Beginner Back Button Focussing Technique

skir67

skir67

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I find when I'm using bbf that my thumb gets in the way and I have to move my eye away from the viewfinder to be able to press the af-on button. I'm thinking I may be using the wrong technique perhaps, or if not maybe if I bought an eyecup to go over the viewfinder this would keep my eye further back from the camera and enable me to press the button without moving my eye at an awkward angle to the viewfinder. Anyone got any thoughts on this?
 
no I'm using the right, I tried using the left but it felt very odd.
 
Doesn't your thumb naturally rest where the back button is naturally?
 
Why not use a half press of the shutter button? I've never really understood why this function is duplicated. I have my back button set to AE lock only - best of both worlds (or perhaps I'm doing it all wrong).
 
ChalfontStGiles said:
Why not use a half press of the shutter button? I've never really understood why this function is duplicated. I have my back button set to AE lock only - best of both worlds (or perhaps I'm doing it all wrong).
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Commonly misunderstood by people who don't BBF. you have to disable it from the shutter button, otherwise it's not just pointless, it's frustrating. I put my AE lock onto my shutter half press.
 
BBF over-rides shutter button focus anyway (I'm pretty sure this is how my camera operates) so it's not frustrating, just a duplicated function. If I understand correctly, you have your buttons set up the reverse of mine. Surely the fact that this is possible means there is no right or wrong way?

To the OP: I don't mean to thread hijack.
 
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ChalfontStGiles said:
BBF over-rides shutter button focus anyway (I'm pretty sure this is how my camera operates) so it's not frustrating, just a duplicated function. If I understand correctly, you have your buttons set up the reverse of mine. Surely the fact that this is possible means there is no right or wrong way?

To the OP: I don't mean to thread hijack.
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It depends on the camera, what camera?

There is no right or wrong way, I would never suggest there is.

However in my experience, most people who've failed to see the advantage, have failed to grasp the 'why' and have often subsequently set it up wrong.

I came to AF quite late, but when I did, I was frustrated that the camera would often refocus when I didn't want it to. Setting BBF on my second ever AF camera saved my sanity.
 
I'm left eyed and it's awkward for my thumb. So I'm missing out on BBF. Instead, I keep it on the shutter button and drop into MF when needed. Maybe not as slick as BBF.
 
Phil V said:
Commonly misunderstood by people who don't BBF. you have to disable it from the shutter button, otherwise it's not just pointless, it's frustrating. I put my AE lock onto my shutter half press.
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Ditto, I've only recently started doing this.
It's worth it.
I should have thanked you in a previous thread, Phil.
 
Phil V said:
It depends on the camera, what camera?

There is no right or wrong way, I would never suggest there is.

However in my experience, most people who've failed to see the advantage, have failed to grasp the 'why' and have often subsequently set it up wrong.

I came to AF quite late, but when I did, I was frustrated that the camera would often refocus when I didn't want it to. Setting BBF on my second ever AF camera saved my sanity.
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Panasonic GF1. If I need to set the exposure for a lighting situation where the in-camera AE might be struggling a bit, I set the exposure using the back button in AEL mode. I then focus and compose with the shutter button half-pressed. I find that ergonomically it's easier that way round. I'd be willing to learn of others' techniques though just in case I've missed something.
 
I hate half press, from age old manual focus on SLRs BBF was a god send, I only use half press if I want to assign two focus points, one on half press and one on BBF, I.e left side on BBF and right side on shutter etc
 
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Phil V said:
Doesn't your thumb naturally rest where the back button is naturally?
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My thumb tends normally to be further to the right when I hold the camera, it's a d7000 btw. I have to move it further to the left to depress the af-on button, then it gets in the way of my eye on the viewfinder. If the button was further to the right it wouldn't be an issue.
 
skir67 said:
My thumb tends normally to be further to the right when I hold the camera, it's a d7000 btw. I have to move it further to the left to depress the af-on button, then it gets in the way of my eye on the viewfinder. If the button was further to the right it wouldn't be an issue.
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It's not an ideal button layout for BBF, the Nikon's often put the rear wheel under your thumb.
 
I have always used BBF, im use my left eye but cant say i have had a issue with of my thumb getting into my eye etc... This just maybe a difference between layout between nikon and canon, who knows.

As said no right or wrong way of doing it, it just comes down to preference.
 
skir67 said:
My thumb tends normally to be further to the right when I hold the camera, it's a d7000 btw. I have to move it further to the left to depress the af-on button, then it gets in the way of my eye on the viewfinder. If the button was further to the right it wouldn't be an issue.
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I had the same problem with the D7000......I couldn't get comfortable using bbf for love nor money cos the button's in the wrong bloomin place :D However , when I started using the D300 I tried bbf & it works perfectly , which allowed me to get used to it & for it to feel natural.....I then carried that over to the D7000 & found I could manage it .

I think it's a case of persevering......it will eventually start to feel natural (y)
 
I wear glasses and shoot with my left eye. I have a D3200 and because of where the button is it makes it pretty much impossible without getting finger marks all over my glasses, poking myself in the eye or having to move my eye away to get my thumb on the button.
 
Phil V said:
It's not an ideal button layout for BBF, the Nikon's often put the rear wheel under your thumb.
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And you can do a lot with the wheel, would have been nice to have the button below the wheel, but with packing so much into such a small package I guess there's only so much they can do.

blondie606 said:
I had the same problem with the D7000......I couldn't get comfortable using bbf for love nor money cos the button's in the wrong bloomin place :D However , when I started using the D300 I tried bbf & it works perfectly , which allowed me to get used to it & for it to feel natural.....I then carried that over to the D7000 & found I could manage it .

I think it's a case of persevering......it will eventually start to feel natural (y)
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Yes, I think perseverance is the key. I can't see myself going back to the other method of focussing. I may not have found it yet, but I can't see any scenario where anything other than bbf would be better. I'm probably wrong on that though.

grove39 said:
I wear glasses and shoot with my left eye. I have a D3200 and because of where the button is it makes it pretty much impossible without getting finger marks all over my glasses, poking myself in the eye or having to move my eye away to get my thumb on the button.
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I guess it's not just me then. I'm going to keep using it. I like the flexibility it gives me.

Any thoughts on using an eyecup to bring my eye further from the viewfinder to give a little more clearance to use the af-on button more easily?
 
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skir67 said:
Any thoughts on using an eyecup to bring my eye further from the viewfinder to give a little more clearance to use the af-on button more easily?
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The problem with having your eye further away from the VF is that you're not going to be seeing a lot through it making the whole exercise a bit pointless to be honest.
 
skir67 said:
Any thoughts on using an eyecup to bring my eye further from the viewfinder to give a little more clearance to use the af-on button more easily?
Click to expand...

Contacts.
 
grove39 said:
The problem with having your eye further away from the VF is that you're not going to be seeing a lot through it making the whole exercise a bit pointless to be honest.
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ah, yes, that could be a good point.
 
skir67 said:
I find when I'm using bbf that my thumb gets in the way and I have to move my eye away from the viewfinder to be able to press the af-on button. I'm thinking I may be using the wrong technique perhaps, or if not maybe if I bought an eyecup to go over the viewfinder this would keep my eye further back from the camera and enable me to press the button without moving my eye at an awkward angle to the viewfinder. Anyone got any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

If you don't like using BBF, then go back to using the shutter release. I don't get on with the rear AF-On button either. My photography got demonstrably worse when I used it, so now I don't. Simple as that.
 
You should disable the half press shutter.. even if BBF does overide it.. it would mean you need to keep pressing BB all the time..

BBF is a godsend for sports and I would imagine any type of photography that aiservo and/or any sort of tracking is used.. its more stable

with some cameras (my canon 1dx does) you can reasign buttons ..the AF-ON is in an awkward position for me so I reassigned it :)

BBF takes more than one session to get used to for most people.. if you didn't like it first go then thats natural.. once you can see that it would ahve benefits then its worth a couple of goes until you get the hang of it :)
 
I use my left eye too. And occasionally my thumb gets in the way. But its less often as I get more used to BBF. Also when I'm in a real hurry not to miss the shot I can sometimes forget to focus. Its all about muscle memory I guess and it will happen less over time. The control that BBF gives you is still worth it I think.
 
If I am out and about my camera is always set to AI servo with BBF, I find after so long my finger is on the button before my camera meets my left eye (quick draw style, black rapid strap) even in normal shooting I find AI servo easy to lock focus recompose and shoot, problem with two stage shutter for me was miss fired shots as I recompose, also IF my subject moves off I just hold BBF in AI servo, I have AE lock set to remain on so again I can lock my exposure and set my focus, re compose and get the shot I want. Shame my fingers are short or I'd use DEP as AI servo, the 5D3 setup lets you tweak most of the controls..
 
[QUOTE="blondie606, post: 6984095, member: 29597"

I think it's a case of persevering......it will eventually start to feel natural (y)[/QUOTE]

This, keep going and it becomes second nature
 
I always use BBF Nikon left eye with no issues, I didn't know about the 1/2 button press on the shutter button for AF lock I'll try that later,

Cheers
 
Takes some time to get used to it so make sure your u keep going with it
 
I shoot left eye and was put onto BBF a couple of years ago.

I use Canon, so cannot comment on Nikon, but i find this method much more natural than front shutter half depress, particularly if using AI Servo for tracking motorcycles.
 
BBF improved my hit rate enormously. The risk with half press focus is that it's too easy to accidentally feather the button when recomposing.

I love being able to lock exposure on the shutter, compose, focus, recompose, shoot.

It takes practise, but soon becomes second nature.
 
It also makes it a lot easier when using a tripod, focus once and don't have to keep doing it every time you take a picture
 
BBF has been a revelation for me. Far fewer missed shots because focus is already there when I press the shutter.
 
It takes a while to get used to but you need to be patient and soon it will be natural for you.
You would not go back to the shutter for focus.
Hit rate will go higher.
The other best thing you can do is that change the focus point of the camera depending where your subject is rather than focus and recompose method.
As I said, it will take time to master it but once learned you will not look back.
Hope this helps.

PS: Seems like I repeated what other people said before me.
But when you use wide aperture, focus and recompose technique will not give you pin sharp photos in some situations.
 
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as i said on the other BBF thread its really a matter of horses for course and its not for everyone, i've tried BBP several times and i hate it - i found that my hit rate when substantially down, and shots were missed from having to make two actions to shoot instead of one.

imo if BBF was the no brainer some people make it out to be it would e the default choice of manufacturers (of course i have a camera with a decent number of focus points - i might feel differently if i didnt)
 
I set my A6000 up for BBF last week. I spent five minutes today cursing lens, then camera, then myself when I couldn't focus with the shutter.

Fool.
 
I decided in the end to get a cheap eye cup off eBay which was very cheap delivered, it's given me a little more room for my thumb and it only darkens the fringes of the viewfinder view very slightly so I'm happy with it at present, if I decide to remove it down the road it cost virtually nothing so will be no loss.
 
So glad to hear it's not just me who uses my left eye. I've just learned about the BBF and my hit rate has really taken off, don't think I'll be changing back.
 
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