Do you: Focus and Recompose, or Compose then Focus?

[dcbear78]

Most of my photography is portraits with time to compose, so I compose and move my focus point as desired. I agree with what has been said and find this technique the most accurate.

If a run n gun situation like a wedding I switch to Nikon's 3D focus and use it in a way that is probably not intended. Using the centre I point I lock focus where I want, hold the focus button (on the back.... The only way) and then recompose as needed and the focus point stays locked to the spot I selected and moves around the viewfinder. Kind of like a combo of the focus and recompose method and compose first method. It works amazingly well.

 

[PhotoriousMe]

Excellent discussion and very helpful for those trying to come to grips with this.

Dave

 

[Overread]

Does anyone prefer using back button focus?

One of my cameras is set to backbutton and the other is still on the shutter button:

1) The camera on the shutter button is the cheaper "weaker" camera that I take on day trips or workexperience where it honestly doesn't matter if it gets broken* and where others might pick it up to get a photo of something happening. So it needs to be simple and idiot proof - so its shutter button.

2) The other camera is my main primary good camera and that is always on back-button focus and never off. In fact it was one of the first things I setup on it when I first got it.

Back-button is good!
It lets you separate focusing from taking a photo which means that if you've got any USM/HSM or other full-time-manual lenses you can shift from manual to autofocus in a second without having to find the little switch hidden on the lens. It also means that if you focus and recompose you can take the shot without a problem - you can also meter different bits of a scene without the focus jumping around etc....

It's good and whilst it takes a little getting used to I would strongly recommend people try it and practice at it as most photographers I know really enjoy it!


-*yes yes it still matters just not as much!

 

[480sparky]

Dammit! I can't find any back-button focus function on my camera!

 

[kapaah]

I use BBF all the time on my D800. On the Olympus EM10 I have no option to do that (at least that I know).

 

[Scatterbrained]

I only use back button focus. No need for focus lock that way. Generally I try to compose pick a focus point that will yield the desired composition. If I can't do it that way then I'll just manually focus (I have a precision focusing screen in one of my cameras). If I can't get a focus point over the subject and I can't manually focus I'll try to use one as close as possible and then recompose.

 

[ak_]

Bit of both - sorta. See something, compose, focus, recompose a bit. Sometimes with street photos I focus/focus lock and wait for people to get closer then quickly frame it.