Beginner Back button focussing.

I only started using BFF about 6 months ago for landscapes, and it's great. I always forget to turn the lens to MF when I add a ten stop filter, and it's a complete PITA when the camera tries to focus when you press the shutter. Or when you forget to turn it back to AF after taking a photo and then wonder why the next photo isn't sharp :whistle:

Now I can just leave it on AF all the time, and not worry :)
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
ok ive watched a few youtube clips on this and im getting the impression that it is a good thing to learn but
Are there disadvantages from using it?
If i use the aelk button on my d7200 for focussing it disables the regular function,but isnt the reg function itself a way of locking focus,thats a bit confusing to me plus im not sure i get it 100% .
What do most of the experienced togs here use andshould i learn it?
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Have a play and see how you get on with it, but don't get hung up on it, it really is a bit 'Emperors new clothes".

If you like pressing two buttons instead of one, and/or the majority of your images you focus and recompose, you'll probably get on fine with it, otherwise its utterly pointless.


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Just to be clear on the focus and recompose issue don't both methods lock focus ,I don't see the advantage on a single shot shot,but with say bird tracking on AFC I think that makes sense,am I missing something,
 
I've used bbf for a good few years now. on my d90 then my d7100 and now the d750.
The only draw back is when the other half wants to take the odd pic.
Apart from that I've had no issues.
It is weird on the odd occasion I've used other peoples cameras that don't use it. feels all kinds of wrong
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
Just to be clear on the focus and recompose issue don't both methods lock focus ,I don't see the advantage on a single shot shot,but with say bird tracking on AFC I think that makes sense,am I missing something,
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I don't know if it's a massive advantage for focus recompose particularly but I see the main advantage being that you can pretty mush employ any focus technique you like without having to change any settings. If you want AF-S, focus on your subject and let go, take the shot whenever you feel like it. If you want AF-C, just keep the BB held, if you want manual focus, just leave the back button alone and twist the lens, when you hit the shutter button the camera won't be trying to refocus.
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
Just to be clear on the focus and recompose issue don't both methods lock focus ,I don't see the advantage on a single shot shot,but with say bird tracking on AFC I think that makes sense,am I missing something,
Click to expand...

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but if you regularly focus and recompose, and you aren't able to put a focus point on the subject you want in focus, then the BBF makes some sense, but realistically, what percentage of your images do you need to do that on?

It's far easier, (for me anyway) to half depress the shutter release to obtain focus, then use the BB to lock focus before recomposing.

I'm lazy, I'd always rather press one button than two ;-)
 
troutfisher said:
Can I please ask how, I have my Canon set to BBF but cannot work out how to get my XT-1 to be the same
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On the XE1, the trick is to set MF on the front switch and then assign AF to the AFL/AEL button.
 
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