The Best Autofocus Cameras: Precision And Speed

When it comes to autofocus, there are two types of systems: phase detection and contrast detection, and two types of autofocus modes: Single AF and Continuous AF. The best autofocus cameras on the market will have both types of systems and modes.

The cameras with the best autofocus include:

- Sony A9 Mark II

- Canon R5C

- Nikon Z6 II

- Sony A7 IV

- Canon EOS R6

- Sony A1

- Sony A7R II

- Nikon Z9

- Sony A9 Mark II

Sony A7 IV: This camera has excellent autofocus and is a good all-rounder for stills and video

The Sony A7 IV is a brilliant all-round camera for both stills and video. It has a new 33MP sensor that is solid for both stills and video, and its autofocus is class-leading.

The autofocus system has been described as "lightning-fast", and it benefits from Sony's Real-time Tracking AF and Real-time Eye AF. This means the camera can seamlessly switch between subject tracking, face detection, and Eye AF.

The autofocus has many different focus areas, both with and without tracking, and you can choose the best for each situation. The Wide option covers the whole frame, but if you have to deal with leaves, branches, or anything distracting in the background, you are better off narrowing the scope to Zone or Expanded Spot.

The other key feature is Eye Detection. If you switch it on and choose Human, Animal, or Bird, it takes priority over the focus area, with 92% coverage. This means the camera can follow the eye of the subject across almost the whole frame if necessary.

The A7 IV is a big upgrade on the A7 III in almost every respect, including resolution, autofocus, usability, and video. It is not the simplest camera for beginners to use, and there are better cameras out there for sports performance and value, but as an all-rounder, the A7 IV is the best mirrorless camera you can buy.

Canon EOS R6: The R6 has one of the best mechanical shutters in the industry and its autofocus is highly efficient at avoiding the jello effect

The Canon EOS R6 is a highly capable camera with one of the best mechanical shutters on the market. The camera's shutter automatically closes when the lens is removed, preventing dust build-up. This feature, combined with its fast shutter speed, makes it highly effective at avoiding the "jello effect", which causes images and videos to appear wavy due to image distortion.

The EOS R6's autofocus capabilities are also impressive. It uses the advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system, which offers AI-trained subject tracking and eye detection. The autofocus is powered by a DIGIC X processor, utilising deep-learning artificial intelligence to recognise and track subjects' eyes, faces, heads, and bodies. This technology extends to animals, making it an excellent choice for wildlife photography. The autofocus is highly customisable, allowing users to fine-tune the tracking sensitivity and acceleration/deceleration tracking.

The EOS R6's autofocus performance is further enhanced by its fast shooting speed of up to 12 frames per second with the mechanical shutter and up to 20 frames per second with the electronic shutter. This, combined with its large buffer, makes it an excellent choice for action photography.

The camera also features a dedicated AF joystick, providing excellent ergonomics and ease of use when adjusting the focus. Additionally, the EOS R6 offers a variety of AF methods, including Face Tracking, Spot AF, 1-point AF, Expand AF Area, Zone AF, and Large Zone AF, ensuring that users can adapt the camera to their specific needs.

Overall, the Canon EOS R6 is a highly capable camera with exceptional autofocus accuracy and performance, making it a top choice for photographers and videographers alike.

Sony A1: This is a great camera for wildlife photography as it has fast-acting autofocus and can switch between wide angles and close-ups quickly

The Sony A1 is a great camera for wildlife photography as it has fast-acting autofocus and can switch between wide angles and close-ups quickly. The camera's autofocus system is one of the best on the market, with tenacious tracking of subjects of all kinds, including human faces and eyes, as well as the eyes of birds and other animals. The camera's autofocus points cover approximately 92% of the frame, and its low light sensitivity has increased by 1 EV over the a9 and a7R IV, now reliably focusing down to -4 EV. The A1's autofocus tracking is nearly faultless, even with fast movement, close subjects, and wide apertures. The camera's autofocus performance is customizable, allowing users to set the camera to prioritize the release of the shutter when they press it, even if the lens hasn't quite achieved accurate focus, or to wait for the lens to achieve absolute accurate focus.

Sony A7R II: This camera is considered one of the fastest and most reliable full-frame cameras for autofocus

The Sony A7R II is considered one of the fastest and most reliable full-frame cameras for autofocus. It features a hybrid autofocus system with 399 focus points for phase-detection autofocus and 25 available focus points for contrast-detection AF. The phase detection pixels are integrated into the sensor, and the camera also has a fast BIONZ X image processor, allowing for up to 40% faster autofocus performance compared to its predecessor.

The A7R II's autofocus system is particularly impressive when it comes to focus accuracy. The camera does a great job of tracking faces and, when using the Eye AF feature, it excels at continuous AF adjustments, keeping the subject's eye in focus at varying distances. This makes the camera suitable for various types of photography, although it may struggle with fast-action shots due to shutter delay and blackouts.

The A7R II also offers manual focus capabilities, with instant zooming in the viewfinder and focus peaking, making it easy to achieve precise focus. Additionally, the camera's in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) further enhances its performance, allowing for sharper images and smoother video footage.

While the A7R II's autofocus system is impressive, it is important to note that some users have reported issues with focus tracking in AF-C mode, particularly when shooting at smaller apertures. However, overall, the Sony A7R II remains a highly capable camera with excellent autofocus performance.

Nikon Z9: The Z9 has a wide range of autofocus modes and its face, eye, animal, and vehicle detection is more consistent than most other autofocus cameras

The Nikon Z9 is a powerful camera with a wide range of autofocus modes. It has a brand new EXPEED 7 processor, along with several new continuous-focus modes not found on any previous Nikon Z camera. The Z9 now also recognizes vehicles (including cars, motorbikes, and trains) as well as the usual face-tracking autofocus.

The Z9 has three autofocus modes for still photography:

• AF-S: Single AF is ideal for static subjects.
• AF-C: Continuous AF allows for continuous focusing while autofocus is enabled.
• MF: Manual focus allows for manual control over the focus.

The Z9 offers the largest number of AF area modes yet in a Z mirrorless camera. It has a range of modes, including pinpoint AF, single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, and wide-area AF. The Z9 also has 3D tracking AF, which is a mode that has existed in various DSLR models but makes its first appearance in a Nikon Z mirrorless camera with the Z 9.

The Z9 has excellent face, eye, animal, and vehicle detection. It has subject detection, which is available in several modes, including wide-area AF and auto-area AF. The Z9 can detect up to 9 subjects simultaneously in a scene.

The Z9 is ideal for sports and wildlife photography. It has a powerful stacked 45.7MP CMOS sensor and excellent image stabilization. It also has reliable Eye AF tracking and can capture crisp video at 8K/60p or 4K/120fps.

The Z9 is a fantastic choice for discerning photographers who need a camera that can keep up with intensive sports and wildlife action.

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