Most photographers shoot their cameras with the shutter release button set to control focus in addition to release the shutter. When you push the shutter release button down halfway, it focuses. The advantage is that with the focus and release on the same button, it’s easy to make sure that the image is in focus. The downside is that if you need to lock focus for multiple exposures of the same landscape, you have to turn the focus off. There’s another way to set up focus on many DSLRs, which makes photographing landscapes easier.

That other way is to set up a rear button to control focus and to remove the focus control from the shutter release button. When you set up the camera this way, your right hand thumb pushes the rear focus button and your index finger pushes the shutter release button. The main advantage is that you can set focus and it stays locked in place until you push the rear button again.

Different cameras have different methods to set this up, but it usually breaks down into two styles depending on the level of camera. Higher-end cameras usually have a separate button for rear button focus. And lower-end cameras usually have a setting that changes the auto-exposure lock button (AE-L) to a rear button focus button. Check your manual to see how to do this.  With the higher-end cameras, you have to set the camera up to only focus with the rear focus button (AF-ON). Check your manual on how to do this.

Using this in the field takes some getting used to, but here’s how I use it:

1. Set up my composition and lock my camera to a tripod.
2. Figure out where I’m going to focus based on either hyperfocal distance or trying to get the closest or most important part of the photo in focus, i.e. the flower petals, etc…
3. Move my focus point to the place.
4. Push the AF-ON (rear focus button) to gain focus.
5. Shoot the picture with the shutter release button or a shutter release cord.
6. Check the exposure, composition on the LCD screen.
7. Adjust anything that I need to adjust.
8. Reshoot the picture. Because focus is set, it will be focused in exactly the same place.

This method is so much faster than refocusing or turning focus on and off with a switch. I highly recommend that you try it for a week or two. I think you’ll like it.