CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

I tried Back button focus about six months ago. At first it was hard to remember to do it, but after a six week vacation taking lots of pictures it pretty much became habit. I now use it all the time and find it much quicker and "ON" than shutter button focus. Being a left eyed shooter the AE/AF Lock button didn't work for me. I assigned back focus to both my FN button and PV button. I mostly work it with my little finger (FN) but sometimes use my middle finger (PV). I wish I had discovered this years ago. The one problem I have is trying to shoot with gloves. Little, light gloves work OK, but when it's 10 degrees out and your using big puffy gloves in is next to impossible to work either of those buttons. I haven't quite figured out how to handle this yet but ill figure something out.
..Cam

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

- this is what I use also .....

leftj Loc: Texas

Interesting. I'll have to check that out on my 80D.

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

I have one holding grip firing shutter and bbf, the other underneath the lens supporting weight. Got short fingers too. I’m not any good flipping a AF switch blind, by touch, to manual and scrolling a tiny focus ring while looking thru the viewfinder.
I would have to use right hand to focus while supporting lens with left. But that’s me.

Ronaldo

Amen! :-)

leftj Loc: Texas

Switch your lens to manual focus before you look through the view finder. Additionally many AF lenses can be manual focused without even turning the AF off. You are deliberately making it sound difficult in an effort to prove a point.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

I’ll give you MY opinion.
BBF is great for certain types of shooting and not so great at other times.
Like any setting in the camera, one needs to know what it’s good for and use to advantage.
Those that say they use BBF and will NEVER go back are in the same camp as those that ONLY need one focus point.
Especially hand held and with heavier lenses and shooting different scenes quickly it’s harder and harder to use.
See something and have to raise the camera to your eye and have to release the shutter, all in one second and your chance of missing that shot is VERY high! Unless you assign every button on the back of your camera to do the same thing and can just mash them all, that little button is pretty hard to find super quickly or miss the shot, like a bird flying up next to you, or the bride sliping and landing on her arse, then instantly getting up!!! LoL
BBF is a great tool when it’s best and not so good when it’s not.
But like another said, I NEVER miss a shot using the shutter button but do use the BB on ocassion, but not much anymore, as I found it less reliable than the shutter button. If I feel I might need it, I set it up on the top dial as a custom function so I can dial it in or out quickly! Good luck
SS

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

Not deliberately doing anything of the sort. The premise was if he didn’t like what he saw in AF he switched to manual. I think I asked a legit question and you need to step back and take a breath.

leftj Loc: Texas

Stepping back and taking a breath. Yep still feel the same.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Actually, I should qualify that a little. How billnikon uses it is how I use my Sony A77II. On my 80D, the back button simply LOCKS wherever the focus from the front button is - which basically accomplishes the same thing. Don't ask me how I programmed it this way - because I have forgotten !

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

- yes, with BBF.... at least with shutter button focus, you have some kind of chance of being in focus.

leftj Loc: Texas

We can all pretty much come up with a scenario to support our position on BBF. I tried it and it just didn't do anything for me so that's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Jim Bob

I appreciate your modesty. I call them as I see them.

Wmetcalf Loc: Rogersville, Mo

Then what if you don’t want to lock exposure?

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

When i first tried BBF I didnt like it, but now thats just about all I shoot.