Automatic AF Point Selection

QuickGuide to EOS-1D/Ds AF Point Management

The Canon EOS-1D/Ds-series offers the broadest and most sophisticated autofocus capabilities of all EOS DSLRs. For example, the EOS-1D Mark IV alone offers 16 different AF custom functions. Many of these functions are unfamiliar to new users, yet even users who are familiar with them may have trouble remembering the full range of options.

This QuickGuide will therefore provide a summary of the most popular and useful functions related to AF point management, how they work, and the photographic problems they’re designed to solve. We encourage you to experiment with various settings so you can become familiar with how they operate and confirm which are most useful and when.

EOS-1D/Ds cameras allow you to control:

•Whether AF points are selected automatically or manually

•How many manual AF points are available for selection

•Which manual AF point you select to be active

•Whether the manual AF point can expand if necessary to achieve focus

This is the default mode. All 45 AF points are active. Whenever you’re set to Automatic AF point selection mode, the camera will automatically choose which of the 45 available points to use to achieve and maintain focus on your subject. This makes automatic AF point selection mode ideal for rapid shooting situations where the camera can focus more quickly than you can. How the AF points are selected and displayed in the viewfinder will depend on which AF mode the camera is set to.

One-Shot AF Mode: The camera will select the AF point(s) that cover the nearest subject with recognizable detail. The point(s) it selects will light up red in the viewfinder.

AI Servo AF Mode: The camera will first use the center AF point to focus and begin tracking the subject. If the subject moves away from the center, the camera will automatically transfer focus to the outer AF points to continue tracking the subject. When Automatic AF point selection is combined with AI Servo AF, the active AF points will not light up red in the viewfinder.

Manual AF Point Selection

This mode allows you to manually select any of the available AF points to use for focusing on your subject. With any “Mark III” model you can manually

select 19 of the 45 points, one at a time. With “Mark IV” models you can manually select any one of the 45 points.

Regardless of whether the camera is set for One- Shot AF or AI Servo AF, the AF point you manually select will be the only one available. It should ideally be the one closest to the area of your subject you want tack-sharp and that will require the least amount of re-framing. To manually select an AF point:

1.Press the rear AF Point Select Button. You will then have six seconds to turn whatever dial you prefer to use to select AF points.

2.Use either the rear Quick Control Dial, the top Main Dial, or the Multi-controller to navigate from one AF point to another.

Whenever you’re selecting an AF point, the one that is active will appear red in the finder. If a “ring” of outer points lights-up red, you’re in Automatic AF point selection mode. Either way, you can stop selecting when the point (or points) you want light red in the finder.

Manual vs. Automatic AF Point Selection As a rule, professional photographers prefer to manually select the AF point closest to the area of the subject where they wish to focus. This minimizes the need to reframe as well as the risk of focus shift caused by reframing. When shooting moving subjects, you should set the camera to AI Servo AF. As long as you keep the AF point centered on the subject the camera will maintain focus.

There may be occasions when the area you’ve picked doesn’t have enough detail or it’s difficult to keep the AF point centered on the subject. The EOS 1D and Ds therefore have custom functions that can be set to automatically adjust for such situations and thereby increase the percentage of sharply focused images. Custom Functions allow you to refine the AF controls on your camera to suit specific needs, preferences, and circumstances.