Back Button Focus Configuration: I have found myself caught up on other study projects and investigations, and have decided to give back button focus a second try over the next two...

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I have found myself caught up on other study projects and investigations, and have decided to give back button focus a second try over the next two weeks. I'm still not sure it will be a good match and fit to my shooting, but we'll give it an honest try to see.

I don't think ive ever seen it mentioned here, but it looks like one-click activation is available on both my D500 and D850. In Custom Setting Menu A (Autofocus), item a8, at the bottom of the first page, seems to be all that is necessary to change to quickly change this function. All instructions I have read here seem to make setup much more complex

I've not yet checked my cameras with older implementations of the professional UI to see whether they offer that same functionality. Being able to quickly enable and disable BBF makes it a considerably more attractive option to me.

mr1492 Loc: Newport News, VA

There are really only two steps you have to take regardless of your camera. First, you have to select the "back button" you are going to use for the focus button, and second, you have to disable the typical "half press to focus" of the shutter button. If you don't disable the shutter button focus, your camera might refocus as you are pressing the shutter.

That's all there is to it.

philo Loc: philo, ca

you just have to get use to it.

scubadoc Loc: Sarasota, FL

mr1492 wrote:

There are really only two steps you have to take regardless of your camera. First, you have to select the "back button" you are going to use for the focus button, and second, you have to disable the typical "half press to focus" of the shutter button. If you don't disable the shutter button focus, your camera might refocus as you are pressing the shutter.

That's all there is to it.

Leaving the focus on the half press of the shutter button is not all bad. As long as the BBF is pressed during the focusing, the shutter press shouldn’t override the BBF. The advantage of this is that you can program the shutter press to perform a zone focus and the BBF to be a moveable spot focus. At least this is how it works on my Canon R5, and it should be similar with Nikon.

User ID

mr1492 wrote:

There are really only two steps you have to take regardless of your camera. First, you have to select the "back button" you are going to use for the focus button, and second, you have to disable the typical "half press to focus" of the shutter button. If you don't disable the shutter button focus, your camera might refocus as you are pressing the shutter.

That's all there is to it.

That can be a 1-Step implementation if you have enough programmable buttons.

Just leave your chosen "AF On" button set to "AF ON" all the time. Then the "1-Step" is just you turning "AF with Shutter" off or on as you see fit for different shooting circumstances. Put it in your "My Menu".

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

mr1492 wrote:

There are really only two steps you have to take regardless of your camera. First, you have to select the "back button" you are going to use for the focus button, and second, you have to disable the typical "half press to focus" of the shutter button. If you don't disable the shutter button focus, your camera might refocus as you are pressing the shutter.

That's all there is to it.

Yes. The rear AF-On is already selected, and a8 disables shutter release focus activation. So that one selectuon is all I need. Revisiting a8 puts everything back as it was.

avemal Loc: BALTIMORE

Check this out by Steve Perry on Back Button Focus. It worked for me & never went back with the standard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzqQskGoURE&t=531s

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

avemal wrote:

Check this out by Steve Perry on Back Button Focus. It worked for me & never went back with the standard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzqQskGoURE&t=531s

No need. My point is that that this whole topic is needlessly over-complicated, just like so many others here.

Bill_de Loc: US

larryepage wrote:

Yes. The rear AF-On is already selected, and a8 disables shutter release focus activation. So that one selectuon is all I need. Revisiting a8 puts everything back as it was.

You assume that the person who decides to try BBF today hasn't been using the AF ON button for something else over the last number of years. So, if you tell people it is a one step process you may have them scratching their heads.

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larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Bill_de wrote:

You assume that the person who decides to try BBF today hasn't been using the AF ON button for something else over the last number of years. So, if you tell people it is a one step process you may have them scratching their heads.

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Reasonable point. I would never repurpose a hard-labelled button. Unnecessary confusion.

scubadoc Loc: Sarasota, FL

Bill_de wrote:

You assume that the person who decides to try BBF today hasn't been using the AF ON button for something else over the last number of years. So, if you tell people it is a one step process you may have them scratching their heads.

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I would imagine that the folks who have never tried BBF have never used the AF ON button for anything.

starlifter Loc: Towson, MD

I switched to BBF years ago and have never looked back. My thumb is already condition to advance the film lever after every shot. So BBF gives it something to do Since it still wants to move after each shot.

JR69 Loc: Wolverine Michigan

starlifter wrote:

I switched to BBF years ago and have never looked back. My thumb is already condition to advance the film lever after every shot. So BBF gives it something to do Since it still wants to move after each shot.

Totally valid point !!~

Fotoserj Loc: St calixte Qc Ca

I’ve started using BBF for birding and now it’s on all the time

tcthome Loc: NJ

mr1492 wrote:

There are really only two steps you have to take regardless of your camera. First, you have to select the "back button" you are going to use for the focus button, and second, you have to disable the typical "half press to focus" of the shutter button. If you don't disable the shutter button focus, your camera might refocus as you are pressing the shutter.

That's all there is to it.

It is probably, AF-ON only in the menu.