Will we ever see Eye Controled AF again?

[Zenit]

why is there any cameras with eye controlled AF anymore?

Any ideas?

[gieppetto]

I think I read here some time ago that ACCORDING TO SOME KINDA UNRELIABLE RUMOR the 5D's second edition might have it. Then again, I also heard many people saying they would hate it.

[gdl357]

I lOvE it that's why I still use my 7NE. It's a great feature, and if you take the time to calibrate it correctly, it works like a charm. Yes I would like it included in the New 5D list of features. I can live without livepoo.

[JAcosta]

I dont know why people love eye control so much. I owned an EOS 5 with EC and an EOS 3 with EC and they both didnt work. Yes I did calibrate it, yes I did use it in optimal settings, it just didnt work. It seems it would take less time to manually focus or even select your af point then hit the af button.

I seriously believe that people who want the return of eye control focus feature of old Canon film bodies simply never used it. Its a gimmick and a feature that just simply didnt work for me.

[Tom W]

Frankly, I wonder if eye-control focus would be accurate enough to withstand the scrutiny of full-screen viewing and the 100% crop. Results that are acceptable at 4X6 inches or even 8X10 may not pass scrutiny when viewed at 100%. And 100%, for better or for worse, is what many people use to scrutinize images.

[gdl357]

Frankly, I wonder if eye-control focus would be accurate enough to withstand the scrutiny of full-screen viewing and the 100% crop. Results that are acceptable at 4X6 inches or even 8X10 may not pass scrutiny when viewed at 100%. And 100%, for better or for worse, is what many people use to scrutinize images.

I don't get what your saying here. All that EC does is pick your focus point "square" with your eye instead of with the up/down/left/right button. The outcome is the same, but easier done with the EC. You look at your target/square and it's focused. I can choose any of my 7 squares with my eye. Me like.

[jhorsnel]

I dont know why people love eye control so much. I owned an EOS 5 with EC and an EOS 3 with EC and they both didnt work. Yes I did calibrate it, yes I did use it in optimal settings, it just didnt work. It seems it would take less time to manually focus or even select your af point then hit the af button.

I seriously believe that people who want the return of eye control focus feature of old Canon film bodies simply never used it. Its a gimmick and a feature that just simply didnt work for me.


In the dim and distant past I had an EOS 50E. Bearing in mind that my eyesight prescription is +4.25 in my right eye and I always wore my glasses while using the camera... The eye control on that camera was spot on accurate every time and I really did test it. I for one will love it if EC is on my next body and I'm looking forward to whatever model it is (50D, 7D etc etc) I replace my 350D with...

[ptomsu]

Let's hope we see it again. It worked quite good in my analog EOS.

[dragulaz]

Another vote for EC here. I borrowed an EOS 5 for a wedding many years ago and used the EC. That was the one and only time I used it, but I found it very reliable and super convenient for selecting the focus point.

[Suedezu]

Never use such a feature but it sounds incredibly useful in some situations.

Would love such a feature.

[ryanraphael]

Chuck Westfall said in PMA that Canon has not yet seen the demand from the market.

[SuzyView]

I have it on my EOS 3 but didn't like it. I doubt Canon will do this again. With selectable AF points, doesn't make much sense.

[gdl357]

I have it on my EOS 3 but didn't like it. I doubt Canon will do this again. With selectable AF points, doesn't make much sense.


I have no DSLR, but it should be the same... How can you tell what point you have moved to when looking through the viewfinder while pushing on the buttons? Don't you have to take your eye off the camera to see what you have selected or do you press the shutter half way every time you move to the next point?

If so then that's the big deal. With EC your eye takes control of what your fingers need to do, and it becomes second nature. Your eye never leaves the viewfinder. I can jump from the complete left point to the bottom last point with one look of an eye in a split second. Can you do that with your fingers?

Thx

[Zenit]

I never had a chance to try it.. and thats why I'm interested in it :)

Those who hated it, what was the main problem with it? was it to slow reacting or was it inaccurate, and ...?

I like the Idea, that you can focus without have to push any button, It could save a great picture for some..

And in a last dacade there have been lots of research, development and inventions in this area, like multy touch technology(not press sensitive) for windows surface.
I think Canon could make it to work really nice..!

[jonnythan]

I have no DSLR, but it should be the same... How can you tell what point you have moved to when looking through the viewfinder while pushing on the buttons? Don't you have to take your eye off the camera to see what you have selected or do you press the shutter half way every time you move to the next point?

When selecting AF points, the red "focus" dot on the AF point itself lights up as you scroll through them. This means that it's quite trivial to select a focus point while keeping your eye in the viewfinder.

[say_cheese]

I hope Canon reintroduces eye controlled focus. It was great technology, fast and accurate. For those that did not like it you could always switch it off. From some of the posts on this thread its obvious that there is a misundestanding of how it works and what it does.

[TimelessImages]

I thought it was great.
For me it was accurate, fast, and no need to recompose your shot.
Opted out when I bought my A2 to save money (the A2E had it) but used it with my EOS 3 and would like to see it reintroduced.

[cyrn]

Chuck Westfall said in PMA that Canon has not yet seen the demand from the market.

Juz like he mentioned there's no competitor for the 5d? :rolleyes:

[amfoto1]

Still have two EOS3s with it, and at one time I used an Elan 7 that had it.

I tested it extensively when I first got the cameras. Ultimately I found EC didn't work for me or speed up AF point selection. Just the opposite, I ended up "selecting" the wrong point as often as not... Perhaps because I wear eyeglasses.

So, I really wouldn't pay anything extra for it unless it was vastly improved. EC has been turned off on my EOS3s for about 6 years now.

Ever wonder why none of the 1-Series ever got it, although their AF system was basically picked up from the EOS3?

[danielyamseng]

I guess probably they found out the active laser light going to our eye ball has side effect,they dropped it. :)