Technical Solutions | Z 9 TIPS

AF-Area Mode

The following eight AF-area modes are available in focus mode AF-C.

AF-area mode Description Monitor
Single-point AF The camera focuses on a point selected by the user.
Dynamic-area AF (S) The focus point is selected manually. The camera focuses on the subject in the selected focus point when autofocus is initiated, but if the subject later briefly leaves the selected point, the camera will focus based on information from surrounding points. Choose if the camera has difficulty focusing, or for active subjects that are hard to keep framed in a single point, and choose an option with broader coverage if the subject is moving unpredictably or occupies a large area of the frame.
Dynamic-area AF (M)
Dynamic-area AF (L)
Wide-area AF (S) As for single-point AF, except that the camera focuses on a wider area.
Wide-area AF (L)
Wide-area AF (C1)
Wide-area AF (C2)

The camera focuses on a subject chosen using a custom focus area whose dimensions (height and width in focus points) can be selected by the user from 20 different options.

  • The size of the custom focus area for the current mode can be chosen by holding the focus-mode button and pressing , , , or .
  • The size of the custom focus area can also be chosen using [AF-area mode] > [Wide-area AF (C1)] or [Wide-area AF (C2)] in the photo shooting menu.
13 × 3
3D-tracking

The camera tracks focus on a selected subject. This option is available only in photo mode.

  • Position the focus point over your subject and start tracking by pressing AF-ON or by pressing the shutter-release button halfway; focus will then track the selected subject as it moves through the frame.
  • To end tracking and restore the previously-selected focus point, release the AF-ON or shutter-release button.
  • If the subject leaves the frame, remove your finger from the shutter- release button and recompose the photograph with the subject in the selected focus point.
Auto-area AF The camera automatically detects the subject and selects the focus point.

Click here for the image optimized for small screens. (JPG 485KB).

Custom Focus Areas

Use wide-area AF (C1) and wide-area AF (C2) to create focus areas tailored to subjects of a specific size.

Caution: 3D-Tracking

The camera may be unable to track subjects that are obscured by other objects or leave the frame.

Quick Focus-Point Selection
  • For quicker focus-point selection, choose [Alternating points] for Custom Setting a4 [Focus points used] (see this section).
  • If you prefer to use the sub-selector for focus-point selection, you can choose [Select center focus point] for Custom Setting f2 [Custom controls (shooting)] > [Sub-selector center] to allow the center of the sub-selector to be used to quickly select the center focus point (see this section).