Focusing on a person’s face or eyes (Shooting still images)

To display the face and eye detection frames when a face or an eye is detected, set [Face/Eye Frame Disp.] to [On].

• MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Face/Eye Frame Disp.] → [On].

* Even when [Face/Eye Frame Disp.] is set to [Off], if [Right/Left Eye Select] is not set to [Auto] or if you execute [Switch Right/Left Eye] using the custom key, the eye detection frame appears.

Detection frames are color-coded, as described below.

• Gray: Face or eye detected, but not available for autofocus (because the focus area and face do not overlap)
• White: Autofocus available (when you have set the priority order in [Face Memory], subjects include faces that you have ranked highest in priority)
• Reddish-purple: Faces ranked second or lower in priority in [Face Memory]
• Green: Face or eye in focus (when shutter button is pressed halfway down)

When face detection frames and focus areas overlap, you can focus on either the face or eye. This way, you can switch to the best focus area depending on the shooting scene. For example, when a [Spot] of [Focus Area] overlaps a face detection frame as shown below, the face detection frame changes from gray to white, and you can focus on either the face or eye.
* When [Right/Left Eye Select] is not set to [Auto] or you execute [Switch Right/Left Eye] using the custom key, the eye detection frame appears.

Face and eye not in focus

Can focus on face or eye

[Wide]:

Useful for subjects that are moving around, or when the position of faces is unpredictable.

[Zone], [Center Fix], [Spot], [Expand Spot]:

Set when you will decide in advance how to compose shots, or when you will focus on a certain person among multiple subjects.

Selecting faces with the focus area

Faces to focus on can be selected when the focus area is over the face detection frame.
If an eye is detected, an eye detection frame is displayed on the eye.

* When [Right/Left Eye Select] is not set to [Auto] or you execute [Switch Right/Left Eye] using the custom key, the eye detection frame appears.

Selecting faces by touch

When [Touch Func. in Shooting] is set to [Touch Focus], you can select the face you want to focus on by superimposing the focus area ([Spot] or [Expand Spot]) on the face detection frame by touch operation.
On the monitor, touch the detection frame of the face to select.
If an eye is detected, an eye detection frame is displayed on the eye.

* When [Right/Left Eye Select] is not set to [Auto] or you execute [Switch Right/Left Eye] using the custom key, the eye detection frame appears.

Selecting faces by registering them

Faces that you register in advance are given priority when the camera focuses.

MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Face Memory] → [New Registration] to register faces.

• MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Regist. Faces Priority] → [On] to give priority to focusing on the faces that you have registered in advance.
• When you have registered multiple faces, you can change the priority order of faces by selecting MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Face Memory] → [Order Exchanging].

You can set which eye to detect (left or right) in advance by selecting MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Right/Left Eye Select], but you can also switch eyes as follows.

Switching with a custom key assigned to [Switch Right/Left Eye]

* [Switch Right/Left Eye] operations are possible when you are not pressing the shutter button halfway down.

If you have set [Right/Left Eye Select] to [Right Eye] or [Left Eye], the eye to be detected can be switched between left and right each time you press the custom key assigned to [Switch Right/Left Eye].

If you have set [Right/Left Eye Select] to [Auto], the eye to be detected can be temporarily switched between left and right by pressing the custom key assigned to [Switch Right/Left Eye].

Switching by touch

If you have set [Touch Func. in Shooting] to [Touch Tracking], the eye to be detected can be switched between left and right by touching the periphery of an eye on the monitor.

Touch the periphery of an eye that you want detected on the monitor.

The eye to be detected switches.

Switching by touch is possible when you are not pressing the shutter button halfway.

To cancel touch operations, press the center of the control wheel or touch the icon in the upper right of the monitor.

• Click here for details on touch operation settings.

If you set [Face/Eye AF] to focus on faces/eyes beforehand, a focusing frame will automatically move to any detected face or eye while tracking a subject.
This is effective for sports photography or for photographing portraits of a model making spinning motions, etc.

Adjust the [Focus Mode] setting to suit subject movement.

[Single-shot AF]

Locks the focus once the subject is in focus after you hold down the custom key assigned to [Eye AF]. Recommended for stationary subjects.

[Automatic AF]

Automatically switches between [Single-shot AF] and [Continuous AF] in response to subject movement.

[Continuous AF]

Enables continuous focusing by holding down the custom key assigned to [Eye AF]. Recommended for moving subjects.

[DMF]

Locks the focus once the subject is in focus after you hold down the custom key assigned to [Eye AF]. Recommended for stationary subjects.

Faces that you register in advance are given priority when the camera focuses.

MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Face Memory] → [New Registration] to register faces.

• MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Regist. Faces Priority] → [On] to give priority to focusing on the faces that you have registered in advance.
• When you have registered multiple faces, you can change the priority order of faces by selecting MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Face Memory] → [Order Exchanging].

You can set which eye to detect (left or right) in advance by selecting MENU → (Focus) → [Face/Eye AF] → [Right/Left Eye Select], but you can also switch eyes as follows.

Switching with a custom key assigned to [Switch Right/Left Eye]

* [Switch Right/Left Eye] operations are possible when you are not pressing the custom key assigned to [Eye AF].

If you have set [Right/Left Eye Select] to [Right Eye] or [Left Eye], the eye to be detected can be switched between left and right each time you press the custom key assigned to [Switch Right/Left Eye].

If you have set [Right/Left Eye Select] to [Auto], the eye to be detected can be temporarily switched between left and right by pressing the custom key assigned to [Switch Right/Left Eye].