5D4 - can't use live view focus when configured for back button focus

[strutzj]

I use the shutter button to meter only and the AF-ON button to focus in servo mode. However, my live view focus doesn't work. There are references to this issue in this forum and elsewhere but nobody seems to give an explanation or work-around. I can do both (back button focus and live view focus) with my 90D and SL3, surely the 5D4 should also be able to do it. 

[RobertTheFat]

---

@strutzj wrote:

When configured for back button focus (AF-ON reconfigured for servo focus and shutter button configured for metering only) and I attemp to use live view focus, the shutter fires but focus doesn't move. Reprogramming the shutter button for normal operation (metering and focus), live view focus works fine (i.e. it focuses on the point of touch and the shutter fires). 

---

With the shutter button reconfigured for metering only, the focus shouldn't change when you press it. Are you saying that pressing the AF-ON button doesn't cause it to focus either? I couldn't reproduce that problem when I tried it last night.

[strutzj]

No, no. The AF-ON does not seem to have anything to do with the problem other than it is part of back button reconfiguration.

Here's the problem, read carefully: configuring the shutter button for "metering only", as part of back button focusing, disables focusing for both the shutter button and, unexpectedly, the live view screen. It shouldn't do this: configuring the shutter button should effect only the shutter button and not the live view screen.

This feels like a firmware error but my version is the most recent 1.2.1 I don't know what other configuration parameter would effect this. I agree that resetting the camera to factory settings as a last resort may fix the problem but I'm not there yet. I want to know why this is happening. 

Hope this helps you to understand. Thanks for your comments.

[RobertTheFat]

---

@strutzj wrote:

No, no. The AF-ON does not seem to have anything to do with the problem other than it is part of back button reconfiguration.

Here's the problem, read carefully: configuring the shutter button for "metering only", as part of back button focusing, disables focusing for both the shutter button and, unexpectedly, the live view screen. It shouldn't do this: configuring the shutter button should effect only the shutter button and not the live view screen.

This feels like a firmware error but my version is the most recent 1.2.1 I don't know what other configuration parameter would effect this. I agree that resetting the camera to factory settings as a last resort may fix the problem but I'm not there yet. I want to know why this is happening. 

Hope this helps you to understand. Thanks for your comments.

---

What does "focusing for the live view screen" mean, exactly? The live view screen doesn't focus itself. If the shutter button doesn't do it (and you've programmed it not to), then the AF-ON button has to. When I push the AF-ON button on my 5D4, it does. Are you saying that it doesn't when you push it?

[Waddizzle]

---

@RobertTheFat wrote:

---

@strutzj wrote:

No, no. The AF-ON does not seem to have anything to do with the problem other than it is part of back button reconfiguration.

Here's the problem, read carefully: configuring the shutter button for "metering only", as part of back button focusing, disables focusing for both the shutter button and, unexpectedly, the live view screen. It shouldn't do this: configuring the shutter button should effect only the shutter button and not the live view screen.

This feels like a firmware error but my version is the most recent 1.2.1 I don't know what other configuration parameter would effect this. I agree that resetting the camera to factory settings as a last resort may fix the problem but I'm not there yet. I want to know why this is happening. 

Hope this helps you to understand. Thanks for your comments.

---

What does "focusing for the live view screen" mean, exactly? The live view screen doesn't focus itself. If the shutter button doesn't do it (and you've programmed it not to), then the AF-ON button has to. When I push the AF-ON button on my 5D4, it does. Are you saying that it doesn't when you push it?

---

Robert is correct.  When you remove [AF-ON] functionality from the default "shutter button" for viewfinder shooting, this behavioral change carries over into Live View, too.

[strutzj]

Nope, I disagree. I also have a 90D and an SL3; they're set up *exactly-the-same-way" and they work as expected; that is the back button focusing works by pressing the AF-ON button while the live view focus occurs when you touch the back touch screen. ***The 5D4 does not work the same way***. 

All three camera setups: shutter button = "metering start", AF-ON button = "metering and AF start". This is the wording from the menu.

The live view focus system works separately from the viewfinder focus system. The viewfinder focus system uses a separate focus sensor while the live view focus system utilizes the image sensor. Removing focus from the shutter button should have absolutely nothing  to do with live view (screen touch) focusing. 

[Waddizzle]

---

@strutzj wrote:

Nope, I disagree. I also have a 90D and an SL3; they're set up *exactly-the-same-way" and they work as expected; that is the back button focusing works by pressing the AF-ON button while the live view focus occurs when you touch the back touch screen. ***The 5D4 does not work the same way***. 

All three camera setups: shutter button = "metering start", AF-ON button = "metering and AF start". This is the wording from the menu.

The live view focus system works separately from the viewfinder focus system. The viewfinder focus system uses a separate focus sensor while the live view focus system utilizes the image sensor. Removing focus from the shutter button should have absolutely nothing  to do with live view (screen touch) focusing. 

---

Excuse me.  You have not been clear on what your issue is.  Your complaint is evolving.  This is your original post.

"I use the shutter button to meter only and the AF-ON button to focus in servo mode. However, my live view focus doesn't work. There are references to this issue in this forum and elsewhere but nobody seems to give an explanation or work-around. I can do both (back button focus and live view focus) with my 90D and SL3, surely the 5D4 should also be able to."

Your original complaint was clearly with the [AF-ON] on button not initiating AF in Live View mode.  Now, you are complaining about what appears to be Touch AF when using Live View.  

Robert asked you a question to clarify what your exact complaint seems to be.

[strutzj]

I guess it's my fault for not being clear but I don't know how explain it any simpler. I've explained it several times and you're  just not getting it. My issue has NOT changed. It remains that I cannot use live view focusing when the camera is configured for back button focus. I repeat that the same settings work on two other Canon cameras and it should work with my 5D4 - but it doesn't. What else can I say about that?

I appreciate your comments, the most useful suggestion has been to see what happens after resetting the camera to factory settings. But I'm still holding out for a knowledge based solution. This forum doesn't seem to be the place to find it...

[Waddizzle]

---

@strutzj wrote:

I guess it's my fault for not being clear but I don't know how explain it any simpler. I've explained it several times and you're  just not getting it. My issue has NOT changed. It remains that I cannot use live view focusing when the camera is configured for back button focus. I repeat that the same settings work on two other Canon cameras and it should work with my 5D4 - but it doesn't. What else can I say about that?

I appreciate your comments, the most useful suggestion has been to see what happens after resetting the camera to factory settings. But I'm still holding out for a knowledge based solution. This forum doesn't seem to be the place to find it...

---

You STILL have not answered Robert's question.

So, I guess you want to use Touch AF, but it does not seem to work.  Can you navigate menus by touching the screen?

[strutzj]

"So, I guess you want to use Touch AF, but it does not seem to work. Can you navigate menus by touching the screen?"

Correction: Touch AF-works-when-the-camera-is-not-configured-for-BBF. I've said this. Yes, I can navigate menus by touching the screen - the touch screen works just fine. 

[Waddizzle]

 My 6D2 does not respond to Touch AF in Live View when AF is disabled on the Shutter.

That is, it does not respond to Touch AF as long as the [LOCK] button is switched to LOCK.