setting back button focus on Canon 7D

[crockny]

Oy - I've read the instructions over and over and can't seem to figure this out ... I'm in C.Fn.IV-1 and want to use the AF-ON button as my back button autofocus but I only seem to have the option of holding it down to STOP the shutter from autofocusing ... can I set it to BE the autofocus separate from the shutter without having to continuously hold the button?

[mrteacherdude]

If I'm reading your question correctly, the answer is "yes." I'm not sure what you've tried yet, but this is what I just did with mine. Enter C. Fn. IV-1 as you stated above, and press the SET button on the back. This will take you to a screen where you can scroll through all the different buttons and select what you want them to do. Go to the AF-ON button and select that one (press SET button). You will have 5 different options to select. I don't even remember what the default is for this but select the first one for AF.

This should make it so all you have to do is press that button to engage the autofocus. If you are in one shot mode that should be all you have to do to autofocus the lens. If you are in AI servo mode, it will continuously focus as long as you hold the button down.

Sorry I don't have any graphics here to go along with this. Let me know if I misread or misunderstood your question.

Hope this helps.

[crockny]

Thanks! I will try this when I get home. I also thought you could assign different functions to different buttons but I can't figure that out either ... I miss my Nikkormat ....

[mrteacherdude]

You're welcome. Hope it works out the way you want it to.

I think you'll find the 7d is VERY flexible in it's assignments of functions to the different buttons, scroll wheels, etc. That one menu, once active, will allow you to scroll through all the different buttons and wheels on the camera, show you exactly which button that is with the with onscreen graphic, and display all the different functions available to be assigned to that button or wheel. At one point I reassigned the DOF preview button to a one shot autofocus drive change between one shot and AI Servo. That is, if I was in AI servo but wanted to lock on something and quickly reframe without changing the lens focus, I would just press the little DOF preview button (function reassigned), focus, reframe, shoot, let go of the button, and go back to doing things the way I was before; a little cumbersome but works effectively. I think I also disabled the autofocus function of the shutter button in order to have the ability to keep my finger pressed halfway to meter, and rely on backfocus only for the autofocus.

Anyway - I think you will find enough flexibility in the button assignments that you will be able to tell the camera to do pretty much anything you want it to.

Have fun

[photog1107]

If you haven't figured it out already, here is the tutorial from Canon. I have a 7D and it worked for me, and I would never go back!

Canon DLC: Article: Back-Button Auto Focus Explained