How do you use your camera's autofocus points?

[yllus]

I did a bunch of mock product photography on the weekend and started to wonder if my ideas on the autofocus point system on my 40D are antiquated or just plain wrong.

I turned off all of the AF points except for the one right in the centre of the lens - I do the shutter half-depress and then recompose method for pretty much all of my photos that allow me the time to do so, or otherwise just use the centre point to focus and snap right away. What's the best practice for a DSLR like the 40D that has multiple AF points? Should I be using all 9?

 

[PurdueRy]

On the 40D and 50D the center point is even better when you attach a F2.8 or faster lens. So this is my preference.

If working with something up close where DOF is an issue I sometimes will use a point of my choosing other than the center one due to concern that recomposing could alter my focus distance enough to lose my original focus.

If I was going sports or just quick snap portraits I might use all the points to avoid having to recompose as you said.

 

[soydios]

I focus with the center focus point on my D90, then recompose and let the tracking sort out which autofocus point is now on the original target I chose.

 

[randomlinh]

combination of focus/recompose, picking one of the 9 AF points, or sticking it in AI-SERVO (this last one is especially fun with my tamron 17-50 =)

 

[Maximus96]

center point, the other 8 on my 5D is not as good in low light.