Jackie Dives - Thank you for this! In the Custom Controls menu, should the "LENS" option be set like it is in the above image, or does that matter?
William - Thank you for sharing..
brian - Thanks for the tips MJ! I am semi bedridden at present, but I hope to try these tips out soon. Blessings to you for sharing!
Wendy van Zyl - Thank you so much. Your blogs are super. One can learn so much from you. Your photos are super stunning. ?
Steve Caron - Thanks for your very clear explanation of how to set this up. I have been on several sites where it wasn't explained as clearly as you do in very few words. I just got back from India and I wish I had been using this on my trip.
Maggie - Hello! I've never used back button focus, but just read your article and really want to try! Currently, my canon 5D has focus point set smack in the center. I'm taking photos of a volleyball team today. It will be in a gym with horrible lighting and probably about 4-5 rows of girls. Would you recommend that I set my aperture to F16? I'm not sure I should try something new (BBF) before my shoot, but also want to make sure all the players are tack sharp. Thank you!
Melissa Jill - Hi Maggie! F16 would definitely be safe, but that will mean you need a lot of extra light to get the group well lit. Do you plan to bring flashes and umbrellas? That would be ideal if the lighting in the gym is horrible. Otherwise, you might suggest taking everyone outside if that is possible. Back button focus is great, but definitely practice a little before you do your shoot today! Good luck!
jan - I own canon5DM3 and have been using BB focussing, One set it up to do this, it then reverts back to the default setting, and I need to re set it again. Can you please help...Love your site...cheers Jan
Nikki - Love this! I've been using BBF exclusively for a while but it was something I just stumbled upon and I never figured out how to "track" moving subjects! Toddlers should be much easier now! lol.
Wairimu Gitahi - Hello Melissa, Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya!! I have been looking for someone to explain to me how to set Canon 5D mark III to back button focus setting with no luck. But, today I searched again and found your explanation. My camera is now all set. Thank you very much!
Crystal - So I just put my 70-200 lens on and it seems to NOT lock? Seems to be 'tracking' focus instead of locking? What am I doing wrong? I'd love to learn this. =)
Hannah Bjorndal - This is so helpful! Thank you!!!
kim - Thanks for sharing this information!! I was trying to figure this out!
rebecca - Interested in what you say here about AI Servo - do you mean to leave it on this setting ALL the time, like even when photographing a perfectly still subject?
Annie - Aiming at something with high contrast is such an amazing tip! Makes perfect sense! Thanks for posting!
Serra - Thanks for writing this! I've been trying to learn the back-button focus thing for a while now and haven't been able to get it to work. I got it to work today, but was using the AF-ON button. Is there a reason you leave that button "OFF" and set the * button to be AF? I'd love to hear the why behind that if you have a chance. Thanks in advance!
Melissa Jill - Hi Andy, I really don't find that happens too often. Of course, at wider apertures, there are more soft images in general, but I don't think the recomposing has as much to do with it as the focus accuracy does. When I shoot head shots within only a few feet at 1.2, I get them crystal clear every time since I have a lot of control over where I lock focus before recomposing.
Andy Garcia - Do you find that if you focus & recompose while shooting at wide apertures, you end up with soft images...a lot even unusable?
Melissa Jill - Hi Jenn -- While it may be easier to focus in low light with all of the focus points selected, that won't guarantee accurate focus. I still leave my focus point on the center at all times and when in low-light situations, I use my low-light focus trick found here: http://www.melissajill.com/blog.cfm?postID=988&flash-series-pt-low-light-focus-trick
Melissa Jill - Hi Martino, It's fairly easy to transition, I think. Only takes about one shoot to do so. It's much easier than learning to shoot manually, for instance. Hope this helps!
Martino Mingione - I know of this function, but have not converted over to it yet. Was there any learning curve you encountered when you made the shift?
jenn - melissa, i have been using this ever since our workshop and it's been great!! just wondering, do you ever use all focus points (in certain situations) or always use one focus point (at all times)? in smaller and dimmed light rooms with limited space to work on, sometimes i found it easier to focus on all? (if i used one focus, there is a tendency it's back focusing) would love to hear your thoughts.
Jenny Bishop - I just got my Mark iii last month and figured out the back focus but I'm so glad you did a screen shot of all your other settings because that was super helpful too. Random question...when you're shooting with the center focus box and recomposing, does the box always light up red when your image is focused? With my original 5D that little box always lit up red when I pressed the back focus button but with the Mark iii I'm noticing it only lights up when my surroundings are dark. It makes it hard to determine if the camera is really focusing where I want it to. Is there a different setting that I'm missing or is that just the new camera? Thanks in advance!!! :)
Jennifer Clapp - Since I found your first article I have been using the back focus button!! And changed to AI servo. I was always shooting on one shot and never could get the walking pictures clear. I also always aim the center focus button on their eye but now I am going to use your tip of focusing on something with more contrast. That is an awesome tip! I cannot wait to meet you in a couple weeks. I learn so much from your blogs. I can't even imagine what I am going to learn in 2 days!!
Tom - Love this! Great info on your site! Been using back-button focus ever since I came across your first article! Sometimes off-focus for moving subjects on consecutive shots though...