From "C" firmware version 3.00, the camera can detect and focus on the faces and eyes of dogs and cats (animal face/eye-detection AF).
The following are the recommended settings for portraits of dogs and cats:
| Photo shooting menu | |
|---|---|
| Focus mode | Continuous AF |
| AF-area mode | Auto-area AF |
| Silent photography | Off |
| Custom Settings menu | |
| a4 Auto-area AF face/eye detection | Animal detection |
| a12 Built-in AF-assist illuminator | Off |
| d5 Shutter type | Auto |
The combination of settings listed above can be assigned to any of the mode-dial positions U1, U2, and U3 and instantly recalled just by rotating the dial. For more information, see "Recalling Saved Settings via the Mode Dial".
Animal face/eye-detection AF is available only when Animal detection is selected for Custom Setting a4 (Auto-area AF face/eye detection) and auto-area AF is selected for AF-area mode.
Animal face- and eye-detection may not perform as expected with some breeds or if:
The eyes of some animals may be adversely affected by the light of the AF-assist illuminator. Choose Off for Custom Setting a12 (Built-in AF-assist illuminator).
For quick access to face/eye detection AF options, first position Custom Setting a4 (Auto-area AF face/eye detection) as the top item in "My Menu" and then assign Access top item in MY MENU to a control using Custom Setting f2 (Custom control assignment).
We recommend that you make the following additions to the settings listed on this page when photographing active dogs or cats:
In mode A, the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed for optimal exposure. The camera automatically raises ISO sensitivity if it determines that shutter speed will fall below the minimum, ensuring that shutter speed is never slower than 1/500 s and allowing the camera to adapt to changes in lighting while minimizing blur due to subject motion. Note that pictures taken at higher ISO sensitivities are prone to "noise" in the form of randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines.
