How to Set Up Back Button Focus on a G(
jeff23r • Regular Member • Posts: 343
back button focus
6 months ago
1
apologies for some questions that may seem rather basic for many -- i have looked at youtube videos, done a search here etc, and think my questions are perhaps so basic that those start past where i am.
Have had more than a few dslr and mirrorless at this point and new to the Z 6ii - have seen quite a few here mention BBF, particularly for moving objects, but i have literally never used it --
is the af-on button already set up for use for BBF or must one change a setting in the menu? i know to set af-c to "release" rather than "focus" but are there any other settings to change?
Presume you first set the camera in af-c, pick a focus mode, press the af-on button - must one hold the button once focused is locked or do you let go and press ok once you have taken the picture? that is, does the focus hold once it hits after pressing the af-on button and only releases pressing ok?
Conceptually it makes so much sense at times over using the shutter button, but feeling rather ridiculous that i cant quite grasp how to set it up and use it
tremendously appreciate some guidance - apologies for the basic question
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Wahrsager • Senior Member • Posts: 2,758
Re: back button focus
In reply to jeff23r • 6 months ago
6
jeff23r wrote:
is the af-on button already set up for use for BBF
By default, the AF-ON button does just what it says, it activates autofocus with the back button.
or must one change a setting in the menu? i know to set af-c to "release" rather than "focus" but are there any other settings to change?
Decouple shutter release from AF duty if you want only the back AF button to control when the camera attempts to focus. (Custom Settings Menu a7 on a Z 6).
Presume you first set the camera in af-c, pick a focus mode, press the af-on button - must one hold the button once focused is locked
You can continue to hold the back AF-ON button if you'd like. It'll be "locked" only if you're in AF-S and the camera has recognized an area of sufficient contrast. (In AF-S, the camera Auto Focuses a Single time until you release whichever button and try again). If you're in AF-C, it'll continue to attempt to focus beneath whatever AF-Area (square) you've selected until you release the AF-ON button. (Same as a half-press on shutter button by default).
or do you let go and press ok once you have taken the picture?
You don't need to press "ok," might you be confusing this with subject tracking mode within AF-Auto Area?
that is, does the focus hold once it hits after pressing the af-on button
Only if you're in AF-S. You can "hold focus" in AF-C by merely letting off the AF-ON button provided the camera and subject remain stationary.
and only releases pressing ok?
You don't need to press okay - you just let go of AF-ON button. It seems that you're describing a sub-mode of "Auto Area AF" called "subject tracking" in which a white/yellow/green square appears in the middle.
If you haven't seen Steve Perry's succinct videos, it might behoove you to watch these first two on list:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=steve+perry+back+button+focus
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Re: back button focus
In reply to jeff23r • 6 months ago
1
Simple explanation: Using back button focus gives you more flexibility - but also more responsibility to ensure focus was achieved.
With BBF, you must set the shutter release to not also focus. Otherwise every time you take a picture the camera will re-focus on whatever is under its focus point(s).
You must not only decouple AF from the shutter button, but also set to 'release' mode. The whole idea there is for the camera to NOT refocus on its own, but to stay at whatever focus point you chose when you lifted your thumb off the AF-ON button.
Then, if you recomposed, you can simply take the shot. Your autofocus ended when you lifted your thumb, so you don't have to worry about the shutter button desperately trying to refocus on the wrong things.
With BBF, release priority, and AF-C, you get it all. Continuous focusing if you hold AF-ON down, or focus-and-recompose. And when you want to take the shot, the camera takes it, regardless of focus achieved or not. Therein lies the danger - that you didn't get the subject in focus before you took the shot.
Here's the situation that made me change to BBF 15 years ago. It was a matter of timing, and frustration. Without BBF, the camera would not take the shot. It would instead struggle to try to refocus and fail.
I was shooting three black puppies. All squirming in my sister's lap, and as you can imagine a pain to try to get all those eyes looking at the camera at the same time. Worse, it was very difficult to focus on the black dogs. (D300, by the way). I would pre-focus (not focus-and-recompose), then wait until the dogs looked at me and take the shot.
Except the camera wouldn't take the shot. It was trying to confirm focus on black fur and failing. I'd press the shutter release and the lens would start racking back and forth looking for focus. Naturally the dogs would also look away.
What I needed there was release priority so once *I* decided focus was good the camera wouldn't second-guess me. (I also had to deal with triggering strobes without a pre-flash as that would cause the dogs to start blinking by the time the camera took a shot.)
So I set up BBF, and it worked. First I prefocused with AF-ON, then waited for the right moment. When it came, the camera took the shot, even though the camera thought it wasn't in focus. (For the flash issue I made use of something called Fv lock.)
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jthomas39 • Contributing Member • Posts: 704
Re: back button focus
In reply to jeff23r • 6 months ago
I had never tried BBF before getting my Z6. From an old dpr thread, this Steve Perry video sold me on it. It's from 2014, but it still applies to current cameras.
Starting at 3:20, he shows back button focus for a few different situations. He's using AF-C here. That works fine on my Z6, but I don't like that it never turns the focus box green--that's only in AF-S. So I often use AF-S with BBF.
Steve Perry How to use AF-On
I mostly shoot static, landscape type images, but even there, I always use it. I like being able to set focus and shoot more than one shot.
And this way, for bad lighting situations, like a dark shaded subject with bright sky behind, I can point the camera down a bit to expose for the foreground and hold a half press of the shutter, which locks in the exposure. Now I can recompose and use AF-On for focus, while keeping the half press shutter, then shoot when ready. It's quicker than using Exposure Compensation if I only have this one shot that needs adjustments.
Re: back button focus
In reply to jeff23r • 6 months ago
1
jeff23r wrote:
apologies for some questions that may seem rather basic for many -- i have looked at youtube videos, done a search here etc, and think my questions are perhaps so basic that those start past where i am.
Have had more than a few dslr and mirrorless at this point and new to the Z 6ii - have seen quite a few here mention BBF, particularly for moving objects, but i have literally never used it --
is the af-on button already set up for use for BBF or must one change a setting in the menu? i know to set af-c to "release" rather than "focus" but are there any other settings to change?
Presume you first set the camera in af-c, pick a focus mode, press the af-on button - must one hold the button once focused is locked or do you let go and press ok once you have taken the picture? that is, does the focus hold once it hits after pressing the af-on button and only releases pressing ok?
Conceptually it makes so much sense at times over using the shutter button, but feeling rather ridiculous that i cant quite grasp how to set it up and use it
tremendously appreciate some guidance - apologies for the basic question
All that I would add to others explanation above is to say once you have it set up, persist with the setup for a while. It's a bit like driving a manual gear shift car. You are learning to coordinate thumb and forefinger in different tasks and that takes a little practice. Once it 'clicks' it will feel natural and unconscious. And... you never need to switch between AF-C and AF-S as your thumb allows instant control of when you autofocus.
OP jeff23r • Regular Member • Posts: 343
Re: back button focus
thank you -- genuinely appreciate this. will have to re-read with the camera in front of me as i attempt to give it a go. Have a feeling it will be one of those things that you have to persist at some until you get it -- the part about not knowing the picture is in focus is the one that makes a hobbyist like me a bit nervous
Nikon Z6 II Nikon Z 24-50mm F4-6.3 Nikon Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR
OP jeff23r • Regular Member • Posts: 343
Re: back button focus
definitely appears to be something one has to stick with -- will give it a go and hope i dont give up too easily!
thanks
Nikon Z6 II Nikon Z 24-50mm F4-6.3 Nikon Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR
Re: back button focus
In reply to jeff23r • 6 months ago
jeff23r wrote:
apologies for some questions that may seem rather basic for many -- i have looked at youtube videos, done a search here etc, and think my questions are perhaps so basic that those start past where i am.
Have had more than a few dslr and mirrorless at this point and new to the Z 6ii - have seen quite a few here mention BBF, particularly for moving objects, but i have literally never used it --
is the af-on button already set up for use for BBF or must one change a setting in the menu? i know to set af-c to "release" rather than "focus" but are there any other settings to change?
Presume you first set the camera in af-c, pick a focus mode, press the af-on button - must one hold the button once focused is locked or do you let go and press ok once you have taken the picture? that is, does the focus hold once it hits after pressing the af-on button and only releases pressing ok?
Conceptually it makes so much sense at times over using the shutter button, but feeling rather ridiculous that i cant quite grasp how to set it up and use it
tremendously appreciate some guidance - apologies for the basic question
I think depending on the AF mode, it may be setup (I think by default in AF-C it is turned on, but for AF-S it is set to shutter release only), so thus you'd have to turn it on for BBF.
I think by default, the AF-ON button must also be held, unless you reset it in the settings to AF lock (Hold). I Don't use BBF anymore so I can't remember all the defaults on the Z cameras...
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@Richard B99, I want to be sure I understand your statement never having to switch between AF-C and AF-S. Are you saying this because you can either press BBF once for a a static scene or keep pressing BBF which simulates continuous shooting?
Would you default to AF-C then as it has dynamic AF too? However, it doesn't have pinpoint AF that is in AF-S only. That is probably rarely used?
Thanks.
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Vince P • Senior Member • Posts: 2,210
Re: back button focus
1
Not much to add to what has already been said about BBF vs Shutter button AF activation. Just my take is that I have now moved to using the joystick press to start AF. Everything else is the same but now I can use my thumb to move the AF point around then press to start AF-C without having to move it back and forth to the AF-on button. I find it's an improvement, more intuitive, flexible and faster. It took some time to get it right but now it is muscle memory.
Something to consider if you are going to have to learn a different method anyway.
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Vince P • Senior Member • Posts: 2,210
Re: back button focus
minimejdh wrote:
@Richard B99, I want to be sure I understand your statement never having to switch between AF-C and AF-S. Are you saying this because you can either press BBF once for a a static scene or keep pressing BBF which simulates continuous shooting?
Would you default to AF-C then as it has dynamic AF too? However, it doesn't have pinpoint AF that is in AF-S only. That is probably rarely used?
Thanks.
I leave it in AF-C except when I might need low light or pinpoint.
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Re: back button focus
In reply to Vince P • 4 months ago
Ok...now I think I get it. In Controls you change the function of the joy stick to AF. What do you use the AF-ON button for?
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minimejdh wrote:
@Richard B99, I want to be sure I understand your statement never having to switch between AF-C and AF-S. Are you saying this because you can either press BBF once for a a static scene or keep pressing BBF which simulates continuous shooting?
Yes that's right. Keep your finger of the AF-On (BBF) and you stay in AFC. Lift off and you are back to AF-S in that it retains that last point of focus and you can shift framing without changing focus. very fast once you have developed the muscle memory.
Would you default to AF-C then as it has dynamic AF too? However, it doesn't have pinpoint AF that is in AF-S only. That is probably rarely used?
Yeup, you really need to set to AF-C to get this. If you really want /use pinpoint then set to AF-S but BBF won't give you the rapid switch but if you are using pinpoint you are normally working slow and don't need that rapid flexibility. but once you have learnt BBF you will naturally want to retain that finger /thumb approach just for consistency (that muscle memory thing) even if you are using pinpoint.
HTH
Thanks.
Vince P • Senior Member • Posts: 2,210
Re: back button focus
minimejdh wrote:
Ok...now I think I get it. In Controls you change the function of the joy stick to AF. What do you use the AF-ON button for?
AE lock.
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mrjpack • Contributing Member • Posts: 944
Re: back button focus
Richard B99 wrote:
jeff23r wrote:
apologies for some questions that may seem rather basic for many -- i have looked at youtube videos, done a search here etc, and think my questions are perhaps so basic that those start past where i am.
Have had more than a few dslr and mirrorless at this point and new to the Z 6ii - have seen quite a few here mention BBF, particularly for moving objects, but i have literally never used it --
is the af-on button already set up for use for BBF or must one change a setting in the menu? i know to set af-c to "release" rather than "focus" but are there any other settings to change?
Presume you first set the camera in af-c, pick a focus mode, press the af-on button - must one hold the button once focused is locked or do you let go and press ok once you have taken the picture? that is, does the focus hold once it hits after pressing the af-on button and only releases pressing ok?
Conceptually it makes so much sense at times over using the shutter button, but feeling rather ridiculous that i cant quite grasp how to set it up and use it
tremendously appreciate some guidance - apologies for the basic question
All that I would add to others explanation above is to say once you have it set up, persist with the setup for a while. It's a bit like driving a manual gear shift car. You are learning to coordinate thumb and forefinger in different tasks and that takes a little practice. Once it 'clicks' it will feel natural and unconscious. And... you never need to switch between AF-C and AF-S as your thumb allows instant control of when you autofocus.
Absolutely true. In my early days I was only using BBF for sports so I had so many times I would forget to switch back one way or another and miss shots. You just need to commit to it and it will become natural after a little while.
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How to Set Up Back Button Focus on a G(
Source: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4582376