600D: Is there a way to get auto-focus points even in viewfinder? Not only in live-view

[1zz1]

As subject says..

Hello! 🙂
s there a way to get auto-focus points even in viewfinder? Not only in live-view.
Using a 600D I can get just 1 point in viewfinder.

Thanks for your help.

zz

[hsbn]

You meant to get all auto focus point active in viewfinder and not just the center point right?

Here is the quick guide: http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/1/0300004721/01/eosrt3i-eos600d-qg-en.pdf

Second page, bottom left corner, it shows you how to change focus points or activate all focus points.

[1zz1]

Thank you. I think it is EXACTLY what I meant.
I'll try it as soon as I have the camera with me.
One last thing.. Is it possible to change WHERE to focus (with one point focus for example), always using the viewfinder?
As I do in live-view mode.
Thank you.

[TCampbell]

When you focus through the viewfinder, the focus system is completely different than the focus system used in "Live view" mode.

On the floor of the camera, there is an array of 9 AF points.  When the reflex mirror is "down", it bounces light up into the viewfinder so you can see to compose and shoot.  But it has a few semi-silvered points where light passes through and is deflected DOWN into the array of 9 auto-focus points.

These focus points are very fast... the camera can focus much much faster using these focus points than it can when using "live view" mode.    The focus points are fixed... you cannot move them.  You CAN, however, choose which focus point you'd like the camera to use.  

There's a center point, surrounded by 8 additional points arranged in a diamond shape.  

While looking through the camera, you can press the AF selection button (that's the same button hsbn mentioned in the post to the quick-ref card) and then roll your main dial (the wheel located near the shutter button).  This moves the select AF point from point to point until it's highlighting the point you want to use.  If you roll all the way through, it will eventaully light up all 9 AF points (which means the camera is back in auto-select mode and will pick it's AF point automatically.)

BTW, if you select the mode where all 9 AF points are available, it'll still choose just ONE of those points to lock focus.  It will always pick the AF point which is able to lock focus at the NEAREST focusing distance.

example:  Suppose you take a portrait of someone and they are reasonably centered.  If the camera can pick it's AF point, it's going to pick the focus point at the nearest focusing distance.  If, for example, the center point happens to be positioned over your subject's nose, then it's going to lock focus on their nose.  

If, on the other hand, there's an object in the frame -- say there's a bush or tree trunk on the right side of the frame and your subject is in the left side of frame but farther away than the tree -- the camera will lock focus on the tree and NOT on your subject... because one of the AF points was located in front of the tree and the tree was closer... the camera picks the point which can lock focus at the nearest distance.

Knowing this... it's easy to know when you can trust AF point selection vs. when you should over-ride and pick your own AF point.