a method for selecting a focus setting for a digital image acquisition appliance , the method comprising : acquiring a first image with a first focus setting , acquiring a second image with a second focus setting , the second image being acquired sequentially with the first image , dividing the first image into a first grid of macroblocks , dividing the second image into a second grid of macroblocks , determining a first zone in the first grid of macroblocks and a second zone in the second grid of macroblocks using a first predetermined selection criteria , calculating a macroblock shift of the first zone with respect to the second zone to a sub - macroblock precision , calculating a first value of a figure - of - merit for the first image and a second value of the figure - of - merit for the second image , the first value being calculated using focus metric data obtained from macroblocks belonging to the first grid of macroblocks , the second value being calculated using focus metric data obtained from macroblocks belonging to the second grid of macroblocks , wherein the calculated first and second values have been corrected for the macroblock shift , selecting the focus setting using a second predetermined selection criteria based on the first and second values of the figure - of - merit .