Yes! Great video. Straight forward and takes it nice and slow. Its a good and simple well explained vid that tells me the consequences of making a particular choice. Well done. Because you explain it I get it. Because I get it I can make my own changes in the field rather than remembering what to set.
Amazing video! I have been struggling with back button focus for a year with the r7. I've been switching to one shot for point a.f.until now. Thanks for the great instructions to disable tracking on the second button.
Thank you for the very informative video! Coming to Canon (an R7) from Pentax, my mind is blown from the sheer focusing ability, but also the extent AF can be configured! I had completely missed the "info" sub-menu in button customization! The fact that you can have preset AF modes on different back buttons changes the game completely! You can effectively save button presses (and time!) from changing things like the AF area and tracking on/off, by assigning focus modes to different buttons! So, depending on the condition, you can use the focus mode you need, instantly! This is superb, I can't wait to get out in the field and test this!
I think this 3 focus buttons is the best setting if you want to used the shutter as autofocus from those who want to comeback to it from using back button focus for a long time. I will set my R6 also same setting as this. And I am going back to shutter focusing. Thanks
Thanks! To gray out any autofocus areas not needed, simply go to menu >AF >#4 >"limit AF areas." Click on that to open it up and check or uncheck whichever autofocus areas you want functioning for the session :-)
great video . . . however one question . . . all other video's tell me to REMOVE af start from shutter button when you use BBF because you can have conflicts ? but, like you, I love using the shutter button for stationary birds and BBF to switch fast to eye detect from flying birds
I'm glad you like the video. I have found no conflict at all by leaving AF-start assigned to both the shutter button and the back buttons. I have taken hundreds of thousands of pictures with this method and not once did I have a single problem. So I don't know where they got that from, but it's not true-- at least in the canon mirrorless cameras:-)
Hi, thanks for your video. I learned a lot i didn’t know my r7 was capable of. But following your examples I was trying to assign the toggle between the subject detection options people, animals and cars. But no button gave me this options. Could you please give me a hint? Thanks in advance! Kind regards. Herman
EDIT: I just checked the menus under both Info-Detail-Set and Register/recall shooting Function (camera with an arrow through it) and although they have a "subject to detect," you can't set it to quickly toggle between the three subject modes. Can only set it to one of these modes at a time. Tried setting the MFn button to do it, and there are no toggle option here either. So, you can't do it--at least with this current firmware. Hello, because I'm a wildlife photographer, I never have to toggle between these things, so I don't know of a way to assign a button to do that. I'm very familiar with the toggle menus and I don't ever recall seeing a button setting that will allow you to do that. Sorry about that.
Something not clear. For flying birds you want both Tracking and eye detect on and also be tracking inside the AF area you have selected. How do you achieve this. These settings turn off these two critical features on R7 ?
Hello, I don't understand what you're trying to say. For birds in flight, I typically do not have eye detection on. If the background is not complicated (i.e., the bird isn't taking off or landing in front of a whole bunch of sticks/branches, then I have tracking and subject recognition on and use the whole screen as my autofocus area. Then, all I have to do is keep the bird inside the perimeter of the entire screen - typically pretty easy to do. If the background is complicated (to the point the autofocus grabs the sticks instead of the bird), then I will turn off tracking and recognition and use an old school autofocus zone (which I will adjust to the size of the bird plus a little leeway), so I can control what the camera focuses on. Then, the autofocus system will not jump outside the perimeter of the autofocus box (a.k.a. autofocus area) that I created. Hope that helps :-)
@@lets_go_birding9096 Thanks. So at 13:17 you turned off both Subject Tracking & Detect for AF-On button. Don’t we need these two features for all bird photography especially flying birds. How would you track a bird in flight if AF-On button turns everything off? Cheers
A really nice deep dive, thanks. But I am curious. If I have bird eye tracking on for birds in flight, but it can't find the eye, doesn't it just drop back to plain animal subject tracking? And then to human subject tracking? I seem to have read somewhere about a hierarchy, though I imagine it might slow things down.
I have my R5 setup to toggle through the AF Methods, but I assigned it to the AF Point button. What advantage is there in assigning it to the MTfn button, and since you can toggle through them with the MTfn button, what do you use the AF Point button for?
For me, the AF point selection button is too awkward to hit quickly. The MFN button is "right there" next to the shutter . So, for me, it's easy to one/click, quickly cycle through whatever auto focus areas you have activated for that day shoot. Give it a try and see if you like it. I bet you will :-) Personally, the only thing I use the autofocus point select button [that's what its called in the R7] or, better known as the rectangle button, for is changing the dimensions of the autofocus areas.
As far as using a back button to start and controlling focus. Why use two fingers to do what can be accomplished with just one finger. Use anything that makes photography fun and easy for you. We are all different, I have worked for nearly half a century in the photography field, even before all this b.b.f., auto focusing Era. I have seen things come and go. For me, b.b.f. is not something I embrace. Much like auto shutter,aperture, or programmed control. I like doing things myself. Customisable rear buttons have many other uses I prefer over focus control. Number one reason for bbf: Just hold the back button to track a moving subject, or release it to lock focus on a still subject. Additionally, you can avoid accidental refocusing when you recompose your shot or when something comes between you and your subject. A better solution most professional photographers use. Back button a.f. lock or on Canon back button a.f. off. It works in the same principle. Only you press bbf to momentarily stop auto focus. Releasing it when you need to track focus your subject. You can also use manual focus without turning off the autofocus system; just focus manually with the lens ring. Only available on certain lenses, a.k.a. as one touch focusing. Personally, when I shoot sport and wildlife, I find that I need autofocus more often than I don’t. Which means that I’d rather press an extra button on the occasions I don’t need it, than press it on the occasions I do.
Thanks! I pushed the joystick (aka, multi-controller) straight in (posterior-to-anterior). That will snap the AF point back to the center. Sometimes, it take a fews push to get that trick to work.
Sir,I have bought R7 with RF 100+500 recently, switching from Nikon. I can not focus properly "Birds in flight" and sharpness also not up to the mark..I use dual back button for focussing subjects.static subjects are not problem. I am confused..I watch your vdo's again and again.but in the field I am not getting satisfactory result..
And one more thing, if you're shooting at 500 mm, you're really shooting at 800 mm (Remember, there is a 1.6 crop factor with the R7 {which is why it so popular for birding}), which is very difficult to use for birds in flight. Try dialing back to 400 mm, which will give you a 640 focal length (that's my favorite focal length), and see if that helps. You should be getting very high-quality images with that set up.
Hello. If this seems complicated, then you should probably watch the 2.4 hour set up guide first, which goes much slower and will also tell you how to set up triple button autofocus. ua-cam.com/video/wpgX-vR0ugU/v-deo.html
Thank you for making a helpful video without fluff.
Thank you. This is the most useful guidance among many I have seen.
Thank you very much! I'm glad you found the video helpful :-)
This is the best description of the R7’s focus system I’ve seen**.Very cool.
I'm glad the video was helpful:-)
Just swapped from EOS 90D to R7. This video so helpful prior to first time out - thank you!
I'm so glad the video helped!
Yes! Great video. Straight forward and takes it nice and slow. Its a good and simple well explained vid that tells me the consequences of making a particular choice. Well done. Because you explain it I get it. Because I get it I can make my own changes in the field rather than remembering what to set.
I'm glad the video was helpful:-)
Had my R7 for a year and I'm still learning about some custom settings thanks to your video! Thank you - you've got a new subscriber!
Thanks! I'm so glad the video was helpful!
Your channel is truly inspiring! Thanks for the amazing high quality content with a massive amount of useful tips and ideas!
Amazing video! I have been struggling with back button focus for a year with the r7. I've been switching to one shot for point a.f.until now. Thanks for the great instructions to disable tracking on the second button.
I'm glad you like the video :-) Yes! Sometimes you have to disable that Subject tracking, especially with complicated backgrounds.
As was stated already, the first time I really understood three button focus. Great video 👍🏻
Those buttons sure can be confusing! I'm glad the video help you. Happy birding!
Great video. Very well explained. You gained a Sub👍
Awesome, thank you!
Absolutely helpful. Thanks
Thank you for the very informative video! Coming to Canon (an R7) from Pentax, my mind is blown from the sheer focusing ability, but also the extent AF can be configured! I had completely missed the "info" sub-menu in button customization! The fact that you can have preset AF modes on different back buttons changes the game completely! You can effectively save button presses (and time!) from changing things like the AF area and tracking on/off, by assigning focus modes to different buttons! So, depending on the condition, you can use the focus mode you need, instantly! This is superb, I can't wait to get out in the field and test this!
Glad the video helped:-) These assignable buttons makes a world of difference! Happy birding!
I tried it today it works great!! Thank you so much. Three focus ways, very cool. Eye, Zone & Spot
I'm so glad it worked for you! I absolutely love this method and will never go back to back button autofocus again :-)
Thanks, this is very useful
Glad it was helpful!
I think this 3 focus buttons is the best setting if you want to used the shutter as autofocus from those who want to comeback to it from using back button focus for a long time. I will set my R6 also same setting as this. And I am going back to shutter focusing. Thanks
Great video Doug! How did you gray out some of the focal points in the multi button?
Thanks! To gray out any autofocus areas not needed, simply go to menu >AF >#4 >"limit AF areas." Click on that to open it up and check or uncheck whichever autofocus areas you want functioning for the session :-)
great video . . . however one question . . . all other video's tell me to REMOVE af start from shutter button when you use BBF because you can have conflicts ? but, like you, I love using the shutter button for stationary birds and BBF to switch fast to eye detect from flying birds
I'm glad you like the video. I have found no conflict at all by leaving AF-start assigned to both the shutter button and the back buttons. I have taken hundreds of thousands of pictures with this method and not once did I have a single problem. So I don't know where they got that from, but it's not true-- at least in the canon mirrorless cameras:-)
Hi, thanks for your video. I learned a lot i didn’t know my r7 was capable of. But following your examples I was trying to assign the toggle between the subject detection options people, animals and cars. But no button gave me this options. Could you please give me a hint? Thanks in advance! Kind regards. Herman
EDIT: I just checked the menus under both Info-Detail-Set and Register/recall shooting Function (camera with an arrow through it) and although they have a "subject to detect," you can't set it to quickly toggle between the three subject modes. Can only set it to one of these modes at a time. Tried setting the MFn button to do it, and there are no toggle option here either. So, you can't do it--at least with this current firmware.
Hello, because I'm a wildlife photographer, I never have to toggle between these things, so I don't know of a way to assign a button to do that. I'm very familiar with the toggle menus and I don't ever recall seeing a button setting that will allow you to do that. Sorry about that.
Crazy they don't include manuals anymore.
Something not clear. For flying birds you want both Tracking and eye detect on and also be tracking inside the AF area you have selected. How do you achieve this. These settings turn off these two critical features on R7 ?
Hello, I don't understand what you're trying to say. For birds in flight, I typically do not have eye detection on. If the background is not complicated (i.e., the bird isn't taking off or landing in front of a whole bunch of sticks/branches, then I have tracking and subject recognition on and use the whole screen as my autofocus area. Then, all I have to do is keep the bird inside the perimeter of the entire screen - typically pretty easy to do. If the background is complicated (to the point the autofocus grabs the sticks instead of the bird), then I will turn off tracking and recognition and use an old school autofocus zone (which I will adjust to the size of the bird plus a little leeway), so I can control what the camera focuses on. Then, the autofocus system will not jump outside the perimeter of the autofocus box (a.k.a. autofocus area) that I created. Hope that helps :-)
@@lets_go_birding9096 Thanks. So at 13:17 you turned off both Subject Tracking & Detect for AF-On button. Don’t we need these two features for all bird photography especially flying birds. How would you track a bird in flight if AF-On button turns everything off? Cheers
A really nice deep dive, thanks. But I am curious. If I have bird eye tracking on for birds in flight, but it can't find the eye, doesn't it just drop back to plain animal subject tracking? And then to human subject tracking? I seem to have read somewhere about a hierarchy, though I imagine it might slow things down.
I have my R5 setup to toggle through the AF Methods, but I assigned it to the AF Point button.
What advantage is there in assigning it to the MTfn button, and since you can toggle through them with the MTfn button, what do you use the AF Point button for?
For me, the AF point selection button is too awkward to hit quickly. The MFN button is "right there" next to the shutter . So, for me, it's easy to one/click, quickly cycle through whatever auto focus areas you have activated for that day shoot. Give it a try and see if you like it. I bet you will :-) Personally, the only thing I use the autofocus point select button [that's what its called in the R7] or, better known as the rectangle button, for is changing the dimensions of the autofocus areas.
I am considering getting a Nikon z8. Is it possible to setup triple button AF on nikon bodies also?
Hi, I'm not familiar with the Nikon Z8, so I'm not sure. Sorry.
As far as using a back button to start and controlling focus.
Why use two fingers to do what can be accomplished with just one finger.
Use anything that makes photography fun and easy for you. We are all different, I have worked for nearly half a century in the photography field, even before all this b.b.f., auto focusing Era. I have seen things come and go. For me, b.b.f. is not something I embrace. Much like auto shutter,aperture, or programmed control.
I like doing things myself. Customisable rear buttons have many other uses I prefer over focus control.
Number one reason for bbf:
Just hold the back button to track a moving subject, or release it to lock focus on a still subject. Additionally, you can avoid accidental refocusing when you recompose your shot or when something comes between you and your subject.
A better solution most professional photographers use. Back button a.f. lock or on Canon back button a.f. off.
It works in the same principle. Only you press bbf to momentarily stop auto focus.
Releasing it when you need to track focus your subject.
You can also use manual focus without turning off the autofocus system; just focus manually with the lens ring. Only available on certain lenses, a.k.a. as one touch focusing.
Personally, when I shoot sport and wildlife, I find that I need autofocus more often than I don’t. Which means that I’d rather press an extra button on the occasions I don’t need it, than press it on the occasions I do.
Great vid....at about 24 minutes, did you "set" the fical point to center? Or just move it with the joy stick?
Thanks! I pushed the joystick (aka, multi-controller) straight in (posterior-to-anterior). That will snap the AF point back to the center. Sometimes, it take a fews push to get that trick to work.
Sir,I have bought R7 with RF 100+500 recently, switching from Nikon. I can not focus properly "Birds in flight" and sharpness also not up to the mark..I use dual back button for focussing subjects.static subjects are not problem. I am confused..I watch your vdo's again and again.but in the field I am not getting satisfactory result..
What are your typical settings (shutter speed, aperture, and iso) for birds in flight? And what are the autofocus areas that your using?
And one more thing, if you're shooting at 500 mm, you're really shooting at 800 mm (Remember, there is a 1.6 crop factor with the R7 {which is why it so popular for birding}), which is very difficult to use for birds in flight. Try dialing back to 400 mm, which will give you a 640 focal length (that's my favorite focal length), and see if that helps. You should be getting very high-quality images with that set up.
You make it complicated
Hello. If this seems complicated, then you should probably watch the 2.4 hour set up guide first, which goes much slower and will also tell you how to set up triple button autofocus. ua-cam.com/video/wpgX-vR0ugU/v-deo.html