When is manual focus better than autofocus?

We all know that autofocus is very convenient for everyday shooting, especially on cameras with tiny viewfinders that make manual focus difficult (like my Nikon d3000).

However, just like the exposure settings, there's a reason that dSLRs offer a manual focus option: sometimes the brain behind the camera makes better decisions than the "brain" inside the camera.

What are some situations where it's usually better to switch off autofocus and do it by eye?

Answer

1. 
   

   Macro shooting. The depth of field is so shallow that there is no way for a camera to know what exactly would you like to show to the world.

   
   


2. 
   

   Studio shot. You know where exactly the things are and already focused. You don't want the camera to focus back and forth every time you press a shutter release.

   
   



3. 
   

   Portrait with the open aperture with a very long lens. You need to focus on the eyes, and one of the good ways to do it is to focus with your body, slightly moving back and forth until you see the focus on the eyelashes.

   
   


4. 
   

   Sports/action/kinds/pets in case you know where the subject is going to be. You pre-focus manually and wait. Some cameras even allow you to capture a shot exactly at the moment when something comes in focus.

   
   


5. 
   

   Shooting moon or other distant objects. You need to prefocus on hyperfocal distance.

   
   


6. 
   
   

   Street photography. You know the approximate distance to your subjects which is about 1.5 meters (about 5 ft) and you shoot from your belly in an approximate direction. If the camera is in AF, it will miss too many times.