Beginner Back button focus

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Ciaran
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Hi all, im getting back into shooting more again thankfully and would like to try out back button focusing. However, unless Im mistaken it seems that I will have to reassign the ae lock button for this. I regularly use it though and would miss it if it wasnt available. Can anyone offer me some advice please?
 
On my Nikon, you can set it so that a half a press of the shutter button locks exposure. I find it easier to use than the actual dedicated AE-L button.
 
What camera ?
 
I have my D3400 set up so the back button does focus- press button and focus is continuous (AF-C). Don't touch back button and focus is locked at its last setting. I have the shutter button lock exposure on the half position. This setup works well for fast moving things in low light.
 
Sorry, i have a canon 7d and a 550d
I’m Nikon, so I’m not sure if it’s the same but you should be able to move the exp lock to another button or half press on the shutter (kind of defeats the reason for back button I think) on Nikon I have an fn button, I could, I think move exp lock to that and use the af-en button to focus, do you have similar ?
 
Sorry, i have a canon 7d and a 550d

On the 7D you have a separate AF ON button so no problem there.

On the 550D in C.Fn IV OPERATION/OTHERS set C.Fn 9 to 1

This gives BBF on the AE LOCK button and AE LOCK on half press of the shutter button.
 
Hi all, im getting back into shooting more again thankfully and would like to try out back button focusing. However, unless Im mistaken it seems that I will have to reassign the ae lock button for this. I regularly use it though and would miss it if it wasnt available. Can anyone offer me some advice please?

Different cameras work differently from each other, but most and many of them usually follow a more common theme: Look at the LCD on the back of the camera, bring up the menu, scroll up/down/left/right and press this or that button, repeat until you come to the settings that allows you to reassign the task the back button should do.

Only your camera's manual will tell you which menu settings to go for.

But they're all mostly similar actions to take. LCD, menu, sub-menu, settings, change settings, save settings.

If your camera can reassign the back button to work as an AE Lock button, then go for it if you prefer it.
 
I’m Nikon, so I’m not sure if it’s the same but you should be able to move the exp lock to another button or half press on the shutter (kind of defeats the reason for back button I think) on Nikon I have an fn button, I could, I think move exp lock to that and use the af-en button to focus, do you have similar ?

Why do you say it defeats the point of back button to lock exposure with shutter button? I would have said it's ideal as it separates exposure lock from focus lock/activation.
 
Why do you say it defeats the point of back button to lock exposure with shutter button? I would have said it's ideal as it separates exposure lock from focus lock/activation.
Only because I find it ideal to have the shutter button just as that, shutter, I’ve never tried it with exp, so I can’t give a definitive answer, just my impression.
 
Only because I find it ideal to have the shutter button just as that, shutter, I’ve never tried it with exp, so I can’t give a definitive answer, just my impression.

Must admit, I've always found it awkward to bridge across the AF-0n and AE-L buttons so I really like locking the exposure on the shutter though it does leave the AE-L button pretty much redundant.
 
Must admit, I've always found it awkward to bridge across the AF-0n and AE-L buttons so I really like locking the exposure on the shutter though it does leave the AE-L button pretty much redundant.
I’m not going to lie, I’ve never really used exp lock, prob something I need to learn, what reasons or areas would this be used ?
 
I’m not going to lie, I’ve never really used exp lock, prob something I need to learn, what reasons or areas would this be used ?

I don't use it all that often but it's quite good if you've spot metered for something that is either moving or you wish to recompose.
 
I’m not going to lie, I’ve never really used exp lock, prob something I need to learn, what reasons or areas would this be used ?
In fast moving situations it’s quicker than using exp comp.

I don’t do spot metering, but knowing when your meter will be fooled is important no matter what metering pattern. It’s eady to point the camera at the grass (18% grey) and lock the exposure, in fact I don’t even need to look through the VF to do it.
 
I can’t remember off hand for the 3400, but you might be able to reassign the AE Lock to the function button, which means you can use the deticate AE-L for focus?

Again, not sure on your model though.
 
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