Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | Sony Forum | Join Upload & Sell

Archive 2019 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Maximpactphotos
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

I’m a new user in the Sony world and made the move over from Canon. I shoot mostly sports and I’m having an issue with subjects moving towards me.

The AF will lock on easily and will track the subject. However, the only in focus image is the first image in the series. It doesn’t adjust focus for the subject moving toward the camera.

I’m using a sigma MC-11 adapter with a sigma 120-300 but the problem persists on every lens I try, so I’m thinking it’s a set up problem.

I’m in AF-C, and have tried every lock on mode available with the same results.

Any suggestions?

Dec 05, 2019 at 01:01 PM

bipock
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

I ran into this and chose to stick with Canon for sports. I found anything moving quickly with an adapted lens on the A7III wasn’t going to be in focus. Different story with a native lens. My understanding, though I have not tested it, is that the A9 is much better with adapted lenses and movement.

Dec 05, 2019 at 02:38 PM

formula4speed
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Are any of your lenses native or all adapted?

I don't seem to have any issues with my A7III with native lenses, not sure I would even bother trying to track anything with adapted lenses.

Dec 05, 2019 at 02:59 PM

KGKG
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

I don't have any experience with the MC-11 or adapted AF lenses but AF in AF-C can be an issue even with Sony native lenses.

What Continuous Shooting mode are you using? From Sony documentation:

"When the F-value is greater than F11 in [Continuous Shooting: Hi+],
[Continuous Shooting: Hi] or [Continuous Shooting: Mid] mode, the focus is
locked to the setting in the first shot."

To be honest, I rarely shoot at high F numbers and I've only really noticed a problem focus tracking subjects coming towards me in Continuous Shooting: Hi+ (at any F-stop). I've had good results shooting Continuous Shooting: Hi and Mid at F8 and below.

Maybe try AF-C and Continuous Shooting: Low to see if it works with your adapted lenses. If you get more hits, try Continuous Shooting: Mid and then Hi.

FWIW

Dec 05, 2019 at 03:09 PM

KGKG
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Upon further thinking on your problem, assuming you're shooting in a Continuous Mode, what do you have "Priority Set in AF-C" set to (Menu > Camera Settings 1 (Red camera icon) > Page 5).

If it's not already, try setting it to AF.

From Sony documentation:

"Sets whether to release the shutter even if the subject is not in focus when the continuous AF is activated and the subject is in motion.

Menu item details

AF: Prioritizes focusing. The shutter will not be released until the subject is in focus.

Release: Prioritizes the shutter's release. The shutter will be released even if the subject is out of focus.

Balanced Emphasis: Shoots with a balanced emphasis on both focusing and shutter release."

Dec 05, 2019 at 03:44 PM

Tirpitz666
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

There are limitations in using adapted lenses, as far as I recall, Sigma SGV lenses will work with the MC-11 in AF-C with continuous AF up to 8fps on the A7iii, while adapted Canon lenses only to 3fps.

In my own experience, none of the adapted telezoom was fast enough to ensure consistent results doing sports, especially with subjects coming fast towards the camera, or for BIFs. Native lenses are simply on another planet in that regard.

Dec 05, 2019 at 04:08 PM

osv2
Offline
• • • •
[X]

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Maximpactphotos wrote:
The AF will lock on easily and will track the subject. However, the only in focus image is the first image in the series. It doesn’t adjust focus for the subject moving toward the camera.

as someone already posted, that happens when you have the aperture closed down too far.

Maximpactphotos wrote:
I’m using a sigma MC-11 adapter with a sigma 120-300 but the problem persists on every lens I try, so I’m thinking it’s a set up problem.

exactly what lenses? with what aperture settings?

Dec 05, 2019 at 05:23 PM

osv2
Offline
• • • •
[X]

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Tirpitz666 wrote:
There are limitations in using adapted lenses, as far as I recall, Sigma SGV lenses will work with the MC-11 in AF-C with continuous AF up to 8fps on the A7iii, while adapted Canon lenses only to 3fps.

yes, only the latest sigma lenses are fully compatible.

Tirpitz666 wrote:
In my own experience, none of the adapted telezoom was fast enough to ensure consistent results doing sports, especially with subjects coming fast towards the camera, or for BIFs. Native lenses are simply on another planet in that regard.

i've used the tamron 150-600 g1/lea3 and the sigma 60-600/mc-11 on the a9, they both rocked for sports shooting... the latter in particular performs better on the a9 than it does on a dslr; af-c up to 15fps, and real-time tracking with eyeaf capability.

Dec 05, 2019 at 05:28 PM

Maximpactphotos
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Thanks for all the great posts.

I’m using sigma lenses with canon EF mounts.

35mm 1.4
70-200 2.8
120-300 2.8

All shot wide open, so it’s likely not the greater than f8 issue. Unless I’m reading that wrong and I have to shoot at f8 or higher to see the results I want.

I’ll spend some time toying around with different frame rates. Initial test seems to show that it tracks just fine in Lo and so far acceptably in Mid. Hi and Hi+ are simply unusable past the second frame.

All my firmware is up to date on the lenses, camera and adapter, I’m left to believe it’s just a limitation with the AF and non-native glass.

I went with the A7iii understanding that it should perform very similarly to the A9 in terms of AF. Guess I’ll need to invest in the higher dollar system to see the real benefits of the superior AF while using the glass I’ve invested in.

Just can’t bring myself to sell off all this glass. Lol.

I’ll keep testing and post results when able. Thanks all.

Dec 05, 2019 at 05:31 PM

osv2
Offline
• • • •
[X]

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

the question is, how compatible is the lens with the mc-11... fully compatible lenses look like native glass to the camera, so you get the full 10fps af-c.

when a7 series cameras see non-native glass, they automatically cripple the af-c framerate, to 3fps or less... that also applies to the laea3... a9 limits the laea3 to 10fps, which would also apply to canon glass on the mc-11, since the camera does not see it as a native lens.

"Sigma 150-600 Contemporary/MC-11 on a7III
79 Shot burst at HI+ 10fps
Every shot in focus. I stopped when the buffer was full. The tiny dancing squares remained on target throughout. It works on birds in flight too, replacing my a6300."
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4279494

Dec 05, 2019 at 06:45 PM

Maximpactphotos
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

OSV2.

By that description then. My 120-300 sport should be seen as native considering it is fully compatible with the MC-11? I think that’s what you’re saying.

I’ll have to do more tests with the 120-300. The tests I ran at 3fps were with the 70-200

If it is 100 percent then I’ll consider the case closed as it was the primary lens I was planning on using the a7iii for anyway.

Dec 05, 2019 at 06:57 PM

Tirpitz666
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

I've tested a long way the Sigma 150-600 with the A7III and those were my observations:

- for perched birds of course perfect
- for slow-regularly moving subjects like the pics of the biker it works pretty good
- for BIFs of very fast moving subjects, especially if they are approaching the camera, not so much, you can have some success, but be prepared to a lot of frustration, missed shots and a lot of swearing

As osv was mentioning, it works much better on the A9, but at least on my A7III, having switched to the 100-400GM, the difference is really night and day and if you plan to stick to the Sony system, my advice would be to sell the 120-300 for a native solution (unless you really need that 2.8 aperture at 300mm).

Dec 05, 2019 at 07:30 PM

osv2
Offline
• • • •
[X]

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Maximpactphotos wrote:
OSV2.

By that description then. My 120-300 sport should be seen as native considering it is fully compatible with the MC-11? I think that’s what you’re saying.

yes, it's on the mc-11 supported lens list, even going back to 2016, when the mc-11 was first released: https://briansmith.com/sigma-mc-11-smart-adapter/

don't worry about the column in that list for afc/afa, we know for a fact that af-c works.

one possible way to tell is to look for the menu item that allows you to choose between pdaf and cdaf... i think that it's only activated with non-native lenses: https://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1720/v1/en/contents/TP0001662005.html?

so you shouldn't be able to choose between those focus modes, with the mc-11/120-300.

Dec 05, 2019 at 08:13 PM

Maximpactphotos
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Correct I cannot choose phase detection with my 120-300. Which I thought was strange since I could get phase detection AF with a canon 100mm 2.8, the 70-200, and the 35 1.4.

Very interesting indeed.

To answer tirpitz, I do indeed need that 2.8 300... I shoot almost exclusively sports and much of it is highschool... the 300mm matters quite a bit.

I’ll go do some tests tomorrow with the 120-300. If it works I’m satisfied. I may sell the 70-200 and grab a Sony lens though. I’m sure the difference will definitely be eye opening.

Dec 05, 2019 at 08:25 PM

Maximpactphotos
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

Ran a quick test with the 120-300.

Lighting was terrible, but, it definitely performed better than the other lenses at Hi and Hi+

I will do another one tomorrow in better light and with better subjects.

Dec 05, 2019 at 09:20 PM

Maximpactphotos
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Sony A7iii focus on subjects moving toward camera

So after a weekend of shooting with the 120-300 and the a7iii it performed pretty dang well.

I’m certain a native lens would hold focus better but I did get some tremendous results, especially if I stayed in the mid to high frame rate. Hi+ struggled a bit, but performed fairly well.

I did notice during indoor sports shooting that there was a lot more noise than I expected. Don’t really know what to make of that. I had lower noise with my canon 7Dii at the same ISO.

Thanks everyone for the help figuring it out. Definitely a must to use lenses that are built to function on the MC-11 adapter. Wish I had the bankroll to get some Sony glass, but that day will come I guess.

Dec 08, 2019 at 01:21 AM


FM Forums \| Sony Forum \| Join Upload & Sell

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.