Canon R6 firmware autofocus errors

[ZakViemon]

Hy to all,

On 1.5 firmware I had encountered an issue, which is present on 1.5.1 and is also present on 1.5.2 and 16.

I always prefer to shoot on servo using the AF-on button with the center autofocus point as my initial point of focus that locks on whatever I want it to lock on and stays locked on for as long as I hold down the AF-on button.

Exactly to the right of that button, on the asterisk button I have selected to engage the eye tracking mode.

This way I can lock on to anything I want AND track on the first button (AF-ON) and directly on eyes with the second button.

I achieve that by selecting NO PRIORITY in the autofocus menu and it works perfectly on 1.4

So in 1.4 autofocus menu SUBJECTS TO DETECT

There are three options:

1.Animals

2.People

3.No priority (the one I have selected that works perfectly for the combo I described)

On 1.5/1.5.1/1.5.2/1.6

That menu has 4 selections.

1.People

2.Animals

3.Vehicles

4.Nothing from above

So my R6 on 1.4 knows that when I hit the asterisk (which i have programmed for eye tracking autofocus) and want eye tracking that it is only normal to look for faces and specifically eyes thus using people priority automatically while holding the asterisk down even if i haven't selected it from the menu.

On any other firmware that does not happen and it will not look for eyes unless People priority DEFINETELY is selected.

But if people priority is selected then whenever a human element is present on the frame my initial center focus point will not lock on to whatever I want but will go straight for faces.

This is definitely not user error. I have been searching for the solution for 1,5 years and tried everything.

I have tested this on 3 different canon r6 bodies.

Please FIX THE FIRMWARE. This is getting tiring. I have now downgraded both cameras to 1.4 to work with them as they should be working on any later firmware.

Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to share the story so far.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

I know Canon has made a number of changes to the AF on the R6. Many have pointed out nuances between the various releases.

Your use case is a little unique. Single point AF coupled with the back button is normal. You've added eye tracking as a custom button assignment to the asterik * button. This works for you on v1.4.

Canon added vehicle detection to v1.5 ~ 1.6 all variants, plus helmet and goggle detection, and changes to eye detection when (face) shadows or long hair is present. I understand the newer FW is not working how you are accustomed or want it to.

Please look at page 783 of your manual:

c004.pdf (start.canon)

Part of the changes incorporated in later versions of the FW include additional options. Please add a button customization for "Eye Detection". Note, there is another option as well. "Eye Detection Tracking"

This should allow you to turn off People detection in your AF, but tell the camera to track eyes on command.

I don't have an R6, so cannot test this for you. My R5 C has a similar option I have been experimenting with in Cinema mode.

Let me know if this helps.

[ZakViemon]

Assigning to the asterisk the enable disable people priority adds one more step to my focus method.

It a bummer

On 1.4 everything was smooth as butter.

When hitting and keep pressing Af-on = boom tracking whatever i locked my initial autofocus point on

When hitting and keep pressing Asterisk = BOOM eye tracking on the fly.

I have reverted both cameras back to 1.4 and they work perfectly. I dont know why the later firmwares just dont get that if i wand eye tracking on the asterisk (even if i have priority set to none) that they should look for the eye.
Pfff

[Waddizzle]

What about your other settings? What is your selection for AF Method? Are you using the “8^) + Tracking” setting? Do the menus still have a separate setting enabling Eye Detection?

I recommend double-checking the custom control programming, especially the Asterisk button.

[ZakViemon]

Yes face+tracking was always on on 1.4 and still is on 1.6.

On the first my method works on the second it doesnt.

Yes also for the later. 😞

[ZakViemon]

Hy guys,

On 1.4 firmware i had face+tracking always on.

Af operation SERVO AF

Af method Face+tracking

ANd the rest as mentioned above.

Af-on button = Metering and Autofocus start

Asterisk button = Eye Detection Autofocus

That combo worked like a charm.

If i had my bride and groom on the shot, and wanted to focus on the flowers, since i had no priority selected, with the af-on button with initial focus point set for (face+tracking) it would ignore the faces and would lock on the flowers no matter what.

Having the initial focus point selected for face+tracking it enables on small white box in the middle of my frame, that i use to grab focus.

Then if i wanted the brides eyes to be tracked i hit and keep the asterisk pressed and works just like the af-on button but this time tracking the eye constantly. (and by the way the blue focus square shows up it is indeed tracking the eye.

All this is not possible in the 1.5, 1.5.1, 1.5.2, 1.6

I tried the solution with enabling and disabling People priority by hitting the asterisk (once i had assigned that function on it) but this adds one extra step to my focus method.

On 1.4 it was just instant plain and simple.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Thanks for the feedback, does this mean you tried with v1.6? So its working with the extra step? I understand, not ideal. I forgot to mention checking the AF method, so I'm glad Waddizzle brought it up. I'll keep looking. I just don't think you can bypass not having to :+: expand AF before calling eye tracking with the newer FW.

Canon : Product Manual : EOS R6 : Selecting the AF Method (start.canon)

[Waddizzle]

“

“Then if i wanted the brides eyes to be tracked i hit and keep the asterisk pressed and works just like the af-on button but this time tracking the eye constantly. (and by the way the blue focus square shows up it is indeed tracking the eye.

All this is not possible in the 1.5, 1.5.1, 1.5.2, 1.6 ”

——————————————————————-

Thanks for the extra details. Based on what you are describing, pressing and holding the asterisk not only switched modes, but it also performed [AF-ON], too. I wonder if that was a happy accident.

Humor me. Disable the BBF, Enable AF-ON] on the shutter and then test it.

[ZakViemon]

Just tried. The same thing happens. No luck.

By the way, If you assign the asterisk to ''eye detection af' then by keep holding on it it tracks eyes constantly focusing.

If you assign to it ''eye detection'' it toggles the eye tracking feature on and off.

[ZakViemon · Accepted solution]

Holy mother of god.

I just tried something in 1.6 that i had never tried because why would i???(you will understand as i go)
I switched priority from none to animals and it works!!!!!!(well at least 90% of the time)

On 1.6

On people priority my method always resulted in any scenario to go for the face (af-on) , eyes (asterisk)

On None priority my method always resulted in any scenario to go for exactly had i had focused on (af-on) , eye tracking didn't work (asterisk)

On Animals priority my method works as it worked on 1.4 - 95% of the time and locks on (af-on) , stellar eye tracking (asterisk)

WHATTTT? How on earth and why...

I will be conducting further testing and update soon

UPDATE vehicles work too!!