Back Button Focus: I have read about how to set up back button focus on my Nikon 7200, but I am not clear on the advantages of doing so. I have always depressed half-way and then...

gilmorecs

I have read about how to set up back button focus on my Nikon 7200, but I am not clear on the advantages of doing so. I have always depressed half-way and then recomposed, then release the shutter so I am pretty good at that. What benefit is back button focus?

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Here is a link that will explain it to you:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzqQskGoURE

gwilliams6

Back button focusing separates the dual functions of focus and shutter release from the shutter button. Sports shooters love to keep the back button focus depressed always so they can have the camera constantly performing continuous autofocus whether they lift up on the shutter release button while following their subjects. It saves lag time that the camera takes to acquire and lock focus when you half depress the shutter button. If sports shooters didn't use back button focus they might miss focus on a fast changing action during the small lag time while pressing down the shutter button. Also useful for BIF (Birds in flight)action shooting.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

My Sony a6300 has a manual focus feature to tweak what auto focus (1/2 shutter press) achieves. Doing the 1/2 shutter press and then manual tweak sometimes causes by button finger. In the course of full shutter button press, you pass the 1/2 point which will destroy your manual focus. I often spot focus on the subject then recompose for effect, 1/2 press screws that up. I have yet to decide which back button to use. I am left handed.

User ID

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gilmorecs wrote:

I have read about how to set up back button focus on
my Nikon 7200, but I am not clear on the advantages
of doing so. I have always depressed half-way and
then recomposed, then release the shutter so I am
pretty good at that. What benefit is back button
focus?

If you ever wish for a tiny "photo angel" to keep
your shutter button 1/2 pressed for you until you
press it the rest of the way with your own finger,
then you will love BBAF.

I myself always despised the awkwardness of
having to maintain a 1/2 press while composing.
It predates AF. It was also used to momentarily
lock or freeze AE exposure while you recompose.
The 1/2 press has been around for about 40 yrs.

Basically, the 1/2 press is for those afflicted with
"OneShotItis". Never caught that disease myself,
so I depend on MF or BBAF, and also depend on
manual exposure or a TOGGLED AE-lock.

YMMV.

.

User ID

John_F wrote:

My Sony a6300 has a manual focus feature to
tweak what auto focus (1/2 shutter press)
achieves. Doing the 1/2 shutter press and then
manual tweak sometimes causes by button
finger. In the course of full shutter button press,
you pass the 1/2 point which will destroy your
manual focus. I often spot focus on the subject
then recompose for effect, 1/2 press screws that
up. I have yet to decide which back button to
use. I am left handed.

I have various Sonys including yours. I use
either the AEL button or the OK/Set button
for BBAF. It depends on which Sony model,
due to other personal choices about other
Fn buttons on the various models.

As to your a6300, I use the AE-L button on
all a6XXX models. FWIW, I am left handed
and also left eye dominant. YMMV.

.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

*I* like it to keep the 2 functions separate.
Doing the half press thing sometimes I'll rake shots I wasn't expecting.
Or I pick up a little, lose the focus and snap! blur.
Maybe the object I'm taking a picture of is farther away than a nearby thing, and AF won't.
And I'm still not used to it. Most of my cameras don't do that. I already (hyper focused for DOF) focused, and I don't want to wait for the lens to go back and forth and then snap because I didn't do a half press.
FWIW, I'm right handed and left eye dominant.

le boecere

kpmac wrote:

Here is a link that will explain it to you:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzqQskGoURE

Thanks for the link ~ this video is very helpful.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

gilmorecs wrote:

I have read about how to set up back button focus on my Nikon 7200, but I am not clear on the advantages of doing so. I have always depressed half-way and then recomposed, then release the shutter so I am pretty good at that. What benefit is back button focus?

Many here are sold on rear button focus. I am with you, I use the shutter button and press 1/2 way and I can hold that there as long as I want, I am already in continuous auto focus, my keep rate is nearly 98%. I shoot lots of birds in flight, I assign the rear button to single spot focus, that way, if my bird, animal, lizard, etc. is in the bush, tall grass, or limbs of a tree, I simply push my back button and go to single focus point, I put that single point all the subjects eye and shoot away.
My default focus setting is GROUP AUTO FOCUS.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

gilmorecs wrote:

I have read about how to set up back button focus on my Nikon 7200, but I am not clear on the advantages of doing so. I have always depressed half-way and then recomposed, then release the shutter so I am pretty good at that. What benefit is back button focus?

Basically, it lets you pick the exact focus point and then recompose. I use it all the time, although I don't always recompose. Below are a lot of links to articles.

http://nikonrumors.com/2014/01/25/how-to-use-nikons-af-on-and-back-button-autofocus.aspx/
http://digital-photography-school.com/back-button-focus/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PN9R0D3pF0
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And-Explore/Article/hxlkcpoz/benefits-of-using-the-af-on-button-for-autofocus.html
https://www.google.com/search?q=Steve+Perry+Back+Button+Focus&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS625US625&oq=Steve+Perry+Back+Button+Focus&aqs=chrome..69i57.614j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3sLs_8ywY8

khorinek

I always use back button focus with AI SERVO. I had Back Button Focus explained to me this way: Have you ever tried to do three things at once and got frustrated when you messed up on one of the three because it was just too much to keep track of? The shutter button does three things, it meters light, it focuses and it activates the shutter. That's a lot of things to do at once. By taking just one of those assignments away and giving it to another button on the camera the shutter button only has to do two things and you will get better results. By using Back Button Focus with AI SERVO you give the camera the opportunity to constantly focus on your subject instead of just the split second you push the shutter button. The key here is using AI SERVO. If you are using ONE SHOT you can still miss the shot if the camera focuses and the subject moves before you take the photo.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

gilmorecs wrote:

I have read about how to set up back button focus on my Nikon 7200, but I am not clear on the advantages of doing so. I have always depressed half-way and then recomposed, then release the shutter so I am pretty good at that. What benefit is back button focus?

Check out Steve Perry's book on the Nikon Focus System. If you will spend the time reading it you will get good control of your camera's focusing system and understand the whys. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLmrut6MVUs

bbrowner Loc: Chapel Hill, NC

In the time it will take you to read all of these opinions... you can set it up... give it a try... and decide for yourself.

I did that. I set it up... loved it (right off the bat)... and never looked back.

Barry

bbrowner Loc: Chapel Hill, NC

Just to continue my last thought...

In the end, it's not how I feel about it... or how Joe Bananas feels about. It's all about how it feels to you.

(incidentally... I use it on virtually the same camera... mine is a D7100.)

Barry

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

gilmorecs wrote:

I have read about how to set up back button focus on my Nikon 7200, but I am not clear on the advantages of doing so. I have always depressed half-way and then recomposed, then release the shutter so I am pretty good at that. What benefit is back button focus?

I use it on my 7200. I started using it on previous models, after I started having problems with the shutter release. I was having a problem holding half way and was getting a lot of bad shorts. Now I don't have to worry. I can do single focus or continuous auto focus with my thumb and take the shoot with my finger. No more problems (most of the time). If I get a bad shoot now it is my fault a not trying to do two things with the same button.....

It was a little hard to get used to, I had to retain my mind to use the thumb.... But now I love it....... Most people do not go back once they try it.