wer224 Loc: Bergen county NewJersey

Hi everyone own a 7d/m2 and the last few months I have been using back button focus and I love it. at first I thought something was going on with the camera, here's the thing. when I am holding down the BBf button and release the shutter, the camera shows where the focus point is, but now taking another pic you press the BBf button to focus then release the BBf button then release the shutter, the focus point does not show up when reviewing the pic. is this just a quirk of BBf or does anyone know how to get around this so the focus point always stay active (the menu has it enabled in both cases) thanks for any insight on this bill

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Check the manual. If set to servo mode, it tracks focus, but only gives the viewfinder flash on first focus lock, I think...

Also, if just on center point, then focus point highlights don't seem to show up in DPP,...

However, I don't have a 7DII to play with :(

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

I'm thinking you would love what's called "Focus peaking" which is available on some mirrorless and even bridge cameras(maybe).
Just a thought.

Psergel Loc: New Mexico

There are no active AF points when you release the button so......I don't think you can do what you're asking.

OhioBob Loc: Ohio

Think of it this way. While you hold the Back Button down the camera finds focus with one of the focus points. Then you trip the shutter with the shutter button. But if you push the back button find focus then lift you thumb the camera stops looking for focus. The camera has no way of knowing if you moved and are looking at something else or if you have manualy refocused. So it can't tell you what if any focus points are over an in focus area.

haroldross Loc: Walthill, Nebraska

Your camera is working as designed. If you want the focus point to show up in review mode, make sure the button assigned for back button focus is depressed when you press the shutter button to take the picture.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

And on your 7D or 7D2 by loading Magic Lantern...

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

It could be as simple as the software you are using... that it doesn't display the active AF point or that feature is turned off.

Same with the image review on the camera's LCD screen.... I think you can turn off the active AF point display (I think it's on by default, tho, so you'd have to deliberately disable it).

So, maybe it's just that you've set either the software or the camera to not show the active AF point.

Or, are you referring to the AF points seen in the viewfinder? The active matrix/transmissive LCD of the 7DII is set up by default to only show the active AF points. Soon as you "release the button", it will stop showing anything.

Depends upon which Focus Mode you are using, how BBF will operate. And I'm a bit concerned from your description that you might not be using it correctly.

It sounds as if you have One Shot set. That mode is for stationary subjects. It achieves focus, then stops and locks. If you release the button (which is unnecessary since the AF is locked), there will be no active AF points, so nothing happening in the viewfinder, nor anything to show either in image review on the camera or in software on your computer.

If you are using AI Servo to shoot moving subjects, that mode achieves focus and then continues to update it as long as you hold the button. If you release the button, it stops focusing and won't have anything to display, same as above. Normally, in this mode and with moving subjects, you should continue to hold the BBF button with your thumb as long as you want to track the moving subject, pressing the shutter release with your forefinger to take shots while doing continuing to focus.

Depending upon the lens, AI Servo can even be a better choice even with stationary subjects. Many zooms today are varifocal designs. That means they don't maintain focus when zoomed to a different focal length. If using One Shot, you must consciously stop and restart focusing, to correct for the loss of focus. But, if using AI Servo instead, the camera and lens will automatically and instantly correct itself.

In AI Servo mode, occasionally you might want to lift off the BBF and cause the AF to stop tracking, such as when the subject passes behind an obstruction that would distract the AF and cause it to focus elsewhere. You also might want to lift off the button and stop AF if using a "focus and recompose" technique.

In fact, this is probably the top reason to use BBF. Without it, you cannot use AI Servo sometimes... such as when doing "focus and recompose". But, when using BBF, you can turn the AF on and off at any time with your thumb, separate from the shutter release, putting you in total control of exactly when and where the camera and lens focus, and allowing AI Servo to be used pretty much full time.

I suspect that you just need to practice with BBF and learn to use it more fully. I think the "problem" is you. It sounds as if for some reason you are releasing the BBF button prior to taking the shot... and you shouldn't be doing that. You should be continuing to hold pressure on the button (except if using One Shot mode and needing to re-focus, in which case you have to lift off the button momentarily, then reapply pressure on it prior to taking the shot.)

Hope this helps!

P.S. Notice that I don't mention the third AF mode on your camera: AI Focus. That really isn't a focus mode. It is automation that's supposed to decide for you whether or not the subject is moving, then switch to select the correct mode for you: One Shot or AI Servo. Frankly, I never use it. For one, when I tested it for a couple months (many years ago now, on older camera models), it seemed to cause a slight delay... and it sometimes chose incorrectly or didn't respond when a subject either stopped or started moving. I missed more shots with AI Focus mode, so I stopped using it.

In fact, if using AI Servo, there is no real need for AI Focus. And, it might be a hint, the most pro-oriented models such as the 1D-series cameras don't even have AI Focus at all. They only have One Shot and AI Servo modes.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Absolutely correct on the AI Focus mode - not useful and no idea why it's included...

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

"Focus Peaking" is a whole different thing...

It essentially stops the camera from releasing the shutter until AF has achieved focus. It's a handy feature for certain things... macro shooting, for example.

However, on 7DII you have a feature that does something similar. When using AI Servo, you can set focus priority vs shutter release priority both on an initial shot and on 2nd/subsequent shots in a burst.

Navigate in the menu to the AF-2 page: "AI Servo 1st Image Priority"... Push the slider to the right to put more priority on the camera achieving focus, even if it has to delay shutter release slightly. If you are less concerned about focus accuracy and simply want the camera to fire the shutter as quickly as possible, move that slider to the left instead. This setting governs how the camera handles a single shot or the first image in a continuous burst of shots. (Note: This only works in AI Servo mode, not in One Shot, which makes sense once you understand how those two modes work.)

Then look for "AI Servo 2nd Image Priority" and set it up similarly, to your preferences. This setting governs the 2nd image and all subsequent images in any continuous burst. (Also only works in AI Servo mode.)

Personally I set both these to give high priority to achieving focus, even if it slows the camera a little, because slightly out of focus shots just aren't of much use to me.

Someone doing photojournalism, for example, might feel and do the opposite.

This isn't exactly "Focus Peaking", but it's similar.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Pretty sure it's there for less experienced users coming over from point-n-shoot cameras and accustomed to letting various automation do all the work for them (and willing to accept some "misses").

It's not something that more experienced users (such as someone using a screen name "TriX"! ), who likely want to be in charge of their cameras, would need, want or use.

Makes sense to include it on the Rebel series models... maybe even on the 70D/80D and 6D.... but it probably sees a lot fewer users on 7Ds and 5Ds.

Still, Canon chooses to include it. And I just choose to ignore it!

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Yes for 7D, not for 7D2 unfortunately....

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

That's right - I should have checked the list - too bad...

wer224 Loc: Bergen county NewJersey

Hi all, first things thank you all for your response.here is my scenario. I was taking pics of my granddaughter dance recital.was using 7d2 with 70-200 2.8 lens . they didn't allow anyone to go to rehearsal ahead of time to scope the auditorium out. I stood at the back with a mono pod, shooting between 100-200 mm in manual 3.5 and auto ISO and TV at 1/500 sec. this was her first recital at 4 yrs old most of the dances she pretty much stayed in place front to back. most of my pics were in focus just some were def out.so in camera I looked for the focus point. I was in ai servo w BBf. since she was pretty "much static front to back". when I held the BBf button in she def was in focus and most were also in focus when I release the button which I believe it should have maintained, but some were out . this is what led to my op of any way to see focus point in camera after releasing the BBf button in ai servo . maybe I just moved and not a focus issue though at 1/500 sec it should not be. Anyway thank you all for the posts on this subject bill

fantom Loc: Colorado

clear and concise explanation. thanks