7d Back Button AF and Metering

Just got my 7d and was going through and doing my customizations. Got to where I setup BB AF and realized that the BB AF on the 7d doesn't allow just AF with metering on the shutter button. For some reason I thought it did.

Can you not separate the 2 functions?

It does, I have mine set up to meter on the shutter and focus with the AF ON button on the back. Not sure exactly how to do it, the camera is not with me right now.

OK - I'll have to relook. I tried doing it through the button configuration, but AF only on the AF ON button wasn't an option, but just metering on the shutter was available.

If you switch it to just metering on the shutter as an option it might force the AF to the AF ON button on the back. I think that actually might be the case.

Did that, but the only AF option for the AF ON button is AF/metering Start. Don't want the metering back there.

does this help?

http://chrisjohnstonph​otography.com …ack-button-focus-canon7d/

Not answer I was looking for but, yes. He says in the video which is backing up what I'm reading that, on the 7d, you CANNOT separate AF and metering. Whatever button does the AF also starts the metering.

huntersdad wrote in post #14374252
Not answer I was looking for but, yes. He says in the video which is backing up what I'm reading that, on the 7d, you CANNOT separate AF and metering. Whatever button does the AF also starts the metering.

Set the AF-ON button to "Metering and AF Start" and set the shutter release button to "Metering Start".

You're probably going to focus prior to pressing the shutter release button. It makes no difference if the metering circuit works then because when you press the shutter release button, the metering will do its thing again (assuming that you're using one of the metering automation positions on the mode dial).

SkipD wrote in post #14374342
Set the AF-ON button to "Metering and AF Start" and set the shutter release button to "Metering Start".

You're probably going to focus prior to pressing the shutter release button. It makes no difference if the metering circuit works then because when you press the shutter release button, the metering will do its thing again (assuming that you're using one of the metering automation positions on the mode dial).

Skip, this would indicate that the front shutter button would "override" any metering done by the back button. I'm thinking of this from the stand point of BIFs, tracking against a darker background, say trees, then swinging upwards into blue skies. My other cameras have always had it separated so I'm attempting to figure it out on the 7d. I am under the impression when you hit the metering button it locked the metering until released.

I guess a better method for birds might be go spot metering rather than an overall metering for the scene.

huntersdad wrote in post #14374379
Skip, this would indicate that the front shutter button would "override" any metering done by the back button. I'm thinking of this from the stand point of BIFs, tracking against a darker background, say trees, then swinging upwards into blue skies. My other cameras have always had it separated so I'm attempting to figure it out on the 7d. I am under the impression when you hit the metering button it locked the metering until released.

I guess a better method for birds might be go spot metering rather than an overall metering for the scene.

I would use manual exposure control for that anyway, making this a total "non-problem". I use the "M" dial position 99% of the time with my cameras.

If you're keeping the AF-ON button mashed (using AF-Servo) while tracking the birds, then the metering system would stay active as well assuming you're using one of the automated exposure settings.

I appreciate this is a bit of an old thread but reading it answered a question for me.
It would seem from just playing about now that if you set the AF-On Button to Metering +AF Start and the shutter button to metering when the camera is in one shot mode the AF-On button starts metering and locks the reading while the button is pressed but when the camera is in AI servo mode metering is not set either by holding the AF-On button or on the half press of the shutter button but when the shot is taken, which is what used to happen but you had to set this up.
Very useful but it could be made a lot clearer
Bit difficult to find the information!