I don't know how to focus on subject with my EOS R7

[Fleshbits]

I got a Canon R7 not too long ago. Auto Focus is great and all, but I wish there was a way for me to nudge it and tell it what to focus on. My creative brain this morning wanted to take a picture of this sunflower, but have a kind of tunnel leading up to it with the foilage on either side. the auto focus insists that the pepper plant to the left is the subject.

Is there a way for me to tell it to auto focus on the sun flower instead?

It probably wouldn't be bad idea for me to start learning how to actually use the camera and get off autofocus either. Which mode would be best for this kind of shot? 

[Waddizzle]

Is this your first experience with a “real digital camera” besides one in a smart phone?  Set the camera to the “P” shooting mode.  There should be a button that looks like a small checkerboard that is used to select AF zones and AF points.  The P shooting mode is probably the best one to use to learn about the camera.  Learning about photography is a separate beast.

If you wish to start learning more about the camera, then you can download the full user guide at the link below.  Please note, the user guide does not teach you any of the basics of photography.  You can also download the free Canons software, EOS Utility and Digital Photo Professional, at this same link.

https://www.usa.canon.com/support/p/eos-r7 

I like to compare learning to use a “real camera” with learning how drive a car and obtaining a driver’s license.  There are two learning curves.  The first one is easy, which is learning how to use a digital camera.  Just like cars, they all pretty much work in the same way.  The layout of the buttons on the dashboard may look different, but they all have a steering wheel, gas pedal, and a brake pedal.

The second learning curve is learning the basics of photography, which I like to compare to learning the rules of the road before you take a written test to get a driver’s license.  This is the first step towards learning how to operate the car effectively.  You have know how to read a map, how to read road signs and traffic lights.

Get on YouTube and search for these topics: “Exposure Triangle” and “Depth of Field”.  Those are just the first two pillars of photography.  Also, you may wish to set your camera to record both JPG and RAW files.

[Waddizzle]

Now for the short answer.  Select Program AE shooting mode.  Select the center AF point.  Select One Shot AF Mode and Single Shooting Drive mode.

[Fleshbits]

Yes, this is my first real camera.

I've read over the "advanced user's guide" manual several times, but it kind of describes the general use of buttons rather than how to do a particular thing. I spent time this morning going over every permutation of button presses and just seeing what happens. None had the effect I wanted.

If I hit the checkerboard while in A+ mode, it lets me move a square around with set and info buttons, but it seems to have no effect on anything when I actually take a picture.

I tried the joystick next to the viewfinder with the shutter button half pressed and unpressed, and it also did nothing.

I scrolled on the wheel on top, the wheel on the outside of the joystick, and pressed the arrows outside of the set button. None of those seemed to do anything.

I can go through the menus as use one shot center mode as Waddizzle described, but I don't always want the thing in the center. i was hoping I could hint the camera as to what the subject was by nudging it in a direction in the current frame somehow.

I looked at the Youtubes, but it seems everyone wants to change button configurations. I dunno if I want to do that before I learn how it works with all the default buttons. I am also not quite sure how to reset all changes yet to undo anything I screw up.

[Fleshbits]

The manual shows a completely different thing on page 91 compared to what I get
https://cam.start.canon/en/C005/manual/c005.pdf

I only see brightness, contrast, coloring type controls on the very bottom hat I can scroll through, rather than all the AF options they show on that page. It looks like what is on page 100. I'm not sure what mode they are in to get what they see on page 91.

[Waddizzle]

You need to change the shooting mode from [A+] to Program AE, frequently referred to as simply P mode.  Like I noted above, just as a car owners manual does not teach you anything about the rules of the road, the camera user manual does teach you anything about the basics of photography.

[Waddizzle]

Tony Northrup is polarizing figure on certain topics, but he does great tutorials.

Exposure Triangle for Beginners 

Canon EOS R7 Tutorial & Camera Settings 

[Fleshbits]

Oh I see, AE is one of the Tv, Av, Fv, and P.
I think I am getting more desired results with Av. Trying to blur what's on the sides and focus on the flower. I shall keep practicing, Thanks!

[Fleshbits]

Yes, yes! this is much better!
I'd like to blur the foregorund a bit more, but this is the lowest F setting my lense can do, at 3.5. I do want it low, right?
I def think this looks better than the first try by miles. I will see if I can learn some lightroom things and make it better.



What kind of lense might I look into getting for a shot like this?

[jaewoosong]

Even with auto-focus enabled, if you look at page 472-474 of the R7 manual, take a look at touch & drag AF settings.  Whether I'm in auto or single point focusing, you can use touch&drag AF to select the area you want.  It's much faster than using the joystick on my R5 to select the focusing area.  Once you get a better understanding of your camera, you can modify the buttons on the back to suit your needs.  For example, I shoot single focus point primarily but I customized my "AF-ON" button for auto/facial focusing.  I've enabled the drag/drop to change the single focus point quickly and I customized my "SET" button to reset focusing back to center.

For the type of shots you may be looking for, you'll need a faster lens.  Most zoom lenses only go 2.8 but if you want faster lens with more bokeh effect, you'll need a prime lens.  There are many affordable 1.8 lenses and prices go up.  A good lens may be the RF 35/1.4 for a general purpose prime lens (60mm on crop).  Since your R7 is a crop sensor, it may also make sense to go wider at 24mm prime (gives you ~40mm on crop)