Back button focus and shutter speed (Page 3): Are you using your ae-lock af-lock button as your bbf button? And do you have f4 in custom strings set to press af-on? If so you should...

claire

Are you using your ae-lock af-lock button as your bbf button? And do you have f4 in custom strings set to press af-on? If so you should have an * next to f4 . This will disable your shutter button to refocus while using bbf. If you have this set properly you should be able to recompose without the shutter refocusing. You do have to take your finger off the bbf button in order to lock the focus though. Why not just rude the bbf keeping the subject constantly in focus and push the shutter button at the same time. Crop in post.

claire

One important note. The d750 is very different than the d810 and the d500 in in setting up bbf. The custom settings are not the same. The d500 has dedicated buttons for bbf, the d750 has to have the f4 setting ro reassign the bbf.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

claire wrote:

Are you using your ae-lock af-lock button as your ... (show quote)

Different models may have different menu assignment letters/number. Someone mentioned references. It may be easier to follow this video by BackCountrygalleries:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzqQskGoURE

rfcoakley Loc: Auburn, NH

If you post the image for download, the Nikon EXIF data can be looked at - that can typically provide the details of the focus for the shot and whether the intended subject was properly selected as the focus point

leftj Loc: Texas

anneabc wrote:

Hi, am posting an image I took of my granddaughter. Had the d750 set on BBF. AF-C, and tried 9, 11, S and so on. Every time I keep holding down the back button AND RECOMPOSE, I miss the focus. You can see that in the image. I had the speed, unfortunately, on 1/200. Was shooting shutter priority. Do I keep holding the BBF button and recompose, or do I lift my finger to lock in the shot? Thanks for the help.

You should not have to hold down the BBF button after it focuses.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

leftj wrote:

You should not have to hold down the BBF button after it focuses.

Some may benefit from this four plus minute video so they know what back button focus is and how to use it.

http://northrup.photo/my-account/download-sdp-ebook/stunning-digital-photography-video-index/back-button-focus/

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

anneabc wrote:

Hi, am posting an image I took of my granddaughter. Had the d750 set on BBF. AF-C, and tried 9, 11, S and so on. Every time I keep holding down the back button AND RECOMPOSE, I miss the focus. You can see that in the image. I had the speed, unfortunately, on 1/200. Was shooting shutter priority. Do I keep holding the BBF button and recompose, or do I lift my finger to lock in the shot? Thanks for the help.

When shooting action shots, hold the bbf down until you take the shot, as the subject will keep moving and will become out of focus. If you need to move the subject, do so in post processing. Remember to leave enough room in you shot to move the subject to the left or right, top or bottom. Your other problem of incorrect focusing may be your shutter speed. When I shoot little league baseball, I prefer to keep my shutter speed to at least 1/1000, which means indoors you will need to increase your ISO and adjust the noise later in post processing. Good luck.

Bill_de Loc: US

anneabc wrote:

Hi, am posting an image I took of my granddaughter. Had the d750 set on BBF. AF-C, and tried 9, 11, S and so on. Every time I keep holding down the back button AND RECOMPOSE, I miss the focus. You can see that in the image. I had the speed, unfortunately, on 1/200. Was shooting shutter priority. Do I keep holding the BBF button and recompose, or do I lift my finger to lock in the shot? Thanks for the help.

Although I am in a small minority, I find it more intuitive to use the back button to lock focus. Maybe you do also and set the camera for bbf because you read it was good.

Either way works, but you need to be sure how your camera is set up before you take your pictures.

---

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

If you had a Sony camera you could set it to "track" focus. The focus would follow the subject all around no matter where you composed the shot. Or in your case you could also go "old school" and continually manually focus. This requires practice. Good Luck and Happy shooting

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Try increasing shutter speed. Most common occurrence of soft images in sports.

leftj Loc: Texas

ORpilot wrote:

If you had a Sony camera you could set it to "track" focus. The focus would follow the subject all around no matter where you composed the shot. Or in your case you could also go "old school" and continually manually focus. This requires practice. Good Luck and Happy shooting

That's not unique to Sony. Canon does that and I'm sure Nikon does to.

IBM

claire wrote:

Are you using your ae-lock af-lock button as your ... (show quote)

Well if you take your finger of BBF it's locked at what you had in focus ,that's OK if your subject is not moving, say a bird on a stump ,you can take shots at that for the rest of the year with out refocusing, but a person running as in sports ,a bird in flight
Leave thumb down on BBF and finger down on shutter and follow subject with single dot focus , then jueed st keep spraying and praying and hope you have a couple winners , and use what ever fstop and shutter speed and iso works , good luck

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

anneabc wrote:

Hi, am posting an image I took of my granddaughter. Had the d750 set on BBF. AF-C, and tried 9, 11, S and so on. Every time I keep holding down the back button AND RECOMPOSE, I miss the focus. You can see that in the image. I had the speed, unfortunately, on 1/200. Was shooting shutter priority. Do I keep holding the BBF button and recompose, or do I lift my finger to lock in the shot? Thanks for the help.

Focus then release the focus button and then recompose and shoot. You can't keep the back button focus engaged while you are recomposing or your focus will change.

leftj Loc: Texas

IBM wrote:

Well if you take your finger of BBF it's locked a... (show quote)

That's what AIFOCUS AND AISERVO are for on a Canon.

anneabc

Well, looking at my shot, I knew for sure the speed was too slow. But the problem seems to be that I missed the focus. Is that correct? I kept my finger on BBF the whole time and pressed the shutter release button at the same time. I could see that the focal point was not staying on her. Argh!!