Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Been doing this for about 6mts now and find that it's really more convenient than using the shutter button. The only drawback is asking someone to take a pic for you and trying to explain that "this" button is to focus and the shutter button to fire. lol

http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller ... cleID=2286

I've tried it once or twice but and found it strange...I guess you have to give it the time to get used to it........Patience....not my strong suit.

I use the AF button all the time. Tracking is much better this way when shooting especially in sports. I was at the Toronto Rock game last week and had my thumb on the AF button 99% of the time.

I have two problems with it: left eye dominance (so I get to stick my thumb in my right eye all of the time), and I can't disable focus confirmation on either my D80 or my F80, so I'm often denied the shot.

Still, I can see it's uses and plan to keep trying it.

my next body will have AF-ON button!

Yes.

Found it weird at first but now I use it 99% of the time.

Always it gives me additional control by letting me choice when I need to focus. Then again I usually have single point focusing. The new Hasselblad "True Focus and Absolute Position Lock system" to see what the next gen will do.

Yes I use the button on both my Nikon bodies. It took some getting used to at first. Now I find the combination of shutter fro exposure and AF button for focus works great. I still have one set up with the shutter/focus turned on for remote control use.

DG

Yes

I only use the AFL button those times that I am shooting something at a set distance over and over again, and the shooting conditions are difficult (i.e. low light).

It has its uses.... I've used it a number of times.

Just reconfigured my camera to do this, and will try using it for the next few photo sessions.

One advantage of the back-button AF is when it's combined with a remote shutter release (e.g. macro on a tripod). I'll preset my AF with the back-button in Live View, then release the shutter remotely without interfering with the focus. Works like a charm.

I use both depending on the situation.

I back button AF almost exclusively because I like how it also allows me to use my manual focus if needed, and it just feels better.

The only exception is when I'm shooting sports in which case I use shutter AF which I think is completely opposite of imageone. I'm not as comfortable focus tracking with the back button maybe because I have smallist hands.

I configured my user menu to let me switch between the two quickly as needed, and it only takes two button presses.

Like Carlton, it's confusing for my friends when I hand the camera over to them to shoot with.

Tried it, and couldn't get used to, now I do the reverse, I use the AF-On button as AF-Stop.

i've never really tried it enough to get used to it, but i will try it out in the days to come.

thanks for reminding me that this button exists on my camera, Carlton.

another BB'er here.

when I shot Canon, all my friends wondered why my cameras won't focus

On that note...when you're selling your camera, revert it back to default state

I recently started doing this.. and I like separating the focus from exposure

takes getting used too... but very helpful in most situations

my GF hates it though, whenever she picks up my camera, and she forgets I have it set up that way.. she presses the shutter button only, and can't figure out why it isn't focusing

Always! Took me a few days to get used to it but now I find it invaluable. Specially when tracking moving objects. Put it in continuous, hold the button and snap the shutter when I need it. My keeper rate aka sharp images jumped significantly.

OP. Great article. I have been using back AF too. I did have to changed how I normally took pictures but it is much better use of the camera's function and capability overall.

I use it (almost) all the time. Make so much easier to take advantage of the full time time manual focus feature of the USM lenses.

One thing I noticed is the external flash will not fire if the focus is set to the AF button. Weird Canon.

Depends. As mentioned for shooting moving objects and hand held closeup / macro I prefer the default.

For portraiture set it to BB as it helps approximate the focus then I manual from there.

I find the back AF button to awkward. I like the focus and shutter button to be the same, less buttons to push makes it easier for me.

When I pass the camera to someone else to snap a shot for/of me, then I put it in auto mode, cuz that re-enables the shutter half press to autofocus.

I also turn on Live View (if not, they will inevitably ask why they don't see anything on the screen)

Depends on the camera UI and what lenses I'm using. I used it almost exclusively on the D300 (with AF-S/HSM lenses) but I tend to use it as an adjunct to MF rather than using AF as a primary focus method. With my current kit, it's not really an option, although my E-30 is set to work this way in AF-C and with shutter AF activation in AF-S