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What Is Focus Peaking?
Annika Jansen
What is focus peaking?
Focus peaking is a camera feature that visually shows which part of your image is sharpest. When focusing manually, the sharpest edges in your viewfinder or on your screen are highlighted in a striking colour, so you can immediately see whether your subject is truly razor-sharp in frame — even before you take the photo or start filming. This feature makes manual focusing much easier and more precise.
How does focus peaking work?
Focus peaking works through colour highlights. As soon as you focus manually, your camera marks the edges of the sharp areas in the image with a striking colour. This lets you see at a glance where the focus point lies. It gives you a lot of control and confidence — whether you are working on a portrait, a landscape or a video recording in which you want to shift the focus dynamically. You no longer need to guess or zoom in on the screen to check sharpness; focus peaking does that work for you.
What makes this feature so popular is that it is effective for both photography and video, and that both beginners and experienced photographers benefit from it. Instead of discovering after the fact that you were just slightly off on sharpness, focus peaking helps you during the shot itself. Especially with fast camera lenses or in situations with a shallow depth of field — such as close-ups — it delivers noticeably sharper results.
This feature is available on many mirrorless cameras and increasingly on DSLRs and video cameras too. Focus peaking helps you work with more precision and enjoyment.
In which situations is focus peaking useful?
Focus peaking is especially useful when you are focusing manually and want maximum control over the focus point in your image. This comes in handy in situations where autofocus does not quite do what you want — for example in low light, when working with low-contrast subjects, or when using older, analogue lenses without autofocus. The colour highlights that focus peaking displays (often bright red, yellow or blue) give immediate visual feedback about what is sharp — practical and clear.
Even when using a very shallow depth of field — for example when shooting portraits with an f/1.4 lens — focus peaking is invaluable. You can immediately see whether the eye is razor-sharp in frame or whether the focus has accidentally shifted to the nose or eyebrow. This prevents disappointments later when reviewing your images on a larger format.
What does focus peaking do for photographers and videographers?
Both photographers and videographers benefit greatly from focus peaking, but its use differs per discipline. In photography, it is primarily an aid for those who prefer to work manually — such as landscape photographers who want to combine a razor-sharp foreground and background using focus stacking. Or consider street photography, where you need to quickly determine what falls within the limited depth of field.
For videographers, focus peaking is almost indispensable — especially when working with a mirrorless or film camera without autofocus. Because focusing in video is often done manually and is harder to judge on moving footage, focus peaking makes a big difference. During a recording, you can immediately see whether the subject remains properly sharp, even when it moves. A must for interviews, documentaries or creative film recordings where precise sharpness determines the mood of your shot.
In short: focus peaking is a handy visual aid for both photographers and videographers who seek maximum precision in their work.
Which colour do you choose with focus peaking?
Most cameras give you the choice of different highlight colours, such as red, blue, yellow or white. This is useful, because depending on your subject and the conditions — for example bright sunshine or low light — one colour stands out better than another. If you are photographing a flower in a red field, for instance, it is better to choose a contrasting highlight colour such as blue or white. This keeps the focus indication clearly visible. Experiment with what works best for you, and adjust the colour to suit the image.
Using focus peaking via the LCD screen or viewfinder
Focus peaking works on both the LCD screen and in the electronic viewfinder of your camera. Especially with modern mirrorless cameras, you can see directly through the viewfinder which part of the image is sharp — making precise focusing much easier, even in bright sunlight or with moving subjects. If you prefer to work with the LCD screen — for example when shooting on a tripod — you see the same highlights in the image. This way you retain optimal control, even when you are standing a little further from the camera.
Does focus peaking affect your photo or video?
A question that often comes up: does focus peaking affect the final photo? The answer is reassuring: no. The coloured edges are only visible during focusing and are not saved in your photo or video. It is purely a visual aid that supports your creativity without influencing your image. Thanks to focus peaking, you can focus manually with more confidence — and that shows in the final result: images that are sharp exactly where you want them to be.
Setting focus peaking on Sony, Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm
How you set focus peaking depends on your camera brand. We explain it for Sony, Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon, among others.
Sony
- Go to the camera menu, under Settings or Display.
- Choose 'Focus assistance' or 'Peaking'.
- Activate the function.
- Select a highlight colour, for example red, yellow or white, depending on your subject and background.
Canon
- Available on certain EOS R-series mirrorless cameras.
- Open the quick menu or go via the main menu to the tab for manual focusing.
- Enable focus peaking.
- Adjust the intensity and colour to your preference if desired.
Fujifilm
- Open the 'Manual focusing' menu.
- Choose the 'Peaking' option.
- Set the colour and visibility level.
- Extra handy: on some models you can also activate focus peaking via a shortcut on the screen.
Nikon
- Available on various Z-series mirrorless cameras.
- Go to the 'Display customisation' menu.
- Under 'Manual focus assist', activate focus peaking.
- Choose your preferred colour and strength of the highlight.
Tips for setting up focus peaking
The right settings make a big difference in ease of use and precision. With these tips you get the most out of focus peaking:
1. Choose a striking colour
- Do you often photograph in a wooded environment? Then choose a colour like red, which contrasts well with green.
- Working indoors or with dark subjects? Then yellow or white are often more visible.
- Most cameras offer multiple colour options, so you can tailor the highlight to your environment.
2. Adjust the intensity carefully
- Choose from low, medium or high, depending on how prominent you want the highlights to be.
- Lines that are too bright can distract from your composition. A lower intensity often gives a calmer image.
- Test different combinations of colour and intensity to discover what works best for you.
3. Take the time to experiment
A good setting makes the difference between hesitant manual focusing and confidently composing your shot. It only takes a few minutes but delivers a lot of ease of use in both photography and video. With focus peaking you get that extra control over sharpness — especially with lenses without autofocus. That brings calm, speed and creative freedom.
Focus peaking vs other techniques
When manually focusing, there are various aids available. Focus peaking is one of them, but how does this technique compare to other methods? In the world of photography and video, focus magnification (focus assist), face/eye detection and autofocus are popular alternatives. Each of these techniques has its own character and application area, and it is good to know when each method works best.
Magnifying the image — for example via live view or an electronic viewfinder — lets you zoom in to pixel level during focusing. This provides a lot of accuracy, especially for stationary subjects or product photography. The downside is that zooming in takes time and limits your overview, making it less practical for fast-moving situations like sports or street photography. Automatic face and eye detection is becoming increasingly smart and is ideal for portrait photography. This technique takes the work off your hands and follows the subject automatically, but is entirely dependent on the technology and does not always work well in low light or with multiple people in frame.
Autofocus is undoubtedly the most popular method among many photographers, especially for everyday use or action moments where speed matters. But where autofocus sometimes struggles in challenging lighting conditions or with shallow depths of field, focus peaking offers a solution. The colourful lines show you exactly where the image is sharp — very useful when manually focusing with a fixed-aperture lens or when filming with a mirrorless camera.
Focus peaking is especially popular among photographers who like to retain control over their sharpness while also wanting visual support. It is not always the most precise method — for example with very small apertures or when little contrast is present — but it is fast, intuitive and broadly applicable. In short, no technique is definitively better: it comes down to which method suits your subject, your way of working and your personal preference.
At which aperture does focus peaking work better?
Focus peaking is a handy tool for manual focusing, but it does not work equally well in every situation. An important consideration is the aperture you use. The focusing aid is most accurate and reliable when you photograph with a wide open aperture — for example f/1.8 or f/2.8. Why? Because the depth of field is then shallow, and the camera can therefore better recognise where the sharpness lies precisely. You can more clearly see which parts of your subject are truly sharp. Useful, especially in portrait photography or close-ups.
If you use a smaller aperture, such as f/8 or f/11, the depth of field becomes larger. This means more of the screen appears to be in focus, making it harder to distinguish exactly which part is truly razor-sharp. Focus peaking can then become less accurate. A smart approach is to focus manually with the aperture wide open, and then set the desired aperture for the final shot — this works well, for example, with cameras that support aperture preview.
Practical situations to watch out for
In practice, focus peaking is especially useful with calm subjects and sufficient contrast. Think of photographing landscapes or taking portraits in natural light. But be aware: in situations with low contrast — such as a white flower against a light background or misty landscapes — focus peaking has a harder time. The system can then struggle to accurately represent sharpness.
Additionally, the brightness of your screen can have an effect. In bright sunlight, it can be difficult to clearly see the highlighted lines or colour accents. A tilting screen or even a viewfinder with a magnifying function — as found on some mirrorless cameras — can then offer a solution. In macro photography too, where a tiny shift makes all the difference, you can combine focus peaking with digital magnification on your screen. This way you work not only more carefully, but also with greater confidence in your result.
