Back-button focus for Birds
Jun 26, 2019 13:29:06 #
Notorious T.O.D. wrote:
I have never shot even one shot on a Nikon though...
Ah! You don't know what you're missing.
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Jun 26, 2019 13:34:04 #
Bill_de wrote:
My point is that if you use the half press to start focus and exposure, and use the back button to lock focus and exposure (the default on the D7200) you can recompose until the cows come home. Both your focus and exposure will be based on you subject.
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You can meter with the BB on the D7200 so when you release and recompose the exposure stays the same, or you can change your settings to meter when shutter half pressed. Nikon has lots of options.
Jun 26, 2019 13:39:15 #
I did touch one a couple times...😳
Bill_de wrote:
Ah! You don't know what you're missing.
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Jun 26, 2019 13:58:06 #
Very nice shots. Do not change a thing.I truly admire your work. I always use Back-Button Focus because it is much easier to track the birds.
Jun 26, 2019 14:01:40 #
leftj wrote:
Requires using two digits instead of just one.
If you want to continuous focus you have to hold the BB while trying to operate the shutter button
using BBF renders the operation of the shutter button to be awkward compared to it's intended operation
If you want to continuous focus you have to hold the BB while trying to operate the shutter button
using BBF renders the operation of the shutter button to be awkward compared to it's intended operation
If you take the time to get used to BBF, it is not awkward in the least, but it is one more thing to do which is why I don't use it for action only, but when switching back and forth between action and still, it is enormously helpful.
Jun 26, 2019 14:08:13 #
bleirer wrote:
I like to have the thumb free to slide the AF point around, but if one always uses the center point it is not that critical. But if you have time to focus sharply on the eyes, you go off focus a bit when recomposing off center. No big deal if you have plenty of DOF.
While I easily use BBF to make my images fairly often, I am like you and find pushing the AF point around with my right thumb and pressing the AF-ON button down to activate focus with my right thumb once again wears my poor right thumb out. And since it is still recovering from getting broken two years ago (along with 9 other bones), I don't need to give my right thumb a workout any more than I already do.
Jun 26, 2019 14:15:21 #
Nalu wrote:
My wife has done a lot of bird hunting and skeet shooting over the years. She is better at tracking birds with a camera than I am.
Anyone who used shotguns much probably developed skills that help a lot in photography. Photographing birds in flight I find is easier than breaking clays as you don't have to lead them at all. With the camera, you put the active AF point or points on the target, follow along with it at the same speed, don't stop your swing and you got it.
Jun 26, 2019 14:26:45 #
whitehall wrote:
To follow up does bb work if one uses a remote trigger?
I just tested that with my Canon gear and got the results I expected. When back-button focus is set, the remote trigger does not cause the camera to focus. My gear requires the AF be on the shutter button for the remote trigger to focus it. And this is one of my original reasons I switched to BBF in 1992. I was shooting landscapes on a tripod and my cable release when pushed to fire the camera made the camera focus the lens on the wrong thing. BBF prevented this from happening, so then I could BBF on the important spot in the landscape, still use AF, and fire the camera with the cable release and keep the focus where I wanted it. This is a situation where BBF helped me a lot for a decade or two. Now I use manual focus using a magnified live view aid, or use the Touch screen AF in live view. Both work better.
Jun 26, 2019 14:32:16 #
martinfisherphoto wrote:
You can meter with the BB on the D7200 so when you release and recompose the exposure stays the same, or you can change your settings to meter when shutter half pressed. Nikon has lots of options.
I must have missed this. Thanks for updating the database between my ears.
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Jun 26, 2019 14:32:19 #
Notorious T.O.D. wrote:
For my canon lenses you can if the lens allows manually focusing when set to AF mode...
I think it just demonstrates that rule number one is 'know thine own gear.' Especially its limitations. For me:
-The defaulf half shutter press way, with servo and tracking on, gives auto focus and tracking but no focus lock to recompose and no manual focus, no focus peaking. I can still slide my thumb to move the AF point.
-BBF gives auto focus, tracking and focus lock to recompose, but no manual focus, no focus peaking, and no thumb control of auto focus points.
-The hybrid way (shutter half press still activates AF and meter but a thumb button is assigned to turns off auto focus, set another thumb button for exposure lock if desired) gives auto focus, tracking, focus lock to recompose, thumb control of AF points, manual focus, and focus peaking.
So no question in my mind which is better, but that is on this particular mirrorless camera. DSLR is probably different, and different models might allow manual focus while in tracking mode, you'd have to experiment.
The bottom line: when you are at the pearly gates on judgement day Saint Ansel will not say, "Did you BBF." He will say, "Did you get the shot?"
Jun 26, 2019 17:06:32 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
John Gerlach wrote:
I continually switch between a back-button focus m... (show quote)
My keep rate is 98% for birds in flight. I only use the factory supplied shutter button that sits convincingly on top of the camera.
Jun 26, 2019 18:21:40 #
68.3 percent of statistics are made up...😳. Happy shooting everyone!!!
billnikon wrote:
My keep rate is 98% for birds in flight. I only use the factory supplied shutter button that sits convincingly on top of the camera.
Jun 26, 2019 21:50:28 #
bleirer wrote:
It has all the advantages of regular BBF in my mind, and takes care of some of the downsides, like having to hold your thumb on continuously.
That is a good way to think of it. Use the AF-On button to lock focus - works for me a lot.
Jun 27, 2019 01:09:25 #
I set all my Nikon's to BBF and Continuous AF years ago and that's all I use. KISS.
Jun 28, 2019 18:19:49 #
My article on how I shoot sharp wildlife photos is found here:
https://www.gerlachnaturephoto.com/blog
https://www.gerlachnaturephoto.com/blog
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