The Elan 7's AF system operates in light levels from EV 1 to EV 18 (at ISO 100). In dim light, the built-in flash will emit a series of quick flashes to help the AF system focus (when the flash is popped up, which must be done manually in the Creative exposure modes—more on them in a bit). When an accessory EOS Speedlite flash unit is used, its The Elan 7's 35-zone Evaluative metering is great for general shooting. We rarely had to override it. AF-assist beam will be used instead of the built-in unit's series of flashes. AF assist operates only in One-Shot AF mode. You can use Custom Function 7 to deactivate the AF-assist beam in situations where it might prove annoying, such as a recital. There are three AF modes, easily selected by rotating the AF Mode Dial to the desired setting: One-Shot, AI Servo with predictive AF, and AI Focus. In One-Shot AF, the camera focuses on whatever falls under the active AF point, then locks focus there until you either take the picture or let go of the shutter button; and you can't take the picture until the camera has focused on something. In Predictive with AI Servo AF, the camera focuses continuously on whatever falls under the active AF point, at up to 3.5 fps (the top 4fps advance rate applies to One Shot AF and manual-focus modes); and you can trip the shutter at any time. In AI Focus AF, the camera automatically selects One-Shot or AI Servo AF to suit the shooting situation. Of course, you can also focus manually, by moving the AF/MF switch on the lens to MF and rotating the lens's focusing ring until the image appears sharp in the viewfinder (with Canon USM lenses, you don't even have to switch to MF first). If you hold the shutter button halfway down as you focus manually, the in-focus indicator will glow when focus has been achieved, the AF point will flash, and the audible signal will beep (if you haven't deactivated it), just as they do when focus has been established in AF mode. Exposure The Elan 7 provides three metering modes: 35-zone Evaluative (linked to the active AF point), center-weighted, and partial, which reads the central 10% of the image area. To select a metering mode, just press the Metering Mode Button on the camera back until the desired icon appears on the external LCD panel. (The point-and-shoot exposure modes employ Evaluative metering, and you can't change that). ISOs from 25-5000 are set automatically when DX-coded films are loaded, or you can set speeds from ISO 6-6400 manually by pressing the FUNC button until the arrow on the LCD panel points at the ISO icon, then moving the Main Dial left or right to lower or raise the ISO numbers on the panel. Eye Controlled Focus lets you choose where the camera will focus merely by looking at the desired focus point in the viewfinder. A full array of exposure modes, including Canon's exclusive Depth-of-Field AE mode, can be engaged by rotating the Command Dial to the desired setting. The dial is divided into two sections by the OFF position. On the rear half of the dial are the Basic Zone modes: full auto, and the five Programmed Image Control (PIC) modes—portrait, landscape, close-up, sports and night-scene. On the front half of the dial are the Creative Zone modes: shiftable program AE, shutter- and aperture-priority AE, metered manual and Depth-of-Field (plus Custom Function Set—more on Custom Functions later). For less-ambitious users, the Basic Zone modes are terrific. Just rotate the Command Dial to the desired icon, and the camera is all set for shooting portraits, landscapes, close-ups, action or night scenes. If you want to shoot action, for example, rotate the Command Dial to the runner icon, and you're in Sports Mode: The camera will automatically set the proper exposure, favoring faster shutter speeds to freeze the action. Sports mode also disables the flash and sets the camera to AI Servo (continuous) AF and continuous film advance—all you have to do is point, and shoot. Portrait mode favors large apertures to make the subject stand out from the background, sets the AF mode to One Shot and the drive mode to continuous (so you won't miss those fleeting expressions), and the flash will automatically pop up and fire if needed. Landscape mode favors small apertures for increased depth of field, sets the focus mode to One Shot and the advance mode to single-frame, and disables the flash. Close-up mode is similar to Portrait mode, but uses One Shot AF. Night Scene mode employs slower shutter speeds to better record night scenes behind flash-lit nearby subjects (for night scenes without flash, use Landscape mode). The most automatic of the Creative Zone modes is shiftable program AE: The camera sets both the shutter speed and the aperture for proper exposure, but you can shift to a preferred shutter speed or aperture by rotating the Main Dial, and the camera will automatically keep the exposure correct by adjusting the other control. In shutter-priority AE, you set the shutter speed you want to use, and the camera sets the corresponding aperture for proper exposure. In aperture-priority AE, you set the aperture you want to use, and the camera sets the corresponding shutter speed for correct exposure. Shutter- and aperture-priority modes give you the speed and convenience of automation, with control over the most important item (shutter speed or aperture).