Canon EOS R Mark II in testing [CR2]

Travel_Photographer

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On my 7D2, you can select an individual AF point from any of the AF points, but the spot AF point is only the one centre point. Are we talking about spot AF or single point AF?

They're taking about the size of the actual box that is the AF point. On the RP, there is the "standard" size box (1-Point AF), which let's say for example at a given distance is the size of a person's whole nose when standing 5 feet away. But the RP also has another autofocus method called "Spot AF" which is a tiny little square, that at the same distance might only be the size of an eye's pupil. That "Spot AF" allows for very precise autofocus on a tiny part of the subject. The posts above are referencing the fact that the tiny box is not available on the R, only the RP at this point.

af.jpg
 
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unfocused

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On my 7D2, you can select an individual AF point from any of the AF points, but the spot AF point is only the one centre point. Are we talking about spot AF or single point AF?

They're taking about the size of the actual box that is the AF point. On the RP, there is the "standard" size box (1-Point AF), which let's say for example at a given distance is the size of a person's whole nose when standing 5 feet away. But the RP also has another autofocus method called "Spot AF" which is a tiny little square, that at the same distance might only be the size of an eye's pupil. That "Spot AF" allows for very precise autofocus on a tiny part of the subject. The posts above are referencing the fact that the tiny box is not available on the R, only the RP at this point.
Correct. And I just checked my 7DII and you can move the Spot AF point anywhere you can move the single AF point.
 
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Ozarker

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On my 7D2, you can select an individual AF point from any of the AF points, but the spot AF point is only the one centre point. Are we talking about spot AF or single point AF?
As you know, I am an idiot on the technical side of things. I reckon I am talking about single point and they are talking about spot AF... which I have not missed since I didn't know the difference anyway. :p With 5655 AF points on the R, how small would "spot AF" actually be? It seems moot to me.
 
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Ozarker

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They're taking about the size of the actual box that is the AF point. On the RP, there is the "standard" size box (1-Point AF), which let's say for example at a given distance is the size of a person's whole nose when standing 5 feet away. But the RP also has another autofocus method called "Spot AF" which is a tiny little square, that at the same distance might only be the size of an eye's pupil. That "Spot AF" allows for very precise autofocus on a tiny part of the subject. The posts above are referencing the fact that the tiny box is not available on the R, only the RP at this point.

View attachment 187880
At that distance, I cannot see what difference it would make at all. It might make a difference, but I wouldn't be able to tell. There's more than a single AF point in both examples if that is from an RP.
 
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Travel_Photographer

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At that distance, I cannot see what difference it would make at all. It might make a difference, but I wouldn't be able to tell. There's more than a single AF point in both examples if that is from an RP.

Maybe a better example would be useful, since I actually use the Spot AF all the time. This week I wanted to take a photo of my Christmas tree with the lights. The string of lights is several inches inside the tree, with the tips of each tree branch closer to me than the lights themselves. I wanted to autofocus on the lights inside the tree, not the branches. The "standard size" AF box was too big, even with an individual light centered in the AF box, the AF system picked up on the tree branches that were also in the AF box, since the box is somewhat large. I switched to Spot AF, which shrunk the box itself and centered that tiny box on a single light. Since the AF box was much smaller, there were no tree branches interfering and it quickly autofocused on the lights that were several inches further back. Sure I could have switched to manual focus and manually-focused on the lights, but it was much easier / quicker to just shrink the AF box, and I could move all around the tree at different angles and distances and instantly AF on the lights for each photo.
 
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unfocused

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At that distance, I cannot see what difference it would make at all. It might make a difference, but I wouldn't be able to tell. There's more than a single AF point in both examples if that is from an RP.
I don't know about the RP, but with DSLRs it is very helpful when trying to focus on the eye of a bird, rather than just the head.
 
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Michael Clark

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On my 7D2, you can select an individual AF point from any of the AF points, but the spot AF point is only the one centre point. Are we talking about spot AF or single point AF?

On my 7D Mark II, any of the 65 AF points can be used in 'Spot AF' mode.
 
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Michael Clark

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They're taking about the size of the actual box that is the AF point. On the RP, there is the "standard" size box (1-Point AF), which let's say for example at a given distance is the size of a person's whole nose when standing 5 feet away. But the RP also has another autofocus method called "Spot AF" which is a tiny little square, that at the same distance might only be the size of an eye's pupil. That "Spot AF" allows for very precise autofocus on a tiny part of the subject. The posts above are referencing the fact that the tiny box is not available on the R, only the RP at this point.

View attachment 187880

Except the actual area of sensitivity for AF "points" are much larger than the boxes you see in the viewfinder.

It is true that the area of sensitivity is smaller for 'Spot AF' than for '1-point AF', but neither are the actual size of the little squares you see in the viewfinder.
 
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AlanF

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I don't know about the RP, but with DSLRs it is very helpful when trying to focus on the eye of a bird, rather than just the head.
Quite right. And, even more importantly to focus on the small bird itself perched in a tree framed in branches rather than a twig. With advancing eye-AF the eye problem is being solved, but spot AF is so useful In general for nature photography.
 
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koenkooi

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Quite right. And, even more importantly to focus on the small bird itself perched in a tree framed in branches rather than a twig. With advancing eye-AF the eye problem is being solved, but spot AF is so useful In general for nature photography.

Yes! Spot AF worked great for me this summer when photographing butterflies, the regular sized AF point struggled a lot when pointed at the proboscis.



Of course you can get the same without AF as well:


I was surprised how much I preferred the RP over the R when shooting macro, although my main issue was self inflicted: turning on mechanical first curtain on the R for the f/1.2 lenses and forget to turn it off for the 100mm macro.
 
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AlanF

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Yes! Spot AF worked great for me this summer when photographing butterflies, the regular sized AF point struggled a lot when pointed at the proboscis.



Of course you can get the same without AF as well:


I was surprised how much I preferred the RP over the R when shooting macro, although my main issue was self inflicted: turning on mechanical first curtain on the R for the f/1.2 lenses and forget to turn it off for the 100mm macro.
Fortunately the 90D has spot focus. I passed on the 80D because it didn't.
 
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navastronia

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They're taking about the size of the actual box that is the AF point. On the RP, there is the "standard" size box (1-Point AF), which let's say for example at a given distance is the size of a person's whole nose when standing 5 feet away. But the RP also has another autofocus method called "Spot AF" which is a tiny little square, that at the same distance might only be the size of an eye's pupil. That "Spot AF" allows for very precise autofocus on a tiny part of the subject. The posts above are referencing the fact that the tiny box is not available on the R, only the RP at this point.

View attachment 187880

Can you set Spot AF to track a subject on the RP?

EDIT: I use Face/Eye detect with my RP with servo AF tracking enabled, but when there is no face in the frame, the autofocus box used is the size of the 1-Pt AF box described in your post above (which works tracking subjects). Within these schema, is there a way to make the "subject tracking" box the size of the Spot AF box rather than the 1-Pt AF box? Sorry if I'm using incorrect terminology - long day editing wedding photos.
 
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Travel_Photographer

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Can you set Spot AF to track a subject on the RP?

EDIT: I use Face/Eye detect with my RP with servo AF tracking enabled, but when there is no face in the frame, the autofocus box used is the size of the 1-Pt AF box described in your post above (which works tracking subjects). Within these schema, is there a way to make the "subject tracking" box the size of the Spot AF box rather than the 1-Pt AF box? Sorry if I'm using incorrect terminology - long day editing wedding photos.

Your terminology is perfect! With both 1-pt AF and and Spot AF, there is no tracking. For tracking I mostly use Face / Eye detect as you described. That works really well in most situations. If the subject is mostly centered in the frame OR I like having a static "focus framing box" (I made that term up) I like Zone AF, which puts a nice large white box in the middle of the frame (but smaller than the whole frame) which it will then choose what to focus on within that large white box.

But to answer your question directly, the tiny "Spot AF" box remains stationary once you set it. You need to either move the camera to point the box somewhere else on your subject, or move the AF box with your finger on the touch screen.
 
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Ozarker

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... turning on mechanical first curtain on the R for the f/1.2 lenses and forget to turn it off for the 100mm macro.
I would love to know the reason for 1st curtain on the 1.2 lenses and then 2nd curtain for macro. Those two things confuse and confound me. I have no idea about the difference. Thanks!
 
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Any one hear anything anywhere about what kind of possible video capabilities this thing will have? How realistic is it to think they might add 120p in FULL HD ???
It will come with it, that is for sure. But the DPAF might not work just like the M6 Mark II or 90D, it's up to them what they allow (and how the price the camera in relation to those features).
Same thing with uncropped 4k: it will have it, but it may not sample the whole sensor, so it will be softer than cropped 4k (on the upside, the rolling shutter will be kept in check)
 
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Hey man I’ll take the 120p. I’ve been dying for the EOS R but I’ve been hesitant over the fact it doesn’t have 120p. Now if there was no MKII in the works I would’ve dropped the cash for it yesterday but soon as I hear about the MKII I have to wait. God I hope it gets that 120p DPAF or not. Although it would be unfortunate with our DPAF. I imagine they have incentive to include to compete with Sony.
 
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koenkooi

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I would love to know the reason for 1st curtain on the 1.2 lenses and then 2nd curtain for macro. Those two things confuse and confound me. I have no idea about the difference. Thanks!

From what I understood using both mechanical curtains will get you proper f/1.2 bokeh at f/1.4, f/1.2 using an electronic first curtain will make it look like a narrower aperture.
For macro I want to avoid shutter shock, so using electronic first curtain will avoid the shock at the start of the capture, which is where it counts.

This post seems to sum it up nicely: https://petapixel.com/2018/12/07/ps...in-shutter-may-be-quietly-hurting-your-bokeh/
 
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Ozarker

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telemaque

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Yes! Spot AF worked great for me this summer when photographing butterflies, the regular sized AF point struggled a lot when pointed at the proboscis.



Of course you can get the same without AF as well:


I was surprised how much I preferred the RP over the R when shooting macro, although my main issue was self inflicted: turning on mechanical first curtain on the R for the f/1.2 lenses and forget to turn it off for the 100mm macro.
superb pictures. Congrats.
 
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