Canon XA50 Instruction Manual page 54

Adjusting the Focus
3 If necessary, touch the desired subject on the screen to select a different main subject.
• To select a different person: Touch a face with a gray frame. The face detection frame will change to a double
frame £ (tracking frame, white in AF mode, gray in MF mode). The camcorder will track the subject as it
moves.
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• To select other moving subjects: In AF mode only, you can track other moving subjects such as a pet. If the AF
frame size is set to [k Automatic], touch the desired subject on the screen; if it set to another option,
select [£] to display the focus frame and then touch a subject inside the frame. A white double frame £
(tracking frame) will appear and the camcorder will track the subject as it moves.
• Touch [ ] to remove the frame and cancel the tracking.
4 In MF mode, the focus guide will appear on the selected main subject if this function is activated.
Use the focus guide as a reference to focus manually (A 49).
• In AF mode, the camcorder will keep focusing on the main subject and track it as it moves.
Limiting Autofocus to Faces (Face-Only AF)
While using autofocus, you can limit the autofocus function only to cases when a face is detected and use
manual focus otherwise. When a face is detected, the camcorder will automatically keep the subject in focus
and optimize the exposure.
Operating modes:
Set an assignable button to [~ Face Only AF] (A 94) and press the button.
• While face-only AF is activated, the } icon will change to ~.
NOTES NOTES
• The camcorder may mistakenly detect the faces of non-human subjects. In such case, turn face detection &
tracking off.
• When face detection & tracking is activated, the slowest shutter speed used by the camcorder is 1/30 (1/24 if
the frame rate is set to 23.98P).
• Touching somewhere with a color or pattern unique to the subject will make it easier to track. However, if there
is another subject in the vicinity that shares similar characteristics to the selected subject, the camcorder may
start tracking the incorrect subject. Touch the screen again to select the desired subject.
• In certain cases, faces may not be detected correctly. Typical examples include:
- Faces extremely small, large, dark or bright in relation to the overall picture.
- Faces turned to the side, upside down, at a diagonal or partially hidden.
• Face detection & tracking cannot be used in the following cases.
- When the shooting mode is set to [Q Night Scene], [R Low Light] or [T Fireworks].
- When the shutter speed used is slower than 1/30 (1/24 if the frame rate is set to 23.98P).
- When the digital zoom is activated and the zoom ratio exceeds 60x.
- When infrared recording is activated.
• In certain cases, tracking may not start even after touching a subject on the screen. Typical examples include:
- Subjects extremely small or large in relation to the overall picture.
- Subjects too similar to the background.
- Subjects lacking sufficient contrast.
- Fast moving subjects.
- When shooting indoors with insufficient lighting.
• Face-only AF will be deactivated in the following cases:
- When the power switch, mode switch or INFRARED switch is operated.
- In the same cases that face detection & tracking cannot be used (see above).
- When the camcorder is switched between autofocus and manual focus.
- When the assignable button is no longer assigned to [~ Face Only AF].