Back button focusing?

Been using BBF ever since I first bought a 1 series canon. Don't think I could ever go back now.

Mainly because having cont AF set all the time I'm never caught out with having the camera in one shot AF when I wanted it in cont.

Also with the latest Canons I can set the AF On button and the AE Lock button to completely different AF points and cases to give a second option if needed.
 
boyfalldown said:
Errr cause you don’t have to press anything, just take your thumb off.... would have thought that was pretty obvious really
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Yeah, but then you have to hold a second button for continuous AF instead... and continuous is more advantageous for action photography.
Like I said, there's a few ways to do the same things... use whatever suits you. I sometimes use BBF, but more often than not I don't. On my D5 I actually use 4 buttons for AF... The shutter is set to 153pt dynamic, the preview button is set to single point, fn1 is set to group, and fn2 is set to auto. The AF-on button is set to lock focus, and pressing the joystick is set to swap to spot metering... I guess I actually use FBF :) .
 
sk66 said:
Yeah, but then you have to hold a second button for continuous AF instead... and continuous is more advantageous for action photography.
Like I said, there's a few ways to do the same things... use whatever suits you. I sometimes use BBF, but more often than not I don't. On my D5 I actually use 4 buttons for AF... The shutter is set to 153pt dynamic, the preview button is set to single point, fn1 is set to group, and fn2 is set to auto. The AF-on button is set to lock focus, and pressing the joystick is set to swap to spot metering... I guess I actually use FBF :) .
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Like you didn’t say you mean?? & the 2nd button thing....no
 
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I always used it on my Canon DSLR's and tried it when I moved to Nikon, but the placement felt odd. Always preferred it though. I'll have to give it a bash again.
 
Same as most here, have done it for years, and is the first job with a new body!!
 
Like @sk66 for wildlife I've tried BBF but yet to see any benefit for me over the shutter half press focus for wildlife. I can see the benefit for being able to swap between continuous focus and locking the focus. If I need to do this I press and hold the AE-AF button as I have it set AF lock. The issue Ive yet to overcome is if my thumb is controlling focus it cant be moving the AF point. I find I'm constantly moving the AF point around the frame (I mainly use single point or group as I want to choose where I'm focussing), my thumb is moving the AF point about because animals turn their head left or right at a moments notice so I have to swap the composition of the image. The only way to do that is with my thumb on the control pad on the rear of the camera.

I'm not against BBF in any way as I use it all the time whilst doing landscapes. there is a huge advantage to removing the focus function from the shutter button for landscapes, especially when using 10 Stop filters. I feel it's just another tool in the box to get the image, whether you use it or not is down to whether it works for you and the situation you are in.
 
Well, I have an event tomorrow that involves a bunch of kids doing a school based Terry Fox Run (link embedded if you want to learn/don't know about Terry Fox. According to Wikipedia, Terry Fox is the second greatest Canadian of all time.) I've set my D750 for FBF (front button focusing.) ;) I'm using the Pv button for that as I need my thumb to be able to move the focus point around. If it feels too weird or I can't seem to get the hang of it I'll set the shutter button back to focus/release.
 
its not just about refocusing... i prefer to move the focus point with my thumb and have the advantage of still using auto focus while recomposing :)

i prefer BBF for taking pot shots ...I can keep tracking a subject and take a shot whenever i like then take another all the time focusing on a moving subject.. few seconds later take another...... where as front focus would have to re aquire the subject after every shot?

i can shoot a long goal celebration of players moving about and keep them in focus while shooting... NOT SURE but does half press aquire focus and when shooting say a burst of ten shots does it stay in ai focus and refocus as you shoot? i doubt it.. BBF does ..

BBF is more reliable in fast moving fast action sports where your not having to continuously half press which can result in pressing too hard and taking the shot or your finger lifting and losing focus.. easy done in some situations over a couple of hrs.. BBF far more stable


a little known or spoken about advantage is ...........sat outside in the cold you can wear a decent pair of gloves and hold the back button and press the shutter...whereas using half depress requires a little more refinement and much harder to do in thicker gloves..
 
Been trying it for a day or two and yes, I can see the benefit. My thumb does ache though, just my thumb getting used to the new resting place. :)
 
Well, maybe I should give this BBF malarkey a go (the weight of opinion in this thread certainly says so)...but I probably won't. :)

I've been shooting professionally for 40 years (mostly as a press photographer shooting anything and everything from environmental portraits to top level sports), for the majority of those years I've used hocus pocus auto focus (started with a Canon EOS1*), and I can't say I've ever yearned to separate the focusing away from the shutter button.

I love a few of the advancements over the years; such as using a joystick to more easily shift the focus point while still looking through the viewfinder, and configuring a convenient button to temporarily toggle the focus mode (one-stop <--> AI) without interrupting shooting. But BBF isn't one that grabs me.

The only scenario (for me) that comes to mind where BBF might be useful is when using a tripod or shooting 'Hail Marys'), but then I can simply switch AF off and/or maybe use the rear screen.

I understand why people choose BBF and that's awesome, but I personally don't feel the need. Maybe the many long years of full-time shooting has honed the dexterity of my shutter finger as I don't get misfires while holding focus, or have a problem following the action while shooting sport.

Anyway, I just wanted to be a small voice for the quiet majority (some may say unenlightened :)) reading this thread.

Cheers!

* - Actually, my fist AF camera was a Nikon F4, but the AF was so bad I never used it!
 
I'm tempted to try BBF (for shots of the kids where they can be still and or moving) as well but i have a question.

If I set up BBF so that focus is disengaged from the shutter button am i right in saying that in AI Focus(Canon) If I press the AF-on button, get focus and release, that will lock focus for stationary objects (like one shot) and if I press and hold the AF-on button that will lock focus for moving subjects (like AI Servo)?
 
stupar said:
If I set up BBF so that focus is disengaged from the shutter button
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A big mistake is to think setting up BBF will do the above.. you also have to set the shutter button NOT to focus :)

stupar said:
am i right in saying that in AI Focus(Canon) If I press the AF-on button, get focus and release, that will lock focus for stationary objects (like one shot)
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Yes




stupar said:
and if I press and hold the AF-on button that will lock focus for moving subjects (like AI Servo)?
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it will lock focus so long as you move the camera to follow the subject yes :)
 
stupar said:
I'm tempted to try BBF (for shots of the kids where they can be still and or moving) as well but i have a question.

If I set up BBF so that focus is disengaged from the shutter button am i right in saying that in AI Focus(Canon) If I press the AF-on button, get focus and release, that will lock focus for stationary objects (like one shot) and if I press and hold the AF-on button that will lock focus for moving subjects (like AI Servo)?
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That is how it works in Nikon land so I'd expect the same for Canon
 
KIPAX said:
A big mistake is to think setting up BBF will do the above.. you also have to set the shutter button NOT to focus :)



Yes






it will lock focus so long as you move the camera to follow the subject yes :)
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What if they are running towards me? go on say it......move away from the subject :D
 
PaulButler said:
That is how it works in Nikon land so I'd expect the same for Canon
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Yes that's how it works on Canon, I don't know about Nikon but on Canon you can also set the exposure to be taken on the full shutter press.
This together with BBF if you are tracking something like a deer moving in and out of shade is invaluable
 
cosmicma said:
no fingers
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Hm, so the fact you"re able to shoot even without having fingers is best you can get, BBF is mostly a favour anyway.
 
troutfisher said:
Yes that's how it works on Canon, I don't know about Nikon but on Canon you can also set the exposure to be taken on the full shutter press.
This together with BBF if you are tracking something like a deer moving in and out of shade is invaluable
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the only way to set BBF on my camera is focus AND exposure start so its setting the exposure all the time? in and out of shadows..
 
Orangecroc said:
You can't set the back button to AF-ON?
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sorry... af-on AND metering start ..not af-on only

so when i fire its already got the correct exposure and the shutter button makes no difference............surely ?
 
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Can't speak for all Nikons, but the ones I've used BBF on, metering has respected the mode set on camera and meters each time.
 
photogwannabe said:
Well, I tried BBF set to the Pv button on the D750 and I tried it with the AF-ON button on the D700. I have to say that, for me, BBF is a big fail. It's just too weird having years and years of shutter button set to focus/release.
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Well, everything takes some acclimation/learning. I'm not saying you should/shouldn't, but similar reactions have lead to the opinions that "only full manual exposure is control" and other sillyness... Personally, I won't use AF lenses, they just suck up battery and sharpness is way overrated.
 
sk66 said:
Well, everything takes some acclimation/learning. I'm not saying you should/shouldn't, but similar reactions have lead to the opinions that "only full manual exposure is control" and other sillyness... Personally, I won't use AF lenses, they just suck up battery and sharpness is way overrated.
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That may be true. However, it's pretty tough to manually focus when you photographing people running through a forest or any other sort of sport/active thing.
 
photogwannabe said:
That may be true. However, it's pretty tough to manually focus when you photographing people running through a forest or any other sort of sport/active thing.
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I jest... I can't see well enough to use MF for anything even though that's what I grew up with (occasionally magnified live view, but that's about it).
 
photogwannabe said:
I wish they still did that.
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Problem with an SLR with auto focus is, that the mirror is not reflecting the whole light. Half of it goes through and is redirected to the AF-chip behind. So there you would have probably a problem with the split screen in many situations, because that doesn't work very well, when it's dark. At least that's my theory. But for some cameras, where you can easily change the focussing screen, there are split screens available. But if you plan to focus manually all the time you should replace the mirror too, which isn't an easy job though. ;)
 
I use it for sport etc but not otherwise. Takes a bit of getting used to but well worth persevering with it.
 
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