The focus secret you could be missing out on – back button focus!

Are you tired of missing the perfect shot because your camera won’t focus when you need it to? What if I told you there’s a simple technique that can revolutionise your photography and ensure you never miss a moment again? Stick around because today, we’re diving into the game-changing world of Back Button Focus!

Hi, my name is Rich Dyson from Edinburgh Photography Workshop, and this is Coffee Break Photography.

First things first, what exactly is back-button focus? Essentially, it’s a method that separates your focus control from the shutter button, allowing you to control when your camera autofocuses. This gives you a ton of flexibility, especially when the action is fast-paced or your subject is moving unpredictably.

When you use the shutter button to focus, you’re working against the clock to get that perfect shot before your subject moves on. But with back button focus, you can lock focus separately and shoot at your leisure. Pretty cool, eh?

Now let’s talk about some of the key benefits of this technique in deeper detail:”

[Improved Focus Control]

With back button focus, if your initial framing isn’t working, you can easily recompose your shot without losing the focus you just locked. Imagine you’re taking a portrait outside, and a sudden gust of wind shifts your subject’s hair. No worries! You can hold that focus and simply adjust your framing.”

[Focus Tracking]

This is a game-changer for those who love action shots! If you’re at a soccer match or shooting wildlife, back button focus lets you keep your subjects sharp as they zoom around. You’ll become that photographer who captures the perfect moment every time.

[Better for Low Light Situations]

In low-light environments, your camera can struggle to focus if it’s constantly trying to autofocus each time you press the shutter. By using back button focus, you eliminate that need. Capture the essence of nightlife or dimly-lit events without the frustration!

[Enhanced Creative Control]

You can change your focus points much faster, which is especially useful in dynamic environments like street photography. Capture candid moments without having to think twice about focus—it’s liberating!”

Okay, now let’s set it up on your camera! Grab your camera, and let’s go step by step. Each brand and model is slightly different, but I promise it’s easy. I use Canon cameras, so I’ll demonstrate on my Canon R5. However, I’ll also give you pointers on changing the settings on Sony, Nikon and Fujifilm cameras too.

Navigate to the orange menu and the third page.
Select Customize buttons and change the Shutter button to the asterisk symbol, which means AE lock (while the shutter button is pressed).
Now move down to the AF-ON button, select the option Metering and AF start, and press the OK button.
You can also change the AF operation button from Single Shot to Servo. I’ll show you later how this becomes an advantage.

This means your focus will now be separate from the shutter, allowing seamless focusing.

I have used the Sony A7 IV camera to demonstrate how to change to back button focus using this brand.

Head to the menu and find the Custom Settings. It usually looks like a camera icon.
Scroll to the Custom Operation 1 section and select the Custom Key/Dial option.
Choose a button that you want to use for back button focus. Common choices are AF-ON (often found on the back of the camera) or the C1 button. Select this button and choose AF-ON from the list of functions. Now we need to turn off the half-press shutter.
Go back to the Camera Settings Tab and find Shutter AF/Settings. Set the AF w/shutter option to Off.

Now let’s look at a Nikon Z6 and change the camera to use back button focus.

Go to the Custom Settings menu, usually indicated by a pencil icon.

Scroll down to Controls and select it (it may be labelled as Custom Controls). Then choose the AF-ON Button or Movie Record Button (depending on which button you want to use for back button focus). Set the option to AF-ON. This will allow this button to control focus.

Now we need to disable the shutter from focusing. Go back to the Autofocus section in the Custom Setting Menu. Select AF with Shutter and set it to Off. This ensures that the shutter button will only take a picture without focusing.

Finally, we’ll look at the Fuji XT-5.

For Fujifilm, navigate through the menu to the Custom Settings section, which looks like a spanner (or a wrench for my American viewers).

Go to the Button/Dial Setting and find the AF-ON Button (if available), or choose a customisable button you’d like to designate for focusing. Assign the AF-ON function to the selected button. This will allow you to use this button to control autofocus independently from the shutter button.

Go back to the Autofocus Setting within the Custom Setting Menu. Look for the Shutter AF option and set it to OFF. This will prevent the shutter button from activating autofocus.

So, let’s look at how we use back button focus in practice. If the subject is static, you only need to press the focus button once until it’s locked onto the subject. Now, as long as you don’t move forwards or backwards from the subject or change the zoom you are using, you can press the shutter over and over again, and it will remain focussed in the same place, even if you change the composition slightly.

But what if something is moving or you want to change the zoom? That’s no problem. Just keep your finger or thumb on the focus button as you press the shutter, and the camera will automatically remain focused on the moving subject. For these shots of a bus on Princes Street in Edinburgh moving toward me, I changed the focus subject to transport.

And that’s it! With back button focus, you’ll find yourself capturing sharper, more dynamic images. Give it a try, and let me know your experiences in the comments below!

If you’ve enjoyed this video, it would be great if you could like it and share it by clicking on the thumbs-up button below the video. That way, a few more people will get to see it. You can also subscribe to the channel by clicking on this button here. I send out a monthly newsletter to my subscribers with news about photography, as well as exclusive offers. Scan this QR code to sign up. My name is Rich Dyson, from Edinburgh Photography Workshop, and this has been Coffee Break Photography. See you next time.