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Thread Title: Back button Focus
Added by Ian Mc on 11/Sep/06 at 10:11:47
I''ve just turned on the back button focus (swapping the *AE Lock for the autofocus on the shutter button) feature on my two canons. Its made a real improvement to my sports shots. Does anyone else use it.
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Added by snapzz on 11/Sep/06 at 11:01:12
Using the * button to lock the focus (if that is what you mean) is very popular with many sports photographers. I''ve tried it but just couldnt get on with it and still prefer to use the shutter button.
Graham
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Added by Paul Smith on 11/Sep/06 at 11:22:14
I use it for all my equestrian work, it took a while to adapt to, but now I can''t work any other way, and get really confused if I pick up a camera not set up that way
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Added by Ian Mc on 11/Sep/06 at 12:13:11
It was equestrian I was doing yesterday. I found it a real benefit. I tried it on Rugby as well, and was very pleased with the results. It does take a bit of getting used to though.
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Added by SteveF on 11/Sep/06 at 12:14:15
I tried it but couln''t get on with it. I have a ''home'' point for portrait oriented shots to focus on the head and it''s on the WB button so pressing two buttons would have been out of the question anyway!
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Added by Paul Smith on 11/Sep/06 at 12:30:35
Ian - where r u based ??
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Added by Dale Shires on 11/Sep/06 at 14:07:23
Now Im lost, eerrr not wishing to sound like a total dork but can you guys explain a bit more what you are on about. I genuinely would like to know more about this feature. I have a 1Ds. Have I got the right camera for a start. Dale
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Added by Ian Mc on 11/Sep/06 at 14:30:06
Dale,
I''m using the 1DMK11 and a 1DMKII N. Instead of half pressing the shutter button to get the auto focus. you use the * on the back. When you release the button it locks the focus. You can the recompose the picture. Great for sports. If you have two players coming together, using the traditional method of focus, the point of focus would go between the two players.
You can find on the Custom func menu, custom func 04. Option AE Lock/AF
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Added by Ian Mc on 11/Sep/06 at 14:31:19
Message for Paul Smith.
Business is based in Yorkshire. Although I live in Gloucester. So can work almost anywhere
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Added by snapzz on 11/Sep/06 at 14:34:47
On the rear of your camera near to where you will place your right thumb there is a * button. This can be used to "lock" the focus instead of half pressing the shutter.As mentioned earlier this is popular with many sports togs as it allows them to concentrate on following the action.They can then record by pressing the shutter in one movement at the height of the action.
To set the * please consult your manual under CF settings.
Graham
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Added by Paul Smith on 11/Sep/06 at 14:37:26
Dale - definatly possible on the 1ds, i''ve used this option from the 10d onwards, as Ian says it''s CF4 - option 3 means that the exposure wont be calculated until the shutter is fully depressed, so you can track a subject with the shutter half depressed without locking the exposure. If you select option1 then I think you focus with the * and lock the exposure with a half press of the shutter button, which also has it''s uses
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Added by David BSI on 11/Sep/06 at 16:30:32
Apologies Snapz but I am getting rather confused as I thought the star button on the back locks the exposure not the focus. Am I missing something here? Thanks David
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Added by Dale Shires on 11/Sep/06 at 16:41:54
Paul and Ian, many thanks, I do feel a bit stupid not knowing about my own camera, sounds like a useful option and makes sense. I did wonder what it was for but never actually bothered reading the instructions. Dale
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Added by Barry Moir on 11/Sep/06 at 16:51:53
can also be found in custom settings on canon 350d
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Added by Paul Smith on 11/Sep/06 at 17:50:43
Dale - don''t feel stupid, I was shown this by the guy that taught me about equestrain photogrpahy, and probably wouldn''t have discovered it by reading the manual - CF4 is entitled Shutter Button/AE lock button, so I doubt if I would have put 2 and 2 together and realised the benefit. To complicate matters further you can then adapt it using CF18, which makes the home button a focus button as well, so you now have 2 buttons on the back that can be used as focus buttons, but using different focus points. this is a real bonus if you need to set a focus point off centre, but may still need to use centre focus.
david BSI - the standard use of the star button with no Custom functions set is to lock exposure, but you have the ability via custom function 4 to adapt the way that button works, option 4 means that exposure is not metered until the shotis taken, option 1 means that both focus and exposure are locked, via the * button, option 2 - never used it, not sure what it does....
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Added by snapzz on 11/Sep/06 at 18:03:42
Added by snapzz on 11/Sep/06 at 18:06:30
Added by David BSI on 11/Sep/06 at 18:28:54
Added by SteveF on 11/Sep/06 at 20:53:16
Added by Chris_L on 11/Sep/06 at 21:10:17
Added by Paul Smith on 11/Sep/06 at 22:42:44
Sorry Steve F I will try and refrain from being the class smartass :-)
Added by Michelle on 12/Sep/06 at 01:18:36
Added by CarlOgden on 12/Sep/06 at 08:27:14
Added by SteveF on 12/Sep/06 at 08:57:00
Added by SteveF on 12/Sep/06 at 14:17:38
Added by Barry Moir on 12/Sep/06 at 14:26:24
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"david BSI - the standard use of the star button with no Custom functions set is to lock exposure, but you have the ability via custom function 4 to adapt the way that button works, option 4 means that exposure is not metered until the shotis taken, option 1 means that both focus and exposure are locked, via the * button, option 2 - never used it, not sure what it does...."
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Sorry dont know what happened there. Should have ended with
"Thanks Paul couldnt have put it better myself"
Graham
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Thanks Paul and Snapzz. I was getting confused as some people were making comments about focus lock while others were talking exposure. I now understand what you mean. Thanks again - David
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Ok smartie-pants, aka Paul Smith :-) You''ve taught me something tonight.
I''ll have a look at that sometime and try it out. Never bothered to lump the CF together before but, I guess I''ll HAVE to read the manual a bit more...:-)
Seems I might not have to grow two thumbs after all.
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I use this feature all the time, one button set to centre point and the other set to 45 point focus. Does anybody (especially equestrian shooters) use any other combination that you find particularly useful?
Chris
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Ok smartie-pants, aka Paul Smith :-) You''ve taught me something tonight.
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Forgive my laziness, but is this feature available on the Nikon D200?
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If you''ve not got the original manual with the camera, consider buying Magic Lanterns books on the camera you''ve got. Amazon do them for about £10 or so. Well worth it!
Carl.
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No Paul, don''t refrain - despite my studies of the manual, I''ve failed to see the connection between the two. Having tried with one button I quickly went back to the ''standard'' as I lost my ''home'' point lock. Tis obvious I need to re-consider.
Cheers.
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Paul, you referred to CF4, option 2 "not sure what it does" - it stops the AF in AI mode while pressed, you can then use manual (on the lens) say if something passes between you and the subject. That''s how mine is set. However, and it''s coming back to me, I cannot use that function mixed with CF18 and I prefer to be able to stop the AF this way round, otherwise you''ve always got to have thumb pressure on the * button. Obvious, really:)
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Jeez, you call yourself pro photographers and you have no idea how to set back button focus using 15 custom functions and none of you read the manual. just amazes me :) please note use of smiley -- meaning im only pulling your pud as they say in scotland
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