By Newsshooter contributor Simon Glass
Two features on the new Canon C300 MK II that have attracted a lot of attention are the AF and face-recognition software. Both features are controlled through the camera menu and Canon’s marketing material says that ‘Ultra precise focus detection’ can be achieved.
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For auto focus when using an EF lens, first you have to select AF on the lens. Then in the menu you can decide the type of mode you want – continuous, AF-boosted MF, or one shot. You can then select the area where you want to focus: either centre of the frame or selectable. Selectable, as the name suggests, allows you to select a certain area of the frame where the camera will focus, which can be large or small. You can also select Face AF: this uses facial recognition software to track a face and keep it sharply in focus wherever it moves within the frame.
When manual focus is selected on the lens, a cursor is displayed on the camera monitor. This indicates the area where sharp focus is required. Before making any manual focus adjustments on the lens, three arrows appear above the box cursor. These show the direction to turn the lens focus ring in order to achieve a sharp image of the subject. When correct focus is achieved the cursor forms a box and turns green. When the subject goes out of focus the box splits back into two cursors and the process starts again.
Adjustable speed control allows you to set the amount of time it takes for the camera to focus on your chosen subject, and at the moment both of the above tracking options only work with Canon EF lenses.
These two features seem good additions to the C300 Mark II, especially for shooters working on their own – it will be interesting to see how reliable and accurate they are in real-world shooting situations.
