Vernon Chalmers Photography

The Canon EOS R6 Mark III introduces advanced autofocus with increased AF point density and deep-learning subject tracking inherited from flagship models like the Canon EOS R1 and R5 Mark II, delivering faster acquisition and precise subject recognition for wildlife, sports, and birds-in-flight photography. Higher AF Point Density and Flagship Deep-Learning Intelligence Autofocus performance has become one of the defining technological battlegrounds in modern mirrorless photography. For wildlife photographers, sports shooters, and photojournalists alike, a camera’s ability to identify, track, and maintain focus on fast-moving subjects determines whether critical moments are captured or lost. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III represents a significant step forward in this domain, combining increased autofocus (AF) point density with refined deep-learning algorithms derived from flagship cameras such as the Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. These developments build upon Canon’s alread...

The Future of Canon AF Systems beyond the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II  —  Deep Technical Analysis The Future of Canon EOS R AF Systems "Canon’s EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II represent two peaks of the company’s recent mirrorless AF engineering: the R1 as a thermally engineered, pro-level implementation of advanced Dual Pixel AF with expanded cross-type detection and sport/bird optimizations; the R5 Mark II as a more general-purpose high-resolution, high-compute body. Moving beyond these platforms requires integrated advances across sensor architecture , on-device computation , lens actuation & telemetry , and probabilistic/perceptual AF pipelines .  The next generation of Canon AF will be shaped by four central thrusts: Sensor-level innovation — denser, multi-directional phase detection, stacked/BSI readout architectures, and optionally spectrally or polarization-sensitive AF pixels to disambiguate hard cases. ( Canon Global ) On-device neural compute — dedicated neural a...

Advanced Autofocus Settings Canon EOS R6 Mark III for Birds in Flight Photography Birds in Flight Photography with Canon EOS R6 Mark III Birds in Flight (BIF) photography represents one of the most technically demanding applications of modern autofocus systems. Subjects are fast, erratic, frequently distant, and often photographed against visually complex or low-contrast backgrounds such as water, foliage, or bright sky. In this context, autofocus performance is not merely a convenience—it is the decisive factor between a critically sharp image and a missed opportunity. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is particularly well suited to BIF photography due to its advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system, deep-learning subject recognition, and extensive Servo AF customization. This article focuses exclusively on configuring and applying the EOS R6 Mark III’s autofocus system for birds in flight. General-purpose AF use cases such as portraiture, landscape, or studio work are intentionally excluded to ...

Birds in Flight Photography with the Canon R5 Mark II Essential Settings & Pro Techniques Also View:  AF Cases for BIF with Canon EOS R5 Mark II Overview Photographing birds in flight is an exhilarating but challenging scenario—requiring precision autofocus, rapid shutter response, and flexible tracking performance. The Canon EOS R5 Mark II offers an exceptional suite of features tailored for just that: Advanced autofocus with deep learning-based detection, including Animal Subject and Eye Detection. Fast continuous burst shooting : up to 30 fps (electronic shutter) or 12 fps (mechanical) with Pre-Capture. Stacked sensor with DIGIC X + DIGIC Accelerator for fast readouts and no viewfinder blackout.(Tom's Guide, Wikipedia, B&H Photo Video) Wide AF coverage and a multitude of AF points - ensuring flexibility and compositional freedom. (Wikipedia, Simply Birding) Recommended AF Settings from Canon for Birds in Flight Large Flying Birds AF Operation : Servo AF AF Area : F...

Tracking speed in Canon’s advanced AF systems is not a single-number property but an emergent characteristic of sensor design, processing capability, AF algorithm sophistication, and lens mechanics. "This essay analyses the tracking speed of Canon’s advanced autofocus (AF) systems, emphasizing the technical mechanisms that determine tracking performance, recent advances in Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF and iTR (intelligent Tracking and Recognition) families, and how sensor, processor, and firmware design converge to reduce acquisition time and sustain focus during continuous subject motion. Using recent flagship models - EOS-1D X Mark III, EOS R3, EOS R5 / R5 II, and EOS R1 - as case studies, the paper evaluates empirical specifications (frame rates, blackout-free operation), algorithmic improvements (subject recognition, eye control), and practical metrics (latency, reacquisition time, and hit rate in field conditions). The analysis concludes with implications for photographers and...