Backbutton Focus..do you use it? Pros? Cons? How hard to get used to it?

[cayenne]

I've been watching some classes on Creative Live lately...I've seen some instructors, recently a couple of wedding photogs saying they have set up and use the backbutton focus.

I need to go back into the manual and look how to set it up, so I can experiment with it, but just wondering how many of you out there use this?

Are you a pro or a hobbyist?

What are the Pros/Cons of setting up and using this system?

How hard have you found it, to get used to this set up, and be able to use it fluidly?

I'd almost think if you were moving your focus points around, while shooting manual...using backbutton focus would pretty much require you to grow an extra finger and 3rd hemisphere of the brain just to coordinate all of this?


Anyway, I'm thinking of giving it a try, but wanted to get some comments from those that use it currently.

Thanks in advance,

cayenne

 

[chasinglight]

Hi, I am a hobbiest. I shoot portraits, events, wildlife, and landscape. I should almost exclusively in manual mode, though occasionally in Av or Tv. I do change focus points on the 7D pretty often. Once I made the switch to back button focus I have not looked back. Honestly my biggest concern with the switch was that if I hand someone else the camera then they would not be able to operate the camera...but since I never really hand my camera over to others that's not a big deal.

Bottom line is its very doable. You don't need extra fingers. It's not like you are changing focus points and auto focusing at the same time... You can still change the shutter and ISO with your pointer finger, and its not a big deal to stop focusing for a moment to change the aperture.

 

[yellowkamper]

I always use it for motor racing, I lock onto the car or bike then follow it holding the button in and use the shutter button to take a picture when it is framed right.

Robin

 

[ahab1372]

I have it on all the time, even had it on on my rebel. It took me a few afternoons to get fully used to it.
In the beginning I used to switch back and forth, but now I prefer to have BBF and AI Servo on all the time. If I need to lock focus, I just take the thumb off

 

[GuyF]

Started trying it last weekend for portrait stuff and also birds in flight at a falconry display. Seems a bit odd at first but quickly gets easy though on a couple of occasions my thumb found the exposure lock button instead.

Makes sense to use it for portraits - use rear button to focus then re-frame as required and take the shot. Combined with AI Servo means life is much easier. If you don't get used to it within an hour or so you can always go back to the old way of doing things. I'm a convert.

 

[Loswr]

Use it, love it.

 

[Schruminator]

As someone just mentioned, the biggest issue is that you can no longer hand your camera off to another person and expect them to be able to use it.

I like it because it means that the camera isn't trying to refocus in between shots (like when you press halfway down on the shutter) unless you want it to. It took me a few days of shooting to forget that it used to be set up any different.

I've heard of some people changing to back button focus and then leaving the AF in Servo mode so if they tap the button it's like single shot AF, but if they hold it down it's servo. It's personal preference like anything else-- I have it so when I hold down the button on the front of the camera (near the lens mount) Servo mode is engaged, but it just works better for me.

 

[Harry Muff]

Always use it. Combined shutter and focussing is counterproductive.

 

[jdramirez]

I'm a visual kind of guy.. which button are we talking about ?

 

[Seanlucky]

Weirdly enough I never have my DSLR setup this way, but this post has gotten me thinking about it...

When I shoot film on the Hasselblad H2 I have it setup this way, and that's because I actually use manual focus quite regularly. Like this setup because I can autofocus on my subject, reframe (only center point), and then tweak manually. Much easier to manually focus with such a huge viewfinder...

 

[crasher8]

Yes I use it on all my bodies and no there are no cons. Takes about 2-3 days to retrain your brain. ALL WIN.

 

[sama]

I'm a visual kind of guy.. which button are we talking about ?

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/backbutton_af_article.shtml

 

[AvTvM]

Hi, I am a hobbiest. I shoot portraits, events, wildlife, and landscape. I should almost exclusively in manual mode, though occasionally in Av or Tv. I do change focus points on the 7D pretty often. Once I made the switch to back button focus I have not looked back. Honestly my biggest concern with the switch was that if I hand someone else the camera then they would not be able to operate the camera...but since I never really hand my camera over to others that's not a big deal.

Bottom line is its very doable. You don't need extra fingers. It's not like you are changing focus points and auto focusing at the same time... You can still change the shutter and ISO with your pointer finger, and its not a big deal to stop focusing for a moment to change the aperture.

+1

My 7D is always set to Back-Button AF and Servo-AF mode. That is the only way to get FAST and FULL control of any AF-situation, whether the target is moving or not. As long as I press the button, AF will track, if I lift my thumb, AF-tracking will stop. Absolutely perfect. No Cons whatsoever.

If I hand my camera to another person, all I need to remember is switching the main mode dial all the way to custom setting C3 which is "dork setup". Program Mode, AF on the shutter button, One-Shot AF, central group of AF points active, single shot, and all other settings to basically camera default. When I get the camera back, I switch it to C1 and am back in business.

 

[mrzero]

If you hand off your camera to someone else, you can set it to green box mode and it will resume using shutter button AF. I generally find that works well enough for hand-off shots.

 

[Nirmala]

Cant imagine using my camera set up any other way these days.

 

[Kernuak]

It does take a little while to retrain, but I think it's worth it. There are some additional benefits aside from those already mentioned. It saves the step of switching between MF and AF mode on lenses for certain shooting when you want to manually focus. Also, if you have a subject which moves quite quickly in one spot, then it is invaluable. An example froma few years ago, before my swithover, was when an adult starling was feeding a recently fledged youngster. Every time the feed happened, using normal AF, the camera immediately focused on the grass behind, which was a bit of a pain to say the least.
It isn't so much a case of switching back button focus on, but more of switching the normal AF off, as the default is to be able to focus from the back button or the shutter, instead of just the back button.

 

[AudioGlenn]

I always use back button AF. I currently shoot professionally but even when I was just a hobbyist, I used it. My trainers were pleasantly surprised to learn I had already started using it. It just makes more sense to be able to control AF and shutter release separately. It took about 2-3 days of casual shooting to adjust.

as far as handing off your camera to someone, I just slip it into Auto Mode for strangers. I don't like handing my gear to people I don't know anyway so it's not that big of a deal.

 

[bycostello]

don't think i could go back now i've started using it...

 

[cnardo]

Use it exclusively now after getting use to it. Use it on a T4i and a 5D2. Put your camera into AF Servo mode, then Tapping BBF once is like SS or hold it down for AF Servo. Absolutely a must for BIF or any sporting event. Pre-focus on a spot ahead of time and wait for your subject to "hit the mark" . Shooting is faster also because the shutter button is just managing the exposure and not the focus. You never have to recheck focus...it's like putting your lens into manual focus mode!

I bought one of those RED Spot buttons that people put on their shutter button. Punched out the center part and put it on the BBF " * " button and the left over part on the shutter button...so now, by feel alone, I always know the difference between the AF and AE buttons... And the only time I gave my camera to someone else to take a picture all I told them to do is to "hit the little Red button first and the big Red button second"

 

[cayenne]

It does take a little while to retrain, but I think it's worth it. There are some additional benefits aside from those already mentioned. It saves the step of switching between MF and AF mode on lenses for certain shooting when you want to manually focus. Also, if you have a subject which moves quite quickly in one spot, then it is invaluable. An example froma few years ago, before my swithover, was when an adult starling was feeding a recently fledged youngster. Every time the feed happened, using normal AF, the camera immediately focused on the grass behind, which was a bit of a pain to say the least.
It isn't so much a case of switching back button focus on, but more of switching the normal AF off, as the default is to be able to focus from the back button or the shutter, instead of just the back button.

OH, I thought it was just one menu setting to change all AF to the back button.

I'll have to dig out the manual and try to read up on this....I'll give it a try this weekend I think!!

C