"I think I like the pic of the truck best."

"Ah, cool. The better question is: why did this stop being standard equipment? Nikon made 12 different focus screens for my F-3, all with different focusing aids."

"Hah. Yeah, the trouble with DSLRs is that none of the ones I've used have a focus screen with any sort of focus aid... Good luck focusing without a split screen / focus ring. Plus, DSLRs seem to have lenses that are super touchy in focus. Apparently focus motors can't work on lenses that are nicely damped for manual focus?

So, work with what you have. Leave it in auto, and your viewfinder probably has a few cross marks that correspond to focus spots? Learn the various focus modes, and then for low light use the one that just looks at what's in the dead center of the screen, then point that at what should be in focus, let it focus, then reframe.

Keep in mind the vast majority of the other modes are set up for people who want to frame the shot and push the button and have it work. And it will work as long as you've got a pretty deep field..."

"Yeah, the manual focus, especially in low light is so difficult on this camera. Of the 500+ shots I've taken with manual focus on this camera, majority were out of focus and trashed."

"There's a lot going on here, and oddly this falls flat for me. The guy getting up on the left is a real problem, and I'd love to see the other few microns of Amanda's face. No idea what the physical situation was, but remember you've got a giant image sensor, which means you can always afford to step back and crop later.

Once again, only so much you can do at f/1.8, but I bet you can still get a sharp shot on that camera at 1/30th of a second?

Your best bet with that camera in low light is probably going to be aperture priority mode and watch the resulting shutter speed, squeezing out all you can. something like this would probably look okay a couple stops underexposed too, which would have gotten the chick on the left in focus."

"Same problem here. There's enough depth that it would look great if the center of focus was on the Hershey bar in the center, rather than on the front edge of the cupcake."

"So close to being amazing, but falls short on focus. The trouble with f/1.8 is your depth of field is zilch. Which means you have to be really careful. This is focused on her shoulder, not her face. Every DSLR lens I've played with is impossible to focus manual, which means you have to rely on the autofocus. Which means your best bet is probably spot mode and point it what you want in focus, then reframe."

"Rubbing the marker should suffice.;) Besides, your wife might get jealous."

"ooh... I should rub you, so you can grant me wishes...."

"I'm a genie in a marker."

"you! if indeed you are an expo marker on my whiteboard"

"Who?"

"indeed we are. When's your next trip to mobile?"

"Looks like an incredible time was had. Wish I could have been there. We're long over due for a bike ride, my friend."