Single-point AF available on EOS mirrorless models?

[stevet1]

This is just for my own information. I own a DSLR and have never shot with a mirrorless camera.

I ran across this line, and it raised a question in my mind. The line read,

"Eye detection is simply impossible when using a DSLR’s optical viewfinder, and its coverage area is very limited compared to the full-frame focus areas of mirrorless Cameras."

Does this mean that you don't use single point when using a mirrorless? You only use the full frame focusing and tracking?

Steve Thomas

[shadowsports]

Steve,

You absolutely get a single point if you want.  You can also selectively control the size of the AF area, and depending on the camera, selectively chose where eye tracking takes place.  Including head, and back of head for subject. 

Brian and I both replied to this topic, but his reply was very detailed.  Much more so than mine.    

Solved: Re: R6/R5 autofocus vs R10/R6ii/R7/R8? - Canon Community

[johnrmoyer]

In addition to the good answers you already have from Shadowsports and Brian, this is just my experience. It is how I adapted to the change, but it is not likely the best way.

I nearly always used single point auto-focus for birds on my EOS 80D. When I got my EOS R5, I tried to set it up as close as possible to the EOS 80D. I got very frustrated until I switched to

• servo af
• face plus tracking
• detect animals
• eye detection enabled
• Initial AF pt set for face, I start with a centered box, set button returns box to center when I press "set" button

Now, I seldom use single point AF, but sometimes a very small area that gets recorded in the metadata as a single point.

The mirrorless is like live view on my EOS 80D.

[stevet1]

Okay. Thanks guys.

Guess I need to some more reading and practice how tracking works. I've never really used it.

Steve Thomas

[kvbarkley]

It all comes down to the use of the sensor. The sensor and Digic chips are required for intelligence, like recognizing creatures and tracking eyes. For a DSLR, they *could* put in a secondary sensor that does eye tracking and full-frame coverage, but it would cost too much. Instead, the have an AF chip with a smattering of sensors. My T6S has 19 AF points with fairly good coverage.

If you really want to focus on something in the corner you just have to point at it press the shutter button half way to lock focus and re-compose.

[stevet1]

kvbarkley,

It occurred to me later that, if you are using or enabling eye-detection, you can't get more single point than a single human eye.  Well, duh.😀

Also, I was conflating the area zones with the picture frame. I didn't realize that, with my T8i camera at least, the wide area zone doesn't cover the whole picture frame.

I guess that in mirrorless cameras, you can set that zone to cover the whole picture frame?

Steve Thomas

[johnrmoyer]

---

@stevet1 wrote:

kvbarkley,

It occurred to me later that, if you are using or enabling eye-detection, you can't get more single point than a single human eye.  Well, duh.😀

Also, I was conflating the area zones with the picture frame. I didn't realize that, with my T8i camera at least, the wide area zone doesn't cover the whole picture frame.

I guess that in mirrorless cameras, you can set that zone to cover the whole picture frame?

Steve Thomas

---

I have not checked others, but for EOS R5 100% of sensor can be used for auto focus but usually is not.

100% AF coverage: https://snapshot.canon-asia.com/article/eng/canon-technology-explainer-what-is-dual-pixel-cmos-af#an...

2. 100% AF coverage When all image sensor pixels can perform phase detection, AF can be conducted over a larger area of the image. However, it cannot be done by one individual pixel alone. Subjects are detected when multiple pixels perform phase detection on image information within a given AF area. For this reason, every camera comes with a variety of AF area modes to cater to different situations.

https://cam.start.canon/en/C003/manual/html/UG-04_AF-Drive_0020.html

AF method: https://cam.start.canon/en/C003/manual/html/UG-04_AF-Drive_0050.html

https://cam.start.canon/en/C003/manual/html/UG-04_AF-Drive_0050.html#AF-Drive_0050_6 : "You can manually set the AF point or Zone AF frame. Here, 1-point AF screens are used as an example."

AF shooting tips: https://cam.start.canon/en/C003/manual/html/UG-04_AF-Drive_0050.html#AF-Drive_0050_8

https://www.usa.canon.com/learning/training-articles/training-articles-list/intro-to-dual-pixel-auto...

https://snapshot.canon-asia.com/article/eng/canon-technology-explainer-what-is-dual-pixel-cmos-af

[kvbarkley]

"I guess that in mirrorless cameras, you can set that zone to cover the whole picture frame?"

In a way I don't quite understand, it depends on the lens.