OHenry Loc: St. Michaels, MD

I've seen the light about BBF and I've been practicing regularly. I agree that it works great for hand holding the camera/moving subjects. A problem is that "everyone" seems to say to set the camera for BBF and leave it there!

My dilemma is...I take a lot of landscape photos using a tripod and cable release. It seems counterproductive to use BBF and then snap the shutter with the cable release. Obviously I'm TOUCHING the camera to do this. (The cable release cannot be set to use BBF). Should I be going back and forth between BBF and half-press depending upon what I'm shooting. I've not seen this discussed. Please comment

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

I've dealt with this same issue, as I have been using BBF exclusively (when hand held) for a couple of years. I've found no problem at all with use of the cable release when I choose to do so. I've set a custom setting on my Canon 5DII that simply returns the camera to shutter release focusing when I'm using the cable release. No confusion, as I only use BBF when hand held and it's not an issue when on a tripod using cable release.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Obviously, BBF has its place, BUT not for everything. It is good for action shots, it is good to be able to control exactly what is in focus, or out of focus before tripping the shutter, but for some shots of course it becomes a distraction/hinderance.

One option is to use a IR remote which may focus before tripping the shutter, even when the camera is set for BBF - My Nikon D7100 set for BBF will activate focus, then trip the shutter when activate by using the IR remote.

The cable release will not change the focus, but the IR remote will cause the BBF setting to be ignored.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I usually use timed release instead of the cable with my D800 on tripod. (The reason is the stupid design of the cable attachment). I don't use bbf but you might see if the 2 sec delay works for you.

But for landscape I've mostly gone to Bryan Peterson's suggestion to not focus at all. I turn autofocus off and set the lens on infinity.

MtnMan Loc: ID

The geniuses at Nikon don't provide the IR release on the D800. Don't know about the 750.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

It is much simpler to turn off the autofocus on the camera, when using the IR remote, than to turn off the BBF feature.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Not sure what your getting at here. You set the camera on a tripod, make your setting choices, use BBF to get focus, go sit down on the lawn chair, push the cable release and camera makes adjustment to exposure and takes the picture. Oh look, a bird is flying through the scene, everything is already set, including focus, so push the cable release and the camera sets exposure and takes the picture. Why do you want to refocus again on the same spot? The focus is already set. Now if your using manual mode then the camera does not even need to make any changes to exposure as you have already set that in stone so it merely takes the picture, which now does not waste time setting exposure or waste time finding focus, it just takes the picture reducing your already fast lag time. When shooting landscapes you will almost always be at or near infinity (unless you happen to be in a tight space rock canyon) so why would you need to refocus? The BBF only deals with focus (sets it and locks it till you change it), not exposure.

Again, if your view point changes to a different scene (see above, tight space rock canyon)... well you need to touch the camera to do that anyway which also would include setting the new focus point, unless it remains at infinity. As a rule, if the camera don't move then the focus don't move. (rules are made to be broken on occasion)

What am I missing in your scenario?

rbfanman

Who needs a cable release? Get a remote release (electronic), or set the timer for 10 seconds, and hit the shutter release. The ten seconds between hitting the shutter, and the shot, will let the vibrations caused by touching the shutter release die down. BBF, and leave that be. Turn AF off if need be.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

If using BBF there is no point to turning AF off.

ptcanon3ti Loc: NJ

I turn auto focus off altogether and manually focus for tripod mounted/cable release landscapes.

Bill_de Loc: US

That's what I was thinking.

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Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

No no, the OP wanted a way to avoid turning off BBF, which, at least on a D7100, automatically disables BBF for the use of the IR remote.... go back to shutter release and BBF is automatically back on.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

I tried BBF but could not get used to it and switched back.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

obtain focus with the back button focus, then release the camera and use the cable release to capture the photo. the bbf is just to get the picture in focus, and unlike the shutter button, it may be released and still maintain focus.

OHenry Loc: St. Michaels, MD

Ah yes...this is what I thought I might need to do. Thanks.