Thanks
You see its like i said before your not allowed to go walk about
,with what you have said then i need to give it time,
Back-Button Focus
- Thread starter Michael J.
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Thanks
You see its like i said before your not allowed to go walk about
,with what you have said then i need to give it time,When you half-press the button, VR only stabilizes the viewfinder. It's only when you fully press for the actual exposure it switches to its second algorithm, resets its position, and does what VR does.
Which still makes me wonder how much difference there can be between the shot I see and the shot during the reset position. It won't be massive but could it explain focus inconsistencies at high speed shutters?
Which still makes me wonder how much difference there can be between the shot I see and the shot during the reset position. It won't be massive but could it explain focus inconsistencies at high speed shutters?
RockyNH_RIP
Senior Member
I have activated BBF and so far am enjoying it. I think it has some advantages for me normally and I am getting used to it. Thanks for this explanation Jake, I will have to monitor that on my photos. I have shot quite a few this week with the big Tamron with VR on and "most" without holding the BBF... I now recall the VR kicking in as I depress the shutter, so far no "noticeable" ill affects but I also have been depressing shutter slow... Definitely worth watching and I thank you.
I also want to test what happens with the focus when I set up for remote using a Wireless adapter and my tablet. I seem to recall it focused normal when I activated the shutter from the tablet, amd maybe it will NOT focus with BBF in that mode... I will test it later this weekend, worst would be set normal focus for my remote setup.
Again, thanks for causing me to "Think"
Pat in GA
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Just so I say it, I'm not going to get into the pissing match that inevitably happens when someone tells you you're wrong - but suffice it to say you're absolutely wrong here.
Half-pressing the shutter button (or engaging BBF) physically engages the VR mechanism on the lens, which translates to a stabilizing effect in the viewfinder. Heck, with my Sigma lenses you can actually hear and feel it. That mechanism continues to respond through the depression of the shutter. Releasing the button(s) turns the VR off, though some mechanisms continue to spin for up to 1 second (my Sigma 150-500).
VR continues to operate during the entire process, but it does not turn off and re-engage as you state, and yes there may be additional compensations that occur during shutter engagement, but viewfinder-only stabilization is a function of many mirrorless and P&S cameras and is usually done via sensor algorithms and not via an internal gyroscope.
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I didn't say it turned off, it has two different algorithms. I stumbled upon that when trying to find a reason why my focus is worse with VR on vs off.
Nikon | Technology | VR (Vibration-Reduction)
Nikon | Technology | VR (Vibration-Reduction)
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Blade Canyon
Senior Member
That was an interesting article, and since it was written in 2008 (before VR2??), it raises two questions:
1) "Only Nikon has this "Centering Before Exposure" feature. " - Does that mean this Centering Feature is native to the lenses? Or to the bodies? I assume the VR algos are in the Nikon lenses.
2) The last paragraph of the article also says VR can be used while shooting off a tripod, contrary to what everyone says here on the forum. Is that true?
For the second part, I'll do my own tests to find out. It's a rainy weekend here anyway.
I didn't find much detailed explanations of the other brands VR systems while I was looking into my problem but I assume Nikon is no longer unique in their centering. Since it solely "resets" the VR unit, it can be assumed it's purely lens programming and the cam simply provides the trigger.
I never shot VR on a tripod so I never tested it either. I only pod long duration shutters. Let me know the results of your test. If there's no movement going on, I wouldn't know what could "mess" up the shot but I read at more places VR shouldn't be used while podding.
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I switched to BBF not long after I took up photography so it didn't take much getting used to for me because I didn't have any old ingrained habits to break.
One consideration I've had is whether I should be using exposure lock as well? I'm not using centre weighted or spot metering more, so when I recompose, the point where the metering is taken is not on the subject. This can really throw things off if the subject is something like a bird up against a dark sky. Has anyone else found this to be an issue? I've only just noticed it as before I was shooting in manual more with matrix metering.
As for VR or VC in my case, I half press the shutter to re-engage this and then take the shot. You can hear it click on and off before and after with a mechanical whirring going on throughout.
One consideration I've had is whether I should be using exposure lock as well? I'm not using centre weighted or spot metering more, so when I recompose, the point where the metering is taken is not on the subject. This can really throw things off if the subject is something like a bird up against a dark sky. Has anyone else found this to be an issue? I've only just noticed it as before I was shooting in manual more with matrix metering.
As for VR or VC in my case, I half press the shutter to re-engage this and then take the shot. You can hear it click on and off before and after with a mechanical whirring going on throughout.
RockyNH_RIP
Senior Member
I have activated BBF and so far am enjoying it. I think it has some advantages for me normally and I am getting used to it. Thanks for this explanation Jake, I will have to monitor that on my photos. I have shot quite a few this week with the big Tamron with VR on and "most" without holding the BBF... I now recall the VR kicking in as I depress the shutter, so far no "noticeable" ill affects but I also have been depressing shutter slow... Definitely worth watching and I thank you.
I also want to test what happens with the focus when I set up for remote using a Wireless adapter and my tablet. I seem to recall it focused normal when I activated the shutter from the tablet, amd maybe it will NOT focus with BBF in that mode... I will test it later this weekend, worst would be set normal focus for my remote setup.
Again, thanks for causing me to "Think"
Pat in GA
For those who may have been curious.... when I tested the remove operation using WU1a and the DSLR dashboard on my computer... it focused each time I selected it to fire. To use the Wireless adaptor and software, the camera needed to be in Live view...
All is good, no resetting my BBF when I go remote Control.
Pat in GA
Every bird shot i've posted on the forum has been with a tripod and VR on. Many are in the Tamron 150-600 thread. I'm happy with the results that way. I had read on another forum where someone said they just leave the head a little loose - i guess thinking about the VR needing something to stabilize, but i have tried it both ways and prefer to have my camera and lens secured safely. I've also forgot to take VR off when shooting landscapes on a tripod with my 18-140 and see no issues.
Note that my tripod is light at around 3 lbs.
It could be the difference in systems but have read that some others leave it on with the Tamron on a tripod.
Looks like i have another snag with BBF hope its explainable like the last one,i always use focus priority shutter setting,since going over to BBF i have been getting out of focus images mixed in,checked today and my camera is taking when the image is not in focus,this happens in AFC and AFS,hope i have missed a setting somewhere.
Michael J.
Senior Member
Same here. I have to check how to fix it
I have had a look and cant see how,the main problem is BIF on bust mode, i dont want the camera spending time taking an out of focus picture, when it could spend that time focusing for a sharp one,
I have been looking at my menu system so not sure if its the same on your camera.
the setting that allows the camera to take pictures when the subject is NOT in focus is in the Custom Settings - a Autofocus - A1 and A2
if using AF-C then A1 should be set to Focus
if using AF-S then A2 should be set to Focus.
Hope this helps
Mike, I have both d7000 and d7100. They behave differently when using bbf. The d7000 responds to menu A1 and A2 in regards to bbf focus. Most people go with release priority so they can gain the affect of af-s or af-c using the technique. Hold the button for continuous focusing or press and release for a pseudo af-s mode. Now on the d7100, Nikon has decided that you WILL go with release priority. With the back button set to AF ON, the camera behaves as if it is set to release priority and ignores A1 and A2. This is described on page 77 in the manual. So I think you are stuck with that behavior.
You can fix that by setting menu A1 or A2 to focus priority, BUT... you loose the ability to focus and recompose using the back button. When you recompose, the focus point will no longer see focus, so it will not shoot.
Nick, are you saying the BBF won't allow recomposing while the button is being held? Is that just a D7100 thing? I don't use BBF, but if that's how it works, it wouldn't be worth it. Many of my images are recomposed. When I use the D7100 for theater photos, I tend to focus on an area outside of the focus points so recomposing is necessary.
Not exactly. Going by what most people seem to do, you should be in af-c and release priority for this technique. This gives you the full deal of having as-s and af-c behavior and focus/recompose. Mike was having the issue of shots firing in a burst whether in focus or not. He is stuck with that behavior on the d7100 as it forces release priority. Siamthai1 on his d7000 can go to focus priority, but that puts him 'off-technique', so HE misses out on the ability to focus recompose. So if you are set up in the usual way for bbf, you can focus-recompose with no problem. I hope that makes sense, only 1/2 cup of coffee so far.
I just re-read a little closer. If set up for af-on the regular way with af-c and release priority, you would focus-recompose by pressing the button and releasing it (rather than holding). The camera focuses once, you release the bb, then you are free to fire the camera where ever you may be pointing. Holding the button keeps you focusing full time.