EOS R6 Autofocus Area - Help!

[fenderstrat]

Hi,
While shooting a concert last night my R6 began displaying a square box both in the viewfinder and on screen inset from the edge of the viewable area when I used eye autofocus or physically moved the AF point towards an edge. The AF points would not move beyond the box limits and I now can't use edge to edge AF points. The box only appears when using eye AF or when the AF point goes near it, it is not displayed until then.

I'm not sure if I've inadvertently changed a setting by pressing a combinationof buttons (it changed during shooting, I was not in a menu) but I can't find out how to change it back to give me 100% AF selection within the screen limit?

I did update to firmware 1.5 earlier in the day but the issue arose long after I had began using the camera after the update, not immediately.

Can anyone help please?

[lunarbo]

Looking at my book (Nina Bailey's pocketbook guide) I'm thinking.........


In AF(scarlet) menu, number 5
Top one ... Initial servo AF pt for face detection + tracking

Move this back to AUTO

[fenderstrat]

Thanks for the reply, lunarbo, I've looked at that and unfortunately no change. Still not getting edge to edge autofocus, limited by either an invisible border if on normal AF (unable to move the square AF point beyond an invisible boarder around the screen) of by a white lined box that appears as a border if using eye AF???
It's driving me mad!

[fenderstrat]

Update: It appears to be dependant on the lens (which would explain why I hadn't noticed the issue until well into the concert). I was using an adapted EF 16-35 mkII and I can get full autofocus points across the full viewfinder/screen image. However, when changing to my EF 24-70 f2.8 or 70-200 f2.8 (both mk 1's) the restricted area kicks in! This isn't something I've noticed prior to updating to firmware 1.5 on the R6. I'm wondering now if it's actually a drawback to the new firmware?
Incidentally, my EF 50mm f1.4 (a lens as old a design as the mk1's mentioned) works perfectly fine with all screen points covered.
I'd love to know if the new firmware is hindering a previously unrestricted set of lenses?

[lunarbo]

Hmm, interesting .

So maybe it's at focal length longer than 70mm ?

I presume the touch screen enable or disable makes no difference ?

Is it worth trying a Reset to see if it clears?

I suspect the secret is in this update, which I didn't know about until I read your post. They seem to have added some features particularly on focusing, vehicles etc and your "Old" EF lenses have been squirted out the back, despite assurances that this should not be so (!)

Do you have any RF lenses to try it with- or could access one? Then at ;least you could confirm its not a camera problem

If all this fails I would keep an eye on canon forum technical websites, there may well be others who describe your problem. This won't solve it but will make you feel better plus its an indication that canon will eventually see it and put it right.

Sorry, I am now at the limit of my technical knowhow, keep us posted and maybe there's a brighter spark out there who could help further

[fenderstrat]

It's certainly not a lens problem as far as faults go, I would be incredibly unlucky for two lenses to develop an identical fault at exactly the same time. My other EF lenses allow me to focus in the full screen area as mentioned.
I do hope that it's not Canon throttling back on older lenses with the Firmware update - the lenses are clearly able to work with the R6 focus area as they used to do so before the update.

[lunarbo]

Except that its when longer than 50mm? Or mk 1 zooms ? Just a thought . I agree you haven't suddenly got 2 rogue lenses

I have been looking online on DP review ( I typed in R6 firmware update problems) and there's a whole lot of correspondence, Canon pulled the Firmware for a couple of days from certain global sites but it's now back on Canon UK. They say this was due to download problems. However a couple of others mention other issues - one a Black screen and someone else saying they can only get focusing in Eye Detection. Others have poo-pooed this so unless there is universal agreement that there is a problem I think we can take it that your problem is unique..... at this time
However the point made was that you cannot remove an update once you've put it on your R6.

So maybe worth trying a reset ?
I mention this because when new my R6 would not accept me naming my files IMG_ I took it back to Wex, grumpy , and they reset... it sorted it out.

I was going to update my R6 and try it with my EF 70-300 lens but I think I'll wait a day or two................. !

[fenderstrat]

Thanks lunarbo, I think you're right about a reset (oh joy - all those custom settings that took ages to set up)! I did download 1.5 within hours of it going up as I was going out on tour the same day. Probably won't do that again...

[lunarbo]

You may not need to do a full factory reset, just a basic settings/other settings before factory settings
And take a photo of each page of your menu first so you know what you've done before....
But yes, deep joy!!

[fenderstrat]

Well, it appears that I need to have a word with myself. Another post on the DP Review Forums (thank you lunarbo for pointing me that way) has linked to a Canon document which shows how much coverage every EF lens provides and the ones I mentioned above are 80%:

https://canoncanada.custhelp.com/app...r5%2Feos-r6%29

https://asia.canon/en/support/8204818500

I can only assume that I was mistaken when using the 24-70 and 70-200 prior to the update, I'm eating humble pie.

Incidentally, I have an old Sigma 15mm Fisheye and tried that earlier - it gives 100% AF coverage, even in the distorted area!! Very strange given that Canon can't seem to do that with an "L" series 24-70...


Thanks again, brilliant responses, much appreciated.

[lunarbo]

Ah well thanks for the info….. I had no idea there was limited coverage with certain lenses.
It does seem to be with the longer, earlier zooms which may be due to incompatible, older technology or just part of Canon’s subtle plan to get us to buy their newer kit !

[@imagesBV]

Its the same with the RF600mm and RF800mm...........so not just older lenses.
In practice I don't find this a problem as the subject is most likely to be centre frame....if moving like wildlife etc.....if a static subject you can focus, lock and recompose.