Anyone Else NOT use Back Button Focus?

I suspect I am in the great minority, but I don't use back button focus. I almost always use AF-C mode, and a half push of the shutter button is just so automatic to me that I've never seen a reason to change. I do understand the benefits that BBF provides, it just doesn't really apply to the way I shoot, I guess.

It does take a little getting used to. I always tell people to keep it on for at least 2 weeks and shoot a lot during that period. After that it becomes muscle memory. After a while if you pick up a camera that does not use BBF it is almost impossible to shoot with. I finally convinced my wife to switch over when she was not getting as many keepers when shooting birds. She used it on our last photo trip to Crystal River and was very happy with her results

A friend of mine tried for years to get me to use back button focus but never gave me the reason why to use it. About a year ago I watched a video on it and tried it out and once I got use to the change I will never go back to using the shutter button. I am 100% convinced, a least for me, that BBF is definitely the way to go for me.

Just in case you have never looked at these links

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.

BBF for me 2

It took me a nearly a year to get used to it. I tried and quit a few times. What happened was after exposing myself to it enough times, I began to recognize uses for it as I shot. So I started turning it on when those needs came up. It started with macro. I'm one of the lonely few that use autofocus for macro. I'll either keep that single point right on the bug giving it full af-c or I might let go after getting focus and recompose, possibly tweaking by changing my distance. Much like if I had manually focused. Then I saw needs for it shooting wildlife. I thought of it as manual focus with power assist. Want to focus on a particular point? Aim and press the bb. Once focused let it go. Recompose if you need to. Need continuous focus? Then keep it pressed. I'm sure you know how to focus/recompose. With bbf, the time between focus and recompose can be infinite. Focus once on a distant subject and recompose all day without refocusing. Also good for anticipated action. Pre-focus on the spot and you are ready when the subject arrives.

Anyway, I'm not trying to convert you, my point is really just to say that once I had a feel for this bbf tool in the back of my mind, I began to see uses where it could help me out even though I wasn't thrilled with it at first. Eventually my shooting adapted to this new found tool. Now its second nature and I feel all screwed up without it.

Woodyg3 said:

I suspect I am in the great minority, but I don't use back button focus. I almost always use AF-C mode, and a half push of the shutter button is just so automatic to me that I've never seen a reason to change. I do understand the benefits that BBF provides, it just doesn't really apply to the way I shoot, I guess.

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I don't use it either. I have to have my finger covering the shutter anyway while tracking, so I don't see the point. Good to know there are other anti BBF people out there besides myself.:encouragement:

Nope

I did when I first got the D600 because of the laughable focus area in the middle of the screen, then I went back for some reason and now I dont have any inclination to do it, especially when the D500 gives edge to edge focus points

This past week I tried it for the second time but ultimately decided it isn't for me. Last year I injured the lower joint in my thumb which made it uncomfortable to press the back button. Plus I wear glasses and look through the viewfinder with my left eye. The eye glass of my right lens got smudged because it rests on my right hand. But I did see value in using AF-C so will most likely switch back and forth between it and AF-S. I tried taking a landscape photo in AF-C, but my focus point kept shifting as though it was tracking something until I switched to AF-S.

hark said:

This past week I tried it for the second time but ultimately decided it isn't for me. Last year I injured the lower joint in my thumb which made it uncomfortable to press the back button. Plus I wear glasses and look through the viewfinder with my left eye. The eye glass of my right lens got smudged because it rests on my right hand. But I did see value in using AF-C so will most likely switch back and forth between it and AF-S. I tried taking a landscape photo in AF-C, but my focus point kept shifting as though it was tracking something until I switched to AF-S.

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Once you get your landscape in focus like you want, just take your thumb off the button and it will lock on the scene. If an eagle fly's by you just point at it and hold the button down and you have continuous focus instantly for that shot that you would have missed using the shutter button to focus with. You have instant access to both methods. Using the shutter button you only have access to one or the other without having to take time changing it in the menu and missing the once in a lifetime eagle shot. once you get use to using BBF I don't believe you will ever go back to the shutter button method, I know I won't!!!

I know in you case with the problem with you thumb it is different but for most folks BBF will work much better.

First of all....when I first read and watched videos about it, I tried it. After a day or two, I didn't like it and went back to regular point and shoot. After I bought the D500 (Grace Slick) I set it up for BBF. Now after shooting with it for nearly a month, I think I'll keep it on. I like it a lot.

grandpaw said:

Once you get your landscape in focus like you want, just take your thumb off the button and it will lock on the scene.

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Ahh...yes. I forgot about releasing the button to lock focus! Thanks for the reminder should I ever try it again.

hark said:

This past week I tried it for the second time but ultimately decided it isn't for me. Last year I injured the lower joint in my thumb which made it uncomfortable to press the back button. Plus I wear glasses and look through the viewfinder with my left eye. The eye glass of my right lens got smudged because it rests on my right hand. But I did see value in using AF-C so will most likely switch back and forth between it and AF-S. I tried taking a landscape photo in AF-C, but my focus point kept shifting as though it was tracking something until I switched to AF-S.

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It might not help any but worth a mention that you can reassign your pv or fn buttons to af-on as an alternative to the back button.

It does take time to get use to it. It took me several weeks to retrain my brain not to push the shutter button but once I got the hang of it I can instantly change from single to continuous focus and that is a BIG advantage. REMEMBER...... There is not a "Right Way" or a "Wrong Way" to do things, it is what works best for YOU!!!

I use BBF most of the time. As an old guy used to 30 years of manual focus lenses it does not bother me.

I turn it off when I'm likely to hand the camera to someone else for a while. Even then they need a little practice to get the squeeze slow, let the VR kick in correctly.

What I hate about it is some of my cameras make it a pain to turn on or off and none have an always visible indicator as to what state it is in.

I switch back and forth between BBF and SBF (Shutter Button Focus) pretty routinely. Much of the time I find using SBF the better option when using Live View (especially if the rear LCD is being articulated in certain directions) or when I'm shooting from a tripod, for instance. It's not always the case, but it is frequently.

BBF, to me, is just another tool in the bag.
...

After doing a good bit of focus and recompose, I switched to BBF and found it to just work better for me.


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Texas said:

I use BBF most of the time. As an old guy used to 30 years of manual focus lenses it does not bother me.

I turn it off when I'm likely to hand the camera to someone else for a while. Even then they need a little practice to get the squeeze slow, let the VR kick in correctly.

What I hate about it is some of my cameras make it a pain to turn on or off and none have an always visible indicator as to what state it is in.

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I have all of my digital cameras set to only take a picture after achieving focus lock. I also shot with a Nikon F for 37 years with manual focus before switching to digital about 10 or 11 years ago.

After reading posts about it and watching some videos, I tried it but shortly quit using it. It was a distraction trying to get my thumb up on the button; not a natural feeling. Plus it didn't seem to offer any advantages for my photography. Don't have a problem staying with the shutter button.

RocketCowboy said:

After doing a good bit of focus and recompose, I switched to BBF and found it to just work better for me.


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If you can show me how to focus and recompose a BIF, I'll switch to BBF.:encouragement: