View finder

[Richard Clemens]

I am using mostly spot focus. I notice when I focus on an object, I also see a lot of green squares moving about in my viewfinder. I did go to the blue menu #6 AF point Disp and disabled that function. I still have a lot of green squares all together showing in my view finder. Those squares are in constant motion. How can I get rid of them?

 

[Kamoshika]

I am using mostly spot focus. I notice when I focus on an object, I also see a lot of green squares moving about in my viewfinder. I did go to the blue menu #6 AF point Disp and disabled that function. I still have a lot of green squares all together showing in my view finder. Those squares are in constant motion. How can I get rid of them?

Without more info, I'm not exactly sure what is going on in your situation. It sounds like you're not actually using spot focus, but a wider AF area, with the camera hunting around for a object to focus on. However, early on I solved one problem with something similar to what you describe, i.e., my spot focus moving around when I wanted it to stay put. My solution: customize at least one button (mine being the M-Fn button) to enable cycling through the Subject to detect options, which also give you the option of None. When None is selected, the square will not move around. I also customized the depth of field button to enable cycling through the AF areas. Anyway, hope this helps.

 

[Richard Clemens]

Without more info, I'm not exactly sure what is going on in your situation. It sounds like you're not actually using spot focus, but a wider AF area, with the camera hunting around for a object to focus on. However, early on I solved one problem with something similar to what you describe, i.e., my spot focus moving around when I wanted it to stay put. My solution: customize at least one button (mine being the M-Fn button) to enable cycling through the Subject to detect options, which also give you the option of None. When None is selected, the square will not move around. I also customized the depth of field button to enable cycling through the AF areas. Anyway, hope this helps.

Thank you so much for your suggestion. I will try that.

 

[JustUs7]

Sounds like you have Preview AF active (aka “Continuous AF” in older models). You should disable it. This is a setting that has your camera constantly seeking focus when it’s on. Even when you aren’t hitting any buttons. It’s a battery drain. The green squares tell me you’re in One Shot. So when you hit a focus button, the squares should lock on to something and stop moving.

It’s different than Servo AF, which is for motion but requires a focus button or half press of the shutter. And the squares are blue in Servo AF.

 

[Kamoshika]

Sounds like you have Preview AF active (aka “Continuous AF” in older models). You should disable it. This is a setting that has your camera constantly seeking focus when it’s on. Even when you aren’t hitting any buttons. It’s a battery drain. The green squares tell me you’re in One Shot. So when you hit a focus button, the squares should lock on to something and stop moving.

It’s different than Servo AF, which is for motion but requires a focus button or half press of the shutter. And the squares are blue in Servo AF.

Good point with Preview AF. Never had that issue as it was one of the first things I disabled when I got my camera.

 

[Richard Clemens]

Sounds like you have Preview AF active (aka “Continuous AF” in older models). You should disable it. This is a setting that has your camera constantly seeking focus when it’s on. Even when you aren’t hitting any buttons. It’s a battery drain. The green squares tell me you’re in One Shot. So when you hit a focus button, the squares should lock on to something and stop moving.

It’s different than Servo AF, which is for motion but requires a focus button or half press of the shutter. And the squares are blue in Servo AF. Not sure where to find Continuous AF. I do have this set to Servo.

Thank you, I will check for that. I've only had my camera for about a month. Lot to learn even after having the Canon 7D MII.

 

[Richard Clemens]

Sounds like you have Preview AF active (aka “Continuous AF” in older models). You should disable it. This is a setting that has your camera constantly seeking focus when it’s on. Even when you aren’t hitting any buttons. It’s a battery drain. The green squares tell me you’re in One Shot. So when you hit a focus button, the squares should lock on to something and stop moving.

It’s different than Servo AF, which is for motion but requires a focus button or half press of the shutter. And the squares are blue in Servo AF.

I appreciate your help. My R7 is about 1 month old, just receive it from B&H. I have not been able to find "Continuous Autofocus" in my menu so I can turn it off. I have seen both blue and green squares in my view finder. today only blue seems to appear if I get off my subject. It seems when I am on spot focus where I want to be but wander off a little is when all the blue squares appear. Maybe that is a warning that I am off target.

 

[JustUs7]

I appreciate your help. My R7 is about 1 month old, just receive it from B&H. I have not been able to find "Continuous Autofocus" in my menu so I can turn it off. I have seen both blue and green squares in my view finder. today only blue seems to appear if I get off my subject. It seems when I am on spot focus where I want to be but wander off a little is when all the blue squares appear. Maybe that is a warning that I am off target.

Look for “Preview AF”. They renamed it with newer cameras. It’s tab three of the purple AF menus on the R6II. Should be same area on the R7.

 

[Only RF]

I don't believe Continuous AF exists any longer on the R7 but it may have been moved to the movie menus. I don't shoot movies so I don't know for sure. With older bodies the factory setting was disabled. It is meant for video. When not shooting videos and enabled it was pretty awful. Here is an example in older camera menus. It is on Page 1 of AF menus.

Canon Continuous AF Explained: Pros & Cons | Canon Camera Settings Demystified

In today's video, we're diving into the world of Canon camera settings, specifically the Continuous AF menu setting. If you're new to Canon or transitioning from another camera brand, you'll want to pay close attention because Continuous AF on Canon cameras operates quite differently.

www.vaskoobscura.com

As for "Preview AF" as stated is a separate menu. With the R5 it is called Initial AF on page 5 of the AF Menus. With newer bodies like the R7, R6II, R3 and the latest ones Canon removed it off page 5, renamed it to Preview AF put it on page 3 of the menus. It looks like this (attachment) with white lines when active and I use it all of the time. As soon as the camera wakes up it starts to look for an eye. I left AF and Metering on the Shutter button and if I accidentally lift my finger past half way off the shutter button it takes over and AF continues. I love it.

As for the multiple green or blue AF squares. Green is for On Shot mode and Blue is for Servo mode. You can't be in Spot Focus and see multiple AF squares all over the place. It may seem it is Spot AF because the AF Square can get pretty small on the eye when in Eye Detect AF. In Eye Detect AF the square itself will get larger if the eye does not have enough contrast and cover the head or body of the subject and then get smaller when the eye looks good to the system.

You are likely in Whole Area or Zone AF with Eye Detect AF. If it can't find an eye at all multiple AF points may kick in.

 

[Only RF]

As for Spot Focus itself I would encourage you to use Eye Detect AF. You paid for this new tech. You can use it in Whole Area, Zone, Spot or Single Point. IMO Whole Area AF is the best and while I can access the other modes for specific uses I'm in Whole Area 90% of the time.

Sometimes it thought Spot Focus produces sharper images but it doesn't. It has less coverage so has less contrast to work with. Out of Nina Bailey's R5 guide but this page will be cut and paste for all the R body guides.

 

[Only RF]

And from Rudy Winston. Page 2.

“Precise” is not the same as “accurate!”

Canon DLC: Article: An inside look at Spot AF

In situations where the photographer has time to carefully point the active AF point at a single, precise area of a subject, this can mean that actual AF is often more likely to be at the exact plane that the photographer desired. Learn how this can work well for portraits and other shooting...

web.archive.org

 

[Richard Clemens]

Look for “Preview AF”. They renamed it with newer cameras. It’s tab three of the purple AF menus on the R6II. Should be same area on the R7.

I have Preview AF set to Disable?

 

[Only RF]

I have Preview AF set to Disable?

Preview AF and Continuous AF are different. Your R7 does not have Continuous AF. Preview AF factory default is disabled. You may have enabled it. You will see that broken white lined AF square when in Eye Detect AF if it Is enabled. Either way that is not causing your described issue.

 

[Only RF]

I had an R5 and this is from the manual. It has the Continuous AF menu which from factory comes disabled. The R7 does not have this menu.

Again the Page 5 of the R5 manual. It has the "Initial AF Servo AF point for" where I enabled that white broken AF Preview square and used it all of the time. It had other sub menus that became obsolete for Eye Detect AF. They were only useful for DLSR's.

For the R7, R6II, R3 and newer bodes than the R5 Canon dropped the "Initial Servo AF point for" that is in page 5 of the R5 manual. They moved it to page 3, renamed it to Preview AF and got rid of all the sub-menus. You can only enable or disable the white broken lined AF square.

 

[Only RF]

Sounds like you have Preview AF active (aka “Continuous AF” in older models). You should disable it. This is a setting that has your camera constantly seeking focus when it’s on. Even when you aren’t hitting any buttons. It’s a battery drain. The green squares tell me you’re in One Shot. So when you hit a focus button, the squares should lock on to something and stop moving.

It’s different than Servo AF, which is for motion but requires a focus button or half press of the shutter. And the squares are blue in Servo AF.

Personally I really like Preview AF but it is not for everyone. My camera is set to never go to sleep when I'm in the middle of shooting. When I bring the cam from my eye it flips to the LCD and then the LCD shuts off after 5 seconds. IS continues which uses very little battery power for RF lenses continues to run but AF does not. For me it freed up the AF-On for other purposes.

I turn the power and don't have to press any buttons and it finds the eye.

 

[Only RF]

Good point with Preview AF. Never had that issue as it was one of the first things I disabled when I got my camera.

I think the factory default is in disabled mode.