I keep coming back to your videos whenever i need advice. Recently, my D3400 was reset during repair. And I had completely forgot how to set up these options. Thanks so much !!!
This is the same camera I picked up about a week ago and I have to say you are the most detail oriented and most helpful in depth videos I've seen so far. I have to thank you for your time showing us what really matters. Have a great weekend!
I am a complete newbe at photography. My last camera was a cool pix. I bought a d3400 for our trip to the UK. Little did I know that the d3400 is nothing like my coolpix and I was way over my head on this, but I had too much pride to let my wife know lol. When I first got the d3400 the only thing I was able to do was just turn it on and that was it. I was so frustrated and embarrass. Your videos have helped improve my skill so much that I haven't even been in auto mode yet. I am now colour grading, selective coloring, grasping the shutter speed, aperture, and iso. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the post/feedback Roger and glad to be of help!:) A few years ago, a friend of mine was in the same boat which became a catalyst for this channel ... I simply wanted to help people better understand photography:). Sounds like you are on the right path ... enjoy the ride!:)
Bought d5600 about 3 days ago. Watching your videos for a month or so. Excellent tips. You seem so genuine. It really feels like you are talking to help us. Not jumping around to get views. Appreciate your videos so much. Truth be told, I already rewatched some of your videos. Will keep coming back when I am confused.
Awesome and thank you for the post/feedback!:) I started this channel to simply help people ... help people better understand their cameras and inspire them to capture memories:).
Since i saw this video, i switched to back button focus on my D3400 and never changed it again. Very helpfull feature, thank you very much for this tutorial. I am a real fun of your channel. Real World rules. For me as a novice in dslr world with my entry level camera, i find your video's inspiring. Please keep on with video's for people with entry level gear!
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) The D3400 and other like cameras are fully capable in the right hands ... a bit of knowledge and experience go a long way:).
I've been watching your videos and find they are very informative. I recently bought the Nikon d3500 with the 18-55mm as well as the 35mm and 50mm f1.8 primes. While daytime shots were no problem using the shutter release to grab focus, nightime shots were kind of aggravating. I would use auto focus to get focus and then have to go into the menu to switch to manual. Decided to give back button focus a try and it makes things so much easier. It's like having auto and manual focus at the same time. It's gonna be the way I shoot from now on! Thank you for the information and keep up the good work. Looking forward to more videos.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Back button focus is great once you get the hang of it ... I use it all the time (rarely use the standard half-press shutter to lock focus):)
@@RealWorld Well... I've been using back button focus for the past couple of days. One thing I found out is that my pictures are so much more consistently in focus. I was thinking that my primes were a bit soft on focus, glad to see that isn't the case! It's great being able lock focus without having to switch to manual focus for those long exposures. Thanks again for the great info and keep those videos coming.
I have been following all your videos and trust me this particular video changed my photography world...I started using back button focus a month back... It has made me click pictures very easily with clear focus on the subjects... THANK YOU SOO MUCH
For days I’ve been looking for a video to help me out. I just got a nikon d3500 as my first camera and I have found myself frustrated as I haven’t been able to figure it out just yet. But this video has certainly helped, I have already tried these tips out and my pictures have come out beautiful. Thank you.
Thanks for the post and glad to be of help!:) The camera is capable of taking great shots ... once you understand the basics you will be off and running:).
Hi, I just want to say "thank you"! . Two weeks ago I went for street photography using 55-300 lens and my old nikon camera. For first time I configured the back button focus and it took me few shoots to become in love. Evey shot was in focus due to the continues focus (used on first time). But the real thing was that focus separate from the actual shot button. For still images again amazing job. Now I really can't go back.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) I still encourage people to try back button focus ... it is a great/awesome game changer in my opinion:).
@@RealWorld one question, when I'm in AF-S mode, I can press on BBF only once , it locks the focus and I release BBF and recompose. when I'm in AF-C mode, and try to do the same procedure , I see that focus losses. The only option to lock focus is to hold on the BBF button and track the subject. problem is when I don't know if the subject going to move or not. then if I'm using single focus point at center of the frame I cannot recompose. Is this normal ?
As I said yesterday, you're just awesome. There are notably many points which makes you stand out from the freaky TH-camrs who often say smash that like, subscribe, bell button! You indeed never say that so that we, the viewers , don't have to seek any part of the video forward. You have excellent pace and you're of course, highly knowledgeable. I wish I found your channel much earlier. Great job, Sir. Love from India.
Thanks for this video. In a matter of minutes I was able to learn BBF i watched other videos and was not confident to switch over, now thank to you i am, never used Continuous before or knew the reason why you would until now as someone said You are the best teacher in photography.cheers
Glad to be of help/inspiration and welcome to back button focus!:) It might take a bit of time to warm up to it but once it happens, you will wonder why manufactures do not preset the cameras to leverage back button focus:).
I tried it and worked well. But mind registers half shutter for focus. Mostly I pressed shutter button half for focus repeatedly not pressing AE-L button. So I switch back to original. During this trial, I accidentally found one and wanted to share with you sir. Sometimes we delete photos accidentally. To avoid it, open the image in camera and press AE-L AF-L button, then photo is locked and we can't delete. If we press the trash can button, then it pops 'can't delete protected images' and so images are safe. Thanks for making this video. As I am child in the world of photography, Your videos helped a lot. Once again thank you.
Thanx, that's is a good tip. Especially when you have to take a serie of photo's, same scene, distance lightining etc... so you don't have to wait till the camera refocus.
I'd never tried this because I thought it took a degree in engineering to accomplish. Your video was spot on on how to do it and I've got it down! How cool is that? Thanks a million!!
Thanks for the clear instructions (same goes to the Canon version). You're right. I always use that "press down halfway" method to get focus whenever I use a camera, including the digital ones. Sometimes, my index finger will slip and if I shoot straight away (normal reflex), the camera will focus wrongly and that nice but short moment is also gone.
Had the same happen countless times:). BBF is great - takes a bit of time getting accustom to the process, but once you do, I suspect you will really like it.
You just got a new viewer👍. Maintain the same pace and don't runaway too fast and am sure you'll get a lot of subs in the time. Great content too. Subscribed!
My husband just got me this camera Nikon D3400 for Christmas, and I'm charging the battery right now and watching your videos so that I can take pictures of my 3.5 and almost 1 year old (NYE baby) on Christmas Day and Birthday! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and breaking it down for people that are not professional photographers but want to take memorable photos :) I also have the Canon T3i with the Macrolens and ring flash but use that at work (I'm a dentist) and wanted to try Nikon as it seems to be a little better and easier to use for personal use. Thanks again for all the info and I hope to learn a lot from you!
Hello Hoda - welcome to the channel and thank you for the feedback!:) I am glad to be of help and plan to post more videos soon:). You have your hands full with two children of that age - lots of work but great times!:) They grow fast through this age, so take time to enjoy the moments and capture them with your new camera!:) Practice, practice, and practice some more ... since it is digital, shoot away until you become comfortable with each mode. You will get there!:)
Hello Sheinese - welcome to the channel!:) That is an interesting similarity with Hoda!:) Makes for an interesting time around the holidays I suspect:).
First youtube comment I've ever bothered to make, but I had to. This was an outstanding tutorial. This made a huuuge difference on my pictures. Thank you, sir!! My enthusiasm level after watching the video was definitely real haha.
Thanks for this video! I just got a d3400 and I've been inadvertently pushing the button on the back to try and focus the camera... it's just seems like a natural position for that. Glad to know I can change this button now.
Thank you for making these videos! You explain in practical and simple terms. I just bought a D3400 and am going to go through all your "How To"'s videos.
I have subscribed your channel after getting D3400, and since then hooked up here for more informative videos. great video. keep them coming. One suggestion - maybe considering to reduce the length of the video tutorial jumping right to hands-on and there you may explain whatever preludes if provide, will be useful to remember and understand for a novice like me.
Thanks for the post/suggestion and welcome to the channel!:) I try to create videos to meet the needs of most viewers and this typically results in the lowest common denominator - starting with the basics, etc.:) I typically try new formats, recording, audio, etc. - trying to improve as time goes one. Stay tuned as I have more videos on the way:).
I owned a D3300 for a year now and I finally know what is the function of the AE-L and AF-L button. Thank You for this Informative video. cheers mate and happy new year!
Hey there! What’s up? I literally just got a Nikon D3400 and have been binge watching your videos hehe. Thank you very much, you teach things in such a calm, patient way!
Thanks very much for this video. After following the steps I found my d7200 still auto focused. I had 2 more things to learn. Live View with AF-F selected will continue to AutoFocus. I needed to select AF-S as there was no AF-C option available in Live View. I also had to turn off Vibration Reduction to stop other adjustments i could hear happening. (D7200 owners know that this is only possible on the lens ... still) In the end Im still better off using the view finder than Live View. Just good to know all the tricks on these very technical devices!
Hi, l have an entry level dslr nikon d3500 and sometimes l have problems with the focus so l will happily apply your tip with the back focus. Also l noticed that even for portraits if l do full body it is better to use continuous focus as always the second shoot is sharper.
I really like back button focus and have used it for many years:). Whenever I get my hands on a new/used camera, I am quick to setup back button focus. It will grow on you ... you will soon wonder why cameras are not setup this way from the manufacturer:).
Thanks for the post/feedback and welcome to the world of DSLRs!:) I suspect you now have the camera? If so, enjoy the ride ... take time to fully understand the camera and practice, practice, practice. The camera is capable of much much much more outside of full auto:). I am working a video now re the D3400 and shooting fireworks ... should be ready in a few days.
I've given this ago, while the back button seems a little awkward to get to, it does feel more professional and seems to give you more control over the shot, In your video the metering always seems to be set to matrix and not centre. do you focus until the red dot marker goes where you want it to before moving the camera to a position you want? or do you use others other metering for portraits ? my red dots seem to capture side points often even if they aren't what I'm aiming for. I've also gone to AF-C seems like the only difference from AF-S is that in af-s you need to keep pushing the button down repeatedly to follow a moving target as opposed to AF-C that you can just constantly hold down the bb. so I'm glad you explained that part. thanks for all your help so far. I've been getting a lot of amazing shots thanks to your videos.
Using back button focus might feel a bit strange at first, but will soon feel natural:). I typically use matrix metering which is good for whole scene exposure, and I typically use single point focus mode with AF-C - this allows me to pick the focal point and hold the button down if the subject is moving.
Thankyou sir, I am a beginner Photographer, basically i do wedding photography ,,,, and i am sure this is gonna help me a lot..... thankyou again sir..
I have seen plenty of vidoes on beginers or let say new entry for dslr cameras, you are the best! All your videos is perfect! Thank you. If possible could u post some vidoes on Nikon D5600? Not sure if you did as i only saw about 20 of your videos so far...lol
I think you just changed my life my friend. I have been shooting for so long but didn't get to use BBF. I find that the images are much more clear in portraits. I got to check it in wild life too. Any suggestions on birds in flight...how do I use this feature?
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Wildlife is always a good challenge especially if shooting is spot mode:). You can switch your focus mode to matrix or full and let the camera attempt to track the subject while hold down the back button ... this is where more focal points are beneficial:). I typically using spot and do my best to track the subject while hold down the back button ... works fairly well but take a bit of time to get the hang of it:).
Your videos are awesome. For quite some time I have been looking for hobby that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, so I watched all of your videos on Nikon equipment. I learned a lot before even buying a camera. I recently purchased a Nikon D5300 kit with the 18-55 lens, a good quality tripod, and a decent quality filter. I also purchased a bag and a remote. I am only beginning and trying shots to get used to my new camera and all of your advice comes to mind as I shoot. You are right about "Auto" mode. It is quite restricting and poor quality compared to the PSAM modes. I see a massive difference and will not be using auto, especially after taking shots in low light situations. I am impressed how well the photos look in low light with this Nikon. Thank you so much for the great videos. You could be an instructor.
Thanks Steve for the post/feedback and welcome to the world of DSLRs!:) Sounds like you are off to a great start ... keep it up!:) Take time to full understand the other modes (PSAM) and practice, practice, practice:). The more you practice the better you will become ... cameras offer a creative outlet for many (including myself:)).
Thanks for the post/feedback and welcome to the channel!:) BBF is GREAT!:) It might take a bit to get used to using it, but once you get the hang of it you will wonder why manufactures do not default their cameras to BBF.
So, just to be clear One: if you are sitting still and I hit bbf and let go, you will stay in focus as long as you don't move, and if you do turn your head/move I can just hit it again? Two: If the dogs/kids are running around all I have to do is simply hold in bbf as they run/play and they will remain in focus? Lastly, this is all done in Continuous Servo mode? (Avoid Single servo if possible?) Thank you, sorry for the questions I just want to make sure I understand this in my own weird way lol because I am jumping straight into bbf.
Thanks for the post/questions and you are correct on all fronts!:) Sounds like you have connected all the dots which is great ... it may take a bit of time to get used to BBF, but once you get the hang of it, I suspect you will enjoy it:).
I want to upgrade from my Nikon d3100 I am looking at a cannon T7i a Nikon d3400 and a Nikon d5600 which would you recommend mostly for taking photos.ps, Love your videos
Thanks for the post/feedback/question Gerry!:) The big advantage to the D5600 is the touch flip screen. If you don't need a flip screen, I might lean towards the D3400 ( amzn.to/2gjCOdW ). The T7i is great as well and I might lean in this direction if you plan to shoot any amount of video (Canon did a great job with their STM lens and AF in my opinion:)).
To review, and this is a question: Set back button focus to AF-C and disable shutter button focus. Press and RELEASE back button and it acts as single point autofocus. Press and HOLD back button, and it acts as continuous autofocus for moving targets?
Thank you my friend for this explanation, you did indeed rock my photo world and I'm absolutely going to try this out. But before I do please can you tell me how it affects the other functions of the AE-L/AF-L button once you've assigned it to AF-ON? Are the other functions of the button made redundant? Are they needed for other aspects of photography? Thanks!
Glad to be of help!:) You will lose the ability to lock exposure (AE-L) but this is not a huge issue in my opinion as I never use it:). The concept behind AE-L is to lock exposure before taking any given shot just in case something in the scene causes the exposure to shift heavily. I never really use AE-L as I want a proper exposure when shooting in anything but manual.
@@RealWorld Okay thanks for this, I think I understand it. But just to clarify, if I set the camera to AF-ON that should be all I have to do right (there's no setting for AF activation in the settings menu on my camera). And if I did want to use AE-L for any reason I can set the shutter-release button AE-L to ON. Is this correct please? Thank you for your help but this area of my camera confuses me.
I appreciate your videos. I just got my first real camera last Christmas and even with a book for dummies, couldn't figure out how to do anything but use the auto selections. With your videos I've been learning a lot. As I've experimented with BBF I find that the image is not as sharp as when I manually focus. My question is that if I've got all the settings in place for BBF on Continuous Mode will my manual focus hold across multiple shots such as when I'm doing time lapse photography. So thanks for all your hard work and I hope you keep the videos coming as you are a great teacher and your videos are professional quality.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Yes, your camera should keep the manual focus, however take a quick look at the following video - th-cam.com/video/awXp9wvZo6w/w-d-xo.html ... if using a remote, the camera will try to auto focus before each shot:). This may not apply to you but worth understanding:).
Thank you for your videos. Im getting ideas coming from you before i get this nikon d3400. Im always watching your video and i think this is my time to buy nikon d3400. Next week. Im going to buy it. Hope someday i become professional. Hehehe. Thank you for the lectures. Im here in doha qatar but im from philippines.
Thank you so much for your camera videos, they are really appreciated, I planned to get a nikon d3400 during the boxing day sales, I found your videos before I purchased & I'm really glad I did as I felt confident about my purchase.. I planned to get a dslr to do some ametuer dog agility photography, however thanks to your videos I've had a go at some other things that have been fun & I plan to keep being creative.. Thank you so much again for your informative videos & thanks for showing how much can be done with the d3400.. I'll keep watching out for more stuff
bbf is similar to manual mode for exposure; focus once, then shoot until you/subject moves or changes the focal plane; little use in street photography when u r on the move all the time and shoot different things good for sports/wildlife/ weddings maybe portraiture the catch is u can focus and recompose in AF-C ; this is not possible with front focus button , so you will have to constantly change the focus mode some says that at very wide aperture focusing and recompose will lose the focus plane anyway; for safety avoid it with aperture larger then 2,8 FF or 1,8 crop
Hello, so I followed along and at the point where you hit the information button on the home screen I don't get the single and continuous, I get 2 squares 1 AF-A (highlighted) and the other (Grey) square says MF so I'm sorta stuck with manual focus as my only other option. Poking around I still couldn't find the screen you have. Nikon D-3400. We talked in the past just wanted to share, my son is a Sergeant now, military police and currently on assignment in Jordan.
Wow, hard to believe your son is a sergeant now!:) Hopefully, he is doing well and staying safe. Curious to know what shooting mode you are using (i.e. aperture, shutter, manual, etc.). You might try switch your shooting mode and going back to information button.
Thanks for this information. It is a great way to lock in the focus. I was troubled by shooting through a fence at an object in the distance, in autofocus, the image kept being focused on the fence. with this technique I was able to focus on the far object and shoot through the fence. I did notice that if you keep your finger on the back button, the camera continuously focuses on the object in the viewfinder.
Thanks for the post/feedback:). BBF can be a great help in various situations. If you are in continuous focus mode and hold the back button down, you are correct - the camera will continuously focus which is great for motion. If you want to prevent the continuous focus, I believe you can switch the focus mode to single (I stick to continuous as it allows me the option to hold down if I choose or press once for single).
Hi, Thanks for your videos, I have been enjoying them very much and they have inspired me to learn new things when using my camera. I am currently using a Nikon D5500. I am having difficulty with the BBF set up. For starters, there is no "buttons" option in my camera. However, I went to the CUSTOM SETTING MENU (pencil), selected option "CONTROLS" and I found similar settings. Just as in your buttons menu, I found the "Assign Fn button" and the "Assign AE-L/AF-L button" selections. However, instead of a "Shutter-release button AE-L" and "AF activation" selections, my next two options are "Assign touch Fn" and Reverse dial rotation. Therefore I was able to change the "Assign AE-L/AF-L button" to AF-ON, but I was unable to turn off AF activation. However, it appears that disengaging the shutter button focusing may occur automatically when assigning the AE-L/AF-L button to AF-ON. The issue I am now having is that I only have AF-S, AF-F, and MF available to select as Focus modes, no AF-C. In AF-S the camera will focus on one point when I press the AE-L/AF-L button and stay focused at that distance. Good enough. In AF-F mode, the camera keeps refocusing on whatever it is pointing at, which sounds like continuous to me, and if I press AND HOLD the AE-L/AF-L button it will focus and stay locked at that distance, but only as long as I hold the button down. Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought it was supposed to be the other way around. Anyway, I was going to say that each time I take a series of shots, simulating an object moving toward me by moving the camera toward the object as I shot, the objects got progressively more out of focus. I was using live view, so decided to try again through the view finder and had much, much better results. Apparently live view slows processing time. It appears that I may have been successful, after all. But I'll still ask, did I miss anything in the setup and is the there a difference between AF-C and AF-F? Thanks again for your lessons and inspiration.
Thanks for the post and sounds like you gave it is a good shot!:) AF-F is full-time servo mode which was introduced by Nikon. This feature attempts to auto focus on given subjects without pressing the shutter button (or back button in this case). When the shutter is pressed halfway or the back button in engaged, the camera will attempt to lock and hold focus. This was intended to help maintain focus when shooting video but I feel Nikon still has work to do in this area. Keep in mind, AF-F is different than AF-C. AF-C is continuous servo mode. This feature will lock and maintain focus on a given subject when the shutter button is pressed and held halfway (or again in this case, while the back button in held down). I suspect you are not see AF-C as an option because of the mode you are using. If you are in full auto, you will need to switch:). Enter into P, S, A, or M mode and go back into the menu to see if you can see AF-C:).
Making some changes to settings. I did your instructions on BBFocus. But I selected also AF-s. In your demo you hit the bbf button, then the shutter....and you said you shouldn't hear anything....yikes, I heard the mirror quite loudly....how did you hear nothing? Please advise....
I tried real hard to use back button focus with my D5600- I really did. But being left-handed and using my left eye when shooting I always find it difficult to get to the AE-L/AF-L button with my thumb. I wish Nikon would have let us use the function button for back button focus- that would've worked great for me.
UPDATE: I decided to re-try back button focs on my Nikon, and this time I think I've figured out how to make it work. Like so many things we left-handed people have to do, I made the necessary adjustments to make it more comfortable for me and I'm doing much more comfortable with this technique. I am also ordering a soft silicone eyepiece which will give me just a little more room behind the camera and might also help with back button focus. We'll see how that works out. In the meantime, thanks again for the great, informative video.
when you say "if the subject don't move...." what you can consider as "movement" ? if subject don't come move its position but move its face , it will remain in focus ? when taking pictures of small kids , they move all time , sometimes unexpected so If I understand correctly I should hold that button all time and move the camera after the subject , am I right ? when using this method should I select then single point / middle point of focus point and then recompose ?
You are on the right path!:) If you lock focus on the subject's eye and the subject moves their face but not their body, you will most likely keep focus depending on your aperture (for example, you will have a better chance of retaining focus at f/8 vs f/2.2). If the subject is moving all around like little ones do, you will want to hold down the back button and do your best to keep the center focal point on the subject (moving the camera while hold the button down will keep the camera tracking/locking focus). Another option to consider is using 3D tracking focus mode - this mode was designed to help track subjects that are moving left/right front/back up/down ... how well does it work? Wellll, I prefer to simply using single/center focus and manually track the subject but 3D is worth checking/testing:).
Have managed to get some ok wildlife pics using a friends old slr prob more out of luck and found your vids very informative and gave me a better understanding of how the camera works. Getting a D3400 with additional 300mm lens so wondered if you Are planning to do a vid on wildlife photography ?
Might depend on how deep the group goes. If 2 rows, I would lock focus on someones eye in the front row. If 3 rows, I might lock focus on an eye in the middle row. If 4 rows, I might lock on the second row. Important to understand depth of focus in these situations. Take a quick look at a video on created outlining the basic concepts which might be of help - th-cam.com/video/EGesxJeY8_s/w-d-xo.html
this allows you to lock focus without the camera trying to gain focus each time you press the shutter button ... this can be nice in a variety of situations. :)
Great videos - thanks so much. I find myself referring to them all the time as I start my journey to try and take halfway decent photos with a Nikon D3400. I do have a question that I'm not quite sure about. If I'm using back Back Button Focus and shooting a moving object in continuous mode - do I focus and keep the back button pressed down while I also press the shutter button, or do I just push it once, when I start to track my moving object? I'm thinking I keep it pressed down, but not sure. Thank you!
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) You are correct in your thinking ... if you want to track a moving subject, keep the back button push down ( providing you are set to AF-C - th-cam.com/video/6qUebpQeclY/w-d-xo.html ). If the subject is not moving (i.e. landscape, fixed portrait, etc.), you can simply push the back button once/quickly to lock focus. The beauty of using back button focus with AF-C is that you have the option to quickly press the button or hold it down if needed.
hi I am so thankful to u , for your video its so us full to me , I have Nikon D3400 its quite good DSLR camera , thank u again & hop to see a new video from u .
What a brilliant idea a Back button focus is. Kudos in explaining it perfectly. I can't go back to half pressed shutter button to focus. I just love it :) The only down side is that, when I have to give a camera to a friend or any other person to take a group photo, I really have a hard time in explaining back button focus and end up getting a picture where we are never in focus. I do put the mode into Auto before handing the camera to any one else. Is there any mode that has default settings? It's time consuming to always find the setting in the menu to change the back button's role.
Thanks you for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) I'm with you - I have no intentions of returned to shutter focus lock:). You are absolutely right regarding handing the camera off to friends or family for a quick pict (I have been there and done that many times over:)). I typically do one of two things ... 1 - quickly explain BBF to the friend/family and/or 2 - focus for them and hand them the camera to squeeze the shutter:). You could spend extra time switching back to shutter focus lock, but I that tends to confuse some people as well:).
You can lock exposure you the shutter button I believe (I do not have my camera with me otherwise I will take a quick look:)). If I recall correctly, I believe you can set the shutter button to lock exposure in the menu?
For RealWorld: Let's say I am taking a picture of a dancer waiting in the wings. Using BBF, I point my camera at her, press the BBF button, swing the camera to the stage so that the dancer is placed on the left of the scene. I press the shutter and won't the dancer be underexposed because the stage is bright? (Might be a more artistic picture but that's not my point.) In an uneven light situation, can BBF replace the half-pressed-recompose method?
@@chakwong Ahhhhh yes, I have been in similar situations:). In your example, I believe your dancer would be properly exposed but the stage would be over exposed providing the stage is brighter than the dancer. Nonetheless, this is a case when I would use further focus point to the left. I typically use the center focal point to lock and recompose, but if I need to recompose drastically and the lighting changes a good amount, I will using the closest focal point to the subject:). Hope this helps!:)
Found your vid through a random search. Great video for beginner. I took 1 step further to change the half-press shutter to AE lock. Not sure if thats available for the entry level 3300/3400 though. That works wonder with spot metering.
Hello Khoi - thank you for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) I have leveraged back button focus on each camera I have used over the years ... it is one of the first features I modify/implement. Once you get used to using it, you will find it odd to go back:).
I love your informative videos. What is your opinion of the Sigma DG 50-500mm F4.5- 6.3 OS APO HSM DG for the Nikon 3400 ? I happen to find this lens used and wanted your opinion
Thanks for the post/feedback/question Bill!:) To ensure we are on the same page - I am referring to this lens: amzn.to/2RYzDfl ... this is a great/solid lens in my opinion. Resulting image quality is very good given the wide zoom range. I like the full range and versatility the lens offers. The only word of caution might be weight:). The lens weighs in just over 4lbs which may not sound too bad but wear on you after a full day of use:).
Enjoying the D3400. Just got a remote. Haven't tried it yet but was wondering....can I still use BBF or do I have to revert back to using the shutter because it says(video) it will focus then fire.....?
I have a similar setup (using BBF and a remote:)). When shooting with the remote, the camera will try to auto focus. I will typically using the BBF, switch to manual focus, and then using the remote ... I do this often for shooting fireworks, night shots, or anytime I do not want the camera to auto focus when using the remote. I did this in the the steel wool video - th-cam.com/video/awXp9wvZo6w/w-d-xo.html
Hi (sorry don’t know your name)? I really enjoy your instruction videos. I have a Nikon D5600 and am about to try BB focus. I’ve set to continuous and disabled focus from the shutter. How many focus points would you recommend please? I’ve set to 21 of the available 39 as read somewhere that fewer may make it easier for the camera to track movement. Also should I enable 3D tracking? Thanks!
Thanks for the post/feedback/question David!:) I typically use one single point of focus. I prefer to lock focus on specific subjects (i.e. the eye of a person, etc.). You can leverage more and let the camera do the work though. 3D tracking is fine as well and works great when holding down the button in back button focus to capture moving subjects:).
GREAT question!:) The answer - you don't:). Unfortunately, this is one downside to BBF - no beep/confirmation of focus lock. I almost forgot about the beep until I read your post:).
Talking about using back button focus for running subjects, you mentioned hold the back button and follow the subject. But then if the subject keeps on moving wont we miss the opportunity to grab some shots in just tracking the subject? Let's say we are trying to capture a flying bird and if we keep on holding the back button the bird will fly away. Don't get me wrong. I am trying to understand using back button for such scenario. I've learnt a great deal from you and would like to understand this better.
Thanks for the post/question Karan:). Not a problem ... if you photograph anything moving (i.e. birds), you would hold the back button down and press the shutter release button at the same time:). For example, you see a bird sitting on a tree limb, place the center focal point on the bird and hold the back button down. If the bird starts to fly, continue to hold the back button down and take a few shots by using your index finger to press the shutter button.
![โรงเรียนตอนตี 2 โคตรหลอน..!! [โรงเรียนไดเม่]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2MAEMwqVYh8/mqdefault.jpg)
I keep coming back to your videos whenever i need advice. Recently, my D3400 was reset during repair. And I had completely forgot how to set up these options. Thanks so much !!!
glad to be of help!:)
This is the same camera I picked up about a week ago and I have to say you are the most detail oriented and most helpful in depth videos I've seen so far. I have to thank you for your time showing us what really matters. Have a great weekend!
ty and glad to be of help! :)
I am a complete newbe at photography. My last camera was a cool pix. I bought a d3400 for our trip to the UK. Little did I know that the d3400 is nothing like my coolpix and I was way over my head on this, but I had too much pride to let my wife know lol. When I first got the d3400 the only thing I was able to do was just turn it on and that was it. I was so frustrated and embarrass. Your videos have helped improve my skill so much that I haven't even been in auto mode yet. I am now colour grading, selective coloring, grasping the shutter speed, aperture, and iso. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the post/feedback Roger and glad to be of help!:) A few years ago, a friend of mine was in the same boat which became a catalyst for this channel ... I simply wanted to help people better understand photography:). Sounds like you are on the right path ... enjoy the ride!:)
Bought d5600 about 3 days ago. Watching your videos for a month or so. Excellent tips. You seem so genuine. It really feels like you are talking to help us. Not jumping around to get views. Appreciate your videos so much. Truth be told, I already rewatched some of your videos. Will keep coming back when I am confused.
Awesome and thank you for the post/feedback!:) I started this channel to simply help people ... help people better understand their cameras and inspire them to capture memories:).
Thanks for this video. In a matter of minutes I was able to up my portrait photography.
Since i saw this video, i switched to back button focus on my D3400 and never changed it again. Very helpfull feature, thank you very much for this tutorial. I am a real fun of your channel. Real World rules. For me as a novice in dslr world with my entry level camera, i find your video's inspiring. Please keep on with video's for people with entry level gear!
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) The D3400 and other like cameras are fully capable in the right hands ... a bit of knowledge and experience go a long way:).
Wow.. 2 seconds into changing the camera into AF-C mode I was hooked. Thanks for the tip!
Hello Joe and thank you for the feedback!:) Once you get the hang of the back button focus and AF-C, it is tough to go back:).
I've been watching your videos and find they are very informative.
I recently bought the Nikon d3500 with the 18-55mm as well as the 35mm and 50mm f1.8 primes.
While daytime shots were no problem using the shutter release to grab focus, nightime shots were kind of aggravating.
I would use auto focus to get focus and then have to go into the menu to switch to manual.
Decided to give back button focus a try and it makes things so much easier.
It's like having auto and manual focus at the same time. It's gonna be the way I shoot from now on!
Thank you for the information and keep up the good work. Looking forward to more videos.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Back button focus is great once you get the hang of it ... I use it all the time (rarely use the standard half-press shutter to lock focus):)
@@RealWorld
Well... I've been using back button focus for the past couple of days.
One thing I found out is that my pictures are so much more consistently in focus.
I was thinking that my primes were a bit soft on focus, glad to see that isn't the case!
It's great being able lock focus without having to switch to manual focus for those long exposures.
Thanks again for the great info and keep those videos coming.
I have been following all your videos and trust me this particular video changed my photography world...I started using back button focus a month back... It has made me click pictures very easily with clear focus on the subjects... THANK YOU SOO MUCH
Thanks for the post/feedback Alex and glad to be of help!:) It takes a bit of getting use to it, but once you do, you are in great shape!:)
This has to be the best photography tip I’ve ever come across! Completely changed the way I use AF
For days I’ve been looking for a video to help me out. I just got a nikon d3500 as my first camera and I have found myself frustrated as I haven’t been able to figure it out just yet. But this video has certainly helped, I have already tried these tips out and my pictures have come out beautiful. Thank you.
Thanks for the post and glad to be of help!:) The camera is capable of taking great shots ... once you understand the basics you will be off and running:).
Hi, I just want to say "thank you"! . Two weeks ago I went for street photography using 55-300 lens and my old nikon camera. For first time I configured the back button focus and it took me few shoots to become in love. Evey shot was in focus due to the continues focus (used on first time). But the real thing was that focus separate from the actual shot button. For still images again amazing job. Now I really can't go back.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) I still encourage people to try back button focus ... it is a great/awesome game changer in my opinion:).
@@RealWorld one question, when I'm in AF-S mode, I can press on BBF only once , it locks the focus and I release BBF and recompose. when I'm in AF-C mode, and try to do the same procedure , I see that focus losses. The only option to lock focus is to hold on the BBF button and track the subject. problem is when I don't know if the subject going to move or not. then if I'm using single focus point at center of the frame I cannot recompose. Is this normal ?
As I said yesterday, you're just awesome. There are notably many points which makes you stand out from the freaky TH-camrs who often say smash that like, subscribe, bell button! You indeed never say that so that we, the viewers , don't have to seek any part of the video forward. You have excellent pace and you're of course, highly knowledgeable. I wish I found your channel much earlier. Great job, Sir. Love from India.
Thanks for the post/feedback Sidharth!:) Glad to be of help/inspiration and welcome from the United States!:)
Thanks for this video. In a matter of minutes I was able to learn BBF i watched other videos and was not confident to switch over, now thank to you i am, never used Continuous before or knew the reason why you would until now as someone said You are the best teacher in photography.cheers
Glad to be of help/inspiration and welcome to back button focus!:) It might take a bit of time to warm up to it but once it happens, you will wonder why manufactures do not preset the cameras to leverage back button focus:).
I tried it and worked well. But mind registers half shutter for focus. Mostly I pressed shutter button half for focus repeatedly not pressing AE-L button. So I switch back to original.
During this trial, I accidentally found one and wanted to share with you sir. Sometimes we delete photos accidentally. To avoid it, open the image in camera and press AE-L AF-L button, then photo is locked and we can't delete. If we press the trash can button, then it pops 'can't delete protected images' and so images are safe.
Thanks for making this video. As I am child in the world of photography, Your videos helped a lot. Once again thank you.
Thanks for the post/feedback Ravi!:) Sounds like you are on the right path:).
I recently bought a Nikon D3400 and I am new to DSLR's. Your video's have helped me a lot to improve my photography.
Thanks a ton👌👌👌
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:)
Thanx, that's is a good tip. Especially when you have to take a serie of photo's, same scene, distance lightining etc... so you don't have to wait till the camera refocus.
I'd never tried this because I thought it took a degree in engineering to accomplish. Your video was spot on on how to do it and I've got it down! How cool is that? Thanks a million!!
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Nice to see you have it down ... I have been using BBF for years - it's great!:)
Thanks for the clear instructions (same goes to the Canon version). You're right. I always use that "press down halfway" method to get focus whenever I use a camera, including the digital ones. Sometimes, my index finger will slip and if I shoot straight away (normal reflex), the camera will focus wrongly and that nice but short moment is also gone.
Had the same happen countless times:). BBF is great - takes a bit of time getting accustom to the process, but once you do, I suspect you will really like it.
Terrific video. Very helpful. Makes it easy to understand why back button focus is so handy and shows how to assign the button clearly. Thanks.
Thanks for the post Rod:). BBF is great once you start to use it ... may feel a bit odd at the start but that will feeling will quickly fade:)
Another great tutorial. Tried it out and you're right about never going back. I am wiser for watching. Thank you.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) The more you use it, the more it grows on you:).
I've always hated that half press button. This is far better. Thanks for the info.
You just got a new viewer👍. Maintain the same pace and don't runaway too fast and am sure you'll get a lot of subs in the time. Great content too. Subscribed!
Hello Ashish - welcome to the channel and thank you for the feedback!:) I appreciate the encourage and plan to keep rolling with more videos:).
Boss.. You are the best teacher in photography.. Just like the channel name you really keep it real...kudos
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:)
My husband just got me this camera Nikon D3400 for Christmas, and I'm charging the battery right now and watching your videos so that I can take pictures of my 3.5 and almost 1 year old (NYE baby) on Christmas Day and Birthday! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and breaking it down for people that are not professional photographers but want to take memorable photos :) I also have the Canon T3i with the Macrolens and ring flash but use that at work (I'm a dentist) and wanted to try Nikon as it seems to be a little better and easier to use for personal use. Thanks again for all the info and I hope to learn a lot from you!
Hoda Bassiri omg , mine did too 👌🏼😍 so happy
Hello Hoda - welcome to the channel and thank you for the feedback!:) I am glad to be of help and plan to post more videos soon:). You have your hands full with two children of that age - lots of work but great times!:) They grow fast through this age, so take time to enjoy the moments and capture them with your new camera!:) Practice, practice, and practice some more ... since it is digital, shoot away until you become comfortable with each mode. You will get there!:)
Hello Sheinese - welcome to the channel!:) That is an interesting similarity with Hoda!:) Makes for an interesting time around the holidays I suspect:).
First youtube comment I've ever bothered to make, but I had to. This was an outstanding tutorial. This made a huuuge difference on my pictures. Thank you, sir!! My enthusiasm level after watching the video was definitely real haha.
Thank you for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:)
Thanks for this video! I just got a d3400 and I've been inadvertently pushing the button on the back to try and focus the camera... it's just seems like a natural position for that. Glad to know I can change this button now.
Thanks for the post and glad to be of help!:)
BBF changed the way I take pictures. Best thing ever.
Thank you for making these videos! You explain in practical and simple terms. I just bought a D3400 and am going to go through all your "How To"'s videos.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:)
I have subscribed your channel after getting D3400, and since then hooked up here for more informative videos. great video. keep them coming. One suggestion - maybe considering to reduce the length of the video tutorial jumping right to hands-on and there you may explain whatever preludes if provide, will be useful to remember and understand for a novice like me.
Thanks for the post/suggestion and welcome to the channel!:) I try to create videos to meet the needs of most viewers and this typically results in the lowest common denominator - starting with the basics, etc.:) I typically try new formats, recording, audio, etc. - trying to improve as time goes one. Stay tuned as I have more videos on the way:).
@@RealWorld Thanks. I will be tuned for more :)
I just bought the D3400 as my first DSLR camera and your videos have been super helpful!
Thanks for the post/feedback Sarah and glad to be of help/inspiration!:)
I owned a D3300 for a year now and I finally know what is the function of the AE-L and AF-L button. Thank You for this Informative video. cheers mate and happy new year!
Hello Azim - welcome to the channel and thank you for the feedback!:) Glad to be of help!:)
Thank you!!! Even my photography teacher wasn’t able to help me with this!
Glad to be of help!:)
I’ve used it yesterday when I went for a walk in the woods and it’s perfect.
BBF makes it so much easier.
Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback - it will continue to grow on you as well:).
These D3400 videos have been great
You are straight up killing it man, love your videos. Thank you.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:)
Hey there! What’s up? I literally just got a Nikon D3400 and have been binge watching your videos hehe. Thank you very much, you teach things in such a calm, patient way!
Thanks for the post/feedback Rodrigo and glad to be of help!:)
This is amazing!!! I can not wait to try this out. Thank you so much for making this so easy to understand and so helpful!
Hello Hannah - thank you for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:)
Thanks very much for this video. After following the steps I found my d7200 still auto focused. I had 2 more things to learn. Live View with AF-F selected will continue to AutoFocus. I needed to select AF-S as there was no AF-C option available in Live View. I also had to turn off Vibration Reduction to stop other adjustments i could hear happening. (D7200 owners know that this is only possible on the lens ... still) In the end Im still better off using the view finder than Live View. Just good to know all the tricks on these very technical devices!
Thanks for the post Stephen:). I am not a fan of live view when taking photos ... I feel the AF struggles and typically use the view finder as well.
Hi, l have an entry level dslr nikon d3500 and sometimes l have problems with the focus so l will happily apply your tip with the back focus. Also l noticed that even for portraits if l do full body it is better to use continuous focus as always the second shoot is sharper.
I really like back button focus and have used it for many years:). Whenever I get my hands on a new/used camera, I am quick to setup back button focus. It will grow on you ... you will soon wonder why cameras are not setup this way from the manufacturer:).
I finally got my D3400 yesterday, I´m so pleased with it, I love it! Thanks for the tips!
Congrats on the D3400!:) Now, it is time to explore and have some fun!:) Glad to be of help and stay tuned as I have more videos on the way:).
great video! I am getting a Nikon d3400 tomorrow and cant wait to get into the world of photography. Your videos are definitley a great help!
Thanks for the post/feedback and welcome to the world of DSLRs!:) I suspect you now have the camera? If so, enjoy the ride ... take time to fully understand the camera and practice, practice, practice. The camera is capable of much much much more outside of full auto:). I am working a video now re the D3400 and shooting fireworks ... should be ready in a few days.
well done mate, I just got my first DSLR and it's a D3400...thanks to your positive reviews and tuts
Hello Andrew - thank you for the feedback and welcome to the world of DSLRs!:)
Cut and dry video. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this video. It helped me so much. :)
Thanks for the post and glad to be of help!:)
I've given this ago, while the back button seems a little awkward to get to, it does feel more professional and seems to give you more control over the shot, In your video the metering always seems to be set to matrix and not centre. do you focus until the red dot marker goes where you want it to before moving the camera to a position you want? or do you use others other metering for portraits ? my red dots seem to capture side points often even if they aren't what I'm aiming for. I've also gone to AF-C seems like the only difference from AF-S is that in af-s you need to keep pushing the button down repeatedly to follow a moving target as opposed to AF-C that you can just constantly hold down the bb. so I'm glad you explained that part. thanks for all your help so far. I've been getting a lot of amazing shots thanks to your videos.
Using back button focus might feel a bit strange at first, but will soon feel natural:). I typically use matrix metering which is good for whole scene exposure, and I typically use single point focus mode with AF-C - this allows me to pick the focal point and hold the button down if the subject is moving.
Thankyou sir, I am a beginner Photographer, basically i do wedding photography ,,,, and i am sure this is gonna help me a lot..... thankyou again sir..
Glad to be of help!:)
I have seen plenty of vidoes on beginers or let say new entry for dslr cameras, you are the best! All your videos is perfect! Thank you. If possible could u post some vidoes on Nikon D5600? Not sure if you did as i only saw about 20 of your videos so far...lol
Thanks for the feedback Thomas!:) Not a problem as I reviewed the D5600 which can be found here - th-cam.com/video/qDeW1PYCnmA/w-d-xo.html
Excited to try it.
Great Tip Mark .. BBF .. I'm hooked !
Glad to be of help!:) I use nothing but BBF regardless of my camera:).
I think you just changed my life my friend. I have been shooting for so long but didn't get to use BBF. I find that the images are much more clear in portraits. I got to check it in wild life too. Any suggestions on birds in flight...how do I use this feature?
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Wildlife is always a good challenge especially if shooting is spot mode:). You can switch your focus mode to matrix or full and let the camera attempt to track the subject while hold down the back button ... this is where more focal points are beneficial:). I typically using spot and do my best to track the subject while hold down the back button ... works fairly well but take a bit of time to get the hang of it:).
this makes this button actually useful
Thanks again! I have shoot nice pics of the port off Antwerp
(Belgium) today! With these settings
sounds like a great spot for images and glad to be of help!:)
Your videos are awesome. For quite some time I have been looking for hobby that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, so I watched all of your videos on Nikon equipment. I learned a lot before even buying a camera. I recently purchased a Nikon D5300 kit with the 18-55 lens, a good quality tripod, and a decent quality filter. I also purchased a bag and a remote. I am only beginning and trying shots to get used to my new camera and all of your advice comes to mind as I shoot. You are right about "Auto" mode. It is quite restricting and poor quality compared to the PSAM modes. I see a massive difference and will not be using auto, especially after taking shots in low light situations. I am impressed how well the photos look in low light with this Nikon. Thank you so much for the great videos. You could be an instructor.
Thanks Steve for the post/feedback and welcome to the world of DSLRs!:) Sounds like you are off to a great start ... keep it up!:) Take time to full understand the other modes (PSAM) and practice, practice, practice:). The more you practice the better you will become ... cameras offer a creative outlet for many (including myself:)).
Thank you, I just got my Nikon 3400 and I plan on using back button focus. Keep the video's coming.
Hello Andrea - thank you for the feedback and glad to be of help!:) Back button focus is really nice once you get the hang of it!:)
Thanks for posting these videos! Wow! We have had this camera for a little while and the videos have helped us understand so much.
Thanks for the post and glad to be of help!:) The camera is amazing capable once you explore all the features:).
This is very clever :D You essentially get both focus modes with out having to reprogram. Brilliant sir! I have subbed :)
Thanks for the post/feedback and welcome to the channel!:) BBF is GREAT!:) It might take a bit to get used to using it, but once you get the hang of it you will wonder why manufactures do not default their cameras to BBF.
So, just to be clear
One: if you are sitting still and I hit bbf and let go, you will stay in focus as long as you don't move, and if you do turn your head/move I can just hit it again?
Two: If the dogs/kids are running around all I have to do is simply hold in bbf as they run/play and they will remain in focus?
Lastly, this is all done in Continuous Servo mode? (Avoid Single servo if possible?)
Thank you, sorry for the questions I just want to make sure I understand this in my own weird way lol because I am jumping straight into bbf.
Thanks for the post/questions and you are correct on all fronts!:) Sounds like you have connected all the dots which is great ... it may take a bit of time to get used to BBF, but once you get the hang of it, I suspect you will enjoy it:).
I want to upgrade from my Nikon d3100 I am looking at a cannon T7i a Nikon d3400 and a Nikon d5600 which would you recommend mostly for taking photos.ps, Love your videos
Thanks for the post/feedback/question Gerry!:) The big advantage to the D5600 is the touch flip screen. If you don't need a flip screen, I might lean towards the D3400 ( amzn.to/2gjCOdW ). The T7i is great as well and I might lean in this direction if you plan to shoot any amount of video (Canon did a great job with their STM lens and AF in my opinion:)).
@@RealWorld thanks for your reply the flip screen is handy to have I might lean towards that (thanks)
To review, and this is a question: Set back button focus to AF-C and disable shutter button focus. Press and RELEASE back button and it acts as single point autofocus. Press and HOLD back button, and it acts as continuous autofocus for moving targets?
Hello and thank you for the question - bingo!:) You are correct - once you start using the BBF in this manner, you will soon see the benefits.
Thank you my friend for this explanation, you did indeed rock my photo world and I'm absolutely going to try this out.
But before I do please can you tell me how it affects the other functions of the AE-L/AF-L button once you've assigned it to AF-ON? Are the other functions of the button made redundant? Are they needed for other aspects of photography?
Thanks!
Glad to be of help!:) You will lose the ability to lock exposure (AE-L) but this is not a huge issue in my opinion as I never use it:). The concept behind AE-L is to lock exposure before taking any given shot just in case something in the scene causes the exposure to shift heavily. I never really use AE-L as I want a proper exposure when shooting in anything but manual.
@@RealWorld Okay thanks for this, I think I understand it. But just to clarify, if I set the camera to AF-ON that should be all I have to do right (there's no setting for AF activation in the settings menu on my camera). And if I did want to use AE-L for any reason I can set the shutter-release button AE-L to ON. Is this correct please? Thank you for your help but this area of my camera confuses me.
Another good video here learning about DSLR camera's
Thanks for the post william and glad to be of help!:)
You are simple awesome man....I have started loving you !
Thanks for the post/feedback!:) Stay tuned as I will have more vids on the way!
I appreciate your videos. I just got my first real camera last Christmas and even with a book for dummies, couldn't figure out how to do anything but use the auto selections. With your videos I've been learning a lot. As I've experimented with BBF I find that the image is not as sharp as when I manually focus. My question is that if I've got all the settings in place for BBF on Continuous Mode will my manual focus hold across multiple shots such as when I'm doing time lapse photography. So thanks for all your hard work and I hope you keep the videos coming as you are a great teacher and your videos are professional quality.
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Yes, your camera should keep the manual focus, however take a quick look at the following video - th-cam.com/video/awXp9wvZo6w/w-d-xo.html ... if using a remote, the camera will try to auto focus before each shot:). This may not apply to you but worth understanding:).
Thank you for your reply.....looking forward to trying this.....
Thank you for your videos. Im getting ideas coming from you before i get this nikon d3400. Im always watching your video and i think this is my time to buy nikon d3400. Next week. Im going to buy it. Hope someday i become professional. Hehehe. Thank you for the lectures. Im here in doha qatar but im from philippines.
Thanks for the post/feedback and welcome from the United States!:)
Just get the D5600 kabayan mas ok gamitin touch screen
Thank you so much for your camera videos, they are really appreciated, I planned to get a nikon d3400 during the boxing day sales, I found your videos before I purchased & I'm really glad I did as I felt confident about my purchase.. I planned to get a dslr to do some ametuer dog agility photography, however thanks to your videos I've had a go at some other things that have been fun & I plan to keep being creative.. Thank you so much again for your informative videos & thanks for showing how much can be done with the d3400.. I'll keep watching out for more stuff
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Much can be done with the D3400 ... practice, practice, practice, and have fun!:)
bbf is similar to manual mode for exposure; focus once, then shoot until you/subject moves or changes the focal plane;
little use in street photography when u r on the move all the time and shoot different things
good for sports/wildlife/ weddings
maybe portraiture
the catch is u can focus and recompose in AF-C ; this is not possible with front focus button , so you will have to constantly change the focus mode
some says that at very wide aperture focusing and recompose will lose the focus plane anyway; for safety avoid it with aperture larger then 2,8 FF or 1,8 crop
hi
Great vids. Once I set to BBF can I just leave it on for most all of my shots?
Thanks for the post/feedback Rich!:) Yes, I set my camera on BBF years ago and never went back:).
Hello, so I followed along and at the point where you hit the information button on the home screen I don't get the single and continuous, I get 2 squares 1 AF-A (highlighted) and the other (Grey) square says MF so I'm sorta stuck with manual focus as my only other option. Poking around I still couldn't find the screen you have. Nikon D-3400. We talked in the past just wanted to share, my son is a Sergeant now, military police and currently on assignment in Jordan.
Wow, hard to believe your son is a sergeant now!:) Hopefully, he is doing well and staying safe. Curious to know what shooting mode you are using (i.e. aperture, shutter, manual, etc.). You might try switch your shooting mode and going back to information button.
Thanks for this information. It is a great way to lock in the focus. I was troubled by shooting through a fence at an object in the distance, in autofocus, the image kept being focused on the fence. with this technique I was able to focus on the far object and shoot through the fence. I did notice that if you keep your finger on the back button, the camera continuously focuses on the object in the viewfinder.
Thanks for the post/feedback:). BBF can be a great help in various situations. If you are in continuous focus mode and hold the back button down, you are correct - the camera will continuously focus which is great for motion. If you want to prevent the continuous focus, I believe you can switch the focus mode to single (I stick to continuous as it allows me the option to hold down if I choose or press once for single).
Hi, Thanks for your videos, I have been enjoying them very much and they have inspired me to learn new things when using my camera. I am currently using a Nikon D5500. I am having difficulty with the BBF set up. For starters, there is no "buttons" option in my camera. However, I went to the CUSTOM SETTING MENU (pencil), selected option "CONTROLS" and I found similar settings. Just as in your buttons menu, I found the "Assign Fn button" and the "Assign AE-L/AF-L button" selections. However, instead of a "Shutter-release button AE-L" and "AF activation" selections, my next two options are "Assign touch Fn" and Reverse dial rotation. Therefore I was able to change the "Assign AE-L/AF-L button" to AF-ON, but I was unable to turn off AF activation. However, it appears that disengaging the shutter button focusing may occur automatically when assigning the AE-L/AF-L button to AF-ON. The issue I am now having is that I only have AF-S, AF-F, and MF available to select as Focus modes, no AF-C. In AF-S the camera will focus on one point when I press the AE-L/AF-L button and stay focused at that distance. Good enough. In AF-F mode, the camera keeps refocusing on whatever it is pointing at, which sounds like continuous to me, and if I press AND HOLD the AE-L/AF-L button it will focus and stay locked at that distance, but only as long as I hold the button down. Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought it was supposed to be the other way around. Anyway, I was going to say that each time I take a series of shots, simulating an object moving toward me by moving the camera toward the object as I shot, the objects got progressively more out of focus. I was using live view, so decided to try again through the view finder and had much, much better results. Apparently live view slows processing time. It appears that I may have been successful, after all. But I'll still ask, did I miss anything in the setup and is the there a difference between AF-C and AF-F? Thanks again for your lessons and inspiration.
Thanks for the post and sounds like you gave it is a good shot!:) AF-F is full-time servo mode which was introduced by Nikon. This feature attempts to auto focus on given subjects without pressing the shutter button (or back button in this case). When the shutter is pressed halfway or the back button in engaged, the camera will attempt to lock and hold focus. This was intended to help maintain focus when shooting video but I feel Nikon still has work to do in this area. Keep in mind, AF-F is different than AF-C. AF-C is continuous servo mode. This feature will lock and maintain focus on a given subject when the shutter button is pressed and held halfway (or again in this case, while the back button in held down). I suspect you are not see AF-C as an option because of the mode you are using. If you are in full auto, you will need to switch:). Enter into P, S, A, or M mode and go back into the menu to see if you can see AF-C:).
Make sure you're not using Liveview mode.
Making some changes to settings. I did your instructions on BBFocus. But I selected also AF-s. In your demo you hit the bbf button, then the shutter....and you said you shouldn't hear anything....yikes, I heard the mirror quite loudly....how did you hear nothing? Please advise....
You will still hear the shutter but will not hear the focus beep/lock:) ... th-cam.com/video/6qUebpQeclY/w-d-xo.html
as always Sir, it's really informative and educative.. I never used it before and now I know it's purpose and usage.. Thanx so much, Sir..
thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:)
I tried real hard to use back button focus with my D5600- I really did. But being left-handed and using my left eye when shooting I always find it difficult to get to the AE-L/AF-L button with my thumb. I wish Nikon would have let us use the function button for back button focus- that would've worked great for me.
UPDATE: I decided to re-try back button focs on my Nikon, and this time I think I've figured out how to make it work. Like so many things we left-handed people have to do, I made the necessary adjustments to make it more comfortable for me and I'm doing much more comfortable with this technique. I am also ordering a soft silicone eyepiece which will give me just a little more room behind the camera and might also help with back button focus. We'll see how that works out.
In the meantime, thanks again for the great, informative video.
Hi sir, I Hope you are doing fine.
Can I please use this video in my blog for educational purposes?
Thanks for the post/request ... yes - always glad to help others:)
when you say "if the subject don't move...." what you can consider as "movement" ? if subject don't come move its position but move its face , it will remain in focus ? when taking pictures of small kids , they move all time , sometimes unexpected so If I understand correctly I should hold that button all time and move the camera after the subject , am I right ? when using this method should I select then single point / middle point of focus point and then recompose ?
You are on the right path!:) If you lock focus on the subject's eye and the subject moves their face but not their body, you will most likely keep focus depending on your aperture (for example, you will have a better chance of retaining focus at f/8 vs f/2.2). If the subject is moving all around like little ones do, you will want to hold down the back button and do your best to keep the center focal point on the subject (moving the camera while hold the button down will keep the camera tracking/locking focus). Another option to consider is using 3D tracking focus mode - this mode was designed to help track subjects that are moving left/right front/back up/down ... how well does it work? Wellll, I prefer to simply using single/center focus and manually track the subject but 3D is worth checking/testing:).
Wonderful informative video. Thank you.
glad to be of help!:)
Have managed to get some ok wildlife pics using a friends old slr prob more out of luck and found your vids very informative and gave me a better understanding of how the camera works. Getting a D3400 with additional 300mm lens so wondered if you Are planning to do a vid on wildlife photography ?
Could you do a video on how to film in low lights using d3400?
What would you recommend to do for a group portrait? Should we lock in on the center person, or in between people to make sure everyone is in focus?
Might depend on how deep the group goes. If 2 rows, I would lock focus on someones eye in the front row. If 3 rows, I might lock focus on an eye in the middle row. If 4 rows, I might lock on the second row. Important to understand depth of focus in these situations. Take a quick look at a video on created outlining the basic concepts which might be of help - th-cam.com/video/EGesxJeY8_s/w-d-xo.html
I still don't understand the advantage of moving the focus function from the shutter button to the back button.
this allows you to lock focus without the camera trying to gain focus each time you press the shutter button ... this can be nice in a variety of situations. :)
@@RealWorld thank you
Great videos - thanks so much. I find myself referring to them all the time as I start my journey to try and take halfway decent photos with a Nikon D3400. I do have a question that I'm not quite sure about. If I'm using back Back Button Focus and shooting a moving object in continuous mode - do I focus and keep the back button pressed down while I also press the shutter button, or do I just push it once, when I start to track my moving object? I'm thinking I keep it pressed down, but not sure. Thank you!
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) You are correct in your thinking ... if you want to track a moving subject, keep the back button push down ( providing you are set to AF-C - th-cam.com/video/6qUebpQeclY/w-d-xo.html ). If the subject is not moving (i.e. landscape, fixed portrait, etc.), you can simply push the back button once/quickly to lock focus. The beauty of using back button focus with AF-C is that you have the option to quickly press the button or hold it down if needed.
@@RealWorld Thank you!
hi
I am so thankful to u , for your video its so us full to me , I have Nikon D3400 its quite good DSLR camera ,
thank u again & hop to see a new video from u .
Thanks for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) Stay tuned as more videos are on the way:).
sir, how to turn on blooth in my nikonD3400 it is showing that this option is not available at current settings or in the camera's current state
Not a problem. Bluetooth will show as disabled until SnapBridge is setup. Try to setup SnapBridge again and Bluetooth will/should enable.
RealWorld thank u sooo much sir it helps me a lot
I have also same problem but my DSLR is not working ..how I will set camera's current state
sir please tell me as soon as possible
+RealWorld I didn't understand I have the same problem as his but you said setup snapbridge? where? camera? phone? other apps?
What a brilliant idea a Back button focus is. Kudos in explaining it perfectly. I can't go back to half pressed shutter button to focus. I just love it :)
The only down side is that, when I have to give a camera to a friend or any other person to take a group photo, I really have a hard time in explaining back button focus and end up getting a picture where we are never in focus.
I do put the mode into Auto before handing the camera to any one else. Is there any mode that has default settings? It's time consuming to always find the setting in the menu to change the back button's role.
Thanks you for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) I'm with you - I have no intentions of returned to shutter focus lock:). You are absolutely right regarding handing the camera off to friends or family for a quick pict (I have been there and done that many times over:)). I typically do one of two things ... 1 - quickly explain BBF to the friend/family and/or 2 - focus for them and hand them the camera to squeeze the shutter:). You could spend extra time switching back to shutter focus lock, but I that tends to confuse some people as well:).
How do you set exposure lock whilst using back button focus of AF-ON?
You can lock exposure you the shutter button I believe (I do not have my camera with me otherwise I will take a quick look:)). If I recall correctly, I believe you can set the shutter button to lock exposure in the menu?
For RealWorld: Let's say I am taking a picture of a dancer waiting in the wings. Using BBF, I point my camera at her, press the BBF button, swing the camera to the stage so that the dancer is placed on the left of the scene. I press the shutter and won't the dancer be underexposed because the stage is bright? (Might be a more artistic picture but that's not my point.)
In an uneven light situation, can BBF replace the half-pressed-recompose method?
@@chakwong Ahhhhh yes, I have been in similar situations:). In your example, I believe your dancer would be properly exposed but the stage would be over exposed providing the stage is brighter than the dancer. Nonetheless, this is a case when I would use further focus point to the left. I typically use the center focal point to lock and recompose, but if I need to recompose drastically and the lighting changes a good amount, I will using the closest focal point to the subject:). Hope this helps!:)
Found your vid through a random search. Great video for beginner. I took 1 step further to change the half-press shutter to AE lock. Not sure if thats available for the entry level 3300/3400 though. That works wonder with spot metering.
Hello Khoi - thank you for the post/feedback and glad to be of help!:) I have leveraged back button focus on each camera I have used over the years ... it is one of the first features I modify/implement. Once you get used to using it, you will find it odd to go back:).
I love your informative videos. What is your opinion of the Sigma DG 50-500mm F4.5- 6.3 OS APO HSM DG for the Nikon 3400 ? I happen to find this lens used and wanted your opinion
Thanks for the post/feedback/question Bill!:) To ensure we are on the same page - I am referring to this lens: amzn.to/2RYzDfl ... this is a great/solid lens in my opinion. Resulting image quality is very good given the wide zoom range. I like the full range and versatility the lens offers. The only word of caution might be weight:). The lens weighs in just over 4lbs which may not sound too bad but wear on you after a full day of use:).
Thanks so much i am looking foward to trying this out,Great job on the video,
Thanks for the post Ramon and glad to be of help!:)
I use it and its very important.
really like BBF:)
Thanks for the amazing video! Can you do a video on how to clean the glass lens on the d3400?
Hello and thank you for the feedback!:) Not a problem - I will try to include lens care/cleaning on one of my upcoming videos:).
Enjoying the D3400. Just got a remote. Haven't tried it yet but was wondering....can I still use BBF or do I have to revert back to using the shutter because it says(video) it will focus then fire.....?
I have a similar setup (using BBF and a remote:)). When shooting with the remote, the camera will try to auto focus. I will typically using the BBF, switch to manual focus, and then using the remote ... I do this often for shooting fireworks, night shots, or anytime I do not want the camera to auto focus when using the remote. I did this in the the steel wool video - th-cam.com/video/awXp9wvZo6w/w-d-xo.html
by turning AF OFF ,can we point camera at any thing and click ....? it did not show any resistance
Yes, from a focusing perspective:). The camera will not try to lock focus and will take the shot.
Thanks for the help and clear explanation.
Glad to be help!:)
I'll definitely be doing this
Thank you for watching, and I hope you enjoy it!:)
Hi, for back button photography settings, which mode should we select? Manual, auto or other in Nikon D3400?
Back button focus will work in any mode with is nice:). I typically use aperture priority but may switch to other modes depending on the situation.
It make it better understanding on Nikon D3400 with the two kits lens that came with it.
Hi (sorry don’t know your name)? I really enjoy your instruction videos. I have a Nikon D5600 and am about to try BB focus. I’ve set to continuous and disabled focus from the shutter. How many focus points would you recommend please? I’ve set to 21 of the available 39 as read somewhere that fewer may make it easier for the camera to track movement. Also should I enable 3D tracking? Thanks!
Thanks for the post/feedback/question David!:) I typically use one single point of focus. I prefer to lock focus on specific subjects (i.e. the eye of a person, etc.). You can leverage more and let the camera do the work though. 3D tracking is fine as well and works great when holding down the button in back button focus to capture moving subjects:).
RealWorld Thanks for the swift reply, that’s really useful.
Hi. How do i know if i am focused on a stationary object if i am using BBF and AFC knowing there is no beep
GREAT question!:) The answer - you don't:). Unfortunately, this is one downside to BBF - no beep/confirmation of focus lock. I almost forgot about the beep until I read your post:).
Talking about using back button focus for running subjects, you mentioned hold the back button and follow the subject. But then if the subject keeps on moving wont we miss the opportunity to grab some shots in just tracking the subject? Let's say we are trying to capture a flying bird and if we keep on holding the back button the bird will fly away. Don't get me wrong. I am trying to understand using back button for such scenario. I've learnt a great deal from you and would like to understand this better.
Thanks for the post/question Karan:). Not a problem ... if you photograph anything moving (i.e. birds), you would hold the back button down and press the shutter release button at the same time:). For example, you see a bird sitting on a tree limb, place the center focal point on the bird and hold the back button down. If the bird starts to fly, continue to hold the back button down and take a few shots by using your index finger to press the shutter button.
@@RealWorld thank you for clarification.