Shooting Birds and Wildlife with Back Button Focus on Olympus and OM System Cameras

I’ve had this article on my computer for ages, but recently, I ran into someone who was photographing planes at an airshow. There were an unusually high number of aircraft, and a lot of action going on. At one point, the guy mentioned that his finger was getting sore from constantly pressing the shutter for focusing, and he asked if I was having the same issue.

That was when I realized: not everyone is familiar with back-button focus.

I have to be honest, at first, I was hesitant, and the first few minutes of testing it were a bit awkward. However, I quickly noticed the benefits. My shutter button finger no longer went numb from repeatedly pressing the button when using single AF on a moving animal or bird. Initially (and it still happens occasionally 🙂 ), I would forget about it and then wonder why my camera wasn’t focusing when I half-pressed the shutter button. But you get used to everything eventually, and for me, the benefits soon outweighed the adjustment period.

Back button focus is a camera setting that allows you to separate the focusing function from the shutter release button. Instead of half-pressing the shutter button to focus, you use a dedicated button on the back of the camera, often labeled as “AF-ON” (OM-1 and OM-1 MKII) or something similar. Here’s a detailed explanation of what it is and when to use it:

What is Back Button Focus?

1. Separation of Functions: Normally, pressing the shutter button halfway focuses the camera, and pressing it fully takes the picture. With back button focus, you use a separate button (typically on the back of the camera) to control autofocus.
2. Customizable Settings: Most modern cameras allow you to customize which button activates autofocus, enabling back button focus.

When to Use Back Button Focus

1. Action and Wildlife Photography: In these fast-paced situations, you often need to lock focus on a moving subject. Using back button focus lets you keep the subject in focus continuously by holding down the back button while you wait for the perfect moment to press the shutter button.
2. Portrait Photography: When shooting portraits, you often want to focus on the subject’s eyes and then recompose the shot. Back button focus allows you to lock focus on the eyes and then freely recompose without the camera refocusing when you press the shutter.
3. Macro Photography: Macro photography requires precise focus on a small part of the subject. Back button focus can help you achieve and maintain this precise focus without worrying about the camera refocusing when you take the shot.
4. Landscape Photography: When shooting landscapes, you can use back button focus to set your focus point once and then take multiple shots without refocusing. This is particularly useful for techniques like focus stacking.

How set up Back Button Focus on the OM System OM-1 :

On the OM-1 and MKII cameras, there’s a specific button called AF-ON. In this case, the shutter button needs to be adjusted so it doesn’t focus when it’s half-pressed.

These steps allow you to fully customize your focus setup, optimizing the camera for wildlife photography or other specific shooting scenarios.

How set up Back Button Focus on older Olympus Cameras :

To set back button focus on older Olympus cameras, follow these steps:

1. Access the Custom Menu: Press the Menu button on your Olympus camera.
2. Navigate to Custom Settings: Look for the custom settings menu, usually denoted by a cog icon.
3. Select AF (Auto Focus) Setup: Within the custom settings menu, find the option related to autofocus setup. This might be labeled as AF/MF or similar.
4. Choose AF Mode: Select the AF mode you prefer to use with back button focus. This could be Single AF (S-AF) or Continuous AF (C-AF), depending on your shooting needs.
5. Assign Back Button Function: Locate the option that allows you to assign a function to a button. This might be under Button/Dial settings or similar in the custom menu.
6. Assign AE-L/AFL Button: Choose the AE-L/AFL (Auto Exposure Lock/Auto Focus Lock) button to act as your back button focus. This button is typically on the back of the camera.
7. Save Settings: After assigning the AE-L/AFL button, confirm your selection and exit the menu by pressing OK and then Menu.

Now, when you half-press the shutter button, it will only activate metering (exposure calculation). To engage autofocus, you’ll need to press the AE-L/AFL button on the back of the camera. This separation allows you to control focusing and shutter release independently, known as back button focus.

Remember, the exact steps and menu names may vary slightly depending on the specific model of your older Olympus camera, but the general process should be similar to the steps outlined above.

Conclusion

Back button focus can be highly beneficial for photographers who need precise and consistent focusing control. Whether you’re shooting fast-moving subjects, recomposing shots, or working on detailed macro images, it can enhance your workflow and improve your results.

If you prefer to see a video tutorial on how to set up “Back Button Focus,” you can find links below to tutorials by Emilie Talpin for the OM-1 and by Gavin Hoey for older Olympus E-M1 & E-M5 systems.

https://www.youtube.com/@EmilieTEmilie Talpin

https://youtu.be/kyhKE1gbEf0?feature=shared Gavin Hoey

More info about why and when :

• https://www.naturettl.com/back-button-focus/#:~:text=Back%20button%20focus%20combines%20all,often%20erratic%20in%20their%20movements.
• https://photographylife.com/back-button-focus

Some pictures are created with AI using Dall-E

This article was written by Marc R.
While I primarily speak Dutch and have some knowledge of English and a little French, ChatGPT helps ensure my writing is grammatically correct. I often mix Dutch and English in my drafts, and ChatGPT steps in to translate and correct.