Back button focus on the OM-1: What is it? Why using it? How to set it up properly

For this week's video, I share with you what back button focus is, why I use it as a wildlife photographer and how to set it up properly on your OM-1. Plus at the end of the video, I demonstrate how to set up your own focus points. Are you using back button focus and if so why? Let me know in the comments below. Look forward to discussing this topic with you.
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[@jlaw8882]

Wow, the bonus tip at the end is really great, I never saw that before. I tried the BBF for the 1st time today after your video and I think it can stay. Thank you.

[@EmilieT]

Thank you. I am glad it is helpful.

[@jlaw8882]

Really good results taking off the focus from the shutter button. I was using a 40 to 150mm telephoto lens today with AE lock to keep the exposure the same in a sequence of shots. Now I can just think about timing and composition. 🌞

[@martinkraft64]

Danke!

[@EmilieT]

Bitte und danke!

[@brucesorrell3647]

Thanks for the very helpful video, Emilie ! You're a gifted teacher, i.e. well paced and comprehensive without any extraneous information. Really well done. Slainte !

[@EmilieT]

Thank you so much for your kind words.

[@jonathanashton4758]

Emilie, I cannot tell you how many times I have switched between Back button and Shutter button focus. I did it when I used Canon back in late 90s and have alternated since. Currently I have reverted to shutter button. For every argument going one way or the other there is always a counterargument. The point you make about the beaver, I sort of go along with but the fact is the beaver does move and unless the camera is tripod mounted the camera will move - even slightly on a bean bag. With subject AF being so pretty darned good and the AF being so quick I really do not appreciate much difference at all and if anything I would probably lean toward shutter button because then only one action is required to take the image. I appreciate we could go round and round arguing for and against one mode or the other but after 20 plus years I have concluded that the mirrorless Olympus OM-1 mode for me is shutter priority. For macro it is easy to acquire focus and fire and if the subject is static it is easy enough to go to manual mode. I am still waiting for one point that would make me stay with Back button focus........

[@paularitchie6135]

Thanks, for showing now to set, new to OM

[@jazzcats1000]

One neat thing about SAF. If set to ON half-press and you use the back focus button, as long as you are holding the back focus button, the focus on half-press is disabled, so you can recompose without refocusing on pressing the shutter button. This way you can focus on one place and meter on another when spot metering and you half-press the shutter. If focusing with half-press and holding recomposing, then the metering will be at the initial focus location if metering is tied to focus point on half-press..

[@pierrenolin6210]

Merci Émilie

[@kin-kwongdanielchan3731]

Very useful setting of the back button focus. Thank you so much!!!

[@stephenpollard705]

Explained excellently

[@charliedennis3754]

Emilie thank you for explaining about back button focus. I installed it on my Omd e1 mark iii camera. My hands don’t work like they did when I was younger. The couple of photos that I took are sharper because I am not jerking the focus button anymore because all I have to do is push it down instead of the half focus the push it all the way down. See my beaver photo on instagram. It takes some getting use to because I need to remember to push on the Af/Al button. Thank you very much

[@denisardeche]

Comme elles sont bonnes, ces astuces dites par un prof ! 😄 Merci et bonne continuation

[@golaoi]

I've used it for years on other Olympus cameras and Canon. Your video showed how simple it was to set up. The Manual is useless to work out how to do anything.

[@ninashields3285]

Thx so much for the helpful information!!!

[@EmilieT]

Happy to help!

[@cjk1943]

❤I have it on all cameras

[@santabanter]

J’aime la vie!

[@jonbarnard7186]

I started using back button focus when I was shooting with cameras that didn't have a joy stick for moving the focus point around. That usually meant I would focus using my single point and back button and re-compose. This was easier than moving the focus point around with the d pad. I could lock the focus where I wanted it, re-compose, then set the exposure with the shutter button without resetting my focus point. It just made sense to disengage the two functions. Now that I can move the focus point around so easily with the joystick, it's probable less important, but now it has become a habit to use the back button, and it feels strange not to. However, if you hand your camera off to somebody else to take a picture, this can present a problem. Then you have to give them a little lesson on how to focus the camera.

[@EmilieT]

Two excellent points.

[@yumenolala]

I don't hand my camera to anyone else. The other person should just use their phone camera or you hand them another camera set to Full Auto 😂

[@johntebbet673]

Another clear, straightforward video Emile, thank you. I have always used back button focus as a nature photographer as it really helps with birds, butterflies, insects, in fact all wildlife. And especially birds in flight when you need to keep the button pressed when tracking across the sky to maintain accurate focusing. I cannot imagine ever going back to half pressing the shutter button. (Except of course with pro capture when it’s necessary to operate that feature but not for focusing). I think the custom focusing area option is interesting but not sure when I would use it ( big shortage of beavers in the UK!!) I’ll have a think about that. Look forward to your session in January though I’ll have to work out the time in the UK to tune in 😊

[@EmilieT]

I read that beavers are making a come back in the UK though! For the B&H event it will be 6pm UK time :)

[@nickcrispe1321]

This is very helpful! I adopted back button focus with the EM-1 Mark II and set it up as soon as I upgraded to an OM-1. The section about setting up custom focus targets was new to me, but that I something I will certainly try. For me, it's not beavers in a pond but otters on the shoreline. All the same issues arise. Thanks!

[@EmilieT]

Otters on the shoreline sounds fantastic ❤

[@leonardnorwitz3537]

Ah, so! I finally understand the whys and hows of back-button focus. Emilie, you are so clear. I do a great many panorama shots handheld and my traditional half-press shutter doesn't really work, which means I must resort to manual focus which is more suitable for tripod use in this case. I will try it for general still photography as well and see how it goes -- seems it's largely a matter of coordination.

[@EmilieT]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cjk1943]

Merry Christmas

[@EmilieT]

Merry Christmas to you too

[@charliedennis3754]

Emilie thank you for your vetoes. I am trying to figure out how to set up back button focus on the Em1 Mark III . Haven’t figured it out yet tried to look it up on KZbin but I can only find it for thr mark II. As soon as I set it up and try it I will let you know if it help my taking photos. Thanks again for your vetoes

[@Trentsblog]

HI Emily.. One area that back button focus is almost a necessity is with the 60 ml macro lens when you push the lever on the lens to 1:1. If you go to use the shutter button it will immediately change your focus. I use bbf in this situation and seek focus by moving the camera back and forth. Thanks for a great video on this topic.

[@EmilieT]

I agree with you on the macro. I shoot in Manual focus and so back button focus is very useful if I ever need to get out of manual mode in a sec.

[@williamdyson9327]

Hi Emillie, I have been using back button focus even before micro 4/3rds. It's great for sporting events. My main reason for using it is because I have a heavy trigger finger and I would end up activating the shuttle when I was trying to focus. I don't have that problem with BBF.

[@EmilieT]

Hi Bill! I agree. Thank you for sharing.

[@pauldinky]

Hi Emilie if i’ve got bbf set up will pro capture still work thanks i use the om1 also

[@ruthmayer1798]

Question. For BB Focus Do I continue to hold the af on button in while i’m pressing the shutter button. Or do it press the afon button and release it to lock focus. Thanks for all the help in using my OM 1. I enjoy your videos,.

[@dianedalli8536]

hi Emilie, If I am taking bif shots and have CAF with tracking and bird detect activated ,can I just press the AFon button once and then release or do I need to keep it depressed or do I release it and will the tracking take over?

[@EugenBillard]

Bonjour Emilie, dommage que tu ne fasses pas ta vidéo en français... A part ça cette vidéo est most interesting. Et je ne connaissais pas le bonus, merci!

[@EmilieT]

Je vais refaire mes videos en francais à partir de mars maintenant que je suis a plein temps dans la photo.

[@alankefauver6187]

How can i set up the OM-1 for double or triple BBF like on my R5. I want to go from all AF pts to spot AF with the press of a button. I currently have the lever set for this, but want to do it with a button, Say hold the AF-on for all pts, and then use say the ISO button for spot.

[@georgebowden6748]

Hi Emilie & hello from Oz, I have finally traded all my Canon equipment to the OM-1 system because the of the weight issues I was feeling at my age. I have been looking for settings info on the Om-1 & found your videos extremely helpful. I have a question for you: When using BBF does the pro capture work only when depressing the BBF button, so if I focus then release the BBF button will the Pro Capture stop. I always used BBF on my Canon cameras, but I see that on the OM-1 the Pro Capture is activated by the shutter button so I thought I would ask you before changing settings. Thanks for great advice Emilie, you now have a new subscriber. Cheers from Oz

[@EmilieT]

Congrats on your new OM-1! I am glad my videos have been helpful. For pro capture, it works if you press the shutter button half way and then when you get the shot you fully press it.

[@bergfur]

Great tutorial. So you can have S-AF on the front button and C-AF on the back button at the same time no need to switch between S-af and C-af? Is it possible to have C-af + bird tracking on the back button and single point on the front button?

[@EmilieT]

Yes and CA F and CA F + tracking are associated. Then if you change to SAF you will focus with shutter button and then if you change to CAF or CAF tracking you will use the AF-on.

[@remembershooting2064]

Great tutorial, many thanks. I've only recently started using BBF and still finding I have muscle memory for focusing with the shutter button but I'm getting used to it. I find that my images are more consistently sharp because the focus sticks perfectly with BBF. Cheers!

[@richardfisher8141]

Love your videos! Question… how does BBF work with subject recognition? If I press the BBF button, does the target selection negate the subject recognition? In other words, if I’m using subject recognition, is the camera focusing on the birds automatically, and it is not necessary to activate focus by pushing the BB?

[@EmilieT]

You do need to press the BBF to focus when using subject recognition

[@awssjs54]

Really helpful vidieo thanks Emilie. I am just thinking about trying BBF on my OM1. Am I right thinking that using the "AF-on" button means I can switch BBF on and off by simply pushing that button ie I can switch between BBF and the usual focus system very easily? Many thanks Andrew

[@EmilieT]

Hi Andrew. Happy it was helpful. I hope I understand your question well but please correct me if that is not the case. You can switch from BBF and the shutter/focus button but the problem is that if you keep shutter/focus button together as well as BBF you are rendering BBF null as your camera will refocus as soon as you press the shutter/focus button. That is why, people totally separate the focus button and reassigned it to the BBF.

[@awssjs54]

Thank you Emilie. Much appreciated. If I too am understanding, it would seem that its a case of choosing to use BBF and once chosen is not then possible to switch immediately back to shutter/focus without first disengaging BBF. I was hoping that a simple push of "AF on" would easily switch between the two systems, but this does not seem to be possible. Many thanks again. Regards Andrew

[@MyMultiforce]

will back button focus work for pro capture because you have to half press first?

[@EmilieT]

Yes. Back Button Focus will acquire the focus and then to start Pro capture you still need to half press the shutter button and then fully press to stop it.

[@cherrob48]

Hello Emilie, your videos are always so clear , but I have one thing that I find distracting. When showing menus or settings on the back screen of the camera, you always have it open to the side, instead of flipping it so the display is on the camera body. That would put what you are showing us in the middle where my eye wants to look, but there is the body of the camera back instead. I don’t think I have explained very well, but I hope you can see what I mean. All the best. 😊😊

[@EmilieT]

Great point! Thank you for taking the time to post your comment. I will definitely do that next time.

[@leoho4317]

Do I need to press and hold the Back Button Focus on moving objects before I press the shutter button?

[@EmilieT]

Yes you do. When the camera has the subject in focus a green box will appear.

[@paulinemorris5186]

does it work with the em1 mark111? Hope you have had a great xmas

[@DavidCrooksPhotos]

Yes, I have it setup for my Em1.3

[@EmilieT]

It does but you will have to set up AEL as your back button.

[@systemanaturae105]

Well - The shutter button is for the shutter and the “Back Button” is for the focus. Mixing the focus and shutter onto one button does not make sense. Try taking a photo of a bird in a bush or where there are other objects that could confuse the camera focusing using a shutter and focusing on one button. Back Button gives you a better chance of getting the object in focus especially when using manual focus and maybe with magnification. And then with telephoto lens and 400 / 500m on a small bird in the distance even moving your body will change the focusing point when using manual focus. Hey it’s fun 😊😊

[@spartansparte]

Bonjour. Pourriez vous refaire cette vidéo en français.merci bcp

[@dickhuggins3254]

When back button focus is set up, do you have to continuously press the af-on button, or can you take your finger off the af-on button once focus is acquired? Will the focus point stay at the same distance when you take your finger off of the button?