Back button focus
Dec 28, 2018 09:12:13 #
Photobum wrote:
Just out of curiosity, do many of you use back button focus, and if so, what do you liked or dislike about the feature?
I have been waiting for this discussion. Yes, I use it on the Nikon D500.
I do like it. Sometimes I forget to use it. Remembering is the biggest negative, but that is on me.
Dec 28, 2018 09:14:27 #
Zooman 1 wrote:
I use it on all my cameras, but big fingers sometimes hit the wrong button, and then wonder what is going on!
Yup.
Dec 28, 2018 09:21:11 #
leftj
Loc: Texas
Photobum wrote:
Just out of curiosity, do many of you use back button focus, and if so, what do you liked or dislike about the feature?
Tried it for 6 months and found it to be nothing more than an extra button to press so went back to shutter focus and haven't looked back.
Dec 28, 2018 09:26:10 #
I use it all the time except when taking images of a subject that is constantly moving especially moving towards you and waiting for the subject to get towards your pre-selected focus point does not fit the look you are trying to achieve.
Dec 28, 2018 09:28:27 #
I tried it, it slows me down for BIF and other things - for this older mind. I am left eyed so not ergonomic for me also. So I retain the shutter release and focus button but have programmed the back button for focus lock instead of focus enable - which accomplishes the same functionality as back button focus as far as always using servo AF all the time.
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Dec 28, 2018 09:29:28 #
leftj wrote:
Tried it for 6 months and found it to be nothing more than an extra button to press so went back to shutter focus and haven't looked back.
Dec 28, 2018 09:42:31 #
I have been using it for several years and love it. It is just a habit now to hit the button to focus. Once focused, I don't need to worry that the camera is going to hunt or focus on the wrong spot, just when I am about to shoot.
I still revert to focus with the shutter release in cases like action shots, street shooting (a kind of action shot) and other situations where the subject is not predictable and getting the shot means hitting the shutter release NOW.
I still revert to focus with the shutter release in cases like action shots, street shooting (a kind of action shot) and other situations where the subject is not predictable and getting the shot means hitting the shutter release NOW.
Dec 28, 2018 09:45:41 #
Used to use it all the time on my old Canon 7Dii but with my IDXii the auto focus is so good there’s no need to use it for BIF. However the one place I use it is in difficult situations like birds with interfering branches, reeds etc where even with the correct autofocus case it’s hard to hold the focus. That’s where bbf does shine.
Dec 28, 2018 10:02:06 #
Photobum wrote:
Just out of curiosity, do many of you use back button focus, and if so, what do you liked or dislike about the feature?
I've used it almost exclusively on my D3300 and love it. Great for focusing and recomposing, taking different composures with same focal distance. Am setting it up on my D7200, but didn't quite get it, when I tried it the shutter button tree focused... Think I have to stop that with another setting. Not quite as straight forward as the 3300. But I'll get it....
Dec 28, 2018 10:08:53 #
photoman022
Loc: Manchester CT USA
I use it exclusively. I don't know of any drawbacks; the main thing it has going for it (with my fingers) is that I'm not taking out of focus shots any more. I never fully got the hang of depressing the shutter release half-way, somehow my fingers wanted to depress all the way. Also, the whole "depress half way to get your focus and then recompose" thing never happened with me! I'll never go back to the old way!
Dec 28, 2018 10:17:41 #
sagittta
Loc: In the woods of Michigan
I use it on my D300 but not on the D7000. Wear glasses and with big fingers it not easy to with the single button on the back. Too close to the viewfinder.
Dec 28, 2018 10:22:07 #
amfoto1
Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
Photobum wrote:
Just out of curiosity, do many of you use back button focus, and if so, what do you liked or dislike about the feature?
I've been using BBF for 15+ years on all my cameras.
I like that it allows me to use Ai Servo/AF-C (continuous focus) all the time... and that I am always ready to handle either moving or stationary subjects without having to change any settings.... and that being able to use continuous focus mode all the time automatically corrects for varifocal zooms.
BBF is a little more work for me, but puts me in control of when and where the camera & lens focus.... and since learning to use BBF I've gotten much higher percentage of acceptably focused shots, it keeps my "focus misses" under 1 or 2%.
The only drawback might be when I loan a camera to someone I have to remember to cancel BBF because a lot of people don't understand it or know how to use it.
Dec 28, 2018 10:30:03 #
I use it all the time with my cameras. I prefer to separate focus from shutter firing.
Dec 28, 2018 10:30:48 #
I mostly use it when shooting with long lenses and/or using an extender. For those lenses it find it more reliable.
Dec 28, 2018 10:32:57 #
Photobum wrote:
Just out of curiosity, do many of you use back button focus, and if so, what do you liked or dislike about the feature?
Definitely. First thing I do when I buy a new camera is set BB Focus
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