So I just discovered that in C-AF with tracking mode the E-M1ii will continuously focus on the eye of the subject, so long as the face is large enough in the frame. Why would Olympus fail to mention this in any of their market? My initial testing seems to indicate that it works quite well except that the face needs to be fairly large in the frame.
What's referenced in the manual is the same as the E-M1. The E-M1, however, definitely doesn't do eye AF in C-AF, only S-AF. On a side note, I find it interesting how little information there actually is about the AF system in the E-M1ii manual. For example, they make reference to C-AF lock settings but there is zero explanation of what it actually does.
Imagemaster wrote:
The manual does not go into enough detail about many of the features. I guess someone will soon write a book that will be much more helpful.
Either the Face Priority was turned on by default on my camera, or I accidentally turned it on. It sure played havoc with me trying to track BIF's.
Going to take me a while to get used to navigating menu and remembering what button or switch to use.
For the last couple of outings I've been using the eye detect on birds, and even birds in flight. It doesn't work all the time, but often enough to get me to leave it on all the time.
BIF would be a stretch. Probably work better with a perched bird in good light.
gary0319 wrote:
For the last couple of outings I've been using the eye detect on birds, and even birds in flight. It doesn't work all the time, but often enough to get me to leave it on all the time.
gary0319 wrote:
For the last couple of outings I've been using the eye detect on birds, and even birds in flight. It doesn't work all the time, but often enough to get me to leave it on all the time.
I wondered about this, as a pet photographer I have been wondering if the Eye detect would work on animals.
Can't find anything on this, but I do believe it works on cats and dogs. I suppose much depends on how large the pupils are or how close you get to the subject. In theory, an eye is an eye, so eye focus should work on any eye - be it human or otherwise.
k-h.a.w wrote:
Does it really? Any proof that it does?
Bobby I don't think so. You need face recognition before eye detection. A human face is quite different from that of a dog or cat or bird. I have tried but didn't succeed with animals. With humans the technique even works with a face on tv or off a computer screen. So unless someone can actually demonstrate the method on animals I am a sceptic.
k-h.a.w wrote:
Bobby I don't think so. You need face recognition before eye detection. A human face is quite different from that of a dog or cat or bird. I have tried but didn't succeed with animals. With humans the technique even works with a face on tv or off a computer screen. So unless someone can actually demonstrate the method on animals I am a sceptic.
K-H.
You are probably right ... but I could have sworn that face/eye was able to lock on my cat's eye one time some time ago with my old E-M1 ... but I could have imagined or dreamt about it.
There are differences in Eye-AF on my A7r.2 and E-M1.2. My most convenient setup is the 90mm macro lens on A7r.2. Here the focus hold button on the lens can be used for Eye-AF. IIRC my A7r.2 is setup so that it only fires if that button is pressed, a face and eye recognized and in focus. Otherwise I just take my thumb of that button and the shutter fires if something is in focus.
I was amazed at the ability of the E-M1 II to be able to get good eyes shots on birds on my first outing back in December. Then I noticed that the 'eye detect' icon was on in the EVF so I did some additional shots in the "brush" and yup, got the eye with great regularity.
Now I don't notice it since I'm just used to getting the eye shots most times. This with stationary birds........and, maybe some with Bifs, but I'd hesitate to claim it as routine.
Here's a couple from that first outing. #1 shot through the leaves and the twigs at about 30 yards. Notice the second pic where the camera picked the eye out from between the crotch in the branch on the bird on the right. Shot from about 50 yards.
Thanks Gary. Many thanks for the great shots. My understanding of Eye-AF is that during shooting a white/green wireframe rectangle/square should be visible around an eye. Is this what you saw? TIA.
