BBF on a D750 to shoot people mostly

DG Phototraining

DG Phototraining

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Given that for some reason I have time away from shooting Weddings, I've decided to explore my focus options a bit more

I grew up with cameras that only had am exposure/ focus/release button, a centre point focus, and never really bothered to change. So I still use my D750 with just one focus point in use, almost always the centre, and the shutter button both activates exposure and focus; I then have BB set to lock exposure & focus as I tend to focus & recompose

Additionally, I use focus as S - so it's not tracking - and the camera is set to only allow a shot to be taken if it thinks it has focus nailed - so focus release

Some of my pals use their BB in different ways to me, usually to focus and most seem to use C - continuous - focus too. So given I'm not shooting anything I have time to experiment to see if I'm missing anything

So please, any D750 users especially, that shoot people (that is to say walking or moving slowly - Brides rarely run lol) - how do you do it with regards to both

1 - BB settings, and

2 - what focus/exposure lock method do you use

Cheers

Dave
 
I’ve had a D600-750-810-850 and always used the same bbf mode.

af-c single point

I focus on the eye continuously and when a pleasing composition appears I hit the shutter button.

I only focus and recompose if using higher f stops as otherwise I experience critical focus errors. If I do this I simply focus with the back button, ‘lift off’ and then recompose and fire.
 
I'm a devotee of BBF and have used it on several Nikon bodies - currently the D750 :)

As Brazo, I have mine set to AF-C and single focus point - generally the middle one but I don't mind using the others when I need to - shutter release priority is set to focus in both AF-C and AF-S as IO don't see any point taking OOF images.

If the subject is moving then I keep my thumb on the button and track the subject. This keeps the subject in focus for when I finally decide to press the shutter release.

Static subjects mean that once I have focus I can release the back button and recompose before triggering the shutter.

Simples :)
 
AF-C set to fire on release to allow focus recompose. Focus is locked by taking thumb off button.

Exposure lock assigned to shutter button.
 
I’m sure the shutter release priority is n/a with bbf as mine is set to focus too but I can push the shutter button and take a shot without focusing.
 
Brazo said:
I’m sure the shutter release priority is n/a with bbf as mine is set to focus too but I can push the shutter button and take a shot without focusing.
Click to expand...
I have AF-S set to fire on focus acquisition using BBF - mostly to use for trap focus with close ups.
 
Got all my Nikons set to BBF, Release Priority set to Release, AF-C, Single Point.

I know the D750 doesn't have the "joystick" but on bodies that do I have the centre push set the same as above but Group AF instead of Single Point.

GC
 
I had bbf mainly in af-c for people that are moving and I’m using a faster focusing lens. If I’m using a slower af-d lens and I’ve got time - I may switch to af-s with the beep to remind me to wait for af confirmation. All using single point.

I’ve tried using the group af option - and it looks cool in the viewfinder but all too often may pic up on an ear for example and ruin a shot. I’ll admit I’ve never experimented with changing the tracking priority.


From a sports background my camera is always in ch- I set first frame focus priority followed by release. I can’t remember the last time I focused and recomposed! I don’t usually have the time!
 
DG Phototraining said:
Given that for some reason I have time away from shooting Weddings, I've decided to explore my focus options a bit more

I grew up with cameras that only had am exposure/ focus/release button, a centre point focus, and never really bothered to change. So I still use my D750 with just one focus point in use, almost always the centre, and the shutter button both activates exposure and focus; I then have BB set to lock exposure & focus as I tend to focus & recompose

Additionally, I use focus as S - so it's not tracking - and the camera is set to only allow a shot to be taken if it thinks it has focus nailed - so focus release

Some of my pals use their BB in different ways to me, usually to focus and most seem to use C - continuous - focus too. So given I'm not shooting anything I have time to experiment to see if I'm missing anything

So please, any D750 users especially, that shoot people (that is to say walking or moving slowly - Brides rarely run lol) - how do you do it with regards to both

1 - BB settings, and

2 - what focus/exposure lock method do you use

Cheers

Dave
Click to expand...

Depends quite a bit on end use, specifically, how much you're happy to crop into the original to get the result you're after. I don't shoot moving people much but when I do, I stick with the centre focus point (usually on the nearest eye) and shoot fairly wide (AoV rather than aperture) then crop in to the composition I had in mind. Never got on with BBF so have stuck with shutter release 1/2 press AF.
 
Nod said:
Depends quite a bit on end use, specifically, how much you're happy to crop into the original to get the result you're after. I don't shoot moving people much but when I do, I stick with the centre focus point (usually on the nearest eye) and shoot fairly wide (AoV rather than aperture) then crop in to the composition I had in mind. Never got on with BBF so have stuck with shutter release 1/2 press AF.
Click to expand...
Is that because you don’t trust the outer af points?
 
Brazo said:
I’ve had a D600-750-810-850 and always used the same bbf mode.

af-c single point

I focus on the eye continuously and when a pleasing composition appears I hit the shutter button.

I only focus and recompose if using higher f stops as otherwise I experience critical focus errors. If I do this I simply focus with the back button, ‘lift off’ and then recompose and fire.
Click to expand...
This is exactly what I do as well.
 
Brazo said:
Is that because you don’t trust the outer af points?
Click to expand...


More that I CBA faffing around trying to find the "right" one! (Laziness...)
 
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