Gulls over the Colorado

SeilerBird · Mar 12, 2012

Bob Buchanan said:
If in a burst mode (shooting many frames per second), the camera is AF-ing as the subject under my center spot focusing moves with and stays on the subject.

I need to clear something up about this Bob. Whether you are using BBF or normal focusing the auto focus is continually interrupted every time the mirror moves out of the way so a shot can be taken. Canon uses a predictive focusing algorithm to guess where the focus is going to be next once it has focused successfully on the first few shots. The nice thing about this is that while doing a burst if you do lose focus it is possible to regain focus without lifting your thumb.

tstumpf · Mar 12, 2012

I've had a Canon 40D for 3 years and have never hear about BBF. Trev bought the camera for me as a birthday gift. At the time, I knew nothing about photography or the camera, and wasn't able to take classes, so having to learn it all at once on my own, has been difficult for a technically naive person.

I'll have to check this out. Thanks guys!

-Roni

SeilerBird · Mar 12, 2012

tstumpf said:
I've had a Canon 40D for 3 years and have never hear about BBF. Trev bought the camera for me as a birthday gift. At the time, I knew nothing about photography or the camera, and wasn't able to take classes, so having to learn it all at once on my own, has been difficult for a technically naive person.

You are welcome, Roni.

BBF is a well kept secret. It is not something a casual photographer could use or would even want to know about. For standard photography focusing with the shutter button works great. But for the professionals and advanced amateurs it is fairly common knowledge.

If you read the entire 40D manual cover to cover then you will not see a single word about BBF. It is very cryptically described. Not all Canons use the same settings to get to BBF. Here is the settings for the 40D:

Menu C - Function IV-1 - AE Lock/Metering + AF Start

or

Menu C - Function IV-2 Enable

The first setting the * button locks both exposure and focus. The second setting, the one I used, just locks the focus.

Larry N. · Mar 13, 2012

For the Nikon D90, go to the "pencil" icon in the menu, then to f4 (assign AE-AL) and select AF-ON. Then the AE-AL button will focus the camera and the shutter release button has no effect on focus.

ShastaLake · Mar 13, 2012

tstumpf said:
What is back button focusing?

-Roni

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/backbutton_af_article.shtml

tstumpf · Mar 13, 2012

Thanks to all of you. This information is very helpful

.

-Roni

SeilerBird · Mar 13, 2012

Roni - If you decide to try BBF please check back in week or two and let me know what you think.

Bob Buchanan · Mar 13, 2012

zzyzx said:
Canon uses a predictive focusing algorithm to guess where the focus is going to be next once it has focused successfully on the first few shots.

Yes - I should have been more clear. That's why they call it AI "Artificial" Intelligence.

Have worked with computer models to predict over the years - e.g., to compare crap table betting strategies as a classroom example and with my work with the Bur of Reclamation.

SeilerBird · Mar 13, 2012

Bob Buchanan said:
That's why they call it AI "Artificial" Intelligence.

Thanks for that bit of trivia, Bob, I did not know that. I always wondered why it was called AI.

tstumpf · Mar 14, 2012

Roni - If you decide to try BBF please check back in week or two and let me know what you think.

Will do that. Thanks.

-Roni

Great Horned Owl · Mar 14, 2012

All of you who like to photograph birds in flight should look into using into a red dot sight. It is a gun sight that (with a proper adapter) mounts on your hot shoe. It enables you to keep both eyes open and aim at the bird while still seeing the entire field in front of you. Somebody from the Cornell dept. of Ornithology did a good article on it at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/bp/flight.

The hot shoe adapter comes from Photosolve http://www.photosolve.com/main/product/xtendasight/index.html.

If you want to try one, there are several different types. The style that seems to work best for bird photography is in the photo below. They run $30 to $40 at Amazon or ebay.

SeilerBird · Mar 14, 2012

I have been aware of RDS for a long time but I have never known anyone who actually used one successfully. My camera already has a red dot built in, it is called a focus point. I use only the center focus point for wildlife shooting (actually for all my shooting). So when my camera is focused on a subject the red dot lights up. With a RDS the dot is lit up all the time, whether or not the camera is actually focused on the subject or not. So in my mind a red dot that is only visible on the subject when it is in focus is a lot more accurate than just having a red dot on the subject.

Great Horned Owl · Mar 14, 2012

zzyzx, you are missing the point of the RDS. When using the camera's viewfinder, it can be be difficult to find the bird initially, and almost as hard to follow its movement.

With a RDS, you sight the camera at the bird through the sight with both eyes open. You aim the camera while still seeing the entire scene in front of you. Finding and following the bird is much easier.

SeilerBird · Mar 14, 2012

orlinsky said:
zzyzx, you are missing the point of the RDS. When using the camera's viewfinder, it can be be difficult to find the bird initially, and almost as hard to follow its movement.

With a RDS, you sight the camera at the bird through the sight with both eyes open. You aim the camera while still seeing the entire scene in front of you. Finding and following the bird is much easier.

I did not miss any point. If you are having problems finding the bird in your viewfinder then you either don't have much experience with BIF or you are zooming your lens all the way out to maximum length and putting one eye up to the viewfinder and trying to find the bird. I find the bird with the lens at a lower zoom setting with one eye open and one eye in the viewfinder. And once I have the red focus dot on the bird I can click away and zoom in even closer if I wish. I have absolutely no problem finding a bird in my viewfinder and no problem getting great shots that are in focus. I have no problems either finding or following a bird.

Ron from Big D · Mar 14, 2012

Bob: I haven't done a lot of birds in flight so I don't have much to add. Go visit the website of Robert O'Toole to get some insight on birds in flight. His images are spectacular. www.robertotoole.com

Ron from Big D · Mar 14, 2012

Bob: Here is another source of info. Go to www.flightschoolphotography.com This is a site by Jim Nieger who does workshops on Birds in Flight.

tstumpf · Apr 2, 2012

I've been using bf a lot recently, and I think I like it better than on the shutter release.

It's been a little frustrating when I try to take a look at the pic I just snapped, because I'm always zooming in to check the focus on the pic, and when I go to zoom out again, the lens tries to focus and the picture disappears. Other than that, it works pretty sweet!

Thanks guys!

-Roni

SeilerBird · Apr 2, 2012

I am glad you are finding bf useful Roni, thanks for the report. In a few months you will be asked to use someone else's camera to take their photo and you will feel like a dummy when you can't get their camera to focus ;D

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