Autofocus works great, well most of the time.

I have a lot of manual cameras, so I’ve always use manual focus. But today’s cameras are for the most part autofocus by design.

Your camera will have little autofocus sensors that light up and make a beeping sound when you hit the target. Camera manufactures even boast about how many autofocus points they have, the more the merrier right?

Not necessary, you will have to know where you are going to focus, and then preselect your point, or hope that your camera will track your objects movement in order to nail the focus.

Forget about using the camera in a dark room or at night.

Autofocus uses contrast on most systems, so if there isn’t any contrast i.e., your subject is to white or grey or maybe even to black, it just will not work as designed. The lens motor will just keep moving back and forth searching for something to focus on. Odds are you will miss the shot you were after.

You autofocus lens will have a manual switch and or ring to turn just for these times when you do indeed need to focus manually.

What if your object isn’t moving but your focus is very critical.

Macro photography is a prime example, where manual focusing should be used

Manual focus is particularly useful in situations where autofocus may struggle, such as low-light conditions, when shooting through glass or other obstacles, or when shooting subjects with low contrast. It also gives you creative control over the selective focus and allows you to create intentional blur or focus on specific elements in the frame.

Practice and experimentation will help you become proficient in manual focusing. Over time, you'll develop a better sense of how to achieve precise focus manually, resulting in more control and creative freedom in your photography.