Do Canon EOS cameras have a built-in AF assist light?
Asked 9/17/2016
7 views
2 answers
0
I use a Canon 70D and EOS Rebel T2i, and neither seems to project a visible AF assist light when autofocus struggles in low light. An external Yongnuo YN465 flash works fine because its AF assist lamp activates normally. I expected the camera to use a built-in lamp, possibly the same light used for the self-timer, and I also noticed a menu option related to an AF/IR assist beam. Do these Canon cameras have an on-camera AF assist light, or do they use a different method? If so, how do I enable it without firing the flash in the final exposure?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
7
The EOS cameras with pop-up flash, such as the 70D and T2i, use the pop-up flash when focus assist is needed. To use it without the flash firing when the photo is exposed you select "disable flash firing" under the flash control menu while selecting "enable AF assist beam firing" under the AF menu or Custom functions menu, depending on the specific camera model. You may need to press the flash button on the front of the camera to manually open the flash. The flash will fire several low-powered pulses to assist focus but will not fire when the shutter is opened. This would include all EOS APS-C DSLR models.
EOS cameras without a pop-up flash require an external flash or a wireless flash controller equipped with a near-infrared AF assist lamp in order to provide an assist light for focussing. This would include all full frame and APS-H models.
The "IR Assist Beam" mentioned in menu items refers only to an external flash or wireless flash controller that includes a near-infrared AF assist lamp.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
On Canon EOS DSLRs like the 70D and T2i, there usually is not a separate built-in AF assist lamp like on some Nikon bodies. Instead, cameras with a pop-up flash use the flash itself to emit a series of low-power pulses to help autofocus in low light.
If you want AF assist without flash in the actual photo, enable AF assist beam firing in the AF/custom settings and disable flash firing in the flash control menu. On some models you may also need to manually pop up the flash first.
The self-timer lamp is not used as the AF assist light on these cameras.
The “IR assist beam” menu wording mainly refers to support for external flash units or controllers that have their own near-infrared AF assist lamp. Cameras without a pop-up flash generally need an external flash or wireless controller with an AF assist lamp to provide focus assistance.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why isn't the AF-assist beam working on my Metz 44 flash with a Canon EOS 650D?
Do near-infrared AF assist beams work with contrast-detect and Dual Pixel autofocus?
Can I use the Nikon D3100’s built-in AF-assist lamp instead of my Yongnuo flash’s AF-assist light?
How can I autofocus in low light when using a Yongnuo YN-560 II flash?
Can I use a Canon Speedlite's AF-assist beam without firing the flash?