dwmoar Loc: Oregon, Willamette Valley

Just google back button focus and your camera model and it will walk you though the changes needed.. I am right handed and use my left eye user and do not find any disadvantage using BBF on my Canon SL2

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I found it obscurely referenced in my T1i manual.

page 265 of the T6 manual-
2653 Custom Function SettingsNC
.Fn IV:
Operation/OthersC.Fn-8
Shutter/AE lock button0:
AF/AE lock1: AE lock/AFThis is convenient when you want to focus and meter separately. Press the <A> button to autofocus, and press the shutter button halfway to apply AE lock.

rbest77701

I use my left eye to focus with my canon 6D mkII and have no problem with BBF. I really see no disadvantages to BBF, other than maybe giving the camera to a friend to snap a quick shot, but I rarely do that.

d3200prime

If anyone is interested here is a link to the best argument for BBF I have ever seen. It's a long read but well worthwhile. https://shuttermuse.com/back-button-focus/

Bill_de Loc: US

This is typical of folks who use BBF, and try to get others to do the same.

" I test different compositions out all the time with this method, and in just a second or two you can capture a huge variety of compositions by simply moving your lens around and taking another shot, without needing to refocus at all."

They never mention that you can do the exact same thing by using the famous back button to lock focus instead of activating it. I went over this and other ommisions with a well known writer / photographer. His first reponse was "I never thought of that".

Another scenario he brought up was a landscape photographer who leaves his camera on a tripod. He said when the photographer goes back to the camera and touches the shutter the camera will refocus. I pointed out that if you hold the back button before touching the shutter the focus stays put. His response was, "yeah, that would work too".

We also discussed that using the shutter half press does not preclude you from using continuous focus full time.

In the end he said, "I guess it just depends what you get used to".

Although I tried BBF for a while, I dropped it. I had gotten used to something else. My gripe with most of the information given about BBF always fails to mention the alternatives that work just as well. Educators, whether in the classroom or on the web, should always tell the entire story.

----

d3200prime

Just thought some might find useful information. Thanks for pointing out some good information. I can tell you are a very thoughtful person. Hope your day goes well.

Bill_de Loc: US

The information was very good, just a bit incomplete.

---

BirderBob

I still want to know how the BBF users move their focus point(s) around while shooting? And how easy or practical it is? Or do you always use center point only, full ring of fire?

bleirer

I experimented a lot and ended up with the hybrid method mentioned here as my go to. Out of the box the af-on button is the same as a shutter half press, activating meter and AF, but if you reprogram it to turn AF off, it acts as a focus lock, allows manual focus even in servo mode, allows my thumb to slide around the LCD to move the autofocus point, and uses focus peaking in servo mode. Win, win, win, and win. For landscapes I use manual focus anyway, so just hit the switch on the lens.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Umm, I don't. I move the camera. I use single center point focus, focus on what I desire, meter on what I want to and recompose. (Sometimes I use manual focusing.)
But almost all of my shots are static shots. My focus point is not movable, like with a joystick.

BirderBob

Example - A Sandhill crane in a field.

If I'm close enough, and the subject is rather large in the frame I'll use either (Canon's) Large Zone or Full Auto (aka Ring of Fire) and works quite well I think with some dof, especially true when in verticle.
But if the subject is further away and in the field where it's smaller in the frame, and surrounded by field, grass, shrubs, obstacles then I need either single point or with AF Expansion. Otherwise the focus is jumping all over the place unpredictably. I like the ability to move that focus point around in the frame while I'm actively shooting through the viewfinder, with composition in mind. That's why I like the joystick to move the AF point.
How do I do this (or similar) when using BBF? Without taking my eye away from the viewfinder?

d3200prime

How very kind of you to point out the different ways of accomplishing the same result by not using BBF in favor of your position. In the end, it is a matter of choice.

bleirer

I think bbf or the hybrid method is useful with moving subjects. With my camera I can't track in single shot mode, I assume most cameras can't. In servo if I want to lock focus with BBF the focus is locked when the thumb is released or with the hybrid way the focus is locked when the thumb presses the button either way focus is locked, but I like being able to manual focus with the push of a thumb button.

runnyblood

Thanks, Longshadow. I found the BBF button between the viewfinder and magnifier, marked with an asterisk (no footnote, though). I'll try it next time my camera isn't cozy with my big telephoto lens. Runnyblood

Oldeio

It works just fine,great for birding .You can stay out of sight and get multiple shots .