05.01.2020

Master Face and Eye Detection AF

Face and Eye Detection AF is a powerful tool for making portraits. Read on to find out how to make the most of this feature on your FUJIFILM camera
 

When it comes to powerful portraiture, the importance of the saying ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’ cannot be overstated. Whether we’re chatting with a friend or meeting a stranger for the first time, the face is where we focus – looking for signs of emotion and expression that reveal the subtleties of their message and how they are feeling.
 
The best way of placing focus on someone’s eyes or face in portrait photography is by being selective with what’s in focus. In fact, using a wide aperture to generate shallow depth-of-field is a classic technique for photographing people: blur the background behind a pin-sharp subject to really emphasize them and make them the star of the show.

  • Learn photography with Fujifilm, Master Face and Eye Detection AF© Bryan Minear
  • Learn photography with Fujifilm, Master Face and Eye Detection AF© Bryan Minear

The problem comes when your subject is moving about, or you are shifting position to get different compositions. You need to keep refocusing to make sure they are still sharp and haven’t fallen out into the blurred zone. This is where your X Series camera’s Face/Eye Detection can help.

Talk to the Face

Face/Eye Detection AF can be switched on from your camera’s main menu, but it’s accessed more easily from its Q Menu, where it’s included by default.

Learn photography with Fujifilm, Master Face and Eye Detection AF  

You can cycle through four modes:

  • OFF Switches off Face/Eye Detection AF so you can use other methods of autofocusing.
  • FACE The camera looks for faces within this scene and focuses on them.
  • EYE AUTO The camera focuses on the subject’s eyes, picking the eye closest to the camera.
  • EYE L or R The camera will focus on the subject’s left or right eye, respectively.

You may not think there is much difference between Face and Eye Detection, but if you’re framing a face-filling portrait with a very shallow depth-of-field, using one of the Eye Detection modes can make the difference between someone’s eyes being in focus (the window to their soul, remember) or their nose being pin-sharp instead.

  • Learn photography with Fujifilm, Master Face and Eye Detection AF
  • Learn photography with Fujifilm, Master Face and Eye Detection AF
  • Learn photography with Fujifilm, Master Face and Eye Detection AF
  • Learn photography with Fujifilm, Master Face and Eye Detection AF

You’ll see detected faces in the viewfinder even before you’ve focused on them, highlighted with boxes. A green box highlights the face currently being tracked as a priority. If there are any other faces in the frame, these may be highlighted with white boxes; some X Series cameras let you switch between which face is being tracked just by rotating the rear command dial, which is easy to do with the camera at your eye.

Your Next Steps

  • CHALLENGE Photograph a powerful frame-filling portrait of someone close to you, or who is important in your life. Use a wide aperture and get some distance between your subject and the background to really help them stand out. Oh, and don’t forget to switch on Face or Eye AF to keep things sharp. Post your favorite picture to social media with the hashtags #MyFujifilmLegacy and #portrait. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.
  • LEARN For more portrait photography tips, download our booklet Stunning Skin Tones and Perfect Portraits with FUJIFILM X Series.

Header image © Nicole Young