Back button focusing?

TomWret · Jan 23, 2016

I have a K5lls and am curious what is the advantage of "back button focusing" as compared to 1/2 depression of top button and where do I find it on my K5lls camera?

Thanks in advance,

Tom W(ret)

mulveyr · Jan 23, 2016

TomWret said:
I have a K5lls and am curious what is the advantage of "back button focusing" as compared to 1/2 depression of top button and where do I find it on my K5lls camera?

Thanks in advance,

Tom W(ret)

Primarily, If you're taking multiple shots of something at a given distance, you can focus once and then not have to wait for a re-focus for subsequent ones.

From a purely ergonomic point of view, on my K3 I find that I tend to support the camera better when handheld and have less shake when I use BB focusing instead of the shutter button.

miles green · Jan 23, 2016

It also helps when you focus and recompose, and when you use manual lenses with CIF, and wish to recompose.

Once i started using the back focus button, i never wanted it on the shutter half-press any more. Canon used to have a good tutorial regarding back button focusing, try googling it.

brandrx · Jan 23, 2016

TomWret said:
I have a K5lls and am curious what is the advantage of "back button focusing" as compared to 1/2 depression of top button and where do I find it on my K5lls camera?

Hi tom,

Press Menu, then go to tab #5. Scroll down to Button Cusomization. Then scroll down to Shutter Button Half Press. Then choose Off.

Now you can only AF by pressing the AF Back Button.

Ron

--
Ron - 'We don't have time to go take pics this afternoon Carl.'
Carl - 'What do you mean? It will only take 1/1000s.'
'Keep your eyes looking forward. However, glance back now and then to see where you've come from. It will put a smile on your face.' ~ brandrx

Tan68 · Jan 23, 2016

I believe you can make a User setting with back button focusing for times you want to use it and a User setting for shutter button focusing. If you would like to switch back and forth easily.

I use the back button all the time. But, I often focus on whatever it is I like and recompose. Once I have focus set,I don't need to worry about it shifting if I am taking a series on a tripod or whatever.

If I switch to continuous focus, I can just keep the back focus button depressed and click the shutter when I am ready. I have a K-5 and haven't held a K-3 but the position of the back focus button looks easier to use on the K-3.

If you are new to using the back button (AF Button), it is very likely you will forget to hold that button at some time and end up with furry pictures. Just takes a while to change habit is all I mean.

To set up back button focus, you will need to use go to the Image menu or whatever the first (red colored) set of menu items is called.

For K-5
> Menu tab 5
'Button Customzation'
'AF Button' = Enable AF
'Shutter Button Half Press' = Off

Should be about the same for your kind of K-5

TomWret · Jan 23, 2016

Thanks to all!!

Tom W(ret)

Paul_R_H · Jan 24, 2016

Another advantage. You never have to switch between S-AF and C-AF. Just leave the camera on C-AF and turn off focussing on the shutter as outlined above.

If you're focussing on a static subject or you're doing foocus-recompose, just touch the button to focus and then release it.

If your subject unexpectedly starts moving, or you suddenly see a moving subject, you simply hold the AF button down.

After decades of AF on the shutter, I tried the back-button once for 10 minutes and immediately felt it was the better method. Have never swithed back, not even for a moment.

Paul

TomWret said:
Thanks to all!!

Tom W(ret)

--
...a bad picture is like a missed putt, it's never your fault.
http://photographybythomaswhitehurst.zenfolio.com

Akar · Jan 24, 2016

Tom, thank you for this question! I was also curious, why the green button is used for focusing. Now I've got some good ideas, which I will try soon.

Andrzej

--
'This is not that serious.. let's all have fun'
http://www.mojefotki.net
Take a look!

TomWret · Jan 24, 2016

Akar, it's nice to have informative people on the site!

Tom W(ret)

PK24X36NOW · Jan 26, 2016

Another advantage. You never have to switch between S-AF and C-AF. Just leave the camera on C-AF and turn off focussing on the shutter as outlined above. If you're focussing on a static subject or you're doing foocus-recompose said:
TomWret, post: 57156457, member: 412414"]
Thanks to all!!

Tom W(ret)

petebfrance · Jan 26, 2016

I've read a number of threads on this subject, and am also tempted to try it. However, one particular use I had in mind seems not to be possible, which is to effectively lock focus for the next shot, for perhaps a few minutes. While doing close-up work - not true macro. really, - I tend to use sheets of white computer paper as reflectors, so if I can lock focus in place I can 'fiddle around' and then, using the 2 second delay, set the camera off.

Tan68 · Jan 29, 2016

This should be exactly a perfect use of focus button.
It should work fine for you...

As long as the subject and/or the camera doesn't move, there is no need to refocus between pictures. Move your reflectors around and have fun.

You would want to set the AF button for 'activate AF'. This way, AF only happens when you press the AF button. No button pressing, no AF'ing

Another way to set all this up is 'interrupt AF'. The way to use this second method, you half press to focus and then hold the AF button if you want to suspend AF activity. You release the AF button and you are back to regular old half press to focus. If you have the AF button set to 'interrupt', I can understand you have difficulty. [i looked just now and the actual option is to 'cancel' AF rather than 'interrupt', but the result is the same - AF halts while button is pressed]

If this doesn't help you, what is happening ?

Akar, the green button isn't the right thing to press. Your camera may have an AF button and this is the one to use. Although, I am not familiar with all the cameras... does some model use the green button as AF button ?

Wanganuibloke · Jan 29, 2016

Akar said:
..... I was also curious, why the green button is used for focusing.

It isn't on K-5 bodies, what are you using ?

petebfrance · Jan 30, 2016

Thank-you. I think I may have misunderstood something (which I can't find now) in the manual which implied that the focus was only locked for a limited length of time so I didn't use it. I'll try next time I do some close-ups.

On this camera it is the AF/AEL button. I've come across mentions of using the green button on a forum, but that looked to be for a method of getting the camera to reassess exposure when using stop-down metering.

regards

Pete

Akar · Jan 31, 2016

I just checked it and.. you are right! What a surprise. My K5 is now used only with macro lens, my every day camera is K5IIs, which has the dedicated AF button. I didn't know the difference before. AFAIK the green button in K5 may be dedicated as AF button too.

Andrzej

--
'This is not that serious.. let's all have fun'
http://www.mojefotki.net
Take a look!

Twong · Jan 31, 2016

Thank you for the info. I never even thought about using it. However, with so many people using it, I need to reconsider. One thing I don't get it is that does it mean I need to hold down the AF button all the time?

Tan68 said:
I believe you can make a User setting with back button focusing for times you want to use it and a User setting for shutter button focusing. If you would like to switch back and forth easily.

I use the back button all the time. But, I often focus on whatever it is I like and recompose. Once I have focus set,I don't need to worry about it shifting if I am taking a series on a tripod or whatever.

If I switch to continuous focus, I can just keep the back focus button depressed and click the shutter when I am ready. I have a K-5 and haven't held a K-3 but the position of the back focus button looks easier to use on the K-3.

If you are new to using the back button (AF Button), it is very likely you will forget to hold that button at some time and end up with furry pictures. Just takes a while to change habit is all I mean.

To set up back button focus, you will need to use go to the Image menu or whatever the first (red colored) set of menu items is called.

For K-5
> Menu tab 5
'Button Customzation'
'AF Button' = Enable AF
'Shutter Button Half Press' = Off

Should be about the same for your kind of K-5

Tan68 · Jan 31, 2016

I believe both K-5 and K-5 II are buttoned up the same :^)

cutterpup · Jan 31, 2016

Akar said:
I just checked it and.. you are right! What a surprise. My K5 is now used only with macro lens, my every day camera is K5IIs, which has the dedicated AF button. I didn't know the difference before. AFAIK the green button in K5 may be dedicated as AF button too.

Andrzej

DarylK · Jan 31, 2016

No, you don't have to hold it down continuously unless you want continuous focusing.
--
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Great photography is largely a matter of perspective, both visually and mentally - Daryl Kottwitz (but probably said before

)

My gallery: http://darylkottwitzphoto.smugmug.com
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AviPro · Jan 31, 2016

Thanks for the post and the answers, very useful

I tried this by selecting single point AF and wow, you can exactly pin point what you want to focus and not what the AF system wants.

- Do I still need to half press the shutter and wait for metering? How does this affect metering - is it continuous?

Back button focusing?

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