D7200 Back Button Focus

BradD7200

I am going to try back button focusing with my D7200 and understand their are 2 steps to do this under "Custom Setting Menu":

(1) f Controls - f4 - AF-ON

(2) a Autofocus - a4 AF activation - AF-ON only

Before shooting using BBF I mostly used AF-C and switched between the Release & Focus options. Does it matter if a1 AF-C priority selection is in Release or Focus when using BBF.

Capt_Spaulding

I only use it in release mode.

NIKONTN

Look on YouTube for Steve Perry from back country gallery. He has an excellent video on back button auto focus. Once you go BBF you want go back ,it takes a little time to get use to it though.

BradD7200

Thanks for the info, will check out the video.

BradD7200

The reason for trying BBF was I am having some focus issues currently with the D7200 & the Nikkor 80-400 f/4.5-5.6G ED VR. BBF today gave me the same results as indicated below when shooting with shutter.

I am using a Nikon D7200 paired with the Nikkor 80-400 f/4.5-5.6G ED VR. I am getting sharp images when shooting with the Focus Limit Switch on the lense in the Full position for subjects under 19.69 feet. If i back up to much more than 20 feet and switch the lense to the other setting for over 19.69 feet the images are not in focus. Have tried this on 2 different D7200 bodies with the same results. Not sure if there is a setting or switch I may have in the wrong position. Tried using spot/centre-weighted/& Matrix. I almost always shoot in AF-C doing to shooting owls; raptors and birds.

Lense switches I have verified are:

(1) Focus Mode Switch: A/m
              
(2) The Focus Limit Switch: ∞–6 m

(3) Vibration Reduction ON/OFF Switch:  VR On

(4) Vibration Reduction Mode Switch: Active

(5) Lock: Unlocked

* Body is set to AF.

NIKONTN

I would try autofocus fine tune, you can find videos on you tube. I use Lensalign to fine tune/calibrate. I was surprised how much my 16-35mm was off. It is well worth the time and may solve your problem.

7pilot

From what Mr. Perry says. When you have BBF. Just leave it in AF-C as it will only be AF-C while the back focus button is pressed and will stop focusing AF-S when you release it.

I imagine that your issue is more likely a fine tuning one as nikontn states. Couldn't hurt to try it.

HankB

BradD7200 said:

... I am getting sharp images when shooting with the Focus Limit Switch on the lense in the Full position for subjects under 19.69 feet. If i back up to much more than 20 feet and switch the lense to the other setting for over 19.69 feet the images are not in focus. ...

Does it focus at longer distances when the limit switch is in the full position? If it does, then it needs no calibration. Then your problem would be either the focus limit mode is totally broken, or the limit range starts at something longer than its nominal 6m. Is this causing you a practical problem?

Regardless, back button focus is great. The only down side to BBF is that if you hand the camera to a novice to take a picture, he will screw it up. Unfortunately, setting the D7200 exposure dial to Auto does not turn off the BBF mode.

spraynpray

Why are you using the active VR mode? That is only for shooting from a moving platform.

PB_PM

Active VR is also for panning shots as well.

Photobug

BradD7200 said:

I am going to try back button focusing with my D7200 and understand their are 2 steps to do this under "Custom Setting Menu":

(1) f Controls - f4 - AF-ON

(2) a Autofocus - a4 AF activation - AF-ON only

Before shooting using BBF I mostly used AF-C and switched between the Release & Focus options. Does it matter if a1 AF-C priority selection is in Release or Focus when using BBF.

Yes it matters, the AF-C priority selection must be set at "Release" when using BBF.

When I made the conversion on my D7100 I missed being able to lock the exposure by pressing that AE back button so I went into the menus and turned on that feature for the shutter button. Now I can hold the shutter button part way down and it locks exposure, hit BBF to lock focus, then recompose and shoot the picture.

HankB

Normal VR mode is for reasonably steady handholding which does include smooth panning. The Active mode is for shooting from a moving vehicle, walking while shooting, or other unsteady camera holding. At least this is so with the newer VR labeled "VR II".

I can only presume that "Active" makes more aggressive movement compensations which makes me wonder if Active is less compatible with panning. Engineering details we don't have are amplitude and frequency range of VR compensations, just what camera movements are detected, and how the VR logic responds to them.

What I am sure of is that:
  1) details may vary between lens models and vintages;
  2) our having to struggle to know, and then having to guess, is yet another example of diabolical marketing people suppressing important engineering information (marketeer's manipulative reasoning is to not confuse the ignorant masses...we "civilians").