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Archive 2022 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Ralph B
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

I recently picked up an R3, and for the time being I have it set up in a similar way to my R5. So this is kind of a follow-up to this earlier thread on back button focus on the R5, since setup method has changed on the R3, and again the behavior is not always obvious. I've only had the R3 for a week, so before I go out into the field proper I'd be grateful to know if anyone thinks I've got anything fundamentally wrong here on understanding the R3 setup.

Prior R5 thread:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1714543/0

My setup is triple back-button focus. Let's call the 3 back buttons from left-to-right BB1 (the regular AF-ON button), BB2 (*), BB3 (AF point). I have tracking turned off in the main settings that determine the AF mode engaged by BB1, and it's usually on Spot-AF; while BB2 and BB3 initiate tracking-AF in two different modes. I do it this way around because putting tracking-AF on BB1 disables the magnify button, and for a still subject I like to be able to magnify to manually tweak focus. This way the manual focus ring is active without having to flip the AF-MF switch on the lens.

On the R5, the next thing is menu AF5.1 "Initial Servo AF pt for tracking". I select the second option - this tells the camera to initiate tracking AF at the point/area that I last specified in a non-tracking AF mode. In other words, if there are multiple possible faces/eyes in frame, it will try to initiate tracking at or close to wherever I was pointing the Spot-AF box. Now I go to Customize Buttons, and set BB2 (the * button) to "Metering & AF start", and in the Detail Set I specify AF method = Tracking. I set BB3 (the AF point button) to "Eye Detection AF". I discovered by trial and error that if you set it up this way, BB2 will respect the setting in menu AF5.1 and initiate tracking at wherever you were pointing Spot-AF using BB1. But BB3 will ignore the setting in menu AF5.1 and use AUTO initiation. AUTO effectively means "whole screen". It will disregard where you were pointing the Spot-AF box with BB1, and instead it will evaluate the whole screen to choose what it thinks is the subject to track. You can prove this difference in behavior if you have a wall poster or something with multiple faces. Position one face in the center and one on the edge of the frame. Use BB1 to point Spot-AF at the face on the edge of the frame. BB2 will respect where you were pointing Spot-AF and start tracking the face on the edge. BB3 will ignore where you were pointing Spot-AF and prefer the face in the middle of the frame. This behavior is not rigid, even on BB2 the software will ignore where you were pointing the Spot-AF box if there really isn't any plausible tracking subject there and there is an obvious target somewhere else. But the BB2 initiation mode works well to hold your selected target in (say) a herd of animals, especially if you have AF Menu 3 "Tracking Sensitivity" set to "Locked on", and AF Menu 4.3 "Switching Tracked Subjects" set to 0.

So for me shooting wildlife goes as follows. Usually I'm starting on BB1 and using Spot-AF to select the subject I want to track. Then I go to BB2 to initiate tracking-AF on the subject I picked out. This takes any uncertainty out of what the tracking-AF might choose in a complex scene. However, if things are moving quickly and I don't have time to pick out my subject, I will just go straight to BB3 and let the software evaluate the whole screen and pick out what it thinks is the right subject. If I'm aimed at a perch that I expect a bird to return to, I will pre-focus on the perch then use BB3 since I want the tracking-AF to jump to the bird when it comes into frame. For a bird that I expect to lift from behind ground cover where I cannot possibly first pick it out with Spot-AF since I can't see it clearly, I will use BB3 AUTO initiation when I glimpse the launch and hope for the best.

Nothing so far tells me that should change this fundamental arrangement on the R3 - i.e. non-tracking AF on BB1 and tracking-AF on BB2 & BB3. If I decide to use the new Eye Control (focus where you look), my first impression is that it will work better with tracking turned off on the main settings. I will select my target by looking at it, confirm with BB1 that will jump the Spot-AF box to the target, then engage tracking if desired with BB2.

So here's my similar setup of BB1-BB2-BB3 on the R3. In Customize Buttons, BB1 (the regular AF-ON button) is set to "Moving AF point, start AF by eye ctrl". This will engage Eye Control if I have it switched on, otherwise it's just like regular "Metering & AF start". Next, I found that AF menu 5.1 has disappeared. Instead, in Customize Buttons when I set BB2 (*) to "Metering & AF start", the Detail Set allows me to specify Tracking-AF and also the AF area. If I were to specify "Whole Area" here, this would be equivalent to R5 menu AF5.1 "AUTO" initiation, where the software evaluates the whole screen and decides on the best target. Specifying anything other than Whole Area is similar to the second choice on menu AF5.1 on the R5 - it tells tracking-AF to initiate at the place you point the focus box. There is a subtle difference from the R5 here. I can have BB1 set to Spot-AF, and then for BB2 specify either Spot-AF or a slightly larger focus area in the BB2 Detail Set. If I do the latter, when I engage BB2 tracking-AF will initiate anywhere in that slightly larger focus box but still CENTERED on where I was pointing BB1 Spot-AF. I don't know how much it will really matter since the tracking AI is not rigid anyway, but this suggests that (if I choose) I can set up to allow less precision in picking out the EXACT spot where I want tracking to initiate. Finally, BB3 (the AF point button) is exactly the same as the R5, I select Eye Detection AF. This has no Detail Set, it always uses Whole Area tracking-AF initiation, equivalent to the R5 where it ignores your menu AF5.1 selection and "AUTO" initiates. In other words, BB3 ignores where you are pointing the focus box and evaluates the whole screen for the best target.

Sep 13, 2022 at 03:00 PM

rscheffler
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Just yesterday I got an R3 on loan from CPS. It's all very new to me and I'm not diving into the detail set options at this time to better understand what's happening with the button assignments I've made.

Regarding the magnify button, I assigned it to the video record button to the left of the AF-ON button.

My configuration of the back buttons is as follows: BB1 (AF-ON): AF start with the smart controller turned on during active metering (though I'm flipping between turning the smart controller on or off). BB2 (*): moving AF point, start AF by eye control. BB3 (AF point array option selector): turns AF eye control on/of. The front two buttons that fall under the middle finger: M-Fn2 turns on/off eye tracking, DoF preview button turns on/off subject tracking.

I primarily photograph people and based on initial testing, I like using eye control AF to pick out the person on which to initiate eye tracking. I've found the eye control AF 'cursor' only needs to be in the ballpark of the desired face, for it to correctly lock on.

While I find the smart controller interesting, it's sometimes too fiddly/sensitive. But in eye tracking mode, when both eyes are visible, a quick swipe left or right will change the eye on which AF is locked. If there are multiple faces in the scene, doing similarly will switch tracking to the next face, left or right.

So far I haven't identified very specific use cases where I absolutely do or don't want tracking, therefore have decided to keep those two options - tracking on/off and eye detection on/off - assigned to the two front buttons.

I'm finding eye control AF sometimes drifts from where I'm actually looking. I guess I need to do more calibrations. But at least for people's faces, as mentioned, the cursor only has to be in the vicinity of the face to immediately and correctly lock on.

I'll probably ease into letting the algorithms take more control, starting with settings closer to the 1DXII, in respect to AF point types, until I am more confident the camera will anticipate subject detection the way I want it to.

I've BB focused ever since the original EOS-1, but with the subject tracking capability of these cameras, I'm considering whether I might want to go back to initiating AF on the shutter release button in some situations.

Sep 13, 2022 at 04:37 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Sorry for going off topic a bit. Just to mix things up as it puts out other options. I don't have the R3 but since the tech has changed so much I went back to the shutter button.

I shot with the shutter button only with my 7D for 5 years. I never had problem keeping the shutter half pressed between bursts. I decided to use the BBF with my 7D2 & 5D4 which was actually quite an adjustment.

About a year after getting the R5 I went back to the shutter button. For Face/Eye I'm set up so the white pre-focus square starts looking for and eye as soon as the camera wakes up. This is achieved by setting AF5.1 to Auto and the AF mode has to be on Face/Eye.

My AF-On is set the Small Zone AF (for BIF) and the * is set to Single Point for static objects. Sometimes I'll use Zone AF for static objects. It all depends on the conditions. I only use Spot AF for certain conditions, which is isn't often so just switch to it as needed.

I let the camera try to find the Eye first. If can't I'll use a BBF to get the subject in focus. Placing an AF point/s anywhere on body will do. Once the subject is in focus I go back to Face/Eye. Even if I lift my finger between bursts the white pre-focus square kicks in so it still tracks.

I had been using the pre-focus "technique" to hone in on the subject (not the white pre-focus square) before my current method. I just had it configured differently.

I was inspired to change from watching the Canon sequences (minutes 2 to 6) in this video. The Fro is using Expansion AF to hone in if the camera can't isolate his intended target. I'm liking this new method.

Sep 13, 2022 at 11:41 PM

IndyFab
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Zenon Char wrote:
Sorry for going off topic a bit. Just to mix things up as it puts out other options. I don't have the R3 but since the tech has changed so much I went back to the shutter button.

I shot with the shutter button only with my 7D for 5 years. I never had problem keeping the shutter half pressed between bursts. I decided to use the BBF with my 7D2 & 5D4 which was actually quite an adjustment.

About a year after getting the R5 I went back to the shutter button. For Face/Eye I'm set up so the...Show more →
Short of commenting on the Af system setup of both, it appears Canon's output is brighter, or it maybe it's the white balance compared to Sony's. Could be the rear screens, or a atmos was used for the demonstration. Regardless the Canon on playback looked brighter

I been using this set up.

Sep 14, 2022 at 06:35 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

We need an R3 AF guide. Ron uses 0 for Switching Tracked Subjects (STS) yet all the manuals have this warning. First attached image. I know the good members at this site have suggested not to overthink what Canon engineers are trying to accomplish but I can't help it. After a year of (on and off) searching this is only bit of info I found.

He gets into at at 1:02:40. Basically explains it as interpreted.

At 1:05:38 the host brings up Case numbers and says putting STS to 0 it won't refocus when the singer walks in front of the guitarist. Then Rudy says perfect example. The host makes a reference to combining the Case numbers and STS. I've said from day one it seem like two menus are doing the same thing. Tracking Sensitivity set to - 2 will do the same thing as STS set to 0. Seems like it would be important to know that, especially for new R system Canon owners. There is no reference to that in the manuals, documents, other videos, etc. Why not? How many have sat through that 1:44 video and catch that?

Last I read Ron likes to use the Auto Case. The only question I have is how will Auto know if I want to hang on the primary subject (Case 2) or immediately refocus on something that crosses in front of it (Case 3). Until I get more info I've decided to continue to use Case 2 with TS set to -2 and STS on 1 as almost of the time I'm time I'm trying to stay on the primary subject.

I emailed Ron about it. Second attached image. I'm not struggling but I just like what my camera is doing and how can I take advantage of it. I just find this stuff interesting.

Sep 14, 2022 at 09:48 AM

Ralph B
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Zenon Char wrote:
Sorry for going off topic a bit. Just to mix things up as it puts out other options....

Not at all, I'm very much interested in what you are doing. Maybe it would have been more sensible to give the thread a broader scope than just triple BBF in the title. It's really about the transition from R5 to R3, the AF differences.

I was out yesterday a bit with the R3, and I'm already leaning toward a different setup than I was using with the R5. The R3 AF works just beautifully with tracking active on the main AF button and a medium-sized AF area. If there are multiple potential subjects, just getting the medium-sized AF area roughly over the one you want is enough to get it to pick up the eye/face you want. I feel like this is much smoother than what I was doing with the R5, using spot-AF on the main AF button to pick out my subject, then switching to another back button to initiate tracking.

I'm also pleasantly surprised to discover that on the R3 they no longer pointlessly disable the Magnify button when you have tracking active. It's perfect - now even if I have tracking active on the main AF button, hitting Magnify takes it 5X and snaps it out of tracking into Manual Focus. This disabling of this on the R5 was part of the reason I had the R5 set up with Spot-AF on the main AF button.

I sent them feedback a very long time ago about this - maybe they listened! But then why not fix it on an R5 firmware release too?

Sep 14, 2022 at 10:43 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Ralph B wrote:
Not at all, I'm very much interested in what you are doing. Maybe it would have been more sensible to give the thread a broader scope than just triple BBF in the title. It's really about the transition from R5 to R3, the AF differences.

I was out yesterday a bit with the R3, and I'm already leaning toward a different setup than I was using with the R5. The R3 AF works just beautifully with tracking active on the main AF button and a medium-sized AF area. If there are multiple potential subjects, just getting the medium-sized AF area...Show more →

It's not been a very popular topic so I squeeze it in when I can. Some of our top birders never came out of Case 1. Rudy says in a Tracking Characteristics video - Case 1 is all you may ever need. I know TS-2 has helped me a lot.

Sep 14, 2022 at 11:20 AM

Ralph B
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

The problem of course is that it's very difficult to test dynamic behavior definitively, at least until we have a robot bird that we can get to replicate the exact the same flight pattern repeatedly. Of course I respect what the most experienced and skilled people feel they have learned over many months of use, but even the best of us are subject to confirmation bias when we cannot do properly controlled tests of the AF behavior. You're never totally sure if it was that subtle AF setting you tweaked that got you perfect sharpness that time, or just a slight variation in the way the animal moved.

Anyway - I'd love to know the difference between Tracking Sensitivity and the separate menu item "Switching tracked subjects".

Sep 14, 2022 at 11:32 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Ralph B wrote:
The problem of course is that it's very difficult to test dynamic behavior definitively, at least until we have a robot bird that we can get to replicate the exact the same flight pattern repeatedly. Of course I respect what the most experienced and skilled people feel they have learned over many months of use, but even the best of us are subject to confirmation bias when we cannot do properly controlled tests of the AF behavior. You're never totally sure if it was that subtle AF setting you tweaked that got you perfect sharpness that time, or just...Show more →

I've been able to do some table top tests but yes others are together unless you have a dedicated consistent moving target. That video with Rudy basically explains Switching Tracked Subjects quite well. I like this fellow and he gets into it at minute 9:17.

When I got my 7D2 I was curious as to how expansion AF worked. I used two similar targets with lots of contrast and place one behind the other. Camera one Tripod. With Face/Eye/Vehicle I don't expansion is used that much but there were other things I learned. You can always apply one thing something else.

Both targets Defocused

Placed centre and all 4 assist points on front target and focused

I moved the camera over so all points expect the right assist landed on back target. It held on the front.

I moved the over so that the last point fell on the back target. At this point I also tested both TS-2 and +2. There was delay with -2. +2 refocused immediately in the back target.

To verify that outer points were just assist points I defocused it all again. I placed the centre point on the back target as close to the front as I could. The right assist point was on the front target. It used the centre point.

Sep 14, 2022 at 01:19 PM

cdgta
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Ralph B, great description of your triple BBAF set up. Very clear for those who may not understand the variations of this technique. I have used it for years on both my Nikons & my Canons. Currently shooting with my R6 & had it set up like you with SpotAF on that 'BB1' button. But after watching Rudy's video above last year, I decided it was time to trust the tech so changed that button to Face & Tracking (with servo,eye detection & subject to detect chosen in the main AF menu). Then use same #2 choice in AF5.1 as you & for same reason. I have BB2 as single point for static subjects & BB3 as ZoneAF. These last 2 are good to acquire focus if something has prevented it for some reason but I rarely have to use them since the system itself does such a good job. I barely ever use SpotAf anymore except for macro because like you indicated a medium-sized Af area seems to work better to get the tracking AF to grab on for birds & wildlife shots.
I am interested in your observations re: differences between R5 & R3 with its even more advanced tech. I can say the R6 is my favourite camera to date.
About any difference between Tracking Sensitivity settings & the separate 'Switching tracked subjects', I am not convinced there is a difference. I wonder if Canon just added the separate menu item because they knew a lot of users would not even notice the Tracking Sensitivity settings under the Cases whereas those users would see the choice in a line item in menus.
Zenon Char, RScheffler & IndyFab I liked your posts! Good discussion!

Sep 14, 2022 at 01:21 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

It's for the R6 but all the same. I like this guy. At 9:17 he gets into the Case numbers. At 9:50 he shows a good example of what Tracking Sensitivity at -2 does.

Minute 10:23 he shows STS.

Sep 14, 2022 at 01:24 PM

IndyFab
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Zenon Char wrote:
We need an R3 AF guide. Ron uses 0 for Switching Tracked Subjects (STS) yet all the manuals have this warning. First attached image. I know the good members at this site have suggested not to overthink what Canon engineers are trying to accomplish but I can't help it. After a year of (on and off) searching this is only bit of info I found.

He gets into at at 1:02:40. Basically explains it as interpreted.

At 1:05:38 the host brings up Case numbers and says putting STS to 0 it won't refocus when the singer walks in...Show more →

I dont use case Auto, like you I use Case 2, but followed all of the other suggested settings from Ron's video, and I am quite happy with the results I get for shooting wildlife action. I have my C 1,2,3 set up using the acronym PAL P= Portrait/General shooting, A = Action, L= Landscape... This way you dont forget what C 1,2 & 3 is used for, and the setting for each to initially start off with.

Sep 14, 2022 at 01:43 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

IndyFab wrote:
I dont use case Auto, like you I use Case 2, but followed all of the other suggested settings from Ron's video, and I am quite happy with the results I get for shooting wildlife action. I have my C 1,2,3 set up using the acronym PAL P= Portrait/General shooting, A = Action, L= Landscape... This way you dont forget what C 1,2 & 3 is used for, and the setting for each to initially start off with.

I have the C1-3 set up similarly.

Sep 14, 2022 at 01:54 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

So based on this conversation I decided to triple BBF my R5. I'm still using the shutter as the main button. Most used to least used AF modes. AF-On = Small Zone. * = Single Point and the AF point selection button = Spot AF.

The AF point selection button was set to enable/disable Eye AF but I moved that to the video button. I never use it anyway.

Thanks for starting this thread Ralph and everyone else.

Sep 14, 2022 at 01:55 PM

Ralph B
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

cdgta wrote:
I decided it was time to trust the tech so changed that button to Face & Tracking...
I am interested in your observations re: differences between R5 & R3 with its even more advanced tech.

So after playing around some more today, I think the R3 has convinced me also to change to more of a "trust the tech" approach. I really like the intuitive visual implementation on the R3 when you have Subject Tracking = ON in the main AF settings with a medium-sized AF Area. This description may sound complicated, but it's instantly obvious when you see it. Prior to pressing the focus button: if there are several trackable subjects in the VF, they are all "passively tracked" simultaneously, but those outside your specified AF area are marked with a dim gray box. As you move your AF area around, any trackable subject that is inside your AF area turns from a dim gray box to a white box. When you press the AF-ON button, the white box turns blue as focus is locked to that subject, everything else disappears from the screen, and the blue box follows that subject anywhere throughout the whole screen.

So I think the "trust the tech" approach leads me to change to a two-BBF setup on the R3:

My R3 BB1 (AF-ON button) described above is going to be used for most moving subjects, and effectively replaces two back buttons in my R5 setup: Spot-AF target selection and a separate button to initiate tracking.

My R3 BB2 (* button) will be the same as the third back button on my R5: tracking with AUTO initiation, where the action is so fast that I have no time to specify the subject, and I want the software to just evaluate the whole screen and pick something. On the R3 this is AF Area = Whole Area with Subject Tracking = ON. If you assign the * button to "Eye Detection AF" that's what is implemented, this is exactly the same as the R5.

The R3 allows me to set up a slightly different "tracking override" if the tracking AF isn't doing what I want. The R3 has an M-Fn2 button on the front under your middle finger (where the DOF preview button is on the R5, but higher). It's nicely positioned so that you can comfortably press it while also pressing AF-ON with your thumb and the shutter button. You would not want to be shooting that way holding down 3 buttons simultaneously all the time, but I think it's comfortable enough for the rare occasions when tracking AF fails me. And it's instant. To implement this, I've assigned M-Fn2 to "Register/recall shooting func" with Detail Set = Spot-AF, Subject Tracking OFF.

If you haven't had the R3 in your hands, you might wonder why I prefer this approach to assigning Spot-AF to a back button, which I think is the way you are doing it on the R5. It's because I really love the R3 optical sensor under your thumb on the AF-ON button that allows you to move the AF area around without moving your thumb to the joystick. So this way I'm still using the main AF-ON button optical sensor to move the Spot-AF around in my "tracking override" mode.

And the icing on the cake is that I have that third back button (on the right) unused. I think I'm going to assign it to Magnify, which on the R3 lets me instantly jump out of AF altogether and into 5X magnified MF if a subject stops moving and I want to be sure I have nailed it sharp.

Sep 14, 2022 at 03:11 PM

rscheffler
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Ralph B wrote:
And the icing on the cake is that I have that third back button (on the right) unused. I think I'm going to assign it to Magnify, which on the R3 lets me instantly jump out of AF altogether and into 5X magnified MF if a subject stops moving and I want to be sure I have nailed it sharp.

If you're mostly using the AF-ON button to initiate AF, you could change the video button to the left to Magnify. It's a bit less distance for your thumb to move.

Sep 15, 2022 at 10:28 AM

cdgta
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Zenon Char wrote:
It's for the R6 but all the same. I like this guy. At 9:17 he gets into the Case numbers. At 9:50 he shows a good example of what Tracking Sensitivity at -2 does.

Minute 10:23 he shows STS.

So glad you posted this. I also like his videos & I actually have this bookmarked but have not watched it so this was a reminder for me!

Sep 15, 2022 at 02:44 PM

cdgta
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Sep 15, 2022 at 02:53 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

cdgta wrote:
Ihave the same settings (Case 2, TS -2 & STS 1) & also find this works for me. My acronym for C1-C3 is PLS (Portrait/Landscape/Sports,Bif & Wildlife)...but PLS also stands for 'PLS don't let me forget which is which!'

I've settled there as well. I also bumped Accel/Decel to +1. You can do the same with Case 4. Just bump TS.

Sep 15, 2022 at 03:00 PM

cdgta
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Triple Back-Button Focus: R5 to R3

Ralph B wrote:
So after playing around some more today, I think the R3 has convinced me also to change to more of a "trust the tech" approach. I really like the intuitive visual implementation on the R3 when you have Subject Tracking = ON in the main AF settings with a medium-sized AF Area. This description may sound complicated, but it's instantly obvious when you see it. Prior to pressing the focus button: if there are several trackable subjects in the VF, they are all "passively tracked" simultaneously, but those outside your specified AF area are marked with a dim gray box. As you move your AF area around, any trackable subject that is inside your AF area turns from a dim gray box to a white box. When you press the AF-ON button, the white box turns blue as focus is locked to that subject, everything else disappears from the screen, and the blue box follows that subject anywhere throughout the whole screen.

So I think the "trust the tech" approach leads me to change to a two-BBF setup on the R3:

My R3 BB1 (AF-ON button) described above is going to be used for most moving subjects, and effectively replaces two back buttons in my R5 setup: Spot-AF target selection and a separate button to initiate tracking.

My R3 BB2 (* button) will be the same as the third back button on my R5: tracking with AUTO initiation, where the action is so fast that I have no time to specify the subject, and I want the software to just evaluate the whole screen and pick something. On the R3 this is AF Area = Whole Area with Subject Tracking = ON. If you assign the * button to "Eye Detection AF" that's what is implemented, this is exactly the same as the R5.

The R3 allows me to set up a slightly different "tracking override" if the tracking AF isn't doing what I want. The R3 has an M-Fn2 button on the front under your middle finger (where the DOF preview button is on the R5, but higher). It's nicely positioned so that you can comfortably press it while also pressing AF-ON with your thumb and the shutter button. You would not want to be shooting that way holding down 3 buttons simultaneously all the time, but I think it's comfortable enough for the rare occasions when tracking AF fails me. And it's instant. To implement this, I've assigned M-Fn2 to "Register/recall shooting func" with Detail Set = Spot-AF, Subject Tracking OFF.

If you haven't had the R3 in your hands, you might wonder why I prefer this approach to assigning Spot-AF to a back button, which I think is the way you are doing it on the R5. It's because I really love the R3 optical sensor under your thumb on the AF-ON button that allows you to move the AF area around without moving your thumb to the joystick. So this way I'm still using the main AF-ON button optical sensor to move the Spot-AF around in my "tracking override" mode.

And the icing on the cake is that I have that third back button (on the right) unused. I think I'm going to assign it to Magnify, which on the R3 lets me instantly jump out of AF altogether and into 5X magnified MF if a subject stops moving and I want to be sure I have nailed it sharp....Show more →

Excellent! I can't wait to hear how you like this new approach after you field test it. You describe things very clearly so it is easy to visualize.

Sep 15, 2022 at 03:04 PM

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