back button focusing- who uses it and when?

[nerwin]

I have the U1 setting on my D610 setup for BBF and I mainly use it when I am shooting wildlife, it makes a world of difference when trying to get super sharp shots of a bird or an animal when using a long telephoto.

 

[snerd]

I switched over to it not too long after getting my gear, maybe 2-3 months after. It's all I have used since then. It would be hard for me to relearn the shutter button way now. I absolutely love it.

 

[bribrius]

i use the shutter button. i have or do use bbf sometimes, i usually don't though. I had some missed focus shots. stopped using it for the most part..

 

[manny212]

both backs 100% of time .

 

[Overread]

i use the shutter button. i have or do use bbf sometimes, i usually don't though. I had some missed focus shots. stopped using it for the most part..

Af is just as accurate in shutter mode as back-button - the button mode only changes what you press to turn the AF on/off. I'd wager the miss-focused shots were due to a lack of suitable practice with back-button rather than an outright failing of the mode in itself.

It does take some getting used to - but it is really well worth learning.

 

[bribrius]

i use the shutter button. i have or do use bbf sometimes, i usually don't though. I had some missed focus shots. stopped using it for the most part..

Af is just as accurate in shutter mode as back-button - the button mode only changes what you press to turn the AF on/off. I'd wager the miss-focused shots were due to a lack of suitable practice with back-button rather than an outright failing of the mode in itself.

It does take some getting used to - but it is really well worth learning.

It is the "if anything moves" remembering to hit it again or hold it down. I flipped it back as i didn't see the point in having to remember to hit it again when i can just hit the shutter release. Has it's purpose. But some missed shots, i started just looking at it as one more thing to remember and adding a unnecessary step.

 

[fjrabon]

The single most compelling reason FOR ME to change was the realisation that back button focussing allows for TWO modes of focussing without having to change any settings.
1) AF-C: continuous focussing - just hold the back button down whilst you follow the action. (this is what I would do for 97.256% of my shooting
2) AF-S: single shot focussing - pick the subject element you want to focus on. Press the back button until it acquires focus, then RELEASE ... recompose to suit.
Until I went to back button focussing, I could not do BOTH without having to change the focus mode setting - often inconvenient or missed the shot.
That has been the ONLY advantage for ME in what I shoot - but it is a big enough advantage for me to stay with it. It is taking some time to develop the coordination to control two buttons in a shooting sequence rather than just the shutter release.

I like BBF because it allows you to actually shoot in three modes at once:
1) AF-S
2) AF-C
3) Manual

If you only ever feel a need for AF-S I don't think BBF is all that useful, though I still prefer it to the delicacy required to half depress the shutter. When it's below freezing outside, it's way easier to just press a button to focus, then let go instead of half depressing a button.

A great example of where BBF is basically a necessity is a football kickoff. You want the focus to be squarely on the ball, so that you can get the kicker striking the ball at moment of impact perfectly in focus. But you'll also need AF-C for getting the kick returner catching the ball and making his return. If you shot the kickoff in AF-C without back button, then the camera would try to refocus on one of the other players on the kickoff team. If you shoot in AF-S with half shutter pressing to lock, then A) you have to half depress the shutter for a long time, as it's difficult to know exactly when they'll start the kickoff, and you want your framing setup before that point. B) you'll then have to quickly change focus modes while the ball is in the air, find the kick returner in that, then hit him with AF-C. BBF you just compose your kickoff shot, get focus locked on the ball and let go of the button. Then after the strike is made on the ball, you simply find the returner and depress the focus button again.

Further, if you want to be in manual focus, there's no need to flip a lever, you simply just don't depress the button. Very useful when you have all sorts of things around your subject, but your subject is relatively static. Even with AF-S, in that scenario as soon as you take one shot, the camera might try to refocus on a closer object on your next.

 

[bribrius]

The single most compelling reason FOR ME to change was the realisation that back button focussing allows for TWO modes of focussing without having to change any settings.
1) AF-C: continuous focussing - just hold the back button down whilst you follow the action. (this is what I would do for 97.256% of my shooting
2) AF-S: single shot focussing - pick the subject element you want to focus on. Press the back button until it acquires focus, then RELEASE ... recompose to suit.
Until I went to back button focussing, I could not do BOTH without having to change the focus mode setting - often inconvenient or missed the shot.
That has been the ONLY advantage for ME in what I shoot - but it is a big enough advantage for me to stay with it. It is taking some time to develop the coordination to control two buttons in a shooting sequence rather than just the shutter release.

I like BBF because it allows you to actually shoot in three modes at once:
1) AF-S
2) AF-C
3) Manual

If you only ever feel a need for AF-S I don't think BBF is all that useful, though I still prefer it to the delicacy required to half depress the shutter. When it's below freezing outside, it's way easier to just press a button to focus, then let go instead of half depressing a button.

A great example of where BBF is basically a necessity is a football kickoff. You want the focus to be squarely on the ball, so that you can get the kicker striking the ball at moment of impact perfectly in focus. But you'll also need AF-C for getting the kick returner catching the ball and making his return. If you shot the kickoff in AF-C without back button, then the camera would try to refocus on one of the other players on the kickoff team. If you shoot in AF-S with half shutter pressing to lock, then A) you have to half depress the shutter for a long time, as it's difficult to know exactly when they'll start the kickoff, and you want your framing setup before that point. B) you'll then have to quickly change focus modes while the ball is in the air, find the kick returner in that, then hit him with AF-C. BBF you just compose your kickoff shot, get focus locked on the ball and let go of the button. Then after the strike is made on the ball, you simply find the returner and depress the focus button again.

Further, if you want to be in manual focus, there's no need to flip a lever, you simply just don't depress the button. Very useful when you have all sorts of things around your subject, but your subject is relatively static. Even with AF-S, in that scenario as soon as you take one shot, the camera might try to refocus on a closer object on your next.

all good points. I mostly just used it for low light. If i couldnt get the focus to lock on i would point it at something else and hit the bff and then shoot my intended target (it would be close enough). Could do the same thing in mf just easier. Shooting things moving (even just my kids) either i was holding it down or forgetting to hit it again if they moved so they would be oof. When i stopped using bbf i just used afl more. And yes, changing focusing modes can do the same thing but can be a pita (correct). You make some good points here on good uses of bbf. Suppose it come down to use and if it is worth remembering to hit another button or deal with another button. It could very well be a memory or getting used to it thing and i just never did. I seem to use afl though. So you would think i would be a fan of bbf but never quite adjusted to it and like my thumb free.

 

[Dave442]

BBF 100%, my wife also uses it.
We always focused with one hand and did the shutter with the other with manual focus (with my Argus I did focus and release the shutter with the same finger - it was convenient but slow).
So not sure why the shutter button ever had the focus included as part of the action other than to just be convenient.

 

[Overread]

Point and Shoot

The shutter already has the meter attached to it and the AF as well as the shutter trip. That's basically all you need in a single button to take a shot. It's generally only those of us who get more keen who start to want to be able to do things a little differently - who want to control the camera rather than have it control their creative options.

 

[bribrius]

Point and Shoot

The shutter already has the meter attached to it and the AF as well as the shutter trip. That's basically all you need in a single button to take a shot. It's generally only those of us who get more keen who start to want to be able to do things a little differently - who want to control the camera rather than have it control their creative options.

yeah. i dont even have that on my point and shoots, bridge or film cameras. How on earth do i live without it.

 

[Didereaux]

Nancy. I have a Canon 7D (and previously a T3i) and I have used bbf on them both almost exclusively. I find it to be so much easier to use than the shutter button. I can maintain focus on sports and birds. I also don't have to worry as much when I am wanting to focus and recompose.

Same here, 7D and 6d, Wildlife, and street wouldn't go back. BBF takes a short while to get used to, but after that you don't even think about it.