I’ve done a bit more playing around this morning. I programmed a button on the A7R VI for Preset Focus instead of using the Function Ring and still get exactly the same error.
I also tried the new 100-400 on my original A1 running Ver. 4.00 and get the same error there. But put the lens back on the A1 II and Preset Focus works perfectly.
I even tried my 70-200 F2.8 GM II on the A7R VI and get the same error, so it doesn’t look like there’s anything wrong with the new 100-400 or the Function Ring.
Looks like the A1 II supports Preset Focus with manual zoom lenses, but the original A1 and A7R VI currently don’t.
I’ve sent Sony Australia a message to see if they can confirm this and whether it might be added to the A7R VI in a firmware update.
snapsy wrote:
It's unfortunate how most camera makers disable flash triggering with their electronic shutters. There's no technical reason for this. And the restriction isn't even consistent - for example, Sony disallows flash w/ES for regular exposures but allows it for multi-shot pixel shift exposures.
Camera makers likely limit flash because they don't think it's useful to have flash photography with slow x-sync speeds. But in fact there are many scenarios where flash with slow x-sync is fine, particularly when the flash is the primary (or entire) source of illumination of the subject.
I suppose Sony could do 1/30-40th in ES with updated FW and perhaps a little faster with EFCS.
I only use flash for fill outdoors and slow shutters can be brutally weak not to mention the subjective movement at slow speeds. In the studio I'd use MS anyway. Of course there are some use cases for dragging the shutter like landscapes/cityscapes at dawn/dusk.
EB-1 wrote:
I suppose Sony could do 1/30-40th in ES with updated FW and perhaps a little faster with EFCS.
I only use flash for fill outdoors and slow shutters can be brutally weak not to mention the subjective movement at slow speeds. In the studio I'd use MS anyway. Of course there are some use cases for dragging the shutter like landscapes/cityscapes at dawn/dusk.
EBH
Yep. Btw, both EFCS and fully-mechanical have full flash support on existing mirrorless bodies / firmware.
geoffhui01 wrote:
I’ve done a bit more playing around this morning. I programmed a button on the A7R VI for Preset Focus instead of using the Function Ring and still get exactly the same error.
I also tried the new 100-400 on my original A1 running Ver. 4.00 and get the same error there. But put the lens back on the A1 II and Preset Focus works perfectly.
I even tried my 70-200 F2.8 GM II on the A7R VI and get the same error, so it doesn’t look like there’s anything wrong with the new 100-400 or the Function Ring.
Looks like the A1 II supports Preset Focus with manual zoom lenses, but the original A1 and A7R VI currently don’t.
I’ve sent Sony Australia a message to see if they can confirm this and whether it might be added to the A7R VI in a firmware update.
Thanks again for helping me narrow it down 👍...Show more →
I customized the button on lens to focus preset. For shits and giggles, I tried all (I think) of my Sony brand lenses on both the A1II and the A7RVI:
16-35 f4 PZ
20-70 f4
24-70 f2.8 GM II
70-200 f4 G II
100-400 f4.5-5.6
100-400 f4.5
200-600
400-800
300 GM
The focus preset button on all lenses worked with the A1II, only the 16-35 f4 PZ and the 300 GM worked with the A7RVI.
Thanks Douglas, that pretty much confirms it. I dug a bit deeper into the Sony A7R VI manual and it actually says Preset Focus won’t work with zoom lenses that don’t have power zoom.
The A1 II manual is different and specifically says it can register and recall the focus position with manual zoom lenses.
So your testing lines up perfectly. Looks like Sony just hasn’t enabled this on the A7R VI. Hopefully it’s something they can add with a firmware update.
Thanks again for testing all those lenses, really appreciate it.
geoffhui01 wrote:
I dug a bit deeper into the Sony A7R VI manual and it actually says Preset Focus won’t work with zoom lenses that don’t have power zoom.
.
That explains it. That's why only focus preset button on the 16-35 f4 G PZ lens works with the A7RVI. It's a power zoom.
Douglas L wrote:
I just tired it, the custom button on the ring of the 100-400 f4.5 doesn't work with the A7RVI, but works with the A1II. I didn't use the ring, I used the button.
Pre-focus not working with zoom lens on A7R6 is a serious handicap for this camera but according to Sony it is a bug.... just like the EVF stutter wit pre-capture ON.... Sony was supposed to work on a fix, that was 2 months ago.
Edit: No idea what happen but it started randomly working lol. Will keep an eye on it.
Flash users, anyone get their live view display to automatically enable/disable when your flash controller is turned on/off? It worked on my RV and A1, but when I turn on my westcott fj-x3 controller, live view doesn't automatically turn off. I added it to fn button to work around for now.
speedmaster20d wrote:
Pre-focus not working with zoom lens on A7R6 is a serious handicap for this camera but according to Sony it is a bug.... just like the EVF stutter wit pre-capture ON.... Sony was supposed to work on a fix, that was 2 months ago.
Status quo stuff for Sony software these days unfortunately.
RoamingScott wrote:
Status quo stuff for Sony software these days unfortunately.
Comes with the territory - new platform and all and really pushing the boundaries of what's possible again.
Pretty minor compared to the debacle of 5 major releases for the Z9 to fix critical things like autofocus and add missing features. And in 2026 we're still stuck with only 20fps and no RAW pre-capture - although I think that's probably a licensing issue related to use of 3rd party sensors - like the 15fps limit on 3rd party E-mount lenses in AF-C.
It would be helpful if camera makers started listing these small, ankle-biter UI differences between generations of cameras, either in the product manual or in a tabular chart on their sites.
snapsy wrote:
It would be helpful if camera makers started listing these small, ankle-biter UI differences between generations of cameras, either in the product manual or in a tabular chart on their sites.
I agree. In Sony's case however, one of the reasons I abandoned them early in mirrorless was the clugey, almost unintelligible UI, coupled with the horribly cramped ergos. In both, they've come a long way and I am now back in their camp -- I can handle even the smaller A7Cii with my largish hands, and can manage my way through the UI without having to use Google for most things; and for the menu items I need to Google, they at least make a bit more sense after I've learned how to use them. To my mind as such, almost anything Sony does now in the UI menu becomes an upgrade. The current biggest flaw in the A7R6 menu for me is the headstand you have to go through to save a custom setting group in the "*" menu -- this could easily be more direct and intuitive.
Any idea if the A7RVI shutter can be triggered with the Genie Mini II? The instructions say it can trigger some shutters via USB-c to usb-c but no idea if the protocol for the new cam is really compatible. Apparently it is much more complicated triggering than the multiport protocol. Syrp is out of business and no tech support from Manfrotto exists. I am not optimistic.
Wanted to share some findings and see if anyone else has experienced this.
I'm getting inaccurate live view / exposure previews at high shutter speeds. Here is a quick video showing it in action and showing how you can see it in the live view once you start shooting. It behaves the same in ES or Mech, and above 1/5000 it is obvious. Once I start adding ISO it quickly goes away, but is still visible at iso 160. Aperture doesn't affect it. Lens doesn't matter. Metering doesn't affect it.
Separately, but probably related somehow, electronic shutter is giving me darker exposures than mech shutter, tho that appears to be also at high shutter speeds. I have to do more testing, but here are two photo examples, taken seconds apart. First is mech shutter, second is ES. I took about 50 photos to make sure I wasn't going crazy and to rule out that the light could be changing on me.
Otherwise, here are a few snaps I took messing around earlier to get a feel for the colors and general handling. Really liking the colors out of camera. They don't need a lot of editing at all, at least with the LR color profile. Have not tried it with people yet, but have a portrait session on Sunday I'll be using it for.
MECH shutter, 1/8000 iso 160.
ILCE-7RM6FE 85mm F1.8 lens85mmf/1.81/5000s160 ISO0.0 EV
Electronic Shutter, 1/8000 iso 160
ILCE-7RM6FE 85mm F1.8 lens85mmf/1.81/5000s160 ISO0.0 EV
LR RAW exported jpeg
ILCE-7RM6FE 85mm F1.8 lens85mmf/5.61/200s250 ISO0.0 EV
LR RAW exported jpeg
ILCE-7RM6FE 85mm F1.8 lens85mmf/1.81/1000s100 ISO0.0 EV
Edited
ILCE-7RM6FE 85mm F1.8 lens85mmf/1.81/1000s100 ISO0.0 EV
LR RAW exported jpeg
Edited
Edited crop.
ILCE-7RM6FE 85mm F1.8 lens85mmf/8.01/400s100 ISO0.0 EV
) of my Sony brand lenses on both the A1II and the A7RVI:
