects (How focus is manipulated)

These rely on lenses or filters to alter how focus behaves.

Soft Focus / Diffusion Focus

Sharpness is intentionally reduced or highlights are softened to create a controlled glow without fully removing detail.

Tilt-Shift / Tilt Focus / Scheimpflug Effect

The plane of focus is angled rather than parallel to the sensor, allowing sharpness to exist along a tilted or narrow slice of the image.

Split Diopter

A lens attachment that allows two different focus distances to appear sharp simultaneously within the same frame.

IV. Technical Execution (How focus is achieved)

These describe how focus is set, not how it looks.

Critical Focus

The exact point of maximum sharpness placed on the most important subject detail.

Manual Focus

Focus is adjusted by hand for precise control.

Autofocus (AF)

The camera determines focus electronically, including both continuous and single modes.

V. Spatial Strategy & Extended Techniques

These extend focus beyond a single fixed plane or moment.

Zone Focus

A preset focus distance ensures subjects within a defined range remain sharp without adjustment.

Hyperfocal Focus

Focus is set to maximize depth of field, keeping everything from a certain distance to infinity acceptably sharp.

Focus Stacking

Multiple images taken at different focus distances are combined into one fully sharp image.

VI. Blur as an Intentional Outcome

These describe what happens outside the plane of focus.

Defocus / Out-of-Focus Blur

Blur is used intentionally as a visual element rather than a mistake.

Bokeh (Focus Rendering)

The aesthetic quality and character of out-of-focus areas, defined by how blur appears rather than where focus is placed.