Help needed with “Initial Servo AF pt for face detect” on R5

[pedz]

I’m trying to understand the three choices Canon gives me for the “Initial Servo AF pt for face detect”.  This is the top menu item on the AF5 menu.

I have played with the different options and I can’t figure out why Canon has given me these options.  What situations would one be more useful over the other?

What follow is what I think… there is probably something wrong here:

With either of the first two options selected, I can touch the screen to set or move the initial AF point.

Part of my confusion with the second option is the term “[Auto selection AF]”.  That appears to be the mode that the camera switches to when it starts out in face detection, can’t find a face, and then goes into [Auto selection AF].  But for me, with either of the first two options selected, if there is a face around the initial point, it quickly switches into the little blue squares dancing all around possible things to focus on when in Servo Mode.

Anyhow, I’ve played with this almost the whole day trying to figure out what the differences are and I can’t figure anything out.

[Tronhard]

Hi and welcome to the forum:
If you have not done so already, I recommend that you download the EOS R5 Advanced User Guide (Firmware v2.0.0 or later) as PDF to your computer and search for the phrase: "Initial Servo AF pt", you will get this:

[p4pictures · Accepted solution]

I wrote a blog post about this on my website a while back to explain the use of the initial AF point for EOS R5 / R6. It may give you some clarity. 

https://www.p4pictures.com/2022/04/decide-where-to-focus-eos-r5-r6-face-detection/ 

[pedz]

Excellent post.  I finished it and have moved on to a post that was linked to it about your settings.  I’ve had the R5 almost since it first came out but I’m still exploring all of its versatility and I like hearing how other people solve what programmers called “their pain points”.

Starting on page 834 is a long list of possible functions that can be set to various buttons.  Do you have or have you seen a nice thorough description of each of those functions?  Most are easy but some are rather obscure.

Thank you again!

[p4pictures]

I've not seen a detailed walkthrough of every function, and it only gets more extensive when you move to more recent models. Maybe I should make one 🙂 

I have again revised my use of the EOS R6/R5 and R6 Mk II so that I have stopped using AF-ON to do eye detection focusing, but now use it to change camera settings, in my case I switch shutter speed to allow panned and frozen action shots at will, even mid-burst. Mostly I use the "push to pan" in reverse, panning is the default and the AF-ON switches to a freezing action shutter speed, but it doesn't have the same word flow as push to pan.

https://www.p4pictures.com/2023/10/push-to-pan-action-shots/ 

[pedz]

I assume you have seen the use of the M-Fn to switch between Photo and Video modes.

One complaint about the button functions is if a push and release is done or if a push and hold is needed.  For example, I think for Eye Detect, it is a push and release.  Eye Detection is enable or disabled with each push.  But for Eye Detect with AF, push and hold is done.

As the above article points out, as time goes on, the manuals seems to get more condensed AND the cameras get more complex.  We need heroes like you that can dig and understand the details.

By the way, I forgot to mention in my previous reply.  Your article about Initial Servo AF pt: I figured it was something to do if / when Face Detect was quickly switched to but I couldn’t figure out a way to quickly switch to it via the buttons.

[p4pictures]

Take a look at what I do with the AF point button, I make it a direct selection button that each press will cycle through the available AF methods.

https://www.p4pictures.com/2021/02/fast-access-to-eos-r5-eos-r6-autofocus-controls/

I also reduce the 8 methods on the camera to 2; 1-point, and face + tracking. In this way I typically have the 1-point in the same place as the initial AF point for face + tracking.