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Practicing with Rear Button Focus

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
I haven’t used my E-M1 in about 8 months, so being I have to shoot some paid work starting next week when I return to Canada - I felt I should get used to the feel of it before I am under pressure to perform.

I have decided to try rear button focus for the first time. And that is quite a balancing act - not as quick and spontaneous as just pressing the shutter button. I wanted to see if it was worth the extra effort, and also get used to figuring out by feel where on the camera back the button is.

I did find that awkward and think I will use that camera every day this week so finding the button and using it along with the front shutter button, will become more natural. I was very pleased with the results though and hope it is a good focusing solution with my portrait work.

Here are a few of the practice shots from tonight - all in lower light just before dawn. I had the 40-150 kit lens mounted on my E-M1.




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Chris Calohan

Well-known member
I can't even imagine going back to the old way. Back button is faster and you get far fewer "dead frames" from accidentally tripping the shutter.
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
I can't even imagine going back to the old way. Back button is faster and you get far fewer "dead frames" from accidentally tripping the shutter.
Honestly, I see that I will continue to use both methods. There is no way that Rear Button Focusing is faster than using the shutter button in many shooting situations —- for me. My Olympus cameras focus blazingly fast when aiming and firing with the shutter button.

However I can see the advantage of setting the focus with my thumb so that the subject or focus range, stays in focus - and so that may be more accurate in more static situations. I am hoping this will be good for the group portraits that I will be shooting at home in the next weeks, where I can be more deliberate and take time - where I can set the focus and not worry that it has to refocus every time I press or half press the shutter. Probably times where I focus by pressing the shutter and then switch to MF so focus stays there. No need for the switch and the frustration on the next shots of realizing I am still in MF. As for dead frames from accidentally tripping the shutter, I can’t say I have that problem.

One thing I am having a challenge with on my Olympus E-M1 is landing my thumb on the button when I need to focus - I’m sure it will come with practice and that will make the process more fluid —- but the positioning of it close the EVF means I have to reach to press it. Maybe other camera brands have that button close to where the thumb would naturally be when gripping.

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Chris Calohan

Well-known member
When I shoot the D500 using BBF, I can shoot so bloody fast and never once lose focus. I mainly shoot fast movers like Green Herons, Least Bitterns, Hawks and the like.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
What is the correct abbreviation: BBF or BFB? Or is it different for different camera makes.

Do you keep the button pressed before tripping the shutter so the front shutter button doesn’t have the camera AF anew?

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
What is the correct abbreviation: BBF or BFB? Or is it different for different camera makes.

Do you keep the button pressed before tripping the shutter so the front shutter button doesn’t have the camera AF anew?

Asher

No need to half press or hold down the button. Just push the button until focus is acquired. Point to something else and press the button to focus there. Shutter release and Exposure acquisition are disengaged and available with the main shutter release.

I think my preferred way of using the method of focusing will be using SAF w Manual Focus. Press the button to focus and then if you still need some fine tuning, turn the manual focus ring. This can’t really be done using focus on the shutter button with a half press.
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
What about a focus lock button on the lens barrel?

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Not that I will use a button the lens if available —- but it got me thinking about the 2 function buttons on the front of my EM-1 that J never even consider let alone use. Turns out my middle finger sits over the top one and third finger sits on top of the bottom button while gripping the camera with my right hand. Olympus allows any of these to be assigned, and after setting them up for focus, I know exactly where the button is and can use my first finger at the same time for the shutter. No thumb involved. With my grip attached, the two buttons are right under my thumb when in portrait mode.
 

Chris Calohan

Well-known member
I can manually adjust focus during a half press on both my Canon 7D ii and Sony a6000.

As can I on my Nikon D500 or 810 by simply reaching back with my pinkie and with the BBF pressed, turning the focus ring makes it go into manual focus instantly. I use this feature when I am shooting birds in heavy foliage where the auto-focus generally picks the nearest object.
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
I must be missing something on BFB
I never use it and why ?

First, because the Face Detection... detects the face and the eye if need be and if it is set to do so...

Second, because if I press the shutter button over and over it normally change the focus point automatically. If it doesn't, I can point the right place for it.

Third, if I use a very wide aperture say 1.4 the shallow DoF is not forgiving the movements of the camera focus plane (or block) and focus will not be tack sharp. Back to face/eye detection. Right or left eye ? Your choice.

Some lenses do not have the barrel button. Only the PROs I think...

For landscape photography I think it is pointless.

Am I wrong and where ?

(Side explanation - I own 2 M-5 Mk II. On both cameras I have the same settings because these cameras allows you to save them on the computer and back them up if you screw your settings in some way. For testing and paying around for example.
This was the reason why I bought the second body. Not available, neither on M-1 (but available on M-1 II) nor on the attractive Pen F)

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Robert Watcher

Well-known member
I realize everyone uses their cameras for different scenarios in their own way for their own reasons. While I shoot many genres, I am primarily a professional portrait photographer. That is how I have provided a home and food on my table for just under 40 years. So the thoughts that I am expressing on this public forums, are based on that mindset. I have paid portrait work in the upcoming weeks that I need to sharpen up my skills and prepare for.

I valued finding out about this Back/Rear Button Focusing method for the following reason. For large groups, I actually don’t want the half pressing of the shutter, refocusing my lens. I focus 1/3 way into the group and want it left there. In the old days when I had to focus manually - pre dependable AF - I never worried about this. And to be frank, focusing using the shutter isn’t a huge issue. But this way I am experiment8ng with will be much more like my old Manual days, but hopefully a better mix using AF.

Actually closer portraits of individuals and couples also benefit from have the focus being fixed - as the distance is the same and generally there are just subtle head movements. I am referring to formal portrait settings and studio settings with flash. In a flash setting indoors or in a studio, I am generally at f8 or smaller. I don’t need to be refocusing.

Anyway I’ll see how it goes and may feel the need to switch back to the shutter button, when I am on the battle field. Who knows. LOL

Come to think of it, there are many situations lately where I have used SAF to attain focus, and then switched to MF on the Super Control Panel so the focus doesn’t change. In fact that is my normal process with the Live Composite work and Time Lapse Photography that I am becoming more engrossed in lately.

In all these situations, I can see Rear Button Focus eliminately the juggling act of switching focus between AF and MF - and then forgetting that I switched the camera to MF when I take the next shots and can’t figure out what is going on (same thing happens when I set the self timer and forget I set it when I take the next shot - and then I have to wait 12 seconds for the shutter to release, and I’ve missed the shot - so frustrating).


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