Switching Eyes with a r8

comotionfilms
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Switching Eyes with a r8

I’m considering picking up a r8, but the lack of joystick is a bummer. Is there an easy way to switch between eyes for the eye AF? I use the joystick for that on my r6, and I’m worried I’d miss it. Thanks gang.

Aug 14, 2023 at 08:42 PM

Gochugogi
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Switching Eyes with a r8

If it's any thing like the R6 MK II, you can assign eye focus switching to any button. If have it on the DOF button. Can toggle between auto, left, right and off. Oddly I'm not a fan of joy sticks (too far to the left to reach comfortably) and don't use it at all save for pressing to center the AF point.

Aug 15, 2023 at 01:05 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Switching Eyes with a r8

Between the eyes of a single subject or two subjects in the frame? If you are using the joystick are you using it in conjunction with Eye detect AF? You probably can enable the LCD to move the AF point around.

Since I'm in Eye detect AF pretty much all of the time I never enabled the joystick or LCD to move the AF point/s around on my R5, R6II and R7. Too slow for me. I use a BBF to override eye detect with single point AF (or another mode), physically move the camera so the AF point lands "anywhere" on my desired subject. I release the BBF, the eye snaps in and I recompose.

My R6II offers left or right eye options but I use the same process for multiple subjects in the frame. I Not sure if the R8 offer that.

Aug 15, 2023 at 03:20 AM

comotionfilms
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Switching Eyes with a r8

Interesting! I’ve never been one to use BBF, but that sounds like something I could try. I currently live in Eye Detect focus, and when the camera selects the wrong eye for me, or if I want to switch subjects, I just rock the joystick left or right and it cycles through. Super easy, but I’m guessing I can learn a new style after a few shoots with it.

Zenon Char wrote:
Between the eyes of a single subject or two subjects in the frame? If you are using the joystick are you using it in conjunction with Eye detect AF? You probably can enable the LCD to move the AF point around.

Since I'm in Eye detect AF pretty much all of the time I never enabled the joystick or LCD to move the AF point/s around on my R5, R6II and R7. Too slow for me. I use a BBF to override eye detect with single point AF (or another mode), physically move the camera so the AF...Show more →

Aug 15, 2023 at 09:10 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Switching Eyes with a r8

The cameras factory settings are AF and metering using the shutter button. Many use the AF-ON for AF. For this you go into the menus and for the shutter button remove AF and assign it to the AF-ON. I used the shutter only for all my cameras which included the 7D. When I got the 7D2 forum chatter got me to try it out. Ir as quite the adjustment. I never had trouble keep the shutter button half pressed while tracking and burst shooting.

Eye detect changed everything and I went back to the shutter for both AF and Metering. I call my method override or force focus. When the camera can't decide I tell it what I want by forcing it to focus on my desired subject. Even if there is only one subject in the frame. It's invaluable to me. I only need to press it momentarily to tell the system which subject I want to focus on.

I don't know the R8 menus but generally when you get into the button mapping and AF-ON you see Detail Set. Here you customize that button. My R6II and R7 are a little more complex than my other bodies including the R5. They're a lot of options but I just keep it simple. When I press the AF-ON I just want Single point AF to come up and then move the camera and place it the subject. This is important. You don't have to place it on the eye. That is again a waste of time. Anywhere on the body will do. As long as subject is in reasonable focus when you release the AF-ON it's the systems job to find the eye. We paid good money for that tech.

Does the R8 have the Switching Tracked Subjects option? If so when back in Eye detect to help keep the AF point on the desired subject wen recomposing try 0 or Initial Priority. Factory setting is 1. If it fails I just do it again. I actually expect Eye AF to fail so this makes it easier. When it does I just deal and move on. I don't try to figure out what it should have done.

Attached is my AF-ON set up. the R8 menu may be different.

comotionfilms wrote:
Interesting! I’ve never been one to use BBF, but that sounds like something I could try. I currently live in Eye Detect focus, and when the camera selects the wrong eye for me, or if I want to switch subjects, I just rock the joystick left or right and it cycles through. Super easy, but I’m guessing I can learn a new style after a few shoots with it.

Aug 15, 2023 at 11:33 AM

Jman13
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Switching Eyes with a r8

You can set the R8 to switch subjects just by tapping on the screen when using the EVF. It’s a setting.

Aug 15, 2023 at 06:35 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Switching Eyes with a r8

Jman13 wrote:
You can set the R8 to switch subjects just by tapping on the screen when using the EVF. It’s a setting.

How do you set that up?

Aug 15, 2023 at 10:12 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Switching Eyes with a r8

Zenon Char wrote:
How do you set that up?

Not that I'd use it. I prefer to my thumb to be free to use BBF. I'm just curios. Currently my set up.

R6II. AF-ON = Single point AF. * button = Zone AF for BIF but I alternate between it and AF-ON as needed. AF point selection button = Spot focus.

R7. AF-ON = Single point AF. * button = Zone AF for BIF and also alternate between it and AF-ON as needed. Since you can't program the magnifier for AF I mapped the DOF for Spot focus. I don't like it but Spot is my least used AF mode.

I particularly like using my method for BIF. AF is pretty amazing but I can toggle A BBF as much as needed to maintain AF.

As for my method I tested it on these two birds. I could press the AF-ON and place the AF point on the post the bird was sitting on and it worked. Zone AF was even better because I had more AF points to work with.

I'm not sure what would faster for me. Recomposing or tapping the LCD but depending on what you are shooting it would work well. For now I'll stick to what I'm doing. I'm and old dog

Aug 16, 2023 at 09:05 AM


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