EOS R6 Mark II keeps focusing on the wrong people

[bill1952]

I shoot sports and am having issues with the camera focusing on the wrong people (about half the time. With tracking set, the focusing point does not appear to be working at all.)

For example, last night I was trying to get a lacrosse player in focus, but the camera kept focusing on the near subjects. Even though I had the focusing point CLEARLY on the player's face, the focus kept jumping to faces nearest the camera.     

Here is how the AF is set: People, single-point, auto-eye detection. Back button focus, front button only releases shutter. My lens is an EF 70-200 f2.8 with an adaptor. 

BTW: If I enable front focus, the focusing point is active and functioning correctly; however, I lose all tracking capability.  

My main issue is, why can't I determine which subjects to focus on instead of the camera (which mostly gets it wrong). 

[deebatman316]

@bill1952 The lens model that you provided to us is NOT capable of 12 fps. Unless you gave us the incorrect model name. The lens hardware is too slow for 12 FPS. The AF motor is more than likely NOT fast enough to keep up with Eye Detect AF. Canon has a list of EF lenses that are compatible with 12 FPS. Your lens is NOT on the list which is telling you that it’s NOT able to keep up. Thus the camera slowing down to match the lens. All EOS R series cameras have a list of lenses that are capable of 12 FPS. Lenses supporting maximum continuous shooting speed 

[stevet1 · Accepted solution]

bill,

You wrote, " Even though I had the focusing point CLEARLY on the player's face, the focus kept jumping to faces nearest the camera."

 I could very well be wrong, but I think this is a feature of the focusing system, and not a fault.

If I understand it correctly, when you use a whole area to focus in, the camera will pick the nearest subject. You have it on eye detect, but it's focusing on the eye of the nearest subject.

Just for the heck of it, take it off tracking, and just single point AF. Train it on the eye of the subject you want to capture and hit your shutter. If the subject is moving, use AI Servo, 

If you have learned how to set up back button focus, you can hold down your AF-ON button with your thumb while you fire off a burst of 10 or 12 shots, and your camera will continue to focus as long as your hold down that button.

Steve Thomas

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

“ It focuses on the eyes and can keep up with high speed Plus electronic shutter just fine. My problem is it keeps focusing on the wrong person! “

Those two statements are mutually exclusive. I suspect that your lens is not keeping up with the necessary SF speed for the frame rates you’re asking of it. 

 

We are going to nerd much more information about your camera settings and shooting location and conditions.

For a field sport like lacrosse, it would be beneficial to use a significantly longer focal length than 200mm. Eye tracking doesn’t work if the subject is too small in the frame.

These settings are not as demanding on lens performance.

 Enable Whole Area Tracking, thought. 

[bill1952]

Let me say that I really appreciate your help here so far. Here are my thoughts.Okay say my lens is incapable of 12 frames per second, With that being set aside, remember that I told you I tried the latest R lens on my camera and it had the exact same focusing issue!

[bill1952]

Thank you Steve, I will try that and let you know my results!

[deebatman316 · Accepted solution]

@bill1952 I would take a look at what @Waddizzle posted. He owns the same camera as you. I would also suggest discontinuing using H+ shooting mode with that lens. It’s just too slow for that kind of frame rate. Just use Continuous High shooting drive mode. Not H+ drive mode because the lens will cause the camera to slow down.

[Waddizzle]

“ Let me say that I really appreciate your help here so far. Here are my thoughts.Okay say my lens is incapable of 12 frames per second, With that being set aside, remember that I told you I tried the latest R lens on my camera and it had the exact same focusing issue!. “. 

Which is why I asked for details about your AF settings and shooting conditions. Is it possible to post sample images that illustrate the issue? Actual photos, not screenshots of a computer screen.

[bill1952]

I was unaware of the info configuration, John. I will try that next and let you know how it works. Thanks for the suggestion!

[bill1952]

Yes, I meant factory settings for front shutter (which doesn't include tracking). I use touch and drag w/ front shutter AF and focus for weddings. I have tracking turned on for back button. BTW: My main concern is that I seem to lose all control when I have tracking turned on while using back button focusing. For example, when the bride and her dad come down the aisle, it's basically a crap shoot in who gets the focus. I always want it on the bride, however, about half the time it keeps going on her dad (or whoever is escorting her). 

[bill1952]

How do I take it off tracking?