AF Area Selection Modes (Viewfinder Shooting)

Caution

  • The camera continues to switch the active AF point AF point (viewfinder) to track subjects when Automatic selection AF, Large Zone AF, or Zone AF is set to AI Servo AF, but tracking may not be possible under some shooting conditions, such as when subjects are small.
  • Focusing with the AF-assist beam of a Speedlite may be difficult when using Spot AF.
  • Focusing with the AF-assist beam of a Speedlite may be difficult when using a peripheral AF point or a wide-angle or telephoto lens. In such a case, use the center AF point or an AF point close to the center.
  • Wearing polarized sunglasses or similar eyewear may make it difficult to see AF points in the viewfinder.

Note

  • With [Autofocus: Orientation linked AF point], you can set the AF area selection mode + AF point or only the AF point separately for the horizontal and vertical orientations ().
  • With [Autofocus: Selectable AF point], you can change the number of AF points available for manual selection ().

Single-point Spot AF Spot AF (Manual Selection)

The camera focuses in a narrower area than 1-point AF. Select one AF point Spot AF (viewfinder) for focusing.

Effective for pinpoint focusing or focusing on overlapping subjects such as an animal in a cage.

Note that the small Spot AF area may make focusing difficult in handheld shooting or for moving subjects.

Single-point AF 1-Point AF (Manual Selection)

Select one AF point AF point (viewfinder) for focusing.

AF point expansion AF Point Expansion (Manual Selection AF point expansion)

Focuses using your manually selected AF point AF point (viewfinder) and surrounding AF points. Effective for moving subjects, which are difficult to track with 1-point AF.

Although with AI Servo AF, the camera must be able to focus on your initially selected AF point AF point (viewfinder), this mode makes it easier to focus on targeted subjects than with Zone AF.

With One-Shot AF, after the camera focuses with expanded AF points, those AF points 1-point AF are displayed with your manually selected AF point AF point (viewfinder).

AF point expansion (manual selection: surround) AF Point Expansion (Manual Selection: Surround)

Focuses using your manually selected AF point AF point (viewfinder) and surrounding AF points. Enables focusing over a wider area than AF point expansion (manual selection AF point expansion). Effective for moving subjects, which are difficult to track with 1-point AF.

AI Servo AF and One-Shot AF operation is the same as in AF point expansion (manual selection AF point expansion) ().

Zone AF (Manual selection of zone) Zone AF (Manual Selection of Zone)

The AF area is divided into nine focusing zones for focusing. All AF points in your selected zone are used for automatic selection AF, which makes focusing easier than with 1-point AF or AF point expansion and effective for moving subjects.

Focusing areas are determined not only based on the nearest subject but also based on a variety of other conditions such as faces, subject motion, or subject distance. Note that faces of any people in the Zone AF frame are given priority in focusing.

AF points in focus are displayed with AF point (viewfinder).

Large Zone AF Large Zone AF (Manual Selection of Zone)

The AF area is divided into three focusing zones (left, center, and right) for focusing. Covers a larger area than Zone AF, using all AF points in your selected zone for automatic selection AF, which makes focusing easier than with 1-point AF or AF point expansion and effective for moving subjects.

Focusing areas are determined not only based on the nearest subject but also based on a variety of other conditions such as faces, subject motion, or subject distance. Note that faces of any people in the Zone AF frame are given priority in focusing.

AF points in focus are displayed with AF point (viewfinder).

Automatic selection AF Automatic Selection AF

The Area AF frame (entire AF area) is used to focus. AF points in focus are displayed with AF point (viewfinder).

With One-Shot AF, pressing the shutter button halfway displays the AF points AF point (viewfinder) that are focusing on the subject. Display of multiple AF points indicates that each point is in focus. Focusing areas are determined not only based on the nearest subject but also based on a variety of other conditions such as faces and subject distance.

With AI Servo AF, you can set the initial position for AI Servo AF in [Autofocus: Initial Servo AF pt, Automatic selection AF/FaceTracking subject] (). As long as the Area AF frame can track the subject during shooting, focusing will continue. Focusing areas are determined not only based on the nearest subject but also based on a variety of other conditions such as faces, subject motion, or subject distance.

Shooting Conditions That Make Focusing Difficult

  • Subjects with very low contrast.

    (Example: Blue skies, solid-color flat surfaces, etc.)

  • Subjects in very low light.

  • Strongly backlit or reflective subjects.

    (Example: Cars with highly reflective surfaces, etc.)

  • Near and distant subjects positioned close to an AF point.

    (Example: Animals in cages, etc.)

  • Light source such as dots of light positioned close to an AF point.

    (Example: Night scenes, etc.)

  • Subjects with repetitive patterns.

    (Example: Skyscraper windows, computer keyboards, etc.)

  • Subjects with finer patterns than an AF point.

    (Example: Faces or flowers as small as or smaller than an AF point, etc.)

In such cases, focus in either of the following two ways.

  1. With One-Shot AF, focus on an object at the same distance as the subject and lock the focus, then recompose the shot ().
  2. Set the lens's focus mode switch to MF and focus manually ().

Note

  • Depending on the subject, focus may be achieved by slightly recomposing the shot and performing AF operation again.