Jasper's R6 Mark ii Autofocus Config

I have my camera setup with triple back button autofocus, one button for Eye detection and subject detection (AF-ON button), one for object detection (AE Lock button) and finally a "dumb" single shot spot autofocus (AF point button).

With this configuration, I'm able to go from tracking someone's eye, to a ball in play, to very specific spot with three different buttons for each, I have had this configuration for the last year shooting, events, sports, wildlife and portraits.

Normally, this isn't really possible due to not all buttons having the ability to be configured, but by utilising the ability to configure the "AF-ON button" and "AE Lock button" to "Metering and AF start" and the "AE Lock button" utilising the options in PINK menu 1.

Please see the below screenshots for the full configuration:

Where to configure the buttons

Shutter button:

Go into the config for the shutter button half-press
Set this button to "Metering start" This turns the shutter button into just a picture taking tool.

AF-ON button:

Go into the config for the "AF-ON button"
Select "Metering and AF start" and go into "INFO Detail set."
Set the details as shown. The idea is that this button is the "clever one" with all the auto eye and subject detections. This allows you to quickly pick out humans and animals and use the eye AF.
Just showing the "Eye detection" set to auto, missed off the above screenshot

AE Lock Button:

Go into the config for the "AE Lock button"
Select "Metering and AF start" and go into "INFO Detail set."
Set the details as shown. The idea is that this button is the "Track this" option with Servo AF set to 2 which is the "Continue to track subjects, ignoring possible obstacles" using the "Spot AF" area. Please not "Eye tracking is set to OFF" This allows you to move this spot over objects and the camera will follow the object.

AF point button:

Go into the config for the "AF point button"
Set this to "Metering and AF start". Please note there's no "INFO Detail set." option here. The options for this button must be set in PINK menu 1
On PINK menu 1, please set as shown. The idea of this button is the "Old but reliable DLSR spot AF" using the basic "ONE SHOT" AF operation and with Subject to detect and Eye detection disabled. This allows you to move the focus point to any location and have the camera focus on just that without any cleverness (or potential for weirdness, dumb but reliable (in my experience of course)).

In addition to this, I have the "Multi-function button" set as below:

Go into the config for the "Multi-function button"
Select "Dial function settings" and go into "INFO Detail set."
Set as shown

This allows quick changes of:

  • "Drive mode", useful to access quickly to swap between timed shooting for tripod shots and normal speed shooting.
  • "AF area", this will just be for the "AF point button", the dumb spot button. I've found this useful for situations where I was the spot bigger or smaller, bigger is better as you can be less acurate with where you place your spot.
  • "Metering mode", just swapping between "Evaluative" and "Spot" metering, "Evaluative" being a really good every day option and "Spot" being useful for shooting subjects with a bright light behind them.
  • "ISO speed", I'll be honest, this is just for switching back to auto ISO quickly.

I think that's pretty much everything for the configuration, although, there's a lot more that can be changed and tweaked.