Canon R8 Mark II Autofocus Settings: Servo AF, Areas, Eye AF

To set up autofocus on the Canon EOS R8 Mark II, use Servo AF, start with Whole Area AF, and set subject detection to Auto so the camera finds eyes, faces and bodies on its own. When it picks the wrong subject, use the new joystick to move a smaller AF area exactly where you want it.

How the R8 Mark II autofocus system works

The R8 Mark II uses Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with deep learning subject detection. It detects people, animals and vehicles, and tracks eyes, faces, heads and bodies. PetaPixel reports 100% autofocus area coverage and improved algorithm performance compared with the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system in the original R8.

The Digital Picture lists AF coverage at up to approximately 100% x 100% of the frame, noting that coverage can vary with the lens and that mainly very narrow-aperture lenses and lens-plus-extender combinations reduce it. That means you can place a focus point near the edge of the frame and keep focusing there.

Low light is a strong point on paper. Canon rates the focusing range down to EV -7.5, the same figure it quotes for the flagship EOS R1, according to Camera Jabber. The camera also gains improved tracking persistence, holding focus when a subject briefly leaves the frame.

Autofocus feature	Canon EOS R8 Mark II
System	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with deep learning subject detection
Subjects	People, animals (cats, dogs, birds, horses), vehicles (cars, bikes, trains, planes)
Tracking	Eye, face, head and body
Spot AF positions	4,368 for stills, 3,588 for movies
Whole Area AF	Up to 1,053 focusing zones
Coverage	Approximately 100% x 100%, lens dependent
Low-light limit	EV -7.5
Register People Priority	10 faces in camera, 100 on card

Servo AF: the mode for anything that moves

Servo AF is where the R8 Mark II's tracking does its work. The Digital Picture explains that in Servo AF, subject tracking can take over from the AF point you selected once the subject is established. In other words, you can start focus on a person with a small box and the camera follows them around the frame.

The same review notes that photographers coming from a DSLR will find the ability to keep continuous focus with a point near the edge of the frame a big change. If you have only used an older camera, expect the focus box to travel with your subject rather than stay put.

For kids, pets, sports, street scenes and events, leave Servo AF on. People rarely hold perfectly still, even when posing, so continuous focus gives you a better chance of a sharp eye.

AF area modes explained

An AF area mode tells the camera where to look. The Digital Picture lists these options on the R8 Mark II:

AF area mode	What it does	Good starting use
Spot AF	The smallest point, with 4,368 positions for stills and 3,588 for movies	Focusing through a gap, such as a bird behind branches
1-point AF	A single AF point you place	Portraits and still subjects where you choose the spot
AF point Expansion (4 points)	One point plus points above, below, left and right	A subject moving steadily, like a cyclist
AF point Expansion (surrounding)	One point plus all surrounding points	A subject that moves less predictably
Flexible Zone AF 1 to 3	A zone of the frame, in three settings	Keeping detection in one part of the frame
Whole Area AF	The entire focusing area, with up to 1,053 zones	Everyday shooting with subject detection on

Which AF area to start with

Start with Whole Area AF and let subject detection find the subject. It is the least work, and with people in the frame it usually lands where you want.

Automatic detection still has limits. Lens and Shutter's review says subject detection is useful but sometimes you need to tell the camera exactly where to start. Digital Camera World found the animal eye AF did not do as well as hoped at picking up a bird in a mess of branches. In scenes like that, switch to 1-point AF or Spot AF, place the point on your subject, and let Servo AF tracking take over from there.

Subject detection: Auto, People, Animals, Vehicles or None

The R8 Mark II gives you five subject detection choices: Auto, People, Animals, Vehicles or None. The Digital Picture explains that on earlier Canon systems you had to pick one type, and Canon said the algorithm needed that setting for performance reasons. The Auto option removed that step, and it returns on the R8 Mark II, letting the camera decide which subject type is in the frame.

Wilkinson Cameras lists the detected types as people (eye, face, head and body), animals (dogs, cats, birds and horses) and vehicles (racing cars, motorbikes, aircraft and trains).

A simple way to choose:

• Auto: your default for mixed travel and family shooting.
• People: portraits and events, so a passing dog does not steal focus.
• Animals: pets and wildlife.
• Vehicles: motorsport, trains and planes.
• None: food, flowers or products, where you want focus exactly where you put the point.

Eye detection and tracking

The R8 Mark II does have eye detection. Camera Jabber lists eye, face, head and body tracking across people, animals and vehicles. For people, The Digital Picture describes detection of the eye, face, head and torso.

The layered detection matters when your subject turns away. If the camera loses an eye, it can fall back to the face, head or body instead of jumping to the background.

Reviewers describe the system positively. Wilkinson Cameras calls the autofocus fast and confident in everyday use, and reports that Canon says tracking is improved over both the original R8 and the R6 Mark II. Fstoppers found the autofocus speed fast and efficient during its hands-on time.

Eye detection is most useful with a wide aperture. A full-frame sensor can produce strong background blur, as The Digital Picture notes, and that thin focus is exactly where a missed eye shows. Let eye detection handle placement and keep your attention on expression and framing.

Register People Priority

Register People Priority lets you register up to 10 faces in camera, or 100 on a card, so the camera prioritizes those people in a busy scene. Fstoppers points out this could be handy in a crowded place when you only want the camera to focus on your own kid.

Register faces before the event, not during it. A school play, a birthday party or a wedding where you know the key people are all good reasons to set it up the night before.

Moving the focus point with the joystick

The original R8 had no AF joystick, and the R8 Mark II adds one, which Canon calls a multi-controller. The Digital Picture describes it as Canon's responsive 8-way type, though it still requires pressing or holding for larger AF area changes. TechRadar says it makes autofocus selection simpler.

Practice moving the point with your eye at the viewfinder until you can do it without looking. That skill is what makes 1-point AF and Spot AF quick enough to use for moving subjects.

Pairing autofocus with burst and pre-capture

Camera Jabber lists 40fps with the electronic shutter, 6fps with the electronic first curtain, 20fps pre-continuous shooting in H+, and a buffer of up to 73 RAW files. The Digital Picture notes that a full mechanical shutter is not available.

Pre-capture, which Canon calls Pre-Continuous Shooting, buffers up to 0.5 seconds while the shutter button is half pressed and saves up to 20 photos from that half-second once you press fully. TechRadar calls it useful for wildlife and action when your reactions are not fast enough.

Since the half press is already running, pair pre-capture with Servo AF so the camera keeps tracking while it buffers. Digital Camera World reports the autofocus locked on quickly and kept up with moving subjects, freezing birds in midflight though dropping some frames, while using the 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM.

Video autofocus basics

For video, Spot AF offers 3,588 positions instead of the 4,368 available for stills. Subject detection and eye tracking are available in movies too, and the same Auto setting is a sensible place to start.

Wilkinson Cameras describes a Movie for Close-up Demos mode that keeps nearby objects in focus and switches back to face detection when the object is removed. If you film product reviews or tutorials, that mode saves you from the camera hunting between your face and the item you hold up.

A starter autofocus setup

1. Focus mode: Servo AF, so tracking can take over once a subject is found.
2. AF area: Whole Area AF, using up to 1,053 zones.
3. Subject detection: Auto, letting the camera choose people, animals or vehicles.
4. Faces: register family or key people with Register People Priority.
5. Fallback: switch to 1-point AF or Spot AF with the joystick when detection picks the wrong subject.
6. Action: turn on pre-capture for moments you cannot predict.

Sharp focus is only half of a sharp photo. The R8 Mark II adds 5-axis in-body stabilization rated to 7.5 stops at the center, which helps with camera shake but not with a subject moving too fast for your shutter speed. The Canon R8 blurry photos guide covers shutter speed and other common causes of soft shots.

R8 Mark II vs the original R8 for autofocus

TechRadar notes the two cameras share the same 24MP full-frame sensor, burst-shooting speeds and displays, while the Mark II adds IBIS, a multi-controller and a new design. PetaPixel reports improved autofocus algorithm performance over the original R8. The missing joystick was the biggest handling gap for focus control on the first model.

Canon says the original R8 will stay on sale, and TechRadar notes its price has fallen since launch. The Mark II body was announced at an estimated $1,899, and the kit with the Canon RF24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens at $2,099.

The Canon R8 vs R8 Mark II comparison lists the full set of changes. If you own the first model, the Canon EOS R8 autofocus modes guide is written for that camera. If you searched for R6 Mark II settings, the Canon R6 Mark II autofocus guide covers that body.