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Glite Dictionary
autofocus

autofocus

5 3.7
A feature in a camera or phone that moves the lens to make pictures clear
  • noun
  • /ˈɔːtəˌfoʊkəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : autofoco
  • With the new smartphone, the autofocus technology automatically locks onto faces, making selfies much easier.
  • autofocus camera

It's got autofocus and it's got onboard stabilization.

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Examples

  • For sharper images, the autofocus on this lens quickly adjusts to the distance of the subject you are photographing.

  • Autofocus and auto-exposure work well, and there is no need to buy filters for the lenses.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Let's put it on autofocus and there you go.

  • Newer cameras with faster autofocus are good.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Autofocus does not work well because the contrast is often insufficient to activate the autofocus sensor.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The recent improvements in autofocus technology have made photographing birds in flight more enjoyable and rewarding.

    Academic text (2007)

  • I take my slides using a 7000i Minolta autofocus camera.

    Academic text (1993)

  • The Minolta 700 SI she was using was motor-driven, had autofocus, and was auto everything.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Then Minolta introduced the world's first autofocus SLR, and photographers went into shock.

    Blog text (29)

  • The latest camera model features an advanced autofocus mechanism that ensures stunningly clear pictures of fast-moving subjects.

Synonyms

focuser
vsautofocus
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A person or tool that adjusts a lens to make an image clear

is an automatic device that adjusts focus without human action
focusing
vsautofocus
2.8

To make a picture clear by moving a camera or lens

is a device that performs this adjustment automatically

Surface Forms

autofocus singular
autofocuses plural

Morphology

autofocus = focus (transparent) = auto + focus

The meaning is directly recoverable as 'automatic focus', with only a mild technical specialization.

Etymology

The word autofocus comes from auto- meaning 'self' (like in automatic or auto car) and focus meaning the 'clear point' or centre of a picture. So autofocus literally means 'self-focus' and is a camera system that makes the image clear by focusing itself.