One thing I’ve done that works well for me is have my “star” button set for auto eye focus mode and “af on” for spot focus so I don’t have to mess with toggling between modes. I found that really unique in the new R5/6 to be able to set 2 different focus modes for custom buttons. Great video!!

Your comment on relearning to think differently is spot on. I tend to always use back button focus so I have my AF-on set to single point and then I map my * button to eye detect auto focus. For me this works the best for my style. Good video and keep up the good work.

I change focusing modes with the control ring and set the AF-ON back button to focus with eye autofocus only. Found it great to switch between the spot, +sign area, and box area (the large bracket ones) focusing modes super fast while always having that eye autofocus at the ready on its own button. Love that this camera has so many cool ways to achieve amazing focus!!!

For those that may not know already, if it locks onto the wrong eye or the wrong person’s eye, you can use the joystick to move it to another eye or someone else entirely. I find it more accurate than touch and drag. Excellent and concise tutorial. It’s nice to know that my settings are inline with others.

I was feeling the pressure to convert to back button focus. But I have a tight thumb, and ergonomically prefer using the shutter button. I'm so grateful you helped me set it up, I feel much more confident now!

Thank you so much! This is the clearest video on how to focus while using the viewfinder...I think yours was the 7th video I watched on this.

So…I might be a bit late to the party but just a note / tip. The ‘Touch and Drag AF’ (3:40) and the zone is meant to be for when your using the view finder. When looking through the view finder you can easily touch the screen and drag your focus point rather than trying to manoeuvre with the joystick while keeping you eye at the viewfinder.

Touch and Drag AF Tip: I've found (along with many) that my nose/face often moves the AF point when I'm using the viewfinder. It took me a while to figure out what was happening (I thought the AF system was just being jumpy) but soon realized it was b/c my nose was hitting the LCD. I could simply move the area (or turn off the touch and drag) but I like it set to the right for quick thumb access. So what's the fix? My nose! I realized that I can actually use my nose to "TWITCH AND DRAG" my AF point with a great deal of accuracy if/when my face shifts it. Feels odd at first but gets the job done. I feel a bit like Samantha from Bewitched (and probably look that way too) but it's a quick fix when you need it on the fly.

Great video! Thank you...I just got the canon R50 and I have been messing with this feature. It works pretty good

The custom * button to AF point selection is brilliant. Something I’ve always thought was a pain to do quickly through settings. Thanks!

THANK YOU. I've been a Mark user for a decade and am a pro, but switching to the R5 has come with a big learning curve. This was very helpful!

Thanks Vanessa. Im upgrading one of my bodies to an R5 tomorrow and will start with your recommendations. Of course we’ll be looking for the anticipated big firmware upgrade! Thanks again.

2:40 "Continuous AF" may seem a good idea to have the camera autofocussing constantly, keep in mind though that this is a huge battery drain. The R5/R6 AF system is lightning fast and it will be there when you need it. I advise not to turn this setting to Enabled.

Hey Vanessa!!! Thank you for this tutorial I have the R and have been struggling with this and you’ve helped so much to clear a couple of issues up

Shooting my first wedding with an R6 today and this helped immensely! Thank you!!

Thank you Information is very useful for users of canon R5/6

This was super helpful! I've been using the R6 for 2 years and sometimes you still discover something new!

Whenever I go away from the camera for awhile and get hazy on operation I go back to Vanessa's slow paced - well presented and logical set up as my refresh point

I love this video, my r5 and r6 are very similar. 😊

Thanks for the tips and make them with sweet bee wooow! Super special!

Love this video. Thank you so much for sharing because I was trying to learn these settings after transitioning from a 5D to an R6. You deserve that cookie.

Really helpful. I have had my R6 for about 5 months now shooting video and stills, and battling with the AF. This helps immensely!!!! Thanks for a short sweet and right to the point video .

Just wanted to say that I love Pignoli.

Thanks for this. I just got the R6 Mii. Upgraded from the 5d Miii and I was a little confused about the auto focus options. You addressed everything I was wondering about 😊🙏🏼

Thanks for all the great ‘reminders’ here V. I didn’t clearly hear what kind of cookie you mentioned. My wife is an excellent baker and I was going to ask her if she knew or has heard of the kind you mentioned (in hopes she’d bake some). 😎

Your genuine delivery gain my complete focus. Thank you for sharing

That helped, thanks so much!

I just got my R6. Upgraded from 5D MarkIV. Thanks so much, this helped a great deal.

Your nana sounds paranoid, and hilarious! She’s created her own form of encryption! I do the same thing when I write down my passwords ;)

Great tips! I’ll have to set my little star button. Very handy. And may I say Vanessa the images in your intro are absolutely breathtaking. ♥️.

Thanks Vanessa. I’m in the process of moving to Canon from Nikon, and I’m finding your instructional videos very useful!

Thanks for your nice and very informative vedio

Always real world explanations, thank you very much.

Helpful indeed

My R5 is programmed with the * button as my auto eye detect back button AF, and AF-ON button is spot focus back button AF. I wish canon would allow the joystick to be back button AF on center press, like my Sony. The joystick seems faster than getting my hands all up in my face to touch the screen when I want to redirect the focus, but with the R5 I need to then slide to the right to bbaf focus, whereas with the Sony I just joystick then center press to back button AF. Still, love the R5! Great video Vanessa, interesting to hear your approach, I am not usually shooting people, so hadn’t thought of it that way.

First day, shooting a wedding with the R5 this is great information. Thank you!

Thanks! Got my R6 yesterday and will be doing an outdoor fashion shoot this weekend so this is perfect.

Thank you for this, Vanessa. I just purchased a Canon R6. While I do youth sports, not weddings, it is still good to hear the focus system explained and broken down the way you do it. I have to say, I've been doing photography for 25 years or more, and this transition (DSLR to mirrorless (really the focusing system change)) seems even more of a change than when I went from film to digital (my camera worked basically the same then-what I had to change/learn was using a computer, and the editing software, as I knew NOTHING about computers, and when I was in school, I learned darkroom techniques since all this computer stuff wasn't invented yet)

Thanks!

Grazie delle info, anche se a volte troppo veloce. Saluti dall' Italia

I always love watching your content. Your expertise and passion has been so encouraging over the years. It is definitely a mindset shift to allow the camera to do its job. LOL! I noticed a centered circle in your viewfinder, and I've seen this in other scenarios before. What is that circle? Thanks.

Thank you soooo much. This is really helpful. I was convinced something was wrong with my camera or wrong with me :).

U r my teacher❤😍

Major thanks. Just purchased the R6 and it was driving me mad until I saw your vid. Best wishes from Dublin, Ire..

the opening got me

Thanks, exactly what I needed. Coming from a dslr rebel to the RP and was really confused.

Thank for sharing your knowledge.

I use the * button for eye focusing and the AF button for spot and switch back and forth between the two 👍🏻

Thank you so much Vanessa that was a great help! You deserve that cookie!

great video. I'm really loving the R5 so far. Fantastic camera.

Good Teach Medam

Thank you so much! Switching from DSLR to Mirrorless definitely has had it's challenges. I've found when it works properly the R5 is amazing, but I've had some challenges with consistent sharp images in a series with the R5. Typically, the first image is blurry but the others are TACT sharp and in reality, there is no reason for this to be happening. To compensate, I shoot in bursts to be safe...I've basically had to go back to overshooting and viewing every image at 100% (like I did with the 5DIV), and it's extremely time consuming! I know that isn't what I should have to do - I want to be able to trust my settings, my eyes, and my equipment. I wanted to ask you about your IBIS settings. So the word is that there is a known bug (that is supposed to be fixed in the next firmware) that has to do with IBIS set to "always on". I did have mine set that way. It was suggested to use "only for shot" versus "always on" for IBIS so I made the change but after my last shoot, that issue is still happening - first shot blurry, all others in series great. I sold my 5DIV and most of my EF glass and bought the RF 85 f1.2. I have been using that lens on all sessions as well as my EF 35 f1.4 while I await my RF 28-70 (it has been on backorder since February). I always use a Flashpoint 600 pro for OCF and am shooting in Mechanical shutter in high speed continuous mode - what am I doing wrong? I did just realize (after studying your settings in the video) that I had antiflicker left on from some indoor sports shooting - maybe that has been wreaking havoc with my settings?! IDK...I just know that every setting seems to matter with this camera and I am determined to figure it out so I can consistently provide quality images to my clients. Maybe I just have to shoot this way until the next firmware, but if you have any or advice or suggestions, I'd appreciate your input. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU DO TO HELP PHOTOGRAPHERS IMPROVE! ♥

Nice video.

IT defiantly takes a minute to get used to mirrorless after years of DSLR. Nice video!

Thank you this is so helpful! I just recently got the R5 and coming from a Mark IV the AF was driving me nuts!

You’ve earned the cookie! :) Especially for the star-tip. Been using back-button AF for years, but the star I haven’t tried. Thanks!

Pretty much how I have my focus settings. Only difference is that I’m using the that button for quick access to my flash settings. I’m using the button just to the right of the star to change AF type. Sometimes I use the multi function button to do the same.

I have different button assignments for the same purpose! Great to know I share thoughts with the great ones! Bless

Ok thanks;)

Thank you! This was SO helpful!!

Thanks Vanessa. Earned that cookie. I prefer this AF option method over Tony and Chelsea's video on using multiple AF buttons, because it lines up better with what you can do on an eos R. You can't do Eye AF as a dedicated button on the R, but you can change focus point methods.

thank you. setup like you recommend , ill check it out thank u.

I've been on the cusp of figuring this out for too long and have shied away from my mirrorless for shoots that matter (to others, primarily). Thanks for this - the pieces finally fell into place and I look forward to taking more advantage of my mirrorless :-)

I also liked your tip on setting up the Star button. I never thought of doing this.

As always you're wonderful help !! Blessings !!!

Super helpful! I realise now I was doing it all wrong on my R6! 😅

One thing I have found being a DSLR to ML convert. I do like to assign the thumb pad next to the viewfinder to also change my focus points. While I still like to hold the camera to my eye and my thumb naturally goes there from years of DSLR use.

Wow! Thank you! I have been looking for someone to help me make sense of this.

This was so helpful. Thank you Vanessa!

Thanks Vanessa, this was awesome.

Thank you Vanessa. Love your channel.

Great video! What settings do you find best for dark receptions with on camera flash?

hi, when i seen that cookie i thought that looks like the cookie mother makes, then when you explained the cookie i knew it is the same cookie mother makes, blessing thank you

I do love those cookies. ❤

This is so helpful! Thank you

Best tip for focusing on movement?! I was a back button focuser and now im having troubles with my r6, even on servo

Really enjoyed the video. Just wondered how does this work with formal group photos? For example you are photographing a bride & groom with parents or main wedding party of bridesmaids and groomsmen? What settings would you use then?

Cheers Vanessa great tips for me, has I get the R6 tomorrow 👍🏻😘

This video helps but I have to say you went through the settings too fast that I found it hard to follow. Thank you for sharing your viewpoints, as always, such a professional - you are!

Thanks, Vanessa - find your videos most helpful. I have the Canon R5. Let's say I have a group of 8 -10 people in a single line facing (all opposite) the camera. With the area of focus options provided by the Canon R5 what would be your preferred focus option and to have all people in focus?

Thank you that was very helpful

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks! Super helpful! Quick question please... When I hit my back screen to tell it where to focus I get a 'face select off' notification. Does anyone know what that is please? x

Thanks for the tips.

Vanessa hi, thanks for your quick tutorial, very helpful. Only thing I noticed is that your AEB is automatically changing when moving. Would you please be able to tell me where you can change this in the R6 mII? Many thanks for your help. Bye mike

Thanks, Vanessa! PS... pignoli cookies are the BEST, and yes, very difficult to make. SOOo worth it! 🤤💕

Thank you Vanessa.

Would you ever consider removing focus from the shutter button and controlling it from the back buttons only? I do this exclusively and find it very fast and flexible along with Touch & Drag.

Vanessa.is using spot metering give you problems like over exposure in back of subject? do you use it all the time? great videos keep up the amazing work...

Thanks for the tutorial! Can you use the eye focus on the cookie instead of changing it to single point?

How did you set your R3 auto focus settings? I’m totally new to canon. I was using Nikon D850. My main focus is wedding photography

Great..after over a year using R10, i now know taking landscape pictures, my subject tracking was on and it kept bouncing all over the place

I already liked your videos but now Im not only a follower. Im a fan!! I also collect he-man and she-ra figures and Im also a photographer. (Ok o have the gear syndrome also... Love to buy and collect lenses, its my best definition of a christmas everytime i can)

Technically, the title should be worded "How to Set Up..." instead of "How to Setup..." ;) I'm so glad that Canon finally allows us to store our settings. I only wish we could save/load settings using the Canon Connect app, because we almost always have our phones handy, but might not have that one card with our camera settings. It's so handy if you rent or borrow a camera body, you can instantly set it up the way you want without taking 30+ minutes to copy manually from one body to another (while hoping not to miss anything).

😂❤️ the intro

I have mine set to one shot on the AF back button so I can get a green focus on what I want, then I press the star button to go straight to servo/eye tracking for anything that moves. That way when a small bird blends into the background you can get a lock on it then resume eye tracking it, better than hoping your servo can find it once it's lost focus.

My R5's choice of focus point annoyed me, until I discovered that you can click in the joystick to select center focus, then the camera tracks as you recompose. I haven' t had to drag around the screen since!

How did you make a change to metering mode? Which button you pressed?

Hi vanessa you are looking awesome ❤

Hi Vanessa thanks for all the videos, learn heaps from you. Question why are you always on spot metering ?