# Issues with Touch Autofocus and my thumb



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 27, 2020)

I was wondering if anyone else has issues with incidental touching of the LCD on the EOS R. I have large hands, and my thumb seems to alwaysd migrate to tough the corner of the rear LCD. That moves the AF point. I like the touch screen and don't turn off touch, but live with having to double check before each capture. I've had a fair number of oof shots due to this. I can also swivel the display out to solve the issue.

I have studied the rear of the R5 and R6 and it looks like they do have more room. My 5D MK IV also had plenty of room.

You can see my issue in the attached photo.


----------



## H. Jones (Jul 27, 2020)

Have you considered changing the touch AF area to the left side? There's a setting that lets you set which area is active as a touchpad during viewfinder shooting. On the EOS R I mainly put my left hand back onto the camera to use the touchpad AF. I expect this will be even easier for the EOS R5 since the righthand could use the joystick and the left hand could use touchpad AF.


----------



## Jonathan Thill (Jul 27, 2020)

I have my touch set to the lower right corner and never have issues on my R or RP. 

I have somewhat smaller hands tho


----------



## john1970 (Jul 27, 2020)

On my EOS R I always had touch AF selection to the lower right corner and had no issues. With that said I am very glad that Canon brought back the AF joystick on the R5/R6.


----------



## Kit Lens Jockey (Jul 27, 2020)

Have you considered switching from "absolute" to "relative" in your autofocus settings? When I tried playing around with setting the AF area to different parts of the screen, I was not really a fan. And it only really makes a difference when you have the camera set to "absolute." If it's set to "relative" all setting a different part of the screen to active does is deactivate part of the screen. It doesn't affect how fast the AF point moves for a given move of your thumb.

Anyway, setting the AF to "relative" instead of "absolute" would mean that if your thumb brushes that corner of the screen, it would just make the AF point move a little instead of suddenly making it jump to the top right of the frame.

As a last resort, maybe put some tape over that corner of the screen so it won't pick up your thumb?


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 28, 2020)

Ramage said:


> I have my touch set to the lower right corner and never have issues on my R or RP.
> 
> I have somewhat smaller hands tho


You can't set the touch area. You can set the touch and drag area. I have it off, but that does not affect touch the spot you want to focus on. Am I wrong? I turned it back on, set to relative, selected lower left corner. That does not matter to touch AF, it immediately moves the AF point to any place I touch. The Touch and drag is a different feature.


----------



## unfocused (Jul 28, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> You can't set the touch area. You can set the touch and drag area. I have it off, but that does not affect touch the spot you want to focus on. Am I wrong? I turned it back on, set to relative, selected lower left corner. That does not matter to touch AF, it immediately moves the AF point to any place I touch. The Touch and drag is a different feature.



I'm totally confused. Where in the menu do you find a separate setting to touch the spot you want to focus on? All I can find is the Touch and Drag setting.

Nonetheless, I haven't had this issue. I have my touch and drag set on "relative" as @Kit Lens Jockey suggested and have only the right side of the screen active. But, my thumb is almost always on the screen when I'm shooting. I have autofocus set to "servo" and just slide my thumb around to position the focus point and focus. I find I almost never use the "autofocus on" button anymore, which is way too small and poorly positioned on the R. In fact, I ended up programming both the "autofocus on" button and the "asterisk" to both activate focusing because I could never find the tiny "autofocus on" button when I did need it. I also disabled the "multi function bar" because I was constantly hitting it by mistake as well. 

What I find much more annoying is how easy it is to accidentally change the autofocus selection points when I'm moving my thumb around the back of the camera trying to find the "autofocus on" or asterisk buttons.


----------



## SteveC (Jul 28, 2020)

unfocused said:


> I'm totally confused. Where in the menu do you find a separate setting to touch the spot you want to focus on? All I can find is the Touch and Drag setting.
> 
> Nonetheless, I haven't had this issue. I have my touch and drag set on "relative" as @Kit Lens Jockey suggested and have only the right side of the screen active. But, my thumb is almost always on the screen when I'm shooting. I have autofocus set to "servo" and just slide my thumb around to position the focus point and focus. I find I almost never use the "autofocus on" button anymore, which is way too small and poorly positioned on the R. In fact, I ended up programming both the "autofocus on" button and the "asterisk" to both activate focusing because I could never find the tiny "autofocus on" button when I did need it. I also disabled the "multi function bar" because I was constantly hitting it by mistake as well.
> 
> What I find much more annoying is how easy it is to accidentally change the autofocus selection points when I'm moving my thumb around the back of the camera trying to find the "autofocus on" or asterisk buttons.



My brief experience with a borrowed R was frustrating because my _nose_ was constantly setting the autofocus point low and center. I did not hold that against the camera, though, as I was sure there was a way to prevent that--but I only had it for one hour and I wasn't going to waste time fiddling with it with no manual at hand.


----------



## Jonathan Thill (Jul 28, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> You can't set the touch area. You can set the touch and drag area. I have it off, but that does not affect touch the spot you want to focus on. Am I wrong? I turned it back on, set to relative, selected lower left corner. That does not matter to touch AF, it immediately moves the AF point to any place I touch. The Touch and drag is a different feature.


Ah I get it, I was thinking the touch and drag. First thing I did was disabled the touch to take a shot on the R so I tend not to think of the screen as the touch to focus tool it can be.

I have run into the single focus point moving so it have become automatic to hit the trash button to re-enter it.

Sorry I miss understood your issue.


----------



## Kit Lens Jockey (Jul 28, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> You can't set the touch area. You can set the touch and drag area. I have it off, but that does not affect touch the spot you want to focus on. Am I wrong? I turned it back on, set to relative, selected lower left corner. That does not matter to touch AF, it immediately moves the AF point to any place I touch. The Touch and drag is a different feature.


Oh, sorry. I saw your image of a black screen and thought you were talking about the touch and drag when you're using the EVF. I see now that maybe you just had the lens cap on. Ignore my suggestion.


----------



## Nemorino (Aug 29, 2020)

Have you tried to use the LOCK button to switch on/off the touch?


----------



## BeenThere (Aug 29, 2020)

Instead of using the flat part of your thumb to push the button, try using the end of thumb, closer to the nail. Bend thumb slightly while applying pressure. Takes a little practice until it becomes automatic.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 30, 2020)

BeenThere said:


> Instead of using the flat part of your thumb to push the button, try using the end of thumb, closer to the nail. Bend thumb slightly while applying pressure. Takes a little practice until it becomes automatic.


I'm not pushing any button, that is how the camera fits in my hand, my thumb has to go somewhere, so it sits on the slider that is turned off. The edge of my thumb often contacts the edge of the screen and moves the AF point. I don't want to turn off the touch screen, but it would be nice if I had something like a double tap to move the AF point.

I'm wondering if the R5 / R6 would fit my hand better, My 5D MK IV fit my hand fine and I used it in live view without moving the focus point by accident.


----------



## BeenThere (Aug 30, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I'm not pushing any button, that is how the camera fits in my hand, my thumb has to go somewhere, so it sits on the slider that is turned off. The edge of my thumb often contacts the edge of the screen and moves the AF point. I don't want to turn off the touch screen, but it would be nice if I had something like a double tap to move the AF point.
> 
> I'm wondering if the R5 / R6 would fit my hand better, My 5D MK IV fit my hand fine and I used it in live view without moving the focus point by accident.


I use back button AF, so when actively shooting, my thumb is always poised over the AF button ready to press or hold.


----------



## Stu_bert (Aug 30, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I was wondering if anyone else has issues with incidental touching of the LCD on the EOS R. I have large hands, and my thumb seems to alwaysd migrate to tough the corner of the rear LCD. That moves the AF point. I like the touch screen and don't turn off touch, but live with having to double check before each capture. I've had a fair number of oof shots due to this. I can also swivel the display out to solve the issue.
> 
> I have studied the rear of the R5 and R6 and it looks like they do have more room. My 5D MK IV also had plenty of room.
> 
> ...



Yep, if it gets too hot, then I can change the exposure compensation, focus point, iso. You name it.. I am sure the mask doesn’t help either atm. I can have the same issue on an r, m6 and r5

You might want to consider the lock button, there is also the option to re-Center the af on some models and assign that to a button. I prefer the screen touch to any other method of selecting focus point so I agree to keep it on. Oh and disable the touch to shoot option....


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 30, 2020)

Stu_bert said:


> Yep, if it gets too hot, then I can change the exposure compensation, focus point, iso. You name it.. I am sure the mask doesn’t help either atm. I can have the same issue on an r, m6 and r5
> 
> You might want to consider the lock button, there is also the option to re-Center the af on some models and assign that to a button. I prefer the screen touch to any other method of selecting focus point so I agree to keep it on. Oh and disable the touch to shoot option....


The touch to shoot option is off, or I'd really have a mess. The delete button recenters the AF point. In order to hold the camera with one hand and operate the lens zoom or focus ring or control dial with the other, I need a good solid grip. My fingers do not work well, so I can't even feel the shutter button, its by memory as to its location which means always having my hand in the same position. I rcceived my R in the first batch shipped, and have used extensively it alongside my 5D MK IV. I finally sold the MK IV because the R was getting the most use even with the AF point issue. When I can, I'll let the camera pick the AF point, but that's pretty rare, it picks the closest point and that is usually not my subject..


----------



## Stu_bert (Aug 30, 2020)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> The touch to shoot option is off, or I'd really have a mess. The delete button recenters the AF point. In order to hold the camera with one hand and operate the lens zoom or focus ring or control dial with the other, I need a good solid grip. My fingers do not work well, so I can't even feel the shutter button, its by memory as to its location which means always having my hand in the same position. I rcceived my R in the first batch shipped, and have used extensively it alongside my 5D MK IV. I finally sold the MK IV because the R was getting the most use even with the AF point issue. When I can, I'll let the camera pick the AF point, but that's pretty rare, it picks the closest point and that is usually not my subject..



Gotcha.

And the lock button isn’t something you would / could use? I still want to refine how but in some instances I have used it rather than have wrong iso and under exposed.

I’d like to ditch some of my bodies but 2nd hand market in HK doesn’t give the best price and selling private Isn’t much on an option. Hopefully soon.


----------

