Canon R5/R6 Tutorial - Advanced Focus Cluster Mapping for BIF - Birds In Flight Shooting

[@DavidSwarthout]

I've got the R5 and have set it up pretty much the way you did here. But the tip that really rocked my boat was programming the DOF button to switch AF-methods between Eye-AF and small-spot. If I'm out shooting birds and then see a nice tree or flower, just punch that button and Eye-AF is gone and small-spot is in. If a bird appears - just punch the button and Eye-AF is back. Awesome.

[@KymGphoto]

I just had to add on here that Michael is extremely passionate about what he does and truly seems to care about all of us in wanting us to understand our equipment. He has put in more time then anyone else I know of on KZbin with the new Canon R5. A big shout out and thank you for the time you have taken for all of us!!!

[@MMaven]

Thank you so much Kym! I have been there and know how frustrating it can be, I am glad to help!

[@henrik2610]

@@MMaven I very much agree with Kym.. YOU my man are the go to guy.

[@GCALcontent]

This is how you make a "How too" tutorial with a specific outcome in mind. Very well done Michael.

[@philipmorris4939]

Thank you. Works really well and very important to register settings.

[@ForrestWest]

A much simpler setup is having the tracking with animal eye auto focus on the front shutter button and the AF-on button on the back set to single point auto focus. For a perched bird or a birds in flight the front shutter button works great and I'm getting quick auto focus grab and quick eye acquisition and long bursts of shots in focus. For those times when a bird is in a busy background cover like bushes, the single back button being pressed gives you single point auto focus and you take a shot with the front shutter button while you're holding it down, when you let it go you're back to tracking with eye auto focus. It only takes 1 back button and no buttons on the front of the camera except the shutter button. In sudden quick situations you don't have to remember any other buttons but the shutter button, set with my favorite af, tracking and eye af.

[@MMaven]

The main purpose of the video is to demonstrate how to customize according to needs. If that works for you, great! Not everyone wants it set up my way or your way, best to customize to needs.

[@hippodackl1521]

That's exactly how I have set it up, though backwards (spot focus on the shutter button, AF-ON for eye detect). You just got me triggered I should set it up as you did as it seems to be the more common use case.

[@ianbrown704]

I have followed Michael for over 10 years and he is still at the top of the vloggers, practical no nonsense training. Ian (UK)

[@MMaven]

Thank you Ian

[@craigcarlson4022]

Setting up my new R6. This is the best, most clear and succinct explanation yet for birders. Thank you!

[@DavidSwarthout]

Well done, Michael. I have an R5 on order and will use this invaluable video as a guide to set it up.

[@benjaminmesa1089]

Just picked up and R5 yesterday. Thanks for this!

[@rblast1]

Great tip. Didn’t know about the depth of preview option.

[@UliSeng]

This is the solution I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around since I got my R6. Thank you so much for untangling this problem for me in such a clear way.

[@steviebye1]

My new fav KZbin channel. Things explained clearly and concisely. Thank you.

[@hawgbreath]

Subscribed! My R5 arrives Monday and this is by far the best tutorial I’ve watched. Clear explanations and demonstrations of the various customizations and their uses. This tutorial will greatly enhance my ability to begin to use this camera and learn its capabilities. Thanks for a great tutorial!

[@carminered3229]

Thank you for the video. You can also set up the depth of preview button to recall a registered autofocus point so you dont have to uncheck the other autofocus options.

[@Feniche17]

Nice tutorial-- elegant solution to a very specific scenario. This is the sort of question that users usually have to sift through forum posts to (maybe) find an answer to. Great Job

[@Pauler23]

it's incorrect though lol

[@Feniche17]

@@Pauler23 well go on then, share with the class…

[@robertbohnaker9898]

Brilliance Michael. Love it ! 😊Easy to implement and use !

[@colinrogers5006]

Excellent Michael. You can do all of this and still have shutter button as as single point focus - one shot (as well as metering). I then have AFon as you set but servo face and finally AEon as eyeAF. Recorded to C3. I use C2 similarly but for eye detect setting to people - for fast sports. Tv mode for both C2 and 3. C3 is electronic shutter High speed +. C1 is mechanical shutter. Great versatility Loving all the help and info you give in your KZbin posts. 🙏

[@6rimR3ap3r]

So is there a big difference between Eye detection and regular tracking? I thought if the Eye AF doesn't find and eye it automatically turns into normal face detect. That's why I use one button for Eye AF and one for spot AF so far.

[@jacquesleveillenizerolle3625]

I have the exact same question ! I am currently leaving AF spot on front half way down shutter and adding AF eye detection on the back (on AF-ON button). I have the impression that I have enough with one button on the back as it looks like it's using ":-) + Tracking" when it cannot find an eye. Am I right ?

[@alansach8437]

This is what I do as well. One button (in my case, the AF On button) is set to eye detection, and the other (star) is single spot. In cases where eye detect cannot find the eye it defaults to face or body detection. Is this not the same as multipoint tracking? Honest question because I haven't tried multipoint tracking without eye detection.

[@kilohotel6750]

This was helpful in two ways. Now I now how to get the Q button menu to look like how I’m used to it looking by hitting the info button. And using the depth of field button to switch through focus points is great idea. I already had the other two set up your way. Picked up the R5 yesterday and took it out for a little, impressed so far. Will watch your three hour video tomorrow night and see what other tricks I can learn.

[@raylander6329]

Absolutely exceptional explanation, Michael; these cameras seem to be great !!!

[@warrenlauzon5315]

I am not a fan of back button focus the way that most videos recommend it, but this method actually works. The DOF button is the most useless button on the camera, so I had it set similar to what you have, my mistakes was not to limit the types of focus points. Will try it out next time I go out. The C modes are one of the biggest advantages to the R5.

[@saidherrera4364]

Es el mejor video de cómo tratar este tema del enfoque con aves, te agradezco mucho 👍🏼

[@selwynencarol]

Great video. However I believe since you have eye detection default enabled, the camera would find the eye of the bird when it sits on the floor as well when pressing your AF-on button in your configuration. If you really want to decouple it (so true cluster focus through AF-on and Eye AF when pressing *) you would need to disable eye detection in the menu. The Eye AF programmed behind * will enable it when pressing *.

[@huexley]

Very very (yes very) good video ! It will be perfect C2 ! (C3 is astrophotography) !

[@georgeotoole8581]

Brilliant video as usual.

[@edsonizaias277]

Such a great tips bro!!! Thanks a lot!

[@saudi4us]

Great Tips ... Thanks Michael ... Great Teacher as always ... Cheers

[@MMaven]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@joycefreitas8221]

Wonderful question she had - I experience the same issue and this is very helpful. Thank you so much.

[@MMaven]

I like these kinds of questions

[@esphilee]

A good camera is a camera that invite you to hold it, take it out to take photo, once you are out shooting, it stays out of the way. Cameras now a day can produce picture quality that is beyond most people’s need. The different is how well the overall package is designed including the entire system and supports. R5 R6 are amazing cameras.

[@jplimages]

Thanks for the great video. My question for you: the first setting you changed (tracking with the face, for bird in flight) isn’t that the same as the eye tracking you turned on the star focus to?

[@MMaven]

Not with eye detection turned off, which it should have been in this example, but wasn't. Thanks!

[@paulsophocleous2544]

Some fantastic information about settings!

[@MMaven]

Thank you

[@RogerJones-mountfield]

Excellent, thank you.

[@tylerdoestech]

Clearly, this is the video I should have seen first! This is excellent information, as always, Michael. I shudder to say it but the R5 and R6 offer even more autofocus customization than Canon's top-end 1D series bodies.

[@Scorpion.king.911]

Great video

[@davidbennett1316]

Hello Michael - great video and given me lots of steer and ideas on how to set up. I wonder if perhaps there is a missing step? I think the way you have things set up is you have eye detection on all the time (unless you toggle AF modes with the depth of field button). I think this is fine as having eye detection isn't likely to cause problems with distant birds, but I think it means the * button isn't really doing anything when you are in tracking AF mode. You can see this at 2:03 and 3:55 when you show the AF mode which is "tracking" and "INFO" is telling us eye detection is on. And at 3:41 you can see that you have this set to "enabled" in the pink AF menu tab 1. And at 5:03, it looks like the camera is eye detecting on the distant bird (small blue square). If you do need to toggle eye detection on and off then I think the missing first step is to turn eye detection off in the pink AF menu tab one. Then when you assign the AEL/FEL * button to "eye detection AF" (as shown at 4:38) this effectively gives you back button eye detection AF - press and hold and eye detection goes on. Let go and it goes off. Alternatively, if you use the other eye detection button on the * button - the one you say not to use at 4:27 - this simply toggles eye detection on and off. Not sure which I prefer - I'm going to experiment! The advantage of the first option ("back button eye detection") is that it will work at any time - so if you have just used the depth of field button to toggle to 1-point AF for a bird in a bush, if it flies out onto a branch you can go straight to eye detection tracking AF without having to toggle back with the DoF button. Hope this helps - apologies if it has already been covered in comments below - I scanned but didn't get time to read all of them. Keep up the good work.

[@MMaven]

No- it should not have been set up this way. Info should have been to "off". The reason? The algorithm will start looking for faces and eyes in bushes. This is why the * is dedicated to EYE/Face and the AF-On should be on auto zone without EYE/Face on. I thought I was pretty clear in my verbal description but apparently not. The important takeaway here was to demonstrate 3 different quick focusing modes, not so much say "it has to be done this way and only my way".

[@davidbennett1316]

@@MMaven thanks Michael - I agree eye detection should be disabled in AF menu tab 1 and that is what I've done and it seems to be working well. You certainly succeeded with the main takeaway .... just seeing in your video that eye detection was on when I thought it should be off and the missing step of disabling it floored me for a bit until I worked it out

[@tanukumanohar2621]

Excellent. i just loved your explanation.. i am a bird photographer myself and but these settings changing instantly i have never done that.. i use R6 so i will definitely opt for these settings.. i subscribed to your channel as well :) .. Thank you

[@alphaandomega2709]

Really awesome thanks for the help God bless you

[@alainm1962]

I think an easier way is to customize spot AF on the AF-ON and the eye detection on the * button simultaneously. That way, you get the best AF modes simultaneously under your thumb, no need to go into menus and have the bird take off.

[@reggaestylee]

GRETA TIPS THANK YOU

[@marcotogni]

I don’t shoot birds but it’s a wonderful video. Congratulations

[@anns_toypix]

Awesome video. I have learnt so much from this.

[@markwillride]

Did you know that you can leave your favorite and most used focus method on the half press of the shutter and the back buttons you program will temporarily over ride that half press. For my use, I'm on Servo with face/eye tracking about 99% of the time. I set up just one button for one shot/single point method (like for the bird in the trees). Even with eye tracking on, it will act like face tracking if the subject is too far out or has it's head turned. When it can, it will track the actual eye. It's important for readers to know that the AUTO setting on AF menu tab #5 (Initial AF Servo Pt) should NOT be on auto if you want to choose the subject to focus on instead of letting the camera do so.

[@mabramek]

Great stuff!! Can't wait to try it:-)

[@shipwright6122]

Awesome 🤩 📸 🎯

[@tintin69rr]

Awesome 👏

[@rentoulzz]

Thank you. I will try the separate eye and animal tracking focusing for birds in flight. great information.

[@Marleydia]

Thank you for doing these videos. I’m learning so much as a new bird photographer. I’m trying to apply these settings currently, but am confused on the third option where you customize the dof button. I have limited them and can toggle spot and one point. I don’t understand how to engage them after I’ve chose one. I know I need to practice and get some muscle memory. I just want to make sure I’ve got my settings correct so I’m practicing the right things. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!

[@dcurleyifa]

Michael, thank you soo much for this tutorial, you have saved me so much time and messing about.

[@Pauler23]

don't thank him until you've tried it! It's bad information he's given you and it doesn't work the way he describes. You can thank me later :-)

[@pakshiabhayaranya]

Thank you

[@alirezazimi]

awesome ! fantastic ! good job !

[@sifordcreative]

This is great information. Thanks for the video.

[@Malkanderi]

Thats so awesome 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@paulomateus3083]

This is such a great way to assign useful functions to the buttons, unfortunately most of those that you mentioned are not available in video mode, at least on the R6 II. Thanks anyway!

[@letsfindout6587]

One of the best.

[@phoneymoon]

Great setup

[@HuFilms]

Wish I set up my EosR like this. Can't wait to try this on the R5. Nice one Michael, your vids are amazing.

[@MMaven]

Thank you Hugh

[@gossedejong9248]

absolutely brilliant and fabulous!!!!

[@kenmaier6870]

Great / Valuable Video - I set up the r5 the way you suggested, But when I press the DoF preview button, select the zone type it doesn't autofocus. What am I missing?

[@MMaven]

The way I have it set up only switches the focusing cluster - you would still have to engage your auto focus with either a halfway shutter button depression or AF-on button.

[@kenmaier6870]

@@MMaven - thank you for the quick response. I tried hitting the AF-on button, after i used the DoF Button, but it defaults to the cluster I setup for the AF Button. I'm wondering if the the AF Button needs to be set up in a specific way?. BTW - I'm renting the R5 to evaluate it, so far very impressed

[@MMaven]

@@kenmaier6870 the whole idea of this video is to demonstrate that it is completely customizable to what one needs. You will determine which button you want to do what. In regards to your original question, again the DOF short cut only switches the cluster. You will still need to engage the focus, depending on how you have set your camera up.

[@gogigogo929]

Great video!! Thank you

[@mikeconnell2099]

Can I used the same settings for animals? Thank you for your detailed easy to use tutorials to help me get comfortable with my R5.

[@RVNmedic]

Excellent video. I haven't seen you before but very clear instructions and enjoyable. I use all three back buttons for focus. I set up the DOF preview button like you said but it doesn't focus when I hold the button or press the shutter. If I press any back button it overrides the spot focus function. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

[@peterding4958]

Hi Michael For the initial Servo AF pt. Which one should I set? Initial AF pt set for auto?

[@ghanshyampatelphotography9166]

Great tutorial Sir . Ghanshyam Patel photography Love From India/Gujarat state/ Nadiad city.

[@lou405photo]

Perfect! I shoot drag racing and this applies to my kind of "live" capture workflow on the camera perfectly! Thanks!!!

[@yajlemag1]

Somewhere along the way playing with these settings, I managed to turn off the Q button. Now the screen has only the menu on it, and won't switch to lens when I push any button. ¿??? I can't see where to fix it. Reset everything is an option, but I'd lose all my settings.

[@harleyxl2001]

This is pretty fantastic.

[@DreamersRiseOfficial]

This is REALLY useful! Thank you so much!!

[@AcidicDelusion]

Maven the beast. Top quality content

[@ngekseng]

very interesting...

[@dikarat]

Thank you very much!

[@DanT10]

This will work on the R7 too. I will do this tomorrow. I think the title is a little limiting.

[@kimpeterson1710]

Wonderful tips!!! Thank you!

[@KymGphoto]

You are awesome!!! thank you so much for all your help

[@Cree]

Technically Michael all you have to do is always leave your camera set to your desired AF-point (never face detection mode) at all times and use the asterisk button to switch to eye-auto focus/AF tracking anyway. The cluster will always pop up and track through the AF points until it can pick up an eye. This way you remove the need to change settings even further. However I do like the idea of being able to switch focus clusters with the depth of field preview... I guess you can turn off a few that you never use and the camera becomes that much more of a beast.

[@3-piece129]

This dude is smart. He has great talent in being able to explain and teach techniques and processes. He could probably be an awesome math teacher. I have the R6 with adapter for EF lenses but i have the one with the control ring. I've programmed the control ring to give me the different focusing methods you've described. I just rotate the ring and it toggles between each different one. Thanks explaining and providing shortcuts. Great drawings. Can you draw "Skippy"?

[@jiajianhou426]

Is there a way to map a button to switch between people / animal /no priority eye AF? I think I heard that somehwere but couldnt find it anymore.

[@CottageCupcake]

Just got the R6! Will the eye sensor work in group photos?

[@rtmirt46]

Hey Mr. Mike, at (11:35) I get the focusing square after the DOF push, but when I press and hold the AF-ON to lock in the focus on that square, it changes to a cluster AF arrangement and as such I can't use the lens focus ring to bring up the magnified image. I must have something set wrong but I've watched this video over and over and I can't see any variations from your recommendations. Any ideas? This bonus tip is something I'd like to use but it's frustrating not being able to make it work. Thanks.

[@scottabergermd]

Great tutorial, Michael, thank you. My question is: when I follow your bonus tip, and set up my R5 the way you suggested at the end, although the lens does go into manual focus mode, it does not magnify. Why?

[@MMaven]

Which lens?

[@MMaven]

There is a magnify & non-magnify option. It should work with the magnify option.

[@scottabergermd]

@@MMaven it is the same as your video, the 24-105mm f/4.. Thanks so much, Michael. Love your instructional videos, and will be buying the new one on the R5. Much appreciate your help here.

[@scottabergermd]

@@MMaven where would this menu item be adjusted, Michael?

[@MMaven]

@@scottabergermd Its the written next to the choices where I demonstrate it on the video. 3rd option down (not the second)

[@dirtysouth_305]

extremely helpful! I'm using this setup now. One thing is that my custom buttons don't follow the custom shoot modes.

[@OneFocusPhotos]

If I put one of my back buttons to Eye detect can I just stay in single point af and tap that whenever I want it to eye detect for me? Trying to find an easy way to switch between single point af for detail shots and quickly activate eye af for portraits.

[@MMaven]

Yes!

[@rentoulzz]

Hi again Michael. I have been practicing with the 3 settings on initial servo AF PT. number 5 in AF in the menu. Interesting. The first one and the second option when I use them give an initial point of focus before the automatic focusing takes over. Because of this when taking birds in flight if the initial point doesn't find the bird it stays out of focus and doesn't keep hunting unless I am fast enough to get the center point on the bird. OK. So on initial servo AF PT. number 5 in the menu there is a 3rd option which is auto. I tried this and it hunts everywhere from the beginning all over the screen which even though you can't give it an initial point assistance it is better for high contrast birds against the sky for instance. Hope this is clear.

[@MMaven]

I have that setting turned to AUTO most of the time when shooting against the sky because it is much faster than I at getting a lock (as I demonstrated). It WILL depend on your background. Having that initial square activated will tell the camera where to look first, but the problem with it is, if you miss, it ll focus on something else and you really miss. Depending on the bird, lens, background, starting with a single square isn't something most shooters can do. Again what I outline in this video aren't hard rules, it will depend on the other variables. The take-home is you can set it up to shoot 3 different ways instantly.

[@rentoulzz]

@@MMaven Thanks Michael exactly what I found. I re listened to your video and you did say to put it on auto I just missed it. Thanks once again. It makes such a difference to use the correct setting for the job. I was photographing fantails in flight this morning and the focus point could follow the fantail amazing and sharply in focus also. I think the animal focus is slightly faster than the eye focus. Thanks for the info.

[@skootyalan556]

Michael, I have been using back button dual focussing for a while. I like your idea about making tri button focusing. However, when I set my R5 up as you suggested. I find that although the camera seems to change the focus method (ie screen shows the new method) but the focus remains the same. So, if I have it on tracking and change to single point, the focus keeps seeking an object rather than using the central point. Am I missing something? So, I set to AF track and then press DoF button to change to Single Point AF, it keeps tracking. If I set up the other way, ie default is Single point and then DoF to Track, it keeps the Single Point. Advice welcome!

[@skootyalan556]

Michael, I have been reviewing my settings. Under the AFon using Q and customise buttons. If I go into detail set and change AF method to 'maintain current settings' I think it works as you described. Any comments?

[@skootyalan556]

Other than I'm a plonker!

[@MMaven]

Sounds like this is the correct way. Strangely I have not seen what you’re describing on my camera so I’m wondering if you changed another setting that did this. If you are maintaining your focusing type then it would explain why one point is jumping back to tracking?

[@skootyalan556]

@@MMaven Yes, that is the problem I was having. I had to remove the 'maintain current settings' from AF Method and it behaves as you describe. A very powerful feature, I like!!

[@ivorottleyphotography4024]

Doesn't animal tracking incorporate animal eye af once the animal gets close enough? In other words cant they be incorporated onto the one focus button. I have spot af on the af-on button and animal detect, (which seems to include eye af) on the star button.....am i misunderstanding......are the eye detect and animal tracking different modes that i need to assign different buttons to?

[@MMaven]

If you wish to set them up this way however that first cluster can operate without eye detection on and seems to be a little bit better for birds in flight. When you turn on detection on you’re telling the camera to look specifically for a shape of an animal eye. That has a time in place but if it doesn’t work you could end up focusing on some vegetation behind it and this is why I recommend separating the two

[@ivorottleyphotography4024]

@@MMaven Thanks for the explanation Michael.....I'll check it out in the field.....It looks like i may need to become a 3 back button focuser..... :)

[@MMaven]

Ivor Ottley Photography let me know how it goes! :)

[@bsachannel9551]

ด,4ถ_ถตคล_ลค_คค_ค_คลค_ลลึลล

[@davidbrowning8103]

Michael, I thought that when eye detection was enabled and an eye was not detected that the focusing system would revert automatically to face detection. Is that not true?

[@MMaven]

Correct. But remember, when it cannot detect an eye or a face, it will revert to the automatic cluster.

[@davidbrowning8103]

@@MMaven So why not set the AF-ON button to Face/Tracking with Eye Detection enabled and the star button to Single Point AF? Wouldn't that alone take care of your three cases? The AF-ON button then will find the bird in flight and auto switch to eye detection when it perches and the eye becomes detectable The star button handles the bird in the bush scenario. I feel like I must be missing something. Thanks very much for your help with this.

[@MMaven]

@@davidbrowning8103 that’s literally the opposite buttons of what this video demonstrates, which is how to have 3 clusters available to you. Where is the third in your example?

[@davidbrowning8103]

@@MMaven With AF-ON button: 1)Tracking cluster for bird in flight changing automatically to 2} eye detection for bird perched. With the star button: 3) single point AF.

[@MMaven]

@@davidbrowning8103 Negative. You do not want the camera switching between auto focus area to eye/face detection on its own, because if you do, then the camera will “find” a face or eyes in the bushes behind the bird if it’s too small. This is why you want to separate those functions, we have no control over what the algorithm “thinks” it sees. This is the whole concept of the video, three completely separate focusing clusters at a press of a button depending on the circumstances.

[@tolickal]

Hi Michael, I'm a new R5 owner (coming from Nikon). I came across your KZbin channel and currently learning your R5 tips (subscribed). I really appreciate your tips and teachings. I have already set up back-button focus with my default AF setting is as face tracking with Eye detection enabled (limited the AF to just face + tracking and single spot, so that I can choose the face tracking vs single point with “AF point section” button and “dial”). So, if we have already programmed the back-button focus for face + tracking as default, which is already embedded the Eye detection in it, if we enable the Eye detection with selecting “people” or “animal” priority. Then why you are recommending to customize the * button to Eye detection again. Isn’t the back-button focus will do the same and focus in the order of body, face and then to eye as gets closer/focus to the subject? Or by pressing the Eye detection by programming the * button will give more affirmed selection of Eye over just the face + tracking? My 2nd question is regarding the focus off of the eye even with my eye detection enabled for “people” and using the back button focus for face + tracking as default. When I tried to take pictures of my kids, I could see the box is narrowed down and finding the right eye that I want when I pressing the back-button focus (face tracking with Eye detection enabled). But once I preview the picture, the AF points that were used to focus (AF Point Display enabled) will be showing entirely at a different place like nose or cheek etc. I really appreciate if you can advise me on these doubt/issue. Thanks Till

[@MMaven]

For BIF I do not recommend setting it up this way. For BIF I recommend the Auto focusing square WITHOUT eye or face detection. The reason? The camera will start looking for face and eye patterns in bushes when there isnt enough head space to recognize the pattern, this will result in more missed shots. This is why I recommend setting it up the way I did, but you can set it up any way you please. Best wishes

[@MMaven]

2- Are you one ONE Shot? Is your child moving? Try servo. Also the display square only shows which square was used, not necessarily where it was focusing. Those are two different things.

[@tolickal]

@@MMaven thank you for explaining the box. I was using servo.

[@tolickal]

@@MMaven Thank you, Michael. For BIF i understood the rational for using the square AF with AF-ON and eye detection with * button. So for the people especially for the kids, in your experience which selections are promising more results. AF-ON button with face tracking with Eye detection enabled and * button with again eye detection (will it give more accuracy?) OR as in BIF leave the AF-ON button with square and * with eye detection? Does the "initial servo AF pt for face+tracking" in the purple menu 5 has any role in the accuracy of eye focus? when you change the "initial servo AF pt for face+tracking" from "Auto" to the first option "initial AF pt set for face tracking", you loose the functionality of changing the eye AF b/w eyes or selecting the points (appearing the dotted orange) by touch screen. So in order to have the eye selection option to be activated you have to be in "Auto". Any thing to maximize the eye focus for kids would be really helpful. Thanks, Till

[@MMaven]

@@tolickal It is literally impossible for me to say with focusing cluster will be best as it depends so much on your subject matter. The purpose of this video was to demonstrate how to set up 3 different focusing clusters for quick access. In the end you will need to experiment with the type of shooting you do to find the best results, my suggestions are only starting points.

[@guidlines]

Hardest thing to remember is what you have setup in C1, C2 & C3

[@Na-kuxne-u-Meri]

Hi Michael, my question is: does it work with the same way in video mode, too? Can I set it for video? Thanks for your answer

[@MMaven]

yes!

[@Na-kuxne-u-Meri]

@@MMaven Thank you very much

[@rcrinsea]

I have the R5 and have the same question. It seems the video settings are not as full-featured. I’m not able to see the exact same options as for the still.

[@CZOV]

@@rcrinsea Some options are not available for video, no. Also, different buttons have different options available. MFn button have most i think.

[@seaberry6]

I have a question about your last bonus tip. Can you put that setting in along with all the other settings and THEN save to C1?

[@MMaven]

Yes!

[@rentoulzz]

Another comment. I need another focusing button. I have noticed it is useful to have a cluster activated for an initial focus for a bird that the auto focusing can't catch then swap back to auto focusing. Or if it loses focus I can immediately refocus using the cluster. so that would give me eye focus on one button. animal auto focus on another button and cluster on another. Any ideas on this?

[@MMaven]

You should be able to make it work using the set up I demonstrated

[@bethjensen2445]

Thank you. I just got my R6 mark II and I am trying to apply these settings to this camera. I watched your free 2 hour video on the mark ii, and have purchased the crash course, but have not watched it yet. I know I am getting ahead of myself, but I want to get out and shoot some birds NOW- being eager to play with my new camera as I learn. I do not see the face +tracking on the menus. Is there an equivalent on the mark ii? Thank you- I LOVE how you explain things. I promise I will watch all the down loads, but who can resist the temptation of a sunrise when the birds are migrating and a new camera in hand?

[@AlSo-Fotografie]

Hmmmm im confused. At 4:53 I cant get the white box around the eye. I got the exact same settings. Only in one shot mode it appears. With servo-af there is only a blue box and only if i halfpress the shutter or the af-on button

[@michaelandrew5209]

Sounds like it is working for you

[@angelogarciajr5356]

Michael....Now that my bird settings are on C1, do I go back to Manual and change everything back to what it was? Or is my manual the same as C1 now? Confusing. I need to set up C2 for shooting sports. Do you have a videoon sports for my C2> Thanks for your help

[@royd63uk]

Brilliant

[@Dagge61]

So what will the difference between these two buttons be when AF-ON button is set to use Tracking? Sure, the star button is set to Eye Detection AF but won't find an eye on a bird in flight.

[@vaibhavpisal]

Great insight. one question... Do you freak out when a rare bird gives you shot opportunity?

[@marcymohler3703]

Hi Michael, would the eye detection actually pick up the eyes of a dragonfly in flight? I had one just begging to be photographed but it just would focus. Thank you for any help you may be able to give. Marcy

[@alansach8437]

The problem I have with the C1,C2,C3 custom settings is that you cannot choose what it should remember and what it should not. It remembers everything that was set when you set it up, and defaults to all of those settings everytime the camera goes to sleep. So, if you've made any changes while shooting, ie ISO, shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, bam, it's right back to whatever it was when you set up the custom settings. I rarely shoot anything for very long without changing something to suit conditions, and my camera is always on Eco Mode to save battery, so it's constantly shutting off. It needs a "remember this, not that" mode.

[@Logical-View]

In the custom shooting mode menu, there is an option called "Auto Update Set". Enable that and your changes to the custom settings will be auto saved.

[@alfonsosangiao2818]

Interesting sistem. I actually use a lot the * but I will look a custom that work for me base in the idea

[@arifkizilay]

hi Michael, I wonder if you have tutorial videos about Lumix G9. thank you.

[@tobytollefsen8802]

Hello, so my question is, if I leave the shutter button to single point focus, can I then set up the AF ON button and the * button like you did? I guess, if the shutter is not set to Metering start, will the other back buttons still work like you set it up. My thought process was I set the shutter to single point, put it on what I want in focus then I quickly hit the AF ON or * to do what you show here. If I just want to use the single point, I just use the shutter button.

[@FIxt00l]

Thanks for the video! After sleepless nights, I see that Dpreview statements were right. This camera indeed needs a deep dive to tweak the AF system for best performance. I was wondering if I should buy this, or a Sony, after selling my trusty D750. Sony it is, the Canon looks like a paid nightmare. And no fanboyism at all, since I am paying for a new system.