Canon EOS Rebel T6i / 750D For Dummies
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These focusing basics discussed here apply only when you use the Rebel T6i/750D's viewfinder to compose your image; focusing in Live View and Movie modes varies.

  • To autofocus: Frame your subject so that it appears within the autofocus area brackets, labeled here. Then press and hold the shutter button halfway.

    The viewfinder offers these focusing aids. [Credit: Photo by Robert Correll]
    Credit: Photo by Robert Correll
    The viewfinder offers these focusing aids.

    What happens next depends on your exposure mode:

    • Scene Intelligent Auto, Auto Flash Off, and Creative Auto: With stationary subjects, one or more of the focus points appear (the active points, along with the brackets, will turn red briefly in low light) to indicate the points the camera used to set the focusing distance, as shown in the figure. Then you see the viewfinder focus light, also labeled in the figure, and you hear a beep. Focus remains locked as long as you hold down the shutter button.

      If the camera detects subject motion, the focus points that lock onto the subject will dance around within the bracketed area of the viewfinder as they follow it. The focus light does not appear. Focus is continuously adjusted as needed to track the subject until you snap the picture. The beep sounds each time the camera re‐establishes focus.

      For continuous autofocusing to work properly, you must adjust framing as necessary to keep the subject under the area covered by the autofocus area brackets.

    • Sports mode: The continuous‐autofocusing setup is used.

    • All other Scene modes and P, Tv, Av, and M modes: The camera assumes that you're shooting a stationary subject and so locks focus when you press the shutter button halfway. In the P, Tv, Av, and M exposure modes, you can vary this autofocusing behavior.

    In all cases, if the focus light blinks rapidly, the camera can't find a focusing target. Try focusing manually instead.

  • To focus manually: After setting the lens switch to the manual focusing position, rotate the focusing ring on the lens. (On many lenses, including the kit lens, you can damage the lens if you rotate the focusing ring with the switch in the AF position.)

    Even when focusing manually, you can confirm focus by pressing the shutter button halfway. The focus point or points that achieve focus flash for a second or two, the viewfinder's focus lamp lights, and you hear the focus‐achieved beep.

By the way, if you find the focusing beep annoying, you can disable it via the Beep option on Shooting Menu 1.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Julie Adair King has written more than 50 books on digital photography, cameras, and photo editing software. She also teaches beginning photography techniques to new dSLR owners. Robert Correll is the author of several photography books, including Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies.

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