Below are a few points illustrating the advantages and disadvantages of manual and auto focus.

Manual Focus

Advantages

  • Extremely precise; due to manual setting

Disadvantages

  • Time consuming; you have to select where the camera is to focus, by manually moving the focus points

Auto Focus

Advantages

  • Very easy, you point and press shutter button half way, camera focuses and takes picture.

Disadvantages

  • Only precise when there is a single subject in picture, can otherwise focus on unwanted details

Conclusion

Autofocus may not be extremely precise, but it is fast, easy and practical, and performs well for everyday scenes.

Although shooting with manual focus is more time consuming, when photographing scenes where the camera may experience confusion, manual focus has to win over autofocus