What Is a Focus Limiter And What Does It Do? (A Helpful Guide for Photographers)

My Full Guide on Using a Focus Limiter Switch! (With Video)

I think you’ll agree with me that there are a LOT of questions that arise on one’s photography journey.

One of the common yet not fully covered questions on the Internet are related to focusing distance range selector switch.

Specifically:

• What is a focus limiter on a lens?
• What does a focus limiter do?
• Why does it matter and how to use it?

And believe me, it is not as complicated as it sounds.

Without further ado, let’s get started.

What Is a Focus Limiter On A Lens?

Simply put:

If you have a focus limiter on your lens, it will restrict the range of distances the camera will focus at.

If, for example, you’re using a macro lens that has a range limiter switch and you want to focus on something that’s 16 meters away instead of closer objects, you’ll set it to the desired distance and it will limit the focus of the camera to objects which are further away.

(Below I’ll explain it further using images.)

And guess what?

Controlling a focus limiter helps improve both the speed of focus and accuracy, especially if you’re aiming at objects far away from you.

What Is the Purpose of the Focus Limiter Switch?

Look:

By telling the lens to ignore the close end of the zoom range, it has less area it needs to search through to find focus.

And by setting your focus limiter, you’ll get a faster focus speed.

This also suggests that the action will be predictable.

Like I mentioned earlier, you’ll often find the focus limiter switch on macro lenses, as well as on most of the more expensive lenses.

(One example is Canon 600mm f/4 telephoto lens.)

Below is an example of a focus limiter switch location on the latest Canon 600mm lens.

This switch helps you control the distance you are aiming at – which comes in handy, especially when doing nature photography.

If you want to take a picture of a bird that is quite far away, you use the focus limiter switch.

The switch will allow you to limit the lens’ focus capability to a range of distances, which depend on the type of lens you have.

These days, most macro photography lenses come with a focus limiter switch that will help you focus on a specific distance, especially for long-range photography.

How to Use a Focus Limiter?

So:

How to use a focus limiter? What settings to use?

You saw where to find the said switch earlier but I’ll also attach another screenshot below (based on a Sony 600mm f/4 lens).

Many experienced photographers will recommend that you leave your switch on FULL.

But what do other 2 settings mean?

Well…

• Position 15m-4.5m:

If you were to choose 15m-4.5m setting, the one in the middle, then it means that it’ll keep the lens from focusing father away than 15 metres.

(Most useful when doing portrait photography.)

• Position ∞-15m:

And if you were to choose, the ∞-15m, the farther right setting, then it means that it’ll keep the lens from focusing closer than 15 metres.

Ken Rockwell recommends using the latter only if your lens is acting up and for some reason tries to focus on close things that are irrelevant, or if it’s “hunting” from near to far looking for distant subjects.

Note:

Set the focus limiter if the action is predictable.

Choosing a Lens with a Focus Limiter Switch

Make no mistake:

A focus limiter works in a way that has nothing to do with zoom distance.

While zoom distance will only allow you to get a better sense of things that are far away, the focus limiter is designed to control the set distances which you are trying to photograph, making it easier to focus on a specific item.

Once again…

When you use a focus limiter, you are aiming for a specific object at a certain distance. That’s what the focus limiter is for, and that’s when having a macro lens with a focus limiter comes in handy.

That’s why, when purchasing a new lens, you should always make sure it has a focus limiter.

Although most expensive lens models come with it, there are still a few which only allow for manual focusing and don’t have a focus limiter switch, so you should be aware of that if you do a lot of nature photography.

(Some photographers use it for live events or when shooting sports.)

This feature has been implemented in a few cheaper lens as well, but as you probably already know, going for cheap stuff in photography technology is usually a wrong choice.

In my opinion:

It’s always better to wait and get a better lens with all the bells and whistles.

You don’t know when you’re going to need them, but as your photography evolves, so do your needs, and it’s essential to invest in photography technology that will last quite a while in your hands before you need to upgrade.

You see my point?

Range Limiter Switches on a Lens

So… 

Earlier you learned how to focus with a distance range selector switch.

But let’s review this again.

The way your focus limiter switch works is usually between two different settings:

• full, or,
• limit.

When turned to FULL, you get the full focusing range, from close-in to infinity.

When switched to limit, you have other two options:

You can limit the focus range to a set range of distances according to the lens you’re using, or you can use the infinity setting which allows for a much more extensive focus range.

The way you control your focus limiter will have a lot to do with the specific lens you are using, but most focus limiters on lenses work similarly.

Once you have one figured out, you’ll know how to use any of them.

My Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve learned how to use a focus limiter on a lens, you’ll see that it is a fantastic skill for your long-range photography.

This is quite a useful trick, and you should pay attention to it when buying your next telephoto lens.

I’ll repeat myself:

I think when it comes to photo gear it’s better to wait and get a better, more expensive lens that will last you for years than go for a cheap one and have to upgrade quite soon after you bought it.

Let me know in the comments below if you have any further questions on what a focus limiter is and how this switch works.