What is Back Button Focus?

SAVE 50% ON MY PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDES WITH THIS CODE: YOUTUBE

Back Button Focus is one of those photography terms that sounds complicated but really isn't at all.

00:00 - Intro
00:44 - Back Button Focus

[BoorayPerry]

➡Be sure and get my FREE Photography Guides: "I Bought A Nice Camera, Now What? 10 Things To Do First"
and
"Photography Basics: 20 Definitions You Should Know"

➡Use the code YOUTUBE to save 50% on my guide to photographing with natural light and my guide on photographing outdoors with off-camera flash!

➡Instagram -

[davidallison]

I use back button focus for street photography. I set the camera to manual focus which effectively disengages autofocus from the shutter release so that it is shutter release only. BBF still starts autofocus when the camera/lens is set to manual focus. I then set focus at a point or distance then wait for my subject to hit that spot and release the shutter. When used in conjunction with the aperture to control depth-of-field, I get a greater number of successful shots. You can get really good at this sort of zone focusing with a little practice.

[chippieco.]

Thank you so much. You were the only one out of about 6 different people in forums/videos/social media who explained this in a way I really understood. Thank you!

[General_Ethos]

I use back button focus on my 5D3 and I have it set up so if I hold the af on button down it will keep focusing on my subject if they are moving. I can take a picture at any time and the subject will most of the time be in focus.

[sagardigitallab]

I prefer to use BBF most of the time.-
       I stick to focussing method to AF-C, all the time.
         With putting the focus point over my subject, I keep the 'AF on' button pressed and thus achieve 'continuous' Focus.
In a situation, where I need to use AF-S, I push BBF button till I achieve Focus on my desired Focus area - then, release my thumb. This works as if, I am with AF-S method.
  But, I need to deactivate the shutter release button (setting the Menu), from focussing. This makes 'shutter release button'  dedicated for taking exposure only. Else, it will start focusing again, even after releasing my thumb from 'AF-on' button.
      In short, Back button Focus is a tool that can be used for your advantage.(No worry to choose between AF-S/AF-C, anymore)

[iggytse]

I don’t use it but you can operate the back button focus and shutter button at the same time. May also be useful in flash photography when you use exposure lock button for the background, focus on subject using bbf and the compose and press shutter button.

[EdLyk]

This is a way to use manual focus then cheat a little. Landscape photos. Focus once, then different compositions. And self photos. I focus on a point then set camera to take interval photos so I can walk in front and do different poses. I put the camera in manual focus then back focus once, yes, that works on my X-T30II.

[Tbonyandsteak]

professional Wildlife photographers uses especially this. When you get focus in a long lens you can take a serial photos without the focus will hunts or on a birds among lots of branches you puch the back button but it focused on a branch instead. Then you can manually correct the focus. You cant do this if the focus are on the trigger. That way you have the control to when to AF and when to Manual focus.

There is a video:"2 AUTOFOCUS TECHNIQUES you must master for Wildlife Photography | shutter and back button autofocus"

[ajblitzstein]

Probably being picky but most landscape photographer are. I use BB focus on my
camera to set the focus and then want to make sure the trigger on the camera
is disengaged so I can review the settings if I need make changes on the
composition.

[JohnGress]

Back in my day.... I think this idea comes from the 90s when we only had one focus point on the EOS-1 and then five focus points on a subsequent camera. A lot of the time we would use this approach to focus and then recompose. I used this approach through 2020, but I stopped when I switched to miorrless and eye detection focus became a reality. If I was still in photojournalism or an event photographer, I would dedicate my thumb to touch-n-drag focus point selection on the LCD and not to the AF-on button.

[jackkelley]

great video. I have been using back button focus for a few years but I am still not 100% happy with it.

[thomasclark]

I’m primarily a street photographer and usually zone focus. If I have an opportunity to get a quick shot which is out of the current zone range I use BBF to catch the image. BBF can also be used to reset the zone focus setting by merely pointing the camera at an object that is at a particular distance. On my X100V I use a hinged thumb rest from an X-Pro2 and assign BBF to the rear command dial press function. To use BBF all that is required is a little pressure on the thumb rest, no finger or thumb repositioning needed.

[florianbauzl]

My camera has the AEL/AFL button on the back which I can use, if I want to have auto focus assistance in manual focus mode or if I want to lock the focus in auto focus mode. When locked, the trigger works much faster. No focusing is involved when pressing the trigger. So in the little street photography I occasionally do, I can focus at a few meters, stop the lens down and then shoot along. Also If I want to catch some action, avoiding the focusing when pressing the shutter release by locking the focus with this little button is a benefit. I am not sure whether this meets the definition of back button focus, though. By the way its an X-100 T, which does not focus in a state of the art speed.

[johna.benigno]

Back Button focus is a few hundred times faster than using a joy stick to move your focus point. Talk about the bride moving, buy the time you move your focus point she's in the next room. I use a single focus point, recompose, and rarely miss a shot.

[robertgrenader]

When I shot with a Nikon D850, back button focus was natural. The AF button was positioned just where your thumb was and was big enough to make it easy. Fuji's AfOn button is minuscule and, at least, is difficult to locate when framing an image. And, why is such a critical control so flipping low profile???

[slingshot]

I’ve been using Back Button focus starting with the Canon 30D’s using the * button. I find it better for sports/action like cycling and roller derby with the camera set in AF Servo, I don’t lift my thumb. In cycling I find in some situations the exposures are better, when I’m using an ‘A’ or ‘S’ auto modes, as I’m not (sometimes not) pressing the shutter button until I take the picture.

I set my X-T3 to back button, but still using my beloved X-T1 it though me off not having them the same, so the Fuji’s are still Shutter button focus.

Having the camera set to B B also messes with friend’s minds when they grab my camera to take my picture.

[Aperazzo_Salsa_Pics]

I shoot a lot at salsa parties.
I always use BBF in combination with continues focus on my Nikon D500.
I will “lock in” on a dancing couple and keep my BBF button pressed I than click when I see them do something interesting. Yes, I have a bunch of misses. But I also always have a great many shots of the dancers in full motion that are tack sharp. I intentionally shoot to capture motion blur in hands and hair to add some extra expression to what takes place.
Also don’t flash/ drag the shutter cause I want to capture the abundant ambient lighting to add to the feel of the party. Flashing even at low power settings would remove too much of the colors in the ambient light. Dragging would give me the dark cabe the couple would be in.

[jimlowrey]

I like BBF for set pieces - landscapes, etc. when I really want to maximize DoF, etc. I prefer it to moving the focus point around with the joystick, because I then have to remember to move it back/re-center. I totally agree regarding its weakness for anything moving. I spent many years manually focusing on a particular church pew so the bride would be in focus as she flew by.

[hubertcole]

I use the front button for my back button focus (middle finger) since I could not get my thumb to use a button on back of camera like I did for years with my Nikon DSLRs

[qjwbnee]

There is a lot more to discuss regarding BBF. Options for setting up the camera for BBF, focus and recompose, single AF, Continuous AF. Part 2 needed.