One MUST CHANGE Camera SETTING for Perfectly SHARP Landscape PHOTOS! 

Thanks so much for watching everyone!!

I've really enjoyed your channel for over a year now. I've grown tired of all the photography channels with the thumping dance music and the epic, sweeping drone videos. I like your low-key style and think you have tremendously valuable content. I agree back button focus is the way to go. Thank you!

Back button focus was the best change I made, but the hardest to get accustomed to. Focus is focus and shutter is shutter, I’ll never go back!

You're like the Bob Ross of photography. "Let's just take some pics of these happy little trees." Always passing on great knowledge.

I was experiencing exactly what you were saying where the focus was just a little bit off when I looked at the images on my computer monitor. This video was absolutely essential for me. I never thought about taking the focus activation off the shutter button. I tried it and absolutely love it. You have opened up a brand new experience for me. Thanks Mark.

I'm still relatively new to cameras. My wife bought me a D3500 the tail end of November 2019. Ironically enough, the very FIRST setting I altered was switching to back button focus. It is so much better in my humblest of newbie opinions. I appreciate another fantastic video Mark. Take care and be safe.

Great video. I use BBF for years now and never looked back, it’s great. An extra feature is that when you change your shooting mode to ‘continuous ‘ you have it all in one button. Just a short press to lock for a single shot, but if needed you can switch to continuous focusing by holding the back button, without the need to change any setting on the camera. Quite handy when an animal suddenly appears.

It was a revelation when I was shown back button focus and cannot think of doing it any other way now. Having done many tests, the auto does a better job than my eyes 99% of the time, but I always review at 100% to be sure. Thanks for sharing Mark.

Like a beginner, I used to autofocus with the shutter button. I was not really happy to start to work with back focusing. But it changed everything, and now I'm mad at myself for not having used it earlier. It is not only important in portrait photography, but also in sports photography, as you can shoot while focusing, thus losing no time and missing no action.

I hadn't used back button focus until I was on a guided photography trip when the trip leader suggested I switch. It took a half day or so to get used to it, but I've never looked back.

This is so helpful to know there's an option for back focusing as I've missed so many shots when my camera refocuses while using the shutter button.

Thanks for this clear explanation Mark. As a new “manual setting” photographer you hear many others talk about being a back-button focuser...but until now I didn’t appreciate the reason why.

BBF , AF then manual with focus peaking . After torturing myself for ages on hyperfocal distances, third way in etc, I find manual focus and peaking works great.

I switched to BBF a few years ago and haven’t looked back since. I focus the way I want and where I want and the camera takes the image. It works great for pretty much everything since you’re in control of when the camera focuses. Mine is setup so that when I hold the focus button it’s in continuous focusing mode. Track your subject, hold the focus button and shoot away. If it stops moving, let go of the button and shoot. It makes focus and recompose a breeze. I can’t imagine shooting any other way.

I put back button focus on the Q button and moved Q to the upper right button. It makes it MUCH easier to find. Great video.

This would be the clearest explanation I have come across about just how back button focus actually works. Will be giving this a go on my next shoot. Thanks! And I totally agree about the absence of background music. A welcome and refreshing change.

Single point linked to BBF total game changer for me when I moved to it 3 years ago. Especially true as I shoot a lot of minimal long exposure landscape images where it is all about pin-sharp subject focus.

This was the information I’ve looked for. I was allays straggling with auto ficus and light measurements. Very often I put focus to another point as point for which I would like to calculate the exposure. Thanks a lot for sharing this!

A technique I learned from Mads Peter Iverson on my Sony A7 Riii with back button focus set, is move the focus square to the desired item you want in focus, press the AF-L button on the back of the camera. This zooms in close to the object. I can press it a 2nd time and zoom in even closer if desired. The focus square changes to a small "+" sign and I can move it precisely on what I want specifically the auto focus system to focus on then press the back button focus button (AE-L) to focus the lens. I typically have a 5 second timer set so I press the shutter button and take the shot. This technique was a game changer for me - no more slightly soft photos. I love the focus peaking for macro/intimate shots. Thank you Mark!

Yes! I've encountered this problem too. I started using manual focus, and on my camera I can switch the focus on automatic just by keep pushing the front button. As soon as I release it turns back into manual. One thing that I should do is enable that "red sharpness point" you shown, might be handy to get where the focus exactly is!

Thanks again Mark, for giving a clear indication of the value of back button focus. If I may elaborate to a more general principle, that of moving away from relying on the camera's default auto-settings in general. I started shooting in the late '70s, my first purchase being a used Nikon Ftn Photomic. It had a rudimentary metering system coupled with auto-aperture, but that was the extent of "automatic" functions. Working with an essentially all-mechanical camera helps the photographer realize that every exposure actually comprises several variables, several choices, to create an image: shutter speed, aperture, exposure value, "film speed" - aka ISO - plus focal point, not to mention focal length and ultimately, composition. Modifying any one of these will change the character of the image. In all but the latter two options, all these variables can be given over to the camera's auto-settings, often with acceptable results, but likely not optimum. For example, understanding how different aperture settings will change range of focus, along with other subtler changes, and choosing one specifically for a desired effect will add to one's creative potential. You need not only to know the tools at your disposal, but also to take your time and have a set reliable workflow: a detailed sample technique would be... 1. scout and locate your subject; establish general standpoint, with ideas toward final composition. 2. choose desired lens, eg., 35mm f2 for moderate-wide landscape with the intention to incorporate foreground subject-matter; handhold tighter dial-in of finished composition; set up tripod to place camera to that spot. 3. choose focal-point to ensure that at least the primary subject is sharp (back-button focus for auto-lens, or manually focus, preferably live-view with focus-peaking); It's generally preferable to focus wide open, so you'll know precisely where your focal-point lands. 4. choose aperture, depending upon desired effect, in this case f16 for wide focal-range (choice of focal-point and aperture are somewhat related, which is to say, how one chooses the two is connected. If for instance, in this composition you wished to highlight a flower in the near foreground, you'd choose f2 and focus directly on the flower, letting the background go soft; but instead, we wish a broad focal range - without focus-stacking - and you might know that f16 on this particular lens is safely sharp, which will give you good focus from near to distant... if you set your focal-point at or near its hyper-focal point. If that's too much, just focus a bit past the near-object, and rely on focus-peaking if possible). 5. establish proper exposure. A good method, with proper understanding, is to spot-meter a key area of your subject. This may require moving the focal-index on your monitor in live-view, or changing where you point your camera to do so. Again, using live-view, and histogram display, you can modify exposure-time with exposure compensation. Generally, more exposure without clipping highlights is better. Use back-button AE lock before recomposing. 6. ISO 100 (this is hardly a choice, almost by default, highest sensitivity for best resolution and least noise. Higher speed to stop action or to hand-hold would be an exception. But since we're on a tripod, with a placid subject, even a several-second exposure is fine). 7. with focal-point, aperture, and exposure-time now locked in, set final composition. I prefer live-view, since in my DSLR it locks the mirror up, reducing potential vibration, plus shows a good representation of the final composition and exposure settings. Make exposure with remote release and 2-sec. delay so camera is completely still. I frequently shoot Auto-Exposure-Compensation, ±1 stop, so I'll have three frames of varying density. I can either choose the best one for editing, or, more often than not combine them for an HDR image, which gives a bit more editing depth. ... I went to all this detail just to illustrate the point that you need to put your time in, first again to learn your tool's capabilities, and then, at the time of exposure, to methodically work through all the steps, choice-by-choice, to produce the specific desired effect. And then, on to editing, which is a whole other story. Cheers!

Great video and suggestion. I converted to BBF some time ago and was the best thing I ever did. Agree it was awkward at first but the keeper rate went way up. When time allows, that little tweak made manually, is magic.

I found out about the back button focus a couple of years ago. Seemed like a good thing to do. I'm surprised this isn't the standard setting! What a difference it makes. Never changed it back. I have 2 camera's and both have that option set. Best thing I did to personalise!

Yep! Ive changed my A7iii to use one of the custom butttons for autofocus and only the trigger to capture is so much better and i will never go back to default.

I'm a music recording producer & new to video/photo & currently learning as I go along 3 things I've been taught for basics is apertures, iso, & frame focusing angles etc I've noticed between my knowledge of music & video recording is not that much difference on the concept & it helped me alot including you guys tutorial. Your channel is awesome!!!! It opened a whole different world for me thank you 🙏💯💯💯👍

Hey Mark, you continue to be the most helpful landscape photographer I’ve found on RU-vid. Thank you so much for explaining this. I honestly thought my camera body needed an upgrade because my images were having this exact problem. Appreciate you!

I feel another advantage of using Back Button Focusing is you can trigger the shutter release faster (no delay to focus) and time it better (e.g. more precisely when a wave to breaking on a rock).

There is also the issue of shutter or camera shake, although slight, when pressing the shutter button. I use BBF, AF, maybe recompose the shot and then with either a shutter release or more often the 2 second timer, I take the shot. I am starting to use AF then manual focus to make sure like you demonstrated today. This has helped me refine that process. Thanks, Mark!

You can leave AF on the shutter button on the X-T3. If you switch the camera to MF at the front, you can still use the AF-L button to spot-AF on demand. My favorite setting for landscapes. Whenever a moving subject appears, I just flip the AF mode to AF-C and the previously set tracking AF is immediately available.

I find BBF most useful when coupled with continuous focus for moving subjects.

So good to get the benefit of your experience Mark , I’m heading towards being a professional photographer and your videos have taught me so much over the last few months . Been using this focus technique for a while now , it’s changed my photographs . So much better , thanks 🙏 Always try to experiment and teach myself as I go along as you did but these brilliant videos have certainly speeded up process . Take care , greetings from the UK

I absolutely love the organic tones in your video. My Z6 is on the way so time to start mastering that thing when it gets here. Big upgrade from a D3500. Thanks for the help!

I have been using back button focusing for awhile now. I find it more convenient for many different types of photos as my thumb is actually engaging the focus system while my shutter finger is not engaging the the shutter button until I am ready. I will have to try using focus peaking and the focus ring to fine tune the focus.

I've been using back button focusing for a couple of years now and though it was odd to get used to at first I will never go back to shutter button focusing. Thanks for the video.

Back Button Focus is hard to get used to for about the first 10 times using it especially if you been doing the focusing the traditional way for years! But hang in there before you know it...it will be second nature. Great video Mark.

I’ve watched a s**t load of landscape photography videos and I have never had these two top tips explained by anyone. 👍🏻👍🏻

Thank you, Mark. Very well explained. This is something I have told clients before, but I probably need to press it home more often!

Best thing I ever did on my Olympus em1m11. Works a treat with sports and bird photography.

This gonna be one of the most important lesson to learn, according to me, Thanks again to make this type of wonderful videos....... Thanks Allot.........

Assigning focus to the back button has been the best tweak I've made on my D610. I got used to it very fast and will never go back to shutter button focus. BTW, you have the best photographic how to videos I've found on RU-vid. Thanks for all your help.

Hi Mark. This is amazing! I was just playing around focusing process on my camera two days ago and I got nearly to the same conclusion. Thats awsome. Thanks for the video to confirm what I figured out :D

Thanks Mark, will definitely try this.

I’m relatively new to your channel and i’m enjoying the more relaxed structure and less sales pushy narrative. I’m onside 100% with this focussing method too, started using it last year. Modern cameras ay! I think I know how Sulu felt at the beginning of each Star Trek mission, navigating these things is becoming a bit of a Enterprise flight deck experience.

Mark, thanks for this. I’ve since changed to back button and find it makes a difference!!

Thank you. I have played around with it I guess I need to revisit that and try this again. Thank you very much for the info

Like that you said, you go out to practice your techniques, nice to hear that we are always practicing and learning.

Great video Mark. It was reassuring for me to see how my camera skills are developing in the right direction. My lack of artistic confidence pushes me to learn the techniques and current gear functionality more intimately in an effort to get the artistic results in the image making process. Thanks for sharing.

The cool thing with fujis is, that you don't have to remove the autofocus from the shutter button, when using back button af. Just switch to "M" Focus mode, do everything as Mark explained here, as your back button af then still works. When you want your shutter to focus again, just use "S" or "C" focus mode again.

Great tips Marc, thank you.

Good tips again. Just to note, set ‘m’ focus on front of camera and set AF in menu to allow AF when camera is set to manual mode. Then as you mentioned use BF method and fine tune with manual focus ring. I leave that setting as I use adapted lens which are not auto focus and just use manual focus ring with focus peaking as guide. Works great with fuji.

I've watched many videos around bbf, think you have this discussed this previously in one of your videos. But as mentioned to some below, it took me a while to figure it out and getting used to it. But now, I don't want to go back, loving it ! One downside, someone wanted to try my camera (Sony A7MII) before buying it too, she had a hard time shooting sharp images. Anyway, it works for me !

Great video. Thanks for all of the help Mark.

Happy New Year ! Thanks for the tip .

Wow .. someone else finds those manuals indescrifrable. Good to know I’m not thee only one.

Thanks a lot for your video Mark! On Fujifilm X-T3 I'm using AF-ON back button with AF-M switch in front. So I can use AF on half shutter button in AF-S mode, and back button AF in AF-M mode.

Thank you that's a great idea! Definitely gonna be switching my camera settings to this when I get home today 🤘

Thank you. Now time to pick up the camera, play with some settings and give this a try. If it works then I will use it. Thank you again.

Thanks Mark, another great tip, will try it out, hope you guys are all safe and Healthy in these odd times.

It took me awhile to get used to it, but now I will never go back. I like the separation of the focus and shutter actions.

I just ordered my XT3 as you've sold me on it! I can't wait to try some of the tips you talk about.

Just tried this...wow it does make a big difference to the overall quality of my images.

I used this technique today and it worked a treat. Thanks

Thank you very much for your videos, keep them coming. I was advised to use back button focusing by my Dad and I have never looked back and it makes for a much better work flow. It took a few trips to get used to this mind. The only thing I don't have on my camera is focus peaking but I have been practising zooming in on live view to 100% and checking to make sure everything is in focus. Even setting one of buttons to quickly zoom in to 100% when on live view has made this is so much easier.

The fact he showed us how to pack his gear and unpack his gear is enough for me to like this video.

I've been using Back-Focus-Button for years on my Sonys. I also use the DMF function extensively with the Focus Peaking to assist.

I changed button for focus to AEL at the back a long time ago and I could nerver go back again. It is so much easier.

The wonderful sounds of taking photos in nature.. (tripod legs sliding out, locking the ball head, rotating the aperture ring..) /s

Changed the manual check focus setting in my XT3. Could be a game changer. Thanks Mark!

Amazing tip! Will have to try this out soon. Thanks for sharing!

Recently I've been talking my photography more seriously and I've been researching a lot via RU-vid. I have to state - you've been the best, by far. Outstanding content, beautifully explained. Keep up the great work - and thanks 👍👍

Really enjoyed the vid , going to try that out

Back button focus has been so helpful for me shooting live music.

your a great help mark, cheers,

thank you Mark - going to give it a whirl this weekend and see if it helps !

Always great to watch your videos, a great reminders to remember before going out. BBF settings yes great to change but remember to press that button. On Sony no need to they AF with the preview selection on (I also turn off). MF assist is another setting to use for getting all things in focus with red. When in the woods beware of ticks/red bugs 1. Vicks on boot tops and lower legs 2. For clothing eucalyptus products - ODOBAN - spray on all clothing and gear bags and rub some on hair/beard/back of neck, also wash clothes in ODOBAN. . Dryer sheet necklace and wrist wraps. Ever get red bug bites put Vicks on them the redness will go away in a month not a year as normal, kids get these bites just playing in yard at dusk!!! Also Skin-So-Soft repels mosquitoes, noseeums and ticks put a little in water spray bottle - I use all the time at sunset/sunrise on clothing/ skin-hair and always on gear bag. Even in winter the ticks will find you, do not want to take back home and family. Also Peppermint or Geranium oil in a vaporizer thing under you clothing you plan to wear out, not as oily.

I had to start using back button focusing years ago when I had a problem on my a6000 and the shutter button had an eletronic issue. Since I had nowhere to send to in my country, I changed some settings and began using back button focusing. I loved doing this. But after some years I'm not using it anymore. Maybe I'll go back to it in some years from now.

Using Back button focus and putting it in manual keeps the half press functionality for single. Works like a charm :)

Tysm ! Great pro tip ..

Another great video. Have used back button focus for some years, first on Nikon and now on Fuji XT cameras. On my X-T2 and X-T3 cameras I assigned the front button (FN2) to focus. It is easy to keep my middle finger on the FN2 button and use my first finger for the shutter. I have tried the AF-E and AF-L buttons as well, but they do not work as well as the FN2 button. And now with my thumb I can dial in SS with the rear command dial. Happy with the setup.

Mark: "I turn my focus ring until most of the scene is red, marking focus area" Me:

One of my interest as a photography is motorsports and the back button focusing is invaluable. Either prefocus on one spot and wait for subject to move through that spot or continuously hold down the button as this will enable the camera to continue to focus whilst it is taking the picture. With the focusing on the shutter button the focus locks as you press the shutter and if it's a fast moving subject it may have moved out of focus by the time the shutter has taken the image. This is vital, I should imagine, for wildlife photographers also

Thanks for this!

So helpful! Thanks.

Thanks that was very helpful with definitely have a go at finding back button focus on my xt4

This is truly what was needed. Thanks man.

I'm just getting into outdoor landscape photography and your content and photographs are amazing! Also want to say your tutorials are fantastic for me as a ture noobie, great tip in this video!!! Thanks Mark

A clear explanation of back button focus. So for years I've been hearing/seeing "back button focus" and been thinking "so what",💡

Very helpful info, Mark. Googling how to do that on my camera brought me directly to a video by Sony showing what to do. Thanks for the tip. This is a good tip. I often use the manual ring to check focus peaking, but having the back button focus enabled is excellent.

Great tips, thanks!

Thank you that was excellent Mark!👍🏼👍🏼

Thanks for this video. I’m new at digital photography. This is a reoccurring prob I have had. Great channel. I too like the low key, no music. To the point instructions. Great job.

That's a great idea; I plan to make the change you suggested on my own camera. Thanks so much!

Thanks Mark......I am playing with this because I was losing my focus when fiddling around with an ND filter. If you think that's a great idea for a video I would greatly appreciate your tips.

Great video, thanks for sharing.

Great video Mark. Super simplified with practical demonstration at every step. Thank you so much for posting.

Thanks Mark. Great video. I've been using bbf on my d500 now for about 6 weeks and will not be going back to the default. I would recommend everyone to use it. I also now recheck focus like you, by using manual focus ring even though the d500 is awesome at focusing. Look forward to your next video. Oh and I hope your getting on well with your van convertion. Steve. UK

Excellent video Mark, as always. Great tip about using the focus ring!!! Thanks, Dave

Thank you!! Absolutely love your videos :) You always provide great tips, much appreciated

Sometimes i think the focus check is difficult with a high fstop, i usually step down to lowest aperture and focus, then step up fstop

Great info.. Will definitely check the back button focus technique.