Back button focus

Dutchesslaura

I turned on the back button focus, but now I want to put it back to shutter focus. I don't remember where the settings were before I started messing with it.

Haggis

Set up menu, buttons, assign AE-L/AF-L

Shutter release button AE-L OFF OR ON

bruto

In the full PDF manual, this is on page 143.

I would add that I use back button focus regularly, because it allows me to focus and recompose as if I were in Single servo mode. Leaving it in Continuous mode allows action shots when the AF has lost the subject, and allows prefocus on a spot where a subject will appear, without shutter lag. But it takes some time to get used to. If you like the idea, I recommend trying it again from time to time when accidental omission of focus is not too critical (in other words, not on that whale watch!), and sticking with it a while to see if it becomes habitual.

bruto

By the way, I should add that, although back button focusing has its advantages, and though in many Nikon cameras it's implemented very well, in the D3200 it is poorly documented and has a couple of quirks. To avoid surprises it's helpful to experiment a lot.

The D3200 will not back button focus in Live View AFF mode, for example. Neither BBF nor the self timer will work at all in Live View AFF mode.

In all modes, BBF is overridden when you use the IR remote.

It does work in self timer, though (except in LV AFF).