{"id":362381,"date":"2023-01-26T12:17:36","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T12:17:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/?post_type=learning-centre&p=362381"},"modified":"2024-04-15T17:57:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T16:57:00","slug":"how-to-use-back-button-focusing","status":"publish","type":"learning-centre","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-gb\/learning-centre\/how-to-use-back-button-focusing\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use Back-Button Focusing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back-button focusing is a technique used by professionals and serious enthusiasts to add speed and versatility to their photography. It\u2019s simple to do, but takes practice. And although your X Series camera can be easily used in this way, it will most likely not be set up straight out of the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is back-button focusing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Starting out, most photographers learn to focus by half-pressing the shutter release button. This activates the camera\u2019s AF system, telling it to focus using the AF mode and AF area that\u2019s been selected. Once focus is achieved, pressing the shutter release further takes the picture. This works fine a lot of the time, but there are some situations where it can slow you down, or lead the camera into focusing on the wrong part of the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back-button focusing changes this way of working for the better. Essentially, it removes the link between AF activation and the shutter button. AF is no longer engaged at the moment the shutter is pressed, and the shutter release is only used to start an exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, you can technically set up other buttons to engage the AF system, so the one you use doesn\u2019t need to be on the back of the camera. But this is the easiest place for it, as with the natural grip of your hand it will fall under your thumb, letting you easily manage the two buttons at once. Some cameras, like X-H2 and X-E4, are designed with dedicated AF-ON buttons in that position; others need to have a button mapped to that function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With AF activation set to an independent button \u2013\u00a0most likely the AF-L or AE-L button if there\u2019s no dedicated AF-ON \u2013 focus is achieved with a single tap in AF-S mode, or by a continuous press in AF-C mode. Either way, when you take your thumb off the button, focus is locked and won\u2019t change until you press it again, even if you press the shutter release to take a picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Puffin\n
Photo 2022 \u00a9 Alan Hewitt | FUJIFILM X-H2S camera and XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR lens, 1\/3500 sec at F7.1, ISO 1600<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why back-button focusing is a good idea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, with your X Series camera\u2019s AF system being so clever, why would you want to take more control than it normally offers? There are plenty of reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back-button focusing provides the benefits of both AF-S and AF-C mode. In fact, by disconnecting the focus from the shutter release, you can work in AF-C alone and don\u2019t need to swap AF mode settings, which speeds up your work. In that way, while we normally think of AF-S as the method of locking focus \u2013 say, for still subjects like landscapes or formal portraits \u2013 with back-button focus it can simply be done by taking your thumb off the AF-ON button, even if you\u2019re in AF-C mode. Focusing stops, so it\u2019s locked in position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is useful in situations where you might need to focus and then reframe, which is common if you don\u2019t want to move the AF point. For instance, you can press AF-ON to focus, take your finger off the button, then recompose and shoot with the framing you want. With the normal method, as soon as you pressed the shutter button, the camera would try to reacquire focus with the AF point now in the wrong position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Young\n
Photo 2022 \u00a9 Bert Stephani | FUJIFILM X-T5 camera and XF56mmF1.2 R WR lens, 1\/250 sec at F1.2, ISO 1250<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Back-button focus is also very useful when switching between stationary and moving subjects. For example, say you\u2019re shooting a bird that\u2019s taken roost. In AF-C mode, you could lock focus on the bird using the back-button method, but as it took off, be able to activate continuous AF as normal by keeping the AF-ON button held down. By disengaging focus from the shutter button, you can also use manual focus to fine-tune or correct sharpness, without the AF being activated again when you touch the shutter release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping your finger off the shutter button has other advantages, too. It avoids pictures being taken accidentally, which can happen as you remain half-pressed to lock the focus, but apply too much pressure. It also reduces focusing errors. If having locked the focus, you accidentally take your finger off the shutter release, you\u2019ll lose it, and will have to refocus before shooting. Conversely, a single press of the AF-ON is all that\u2019s needed to lock focus \u2013 and the button can be held down more easily in AF-C mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When working in AF-C mode and shooting with a fast frame rate, there\u2019s another advantage. Sometimes a subject, like a car or bird, will move slightly behind another object, such as a tree or spectator at the trackside. With focus set to a back button, you can just take your thumb off when that happens, keep shooting, and pick up the subject again when it\u2019s clear. But with the focus locked to the shutter, any picture you take will initially try to focus on the obstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It allows faster shooting, too, because the shutter no longer has to confirm focus, or hunt for the lock on before a picture is taken \u2013 often the difference between a unique moment being captured or missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Race\n
Photo 2022 \u00a9 Jeff Carter | FUJIFILM X-H1 camera and XF16mmF1.4 R WR lens, 1\/15 sec at F3.2, ISO 320<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Are there downsides to back-button focusing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a reason that your X Series camera is set up with focus allied to the shutter button. It\u2019s the easiest way for beginners to understand and work. Back-button focusing involves a little more dexterity than the simpler route, as you\u2019re using two buttons instead of one \u2013\u00a0a bit like driving a manual car as opposed to an automatic \u2013\u00a0so some coordination is needed. But it comes relatively quickly. Another downside could be that back-button focus takes away a button that you might want to assign to something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to set up back-button focusing on your X Series camera<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back-button focusing is easy to set up. You just need to assign a button to the AF-ON function, then tell the camera to unlink the AF function from the Shutter button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To do it, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n