Making Canon Autofocus work face tracking?

[narikin]

Hi all, I'm struggling to get my Canon 5DS AF to work candidly to face track on the street, or even just figure track - select a figure and focus follow it as the person moves through the frame/across the street?  Can someone explain the basic settings I need to establish, and the AF setup best to choose?

I see a face tracking emblem in the menu, and that is turned on, but it never seems to lock into a face in the same way an iPhone does, for example.  But then, there is such a confusing array of options, I expect I have something set wrong.

thanks

[KAHA]

From what I gather from reading this article testing of Canons 5Ds focus tracking was not reliable compared to the Nikon D810 or Sony's yet untested A7Rii's new eye focus system. This should not be the case for such a high end camera all those pixels and a less than average focus tracking system seems like a huge waste 

[Hans Kruse]

I have both the Nikon D810 and the Canon 5DsR. While I have not done extensive testing I can say that I found the D810 with continous AF and 3D very good for portraits of kids that move around. I have done the same with the 5DsR with iTR AF enabled. I did about 100 hosts shooting my grand kids that were moving around using the Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 fully open and up to 400mm. I found that the AF was very good and as good as the D810 in that test. I'm not saying that it always will be as good as the D810 which I find really good at this. The Canon did almost all shots in focus on the eyes at a very shallow DOF.

One example is attached. Shot with the 5DsR and the 100-400 II at 400mm f/5.6 and ISO 3200 and a shutter speed of 1/320s. I used Auto ISO and coudl have chosen a slower shutter speed, but the ISO 3200 files were actually very clean and detailed.

[narikin]

Thanks - what are your other focus menu settings - AI Servo AF with Manual point select? Auto? Initial?
Select AF area selec. mode setting?

all helps. glad to hear you are getting focus success with 5DS

[orc73]

+1 interested in those af settings. There are an awefull lot of options but not able to get a face trackingatvall so far.

[Hans Kruse]

Thanks - what are your other focus menu settings - AI Servo AF with Manual point select? Auto? Initial?
Select AF area selec. mode setting?

all helps. glad to hear you are getting focus success with 5DS

Ai Servo, All AF points enabled, Inital AFpt Auto and then Auto AF pt sel: EOS iTR AF. I have the M-Fn set for area selection. This means I push the M-Fn button until all AF points are enabled as shown on attached.