Canon R6 AI Focus (PULSING) - EF Lenses

[rascher]

I googled it, found that a lot of people are getting bad, blurry images from an anomaly in the eye focus mode. A focus pulsing occurs when keeping tracking active in the animal's eye.

The video below, from 10:00 on onwards shows exactly this problem.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lmjC07v8yI&t=471s  

In the Canon R6 manual it says that (ALL) EF lenses work with the use of the EF-EOS-R adapter. But nowhere in the manual does it report incompatibilities or focus issues related to the smart focus mode (eye focus).

drive.google.com/file/d/1RFP_2LmEDNksaPlnz7IiWuZjmFId8y2q/view?usp=sharing  

Link with images of a 100% static animal and still the focus shows (pulsing)

[Tronhard]

Never let it be said I don't go the extra mile (in this case about 12km) for those with issues.  I went to the zoo with one of my Canon EOS R6 units, and the Canon EF 100-400L IS USM MkII, attached via a Canon adapter, I also took along the Canon EOS R5 using the Canon EF 70-200L f/2.8 IS USM, attached via a Canon adapter - a lot of the time shooting in 1.6 crop mode.  

I have uploaded all of the JPG images from each into shared folders on my MS Onedrive for your review - they are unedited in any way, and they number run consecutively to show I was not cherry picking results.  You will see some images that are massively out of focus as I was waking the camera up from snooze mode, or inadvertently pressed the shutter while handling two cameras, and I don't consider those a failure of the focusing system.

A note on shooting conditions:
I was shooting hand-held in available light - some of which was quite dim, in a mix of outdoors and indoors.
In the case of Lemurs and reptiles also behind glass. In some of those images, the focus was fooled by the reptiles' ears pits just behind their eyes.
The giraffes and zebras were a challenge because they use camouflage to protect themselves so the focus system was occasionally fooled by the colouration patterns  
The bearded tamarin I shot was deliberately in the darkness of the tree it was sitting in and the eyes were therefore in deep shadow.
The Howler Monkeys are almost black on black.

By doing so, I deliberately challenged the focusing system, and I did not expect 100% accuracy.  Even under these conditions my results seem to be far in excess of the numbers that the OP has quoted.

I encourage anyone viewing this thread to check out the images using Canon DPP software to display the focus points - I don't use Lightroom, so I don't know if that will do the same thing. 
I would be interested in your conclusions...

Canon EOS R5 Images  and Canon EOS R6 Images 
Please respect my copyright by not downloading for other purpose than to examine them in this specific context.  After viewing them, please delete any that are on your computer.

If that is agreed then that leaves us with the thought that it is not a systemic issue - if I can get these results so should the OP or anyone else.  Thus, that leaves us other alternatives for the situation:
a fault in the camera, in the focusing system (including lenses), or how the camera is configured and used.

[FloridaDrafter]

Trevor, did you notice in the OP's example Raw files that he was using the 200mm L with an EF 2X III extender? I examined all of the OP's Raw shots and thought, with the exception of a couple, they looked acceptable considering they were using an extender.

Personally, I don't get the same results with an EF extender (I just have the EF 1.4X III) on the R5 & 6 that I got on my DSLR's... Not sure why. I used it [extender] on the EF 100-400mm L II with the 7D II, 5D IV, and for a short period with the R5 & 6. I just got better IQ on the DSLR's using the 1.4X.

IMHO, the problem with the OP's provided shots is the 2X extender. As for the insect and to answer John, I've dealt with that species before. They are generally quite large, so f/10 probably wouldn't cover it, particularly at that angle. 

Newton

[Tronhard]

Thanks Newton.  I had not twigged on that.  I have had a few health issues and not as observant as I would normally be, so thank you for that information.  Absolutely, I think that the addition of the extender would have an impact on quality and your comment about the insect is also indicative.

This has been a developing story.  Starting with the first general statement based on a generalization from a video of the R7 using a different lens under different conditions.  The context we now have about the lens config of the sample is a challenge in its own right.  The rather bald statement that this has happened with other situations has no examples.   That was why I invested a couple of hours shooting with the lens (minus extender) and the R5 or R6 focusing system.  I have no issues with the results.

I would be interested in your perspective, if you have viewed them.

[FloridaDrafter]

Beautiful shots! I don't have the 70-200, but do have the EF 100-400mm L II and IIRC, I had similar results as far as keeper ratio when using the 100-400 adapted to the R5 & 6 when tracking, and better when in one shot with the fine AF point. I have never noticed any "pulsing" on the adapted EF or native RF glass. I have had a better ratio with the native RF lenses, especially the 100-500.

Newton

[Tronhard]

That is precisely my experience too.  Thanks for your support and comments on this.  I think lot of invalid criticism and innuendo is being bandied about and expanded upon by people who get a benefit from the click bait.  In this case, I think it likely the configuration and operation of the system being used, and is certainly not a systemic failure on Canon's behalf.

[rascher]

Newton,

See my instagram. All my recordings were done with a Canon 40D and most of my recordings with a Canon 5D Mk3 using the 70-200 f2.8 L USM with the 2x extender. Instagram images lose a little quality but even so it is possible to see the excellent results I have obtained over these years. If you didn't get good results with the 2x extender, I'm sorry, but you can't generalize and say that the problem was the 2x Extender. I see a lot of people here speculating, finding this or that, treating me like I'm a deceiver or something. It is unpleasant to read certain things by educated people or seem to be educated on the subject.

INSTAGRAM: rodrigorascher

[rascher · Accepted solution]

I realize that the JUDGMENT about myself and what I have placed is a very toxic judgment. I will not write anymore here. This was my first post on this forum and will be my last. If I knew I was going to read so much nonsense and wrong speculation about me and my resumes, I really wouldn't have made the post.

Life goes on….