Backbutton Focus or Focus with the Shutter Button

[Brooklynboy]

Do you guys focus with the shutter button pressed half way down or do you use back button focusing? If you use back button focusing, which button do you set the back button fousing with? 

I set back button focusing to AF-L, something feels off when I set it to this button.

 

Thanks.

[Jellicle]

I use both. I've re-mapped the function to the exposure lock button as my thumb finds that one easier to reach. Yeah, it feels wrong (probably because those buttons have text labels) but...meh. Not a big deal.

[steviewonder]

Do you guys focus with the shutter button pressed half way down or do you use back button focusing? If you use back button focusing, which button do you set the back button fousing with? 

I set back button focusing to AF-L, something feels off when I set it to this button.

 

Thanks.

I use back button focusing with the af-l button and the shutter button is only for taking the photo. I am almost always in "C" mode so I can recompose easily with BB focusing without the shutter messing things up. I would never go back to shutter focusing and using the shutter button to focus defeats the purpose of BB focusing.

[MirrorMirror]

I just use the shutter button.

[Nick05]

I go between the two depending on my need. Switching the camera to manual focus allows you use the back button for AF. Normally I use the AF tied to shutter button.

[Jwctp]

I don't think back button focusing is useful for my shooting style. I shoot models and use the focus points. When I tried the AF-C method, I would be on the outer focus points most of the time. It would keep pumping to focus, and I found this slower than just using the shutter button. Also, because it was pumping focus a lot, I ended up with a lot of out of focus shots. 

 

Also, since I don't focus recompose, the back button focus method isn't as needed. I move my focus point to the spot, half press, and then click the shutter in one smooth motion (or strive to).

 

When I was using a different camera with only one focus point in the middle, back button focus was a lot more useful. I would focus with back button, recompose, then hit the shutter button. Decoupling the focus and the shutter is more important there since you don't want to accidentally re-focus when you recompose. It's also harder to hold the half-press down as your recompose. 

[Lala]

I use the afl button continuous mode that way I can focus and forget about it.

[photonongrata]

Back button, absolutely. The ability to anticipate the needed focus is too important. On top of that, when I hit the shutter button, I want the shutter to fire, immediately, no matter what!