How to Turn off Autofocus on Canon Rebel T6

ByJaved Ahmad Updated on
how to turn off autofocus on canon rebel t6

The autofocus systems on Canon cameras are top in class. There are different modes you can choose from to ensure that, regardless of the subject’s nature, you have it in the frame and well-focused. Sometimes, however, depending on the need, autofocus is not always the way to go. At times you may wish to change the point of focus to suit your needs. 

Hence, many want to know whether it is possible to turn off the autofocus mode. For those who own a canon rebel T6, it is very much possible. This camera comes with an AF/MF button. Toggling it, or switching to MF (manual focus mode), will give you the control you are looking for when it comes to focusing on a subject. Before each shot, you will have to manually focus the subject as desired. 

This article delves deeper on the topic so you can understand how to turn off autofocus mode when you need to. 

How to Turn off Autofocus on Canon Rebel T6

The canon rebel t6 comes with different focus modes, that is a manual mode and three autofocus modes (One-shot AF, AI Servo AF, and AI Focus AF). Each of these modes has a purpose and is hence useful in its own right. It is possible to switch between them depending on the need. 

The one-shot AF is best suited for still objects and you can only ensure that the focus is locked by pressing the shutter button halfway. AI Servo AF is your go-to when shooting moving subjects.

You are required to press the shutter button halfway to continuously focus the subject. Lastly, the AI Focus AF is a hybrid of the two. The camera will decide which mode to use depending on the movement, or lack thereof, of the subject. 

If you intend to change the current autofocus mode, you are required to press the right/AF button located at the back of the camera. You can then choose between the three. 

However, if your intention is to turn off the autofocus mode entirely, your only option will be to switch to manual mode. You can do so by toggling the AF/MF button so you can switch to MF. The manual focus mode will give you full manual control to focus as you will.

The canon rebel t6 also utilizes the autofocus modes to adjust its autofocus points. This is to allow you to adjust the point in the frame where the camera can focus on. Hence, the AF area can be adjusted by pressing the AF point selection button located at the top right of the back of the camera. 

What Is Predictive Focusing on Canon Rebel T6?

Anytime you are taking shots of a moving subject, it is never ideal to have the lens continuously focus on the subject as you press the shutter button. You have to consider shutter lag. While shutter lag in modern cameras is very short, taking a photo of a racing car could seriously throw the image out of focus. 

Therefore, Canon works to overcome this problem through predictive focusing. The camera makes several readings in AI Servo AF mode from which it is able to determine the speed as well as direction of a moving subject. It then uses this information to create instructions that are passed to the lens. In turn, the lens focuses on the point where the subject will be as soon as the shutter opens. 

When the AI Servo AF mode is activated, the camera continuously records the subject’s position and predicts its location for the next frame based on the motion recorded. If the camera does not detect the position of the subject in one recording period, the AI Servo AF’s algorithm will ignore this negative result and take the next focus point based on the previous accurate results. 

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FAQs

What is shutter lag in DSLR? 

Shutter lag can be described as the brief moment between pressing the button and the shutter actually opening. It is during this time that the reflex mirror inside the DLSR swings up to allow light to pass through the lens and reach the sensor at the back of the camera. Mirrorless cameras also suffer from shutter lag. 

What is AF point selection? 

Cameras come with a number of AF points. Although having many of these AF points allows the subject to be precisely targeted, sometimes it is convenient to group these points to cover a wider area so the subject is easier to locate. This explains why EOS cameras tend to come with many AF point selection methods. AF point selection determines how the active AF point is selected. 

Final Verdict

You do not always have to stick with autofocus mode even in situations where you do not have to. You can turn it off on your canon rebel t6 when you wish to manually focus your subjects. And it is as simple as pressing the AF/MF button to switch to manual focus mode.

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