Back Button Focus

jayw

Senior Member
Been reading a lot about the back button focus (BBF) function and want to learn more.

Can the D5300 be set up for BBF and if so, how? Also, for those who have used this function, what are the pluses and minuses and when do you use it?

Thanks
Jayw
 

Blade Canyon

Senior Member
The plus is that you have Continuous Auto Focus as long as you hold the back button, and without resetting anything on the camera you can get the focus you want, release the back button and recompose your shot as if the camera is set to AutoFocus Single. In other words, pushing the shutter button will not cause the camera to re-focus. You get used to it really fast.

The minus is that if you hand your camera to someone else to take a picture, they won't understand BBF.

I asked world-renowned wedding photographer Jerry Ghionis if he used BBF, and he said no, because it makes his hands cramp up during a long shoot.
 

jayw

Senior Member
The cramping is a consideration. I'll have to see if that happens to me way before my event shoot in November.
 
Back Button Focus is a great tool for so many photographers and is something I think everyone should try at least once. Below are a few sites that talk about the how and why of Back Button Focus.

Benefits of Using the AF-ON Button for Autofocus by Nikon USA


BACK BUTTON FOCUSING – EASIER THAN YOU THINK! by Improve Photography


Here is a good YouTube video that goes over the why and how of Back Button Focusing.

You can do a search of the forum on "Back Button Focus" or BBF and see the many threads that have been created on this subject.

Try it, You will like it.






 

cwgrizz

Senior Member
Challenge Team
My D5300 has been set up with BBF for most of it's life in my hands. It is the only way for me. After the short learning curve it is now second nature. The only problem I have with it is that there are times I forget to release it when I recompose a shot and I have to go back and go through the steps again. Ha!
 

robbins.photo

Senior Member
Been reading a lot about the back button focus (BBF) function and want to learn more.

Can the D5300 be set up for BBF and if so, how? Also, for those who have used this function, what are the pluses and minuses and when do you use it?

Thanks
Jayw

Tried it - hated it. I was like trying to play one of those old video games where you have to push up up down down back forward back forward to get the dang camera to focus. So after a few days reset my camera to normal and moved on.

Some folks rave about it I guess - but for me it just was way more trouble than it was worth.
 

Roy1961

Senior Member
Contributor
using BBF today, would not have gotten these with the half press of the shutter. Tracked it through the tree.

ROY_1962.JPG


ROY_1963.JPG


ROY_1964.JPG


ROY_1966.jpg
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
Another happy BB focuser here. I use it on my D610 and D7100. Wish I could convince my wife to switch the D5100 to BBF too - she does not want me messing with her camera. I use it from time to time and switching away from BBF is a pain. (Yes the D5100 does BBF).
 

thequeenscheese

Senior Member
Having read this thread and watched the video, I've just had a play with this on my d5300, but I have to say where as I see the validity of using it unfortunately for me on the d5300 the button is in a bad place and it means my thumb is rubbing my head which is really of putting.
If it's possible to assign the top exposure control button for me would be better placed or maybe assign the fn button to allow the dial to easily swap afs and afc quickly might be a better option...
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I know there are many posts which give info on BBF, but I haven't been able to find one individual post that contains all the info for the settings.


So once the AF button is reassigned to BBF (and the shutter button is now only for firing the shutter), isn't there a setting for the shutter button to be set to release? Or does that become automatically set when the AF button is reassigned? I've read a few posts about options between being set for release vs. focus.

The body gets set to continuous AF (AF-C).

Is single point focus better than multiple points? And if using single point, it can't be locked, right?

If you pan the camera while the subject is moving, does the camera still maintain a locked AF on the subject?

I am interested in giving this another try. My problem is that I have chronic forearm tendonitis that especially tends to be aggravated when doing things with my fingers. But I still want to spend some time with this. The videos I've watched (that have been posted here on Nikonites) don't tend to explain the release vs. focus setting. Thanks for any answers. ;)
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
... The videos I've watched (that have been posted here on Nikonites) don't tend to explain the release vs. focus setting. Thanks for any answers. ;)
Are you asking about Focus and Release Priorities? Because those settings are separate from BBF.

If you enable Focus Priority, the camera will take a picture only when focus lock has been achieved. Release Priority means the camera will fire the shutter when you press the shutter-release button even without having achieved focus lock. Most people use AF-C with Focus Priority set to Release, but that's not required.
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
for BIF its a must, it will take you a little time to adjust to it, but stick at it.

I was going to reply with a smart assed comment like "Oh, please do tell", but as you know and everyone from the M&G would tell you, I'm a pleasant, non confrontational type of a person.:cool:
So the last thing that I would want to say, is "speak for yourself".

Besides, I have the "focus on" button programmed to something other than the "must have" BBF.
 
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