Back-Button Focus: Why EVERYONE should use that AF-On autofocus button

22 23



WATCH THIS UPDATED VIDEO INSTEAD:

SUBSCRIBE and like
Buy the #1 book with 14+ HOURS of video on Amazon:
Worldwide use 10% off coupon ‘YouTube’:

Lightroom video book $10 on Amazon:
Photoshop video book $10 on Amazon:
Photography Buying Guide on Amazon:
Worldwide use 10% off coupon ‘YouTube’:

STARTER CAMERAS:
Basic Starter Camera ($280 used at Amazon): Canon T3
Better Starter Camera ($500 at Amazon): Nikon D5300
Better Travel Camera ($500 at Amazon): Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II

LANDSCAPE CAMERAS:
Good ($550 at Amazon): Sony a6000
Better ($1,400) at Amazon: Nikon D5500 & Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8
Best ($3,150) at Amazon: Pentax K-1 & Pentax 24-70 f/2.8

PORTRAIT CAMERAS:
Beginner ($950 at Amazon): Canon T6i & Canon 50mm f/1.8
Better ($3,000 at Amazon): Nikon D610 & Tamron 70-200 f/2.8
Best ($5,300) at Amazon: Nikon D810 & Nikon 70-200 f/2.8E

WILDLIFE CAMERAS:
Starter ($1,100 at Amazon): Canon 7D & Canon 400mm f/5.6
Great ($3,200 at Amazon): Nikon D500 & Nikon 200-500 f/5.6

VIDEO CAMERAS:
Beginner ($500 at Amazon): Panasonic G7 & Panasonic 14-42mm
Better ($1,400 at Amazon): Panasonic GH4 & Panasonic 14-140 f/3.5-5.6
Best ($4,300 at Amazon): Panasonic GH5 & Metabones Speed Booster XL & Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 & Sigma 50-100 f/1.8

DRONES:
Beginner ($400 at Amazon): DJI Phantom 3
Travel ($1,000 at Amazon): DJI Mavic Pro
Better Image Quality ($1,500 at Amazon): DJI Phantom 4 Pro

22 Comments
  1. Tony & Chelsea Northrup says

    📚 Get our books! 📚
    📕Stunning Digital Photography (Amazon): http://help.tc/s
    📘Lightroom 6 Book (Amazon): http://help.tc/l
    📗Photoshop Book (Amazon): http://help.tc/p
    📙Buying Guide (Amazon): http://help.tc/b

  2. jeffisso says

    Tony this was a fantastic demonstration of back button focus and why you should use it. I'm kind of new to this and this was so helpful!!

  3. Sandro Losi says

    Hi Tony & Chelsea! I found this tutorial only today and found it very interesting … I have one question : i have a Canon 6D mk2. Do you think that AF-C on my camera is reliable enough to be used as shown in your video? Or is better to switch between AF-S and AF-C depending on the subject? I had previosuly a fuji xt1, and i remember that the AF-C was always hunting for focus if pointed at a stationary subject …

    Thanks

  4. 1455ash says

    Can someone explain to me what is the difference between this method and just leaving it in continuous focus and using shutter button focus?

  5. Falkwings says

    Thank you for this video, it is so freaking useful!

  6. Christopher Banning says

    Is back focusing needed for sony now days

  7. NorthernOtyg says

    I still like the regular shutter focus, and since it takes me about 0.5 seconds to switch to continuous on my Fuji, there's no reason personally to use back-button focus. I'll be in single mode usually, with normal shutter focus, half hold to recompose, and if I need continuous mode, I just flick a hardware switch without looking and it's done.

  8. Iain Nicholl says

    No.

  9. Daktari says

    WHAT!!!!! Why was I never told about this!!! I have Read Books on focusing, I have them right now, and This is the first time I’ve heard about the back focus button. I’m kinda pissed right now. Lolo.

  10. Mon legaspi says

    Nice, thank you sir for this info 👍 – im a beginner photographer

  11. Thomas Nichol says

    Does the Canon AI – Focus function do the same thing? That's meant to switch from on shot to servo.

  12. Zoran Randjelovic says

    I am confused :/

  13. studio7 says

    Superb…..

  14. Rodel Sangalang says

    Tony/Chelsea: do you think BBF is still necessary with newer technologies like AF-lock, eye AF, or face detection? Love your vids and books BTW! 🙏🏽.

  15. hitmhard says

    Why not use AI servo the whole time??

  16. Chris Taylor says

    I have an ancient canon t1i and I have been using back button focus since a couple months after I got it…

  17. dfg297lpopdirk says

    if your in continuous focus wether she is running or still you get the same result why complicate it ??

  18. Dennis Maher says

    Still don’t understand a word he said, I know he is only pressing one of two buttons, But which one does he press and which on does he let go?

  19. migkiller175 says

    Is there a way to apply that to a Fuji X-t20?

  20. Rial Mondal says

    Can't you just use ai-focus instead? If you use ai-focus, you can recompose like you normally would in single-shot af, and track the subject like you would with continuous

  21. James Golden says

    Thank you dearly 🙏

  22. Mr Negative says

    I was waiting for the ball to hit him. Or maybe it did and he edited it out 🤔

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.