topic Re: 6D + AF assist beam = slower focus? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

6D + AF assist beam = slower focus?

raq — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 13:15:49 GMT

Hi, there was simmilar topic regarding to 5d mk3 : http://community.usa.canon.com/t5/EOS/5D3-AF-assist-beam-slower-focus/td-p/2277

anyone has the same problem, that AF has run after AF assist beam had stopped working? It means that 6D has a AF lag when using AF assist beam. I checked that also 6D users complained in the past that AF work slower when using AF beam.

For 5Dmk3, and 1DX Cannon had released firmware to solve problems:

" Improves the speed of the camera's acquisition of focus when using a Canon Speedlite's AF-assist beam."

, but still not for 6D.

Re: 6D + AF assist beam = slower focus?

Waddizzle — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 13:29:09 GMT

I do not believe that the literature means that using the AF assist beam will literally cause the camera to focus faster under normal conditions. If the AF assist beam fires, it is typically under circumstances where a focus target is difficult to acquire and/or locking focus will be imprecise because of a lack of sufficient light.

In other words, the camera is already focusing slower than normal because of poor lighting conditions, and the AF assist beam will speed THAT process up. BTW, the 6D is able to use Canon Speedlite's for AF assist beams

Re: 6D + AF assist beam = slower focus?

RobertTheFat — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 14:33:56 GMT

Note that at least the high-end Canon speedlites have two types of assist beam: visible and IR. Is the AF speed affected by which type of assist beam is being used?

Re: 6D + AF assist beam = slower focus?

TTMartin — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 14:40:29 GMT

@raq wrote:
Hi, there was simmilar topic regarding to 5d mk3 : http://community.usa.canon.com/t5/EOS/5D3-AF-assist-beam-slower-focus/td-p/2277

anyone has the same problem, that AF has run after AF assist beam had stopped working? It means that 6D has a AF lag when using AF assist beam. I checked that also 6D users complained in the past that AF work slower when using AF beam.

For 5Dmk3, and 1DX Cannon had released firmware to solve problems:
" Improves the speed of the camera's acquisition of focus when using a Canon Speedlite's AF-assist beam."
, but still not for 6D.

The AF-Assist Beam only activates if the camera has trouble achieving focus. In other words the AF-Assist Beam doesn't come on until the camera has already tried to focus and failed. So, yes this is a slower than when the camera can achieve focus without the AF-Assist Beam.