Archive 2019 · New Sony user - setting to know

bobby350z
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · New Sony user - setting to know

Got my A7rIV and 85mm f1.8. I am mainly a portrait shooter. I have setup AF-C mode and Focus Area to be Tracking - Flexible Spot M. I will test it out today. Any other important settings to know? Reading the manual last night and it seemed worse than Canon and Fuji manuals. Any must have things on the various custom buttons? I was trying to dig where that option is where EVF gain can be enabled/disabled, for situations when I am shooting in the studio. On my Fuji, I had it set to a custom button, along with things like RGB histogram, face detect on/off (don't need that with Sony).

Dec 07, 2019 at 11:14 AM

Itsed65
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · New Sony user - setting to know

Just look up Mark Galer on youtube. He is a Sony Imaging Ambassador and has some great videos on setting up Sony cameras as well as free E-books on the subject.

Dec 07, 2019 at 01:15 PM

robert614
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · New Sony user - setting to know

Congrats on the new camera!

I don’t know if you shoot in a studio or out in the field, but there are a few important settings when using off camera flash.

The first is “Live View Display” (Purple Tab @, page 8/11). I think this is what you mean by EVF gain.

It shows whether your exposure settings will be reflected in the EVF, or if it’s a fixed brightness, regardless of exposure settings. Essential for studio use.

The second is probably “Wireless Flash”. (Red Tab 1, page 11/15) That needs to be turned on for your wireless trigger to work.

You can assign these to a custom button. (Purple Tab 2, page 9/11). You can also customize your Fn menu. “Function Menu Set” (Purple Tab 2, page 9/11) Or you can use one of the memory slots on the PASM dial. I have my “Memory 1” set up for a studio environment.

Anyways, the camera is highly customizable. You can set it up to suit your needs.

As Itsed65 suggested, Mark Gaier is a good resource. Also, in addition to the manual, there is a help Guide. That’s actually a little more detailed than the Manual.

https://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1930/v1/en/print.pdf

If you’re still stuck. You can always ask specific questions on this forum.

Dec 07, 2019 at 03:19 PM

bobby350z
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · New Sony user - setting to know

Thanks. I found him searching on youtube and got his free eBook. Good things to know. For example, didn't know that 85mm f1.4 GM can't focus wide open when in AF-C mode. So how do folks use eye-AF when shooting models in the studio (my typical shooting scenario).

I did find the LV Settings which enables/disables EVF gain when shooting in the studio. Added it to the My Menu.

Dec 07, 2019 at 05:14 PM

bobby350z
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · New Sony user - setting to know

Thanks Robert. Much appreciated. I mostly shoot with strobes whether in the studio or outside. I will set those 1,2,3 options based on studio or outdoors.

Dec 07, 2019 at 05:16 PM

thaddak
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · New Sony user - setting to know

Hi,

As others have pointed out, Mark Galer's YouTube channel is very informative. I recommend the specific videos below, as these are not commonly found on other systems so may be overlooked.

Sony Register and Recall Custom Shoot Settings

Sony DMF or Direct Manual Focus techniques

Sony Alpha AF Area Registration

A caveat to the above, I find it works better if your "default" is flexible spot and your registered area is wide. If your default is wide and you register flexible spot, it sometimes doesn't switch back to wide after you move the spot.

Sony Quick and Easy technique to find the Hyperfocal Distance

Face Eye Priority in AF

Some users are still unclear about how Realtime Eye-AF works over the traditional Eye-AF mapped to button.

Enjoy your new camera.

Dec 07, 2019 at 07:35 PM

bobby350z
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · New Sony user - setting to know

Thanks.

Couple of things:

1. There is no RGB histrogram in LV mode?
2. What I can display on the LCD is not as configurable as my Fuji GFX.
3. I was hoping the EVF will be wow, so far, hard to see any differences compared to old 3.5million one on the Fuji

Loving the AF options in how well it tracks.

Dec 07, 2019 at 09:32 PM


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