The Buyers guide to...The best cameras with Eye AF

The Canon EOS R5 has phenomenal specification with features like a 45Mp full-frame sensor, phase detection autofocusing that covers the whole frame and a superb Eye AF for humans and animals that works in video and stills mode.

The R5’s subject detection, which can be set to Human or Animal and can be combined with Eye detection, is very good and incredibly useful. It has an uncanny ability to spot eyes and keep them sharp.

It also distinguishes between humans and animals well and can find eyes even when they are very small in the frame.

The animal detection, combined with the maximum continuous shooting rates of 12fps (frames per second) with the mechanical shutter and 20fps with the electronic shutter should be a major bonus for anyone shooting birds in flight.

The R5’s autofocus system also delivers the goods in video mode.

Read our Canon EOS R5 Review

Canon’s advances in subject detection and eye AF are very exciting. They transform animal and wildlife photography, making it much easier to get the subject sharp even if it’s moving.

The whole sensor of the R6 is covered with autofocus (AF) points, and in stills mode there are up to 6,072 points available for selection. There’s also face, eye and animal AF tracking available which, combined with the 12fps (frame per second) maximum continuous shooting rate with the mechanical shutter and 20fps maximum shooting rate with the electronic shutter, is likely to appeal to keen wildlife, sport and action photographers. And the fact that the AF functions all work in video mode (including Eye AF) is great news for videographers too.

In fact, the EOS R6’s Face + Tracking AF system is astonishingly good. It’s simply brilliant when combined with the Subject detection (which can be set to Human or Animal) and Eye detection. In our tests, for example, it was able to spot, focus on and track the black eyes amid the black feathers of Canada geese when we could hardly make them out ourselves.

It also manages to distinguish between humans and animals very well, and it identifies eyes even when they are very small in the frame.

Read our Canon EOS R6 Review

Sony gave the A7R III an incredible AF system, but the A7R IV takes things up a notch.

The Sony A7R Mark IV boasts a staggering 567 phase detection AF points in full-frame mode, which cover 74% of the frame. In the camera’s APS-C mode it has 325 AF points which then cover nearly the entire frame.

What’s more, the A7 IV is also built for speed. It can capture full-resolution 61-megapixel images in continuous shooting mode, and up to 68 images per continuous burst.

In addition, Sony’s AI-driven Real-time Eye AF that was introduced with a firmware update for the A7R III is available with the A7R IV. However, it also works in video mode, not just with stills. That’s a great move by Sony!

Read our Sony A7R IV Review

Expectations for an autofocus system have moved on since the Nikon Z7 was announced in August 2018 and Nikon has done a good job with firmware updates, but the Z7 II’s extra processing power takes things a step further.

Consequently, the Z7 II’s AF system is more responsive, especially in low light. Its Eye-detection is also excellent.

There are two Eye-detection modes for use with people and animals, Auto-area AF (people/animals) and Wide-area AF (people/animals). In Auto-area AF the Z7 II looks across the whole focusing area for eyes but in Wide-area AF it searches within a comparatively small rectangle.

Wide-area AF (people/animals) is useful for flexibility of composition and with a moving subject, but Wide-area AF is a bit more reliable with a moving subject. When photographing my dog, for example, it kept his head or body shape even if his eyes weren’t detected, and it was less prone to focusing on the background.

If the animal or person is stationary or only moving slowly, then the Nikon Z7 II is pretty dependable in Auto-area or Wide-area, however, with a fast-moving subject, Dynamic-area AF, Wide-Area AF (S) or Tracking AF mode make a better choice. Tracking AF does a good job of following the subject around the frame while Dynamic-area AF and Wide-Area AF (S) rely on the photographer keeping the active area over the subject.

Read our Nikon Z7 II Review

Along with some extra processing power, the human and animal eye AF that was added to the Z6 as a firmware upgrade has been enabled for the Z6 II so that it now operates in video mode. That’s good news for wedding, portrait, lifestyle and wildlife photographers and videographers.

In our tests, the Z6 II Eye AF mode spots an eye very quickly.

When the camera spots more than one eye, it displays an arrow on one side of each box it puts around each eye. You can choose which eye to focus on using the joystick on the back of the camera, however, by default the camera opts for the nearest eye.

Nikon has made big improvements in its Eye AF technology, utilising firmware updates to keep the original Z6 and Z7 fresh. We can probably safely assume Nikon will take the same approach going forward with the Z6 II and Z7 II.

Read our Nikon Z6 II Review

The recently released v2.0 firmware update for Nikon Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras adds Eye-Detection autofocus and AE (Auto Exposure) tracking in continuous high-speed (extended) mode, as well as extending the low-light detection range of the autofocus.

It’s the Eye-Detection autofocus that’s got Nikon enthusiasts excited though.

Nikon Z6 and Z7 firmware version 2.0’s Eye-Detection AF feature automatically detects and focuses on human eyes in the cameras’ auto-area AF mode (AF-S, AF-C) and focuses on them.

In a group setting, the Eye-Detection AF mode will lock on one person’s eye, and then you can use the multi-selector to switch between eyes and people. We’ve used it (here’s how to use Nikon’s Eye-Detection AF) and it’s brilliant.

You can get the Nikon Z6 from Wex Photo Video and Park Cameras in the UK, and from Adorama and B&H Photo Video in the US.

Read our Nikon Z6 Review

Eye-detection autofocus, often referred to as Eye AF, is fast becoming a must-have feature. It works in a similar way to Face-detection-AF but of course, it homes in on a smaller target.

The big question everyone wants answering about Nikon Eye AF is does it work? Happily, the answer is yes, it does a pretty good job.

We wanted to see how a working photographer got on with it so we asked him to report back after using it.

Paul tested it in AF-C mode on his kids playing in the woods, as well as on posed-portraits in AF-S mode.

With a portrait subject quite large in the frame he found it locked on to the eye quickly and tracked accurately. Even when the subject turned a little side on, or was squinting in bright light, the focus box followed the eye well. However, the subject has to be quite close for it to find the eye.

When the subject is at around three-quarter length or further back, the Nikon Z7 usually finds the face, not the eye.

In the woods with the kids turning and dropping out of frame, it struggled a little more. Occasionally it locked onto something in the background and it was a little slow to reacquire focus when the subject can back into frame.

When it isn’t behaving you can quickly switch to normal tracking mode though. Paul found this pretty useful as it means you have a bit more control over what the camera is focusing on without having to come out of auto-area AF.

You can also switch between which eye the camera focuses on. When multiple eyes are detected, a yellow arrow appears at the side of the autofocus box. You can toggle between eyes using the camera’s joystick or D-Pad. With a single portrait this lets you select the left or right eye. With a group shots you can choose the best eye or person to focus on.

From what we’ve seen, we think that Eye-detection AF is a great additional feature for the Nikon Z series, and the Z6 and Z7 are among the best cameras with AF that you can currently buy.

You can get the Nikon Z7 from Wex Photo Video and Park Cameras in the UK, and from Adorama and B&H Photo Video in the US.

• Read our full Nikon Z7 review

There are six autofocus (AF) modes available on the G9: Face/Eye Detection, Tracking, 225-Area, Custom Multi, 1-Area and Pinpoint.

Panasonic has reduced the time that the G9 takes to process the information required for autofocusing and this brings a claimed focus acquisition time of just 0.04sec, the World’s Fastest according to Panasonic.

In addition, there are a few refinements that have been made to the AF system including an
AF-point Scope mode that enlarges the area to allow you to check that the right area has been targeted, focus point switching for when you swap between horizontal and vertical shooting and loop movement of the AF point so you can scroll continuously through the points rather than having to go from one side to the other and back.

Perhaps the most exciting introduction, however, is Custom AF mode which allows you to tailor the response of the AF system to suit the subject and shooting conditions. That’s something we increasingly expect to see with a high-end camera that’s capable of shooting action.

• Read our full Panasonic G9 review

The OM-D E-M1 II has a very good autofocus (AF) system, but Olympus has redeveloped it for the OM-D E-M1X. As before, the imaging sensor has 121 cross-type phase detection AF points but the AF algorithm has been re-worked to boost performance. This also enables the E-M1X to use AF information from recorded images to aid tracking subjects that move unpredictably.

In addition, there’s a selection of new AF settings on the OM-D E-M1X. These include a 25-point target mode and custom AF area settings. Most exciting, however, is the new intelligent subject detection mode. This allows you to set the camera to detect specific subjects automatically.

This subject detection technology can also detect faces and eyes. What’s more, you have the option to select whether the eye detection AF should prioritise the left or right eye of your subjects.

Further good news is that the AF point can be selected using a mini-joystick multi-selector control on the back of the camera. There are two of these controls so there’s one in easy reach whether you’re using the horizontal or vertical grip.

Olympus has also boosted the AF system’s sensitivity and it’s claimed to operate at -6EV.

Check the price of the Olympus OM-D E-M1X at Amazon UK, Amazon.com, Wex Photo Video, Park Cameras, Adorama, BH Photo Video.

• Read our full Olympus OM-D E-M1X review

Read our Olympus OM-D E-M1X Review

Sony gave the A9 a 693-point wide area phase detection autofocus (AF) system with an additional 25 contrast detection points. The 693 points cover approximately 93% of the scene, giving unprecedented coverage in a full-frame camera and enabling the A9 to track subjects close to the edge of the frame.

Thanks to the sensor’s faster readout, the Sony A9’s AF system is able to calculate focus and exposure up to 60 times per second. At 20 frames per second means 3 times per shot and it contributes the delivering fast, accurate focusing.

It’s also possible to adjust the tracking sensitivity of the autofocus across 5 steps. The highest setting, 5, is the most sensitive and is intended for use when subject distance is likely to change quickly. The lowest setting, 1, is the least sensitive and should be used when you want the camera to ignore objects coming between the camera and the subject.

There are eight modes for the autofocus system: Wide, Zone, Center, Flexible Spot, Expand Flexible Spot and Lock-on AF (in continuous focus mode) along with Face Detection and Eye AF mode. Each determines which focus points are available for selection.

What’s more, Sony A9 firmware version 6.00 updates the A9’s AI-driven Real-Time Eye AF technology to detect animals as well as humans. You can even set the camera to select either humans or animals depending on your situation.

• Read our full Sony A9 review

Read our Sony A9 review

The Sony A9 II retains the same stacked 24-megapixel full-frame sensor as its predecessor, the A9. However, thanks to the addition of Sony’s uprated Bionz X processor, it has faster more precise operation.

The A9 II also retains the A9’s much-lauded 693-point phase detection AF system, which also includes 425 contrast AF points. It also incorporates Sony’s Real Time Eye-AF, Real Time Tracking and Fast Hybrid Focusing modes.

Some of the bigger changes in the A9 II vs the A9 are in its design, which includes new weather-proofing around the A9 II body should appeal to professional users. Sony has also reinforced the areas around ports and battery and memory card doors to prevent ingress of water.

Another new addition to the Sony A9 II is a built-in 1000BASE-T Ethernet terminal, enabling gigabit communication for high-speed data transfer.

The Alpha 9 II also adds a new Voice Memo function that allows users to attach voice memos to specific images that can be replayed when the images are reviewed.

Check the price of the Sony A9 II at B&H Photo Video and Wex Photo Video and get the latest offers at Amazon UK and Amazon US.