Animal AF

The EOS R5 and R6 models feature Canon’s latest advance in autofocus technology. These cameras can detect and focus on the head of an animal, tracking it around the fame as it moves. The result is nothing short of a revolution for wildlife photographers.

Canon’s latest autofocus (AF) innovation was introduced with the EOS R5 and R6 models in 2020. It is commonly referred to as Animal AF, although it is actually a setting in the Subject to detect options, which are located in the camera’s AF menu. This most sophisticated of AF systems has proved to be very effective and reliable, and is likely to be rolled out on new cameras.

Although the ability to recognise the faces of animals is recent, the ability to recognise people – Face detection – was introduced on the EOS 5D Mark II and 50D in 2008. Initially, Face detection was only available via the Live View system on DSLR cameras and activated by setting a focusing method called Face detection+tracking.

Four years later, with the EOS-1D X, Face detection was introduced to focusing through the Program viewfinder via the iTR AF (intelligent tracking and mode. 1/200 recognition autofocus) system, where it works second at f8, ISO 400. with the larger Auto select, Zone and Large Zone AF areas.

Evolution of Animal AF

The programming behind Face detection is relatively simple. It looks for distinct positioning of the eyes, nose and mouth, which for humans tends to be fairly standard regardless of age or ethnicity. When identifying animals, however, the relationship between the eyes, nose and mouth varies enormously – much more so than with humans – and even within a single species there can be a huge variation. Animal AF has been designed to work for dogs, cats and birds, and it is this variation between subjects that makes the performance of Animal AF system so impressive.

In our tests, Animal AF worked flawlessly Shutter-priority – not only when focusing on dogs, cats and mode. 1/1600 birds, but also on a wide variety of other second at f2.8, ISO 400. animals, including rhinoceroses, hippopotami and monkeys.

The fox (above) was an early test shot taken at the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey to see how well the EOS R6 tracked a moving subject. It had no problems locking onto and tracking this fox. EOS R6, RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS USM lens at 300mm, 1/1000 second at f8, ISO 4000.

Animal AF represents a significant advance in EOS technology, particularly if you shoot wildlife. It is an impressive system which works incredibly well the vast majority of the time, though it does require your subject to fill a reasonable amount of the frame. If your subject is a merely a speck in the far distance your camera will probably not even recognise it, let alone be able to locate its head. This is where fieldcraft, knowledge of your subject, and reasonably long lenses play their part, enabling you to get close enough to fill the frame.

A new system often needs a new camera set-up. Animal AF requires you to put your faith in the camera’s focusing system and leave it to do what it has been designed to do – which is to find and focus on your subject. It is best able to do this if you allow it to use the full focusing area, using the Face detection+tracking AF method. This also means you can use the Eye detection option, which focuses on the subject’s eye for extra precision. It is important to remember to set the Subject to detect option, either to ‘People’ if you are photographing human subjects or ‘Animals’ for wildlife and other animals. The ‘No priority’ option is for subjects that are neither human nor animal, such as an aeroplane for example. In such situations, the camera uses a more traditional AF system, focusing on the subject (or part of the subject) that is closest. Once the camera detects and focuses on the subject there is still a degree of intelligence employed to help it track the subject based on its colour.

-This is where setting up an initial AF point (AF 5 menu on the R5 and R6 models) can be an advantage. Initial point AF tells the camera where you want the focusing to start. For example, if you want to photograph a yellow-coloured car, providing you start focusing on that yellow car the camera is then programmed to track that subject.

Animal AF still works even when the subject looks nothing like a dog, cat or bird! EOS R6, RF 100-400mm f4.55.6L IS II USM lens with Extender EF 2x at 800mm, 1/800 second at f11, ISO 800.

How to set Animal AF

Animal AF is set in the magenta AF menu in the Subject to detect options. There are three options: People, Animals and No priority. The default is People.

Animal AF works in either focusing mode – One-Shot or Servo AF – which means it can cope with both static and moving subjects.

1) In the magenta AF menu, select Subject to detect. Press SET.

2) Select Animals. Press SET.

Compatible AF methods

Animal AF is most effective when used in combination with the Face detection+tracking AF method, which allows almost the entire image area to be used for focusing. Face detection+tracking AF is also the only AF method that allows Eye detection to be activated.

Because Animal AF is so good at finding the subject’s head or eye it is unlikely to pick up and focus on any distracting items in the foreground, such as grass or leaves. And since it can reliably detect and focus on the main subject, a larger AF area can safely be used.

Although Animal AF is very effective when used with Face detection+tracking, it also works with Zone AF or Large Zone AF (either vertical or horizontal). However, as you reduce the AF area being used, the camera’s ability to follow a moving subject around the frame diminishes and the subject is more likely to move off the active AF area.

If you try to use the focusing methods that are based around a single AF point, such as Spot AF, One point AF, Expand AF or Expand AF surround, the Animal AF system turns off and does not work because you have taken control of the focusing.

1) In the magenta AF menu, navigate to the AF method.

2) Highlight ‘Face detection+tracking’. Press SET.

Subject to detect

In 2018, the EOS R was the first R-series camera to offer Face detection+tracking AF method. (Some M-series and DSLR models with Live View also offer Face detection+tracking).

The ‘People’ option in Subject to detect on the EOS R5 and R6 does the same thing as the Face detection+tracking AF method on the EOS R and RP models. These models also offer Eye detection. The option of Subject to detect is not found on the EOS R or RP since the only type of subject the cameras can detect is people.

The EOS R3 offers an additional ‘Motorsport’ category in Subject to detect.

For further information on Face detection, see April-June 2020 issue, pages 44-47.

To read the full article on Animal AF, get the October-December 2021 issue of EOS magazine.