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AF-ON BUTTON

NUR BATRISYIA AMALYA

FUNCTIONS
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On all modern digital cameras,

the AF-ON Button stands for
“Autofocus On”. It is used for
engaging autofocus and
metering, although its function
can be re-programmed for
some other purpose on more
advanced digital cameras.
d a subheading
 BENEFIT OF AF-ON
BUTTON

Every photographer learns the delicate (and tedious)

half-pressure of the index finger on the shutter
button required to acquire and hold focus without
tripping the shutter. By shifting the focus to the
thumb (on the AF-ON button), the index finger gets
a well-deserved break and stays more relaxed over a
long day. Less fatigued, you can better deliver a
subtle touch to the shutter button for a smooth
release and a sharper capture

Pro shooter Mark Alberhasky does a great deal of

wildlife photography, and he’s found AF-ON to be both
a battery and “photographer” lifesaver.
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How to Use AF-On

Button:
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CANON AF-ON If you use a Canon DSLR or a mirrorless
BUTTON camera, you can change the behavior of
the AF-ON button through the camera
menu’s “Custom Controls” sub-menu.
Once you navigate there, you will find
the AF-ON button setting as one of the
selections:
FUJIFILM AF-ON BUTTON
FUJIFILM USERS HAVE TWO WAYS TO SET UP BACK-BUTTON
FOCUSING. THE FIRST METHOD (AND THE ONE I PREFER
USING), IS BY SWITCHING FROM AUTOFOCUS TO MANUAL
FOCUS USING THE SWITCH ON THE FRONT OF THE CAMERA
(“M” POSITION). IF THE CAMERA HAS AN AF-ON BUTTON,
THIS BUTTON BY DEFAULT ENGAGES AUTOFOCUS EVEN
WHEN THE CAMERA IS SET TO MANUAL FOCUS. THIS EASILY
ALLOWS THE AF-ON BUTTON TO BE USED FOR BACK-
BUTTON FOCUSING. THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO MAKE
SURE IS THAT THE AF-ON BUTTON IS SET TO “AF-ON” IN THE
CAMERA MENU (FOUND IN SETUP -> BUTTON/DIAL SETTING -
> FUNCTION (FN) SETTING),
 NIKON AF-ON BUTTON
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If you are using a Nikon Once you make that decision,

DSLR or a mirrorless navigate to the camera’s
camera, you first need Custom Setting Menu ->
to decide whether you Autofocus, then find the
want to use the menu setting labeled “AF
combination of the AF- activation”. Within this menu,
ON button and half- you will find two options
pressing the shutter “Shutter/AF-ON” and “AF-
release button for ON only”. Choose the second
acquiring focus, or use option “AF-ON only” to
the AF-ON button decouple focusing from the
exclusively for acquiring shutter release button to the
focus (back-button AF-ON button exclusively.
focusing).
PANASONIC AF-ON
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BUTTON
If you use a Panasonic Next, navigate to
mirrorless camera, Operation 1 and select
navigate to the Custom “Fn Button Set”. From
Settings menu and find there, click on “AF-ON”
the menu option labeled button selection and
“Shutter AF”: make sure that “AF-ON”
is selected from the
Make sure to turn it off, menu:
so that autofocus does
not engage. Also, make
sure to turn off “Half-
Press Shutter”.
SONY AF-ON BUTTON
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If you use a Sony Alpha-series mirrorless camera, you

will need to go through a similar two-step process. First,
you will need to decouple focusing from the shutter-
release button. Navigate to the AF sub-menu and find a
menu option labeled “AF w/ shutter”:

Make sure to turn it off. Second, navigate to the Custom

Key sub-menu, and find the “AF-ON Button” option. Set
it to “AF On” in order to make the AF-ON button engage
autofocus.
SONY AF-ON BUTTON
This will set the camera up for back-button focusing. If you
would like to continue half-pressing the shutter release
button for focusing and would rather change the default
behavior of the AF ON button, simply choose some other
option from the menu here.
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1. What is the AF-ON Button and How to Use It

(photographylife.com)

REFERENCES
2. Benefits of Using the AF-ON Button for
Autofocusing | AF-ON Back Button Focus | Nikon
(nikonusa.com)