Back Button Focus - How To Use

carguy

Senior Member
Very easy to follow article for sure.
I often thought this was just another thing on my list to learn about, similar to HDR/bracketing.
Recently I found out it was more of a focus locking feature. Maybe the term 'back focusing' made it sound more complex when it's just really using a button on the BACK of the camera to focus lol

Good share.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
The article states:

"The most important thing you need to know about setting up back button focus: you must turn on the continuous AF mode (AF-C) on your dSLR for it to work on Nikon models."

, which seems a bit inaccurate. I haven't played with every single setting, but have used back button and seldom use AF-C.
 

SteveH

Senior Member
I have back-button set on my D7100, and it works in any AF mode - Although to be honest I only really use AF-S and AF-C with single points.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
The article states:

"The most important thing you need to know about setting up back button focus: you must turn on the continuous AF mode (AF-C) on your dSLR for it to work on Nikon models."

, which seems a bit inaccurate. I haven't played with every single setting, but have used back button and seldom use AF-C.

It's only accurate in that for it to work the way in which they describe in this paragraph...

"Back button focus gives you the best of both focusing worlds: single and continuous AF. Keep pressing the back button to use continuous AF if the subject is moving back and forth in the frame, otherwise simply press the back button once to lock the focus. Then, you can take the photo using the shutter button and recompose to your hearts content without needing to keep finding focus."

...you need to do it that way. Or, and this is the point I was going to post before realizing I can tack onto this post, you can change the Focus Priority in AF-S to Release. Otherwise, as I talked about in my post about the D750's focusing, releasing the back button and recomposing will not work on some Nikons if you are in AF-S mode and the focus point winds up over an out of focus object.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
@BackdoorHippie.....thanks for keeping us up to date on what it will and will not do! Articles sometimes leave out vital details.

It's technically correct, and I think they likely simplified it this way so that they could write about both systems in a common way.

What I wish is that Nikon had a feature like on Canon cameras where you have the choice of leaving the focus enabled on the shutter button. It's the way it works on cameras like the D800/810 where there is a separate AF button on the back. This way when you hand the camera to someone else they can still use it. It drove me crazy when I was shooting with the D800 and D600 at the same time because they behaved differently when the back button was released. I'm used to it now, but mainly because I stopped shooting with the D800. LOL
 

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
Thanks for the link to that article!

Even after reading the article, I still don't really see the advantage in using the back button. For those of you who use it, why is it a big improvement? I don't have problems half pressing the shutter button, and it gives me one less step to think about as opposed to using another button. I'm sure I'm missing something, since this seems to be such a popular option to take advantage of.
 
I tried it once for about an hour and it drove me crazy. I then set it back up and gave it a proper test over several days where I was not shooting anything important. After those few days I would never think about going back to the default method. The major benefit I see is that it is so much easier to focus and recompose for me. My fingers and hands don't work as good as they used to so when pushing the button half way I would end up taking a photo by accident.
I also like that I can do continuous focus by just holding the button down. That is really great when I shoot at the football games on Friday night or I am out shooting and I see a bird in flight or a dolphin splashing around.

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carguy

Senior Member
Thanks for the link to that article!

Even after reading the article, I still don't really see the advantage in using the back button. For those of you who use it, why is it a big improvement? I don't have problems half pressing the shutter button, and it gives me one less step to think about as opposed to using another button. I'm sure I'm missing something, since this seems to be such a popular option to take advantage of.

I view it as a better way to 'lock in' persay. When shooting sports, I find I sometimes press too far down as I'm waiting for the shot to come into play.

I'll mess with it during this weekends games.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Shoot in the cold, with a pair of gloves, and see how often you accidentally fire instead of locking focus, or miss a shot because it wouldn't press down. Two buttons, one function each. Until I shot with gloves I didn't see the big deal. Now I can't shoot the other way.
 

J-see

Senior Member
I discovered the option in the settings but always wondered what the use of it was. Until I watched the video linked here.

I switched yesterday and still occasionally push the trigger while at first wondering why the cam isn't focusing but when I'm doing it right, it is great. It has enormous advantages while I'm shooting birds now. If I keep it pressed, the focus keeps tracking my subject and I trigger whenever it is worth it. If they land somewhere, I only have to release and my focus is locked. Even while tracking, if I spot a better target, I release, switch to the next and press again to track that one. No more accidental shots or loss of focus by lifting my finger just too much.

It'll take a while before I am fully used to it but I'm already certain I won't switch back.
 

Squaredoch

Senior Member
Hello, I quite like the back button focus but on my D7100 if assign the AE-L /AF-L button for focus I find that I lose the ability of autofocus when i use a remote cable release. Is there a setting I'm missing and does anybody assign the Fn button to focus. I have tried that too but I find the button a bit inaccessible.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I discovered the option in the settings but always wondered what the use of it was. Until I watched the video linked here.

I switched yesterday and still occasionally push the trigger while at first wondering why the cam isn't focusing but when I'm doing it right, it is great. It has enormous advantages while I'm shooting birds now. If I keep it pressed, the focus keeps tracking my subject and I trigger whenever it is worth it. If they land somewhere, I only have to release and my focus is locked. Even while tracking, if I spot a better target, I release, switch to the next and press again to track that one. No more accidental shots or loss of focus by lifting my finger just too much.

It'll take a while before I am fully used to it but I'm already certain I won't switch back.


You have made me rethink it,may try it
 

J-see

Senior Member
You have made me rethink it,may try it

I never had much use for it before since I either focused manually or did stationary but when the target moves, it makes all the difference. The only thing I now still need to find is the best focus option for this. Single focus point works well but you'll lose the target easily while more focus points can confuse the cam the moment there's too much in view.
 

Squaredoch

Senior Member
Hi, re my earlier post, my question still stands but I have found a semi solution in that if I set user settings on U1 to my settings including Back button focus, then I can set U2 settings to normal shutter release focusing and therefore remote cable release too. I would still like to know if i am missing something in the settings that lets you use both back button and normal focusing.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Hello, I quite like the back button focus but on my D7100 if assign the AE-L /AF-L button for focus I find that I lose the ability of autofocus when i use a remote cable release. Is there a setting I'm missing and does anybody assign the Fn button to focus. I have tried that too but I find the button a bit inaccessible.

Hmmm. Generally when I'm using a remote release I've already prefocused and turned any autofocus function off. I do know that the camera will attempt to focus with the ML-L3 IR remote, but I have no idea what will happen with a wired remote. My Vello has a 1/2 down function to allow for autofocus, so I would assume that this would engage AF regardless of which button it's set to - but I just tried it on my D610 and no, it won't focus with the AE/AF button set to AF-ON.

I don't know how changing a different button to focus would fix that (you can set the Fn button to AF-ON on the D610). If you're using a wired remote I'm thinking it's likely just easiest to either reset the AE/AF button before using it, or prefocus and then turn AF off since I suspect the reason you're using the cable is to limit camera movement.
 

J-see

Senior Member
You have made me rethink it,may try it

Did you try and switch? I'm hooked to the back button. I was walking the dogs today and had the cam with me. By using the back button I could easily shoot single-handed while still holding the dogs with the other. When pressing, you automatically tighten your grip. I also fully switched to group focus to track. It's a slightly bigger area than the single point which improves staying on target but it isn't that big the focus jumps to something else.

It makes capturing flight so much easier.
 
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