How To Set Up the Canon EOS R6 Mark ii for Triple Shutter Button & Triple Back Button Autofocus

[@junu292003]

I purchased Canon R6 Mk II this month. When I went to the field for birding, I was frustrated as the focus points shifted wildly and seems there was zombie inside. Read the detailed manual, but could not find as everything seemed to be very rudimentary. Then I chanced a few videos on KZbin. But was amazed at the way you have prepared this video on Auto focus setting of the 3 back buttons. It was simple and extremely effective. Thank you Doug. I hope to harvest many keepers!!!💐

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Thank you! I'm glad the video was helpful for you:-)

[@steve.hamlin.artist]

This is the clearest and most detailed explanation of the R6 MkII auto-focus system of the many I've seen. Thank you!

[@lets_go_birding9096]

My pleasure! I'm glad you found it helpful:-)

[@ppguitars]

I agreed! :) For newbies (like me) the AF system and tracking is quite confusing.

[@mackie1201]

This is actually amazing when I’m out with my kids

[@pivonroll]

Awesome video. Just one thing thou. I understand that a lot of people have a muscle memory from DSLR era and that they are disabling AF on shutter button. But what I actually found out is that you do not need to do that if you are using back button focusing. If you press a back button to engage AF and then if you press shutter button (it has half-press AF capability turned ON), the shutter button will not override focus you had with back button. Canon's engineers actually thought about this and it works great.

[@MYMOTOLIFE]

Awesome video. Just when I got the camera last week, and I have already been searching for many videos on the subject. This video is detailed and well-presented. Maybe towards the end, I was a bit confused about what settings should be done in the end to make the camera work reliably in the field. I promise to watch the longer video on camera settings. I subscribed to the channel.

[@tomnutley7539]

Absolutely fantastic explanation. Speaking at a measured pace, with clear real world examples and demonstration too, and not even the hint of trying to get us to buy a PDF (you know who you are !)

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it:-)

[@Mel-95]

The most detailed and helpful discussion of Canon R62 autofocus I've seen. I don't photograph birds, but I've learned so much to help me understand this complex system. Thanks.

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Thank you so much! I'm glad the video was helpful :-)

[@jean-claudeaccelimage2514]

Thank you Doug for these very clear videos and the time spent preparing them. I find that the presentation of "triple button AF" is more complete than that at the end of the long video. Thank you again for all these good ideas & tips which help us progressing. Well done teacher 🙏

[@lets_go_birding9096]

My pleasure! I'm glad you found the video useful :-)

[@jimpchip]

Thanks for the video. I'm curious though. My focus menu does not include the Focus Mode section at the bottom of page 1 of the AF menu. I've updated to the latest firmware but nothing. Any idea? I haven't seen any real use for it yet but am curious why I don't have that option.

[@MrBrockley3]

mine is the same, I can only presume he's not running the latest firmware.

[@carlspiers7709]

Came across this video after my first real use of the R6II for some cyclocross, where I was slightly disappointed , even using single point focus but perhaps not turning off the auto detection didn't help! With triple back button autofocus like tou have described, am I right in thinking that the only button which then uses the eye/auto detect and making use of the dof toggle is the rectangle button?

[@karinwest919]

thank you for this detailed set-up! This is the first video I have found that addresses the Eye Detection On/Off. So my question is, have you noticed a difference in keeper pics when turning it off? The few replies I got on a forum in regards to Eye On/Off stated that it does not make a difference as it automatically goes to head/body if AF cannot find eyes. The other issue you addressed and I always wondered about was using the Front Shutter Button - so as long as I am in Manual Mode and having the Shutter Button set up with a Focusing Mode, it will function as a Shutter Button only (no conflicts) when using the Back Buttons? TIA for your input!!

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Sorry for the delay. I rarely use eye-detection, for I see no difference with it on, versus off. Even with it off, the AF will still grab the eye (if it has enough contrast to grab), only with a little bigger AF box. In theory, I worry that AF might waste a little time looking for an eye when it more quickly could have found the head (which would make the eye just as sharp).

[@sudhirkalapala]

I hope they will share some of these features on Canon R6

[@lets_go_birding9096]

That would be great, but I wouldn't hold your breath :-) seriously doubt the R6 or R5 will get any major firmware updates - they want us to buy the R6 mark ii and R5 mark ii :-)

[@sudhirkalapala]

@@lets_go_birding9096 yea, probably true. R6 now recognizes cars with software update. Not that I care about that 😁.

[@bogdanperovic2001]

Great and detailed video!

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Thank you!

[@wandacollier7128]

Hi Doug. I have been using the R5 using your fantastic triple back button focus setup. The order is different on the R6MII. I'm trying to set them up the same on the R6MII as the R5 (AF-On =BIF, *=Spot Focus, rectange = Eye Detect) but the Info Detail Setup is not the same between the 2 cameras. How would I set this up? Thank you so much for all you do. 🙏

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Sorry for the delay! you can set the R6mii up for triple back-button AF exactly the same as you do the R5. Here's how: AF ON button: AF (Metering and AF Start ) + Info Detail Set = AF Area (Spot AF); Whole Area tracking (off); Subject to Detect (off) [remember to check these 3 and set them]. Star Button: (Metering and AF Start ) + Info Detail Set = AF Area (what ever you want. I use Expand AF area: around); Whole Area tracking (off); Subject to Detect (off) [remember to check these 3 and set them]. Rectangle button: (Eye Detection AF) and that's it.

[@brocwavra8813]

I do not get the info detail set when I get into the AF-On icon. My camera is up do date with firmware so not sure why I do not have this setting ?

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Strange! Make sure you're in manual mode and if that doesn't work, try reinstalling the latest firmware. If that doesn't work, give canon a call. They have always been very helpful for me:-) Good luck!

[@simonryan6850]

On to definitely watch

[@leevangie]

Can I use this setting on my R5?

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Absolutely!

[@stevemoore-vale5632]

Not sure if I’m going mad but I noticed that you permanently had some sort of auto detection on. So a white square would appear over the eye the whole time. Obviously it only used that square when you then used the dedicated detection button you programmed. Is this because you had detection on in the main menu which then gets bypassed when using the other buttons because you disabled it?

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Sorry for the delay! This slipped by me somehow. It is probably because I had subject detection and subject tracking turned on. In this mode, it always goes after at least the head of the bird--No matter what autofocus box was selected. If I had eye detection on as well, then this is why the little white box was around the eye (should be a very small box).

[@DennisFahlstrom]

I can’t get my R6 Mk 2 to work with some of my old manual focus lenses. The camera doesn’t seem to recognize the lens and allow a shutter release. The Mk 2 has a great AF system but that shouldn’t get in the way of operating with a MF lens …which I have 3 of I like, especially a nice Vivitar 8 mm fisheye.

[@erik.karlsson]

Superb!

[@lets_go_birding9096]

Thanks a lot!

[@DJBastor]

Thx alot

[@hongkongkong7174]

thank you

[@billbeverly2864]

I wish Canon would allow us to assign the RATE button to what we want. I never rate my pictures in the camera.

[@lets_go_birding9096]

I agree! Although it is also used to make the autofocus zone adjustable (you have to hit the rectangle button first though).