Handing a camera w/BBF to another person to take a picture: Someone made a comment a while back about having the camera set to BBF and trying to explain to someone else how to take a...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Someone made a comment a while back about having the camera set to BBF and trying to explain to someone else how to take a picture of you with your camera....

Right?

A recent question about BBF finally prompted me to check, as my wife would not understand the BBF/spot metering process if I gave her the camera.

SO. On MY camera, a Canon T1i, if I set the mode to the green rectangle (full auto) the focus reverts back to 1/2 shutter press for that mode.
Boy am I happy!
Now I can use the camera the way I want and hand it to someone to take a picture for me without having to explain a lot of stuff! Whoo-hoo!

If you use BBF, check your camera. Maybe it too reverts to a PHD camera when you need it to.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

Good tip! I just checked my Canon 7dII, and it works as you describe in the A+ (green) mode.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Longshadow wrote:

Someone made a comment a while back about having t... (show quote)

Good idea. I'll check my cameras for the same thing. It's almost impossible to explain BBF.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Mac wrote:

Good idea. I'll check my cameras for the same thing. It's almost impossible to explain BBF.

Yes it is. (Plus, I use the center point focus mark.)
Couple that with center spot metering..... Oie.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I was out with a group of adults and kids. The suggestion was to have one of the children take a picture of the group of adults. The lighting and group size didn't help for just setting over to auto. The 10-year understood using the BBF to focus for the shot ...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

CHG_CANON wrote:

I was out with a group of adults and kids. The suggestion was to have one of the children take a picture of the group of adults. The lighting and group size didn't help for just setting over to auto. The 10-year understood using the BBF to focus for the shot ...

Save extenuating circumstances, most time it will be a benefit. It will definitely be a great one for me when required.

I know if I have to explain BBF/spot metering to my wife, she'll just hand the camera back to me.

Next time I'll look for a 10 year old?

IDguy Loc: Idaho

My Nikon D800 didn’t have the green Auto mode. The replacement Z6 does, though.

I suspect P mode will not revert.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

I honestly don't understand why people look upon BBF like it's rocket science. Essentially it's just plain focus lock, controlled by a button. There's nothing difficult about grasping the concept and putting it to practice. You can teach it to a 12-year old within five minutes!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You only need a thumb and index finger and a heads-up on which buttons to use with each finger, really only 30 seconds ...

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Longshadow wrote:

Someone made a comment a while back about having t... (show quote)

Clever.

If I hand my camera to somebody, usually that is outdoors in bright light. I set it up first including focus, and choose an f-stop that facilitates wide DOF. However I have found that most people understand if I simply say "focus using this button and shoot by pressing this button".

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

If one is taught to BBF at the outset I don't believe it would be that difficult to understand. I've been using it almost since I first got my camera and it's second nature to me. I don't think it's that difficult .

CHG_CANON wrote:

I was out with a group of adults and kids. The suggestion was to have one of the children take a picture of the group of adults. The lighting and group size didn't help for just setting over to auto. The 10-year understood using the BBF to focus for the shot ...

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

EXACTLY!!!!

JD750 wrote:

Clever.

If I hand my camera to somebody, usually that is outdoors in bright light. I set it up first including focus, and choose an f-stop that facilitates wide DOF. However I have found that most people understand if I simply say "focus using this button and shoot by pressing this button".

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

rook2c4 wrote:

I honestly don't understand why people look upon BBF like it's rocket science. Essentially it's just plain focus lock, controlled by a button. There's nothing difficult about grasping the concept and putting it to practice. You can teach it to a 12-year old within five minutes!

Not rocket science, just that most people I've seen handed the camera and "This is what you have to do to take a picture..."
you get the

Look.
They're simply used to PHD cameras.
Many of the members know what I'm talking about.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

JD750 wrote:

Clever.

If I hand my camera to somebody, usually that is outdoors in bright light. I set it up first including focus, and choose an f-stop that facilitates wide DOF. However I have found that most people understand if I simply say "focus using this button and shoot by pressing this button".

Works if the subject is at the focus and metering point(s).

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

foathog wrote:

If one is taught to BBF at the outset I don't believe it would be that difficult to understand. I've been using it almost since I first got my camera and it's second nature to me. I don't think it's that difficult .

What about the guy/gal you hand your camera to at the tourist site, who has an Instamatic.