Focus Setting Guide

Set the subject by pressing the shutter button halfway down to make the camera automatically track the subject. Also, when the subject is a person, depending on the condition of the subject, the focusing frame moves seamlessly between the face and eyes.

• Setting the start position to track by [Focus Area]
• Pausing the tracking and face/eye detection functions ([Tracking/Face-Off Hold])
• Displaying the tracking start area during tracking and making it easy to capture a subject when you start shooting with auto focus again ([Area Disp. dur Tracking])
• Changing the position of the tracking frame displayed for the tracking in progress to the position of the tracking start area in order to capture a subject quickly ([Focus Standard])
• Temporarily switching [Focus Area] to [Tracking]（[Tracking On]）
• Instantaneously switching the tracking function on and off while using [Spot] ([Reg. Custom Shoot Set])

Setting the start position to track by [Focus Area]

Tracking starts by using the focus frame set in [Tracking] option in [Focus Area] as the starting point. You can pinpoint a subject to target, or increase the chances of capturing a subject moving at high speed by aiming at the subject and setting [Tracking].

When there are multiple athletes or when the subject is small, set [Tracking] to [Spot: M] or to [Expand Spot]. When you start Tracking , the focus will stay on that athlete without being affected by surrounding subjects.

When there are no other subjects in the area and you want to track a subject that is moving excessively, set the [Tracking] settings to [Zone] or [Wide]. This decreases the likelihood of focus shifting to the background and makes it easier to capture the subject.

The link between Tracking and [Face/Eye AF]

If you set [Face/Eye AF] to focus on faces/eyes beforehand, a focusing frame will automatically appear around any detected face or eye while tracking a subject.

• Refer here for instructions on how to set [Face/Eye AF] to shoot human subjects.
• If the subject is an animal or a bird, see here regarding the [Face/Eye AF] setting.

Pausing the tracking and face/eye detection functions ([Tracking/Face-Off Hold])

Even if you usually shoot images using the tracking or Face/Eye AF function, you can pause the tracking and face/eye detection functions in the following cases, where you want to switch a subject to another one during shooting or the camera cannot recognize a face because the subject is wearing a helmet.
When the tracking function is paused, the focusing area will be switched to the area where tracking was started. When tracking was started by selecting [Spot], you can specify a subject you want to shoot at the spot you set in the focusing frame.
After an intended subject is in focus, you can restart tracking by canceling [Tracking Off on Hold].

Operating procedure

1. Set the focus mode to AF-C (Continuous AF).
2. MENU→ (Focus)→ [Focus Area] → [Focus Area] → [Tracking] (for example, [Spot: M])
3. MENU→ (Focus)→ [Face/Eye AF] → [Face/Eye Prior. in AF]→ [On]
4. MENU→ (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Face/Eye Subject] → [Human]
5. MENU→ (Setup) → [Operation Customize] → [Custom Key/Dial Set.] → Perform the following settings.
   We recommend assigning the function to the AF-ON Button or AEL Button that can be operated during shooting.
   The procedure for assigning the function to the AEL Button is provided below.
   
   • Pausing the tracking function:
     (AEL Button) → [Tracking Off on Hold] or [Tracking Off on Toggle]
   • Pausing the [Face/Eye AF] function:
     (AEL Button) → [Face/Eye Prio. Off Hold] or [Face/Eye Prio. Off Tggle.]
   • Pausing the tracking and Face/Eye AF functions:
     (AEL Button) → [Tracking/Face-Off Hold] or [Tracking/Face-Off Tggle.]

   * If you perform auto focusing using the AF-ON button, we recommend assigning the function to the focus hold button on the lens.

During shooting

1. Your intended shooting subject is a player in the center. An example of when the face recognition was switched to another player or when you want to shoot an image of a player in the center during shooting.
   
2. You can press the AEL button to which [Tracking/Face-Off Hold] is assigned in order to focus on a player who is your intended subject in the focusing frame setting of [Spot: M] that you have set.
   
   • After the shooting condition changes to one where you can track a subject in a stable shooting condition (for example, a situation where the face of a subject is facing your camera), you can switch to the tracking or face/eye detection function by releasing the AEL button to which [Tracking/Face-Off Hold] is assigned.
   • If you select [Area Disp. dur Tracking] and set [On] in advance, you can display the focusing frame even while the subject is being tracked. Since the tracking start area is displayed while tracking is in progress, this function is helpful when you start the next shooting operation.
   • Since [Tracking/Face-Off Hold] is enabled even when you are performing auto focusing or continuous shooting, it responds quickly to situations, for example, when you suddenly switch from one subject to another.

Displaying the tracking start area during tracking and making it easy to capture a subject when you start shooting with auto focus again ([Area Disp. dur Tracking])

This function enables you to display the focusing frame from where tracking was started, even during tracking. When you want to switch the subject being tracked to another subject, you can capture the new subject quickly since the focusing frame is displayed in advance.

Operating procedure

1. Set the focus mode to AF-C (Continuous AF).
2. MENU→ (Focus) → [Focus Area] → [Focus Area] → [Tracking] (excepting [Tracking: Wide])
3. MENU→ (Focus) → [Focus Area] → [Area Disp. dur Tracking] → [On]

During shooting

1. Tracking Subject “A” was started using the tracking function.
   
2. When [Area Disp. dur Tracking] is set to [On], both the tracking frame and tracking start area are displayed during tracking.
   
3. When you want to stop tracking a subject and switch focus from one subject to another, you can capture the new subject quickly since you already know the tracking start area in advance.
   * This function is useful when operated together with the [Tracking/Face-Off Hold] function, which can be used to pause the tracking function.
   

Changing the position of the tracking frame displayed for the tracking in progress to the position of the tracking start area in order to capture a subject quickly ([Focus Standard])

When you want to shoot a soccer match or other games by leaving space open in front of an attacking player, you must change the composition in accordance with the tracking start area every time the position to leave space changes. Or, you must move the position of the tracking start area from which tracking starts.
When you want to switch the tracking start area quickly during tracking, press a custom key to which [Focus Standard] is assigned so that you can move the tracking start area to the focus position being tracked.
* You will find this function useful because it allows you to confirm the position to which the focusing frame is moved, if you set [Area Disp. dur Tracking] to [On] in advance.

Operating procedure

1. Set the focus mode to AF-C (Continuous AF).
2. MENU→ (Focus) → [Focus Area] → [Focus Area] → [Tracking] (excepting [Tracking: Wide])
3. MENU→ (Setup) → [Operation Customize] → [Custom Key/Dial Set.] → Perform the following settings.
   We recommend assigning the function to the Multi-Slc Center Btn (default setting), AF-ON Button, or AEL Button that can be operated during shooting.
   The procedure for assigning the function to the Multi-Slc Center Btn is provided below.
   (Multi-Slc Center Btn) → [Focus Standard]

During shooting

1. Start tracking a player you want to shoot, on the right side area.
   
2. The movement of the player is tracked and the tracking frame also moves to the left.
   When auto focusing is stopped, the tracking start area will be normally on the right side of the position from which tracking was started last time.
   At this time, if you press a custom key to which [Focus Standard] is assigned, you can change the tracking start area to the area on the left being tracked.
   Therefore, you can start the next tracking operation quickly without changing the framing of a subject for the start of tracking or without moving the focusing frame.
   

Temporarily switching [Focus Area] to [Tracking]（[Tracking On]）

To track the subject temporarily ([Tracking On])

You can temporarily change the setting for [Focus Area] to [Tracking] while you press and hold down the custom key to which you have assigned [Tracking On] in advance. The [Focus Area] setting before you activated [Tracking On] will switch to the equivalent [Tracking] setting.

For example:

[Focus Area] set prior to activating [Tracking On]	[Focus Area] while [Tracking On] is active
[Wide]	[Tracking: Wide]
[Spot: S]	[Tracking: Spot S]
[Expand Spot]	[Tracking: Expand Spot]

Situations when [Tracking On] is effective

Tracking when the subject you want to track is small or not visible due to an obstruction

1. Track with ［Spot］ when the subject is far away and small, or not visible due to an obstruction
   
2. When the targeted athlete gets closer, keep the shutter button pressed and held halfway down and press [Tracking On]
   
3. You can vary the composition during tracking
   

To stop tracking and track a subject with ［Spot］

1. Set ［Spot］ position to where it is easy to capture the subject. Track A while pressing [Tracking On] assigned to a custom key.
   
2. To change the tracking target subject to B
   
3. Release the [Tracking On] custom key and track “B” with [Spot] that was set previously. You can switch between [Tracking] and [Spot] as desired.
   

The link between Tracking and [Face/Eye AF]

If you set [Face/Eye AF] to focus on faces/eyes beforehand, a focusing frame will automatically appear around any detected face or eye while tracking a subject.

• Refer here for instructions on how to set [Face/Eye AF] to shoot human subjects.
• If the subject is an animal or a bird, see here regarding the [Face/Eye AF] setting.

Instantaneously switching the tracking function on and off while using [Spot] ([Reg. Custom Shoot Set])

When you want to switch quickly between subjects during autofocus, it is recommended that you set the focus area to [Spot]. However, if you are shooting freely composed shots of a subject with rapid movement, it is useful to combine [Spot] with Tracking. Assigning the tracking function to an easily accessible button such as the AF-ON button allows for smoother switching between functions.
Pressing the shutter button halfway down enables you to focus with [Spot]. Pressing the AF-ON button starts tracking of the subject.

Operating procedure

MENU → (Setup) → [Operation Customize] → [Custom Key/Dial Set.] → [AF-ON Button] → [Recall Custom hold 1] → set [Focus Mode] to [Continuous AF]; set [Focus Area] to [Tracking: Spot M]; and set [AF On] to [On] → [Register].

• Focus Mode: AF-C (Continuous AF)
• [Focus Area]: [Spot: M]

Examples of scenes where switching between [Spot] and [Recall Custom hold 1] to [Recall Custom hold 3] is effective

If there are multiple subjects, shoot using [Spot]. If there is only one subject or if the subject is moving rapidly, press the AF-ON button to start tracking.