It is not necessary that every person holding a camera will be proficient in photography; many like to engage in photography but are not well aware of photogenic sequences and operations of the camera.
For them, there is a good range of inexpensive cameras that possesses automatic focus options.
"Automatic focus" is a feature installed in the camera that takes the entire responsibility of focusing on the primary subject in the best possible way.
Many digital SLR cameras provide three distinct focus modes like the single automatic focus, continuous focus and the manual focus.
These three distinct focuses can only be used efficiently after having knowledge about their functions: Single automatic focus: This focus is to be used only when you want to cover static postures.
In this focus mode the camera automatically begins focusing as you press the shutter button before shooting or are in the middle of shooting but want to disable the focus.
Continuous focus mode: As it is revealed from name the camera starts focusing on the images continuously when brought to continuous focus mode.
This mode shall generally be used to record the moving objects or anything in motion that you want to capture, because the focusing is automatically adjusted by the camera according to the distance.
With the help of this mode you can easily cover racing cars or air shows of moving planes in all its motion.
To use this function you just have to move the camera along with the object holding the shutter button half way.
The focus of the image or the object is adjusted by the camera itself according to the changing distance.
Manual focus: This mode allows the photographer to show their creativity and focus on the object according to them.
This is the mode in which the automatic camera focus is disabled and the photographer himself decides the object and the primary focus.
While using the manual focus you have to undergo many settings in the camera else you can also attach a focusing ring that can be kept rotating on the camera lens.
This mode should only be used by those who are proficient in photography and have the knowledge of focusing and are ready to take the responsibility of the finished product.
Each mode either automatic or manual have their own merits and demerits, it depends on the photographer and how well he is versed with the knowledge of using them and the purpose for which they were designed.
It is always better to acknowledge facts first and then experiment while shooting different types of pictures - moving or static.