60d focus modes and usability

[Tsleel2811]

I have a question which no one seems to address on any tutorial on YouTube. Or maybe I'm just not understanding the way it's worded. Back button focus is a thing. I've started using it. But what does it have to do with metering? That's question 1. Question 2 is in Ai servo mode how do I get it to track my subject? Do I have to keep the focus button pressed or?......

[Waddizzle]

"I have a question which no one seems to address on any tutorial on YouTube. Or maybe I'm just not understanding the way it's worded. Back button focus is a thing. I've started using it. But what does it have to do with metering? "

Actually, next to nothing.  The shutter button, and your BBF button, automatically start up the metering.system.

"Question 2 is in AI Servo mode how do I get it to track my subject? "

Not to sound like a wise guy.  "How do you get to Carnegie Hall.  It takes practice, practice, practice."  Tracking a moving subject, like wildlife, is not easy to do, especially with super telephoto focal lengths.  Knowing the habits of your subjects helps.  Getting closer to your subject helps, too.

"Do I have to keep the focus button pressed or?......"

Yes, you will need to keep the BBF button pressed when you want to track subjects in AI Servo mode.  I recommend manual selecting the center AF point.  You can release the button if you lose tracking, and press it again to re-acquire it.

On the other hand, if you do not use BBF, then you can use the same button to disable focusing, which would mean that you would not need to keep pressing it to maintain tracking.

[Tsleel2811]

I don't understand the last part. Can you maybe give me an example? Or when and how to apply it. I don't understand exactly what happens when I release the button and press it again

[Waddizzle]

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@Tsleel2811 wrote:
I don't understand the last part. Can you maybe give me an example? Or when and how to apply it. I don't understand exactly what happens when I release the button and press it again

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It's pretty simple, actually.  Forget BBF for now.  When you half press the shutter, the camera focuses on a subject.

In "One Shot" mode focusing, when you half press the shutter, the camera uses your selected AF point to focus when the camera is in one of the creative zone shooting modes, or an AF point that it chooses when your camera is one of the Basic shooting modes.  Once it locks on a subject, the camera may beep to let you know that it locked focus.  The focusing system goes idle, until you release the shutter button and press it again.

In "AI Servo" mode focusing, when you half press the shutter the camera uses your selected AF point to focus on a subject, but it does not issue a confirmation beep.  As you continue to hold the shutter half-pressed, the camera will continue to adjust focus on your MOVING subject.  The camera does not beep because if it did, it would beep endlessly as it continued to track focus.

When you set up BBF, you would typically change the function of two buttons, the <SHUTTER> and <AF-ON> buttons.  You remove the focusing function from the shutter, and then you add it to the BBF button.  BTW, back button focusing only works when your camera is in one of the creative modes, not the basic shooting modes.

[Tsleel2811]

I don't play much with the basic ones. Hell I don't even use av or tv. I don't know if there is a specific order to learning the camera modes but I was so eager to call myself a "photographer" that I jumped straight into learning manual mode. So now I'm just backtracking on all the functions of the camera. It's not that I don't know what I'm doing but sometimes there's a tutorial I see online and it explains a few things in theory eg. "when you push this button, this and this will happen". And when I try and do it either its happening without me noticing (which I think is the probable scenario) or it's not happening at all. I've accustomed myself completely to using BBF and I don't see myself going back to focusing with the Sutter release. I just wanted to know how everything is working. And you definitely answered that. So all I have to do now is practice with it some more. Thank you very much

[Waddizzle]

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@Tsleel2811 wrote:
I don't play much with the basic ones. Hell I don't even use av or tv. I don't know if there is a specific order to learning the camera modes but I was so eager to call myself a "photographer" that I jumped straight into learning manual mode. So now I'm just backtracking on all the functions of the camera. It's not that I don't know what I'm doing but sometimes there's a tutorial I see online and it explains a few things in theory eg. "when you push this button, this and this will happen". And when I try and do it either its happening without me noticing (which I think is the probable scenario) or it's not happening at all. I've accustomed myself completely to using BBF and I don't see myself going back to focusing with the Sutter release. I just wanted to know how everything is working. And you definitely answered that. So all I have to do now is practice with it some more. Thank you very much

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If you want to learn the camera, try shooting in "P" mode.  The "Av" and "Tv" modes can be quite useful.  Don't ignore them.  If you do not know what the "Exposure Triangle" is, then I suggest that you find some articles that explain it.

[Tsleel2811]

I'm fully acquainted with the exposure triangle. How can P, TV, AV be any more useful than M? Shouldn't full control be better?

[Waddizzle]

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@Tsleel2811 wrote:
I'm fully acquainted with the exposure triangle. How can P, TV, AV be any more useful than M? Shouldn't full control be better?

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The "P" mode is useful for learning about the camera, and photography, both of which you seem to need.  Otherwise, you would not be asking these questions.

The Av and Tv can be useful when you're shooting under quickly varying exposure conditions, and you don't have the time to change settings because you WILL lose the shot.  Manual mode can also be used in Auto ISO mode, to compensate for widely vary exposure conditions.

[RobertTheFat]

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Tsleel2811 wrote:
I'm fully acquainted with the exposure triangle. How can P, TV, AV be any more useful than M? Shouldn't full control be better?

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No; why should it? Setting exposure levels manually (and/or focusing manually) just adds to your workload and reduces the number of shots you can get. That may have been acceptable back in the film days; but expectations are higher now, and serious photographers have to improve their game. Note that automatic aids aren't confined to newbie cameras. Professional cameras have them too, not because professional photographers couldn't do without them, but because they wouldn't be as effective if they did.

[diverhank]

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@Tsleel2811 wrote:
I have a question which no one seems to address on any tutorial on YouTube. Or maybe I'm just not understanding the way it's worded. Back button focus is a thing. I've started using it. But what does it have to do with metering? That's question 1. Question 2 is in Ai servo mode how do I get it to track my subject? Do I have to keep the focus button pressed or?......

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 To answer question 1...metering and back button focus are tied together because when you press the AF ON button (back button), it starts focusing and it also does the metering.  I don't think you can change this for the 60D.  I guess it doesn't hurt to have metering start also as you focus.  Of course, the back button focus is useful only if you disable the AF start when the shutter button is half pressed otherwise the back button will be negated.  You have several choices including one that stops the AF or to start metering when the shutter button is half pressed.  I'd choose metering for this (if you shoot pure manual then it wouldn't matter).

For question 2, you track the subject by first achieving initial focus on it.  Then with the AF-On button depressed, the camera will continue to track the subject using the AF points as it (or you) move.  You need to keep on depressing it.  The problem with cameras like the 60D is that there are only9 AF points and they are all close to the center so AI Servo is of limited use...you can help AI servo along by following it with your camera.  Half of the time, the camera will quickly lose lock. You just have to quickly refocus (I call it pumping the focus).  Cameras like the 1Dx, 5D Mark III, IV and 7D II that have 61 AF points really shine in this area...you can really see the camera tracking a moving object even if you are not following it with your camera...Somebody mentioned practicing...I also recommend it...with practice you can do very well...I can reliably track fast  moving birds without much effort...I can even do that with bees and butterflies.

Regarding the back button focus...there is really not that much different with the shutter button AF...the reason I switched was that once in a while while tracking a bird, I got overexcited and pressed the shutter a bit too forceful, ending up taking the pictures while AF was not achieved...I missed an osprey swooping down to get a fish because of that...the osprey that I had spent 2 hours following and waiting for the moment of diving and I had to trigger the shutter too soon. 2 hours waiting for 2 seconds of shooting. I pressed the shutter prematurely, I lost the two seconds...Ouch.   Many BIF (birds in flight) shooters I know get along just fine not using the back button though.  I got so used to the back button now, I would not have it any other way.

Regarding whether the Av or Tv mode have any advantage over M, I'd say there are some cases that it has distinct advantage.  If you're really into action shooting like BIF, you will find that full manual just doesn't work too well...there isn't simply enough time to set say ISO for all situations. Most shooting situations you have a second or two to shoot at best...can't be fumbling with setting anything.  Those that use M mode have to resort to using Auto ISO.  The problem with this is for your camera, you can't do exposure compensation using M mode (my 7DII can).  This is where Av or Tv is much better.  Most BIF shooters I know use Auto ISO because you are stuck with fast shutter speed and you're desperate for light so you shoot wide open (most telephoto lenses are at f/5.6 or best is f/4)...there is no advantage to manually set ISO so you go Auto ISO but you want to exposure compensate to get the bird properly exposed...M won't allow you to do it.  Tv or Av will.  For my 5D Mark III where I can't do exposure compensation in M mode, I'd use Tv mode with Auto ISO so I can do exposure compensation.  Take a look at my Flickr BIF album...my method works rather well (for me).