Canon EOS 60D For Dummies
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The Canon 60D’s Live mode autofocus is best suited for shooting static subjects, such as landscapes, portraits, or still lifes. If you’re shooting someone who is running all over the place, you’re going to have an impossible time focusing and getting a good shot using Live mode.

To use Live mode, follow these steps:

  1. Set AF mode to Live mode:

    1. Press Menu, navigate to Shooting Menu 4, highlight AF Mode, and then press Set.

    2. Use the Quick Control dial or press up or down with the multicontroller to highlight an AF mode, and then press Set again to lock in your choice.

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  2. Press the Live View button.

    You see a white rectangle in the middle of the screen. This is the Live View AF point. This is the area the camera will “lock on” to when it focuses.

    That being said, the rectangle isn’t always where you need it. That means you have to be ready to move it around, which, you will quickly realize, is a far cry from how fast autofocus works when you’re using the viewfinder.

  3. Move the AF point around the screen with the multicontroller.

    If you want to reset the box to the center of the screen, press the Erase button, located on the back-left side of the camera.

  4. Initiate autofocus by pressing the shutter button halfway or by pressing AF-ON.

    The camera will attempt to achieve focus. When successful, it will beep at you, and the white box will turn green. As long as you continue to hold the shutter button halfway down, autofocus is locked. If you release the button before taking the photo, autofocus is lost.

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  5. Take the photo.

    If you’re satisfied with the focus, composition, and exposure, go ahead and press the shutter button all the way down to take the photo.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Julie Adair King has written numerous books on Nikon and Canon cameras as well as digital photography. She also conducts digital photography classes at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre. Robert Correll is a creative professional and the author of High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies.

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