Back button focusing

This is my preferred option for wildlife, with the focus action on the shutter button disabled. If I have one criticism it is that the back button on Pentax is a bit small, but with the FA150-450 lens the lens-mounted focus buttons are favourite. However I have found a snag (isn't there always one?); the other day I was trying to photograph a jay in a tree and as they are so shy I was being really patient, until I finally got a clear line of sight through the foliage. Pressed the lens focus button - nothing happened. Baffled at first I finally realised that the body had gone into sleep mode on which the lens focus button has no effect, by which time the bird had flown.

Just a touch on the shutter release button wakes the body. I always use two bodies, you just get into the habit of touching the shutter release button to make them ready.
John

You can set the time for auto power off in the menu, and there is the option to turn it off completely.
Would this do away with the need to activate the body via the shutter button?

Cheers

Simon

It should do but with all the electronics now running constantly, there would be extra battery drain. There is also the need to keep the processor cool and cameras don't have cooling fans! I agree about the annoyance: you wait ages for an insect to move to the right place and ........... the blasted thing has gone to sleep.

I've always used back button focussing and would never revert to the shutter button now. The back button just offers so much more control and flexibility, especially when you need to hit the shutter button at the right moment to get the shot, without worrying about what the AF is doing. I find this invaluable on Festival / Gig shoots.

Regards
David

I have used back button focussing ever since David recommended it in a post many moons ago ! I wouldn't go back to shutter button focussing - back button is so much more flexible and you know what you will be getting focus-wise when you press the shutter.

i use back button and do prefer it but for CIF use "shutter button half press" for af must be on

I'm also a back button user, used this way for years now. So much better, who cares what the AF is doing, when I want to take the picture there is no delay.

Options for camera going to sleep either are periodical pressing the AF button slightly to awaken the camera or change the settings in the menu. I think by default it's set to 30 seconds. I have changed mine to 5 minutes before sleep

"I have changed mine to 5 minutes before sleep"

I've been thinking about doing this. How much impact does it have on the battery?

Our cameras don't sleep until 30 minutes is up. The battery life isn't a problem.

As John says, battery life isn't affected, camera in standby doesn't use a lot of power