topic Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:50:45 GMT

Hello everyone! I am very confused - and will be thankful for your patience! So I have been shooting with EOS R6 Mark II for over 1 year by now, and a couple of months ago started noticing unusual blur of human faces in my images - very often focus started falling in front of the actual AF point (e.g., AF on the eye, the actual focus - on the shoulder / a balloon the person is holding). I have been shootng with the same lens from the beginning - EF 50mm STM 1.8 lens with an adapter. So at first, I thought it might be the issue with the lens getting old(? since the problem appeared just recently) so I got a new EF 50mm 1.2 USM lens. Unfortunately, same problem persists. Someone recommended I should calibrate my lens (?), but I have just read that mirrorless cameras do not require calibration. I am really confused. Is calibrating a camera vs calibrating a lens a different thing? Or am I sort of always calibrating a "duo" (i.e. if I change something in my camera, does it mean that if I later get Rf lens it will have to be recalibrated again)? At this point what should my next steps be? Thank you so much in advance.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

deebatman316 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:58:00 GMT

You can’t have front or back focus on a Mirrorless camera. That’s why there’s no option for AFMA/ AF Fine Tune. Show us pictures of the problem. Have you tried an RF lens. Not all EF lenses are fully compatible with the AF systems found in newer EOS R series cameras especially lenses released before 2009. What settings are you using so we can if the problem persists.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

shadowsports — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:58:17 GMT

Greetings,

What you read is true. Lens calibration (from a user standpoint) is not possible on a mirrorless body.

Worth noting. Adapters are not created equally, so it's important that you use a Canon brand adapter with your EF lenses and mirrorless body.

Canon does offer a precision alignment service. This is a factory calibration performed at a Canon service center. You can read more about it here

Canon Precision Alignment | Canon U.S.A., Inc. https://share.google/ZZkSMkIMNyXoOK6Jz

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:10:23 GMT

F3.2, SS 1/800, ISO 160Even though AF point is near a dad's eye, his face is completely blurred and mom's face (more forward) is more in focus as well as the balloonThe focus is supersoft here while I expected a huge detail in her eyes

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:16:12 GMT

Same here, the actual focus is on her shoulder not on her eyes

F2.5, SS 1/500, ISO 2500

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

jrhoffman75 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:12:34 GMT

Focus tuning in a DSLR adjusts for possible calibration differences between the mirror down focusing system and the mirror up focusing system. In a mirrorless body the there is only "mirror up" focusing system.

However, the camera still needs to evaluate the electronic data on the sensor to determine when the focus is best; it's not looking at the image.

Canon Precision Alignment | Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon does provide a calibration service for RF product line components. You might want to contact them to discuss your situation. Canon support 1-800-OK-CANON. Although RF cameras don't offer the capability some Nikon cameras allow for AF calibration in the body.

Before you conclude there is a problem I suggest you try and get an RF lens or a different EF lens to test.

The EF 50mm f/1.2 is not the best item for verifying focus.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:14:10 GMT

I have not tried Rf lenses, and I understand that shooting with a Canon adapter + Ef lens is worse than with an RF lens. What puzzles me is why at first it worked and then a couple of months ago something happened...

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:18:37 GMT

thank you! Yes, using a canon adapter.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

jrhoffman75 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:24:08 GMT

@EK25 wrote:

I have not tried Rf lenses, and I understand that shooting with a Canon adapter + Ef lens is worse than with an RF lens. What puzzles me is why at first it worked and then a couple of months ago something happened...

"shooting with a Canon adapter + Ef lens is worse than with an RF lens"

Not correct. EF lenses function as well if not better on an RF body. While RF lenses are generally smaller, lighter and higher optical quality than equivalent spec EF lenses (newer designs) the EF lenses function fine.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

deebatman316 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:28:36 GMT

The EF 50mm F/1.2L USM lens is NOT COMPATIBLE with DPAF (Dual Pixel AF). That lens was released in 2007. Don’t expect new features in an EOS R series camera to work with old lenses. Only EF lenses released in 2009 and newer support DPAF. You’ll notice limitations with lenses that you adapt.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:13:26 GMT

Thank you, got it. Then what do you suggest the problem is? I suspect something is wrong with the body since:

- at first EF lens functioned perfectly

- 2 months ago a problem appeared. Now the original EF lens shows a problem. A "new" (used "like new" 2007) EF lens shows a problem as well.

If getting an RF lens is NOT a solution, what could it be?

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:19:51 GMT

Thank you! I see. I will try to get hold of a different lens, be it EF or RF. But given the problem appeared just 2 months ago, and manifests itself both on my original lens (which worked great at the beginning) and this new "old" lens (2007 EF "like new" condition I just got). .. I conclude the problem is with the body???

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

jrhoffman75 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:26:59 GMT

@EK25 wrote:

Thank you, got it. Then what do you suggest the problem is? I suspect something is wrong with the body since:

- at first EF lens functioned perfectly

- 2 months ago a problem appeared. Now the original EF lens shows a problem. A "new" (used "like new" 2007) EF lens shows a problem as well.

If getting an RF lens is NOT a solution, what could it be?

I don’t have an answer to what the problem might be. You said “a problem appeared and now the original EF lens shows a problem “ Are they the same problem? Anything happen with camera, like a drop?

I suggest you call Canon support at 1-800-OK-CANON. Much easier to talk in person.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

jrhoffman75 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:25:40 GMT

I’m not sure that is correct:

https://www.canon-europe.com/support/consumer_products/dual_pixel_cmos_af_ef_lens_compatibility/

but even if the Canon website is wrong I’m not sure it’s related to the OP’s problem.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

deebatman316 — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:31:20 GMT

A lot of older pre DPAF will exhibit what looks like back focus. It’s usually very old Arc Form Drive, Micro Motor and Micro USM lenses that have this problem. I think the af motor is just too slow.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

Peter — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:26:13 GMT

Mirrorless cameras may require AF adjustment. R6 can for example save AF adjustment for 7 lenses, but you cannot do it from the camera menu.

If I remember it right 6D can save 20.

What I know there is no third-party software for R6 II yet so you will have to send the camera and lens to Canon or wait.

I have no problem with R6 and EF 50/1.2L USM more than focus shift at f/2.8 that will give me back focus.

I did have some problems with Sigma 500/4.5 until I change AF case.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

K_ozdragon — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 10:00:45 GMT

Have you tried AI Servo mode to make sure you're not moving while focusing? An aperture of f/3.2 is going to have a really slim focal plane at those distances. You might also ensure that your camera is set to continue searching for focus when none is found. Your focus points are on dimly lit areas that are fairly small, & there's not a ton of solid contrast for the focus to grab. So it might be locking in error rather than seeking for a solid lock if this setting is off. It should be on by default.

I would definitely try servo mode first just to be sure. Plus checking the focus search is on. You might also try going to a Best Buy or camera shop to test an RF lens. For what Canon will charge for service, you could just buy the proper RF lens.

Finally, try setting up a similar shooting situation but with better lighting & an object with well defined lines for the auto focus to lock onto. If you're using the eye detection but testing on an object, switch to spot focus. Then test with the large & small box.

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

Aerobatpj — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:54:14 GMT

Can you get good focus using manuel ?

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 12:54:24 GMT

Always shooting manual

Re: Calibration for EOS R6 Mark II / front focusing issue

EK25 — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 12:59:02 GMT

Thank you, I almost always use AI servo since shooting lots of kids running around. I am wondering which setting exactly you mean by "camera continues searching for focus". Would you mind elaborating where in the menu "focus search" is on. I am quite sure it is, but just curious as I cannot recall this wording exactly in AF tab. Let me check. And yes, a number of people suggested the problem might be with the adaptor so trying an RF lens is the next step. I wish there were more affordable.