Back Button Focus: Two Minute Tips with David Bergman

Join New York based music and sports photographer David Bergman in this exciting new series Two Minute Tips with David Bergman. In this episode David show us how to take focus off of the shutter button for maximum control.

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Video Produced by David Bergman

You can keep up with David on Instagram and Twitter @DavidBergman

Like, share, and comment on the video below...let's get the conversation started!

If you have questions, please share them below.

[burple]

Years ago I heard about back button focus, but wasn't completely sold, although I figured I'd give it a try. Since doing so, I've never gone back...er, that is I've never returned to the default settings of having my shutter and focus both controlled by the same button. Very good, quick video that demonstrates the advantage of BBF very well.

[kidsafe]

Surprised so many people don't seem to understand how nice it is being able to set your camera to continuous focus and just leave it there. Depress AF-On, it focuses continuously. Release AF-On, it behaves like single-focus mode. Everyone should learn to use this technique...there's really no downside other than taking a few moments learning how to use it.

[KevinMphotography]

Note...you can use the shutter button to focus on the H and not have it refocus on the h when you recompose. Just need to have it on one shot focus mode so it's not really an issue.

[runnerpsu]

Nice video. Back button focusing does provide a better was to capture ones photos. I'm hooked on manual focus magnification that my A7 ii give me. Not sure I will go back to BB.

[asry]

Thanks for this tip, I am a beginner in photography and suffered from this problem a lot, it's amazing, thanks again.

[camouflet]

Excellent tip - thank you. It works in video mode too!

[okiepitat-town]

I whole-heartedly agree on back button focus. It’s the only way to go.

[ElliaIvyMcLeod]

That two stage shutter button works great for me.

[EricLefebvrePhotography]

"When you mash down on that shutter button and use the auto-focus function that way it generally will focus on what is in the center of the frame".

That's if you use the center focus point, depending on your camera you can determine the focus pattern. Most DSLRs also have a quick way to change the focus pattern.

90% of the time I use the center focus point, half press shutter and recompose technique.

[monkeyman]

I've been using back button focus on my 60D for a few weeks now. It seems to work well. I'm just a little curious as to how this effects image stabilization in the lens. If I focus and recompose and take too long, will the IS turn off?

[MarkGraham]

Who knew?, ... that back button focus would be such a polarizing topic 😆 Good job David Bergman

[rajithodlme]

Hi, i assigned backbutton focus on my canon 77d to AF-ON button. I sat 1m from my pc monitor and was trying to focus the cables. The af-on was not focussing this. Upon holding down the af-on button (long press), the focus smoothely shifts without picking the cable. What could be the reason? Thanks

[Bevieevans]

This changed my whole world when I found out about bbf! I actually find it a lot easier than using the shutter button to focus and would never go back!

[mubblemann]

Or just manually select a focus point in the frame.

[nipotui]

I have a Canon t3i and I figured a different way to solve the same problem. I assigned one of my back buttons (* button I think) to AF-lock (disable auto-focus momentarily), this way I still focus on the half-shutter button, and when I hold the back button the focus doesn't move, instead of pressing the back button every time I need to re-focus.

[looopyu]

Manual focus can be a better solution under certain circumstances.

[dwlphoto]

Half press the shutter button on your subject... Hold the button half pressed and recompose. Completely press and take the picture. Never needed the AF-Function separated from the shutter button.

[Maxsdiscos]

If you set the focus to single, surely the problem is resolved?

[andreamulder]

Back focus is great for still life and landscapes and a few other subject matter but for action photography, sports, aviation and in some cases wildlife and bird photography it is a failure. I have used both and this is what I have found in practice.

[biiruben]

however I now never get a picture of myself at a scene - either my family or strangers may offer to take a picture of me, but invariably the image is blurred for reasons I struggle to fathom, until I remember I need explain this to them... and yet the 2nd picture is invariably still blurred because they never have the confidence to press a second button other than the shutter.