Using Nikons AF-ON button to focus

Interesting and aside from him talking about this new 'NYKON' brand, I still don't know if I'm convinced about AF-ON.... just seems unnatural to have your thumb on the AF-ON button and not on the rear command dial... :)
 
specialman said:
I still don't know if I'm convinced about AF-ON.... just seems unnatural to have your thumb on the AF-ON button and not on the rear command dial... :)
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I felt the same a couple of years ago. I'll never change back now. It just "works" for me. It just feels natural now.


Kev.
 
I use AF-ON now for sports and its so much easier to use once you get used to it, takes no thinking and it just seems natural to use after 2/3 games
 
I use AF-ON button when I shoot in continous mode with AI-Servo - otherwise it is difficult to recompose as AF immediatelly chooses different target.
 
treeman said:
Sorry, but I totally disagree. Why is it faster than having your finger half pressed on the shutter release button?
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sorry, should of said it better, simply because it combines afs and afc in one button so all you need do is adjust the lever on the front of the camera to afc and away you go,

example taking pics of birds,
bird in tree press rear af button(focuses on bird) release af on button(focus is now locked) no inteference from wobbly hand or moving of subject or branch moving in front of bird).
then the bird suddenly starts to fly of, but thats ok because you have rear af button set and by pressing the rear af button it can instantly track with no probs.

now if af was on shutter and you had camera in afc mode you should be ok but if your hand holding and move of subjest slightly with wobbly hands the focus will change (same if branch blows infront of bird).
But you will be ok to track with afc,
now if you had it in afs mode and focused on the bird fine (the focus will be locked) no interference from wobbly hands and branches getting in way,
but when that bird flys of it wont track as its not in afc mode, but thats ok because you can change that on the front of the camera with the lever but by then it is to late as the bird has gone end of story.

get a friend to pose then run away you see which way is faster.
 
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treeman said:
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no worries mark, and yes it will but it does not work for me as im always on and of the af button burds and kids dont stay still, rear af is also very good for my 4 young kids, and another thing to remember is it saves battery to with using rear af,
i see your in to equine and rear af really is the way to go once you give it a week, i would put money on it you wont go back and your keeper rate will go up.

it took me a couple of times to get used to it but i will never go back.
 
Scott, Sorry, I was probably jumping on you a bit harshly too :)

Interesting scenario, I can see how it may help in that situation, having never shot birds I can't comment.

I just find it slightly irritating that some people think that BBF is the answer to all action photography. For what I do (Polo) it would be of no benefit whatsoever, keeping a whacking great horse in focus is pretty easy, in fact BBF just adds another button to press. And if I ever need to focus and recompose, I either move the focus point, via the multi selector, or use AF-L button either on the lens or body.

I have noticed though that when I get chatting to other sports photographers who do use BBF, say they have trouble maintaining a half press on the shutter release button, so I think in part that's also why some people prefer it, though strangely they don't seem to like to admit it :)
 
When I first used it I didn't think I could get along like that but after a few shoots its natural.. Confuses the hell out of anyone who picks your camera up though and expects it to just take pictures :thumbs: :lol:
 
Well, im always up for trying new techniques, so ive set my camera accordingly and will have a play over the next couple of weeks. Does seem to make a lot of sense...
 
I'm willing to try it in my d90. It will give me something to do on the plane on Sunday morning
 
kevshore said:
I felt the same a couple of years ago. I'll never change back now. It just "works" for me. It just feels natural now.


Kev.
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treeman said:
Sorry, but I totally disagree. Why is it faster than having your finger half pressed on the shutter release button?
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its not any faster I don't think, but the speed with which I can stop focus - just the equivalent of pressing the AF-L button

Wouldn't go back now

H
 
PSILVERMAN said:
Tried it and don't like it. Also read that for some reason it doesn't work properly on vr lenses. Can't remember why tho.
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It doesn't activate VR in the same way as a half shutter press does, so if you need VR you still need to activate it with the shutter (at least on Nikon bodies)
 
You need a half shutter button press to activate VR - back button has no effect on VR. Best for focus though. :)
 
I tried it and didn't lke it either but that could be because I have small hands and had to stretch my thumb and didn't feel comfortable reaching the back button.

Pressing the back button and then half pressing the shutter to activate the VR and then press shutter to shoot would surely cause more shake, its quite a balancing act, but I guess it depends on what you are shooting and how much movement is involved.
 
it's all about technique - it works - practice!
 
watched this last night im going to give it a go and see how i get on using my D60. At the moment it does feel uncomfortable but im sure im going to get used to it.
 
For portrait, I shoot AF-C with AF on to focus. I focus on the near eye, let the AF-ON go, then shoot a series of frames, unless the subject moves, there's no need to keep refocusing every shot. It definitely saves me time, and most definitely serves me better in getting "the shot".
 
If your body has 51 point 3D - try that as well - just focus on the eye - keep your finger on the button and re-compose - the focus point moves to stay on the eye! Just works. :)
 
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