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Just to add many years ago pro photographers asked Canon for this feature. Not everyone finds it easy to keep the shutter ½ passed, especially between burst sequences while tracking a moving subject. When this feature was added AF was no where as sophisticated as it is today. If you lifted your finger off the shutter past half way AF would stop and it could be difficult to reacquire it again.
Removing AF from the shutter and assigning it to the AF-ON solved that problem. You could press and hold the AF-ON and AF is was engaged continually. The shutter was in charge of metering and of course exposure. If you lifted your finger off the shutter past ½ way AF is not interrupted.
Todays AF is so much more advanced. The most basic cameras are better than the high end ones from when that feature was added. Lighting quick AF acquisition, very good tracking not to mention eye AF.
As Bryan said these days there are so many more customizing options available with mirrorless cameras. When the AF-ON feature was first released that was it. AF-ON just activated AF. Maybe the D line had an option or two but no where near what even the R10 has today.
One day while trying to find better ways to control eye AF I asked myself, do I really need to remove AF off the shutter with mirrorless AF tech? By not doing so freed up another BBF to better control it. It may not work for others but I've really been enjoying shooting that way.
Removing AF from the shutter and assigning it to the AF-ON solved that problem. You could press and hold the AF-ON and AF is was engaged continually. The shutter was in charge of metering and of course exposure. If you lifted your finger off the shutter past ½ way AF is not interrupted.
Todays AF is so much more advanced. The most basic cameras are better than the high end ones from when that feature was added. Lighting quick AF acquisition, very good tracking not to mention eye AF.
As Bryan said these days there are so many more customizing options available with mirrorless cameras. When the AF-ON feature was first released that was it. AF-ON just activated AF. Maybe the D line had an option or two but no where near what even the R10 has today.
One day while trying to find better ways to control eye AF I asked myself, do I really need to remove AF off the shutter with mirrorless AF tech? By not doing so freed up another BBF to better control it. It may not work for others but I've really been enjoying shooting that way.