Canon 550D instruction manual 115

Using AF to Focus

2 Focus the subject.

Press the shutter button halfway and the camera will focus the face covered by the <p> frame.

XWhen focus is achieved, the AF point will turn green and the beeper will sound.

XIf focus is not achieved, the AF point will turn orange.

If a face cannot be detected, the AF point <> will be displayed and AF will be executed at the center.

3 Take the picture.

Check the focus and exposure, then press the shutter button completely to take the picture (p.108).

If the focus is way off, face detection will not be possible. If the lens enables manual focusing even while the lens focus mode switch is set to <f>, turn the focusing ring to attain rough focus. The face will then be detected and <p> will be displayed.

An object other than a human face might be detected as a face.

Face detection will not work if the face is very small or large in the picture, too bright or too dark, titled horizontally or diagonally, or partially hidden. The <p> focusing frame might cover only part of the face.

When you press the <L> button, the AF mode will switch to the Live mode (p.113). You can press the <S> key to move the AF point. Press the <L> button again to return to the u(face detection) Live mode.

Since AF is not possible with a face detected near the edge of the picture, the <p> will be grayed out. Then if you press the shutter button halfway, the center AF point <> will be used to focus.

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