Eye-detection AF
An autofocus mode that finds and tracks the subject's eye specifically. The defining feature of modern mirrorless portrait and event shooting.
Modern eye-AF uses on-sensor phase-detect AF combined with deep-learning subject recognition. The camera identifies humans (and increasingly animals, birds, vehicles, insects) and locks onto the nearest eye automatically.
How it changed shooting
Pre-eye-AF, photographers used center-point AF and recompose, or carefully placed AF points on the eye. Now the camera does this continuously at 20–40 FPS, freeing the photographer to think about composition.
Variants
- Human eye-AF — universal on mirrorless 2018+.
- Animal eye-AF — Sony A7 III + extensions, now standard.
- Bird eye-AF — narrower training, harder problem, available on flagships (R5, A1, Z9).
- Vehicle / insect — newest, found on R5 Mark II, A1 II, Z8.
In comparisons
Hit rate matters more than feature presence. A camera with a 95% sticky-eye hit rate on running children beats a camera that lists 5 subject modes but only achieves 80%. Look for review-tested hit rate, not marketing.