Do You 'Back Button' Autofocus?

I have been using it since my move to Canon, in fact on the last couple of Canon Bodies I have sold/exchanged I have forgotten to cancel it which has then led to the recipient thinking the AF wasn't working.

The only time I found it to be a bit awkward to use was when following birds in flight using AI servo, other than that it give a lot more control!
 
I use af-on on both of my Nikons and find it much easier.

Kev.
 
Aha, maybe that's how my 1D II had been used and left when I got it.

Willing to give this a go - where's me instruction manual, this can't be difficult?

Right. Doing it now, both bodies. I'd say it's very instinctive so if your habits aren't hardened by x years of experience, you should give it a go.
 
Yar, af-on (back button) for me too... switched years ago and have never looked back, second nature now. Much easier than messing around with focus lock if you don't want your camera refocussing every time you press the shutter release.
 
I tried it, and it felt a bit like rubbing your belly and tummy at the same time. I turned it off for comfort at events recently, because I wanted to be able to shoot freely without having to think about it. Must turn it on again and try master it.
 
Flashman said:
Yar, af-on (back button) for me too... switched years ago and have never looked back, second nature now. Much easier than messing around with focus lock if you don't want your camera refocussing every time you press the shutter release.
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:plusone:

Following birds in flight, if I spot distractions like trees in the background I can release the focus button and still have them in focus, rather than the camera lock on to the distraction, press the button again once they are clear.

Also once I have focused on a bird in amongst branches I can release the button and not have the camera focus on a branch in the foreground or background, which it used to do with half shutter press focusing (annoying).

Also means that you can use the shutter button half press as an exposure lock button.
 
I found out about this a couple of days after moving to Canon (3 weeks ago) so I thought I'd try it. I found I prefer it, but I still occasionally forget for a second or two that I've set it this way.

Had a little discussion about it at work with a colleague who seemed to think I should have my camera setup to how he wants it - even though he's never going to use it - because this way was "stupid and gimmicky"
 
This sounds like my kinda thing. Anyone any idea of how to switch it on with my 500d? That's if it even has this option.
 
It's the way forward for sure. As artyman says, I have mine set to AI servo, that way you get AI, one-shot and manual focus without ever having to change a setting.

Only time I would change is when I need AF assist from a speedlite, as it only emits when using one-shot focussing.

@grey.squirrel - it certainly does have the option. It's in your custom functions under Shutter /AE lock button. This used to be CF 4 on most bodies back in the day ;) not sure where it is in the lego land menu system Canon use now, but it's in there somewhere.
 
I'm going to give this a go thanks!

I'm wondering if I set it on my 5D2 if it will apply to the custom profiles too or if i'll have to set it in each individually....
 
The custom profiles will remember the setting as you had it when you registered them.

(And yes, for the reasons stated by others, I use AI Servo and back button focusing almost all the time (99.99% at least), especially for BIF)
 
karmagarda said:
I tried it, and it felt a bit like rubbing your belly and tummy at the same time. I turned it off for comfort at events recently, because I wanted to be able to shoot freely without having to think about it. Must turn it on again and try master it.
Click to expand...

its made a big difference to me and I wouldn't go back now. It did take a hundred or so shots to get used to it though
 
ozanan said:
I found out about this a couple of days after moving to Canon (3 weeks ago) so I thought I'd try it. I found I prefer it, but I still occasionally forget for a second or two that I've set it this way.

Had a little discussion about it at work with a colleague who seemed to think I should have my camera setup to how he wants it - even though he's never going to use it - because this way was "stupid and gimmicky"
Click to expand...

I normally use back button focus, because it uncouples the focus/exposure controls, and works better for me.

I tend to ignore people like your colleague. It's rather like the bozos who hear about/want to look at someone's new camera and respond with a comment along the lines of "Well, I wouldn't have bought one of these. The XYZ (insert brand/model) is much better". Fine. You didn't buy one, I did, so there's no problem, is there?
 
I couldn't never get my head around it whey i read previous advice along the lines of.....say......"you should meter for the sky but then refame to (auto)focus on relatively close object"

This never made sense to me - but will this option solve this?
 
The AF-on button is there for a reason, once you get used to it there's no going back! When there's no AF-on button available (e.g. D90) I reassign AE-L/AF-L...if you consider that half-pushing the shutter release gives you AE-L and releasing the reassigned AE-L/AF-L button is effectively AF-L, you've lost nothing and gained flexibility.
 
Longshanks said:
I couldn't never get my head around it whey i read previous advice along the lines of.....say......"you should meter for the sky but then refame to (auto)focus on relatively close object"

This never made sense to me - but will this option solve this?
Click to expand...

Yes it will help if you use auto or one of the priority modes for exposure because you will be able to use the back button to get your focus and then use the shutter to set the exposure. If you use the shutter focus you end up exposing for the point you focus on.

If you always use fully manual exposure it is less of an advantage - but I'm still going to have a go because I haven't done it yet ;)
 
What a great tip! Thanks very much Andrew.

Anyone know if there's equivalent functionality on a D300s? (I'm carefully considering my next camera body!)
 
AndyB said:
Yes it will help if you use auto or one of the priority modes for exposure because you will be able to use the back button to get your focus and then use the shutter to set the exposure. If you use the shutter focus you end up exposing for the point you focus on.

If you always use fully manual exposure it is less of an advantage - but I'm still going to have a go because I haven't done it yet ;)
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95% of the time im in Av mode. Thanks - you've clarified that for me :clap:
 
Back button for me too, find it much better on my 40D. Second nature now.
 
ok just tried it and realised it won't work for me. I do a lot of stuff with off camera flash where I have the camera in one hand and the flash held out in the other. Using the back focus means I can't get a good grip on the camera enough to operate with one hand - need that thumb on the back to hold it :)
 
No, I don't. Can't agree it is "so clearly" better than using the shutter button as you say either.

However, I do use the back button, but as an "AF Stop" option so I can stop the tracking focus by pressing the button if I wish to. For me, I find that works better.
 
Not used it before I got the Nikons but now it's on for when I am standing still but when I am moving about I go for the "both on" option so if I forget it still works!

Arthur
 
why didnt i know about this earlier!

all this time i have been switching to lens to manual when i want to recompose a shot without the exposure changing! :bang:
 
I use AF-ON button to focus, I find it helps out with control and re-composition of shots very well.

I would however like to meet the IDIOT, who decided to leave the AF-ON button off the 40D grip... most inconvenient since I now have to use the exposure lock button instead which surprisingly given its relative position, makes my shooting feel rather uncomfortable :( - bit lame if portrait shooting is your thing.
 
EdBray said:
I suspect because like most people you didn't bother to RTFM :p
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Like me ! lol. I've just tried this on my 350d works a treat, I wish I would had RTFM 4 years ago when I got the camera :bang:
 
Well I never. I must have read about this cos I always RTFM, but not understood it. I'm going to give it a go as it makes a lot of sense.
 
Tried it yrs ago.. didnt like it.. too fiddley for me :(
 
I was very lucky to be shown how to set up my camera at the time (Canon 20D),many years ago, to focus on the * button. I had only bought the camera a week or so earlier and now I can't use a camera without it. Well worth changing to if you are into (Motor) Sports photography.

Rusty
 
I set my nikon to back button exposure lock, but yeah if i was shooting motor sport or something I'd swap it round lol.
 
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