Back button focus: Greetings I have a Nikon D500 and recently set it up for Back Button Focus. It's set to AF-ON only. I can use it to Auto Focus and then hit the shutter to take the...

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

Greetings
I have a Nikon D500 and recently set it up for Back Button Focus. It's set to AF-ON only. I can use it to Auto Focus and then hit the shutter to take the shot. However, if I don't hit the AF-ON button first
but instead I halfpress the shutter I can still focus manually and take the shot. Is this the way it's supposed to work?
I expected the AF-ON button to focus and the shutter only to take the shot. I thought they should be separate buttons dedicated to separate tasks. I double checked my settings to insure AF-ON only was selected. I would like to know whether it is operating the right way or something is wrong.
Your help is appreciated.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

Just to clarify a point - when you say you can halfpress the shutter you can focus manually. Do you mean manually where you physically rotate the focus section of the lens or are you saying the camera will auto focus with the halfpress just is if it were not set up for BBF? My camera will not focus with the BBF set up when you press the shutter halfway.

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

Country Boy wrote:

Just to clarify a point - when you say you can halfpress the shutter you can focus manually. Do you mean manually where you physically rotate the focus section of the lens or are you saying the camera will auto focus with the halfpress just is if it were not set up for BBF? My camera will not focus with the BBF set up when you press the shutter halfway.

No it won't auto focus when I half press the shutter but it will allow me to focus manually by moving my position or manually focus the lens. Should this happen?

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

Look for a Custom Setting called AF Activation and set it to AF-On only. That'll take it off the shutter release.

water falls Loc: Green Bay,Wi

With my D500 I can manually focus anytime.When set up for BBF it will only focus with back button. You can
Half press the shutter it will not focus.It will focus anytime with BBF.

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

Steve Perry wrote:

Look for a Custom Setting called AF Activation and set it to AF-On only. That'll take it off the shutter release.

Hi Steve
I watched your video and set up my camera per your instructions.
So if I understand once BBF is set up, when I press the shutter without pressing AF-on button FIRST I shouldn't be able to take any shot. Is that correct?

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

water falls wrote:

With my D500 I can manually focus anytime.When set up for BBF it will only focus with back button. You can
Half press the shutter it will not focus.It will focus anytime with BBF.

Can you manually focus and take a shot without pressing AF-ON first?

water falls Loc: Green Bay,Wi

Yes you can.

bela1950 Loc: Massachusetts

water falls wrote:

Yes you can.

Thank you so much. I thought I may have an issue with the camera. I couldn't find the answer anywhere. Once again a member at UHH has solved my problem.

water falls Loc: Green Bay,Wi

You’re welcome, glad I could help.

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bela1950 wrote:

Greetings br I have a Nikon D500 and recently set ... (show quote)

Sounds EXACTLY right.

Thaz how all mine are configured.

Enjoy !

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I highly recommend Steve Perry's book about the Nikon focusing system.

https://backcountrygallery.com/

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

jerryc41 wrote:

I highly recommend Steve Perry's book about the Nikon focusing system.

https://backcountrygallery.com/

Absolutely!

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

bela1950 wrote:

Hi Steve
I watched your video and set up my camera per your instructions.
So if I understand once BBF is set up, when I press the shutter without pressing AF-on button FIRST I shouldn't be able to take any shot. Is that correct?

No. The shutter will still take the shot but it will not focus.

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

bela1950 wrote:

Hi Steve
I watched your video and set up my camera per your instructions.
So if I understand once BBF is set up, when I press the shutter without pressing AF-on button FIRST I shouldn't be able to take any shot. Is that correct?

Actually, the idea is that focus and shooting are separate and not dependent on one another. So, you can focus first, shoot first it doesn't matter. The camera will always take the shot if it's set properly. Just make sure your AF-C priority setting is set to "Release" and not "Focus" or it may prevent you from taking the shot if you don't focus first.