AF On Button Question

<p>Can't find a way to make the AF On Button (on the 5D II) behave the way I want it to. Probably there is no way, but thought I'd ask before giving up.</p>

<p>What I want is the shutter to work as it does by default, i.e., half down = locked focus but not locked exposure. And I want the * AE Lock button to continue to work as it does by default, i.e., press & release = locked exposure. And, this the part I cannot configure to my liking, I want the AF On button to function in parallel to the * AE Lock button: press <em><strong>& release </strong> </em> locks focus. As it stands, you must press <em><strong>& hold </strong> </em> to lock focus. I am trying to avoid holding two buttons at once (the shutter and the AF On).</p>

<p>I could I know use C.Fn. IV-1 option 2 which makes focus the sole job of the AF On button, but, since most of the time I am content with the default, that is a pain -- though it does force me to think about focus & exposure & composition as three different issues.</p>

<p>Is there some way I have overlooked to force the AF On button to work on focus like the * AE button does for exposure while the shutter release continues to work as it does by default?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Just to clarify, you're shooting in One Shot focus mode, right?</p>

<p>This is the most mis understood button on my camera. Thanks for bringing this to the forum.</p>

 

<p>Just to clarify, you're shooting in One Shot focus mode, right?</p>

<p>Yes</p>

<p>Try it with the CF set so focus is only on the AF-On button and<strong> try it for a few days.</strong> You will find it becomes second nature to press it when you want to focus and you won't miss having AF on the shutter release. Now I cannot stand having the shutter button mess up my focusing.<br>

One-Shot - press & release to lock focus. AI-Servo - press and hold while you want tracking.</p>

 

<p>I never understood what was so hard about using the shutter as default to focus lock and fire shutter. Press it to focus, it locks, then recompose and press harder. Whats so hard about that. To me, it takes more to use two buttons that only requires one.</p>

<p>Most use manual exposure anyway, so there is your "AE lock". Then its a non issue. If you want to lock flash exposure for a subject off center, center the subject, pop FE button andthen recompose and it holds the flash exposure for the off center subject rather than recalculate after you recompose.</p>

<p>AI Servo, half hold the button and it tracks exactley the same as AF On. Want the picture, push harder...or hold it for spray effect. Want to stop, release the button a little to the half pressed position and the focus is never effected. That method does exactley the same as using the AF on button to focus and fire with the shutter button. I guess for some its too hard to do this than using the two button way. For me, its easy</p>

<p>To each there own I guess.</p>

<p>"I never understood what was so hard about using the shutter as default to focus lock and fire shutter. Press it to focus, it locks, then recompose and press harder. Whats so hard about that. To me, it takes more to use two buttons that only requires one."</p>

<p>David, I'm a die-hard "*" button user, but I'm easily swayed, you had me wondering. So I reverted my setting to having the focus on half-depress of shutter button, and tried it again. The one disadvantage to default focus method, as I see it:</p>

<p>If you don't immediately take your picture, ie: if you release the shutter and then press it again, you have to re-establish that focus point. Using the * button (my pref), you've locked that focus distance permanently. Of course if the subject is near and you sway forward/backward, or pan excessively you will introduce focus errors, but still I'd rather stick with focus on * button, for the permanence.</p>

<p>Fair enough. I see this issue using my method. Sometimes I'm focus on the Bride awaiting a kiss, recomposed, then they stop and do something else. So I would have to refire the focus and recompose again later. The other way, when using smaller apertures, you could in theory, lower and wait, then just raise compose and snap a little quicker when they are ready.</p>

<p>But for me, I usually end up on jobs with no light, so I use f2.8 and not comfortable moving the camera that much without locking focus again. The shift in/out when raising will definitley change focus plain. If it works for you, thats all that matters. My statement was that there are alot of people runnig around the web making statements that imply to one that the rear button AF is better...ie its more accurate or faster to respond which isnt true at all. Its just a preference to some that helps them work better. Thats all I wanted to clear up.</p>

<p>When I shoot night photography I use the Live view and zoom in 100% to get a good focus but as soon as i touch the button to take shot it refocuses again. Thats why I would prefer not having focus button on shutter button.</p>

<p>Yes I see that, but thats just a case of forgot to switch MF. But suppose it could be easier to use AF On button if you use Live View that much in low light, I could see myself getting very annoyed by refocusing my shot after carefull focus in Live View. God knows Canon doesnt make it easy to use Live View whenever you want.</p>

<p>On my 1D3 I have the "Set" button set to change WB. Its so easy to hit the set button, roll the dial to change and done. But I have to disable LV in the menu to do this. I wish they(Canon) would ditch the Print button on other models and make it a Live View button and add a LV button to the 1 Series. I like the feature for framing subjects that I intend on doing HDR or when needing to MF, but its a pain to access.</p>