Back Button Focus

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.






 

Moab Man

Senior Member
To add to what Don said. I do the BBF but assign a different button - the front lower button. I do this because using a back button always put my thumb in contact with my glasses.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I tried it and liked it but came off it,I like to use focus priority as a shutter setting and on the D7100 it over rides this setting and gives release priority only.
 
I tried it and liked it but came off it,I like to use focus priority as a shutter setting and on the D7100 it over rides this setting and gives release priority only.

I was just reading up on that problem and I did read that they were supposed to have fixed that problem in the D7200. I know that it does not work in the D7000 or D7100 though. Don't have a D7200 to check it in though.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I was just reading up on that problem and I did read that they were supposed to have fixed that problem in the D7200. I know that it does not work in the D7000 or D7100 though. Don't have a D7200 to check it in though.

Thanks Don will look into that as i did like using BBF,especially in a cluttered situation like a small bird in a hedge,once you have locked focus you can forget it knowing it wouldn't pick up on something else.
 
Thanks Don will look into that as i did like using BBF,especially in a cluttered situation like a small bird in a hedge,once you have locked focus you can forget it knowing it wouldn't pick up on something else.


Now that would work anyway. Once you focus and release the button the focus will not change. I do that all the time. I will se the focus where I think something will be and then put the camera back down to my side and wait. Then when the time comes I just raise the camera and shoot. No need to refocus since it was locked in earlier. no real need to focus release since you locked it in place already. With continuous like for BIF you don't want it set anyway or it might never get a shot.
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
I tried this a few times. I always got confused and pushed it at the wrong time, or I pushed it too many times causing me to screw something up.
I can see how it would be better for BIF shots, I just can't seem to get the hang of it.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I tried this a few times. I always got confused and pushed it at the wrong time, or I pushed it too many times causing me to screw something up.
I can see how it would be better for BIF shots, I just can't seem to get the hang of it.

There was also the time i stood there pressing the shutter button thinking blood hell this lens wont focus now :confused:
 
I tried this a few times. I always got confused and pushed it at the wrong time, or I pushed it too many times causing me to screw something up.
I can see how it would be better for BIF shots, I just can't seem to get the hang of it.


Like I tell everyone who tries it. Go out several times when what you shoot is not that important. Time to play. Shoot, shoot and shoot some more till it becomes second nature. Sort of like driving. Practice till you can do it without thinking about it. Took me several days to get to that point but once I did....
 

singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
When I switched to BBF on my D7000, it was like getting a new camera. Prior to the switch, my two methods of focusing on a subject that was not in center frame were to:

1. focus with shutter, lock focus with AE-L/AF-L button, recompose and shoot.
2. move focus point around with multi selector, focus and shoot

With BBF - lock focus, recompose and shoot. Plus, the big advantage of being able to lock focus and take your finger off the button with focus locked (as mentioned in previous posts).
 

adot45

Senior Member
OK, thanks Don. I just managed to get mine set up with center point focus and didn't know how changing the area mode to AF-C to setup BBF would affect that. I want to be able to keep the center point focus.
 

Kevin H

Senior Member
Like I tell everyone who tries it. Go out several times when what you shoot is not that important. Time to play. Shoot, shoot and shoot some more till it becomes second nature. Sort of like driving. Practice till you can do it without thinking about it. Took me several days to get to that point but once I did....


I should have taken this advice:D
When out yesterday a 10 point buck comes out with in 30' time for two quick snaps and he's off needless to say there blurry forgot I had it on BBF :D
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I should have taken this advice:D
When out yesterday a 10 point buck comes out with in 30' time for two quick snaps and he's off needless to say there blurry forgot I had it on BBF :D

Thats the reason i stopped using it on the D7100,you can take OOF pictures using it.
 

nickt

Senior Member
It took me a LONG time to get used to bbf. Thought I had it few times, but under excitement I screwed up a few times. I quit a couple of times, but I came back around and now I feel pretty confident I will do the right thing even when rushing for a shot. It is actually reversed for me now, if I pick up a camera not set for bbf, I find myself pushing the back button and wondering why its not focusing.
Its tough to break old muscle memory habits. I stopped carrying my wallet in my back pocket about 15 years ago. I'll sometimes still place it back there if something distracts me while I'm paying at the store.
 
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