A7III-Custom-Settings 05-2020 PDF [PDF]

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& The Ultimate Guide Firmware 3.10

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eBook Mark Galer

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Contents Meet the Author Why customise your camera? Learning Support Did I make the right choice? • • • • • • • • • • •

Key Features Full Frame Advantage Sensor Design Sensor Stabilization Card Slot & Battery DMF Multi-Selector Eye-AF in Continuous Autofocus (AF-C) 4K Movies Captured using the Full Frame Large Buffer for Shooting Action Fast Reliable Autofocus in Continuous AF

Mirrorless Advantages

Camera Controls Fn Menu Finder & Monitor Touch Operation SteadyShot Multi-interface shoe Control Wheel & Custom Buttons ISO High ISO Drive Mode Memories Portraiture Action Landscape Street Astro

Focus Mode & Focus Area Image Review Network Settings Making Movies Interval Shooting Other Notable Features Masterclass Movies eBooks Useful Sony Accessories What’s in Mark’s Bag Lens Recommendations Mark’s Custom Settings Firmware Updates Supporting Website Movie Link Index Index

MARK GALER is a photographer, educator and published author (30 books for Focal Press). He has a commercial background in editorial photography and was also a Digital Imaging Ambassador for Adobe for a period of 14 years. He was a Program Director and Senior Lecturer in Photography at RMIT University in Melbourne and has circumnavigated the globe on a motorcycle. Mark is using his wealth of experience as both a photographer and educator to support the Sony Alpha Community and was appointed a Sony Digital imaging Ambassador in 2012. Mark owned the original Alpha 100 and currently owns an extensive range of Sony mirrorless cameras.

Mark Galer 4-Minute Profile Movie

Sony Digital Imaging Ambassador

Why customise your A7III or A7RIII camera? The Sony A7III and A7RIII are technically advanced cameras that are highly customisable to meet the demanding needs of a broad range of creative photographers. This guide has been designed to provide you with ideas and suggestions to help you customise your own camera to help maximise your creative potential. After extensive shooting with the Sony A7 and A9 cameras I have now settled on the custom settings that enable me to work quickly and intuitively in all shooting situations. Note > The settings outlined in this guide are suggestions only and are not intended as definitive settings that will suit all photographers. Back to Contents Page

Learning Support This eBook would be more than a 1,000 pages long if I mapped out all of the camera setups and technicalities of working with these Mirrorless marvels. For this reason I have built in numerous links to allow you to navigate to my Alpha Creative Skills YouTube channel and/or website to learn more on a particular topic I have raised in this eBook. All this support is provided for FREE.

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If you would like to become a Patron you can join my monthly seminars and ask questions in the member only forums. In this way I can become your personal Sony Alpha Consultant for just a few dollars per month.

Patreon Back to Contents Page

Note > This movie is targeted to you if you previously owned a Canon camera. It is a way of bringing you up to speed with your new Alpha camera to help in the migration process.

Play Now www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

A7RIII & A7III Playlist Note > This book is supported by a comprehensive Playlist of movies specifically created for the A7III and A7RIII cameras.

Play Now

www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

YouTube Paid Membership

Did I make the right choice?

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Key Features I consider these 10 features to be the ones that have made the A7III and A7RIII cameras so successful for Sony. Competing cameras are often lucky to have half of these features.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Backlit Illuminated Full-Frame Sensor Stabilized Sensor Dual Card Slot Extended Battery Life Direct Manual Focus (DMF) Multi-selector/Joystick Eye AF in Continuous AF (AF-C) 4K Movies captured using the Full Frame Large Buffer for Shooting Sports

10. Fast reliable AF in Continuous AF

10/10 The A7III and A7RIII cameras have a number of features that are both incredibly useful, but also serve to set them apart from competing cameras. The following pages will outline some of these key features. Back to Contents Page

A7A is the most popular independent reviewer and voted the A7RIII as the product of the year in 2017 and the A7III as the product of the year in 2018.

dpreview.com awarded the A7III its top prize for 2018

Full-Frame Advantage Sony’s Full-Frame Mirrorless cameras were launched in 2013 and big jumps in performance have been achieved with each subsequent model. The body has been redesigned for each subsequent model release - first to accomodate Sensor Stabilization and then again to accomodate the larger Z-series battery and dual card slots.

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The main advantages in performance have been to the Autofocus and 4K movie capability. In the following slides, however, we will look at the performance advantages that photographers enjoy for having chosen a camera with a Full-Frame sensor rather than an APS-C or Micro Four-Thirds sensor (often referred to as crop sensors).

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Full Frame

Versus

Crop Sensor

www.camerasize.com The Full Frame Sony A7III and A7RIII cameras are no bigger than many Micro Four-Thirds cameras, but the differences in sensor size is significant and this directly leads to superior Image Quality (IQ) of these cameras in terms of dynamic range and high ISO performance.

Full Frame Figure/Ground Separation

FE 85 F/1.4 GM

The size of the sensor in a Full Frame camera (when compared to crop sensor formats) enables the photographer to separate the subject from the background more easily using differential focussing or ‘shallow depth-of-field’.

Beautiful Bokeh

FE 100 F/2.8 STF GM

FE 85 F/1.4 GM

FE 85 F/1.8 A great lens that is recommended for photographers on a tight budget

Sensor Design Sony uses back-illuminated sensors (BIS) in the A7III and A7RIII cameras. This modern sensor design has added significant improvements to both Image Quality and speed of data traffic to the CPU or Bionz X processor.

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Full Frame BIS

Light receiving surface

Conventional structure

Back-illuminated structure

Gapless OCL

Gapless OCL

Aluminum wiring layer

Photodiode substrate Copper wiring layer

Photodiode substrate

The advanced sensor design in the A7III and A7RIII cameras leads to significant advantages in terms of image quality when compared to cameras using conventional sensors. Back to Contents Page

Full Frame BIS Dynamic Range

A broad dynamic range enables the camera to record rich detail in bright highlights and dark shadows without having to bracket exposures.

Full Frame BIS Dynamic Range

The quality of the recorded shadows can be made lighter in camera (when shooting JPEGs) by using a feature called DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) or in Post Production by raising the Shadows slider when shooting in the Raw file format.

ISO 5,000 High ISO Performance

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25mm @ f/11:1/5 second

Sensor Stabilization

Sony’s IBIS or ‘SteadyShot Inside’ allows the photographer (with care) to shoot hand-held using very slow shutter speeds. See the SteadyShot chapter

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1/5 second @ f/11 (16mm) You can select these slower apertures in Manual Exposure Mode or Aperture Priority and set the ISO Auto Min SS setting to ‘Slower’.

FE 16-35 F/2.8 GM 1/5 second at f/11

Card Slot & Battery The two cards may look the same, but it is worth noting that Slot 1 is the lower of the two slots and is also the fastest (by a long shot). You can set up how you would like to manage the images and movies being saved to these two slots by going to ‘Rec. Media Settings’ in ‘Setup6’ (the Toolbox icon in the Menus). If you choose ‘Simult.’ (simultaneous) instead of ‘Standard’ you will effectively be working to the limitations of the slower slot. As I often shoot Sports I have mine set to ‘Slot 1 > Standard > Auto Switch Media On’. A wedding photographer who needs insurance against a card failure will choose Simult.

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Z-series battery NPFZ100 Batteries can be charged in the camera but Sony’s BC-QZ1 battery charger means that you can charge two batteries at the same time (one in the camera and the second in the charger).

Dual SD Card Slots Lower Slot is UHS-II (SDXC-II)* *recommended if you shoot action sports

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DMF Focus Mode

DMF

Manual Focus Override + Magnified Live View

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DMF Focus Assist + DMF Recall Custom hold 1

Note > Consdider trying Animal Eye AF before resorting to DMF

Override Focus to Here

If Camera Focuses Here

If Eye-AF isn’t being your friend, DMF is your next best friend when you are working at close range with a wide aperture prime lens.

Play Now

www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

Alternatively use AF-S or AF-C and move a Flexible Spot AF area to the desired focus point using the Multi-selector.

The Multi-Selector has a number of functions other than moving the Focus Point - discover what they are in this movie

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www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

Eye-AF Eye-AF in Continuous AF for when your subject won’t stay still

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Eye-AF Evolved Eye-AF in AF-C. Accessed via a Firmware Upgrade in April 2019. A custom button will no longer have to be held down to activate Eye-AF in AF-C.

Animal Eye-AF

Animal Eye-AF Introduced with version 3.00 Firmware upgrade in April 2019

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Full Frame 4K Movie Capture

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This is a still image taken from a full-frame 4K movie at high ISO. If you intend to take stills from movies you may want to use a faster frame rate such as 50 or 60fps and increase the shutter speed to 1/100 second.

Full Frame 4K Movie Capture Back to Contents Page

Full Frame 4K Movie Capture This is a still image taken from a full-frame movie (not Super 35). The shallow depth of field achieved from using a wide aperture may require the use of an ND filter when the ambient light is bright and the shutter speed is slow (1/100 sec or less).

Large Buffer for Raw Images

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The camera ‘buffer’ stores recently captured images before writing them to the memory card. A large buffer enables the camera to shoot at high frame rates for extended periods of time. The cowboy is dismounting from the horse after he has successfully stayed on for 8 seconds. The camera was able to carry on taking photos at 8 frames per second for an additional 3 seconds to capture this image.

Fast & Reliable Continuous AF Sony currently makes the most reliable Continuous AF tracking of any Mirrorless camera

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Mirrorless Advantages Mirrorless cameras have significant operating differences when compared to DSLR cameras. Understanding these differences will help you avoid some pitfalls that are commonly encountered by photographers who do not adjust their workflows after leaving their DSLRs.

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Shutter

Live View Display Sensor

The Sensor provides a live view to the Finder & Monitor. A mechanical shutter is only used to time the duration of the exposure, except when ‘silent shooting’ is enabled. A DSLR uses a mirror to provide an optical view to the Finder. This view, however, may be significantly different to the one the sensor sees.

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EVF ‘Live View’ Advantages

Live View provides a WYSIWYG view* *Live depth-of-field and exposure preview Back to Contents Page

In the vast majority of instances a live view from the sensor is an advantage over using the optical viewfinder of a DSLR - there is, however, a couple of reasons we don’t want to preview the scene through a small aperture we have selected, e.g., f/11 or f/16.

Live View: Depth of Field

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Focus Here

Magnify View

Check Focus Here

This movie demonstrates how to find the hyperlocal distance without using a calculator when on location.

YouTube Paid Membership

Many photographers put their camera on a tripod without any reason to. In this movie I outline the perfect settings for people who have a love/hate relationship with tripods :-)

Play Now www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

Live View: Exposure

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If you are ready to come out of AUTO the, P, A, S and M settings on the Shoot Mode Dial will enable you to gain a greater degree of control over your creative photography

PASM P: Program

A: Aperture Priority

S: Shutter Priority

M: Manual with Auto ISO

Exposure Compensation

This allows you to ‘fine tune’ the Auto Exposure Back to Contents Page

The

GOAL of…

The goal of adjusting the exposure, before you take an image, is to put the brightest highlights and darkest shadows between the goal posts of absolute black and absolute white (clipping). If you don’t, you will lose detail in the highlights or shadows.

Absolute White

Absolute Black

Exposure Compensation

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Live Exposure Press the Display button until you see the Histogram on the monitor or in the Finder.

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Exposure Review When reviewing your images you can press the Display button a number of times until you see the histogram view.

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Light meters want to make things look ‘Average’, even when they are not

Overexposed

Exposure Compensated

Exposure compensation is required to render a black swan black

Scene with Dominant Dark Tones

Over exposure

WYSIWYG

Exposure Compensation

WYSIWYG whatyouseeiswhatyouget Exposure Compensation

…if it doesn’t look right in the Finder then, odds on, it isn’t right

Scene with Dominant Dark Tones

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Scene with Dominant Light Tones

Shadows Lightened Further in Post Back to Contents Page

Expose for the Highlights

Process for the Shadows

Live Histogram

The Live Histogram in the Finder and on the Monitor will alert you to overexposed tones

No Recovery

These overexposed tones may not be able to be recovered in Post Production editing. These tones are referred to as being ‘Clipped’.

Zebra Live Histogram

The Zebra feature can act as a warning for overexposure of the highlights

JPEG

100+

Set to 100+ if you only want to see the overexposed tones when capturing JPEGs. Adjust the Exposure Compensation dial to remove the Zebras to restore detail to these highlights

Create a Custom Zebra setting when shooting in the Raw file format. Set to ‘Lower Limit’ and adjust the level to 109+

RAW Lower Limit 109+

Adjust the Std+Range setting to Lowe Limit and then set the Level to 109+

For Raw

The optimum exposure when shooting in the Raw file format is to Expose to the Right (ETTR).Adjust the exposure compensation dial until the highlights are bright, but not overexposed.

Exposing to the Right will provide the maximum image quality to the shadows in the file. You can then fine-tune the exposure in your Raw editing software.

The Zebra feature can be useful when setting the optimum Manual exposure for capturing birds in flight. This is especially useful when the background is constantly changing and constant exposure compensation is not an option.

Manual Exposure: f/6.3 at 1/2000 Second, ISO 320

Establish a manual exposure where the brightest white clouds in the sky are bright but not overexposed. When the Zebras appear lower the ISO setting until the highlight tones are protected.

Increase ISO until Zebras Show & then Back Off

Expose for the Highlights

Process for the Shadows

Watch the Video Tutorial

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Live View Display You may need to switch this to OFF when working with off-camera non-Sony flash in a darkened studio or when the ambient light is very low. Learn More here: https://youtu.be/tPKjkbk09us

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Live View Display ON

Ambient Exposure -2.0 Flash Exposure +1.0 Flash Compensation required because of light toned subject

Sony HVL-F45RM Wireless Radio Flash

Sony FA-WRC1M Wireless Radio Commander

Note > This movie was made using an A7RII but the principles are the same for all Sony Alpha E-Mount cameras. Live View Display is currently found on page 7 of the Camera Settings2 tab

Play Now www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills

Note > There are a handful of lenses in Sony’s E-Mount lens lineup where the camera does not momentarily open the aperture wider to assist focus in AF-S. Learn how to overcome this if you own one of these lenses.

Play Now www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills

Camera Controls This is an overview of the main dials and buttons - where we get to take creative control of the camera. If you have no interest in these you may as well just leave the camera in Auto - but given you have downloaded this eBook I am guessing you are a control freak and won’t be dictated to by a lump of metal, silicon and glass. If the pages all seems a bit mundane and obvious I would invite you to click on the multiselector movie - I bet there are a few things about this joystick you didn’t know about :-)

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Back to Contents Page

Note > This movie is targeted to you if you previously owned a Canon camera. It is a way of bringing you up to speed with your new Alpha camera to help in the migration process.

Play Now www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

Navigating Menus

To customise the settings of the camera press the ‘Menu’ button (1) and navigate the menus using the ‘Control Wheel’ (2) or Multi-selector (3). Press the ‘Center button’ (4) to select an option and press the Menu button to cancel or move back to the main menu.

1 3

The camera can be customised by using the first two tabs and the last tab of the Menus. These are:

2 4

Camera Settings1 Camera Settings2

Setup Back to Contents Page

Front Dial

White Balance …until you override it for something else

Rear Dial

Diopter Adjustment Dial

Multi-selector

Movie button

Move the focus point or navigate menus - press to confirm a selection

Movies can also be started using the shutter release button if the option is selected in the Main menu. If you are fussy about the quality of your movies you will need to set up the Movie settings in the Menus (see the Making Movies section).

Control wheel Scroll through menu items or move focus area

Center button Select menu items to modify or confirm commands Back to Contents Page

… because there are more things at play than meets the eye!

Play Now www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

AEL button Auto Exposure Lock - this is also a Custom button and most people I know have set it to do something else, e.g., Eye-AF or Recall Custom hold. Note that the button also serves to Zoom out in Review mode.

AF button AF-ON Button can be setup for Back-Button AF if ‘AF with Shutter’ is disabled in the Menu. Note that the button also serves to Zoom in when you are reviewing an image.

Fn Button Function button to access Fn or ‘Quick’ menu. At least half of the items in the Fn menu probably don’t need to be there, but that is OK - we can change them.

Playback button Review captured images/movies

C4 / Delete button Back to Contents Page

It is only a trash/delete button in Playback mode so don’t get paranoid about pressing it OK.

Vertical Menus Sub-menu (rear dial)

When a Fn option is selected with a press of the Multi-selector, or a Custom Key, the main menus will run vertically rather than horizontally and the submenus can still be accessed using the Rear dial.

Submenus

Sub-menu (rear dial)

After navigating to a menu using the Front dial the submenus can then be accessed using the Rear dial.

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Fn Menu The Fn or Function menu allows the user to access and modify their 12 most-used camera settings for quick control - these can be customised (reassigned) by going to Custom Operation1 in the main menus. When changing a camera setting that is in the Fn menu there is no need to lower the camera from your eye - simply press the Fn button, navigate to the menu item with the multi-selector and then use the front and rear dials to change the setting.

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Fn Key Access and modify your 12 most used camera settings for quick control - these can be customised by going to Page 8 of the Camera Settings2 tab. You will probably notice that mine looks nothing like yours! Drive Mode and ISO are usually in the Fn menu by default, but as we can also access these via the left and right buttons on the Control Wheel there is no problem with replacing them with something more useful.

Function (Fn) Menu

Custom Fn Menu

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Fn Menu This is an alternative view of the Fn menu that can be accessed by pressing the Display button, just below it, several times (before you press the Fn key). After pressing the Fn key you can navigate to anything you want to change using the Multi-selector. You don’t have to press the Center button or Multi-selector in to select the setting — you can simply start turning the front and rear dials to make changes to that setting. Back to Contents Page

Function (Fn) Menu: Stills Fn Menu

Upper1

Upper2

Upper3

Upper4

Upper5

Upper6

Upper

Silent Shooting

Live View Display

Subject Detection

Face/Eye Priority in AF

Metering Mode

Audio Signals

Lower

Lower1

Lower2

Lower3

Lower4

Lower5

Lower6

APS-C Shoot

Interval Shooting

Touch Operation

SteadyShot

Prioritize Rec. Media

Shoot Mode

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Navigate Fn Menu In the standard view of the Fn menu you can access and modify your 12 most used camera settings for quick control by navigating to the Fn item using the Multi-selector. When the item is highlighted you do NOT need to press to select.

Function (Fn) Menu

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Use the Front Dial to navigate the main options on the Fn menu you have navigated to

Fn Heads-Up Display

As viewed in EVF (Finder)

Front Dial

Front Dial This adjustment is called ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed - As I shoot in Aperture Priority most of the time I tend to adjust this setting every time I encounter a new subject.

Rear Dial

Rear Dial Note > Not all options above the line have sub-options below the line.

Rear Dial

Navigation Use the Rear Dial to navigate any sub-menu options.

ISO Auto Min SS ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed cannot be switched Off. Standard is the default position. Modified settings only take effect if you have selected ISO Auto and you are using Aperture Priority or Program modes. Back to Contents Page

Vertical Menus When a Fn option is selected with a press of the Multi-selector, or a Custom Key, the main menus will run vertically rather than horizontally and the submenus can still be accessed using the Rear dial.

Sub-menu (rear dial)

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Finder & Monitor The finder is often referred to as the EVF or Electronic ViewFinder. It is advisable to spend some time setting these up just the way you like them. Brightness may appear to be the only option at first glance (page 1 of the Setup1 menu) but the Creative Styles (Contrast, Saturation and Sharpness) can also be adjusted. The DRO setting (Dynamic Range Optimizer) also has an impact on the image presented in the Finder and on the Monitor. These modifications have zero effect on Raw images being captured.

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Electronic ViewFinder / EVF

Eye Sensor (keep clean - otherwise Monitor may be disabled) Diopter-adjustment dial

Monitor If the Monitor is tilted the view will not switch to the Finder. The monitor’s brightness can be set to ‘Sunny Weather’ when the ambient light is very bright

(Setup 1 Menu).

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Brightness The Brightness of the Monitor or EVF can be raised when the ambient light is very bright. I will typically set it to either +2 or the ‘Sunny Weather’ setting when using the monitor on sunny days. It is recommended that you lower it to Zero or a negative value when photographing in low ambient light, e.g., Dusk or Night. Back to Contents Page

Creative Style & DRO The Creative Style and DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) settings will modify the appearance of the scene in the monitor and finder, as well as modifying the JPEGs and Movies captured with the camera.

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Display Quality In the Setup2 Menu it is possible to set the Display Quality to High. Battery consumption will also be higher when ‘High’ is set.

IMPORTANT > The Anti-flicker Shoot feature, that assists in avoiding uneven exposures when working with artificial lights, will lower the quality of the view on the Monitor and in the Finder. It should be switched Off when it is not needed. Back to Contents Page

Display You can decide what

display options are

displayed by going to

the DISP Button in the

Main Menu

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Display Check or uncheck the options you want to see or not see when you press the Display button. Make sure you ‘Enter’ any changes you have made before exiting this menu.

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Display

Level

Pressing the Display button repeatedly cycles through different levels of information including the Histogram view and the Level (shown here). The Level will ensure that you architectural or landscape images are not captured crooked.

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For Viewfinder Pressing the Display button repeatedly will bring you to the ‘For Viewfinder’ view. Pressing the Fn key will then give you access to a broad range of menu settings without having to go into the Main Menu.

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Icons on the Shooting Screen A full breakdown of the icons that can appear on the shooting screen can be found by clicking on the link below:

Shooting Icons

I wish the icon above would appear in the Histogram view as it would warn me that I am still shooting in APS-C Mode! Back to Contents Page

Gamma Disp. Assist When shooting movies with the SLog or HLG Picture Profiles it is possible to view the recording without the profile being applied to the Monitor and Finder. Select Auto in the Gamma Disp. Assist menu or choose the specific Picture profile you are using.

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Live View Display One of the major advantages of using a Mirrorless camera is the Live View Display. When set to On you will see a real-time display of the exposure and depth of field that will be captured using the current camera settings. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘What You See Is What You Get’ view. In some instances, however, the Setting Effect needs to be switched to Off. In a darkened studio you will not be able to see your subject if you have set the camera up with the appropriate settings for Flash photography.

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Live View Display If you need to quickly switch Live View Display On and Off frequently it is worth assigning the option to the Fn Menu.

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Aperture Preview & Shot. Result Preview For photographers who shoot frequently using Flash it may be worth assigning two Display options to the C1 and AF-On keys. These are Aperture Preview and Shot Result preview and are extremely useful when Live View Display is switched Off. Back to Contents Page

Setting Effect When the ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture has been set up in a Studio for Flash, there may not be enough ambient light to compose or frame your subject.

Flash Settings

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Setting Effect Switching the Setting Effect to OFF will reveal a bright view on the camera Monitor and in the Finder. Exposure and Depth of Field, however, can no longer be determined using this view. You may need to capture one image and review the image to assess exposure and focus (a similar workflow to that of using a DSLR camera). Back to Contents Page

Aperture Preview By Pressing the C1 button, that has been assigned to Aperture Preview in the Custom Key settings we can view the scene at the selected aperture rather the wide open aperture. This allows us to assess the depth of field prior to taking the photo. The brightness of the scene, however, is maintained. Back to Contents Page

Shot. Result Preview Pressing the AF-On button, that has been assigned to Shot. Result Preview in the Custom Key settings, allows us to quickly see the image with the Live View Display turned back On. This allows us to determine how the ambient light will contribute to the overall lighting when flash is used as the primary light source. Back to Contents Page

RMT-P1BT Bluetooth Remote Aperture Preview Shot. Result Preview It is possible to use the C1 and AF-On buttons on Sony’s Bluetooth Remote to access the Aperture and Shot. Result previews without having to touch the camera. The AF-On can also be used as a Custom key if you want to access both preview options instead of accessing the focus.

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Bright Monitoring In extremely dark locations, and with the Live View Display switched to On, you may still not be able to see the subject your are trying to frame clearly. In these situations it is recommended to assign a Custom Key to ‘Bright Monitoring’. This feature can only be used if the camera is set to Manual Focus.

Astro Camera Settings

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Ctrl w/ Smartphone Your Smartphone or Tablet can be used to control the camera settings and capture the images without touching the camera. Unfortunately the ability to touch focus is not one of these options. The workflow to pair your smartphone with your camera is outlined on the next page. To start the process you will need to download the Imaging Edge App to your Smartphone.

Connect to your Smartphone

Imaging Edge

1

Ctrl w/ Smartphone

2 Ctrl w/ Smartphone

Ctrl w/ Smartphone

3

4

Having issues connecting your Smartphone to your Camera? Go to: Connect to your Smartphone

Tethered Shooting

In Sony’s Remote application it is possible to monitor your subject using a ‘Live view and modify any of the shooting settings. You can also modify the location that the photos are saved to on the computer. Sony’s ‘View’ and ‘Edit’ applications can help organise and edit the images captured via the Remote application. Alternatively the location you save to can be a ‘watched folder’ for the Lightroom Classic application.

Sony Imaging Edge Desktop

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Touch Operation The touch screen function on the A7III and A7RIII is used for assisting in Autofocus operations. There are several menu items that control the Touch Operation (it’s not just a case of switching it ON or OFF). The Touch operation can also be used when using the Finder (EVF) to move a spot AF focus area. It is worth spending a little time understanding these controls so that you can optimise the operation for your own workflows.

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Touch Panel/Pad The Touch Panel can be used to touch focus when using the rear monitor to compose your subject. The Touch Pad is used to assist focusing when the Finder (EVF) is being used to compose your subject. You can disable either the Pad or the Panel if you don’t want to accidentally start AF, e.g., your nose touching the screen when the Pad is active can move the Spot AF point.

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Touch Operation The Monitor can be used as a Touch Screen to select and move focus. Start by switching the Touch Operation to On in the Setup2 menu.

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Touch Pad Settings Operation Area By moving your thumb on the monitor (when using the EVF) you will be able to move the spot AF Area around the viewfinder (an alternative to using the Multi-Selector or ‘joystick’. The ‘Operation Area’ restricts the area of the monitor that can be used to start the AF selection process. Restricting the operational area can avoid accidental movements of the AF Area. Back to Contents Page

Touch Position Mode Absolute Position means that your thumb needs to be able to move across the entire Monitor area to move the AF point to every side and corner of the frame. Choosing ‘Relative Position’ means that you can make a series of shorter strokes to move the AF area to the subject you want to target, e.g., you don’t need to move your thumb to the extreme left side of the monitor to move the AF target to this side of the frame. Back to Contents Page

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SteadyShot The A7III and RIII cameras feature In Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS), or what Sony refer to as SteadyShot INSIDE. SteadyShot gives an advantage to photographers who need to handhold the camera in low ambient light conditions using shutter speeds slower than normally recommended. This helps to avoid the effects of ‘camera shake’ that can blur images captured in low light with slow shutter speeds.

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Some lenses also have Image Stabilisation. Sony’s lenses that feature this are identified with the markings ‘Optical SteadyShot’ (OSS). SteadShot can normally be left switched ‘On’ most of the time (whether it is needed or not), but in some instances you may need to either turn SteadyShot off or switch from Auto to Manual when using a non-Sony lens and then specify the Focal Length of the lens being used.

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Minimum Shutter Speeds When choosing a shutter speed in Program or Aperture Priority Mode the camera will choose a minimum shutter speed that is the Reciprocal of the focal length of the lens being used, e.g., a 50 mm lens will result in a minimum shutter speed of 1/50 second (faster if ambient light permits).

135 mm: 1/160 Second at F/1.8, ISO 1000

Optical SteadyShot (OSS) Slower shutter speeds can be used to create sharp images without ‘camera shake’ by ensuring SteadyShot is switched On.

Optical SteadyShot is available on some Sony lenses and the sensor is also stabilised (SteadyShot INSIDE or IBIS).

IBIS: In Body Image Stabilisation

5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilisation IBIS

When a lens has SteadyShot (OSS) and it is switched on the two SteadyShot mechanisms will work together as a team to reduce the risks of camera shake when slow shutter speeds are being used (slower than the reciprocal rule).

The lens looks after Yaw and Pitch while the sensor looks after X & Y and Roll.

Yaw & Pitch

X&Y

Roll

1/125 at ISO 10,000 or 1/8 Second at ISO 400 4 Stop Advantage with OSS & IBIS

113 mm: 1/8 Second at F/5.6, ISO 400

If a lens is equipped with a SteadyShot switch, the SteadyShot menu on the camera will be greyed out. Switching SteadyShot On or Off on the lens will also switch SteadyShot On or Off on the camera. The two always work together or not at all.

Greyed Out

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66 mm: 1/8 Second at F/5.0, ISO 1,000

1/400 Second at ISO 6,400 or 1/25 Second at ISO 100 4 Stop Advantage with OSS & IBIS Although SteadyShot can reduce the risks of burred images created by using slow shutter speeds, something called ‘Camera Shake’, the slow shutter speed may not be fast enough to freeze a subject that is moving. In this example, luck plays a significant factor in achieving a sharp image. If the bird was to move slightly the image would not be sharp.

Subject is Absolutely Motionless

SteadyShot for extremely low light 1/125 is a more realistic setting for wildlife that is still

800 mm: 1/125 Second at F/11, ISO 5000

1/800 Second at ISO 3,200 or 1/125 Second at ISO 500

Subject is Motionless

124 mm: 2/5 Second at F/11, ISO 100

Tripod SteadyShot does not eliminate the need to use tripods when you want to extend the shutter speed in order to smooth water

SteadyShot no longer needs to be turned off when shooting long exposures with Sony lenses (with the camera mounted on a tripod).

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35 mm: 1/13 Second at F/7.1, ISO 100

Creative use of Slow Shutter Speeds

There are no benefits provided by SteadyShot when the shutter speeds are very fast. There are even some negatives to leaving it on if you intend to pan the camera.

No benefits when camera is static & shutter speeds are fast

MODE 2

Turn to Mode 2 when panning

MODE 3

Turn to Mode 3 when camera movements are erratic

E 70-350 G OSS

Turn SteadShot Off when there is no Mode button

When you intend to pan to follow a moving subject and the lens does not have a SteadyShot switch, turn SteadyShot off on the camera.

This image was captured with a non-Sony lens without OSS. IBIS can, however, stabilise non-Sony lenses that do not communicate their focal length to the camera. Setting SteadyShot to Manual in the SteadyShot Settings and then selecting the focal length of the lens being used will effectively stabilise non-Sony lenses.

15 mm: 1/8 Second at F/11, ISO 100

SteadyShot Settings

1

3

2

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Multi-interface Shoe This may sound like a fancy word for what most people call a ‘Hot-shoe’ but Sony’s Multi-interface shoe does more than just trigger a flash. I think I can count 21 little pins at the leading edge of the shoe - this is all about improving communication with a range of compatible devices.

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Sony flashes cannot compete on price with the Chinese brands (did I really need to tell your that) but the one thing that can be said for their flashes is they work - you will not find forums full of questions about HSS, banding, sync failures and misfires.

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Multi Interface Shoe

The latest Sony Flashes end with the letters ‘RM’ - these can communicate with Sony’s commander without needing to purchase a separate receiver.

Sony FA-WRC1M Wireless Radio Commander

Sony HVL-F45RM Wireless Radio Flash

Multi Interface Shoe This is the Microphone you will see me wearing when I am recording many of my movies for my YouTube channel

ECM-W1M Wireless Microphone

Control Wheel & Custom Buttons Before the arrival of the Multi-selector on the MK III cameras, it was the Control Wheel and the Dials that were our main form of interaction with the camera. Old habits, however, are often hard to break so if you have upgraded from a previous Sony Alpha model you may need to start using the Multiselector when you are navigating through the menus. It is faster to use, compared to the Control Wheel, and can be used while your eye is at the Finder.

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Display

Level

Pressing the Display button repeatedly cycles through different levels of information (including the Histogram and the Level (shown here).

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Display You can decide what

display options are

displayed by going to

the DISP Button in the

Main Menu

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Display Check or uncheck the

options you want to see

or not see when you press

the Display button

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ISO The default and most popular ISO setting is Auto. It is usually only necessary to set the ISO manually to 100 when the camera is on a Tripod ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed is used in conjunction with ISO Auto and Aperture Priority as an alternative to using Shutter Priority. Aperture Priority may seem like an odd choice for capturing sport/action but it offers a way to choose both your preferred aperture and shutter speed while ensuring the most appropriate exposure in extreme lighting conditions. This controls the minimum shutter speed the camera will use - but only so long as the camera can achieve an appropriate exposure. The camera will ignore this setting if there is a risk of over or under-exposure. Note > In low ambient light you will not be able to achieve very fast shutter speeds such as 1/2000 second.

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ISO Adjust Parameters (if required)

• Auto • 100-204,800 Note > Upper limit of Auto ISO can be modified if required.

ISO Auto Min. SS ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed is located in the ISO Setting menu. ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed controls the minimum shutter speed the camera will use — but only so long as the camera can achieve an appropriate exposure. The camera will ignore this setting if there is a risk of over or underexposure. I personally recommend assigning ISO Auto Min. SS to the Fn menu or the C1 Custom Button.

ISO AUTO Min. SS Setting the ISO Auto Minimum shutter speed to 1/2000 second will freeze fast moving action as it moves towards the camera.

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Freeze

ISO AUTO Min. SS Adjusting the ISO Auto Min. SS to a slow shutter speed can be used to blur the background behind your subject when ‘panning’ the camera or when you are holding the camera very still for a landscape shot in low levels of ambient light. Select either a specific shutter speed or set the ISO Auto Min. SS to Slow or Slower.

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16mm at f/8 ISO Auto Min. SS: Slower

1/8 Second at ISO 100

This image was created using my Hand-Held Landscape Settings

Blur

Aperture closed to f/8 (A7RIII) or f/11 (A7III) & ISO Auto Min. SS set to 1/250 Second

I have often described this as my favourite custom setting I use it so often I have set the C1 key to access it.

Using Aperture Priority in combination with ISO Auto Min SS will prioritize exposure and if the ambient light is extreme the shutter speed will be adjusted to ensure appropriate exposure.

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High ISO One of the main advantages of using the Sony full-frame cameras is their excellent High ISO performance. As photographers we should endeavour to keep the ISO as low as possible. Using a low ISO value increases the dynamic range (the ability of the sensor to record details in bright highlights and dark shadows) while keeping noise to a minimum. There are, however, occasions when we need to raise the ISO in order to use very fast shutter speeds to freeze rapidly moving subjects or avoid camera shake when photographing with the camera hand-held when the ambient light is very low (dim). The answer to retaining quality is to avoid underexposure in camera and employ sensitive post-production editing techniques when editing high ISO images.

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+ 80 Masking (Sharpening) +15 Luminance Noise Reduction Post-Production

Full Frame BIS High ISO Performance

+ 80 Local Noise Reduction Protect the in-focus detail,

Red Mask indicates where local Noise Reduction has been applied.

Full Frame BIS High ISO Performance

ISO 8000

Unprocessed Raw file Avoid underexposure

Processed Raw file Apply Noise Reduction primarily to the out-of-focus areas and mask any sharpening

Lightroom Classic This 2-hour post processing masterclass looks at the powerful tools we can use to develop our images using Lightroom Classic. These skills enable us to express what we want to say and how we feel about the subjects we are photographing. Mark draws on his extensive experience as an Adobe Ambassador, Beta tester and Professional Educator to present this illustrated guide to help put you in control of your post production workflows. This movie is available to watch in 4K.

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Lightroom CC (mobile) This 2-hour post processing masterclass looks at the powerful tools we can use to edit our images in Lightroom CC (for mobile devices). These skills enable us to express what we want to say and how we feel about the subjects we are photographing. Mark draws on his extensive experience as an Adobe Ambassador, Beta tester and Professional Educator to present this illustrated guide to help put you in control of your post production workflows. This movie is available to watch in 4K.

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Drive Mode The Drive Mode gives you access to change from Single Shooting Mode (taking one shot each time your press the shutter release) to Continuous Shooting (taking multiple shots at varying speeds when your press the Shutter release button). The Drive Modes also include the Self-timer and Bracket options. The Selftimer is useful for times where you do not want to use a remote release and the Bracket options allow you to take multiple shots using different exposures and merge these exposures using post-production software.

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Single Shooting The Single Shooting Drive Mode can be accessed by pressing the left Side of the Control Wheel or from the Fn menu (if you have not modified the default Fn settings). In Single Shooting Mode one press of the shutter release will take one image.

Single Shooting (Drive Mode)

Single-shot AF (Focus Mode)

X

Not AF-A

Focus & Audio Confirmation

Drive Mode

• Lo • Mid • Hi (recommended for live-view panning) • Hi+ (fastest frames per second) • Self-Timer Options • Bracket Options

Lo, Mid, Hi & Hi+

NOTE > Avoid Hi+ if you need live view ‘real-time’ panning

Drive

NOTE 2 > Some menu options can slow the drive mode down so be sure to check out the action settings in this guide. Back to Contents Page

Hi for panning

Continuous Shooting (Drive Mode) - Continuous AF (Focus Mode)

To ensure you are capturing the maximum frames per second in the Hi and Hi+ drive modes, make sure you have the e-Front Curtain switched to On and the priority Set in AF-C set to Release. The camera will slow down when the buffer is full, so choose a fast UHS-II memory card so the buffer clears quickly.

Continuous Drive Mode Tips

1. Silent Shooting Off for fast action

2. Priority in AF-C: Release for maximum frames per second

3. e-Front Curtain Shutter On for max. fps

Hi+ Use Hi+ when the camera is not panning and when you want the camera to capture the maximum frames per second

Hi+

Self-timer Use the Self-timer when the camera is on a tripod and you are using extended shutter speeds. The delay will allow vibrations from pressing the shutter release button to disappear before the exposure starts



Bracket Settings The BRK or ‘Bracket' Setting has multiple options that can be set in the ‘Bracket Settings’ menu on page 3 of the Camera Setup1 menu. Bracketing involves taking a series of images while adjusting the exposure, white balance or DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) for each image.

Bracket Type Perhaps the most useful of the BRK options is ‘BRK C 1.0EV5’, the camera will take a series of images in 1-stop increments. This is a way of ensuring you either have the optimum exposure in a single frame or allow you to create a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image using post production software.

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BRK Selftimer Setting the ‘Selftimer during Bracket’ to 2 Seconds enables you to take a series of images 2 seconds after pressing the shutter release. This will ensure the images captured are free from vibration and are perfectly aligned if using a tripod.

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BRK HDR This image was created in Adobe Lightroom from five Raw images captured in Bracket Mode and then merged by going to:

Photo > Photo Merge > HDR

Transformer Building: Hong Kong

Watch the Video Tutorial

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Memories Create a memory for groups of your favourite Camera Settings The ability to recall a group of saved camera settings means a photographer can quickly switch from shooting landscape with one group of settings to shooting action with a completely different group of settings with just one turn of the shoot mode dial.

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Memory Recall

Note > The A7III has two Memory Recall options while the A7RIII has three (plus a lock button in the center of the dial). Setting up another group of settings in the PAS or M Shoot Modes will give you an additional group of settings in addition to the Memory Settings. Back to Contents Page

Registering a Memory When the camera is setup up with a group of settings you can save these by going to Memory on the third page of the Camera Setup1 menu

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Memory Settings Portrait

Action

Landscape

Single Head & Shoulder

Freeze / Pan with Blur

Wide-Angle : Hand-Held

https://youtu.be/zPpelMC75lw

https://youtu.be/ZNloKXpUOWA

https://youtu.be/cdP2YcSBbL8

RAW Compressed

RAW Compressed

RAW Uncompressed

Aperture Priority

Aperture Priority

Aperture Priority

f/4 (or wider)

f/4 to freeze or f/8 to blur b/ground (panning)

f/11

AUTO

AUTO

AUTO

ISO Auto Min SS

Fast

1/2000 to freeze or 1/250 to blur b/ground

Slower

Shutter Speed

N/A

N/A

N/A

Drive Mode

Continuous Shooting (Lo)

Continuous Shooting (Hi)

Single Shooting

Focus Mode

Continuous AF

Continuous AF

DMF

Focus Area

Expand Flexible Spot or Zone

Wide

Expand Flexible Spot

Focal Length

85mm

100-400mm

16-35

Face Detect

ON

ON

N/A

MF Assist

ON

N/A

ON

Multi

Multi

Multi

ON

OFF or Mode II

ON

AUTO (or set to lighting)

AUTO (or set to lighting)

AUTO

Movie Link File Type Shoot Mode Aperture (Starting) ISO

Metering Mode SteadyShot White Balance

You are not limited to just 2 or 3 memory settings - you can save 4 more to a memory card!

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A7III & A7RIII

Watch the Video Tutorial

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Portrait Memory Settings Shoot Mode Aperture (Starting) ISO

Aperture Priority f/4 (or wider) AUTO

ISO Auto Min SS

Fast

Shutter Speed

N/A

Drive Mode

Continuous Shooting (Lo)

Focus Mode

Continuous AF (AF-C)

Focus Area

Zone or Expand Flexible Spot

Lens Choice

55-135 mm

Face Priority in AF

ON

MF Assist

ON

Metering Mode

Multi + Face Priority in Multi Metering On

White Balance

AUTO (or set to lighting)

Note: For Multiple Subjects or Group Shots start by stopping the aperture down to f/8 and zooming out to a focal length of between 24-50 mm. Sony A7RIII + FE 55 F/1.8

Drummer Boy by Mark Galer Sony A7III with Batis 2.8/135 1/640 sec at f/2.8, ISO 320

Teagan by Mark Galer Sony A7RIII and FE 1.8/135mm GM 1/160 second at f/1.8, ISO 1000

See why I chose the settings that I did…

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To reliably shoot subjects that move it is important to consider the following basic settings: Focus Mode: Continuous AF (AF-C) Shutter Speed: Fast to freeze or slower to create movement blur (this requires accurate panning of the camera to keep the subject relatively sharp). For sports consider using a shutter speed of 1/1000 second or faster if the subject is moving towards the camera. See Focus Mode & Focus Area for more info 1066 by Mark Galer Sony A7III with FE 100-400 GM 1/1000 second at f/5.6, ISO 100

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SteadyShot On or Off?

Switch SteadyShot OFF in the camera, if not available on the lens, when panning the camera

Action Memory Settings Shoot Mode Aperture (Starting)

Aperture Priority f/4 to freeze or f/8 to blur b/ground (panning) AUTO

ISO ISO Auto Min SS

1/2000 to freeze or 1/250 to blur b/ground N/A

Shutter Speed Drive Mode

Continuous Shooting: Hi (Not Hi+)

Focus Mode

Continuous AF (AF-C)

Focus Area

start with Wide Lock-on AF: Zone or Expand Flexible Spot if the target subject is amongst other obstacles

OFF

Pre AF Priority Set in AF-C Lens Choice

Release (for maximum frames per second) One with an aperture of F/4.5 or wider ON (for single subjects)

Face/Eye Priority in AF

OFF (for multiple subjects or when people will appear behind primary subject)

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Sony A7RIII with FE 100-400 GM 1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800

Choose a fast shutter speed to ‘freeze’ action coming towards the camera.

Barking Owl by Mark Galer Sony A7RIII with FE 400 F2.8 GM 1/2000 sec at f/2.8, ISO 2500

See Focus Mode & Focus Area for more info Back to Contents Page

Choose a slower shutter speed to create movement blur behind your subject when panning the camera

1/320 second at f/8, ISO 100

Note > Do not use apertures smaller than f/8 (A7RIII) or f/11 (A7III) when using PDAF to track focus

Sony A7III

1/4000 second at f/2.8, ISO 500 Back to Contents Page

Triathlon by Mark Galer Sony A7III with Batis 2.8/135mm 1/4000 sec at f/2.8, ISO 160

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Australian MotoGP by Mark Galer Sony A7RIII with FE 400 F/2.8 GM + 1.4 TC 1/4000 second at f/4, ISO 400 Back to Contents Page

If you wanted to see what the future had in store for your favourite A7 camera, then you probably need to look no further than the sensor design of the A9 & A9II. The shape of things to come?

Welcome to the α9 Time Machine Read all about why I voted this the best Imaging Technology from 2017 Back to Contents Page

Takaaki Nakagami by Mark Galer Sony A9 with FE 400 F/2.8 GM 1/500 second at f/6.3, ISO 100

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Landscape (hand-held) Settings RAW

File Type

Aperture Priority

Shoot Mode

f/11

Aperture (Starting) ISO

AUTO

ISO Auto Min SS

Slower N/A

Shutter Speed Drive Mode

Single Shooting

Focus Mode

DMF

Focus Area

Expand Flexible Spot

Lens Choice

16-35 mm for wide coverage

Face Detect

N/A

MF Assist

ON

Metering Mode

Multi

White Balance

Daylight ON

SteadyShot Back to Contents Page

Sony A7RIII + Batis 2/25mm 1/30 second at f/11, ISO 100

Hand-Held Settings Back to Contents Page

1/5 Second Hand-Held Back to Contents Page

1/5 Second Hand-Held

Many photographers put their camera on a tripod without any reason to. In this movie I outline the perfect settings for people who have a love/hate relationship with tripods :-)

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Landscape (tripod) Settings File Type Shoot Mode

RAW Aperture Priority

Aperture (Starting)

f/11

ISO

100

ISO Auto Min SS

N/A

Shutter Speed

N/A

Drive Mode

Single Shooting

Focus Mode

Manual

Focus Area

N/A

Lens Choice

16-35 mm for wide coverage

Face Detect

N/A

MF Assist

ON

Metering Mode

Multi

White Balance

Daylight

SteadyShot Back to Contents Page

OFF

St. Kilda Pier by Mark Galer Sony A7RIII with FE 12-24 F/4 GM 30 seconds at f/11, ISO 100 NiSi S5 Filter kit with 150mm Filters

Tripod Settings

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The Spirit Returns by Mark Galer Sony A7RIII with FE 100-400 GM 2/5 second at f/11, ISO 100

If you love Graduated filters and ND filters then these settings are the ones you’ll probably be wanting to take a look at.

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With ‘Street Photography’ I use manual camera settings that enable me to capture decisive moments without having to worry about focus or exposure. These relate back to the ‘Sunny 16’ rule that, in turn, ensures correct exposure so long as the sun is shining (my preferred ambient conditions for Street).

STREET 222

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Street Memory Settings Shoot Mode Aperture (Starting) ISO ISO Auto Min SS Shutter Speed

Manual f/16 400 (sunny) 1600 (cloudy) N/A 1/400 second

Drive Mode

Single Shooting

Focus Mode

Manual

Focus Area

N/A

Focal Length

Approximately 24 mm

Face Detect

N/A

MF Assist

N/A

Metering Mode

Expose for the Weather

White Balance

Daylight

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If the exposure on a Sunny day is the same in Paris as it is in Melbourne, then why are we metering to find the correct Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO? Take a look at this ‘Sunny 16' way of making photos. P. S. I didn’t invent it. I learnt it when I was 16!

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Astro Photography Settings Shoot Mode Aperture (Starting) ISO Shutter Speed

Manual f/2.8 or Wider Start with1600 at f/2.8* Approx. 25 Seconds at 16mm*

Drive Mode

Self-timer: 5 Seconds

Focus Mode

Manual with Focus Magnifier

Focal Length

Approximately 16mm

C4 Button

Bright Monitoring

Down Button

Focus Magnifier

*Note > Exposure times are starting points only. Take a test image and review before increasing or decreasing the exposure. If your aperture only opens to f/4 you may need to raise the ISO. If your widest focal length is 24mm you will need to shorten the shutter speed to 20 seconds or less to avoid stars dragging. Back to Contents Page

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Astro

Bright Monitoring The biggest challenge with Astro Photography is to accurately focus on the stars. Setting the focus to infinity will result in blurry stars. In order to frame the view you can use the Bright Monitoring feature (the monitor will appear black if you do not implement this feature). To enable Bright Monitoring you first have to assign it to a Custom Button.

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Astro Bright Monitoring Pressing the Custom Button you have assigned to Bright Monitoring greatly increases the brightness of the view and will allow you to frame your image. Make sure your aperture is set to the widest setting, your shutter speed is set to 25 seconds and your ISO is set to 1600 - these are starting settings only. Once you have taken one test image you can modify the exposure accordingly.

Note > Your monitor will appear very bright in the dark, so make sure you do not underexpose as a result of this bright view. Back to Contents Page

Focus Magnifier When you have composed your shot using the Bright Monitoring feature you are then free to use Focus Magnifier to zoom the preview on the Monitor so that you can accurately focus. Move the Magnified area to the brightest star in the night sky. You will find the best focus just a little back from infinity (as strange as this may sound).

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Astro Focus Magnifier Pressing the Down Button brings up the area that will be magnified (if the Initial Focus Mag. area is set to x 1.0 in the Focus Assist menu). Use the Control Wheel to move this box over the brightest star in the sky and then press the Center button to magnify the view. Pressing the Center button a second time will Magnify the view even further. Move the Focus ring on the lens until the star appears as a pinpoint of light. Press the Center Button a third time to exit Focus Magnifier.

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Focus Mode & Focus Area If you like taking photographs of subjects that don’t stay still, these Focus skills are the essential tools for success. When somebody asks me what the best Focus Area is I know they need help - because the answer is that it depends on the subject and the background and the presence of obstacles that may momentarily obscure your subject. Once you know why the camera chooses the subject it chooses, then it not longer appears to be rocket science. You can master this skill - I have confidence in you :-)

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Focus Mode Typically found in the Fn menu and assigned to the C3 Key

• • • • •

Function (Fn) Menu

AF-C* : For Moving subjects

AF-A : Automatic AF

AF-S : For Static subjects

DMF: Direct Manual Focus

Manual Focus

*Note > AF-C (Continuous AF) is referred to as ‘AI servo’ by Canon

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DMF (Direct Manual Focus) is a powerful Focus feature on Mirrorless cameras (as outlined in the ‘Key Features’ section). To use DMF you must first half-press press the shutter release of press the AF-ON button and then turn the focus ring on the lens. If You have switched Focus Assist on in the Menus (page 13 of the first Camera Setup tab) the view will be magnified to help you achieve critical focus.

Push Focus using DMF to Here

If Lens Focuses Here (Wide or Zone AF Area)

Manual Focus or DMF

FE 100-400 GM at closest focusing distance Back to Contents Page

MF Assist Consider turning on MF

Assist & Focus peaking when working in Manual Focus or Direct Manual Focus (DMF). DMF is a very powerful tool on Mirrorless cameras for fine-tuning focus after it has first locked on to your subject in Autofocus.

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Macro

DMF DMF is especially useful focus mode for Macro work Back to Contents Page

Custom Key C3 is assigned to Focus Mode by default. If you want to assign it to a different custom key go to the Custom Key menu on page 8 (Custom Operation1).

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Focus Area

Choosing AF-C and an appropriate Focus Area are critical for success when subjects are moving. The C2 Button is often used to gain fast access to the Focus Area as it is one of the most frequently changed settings for many photographers. Back to Contents Page

Quick Change Change settings quickly using the Front and rear dials. Top row adjustments via Front Dial and bottom row adjustments via the Rear Dial. The current ‘For Viewfinder’ view was accessed by pressing the Display button on the Control Wheel repeatedly.

Front dial Rear dial

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Vertical Menus When a Fn option is selected with a press of the Multiselector, or a Custom Key, the main menus will run vertically rather than horizontally and the submenus can still be accessed using the Rear dial.

Sub-menu (rear dial)

If the Lock-on AF options are grayed out you need to switch from the AF-S to AF-C Focus Mode. Back to Contents Page

Focus Area Auto Selection AF* = Wide Front dial

*Auto Selection is terminology used by Canon that refers to the camera picking an appropriate AF point - most Canon, users, however, choose a small cluster of AF points to improve the reliability of maintaining accurate focus. This is not the case with Sony’s AF systems - do not be afraid to choose Wide as your AF Area.

Wide Prioritizes Center & Close

Marc Marques MotoGP World Champion

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The A7III has 693 Phase Detect Autofocus points covering 93% of the surface area of the sensor unlike some cameras Sony Alpha’s have incredibly reliable AF when the Focus Area is set to Wide. There is no need to use a smaller Focus Area unless the need arises. Watch the Focus Area movie to learn how to choose the most appropriate Focus Area for your subject.

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Zone The Focus Area has been changed to Zone before the shooting sequence starts. Excluding foreground obstacles from the Focus Area (the brown horse near the centre of the frame) ensures success. The subject that is close and centre in the Focus area is now selected for tracking.

ZONE

ZONE Zone The Focus Area has been changed to Zone, before the shooting starts, to exclude the foreground obstacles from the Focus Area (the tall grass in the foreground). This ensures the subject that is close and centre in the Focus area is selected for tracking.

Spot The Focus Area has been changed to spot to exclude the foreground obstacles from the Focus Area (the man's head and shoulders that are closer to the camera). This ensures the subject that is close and centre in the Focus area is selected for tracking.

SPOT

SPOT

Spot The Focus Area has been changed to spot to lock onto a specific area of the subject as the depth of field is insufficient to capture all of the subject in sharp focus.

Spot The Focus Area has been changed to Lock-on AF Expand Flexible Spot to ensure foreground obstacles such as branches or posts are not included in the focus area. The spot has been moved to the edge of Phase Detect AF area in anticipation of the bird flying towards the centre of the frame. If AF Tracking: Spot is selected the focus will track across the frame before the photographer starts panning.

Face/Priority in AF Face/Eye Priority in AF will override all Focus Areas. A Flexible Spot can, however, be used in conjunction with Eye-AF. When multiple faces appear in the frame, Eye AF will choose the eye in the face that is nearer the spot AF point. Eye AF will automatically be activated when Face/Eye Priority in AF is switched On and the Focus Area is over or inside the Frame Display of the Face. If you need Eye AF to be activated when the eye is not close to the AF Area you can either press a custom key assigned to Eye AF or move the focus area closer to the face.

Eye AF can be your best friend when working with wide apertures. Make sure you fully understand how to keep Eye AF on your good side by learning the subtleties of this feature.

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Beware of using Face/ Eye Priority in AF switched to ON with a Zone or Wide AF Area and multiple subjects.

Eye-AF or Face Priority can cause the focus to jump to a nearby face when the face of your primary subject is momentarily obscured.

Using a Custom key assigned to Eye AF with Face Eye Priority turned off may offer the best workflow for team sports.

Face/Eye Prty in AF To ensure you have quick access to enable and disable the Face/Eye Priority it is recommended that you assign both the Face/Eye Priority and Subject Detection options to the Fn menu.

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Face/Eye Prty in AF The Subject Detection allows you to quickly switch between Animal and Human subjects. Highlight the Subject Detection option in the Fn menu using the Multi-Selector tool (joystick) and then use the Front Dial to switch subjects.

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Animal Eye/AF & fast-moving subjects I have found that Animal Eye-AF activates intermittently, depending on the animal and the ambient lighting. Although not perfect, it is good not to have to rely solely on putting a flexible spot on the eye of a moving target. I am sure this feature will become more reliable over time. If your subject is moving rapidly towards the camera at close range I would recommend stopping down to f/8 as Animal Eye-AF focus can occasionally be a little behind the eyes (tested using the A7RIII camera). Note: You cannot use the Lock-On AF Focus Areas when using Animal Eye AF

Face/Eye Prty in AF Animal Eye AF is especially useful when the subject is close to the camera and the depth of field is insufficient to cover the entire head of the animal (often found with wide aperture telephoto lenses and close proximity to your subject).

FE 100-400 GM

If you like action and you click on one movie link in this eBook - make it this one. In fact, watch it twice!

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Focus Point Link When using Spot Metering rather than Multi (Evaluative Metering) you can link the metering point to the Spot AF point. This can present a useful workflow for photographers at concerts. It is perhaps the only time I don’t use Multi Metering or Manual Exposure.

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I wont lie - this movie is not short. But it is everything you wanted to know about focus - and then a little bit more. One of my best rated movies on YouTube!

Play Now

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Back Button Focus A back button autofocus workflow (BBAF) requires the Autofocus with Shutter to be switched off in the menu. The shutter will now only release the shutter and play no part in focus. There are no performance advantages to BBAF when using modern AF systems on Sony Mirrorless cameras, but some photographers may prefer this workflow to the standard setup.

Back Button Focus Setup

1 C3

3 AF-C Continuous AF

2

If you are NOT using a Back Button AF workflow it is easy to stop the focus in its tracks by holding either the Focus Hold Button on the lens or by switching the AF/MF button to MF

Easily Lock Focus & Switch between AF l l MF

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Image Review (Playback) It is a valuable exercise to be able to review an image we have just captured to check if it is sharp and well exposed. This gives us the opportunity to modify focus and/or exposure settings to perfect image capture. The review process also allows us to rate and delete images. I personally like to rate images with a star so that they appear in my post-production software with the ratings intact (Lightroom Classic). This also allows me to share just my rated images without having to cycle through all images. Although it is possible to delete images in-camera I personally like to do this in my editing software.

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Playback When reviewing your images you can specify which memory card or ‘Media’ you are accessing by going to the Playback3 Menu. Unfortunately this menu item cannot be placed in the Fn menu or the MyMenu feature so it is one the very few menu items left that takes time to navigate to. Back to Contents Page

Image Review When reviewing your images you can press the Display button a number of times until to change the level of information you see with the image. Use the Front Dial or press the Left or Right side of the Control Wheel to move forwards or backwards through your images.

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Exposure Review When reviewing your images you can press the Display button a number of times until you see the histogram view. This allows you to assess if the exposure used to capture the image was appropriate.

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Magnify Review Press the AF-On button to Zoom in to check if the image is sharp. The image will, by default, zoom to the Focus point used when taking the image.

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Date Review Press the AEL button to Zoom out to the Grid View that is organised by date of capture. Use the Front Dial or Control Wheel to move through the captured images. Press the AFON button to return to reviewing a single image or navigate left to access the Calendar view.

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Calendar Review Press the AEL button to Zoom out further to the Calendar View that is organised by date of capture. Press the AF/MF button to return to reviewing a single image. Note > If you move from Date view to Folder view (the icon below the calendar) you will no longer be able to view by group (see following page). Back to Contents Page

Display as Group When shooting bursts of images in Continuous Shooting it is possible during playback to see the groups of images rather than all images. When cycling through the groups you can see individual images in that group by pressing the Center Button in the Control Wheel. Not available when reviewing images in folder view rather than date view (see previous page).

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Image Rating

Custom keys can be assigned to different functions in Playback Mode - such as rate your images. These image ratings will be visible in Post Production software such as Imaging Edge and Adobe Lightroom. Back to Contents Page

Jump Setting

Image Jump Settings allows you to choose which images you choose to see when reviewing them in Playback, e.g., you can choose only to see your rated images. This will be useful to implement when you want to show somebody just your hero images from the day’s shoot. You can see all images by using the dial you have NOT assigned to see only the rated images. Back to Contents Page

Database Error Sony provide the following warning associated to this error screen in their online support. WARNING: There is a risk of data loss. The following information requires the memory card to be formatted. Make sure all picture and movie files are backed up on a computer before proceeding. I have encountered this only once and the files were NOT deleted after pressing ‘Enter’. If, however, the files are important you may want to run a data recovery software such as Disk Drill before proceeding. Back to Contents Page

Network Settings It is possible to connect your smartphone to your camera using both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. With a local Wi-Fi connection you can transfer images from your camera to your smartphone using Sony’s free ‘Imaging Edge’ App so you can quickly share images to social media. With a Bluetooth connection you can control the settings of your camera, use the smartphone as a remote release and transfer the GPS location information from your phone to the images being captured by your camera.

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When professional photographers are out on location they often need to get their images back to the picture editor as quickly as possible. The A9 cameras can achieve this by sending the images via FTP transfer directly from the camera. Imaging Edge Support: https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/iemobile/en/ Back to Contents Page

Imaging Edge Support: https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/iemobile/en/

Send to Smartphone Download the Sony Imaging Edge App to your mobile phone. Make a local Wi-Fi connection between your Phone and the Camera. Choose ‘Select on This Device’ or ‘Select on Smartphone’ to start transferring images from your camera to your Smartphone. Back to Contents Page

Send to Smartphone When reviewing an image you also have the option to press the Fn button which will start the transfer to smartphone process. With the Imaging Edge App already open you will be given the option to scan the QR code. If this option does not appear you can connect to the camera in the Wi-Fi settings of your smartphone.

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Send to Smartphone You can transfer multiple images by choosing either the ‘All with this date' or ‘Multiple Images’ options. Check the images you want to transfer (by pressing the center button) and then press the menu button to start the transfer process.

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Full Resolution You can transfer full resolution images to your phone (the default is 2 Megapixels) by changing the Copy Image Size setting in the phone App to ‘Original’. This is only possible if you have first selected JPEG or RAW & JPEG as the ‘File Format’ in the camera prior to taking photos of your subject. Back to Contents Page

Full Resolution The full resolution image that is transferred to the phone will be the JPEG and not the Raw file. For Raw shooters, it is therefore important to ensure appropriate Creative Style and DRO settings have been set up so that the JPEG file being transferred is of an appropriate quality. Back to Contents Page

Ctrl w/ Smartphone You can use your smartphone to control the operations of your camera (often useful when the camera is on a tripod). See Finder & Monitor for further information.

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Ctrl w/ Smartphone After choosing ‘Connection’ in the ‘Ctrl w/ Smartphone’ menu you will be given the option to scan the QR code using the Imaging Edge app or enter a Password by pressing the C4 key. Back to Contents Page

Bluetooth Settings Switching the Bluetooth Settings to on will allow you to connect the Bluetooth remote or add the GPS Location Information from your smartphone to the images being captured by the camera. Back to Contents Page

Location Info Link This function allows you to embed the GPS data from your mobile phone into the photos you take with your camera. Bluetooth mist be switched On but it is not possible to use the Location Info Link service if you have the Bluetooth Remote Control switched on. Back to Contents Page

FTP Transfer FTP Transfer is a quick and easy way for a professional photographer to get images back to their picture editor. It does require an FTP server to be set up on a remote computer before this is possible. The photographer can then transfer the images via Wi-Fi or Wired LAN. I have outlined just one of the workflows over the next three slides. If you are a professional photographer and you want to look at all of your options you will need to look at Sony’s FTP Help Guide

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1 Go to FTP Transfer Func.

FTP Transfer 2 Select FTP Server 1

3 Enter a Display name for FTP1 4 Select Destination Settings

5 Enter Host Name & Directory

6 Select User Info Settings

7 Select your FTP Server

9 Assign a key to FTP Transfer

10 Review an image.

.xxx.xx

8 Go to Playback Custom Key

Press your Custom Key to start the transfer.

Flash (Sony HVL RM Units) With the Version 3.10 Firmware update Sony added support for its HVL-F45RM and HVLF60RM flash units so that photographers could control up to three groups of flash units directly from the camera itself. Many photographers choose to use Flash units NOT made by Sony, e.g. Godox. Although this may prove to be a cost-effective exercise, some photographers may run into certain issues that may have to be overcome. Sometimes the ‘e-front curtain shutter’ has to be switched off to prevent banding and this, in turn, leads to a slight delay in the flash firing. Sometimes the maximum sync speed of the camera (1/250 second) has to be lowered to 1/160 second when High Speed Sync (HSS) is not being used. Sometimes the user may run into focusing issues if the flash they are using has no LED focus assist light.

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External Flash Set. To control your HVL-F45RM or HVLF60RM flash units directly from the camera’s Finder or Monitor go to the External Flash Set. menu. Note : If you intend to use the Flash or Commander to control off-camera flash units you will also need to set the Wireless Flash option to ‘On’.

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External Flash Set. Most photographers will probably choose TTL (through the lens) as the Flash Mode and then choose Auto Zoom (or a specific wider zoom angle if using lighting modifiers), HSS if shutter speeds are likely to be faster than 1/250 second and then adjust Flash exposure by fine-tuning the Flash Compensation. If you are using the Flash on the camera to control other off-camera flash units turn Wireless Mode to CMD (command). You can choose to switch the on-camera flash to On or Off via the the ‘CMD Flash Firing’ option. Set Ratio values for up to three individual or groups of flashes.

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Sony Flash Workflow

Ambient Exposure -2.0 Flash Exposure +1.0 Flash Compensation required because of light toned subject

Sony HVL-F45RM Wireless Radio Flash

Sony FA-WRC1M Wireless Radio Commander

Making Movies If you just press the red recording button on the top-right side of the camera you will, by default, start capturing movies in Program Mode (P). It is worth going into the menus and setting up the Mode, Format and Record Settings if you value the quality of your movies so the next time you start recording a Movie you will be using your own custom settings. The greatest control over your movie settings is to be had by setting the Shoot Mode to Movies on the Shoot Mode dial so that you can change your movie mode in the Fn menu when required, e.g., from Shutter Priority to fully Manual.

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Movie Mode Exposure mode when capturing movies can be set in the Main menu. I prefer to set the Shoot Mode dial to the Movie icon and then you can adjust the shooting mode in the Fn menu (bottom right). I also use the Shutter release to Start and Stop the movie recording (activated in the Movie3 menu). Note > Shutter Speed is seen as the priority when shooting movies so shoot in Manual Mode or Shutter Priority. The 180-degree Shutter Rule states that whatever the frame rate is, the shutter speed should be double, e.g., choose a shutter speed of 1/50 second if filming at 25 frames per second or 1/60 second if shooting at 30 frames per second.

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Movie Mode Set the Shoot Mode dial on the top of the camera to the Movie icon and then you can adjust the movie shooting mode in the Fn menu (bottom right). Most advanced amateurs and professional will choose to shooting Manual or Shutter Priority and set the shutter speed to 1/50 second when filming in 24 and 25 frames per second and 1/60 Second when filming in 30 frames per second

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File Format Use the XAVC S movie codec for the highest quality movie recording. XAVC S prefers SDXC cards to SD-HC. 4K is great but I wouldn’t use it for shooting extended clips — the camera will get hot, the files will be huge and you lose some features that are available to you when shooting in HD. XAVC S Movie Files are saved as MP4 files to the CLIP folder found in the ‘PRIVATE > M4ROOT’ directory.

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Record Settings Use the settings with the highest ‘M-number’ (2nd number) for the highest quality movie recording, e.g.100M Note > Due to differences in regional ‘Power Frequencies’ you will notice I shoot in Australia using 25 and 50p while in the USA you will have options for 24, 30 and 60p.

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Recommended AutoFocus Settings I recommend setting the Focus Mode to ‘Continuous AF’ (AF-C) and the Focus Area to ‘Wide’. I then recommend turning the Touch Operation to On. When touching a subject on the Monitor it will result in changing the focus from Wide and AF-C to Spot Focus (disabling the AF-C) and locking the focus on your stationary subject. Pressing the Center button or the cancel icon will revert to AF-C and the Wide Focus Area. The Lock-on AF Areas are not available when shooting movies. To track a moving subject across the frame (without moving the focus area) switch Center Lock-on AF to ON. Add this option to the Fn menu or program a custom key for quick access to this feature. Back to Contents Page

This isn’t everything you need to know about recording pro quality movies but it will set you on the right path :-)

Play Now www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

PAL or NTSC NTSC displays pictures at nearly 30 fps—the actual number is 29.97. PAL/SECAM uses exactly 25 fps. These frame rates are based on the local frequency of alternating current (AC) electrical power: 60 Hz in the States; 50 Hz in most of the rest of the world. You can change between PAL and NTSC using the PAL/NTSC menu.

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Record Settings Use the settings with the highest ‘M-number’ (2nd number) for the highest quality movie recording, e.g.100M Note > Due to differences in regional ‘Power Frequencies’ you will notice I shoot in Australia using 25 and 50p while in the USA you will have options for 24, 30 and 60p.

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Monitor The Monitor can be used as a Touch Screen to select and move focus. This settings is accessed via the Setup2 menu.

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Focus Peaking When using Manual Focus the Focus Peaking options (Peaking Level and Peaking Colour) will assist you to find focus while filming by outlining the edges of your subject that are in sharp focus with the colour Red, Yellow or White.

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Focus Peaking Peaking should be used a rough guide to what is in focus. For an accurate idea of precise sharpness it is strongly recommended to use Focus Magnify and/or MF Assist.

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MF Assist Focus peaking provides the photographer with approximate focus. It is strongly recommended when using wide apertures to use the Focus Magnifier to achieve critical focus. Focus Magnifier can be automatically initiated when you turn the focus ring on the lens by switching MF Assist to On.

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Creative Style When filming in High Contrast lighting (full sun) it may be necessary to lower the contrast of the movie being recorded to protect the highlights from becoming overexposed. This can be achieved by lowering the Contrast in the Creative Style menu settings.

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D-Range Optimizer Another way of lowering the contrast of the movie file being recorded is to increase the DRO setting from Auto to either LV2 or LV3. Monitor the histogram during recording and lower the exposure if necessary to protect the highlights.

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Zebra Setting An alternative approach to monitoring the Histogram during the movie recording (in order to protect the highlights) is to use the Zebra function. Select 100+ to be alerted to overexposed highlights or between 70 and 80 to monitor caucasian skin tones are being correctly exposed.

100+

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Confirmation of Correct Exposure

White Balance To avoid unnecessary colour changes during movie recording many photographers will choose to create a custom white balance prior to recording. Back to Contents Page

White Balance Custom White Balance settings cannot be saved to the memories so it is advisable to assign White Balance to a Custom Key for quick access.

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Audio Recording Switch Audio Recording to On in the menu and turn Wind Noise Reduction to Off (unless absolutely necessary). Use a Sony compatible external microphone whenever possible. Use a Sony microphone that is compatible with the Multi Interface shoe on the top of the camera for optimum audio quality. Back to Contents Page

Audio Level It is recommended to monitor the level or volume of the audio recording during filming by switching the ‘Audio Level Display’ to On. Audio Record Levels can be assigned to a Custom key for quick access to adjusting the audio levels. It is worth noting that different functions can be assigned to Custom keys depending on whether you are capturing stills or movies

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ClearImage Zoom ClearImage Zoom will enable you to zoom in and out without using the zoom ring on the lens. This is made possible by the 6K sensor that is being used to record HD or 4K movies. Enabling ClearImage Zoom will also allow you to use the zoom function on remote devices such as Sony’s Bluetooth Remote.

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ClearImage Zoom To access ClearImage Zoom while capturing a movie you need to first assign a Custom Key to Zoom.

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S&Q The Slow and Quick shoot mode allows you to create slow-motion movies or time-lapse movies without having to modify your standard movie settings in the menus. If you choose to record at 100 frames per second, and play back the movie at 25 frames per second, subjects will appear to move four times slower than normal. If you choose a frame rate of 1 frame per second and play the movie back at 25 frames per second, time will accelerate 25x and clouds will race across the sky. Note > The number of ‘Frames per second’ may vary depending on your country.

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Picture Profiles Blog Post

Personally I wouldn’t even dream about using a Picture profile when shooting movies until you have read this blog post.

www.markgaler.com/using-picture-profiles-sony-alpha-cameras Back to Contents Page

Interval Shooting The ‘Interval Shooting Function’ allows us to capture the still images required to create TimeLapse Movies using post production software. Movies are typically captured between 24 and 60 frames per second. If we increase the interval between each frame captured, but play the movie back at normal speed, we will accelerate time or cause time to lapse.

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Example > if we capture one frame per second for 4 minutes, and then play the movie back at 24 frames per second, four minutes of ‘normal’ time will be compressed into just 10 seconds…people will move as fast as cars and clouds will race across the sky.

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Interval Shooting The A7II and A7RII were the last A7 series cameras that used the ‘PlayMemories Apps’. These Apps could be purchased from Sony to add specialised functions to the camera. One of the most useful of these was the TimeLapse App. Sony have added this functionality (via the version 3.00 firmware upgrade) and is now called the 'Interval Shooting Function’. Back to Contents Page

Interval Shooting The Interval Shooting Function is a built-in ‘Intervalometer’ that can be setup up to take images at a regular intervals. Using Sony’s ‘Imaging Edge’ edit application these still images can be used to create a Time Lapse movie. On the second page of options you will see that there is an option for Silent Shooting which will save the wear and tear on your camera when shooting thousands of images. If you would prefer the camera to make a movie so that you don’t have to process the files you can use the S&Q feature. Back to Contents Page

Tips for image capture 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Format your card and charge your battery Set the capture Aspect Ratio to 16:9 Choose 1/50 Second Shutter Speed or longer Use an aperture wider than f/8* Capture in Raw when the dynamic range is high Ensure the camera and tripod are free from vibration

*Reduces the visibility of any dust that may be on your sensor.

Why is Raw the preferred Quality setting? 1. Increased Dynamic Range (less likely to clip highlights). 2. Increased flexibility for post-processing.

Before Processing

After Processing

Choosing a Shutter Speed Most movies you see in the cinemas are captured at 24 frames per second. The shutter speed most often used is 1/50 second. This shutter speed captures a 50% slice of ‘real time’. Fast action results in a small amount of motion blur. The 50% slice & blur ensures action flows smoothly. Action can appear ‘choppy’ with fast shutter speeds …as there is no blur and less ‘real time’ is sampled.

Choosing a Shutter Speed With time-lapse we can choose either 1/50 second to capture motion blur or choose a shutter speed that captures 50% of the interval to ensure a smoothly flowing movie, e.g., 1 second exposures when the interval is 2 seconds. Choosing long shutter speeds may require the use of a Neutral Density (ND) filter (sunglasses for your lens).

Choosing an Exposure Mode Mode 1 Fully Manual For scenes where the level of light is constant Set Focus, White Balance, Exposure & ISO to Manual.

Mode 2 Aperture Priority & Auto White Balance For scenes where the level of light is changing, e.g., for sunset and sunrise set only the Focus setting to Manual.

Possible issues with using Auto exposure Sudden changes in exposure or white balance settings can lead to a visible ‘flicker’ in the final movie. Changing the ‘AE Tracking Sensitivity’ to ‘Low’ may help reduce sudden changes in exposure.

Aperture Priority - Frame 74

Aperture Priority - Frame 75

Sony’s Imaging Edge Free Software Program can create a 4K movie from the still images captured in-camera using the Interval Shooting Feature. It is also possible in Photoshop. For advanced users the program LR/Timelapse is recommended

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Playback As well as the Interval Time Func. settings we also have new menu items to choose how we would like to review the stills we have captured ‘in-camera’ before the movie is made in the post-postprocessing software. Note: If you would like the camera to create a time lapse movie you can use the S&Q feature. Back to Contents Page

Other Notable Features When is Manual Exposure Mode not Manual? Why have I relegated Exposure Metering to ‘Other Notables’? Why would you want to switch SteadyShot off when you just upgraded to camera that has it? What is all the fuss about the first curtain shutter - will you join the ‘I must turn it off for better bokeh’ club or will you just leave it on - the way Sony thought was best for you? Can you solve the mystery of the disappearing Bulb setting? The answers to all of these questions await you in the pages that follow.

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When manual is still auto? This is not a custom setting but is a feature that can easily be overlooked if you are new to professional Sony cameras. Manual Mode on the A7III and A7RIII can be used in conjunction with Auto ISO. This means that the optimum shutter speed and aperture is set by the photographer and the ISO is adjusted automatically by the camera, so that an average auto-exposure is achieved. Use the Exposure compensation dial to increase or decrease the exposure. I prefer to use ISO Auto Min SS in conjunction with Aperture Priority in preference to Manual with Auto ISO.

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If you understand how the Light meter works in your camera, you will also learn when to use Exposure Compensation for the times it does not choose an appropriate exposure. You need a very good reason to change the default Metering mode from Multi to one of the other options.

www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

Play Now

Silent Shooting Silent Shooting is enabled from Menu > Camera Settings 2. Silent shooting is not recommended for shooting fast action or sports (to avoid shutter distortion). Silent Shooting is also not available when shooting long exposures using the Bulb setting. You may also encounters banding problems when shooting with certain lighting systems.

Drive

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e-Front Curtain Shut. This may need to be turned to Off when working with non-Sony lenses at wide apertures and very high shutter speeds. You may hear some photographers telling you to switch it off. Unless you encounter a problem with uneven exposure (when using a non-Sony lens with a very fast shutter speed) or banding (when using flash) you are recommended to leave it on. Back to Contents Page

The e-front Curtain shutter reduces the lag between pressing the shutter and the camera taking an image. It results in a quieter shutter sound and removes the risk of vibration ruining your slow shutter speed images. It does, however, change the look of the bokeh and can cause issues with adapted lenses. Find out more by watching the movie.

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Bulb Bulb is selected when the shutter speed passes 30 seconds It can only be selected if the Drive Mode is set to Single Shooting and Silent Shooting is OFF

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Play Now

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Mode

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Masterclass Movies Hungry for more? Well, join the Masterclass series — designed for photographers with serious stamina for extra learning. I have cherry-picked four of my presentations for you to watch. Just get comfortable I have been known to talk for a while on subjects I am passionate about :-)

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In this presentation I take a look at the technological developments that have had an impact on my own 38-year career in photography. From Tri-X and Kodachrome film, and the advent of the first DSLR camera, right through to the Full-Frame Backlit-Illuminated Stacked CMOS Sensors I use today. I suggest that, although the photographic eye is important, the gear does make a difference to what and how I make my images. In this 72-minute movie I explore the equipment I have chosen and the additional travel items I pack when I travel light with my mirrorless cameras. Although it focusses on Sony equipment it would be suitable for anyone thinking of moving from a DSLR to a lighter and more compact camera kit. The movie also explores some of my basic camera settings and some advice on shooting styles when traveling.

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In this one-hour seminar style movie I introduce you to the tips and techniques for capturing powerful portraits on location. I take an editorial approach to creating portraits of family, friends and complete strangers that I have only just met. I explain the camera settings I use, and also how I frame my images. I complete the presentation by taking a look at some simple lighting on location techniques.

In this 90-minute presentation for Adobe at the Make-it conference in Sydney I outline my complete workflow from capture to output. It includes Colour Management, optimising software and hardware for speed, creating a new ‘Custom Default’ for Lightroom, optimising and automating import workflows, incorporating a ‘Mirrored RAID’ drive into my imaging workflows + incorporating Develop presets and Smart workflows in Adobe CC imaging products.

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Sony has been at the forefront of imaging innovation in the interchangeable lens camera market since 2010 (with this introduction of their SLT and Mirrorless cameras). The camera releases in 2020 and beyond will, however, send a strong signal to the industry as to whether they intend to continue to release revolutionary new products or slowly evolve /fine-tune exisiting technologies. In this speculative discussion Mark takes a look at possible new cameras Sony camera will release in 2020 and beyond. In this movie I outline how I can jump between registered camera settings to ensure I never miss an image. I don't need to hunt for appropriate settings as I can start with one of my memory defaults, and then make minor adjustments to shutter speed, aperture and focus with the camera at my eye if, and when, I feel the need to fine-tune my settings. The important things is I don't miss the shot with my starting settings. This workflow may just completely change the way you shoot.

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This 2-hour post processing masterclass looks at the powerful tools we can use to develop our images. These skills enable us to express what we want to say and how we feel about the subjects we are photographing. Mark draws on his extensive experience as an Adobe Ambassador, Beta tester and Professional Educator to present this illustrated guide to help put you in control of your post production workflows. This movie is available to watch in 4K.

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eBooks If you have enjoyed this eBook and would like to download additional eBooks just head over to my website and take a look at what is on offer.

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Useful Sony Accessories I don’t leave home without any of these products. You may be able to find cheaper non-Sony items but I would be wary of batteries and cards unless you know they are the genuine article. In fact even if they are branded as being Sony I would still advise buying from a reputable dealer that is not selling look-alike clones.

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Some accessories for your A7III or A7RIII camera that you may like to consider is a spare battery or two (NP-FZ100) and a dedicated battery charger. Batteries can be charged in the camera but Sony’s BC-QZ1 is recommended. As the megapixel count of both cameras is generous it is worth considering moving up to a larger class 10 SD XC card (95 MB/s) for Slot 2 and a fast SD XC II card for Slot 1. For photographers working with the camera on a tripod, Sony’s RM-VPR1 remote release is a perfect companion. For photographers with larger hands or working with heavier lenses Sony’s Grip Extension (GPX 1EM) may be the perfect solution to improve ergonomics. Back to Contents Page

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RMT-P1BT Bluetooth Remote C1 (+AF-On) Options TOGGLE OPTIONS APS-C S35/Full Frame Select AF/MF Control Toggle AEL Toggle AEL Toggle (Spot Metering) Flash Exposure Lock Toggle Focus Magnifier Finder / Monitor Select Live View Display Select Touch Operation Select Bright Monitoring HOLD OPTIONS Aperture Preview (when Live View is Off) Shot Result Preview (when Live View is On)

Note > Zoom requires PowerZoom (PZ) Lenses and Focus requires the camera is first set to Manual Focus (MF).

RMT-P1BT

Bluetooth Remote

Hold for 7 Seconds

Get a Grip For those who would like a bigger grip

extension

Grip Extension A7III, A7RIII, A9

GPX1EM

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If I had the time to record this again I would stress that Sony isn’t the only company that make attachments to make the grip more comfortable for larger hands - and yes I am aware that Chinese companies can make everything cheaper. The main reason I made this movie was to show that it takes just 3 seconds to clear this grip out of the way when changing the battery.

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Play Now

Lens Adapters Sony’s LA-EA4 and LA-EA3 lens adapters will allow you to mount any Sony A-Mount lens onto your E-Mount camera. This effectively expands the range of lenses that you can use with your camera.If the A-Mount lens has a focus motor in the lens choose the LAEA3 adapter for optimum AF performance. Lens adapters for other makes of lenses are also available to use with the EMount cameras such as Metabones and Sigma’s MC-11 adapter.

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What’s in Mark’s Bag What gear goes in the bag, and which bag gets chosen, can often change depending on the trip. Most of the world’s airlines, however, are becoming more stringent in regard to the carry-on weight allowance carried by passengers. 7Kgs (approximately 15.5lbs) is the standard allowance and some airlines allow an additional handbag/laptop bag so long as it fits under the seat in front. The following examples demonstrate the amount of gear, and what type of gear, I tend to select for extended photographic trip.

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The ‘Two-Bag’ solution for traveling light Bag 2: Travel Essentials

Bag 1: Camera Gear* *Tripod is Packed in ‘Checked Luggage’ Back to Contents Page

Primes Back to Contents Page

A7RIII

Sony FE 20 F1.8 G Sony FE 35 F1.8 Sony FE 55 F1.8 ZA Sony FE 85 F1.8

674 g 426 g 326 g 348 g 436 g

Subtotal:

2.2 KG

Accessories + Bag Leofoto LS-223C Tripod iPad Pro + Keyboard

2000 g 740 g 740 g

inc. battery & cards

Total: 5.7

KG

Zooms Back to Contents Page

A7RIII

674 g Sony FE 12-24 G 630 g Sony FE 24-105 G 740 g Sony FE 100-400 GM 1648 g Sony FE 85 F1.8 prime 436 g

Subtotal:

inc. battery & cards

4.1 KG

Accessories + Bag + iPad Pro & Keyboard

Total:

2000 g 740 g

6.7 KG

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Carbon Fibre Tripod and Monopod Gaffa Tape

[Pro]Master 525C

Jobi Strap Charger

HVL-F45RM

FE 16-35 GM

FE 85 f/1.8

LaCie External Drive

Rain Cover

SensorKlear II

Sony A9

Filter Pouch Peak Design Straps Charger Lead

ND Filter ND 64 & ND 200

Body + Lens Caps

Grip Extension

Lens Caps

Remote Release Battery Sony A7RIII

1.4 x Tele Converter

Rocket Blower FE 100-400 GM

FE 24-105 G Manfrotto Evo

Peak Design Capture (clip) & Allen Keys

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www.MarkGaler.com International Driving Licence + Passport + Medical Insurance

Liquids in Travel Case

Gaffa Tape

Water Bottle

SD Card Reader Batteries & Travel Case USB

iPad Pro

Plugs Camera Battery

USB Charger & Leads

512 GB with keyboard

Travel Adapter

Ear Plugs

Pen for Immigration Cards

Twin Adapter Down Jacket

Beanie

Mosquito Repellant 64 GB SD Cards

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Spare Glasses Cleaning Cloth

Noise Cancelling Headphones & Flight Adapter Sleep Mask

Card Wallet & Small Items

1

Spare Multiport Covers

2

Band Aids

Fingerless Gloves

3

Spare Eye Cover

4

64 GB USB-3

5

Kwells & Immodium

Compact Umbrella

6

Panadol

7

Glasses Strap

8

Calotherm Cloth

RX100

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A laptop bag must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you when travelling on a plane

Brixton Ona

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You may have noticed that I sometimes use an iPad Pro rather than a laptop computer to help save on weight (nearly a 1KG or 2 pounds saving). If you want to read how I use a Lightroom CC workflow when I am travelling then you can read about it here.

Brixton Ona

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What’s in Mark’s Bag - full equipment overview

Brixton Ona

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Lens Recommendations The advantage of purchasing an ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera) over a fixed-lens camera is you can optimise performance and extend the creative possibilities by attaching specialist lenses. Sony’s decision to work with one mount (E-Mount) for both their APS-C and Full Frame Mirrorless cameras means that you have an extensive range of lenses to choose from. In most instances I recommend using Full Frame (FE) lenses over APS-C (E) lenses unless you are recording movies in Super 35 mode or are happy to capture 18 megapixel images when using an A7RIII camera.

Mark’s Recommendations (Movie) My favourite E-Mount lenses are: • • • • • •

FE 12-24 F/4 G (Ultra Wide-Angle Zoom) FE 16-35 F/2.8 GM (Wide-Angle Zoom) FE 24-105 F/4 G (Standard Zoom) FE 70-200 F/4 G (Telephoto Zoom) FE 100-400 GM (Telephoto Zoom) + 1.4x Teleconverter FE 200-600 G (Telephoto Zoom)

• • • • •

FE 20 f/1.8 G FE 24 F/1.4 GM (Wide-Angle Prime) FE 35 F/2.8 ZA (Wide-Angle Prime) FE 55 F/1.8 ZA (Standard Prime) FE 85 F/1.8 (Short Telephoto Prime)

• • •

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FE 85 F/1.4 GM (Wide Aperture Prime) FE 100 F/2.8 STF GM (Smooth Trans Focus lens) FE 135 F/1.8 GM (Telephoto Prime)

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Sony A7RIII with FE 12-24 F/4 GM 152 seconds at f/11, ISO 100 Bulb Mode NiSi S5 Filter kit with 150mm Filters

Lens Review

FE 12-24 F/4 G

FE 16-35 F/2.8 GM

FE 16-35 F/2.8 GM

Grand Tetons by Mark Galer Sony A7RIII with FE 24-105mm F4 G 1/50 sec at f/16, ISO 100

My ‘table-top' tripods spend more time on the ground.

FE 24-105 F4 G

Lens Review

FE 70-200 F/4 G

Lens Review

FE 70-200 F/4 G

FE 100-400 GM

Lens Review

Lens Review

FE 100-400 GM

FE 200-600 G

Lens Review

Lens Review

FE 200-600 G

FE 24 F/1.4 GM

FE 35 F/2.8 ZA

FE 55 F/1.8 ZA

Lens Review

FE 85 F/1.8 A great lens that is recommended for photographers on a tight budget

Lens Review

FE 85 F/1.4 GM

Lens Review

FE 85 F/1.4 GM

FE 100 F/2.8 STF GM

FE 135 F/1.8 GM

Lens Review

SONY JAPAN

FE 135 F/1.8 GM Lens Review

FE 135 F/1.8 GM

Mark’s Custom Settings These Settings are intended as Starting Settings only. They should NOT be seen as prescriptive settings that are locked down - other photographers may use different settings to achieve the same outcome. Click on the Movie link (below each title on the following slide) to see why I have chosen my settings. My Starting Settings will most likely be changed after I have started shooting this may be influenced by changing lighting or creative decisions. Shutter Priority is a viable alternative to shooting Sports/Action but I choose to shoot in Aperture Priority with ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed as this prioritises exposure over shutter priority that can occasionally lead to underexposure in low ambient light and overexposure when trying to capture movement but behind your subject. It also ensures that the smallest pastures that prevent focus tracking are not selected inadvertently. Note that the Landscape settings change if the camera is on a tripod (auto ISO becomes a fixed ISO value). Uncompressed RAW is only really necessary for Landscape shooting but Uncompressed files can have lossless compression when imported as DNG files in Lightroom. Setting a fixed White Balance setting is only really critical for JPEGs and Movies but some photographers may prefer to set this in-camera rather than in post. Back to Contents Page

Front Dial

It is possible to modify/optimise most of the settings, with the camera at your eye, by using the Custom keys, Front & Rear dials, Fn Menu, Multiselector + Exposure Compensation & Shoot Mode dials.

C1: ISO Auto Min SS C2: Focus Area Shoot Mode Dial Rear Dial

C3: Focus Mode Recall Custom Hold 1 & 2

Exposure Comp Dial

Fn Menu & Multiselector

Custom Keys (Stills) C1

ISO Auto Min. SS

C2

Focus Area

C3

Focus Mode

C4

Bright Monitoring

Down Button

Focus Magnifier

AEL Button

Recall Custom Hold 1

AF-On Button

Recall Custom Hold 2

Focus Hold Button Multi-Slc Center Button

Eye AF Focus Standard Not Set

Custom Keys (Movies) C1

Zoom

C2

Creative Style

C3

APS-C S35 / Full Frame Select

C4

Focus Magnifier

Down Button

White Balance

AEL Button

Audio Record Level

AF-On Button

Zebra Display Level

Focus Hold Button Multi-Slc Center Button

Eye AF Focus Standard Not Set

Function (Fn) Menu Fn Menu

Upper1

Upper2

Upper3

Upper4

Upper5

Upper6

Upper

Silent Shooting

Live View Display

Subject Detection

Face/Eye Priority in AF

Audio Signals

Metering Mode

Lower

Lower1

Lower2

Lower3

Lower4

Lower5

Lower6

APS-C Shoot: Manual

Center Lock-on AF

Touch Operation

SteadyShot

Prioritize Rec. Media

Shoot Mode

R Back to Contents Page

3

2 Modifying an Fn setting

1

If I need to quickly modify my settings from the Fn menu I first press the Fn key (1), then navigate to the menu using the Multiselector (2) and then turn the front or rear dial. This can all be completed while using the finder.

Memory Recall Memory Recall

PAL: Portrait (1) Action (2) Landscape (3)

Memory Settings Portrait

Action

Landscape

Single Head & Shoulder

Freeze / Pan with Blur

Wide-Angle : Hand-Held

https://youtu.be/zPpelMC75lw

https://youtu.be/ZNloKXpUOWA

https://youtu.be/cdP2YcSBbL8

RAW Compressed

RAW Compressed

RAW Uncompressed

Aperture Priority

Aperture Priority

Aperture Priority

f/4 (or wider)

f/4 to freeze or f/8 to blur b/ground (panning)

f/11

AUTO

AUTO

AUTO

ISO Auto Min SS

Fast

1/2000 to freeze or 1/250 to blur b/ground

Slower

Shutter Speed

N/A

N/A

N/A

Drive Mode

Single Shooting

Continuous Shooting Hi

Single Shooting

Focus Mode

Continuous AF

Continuous AF

DMF

Focus Area

Expand Flexible Spot or Zone

Wide

Expand Flexible Spot

Focal Length

85mm

100-400mm

16-35

Face Detect

ON

ON

N/A

MF Assist

ON

N/A

ON

Multi

Multi

Multi

ON

OFF or Mode II

ON

AUTO (or set to lighting)

AUTO (or set to lighting)

AUTO

Movie Link File Type Shoot Mode Aperture (Starting) ISO

Metering Mode SteadyShot White Balance

M1, M2 and M3 Memory Settings Landscape

Street

Movie

Wide Angle with Tripod

‘Sunny 16’

hand-held

https://youtu.be/JQkS5fcXv6g

https://youtu.be/XVcoGkYkfAw

https://youtu.be/4NfqnTxpTOY

RAW Uncompressed

RAW Uncompressed

XAVC S 4K - 25P100M

Manual

Manual

Shutter Priority (or Manual)

Aperture (Starting)

f/11

f/16

N/A

ISO

100

400

AUTO

ISO Auto Min SS

N/A

N/A

N/A

Shutter Speed

N/A

1/400sec

1/50 Second

Drive Mode

Self-timer: 2 Sec

Single Shooting

N/A

Focus Mode

Manual

Manual

Continuous AF

Focus Area

N/A

N/A

Wide

Focal Length

12-24mm

35mm

N/A

Face Detect

N/A

N/A

ON

MF Assist

OFF

N/A

ON

Expose to the right

Expose for the weather

Multi

OFF

ON

ON

AUTO

Daylight

Daylight (or set to lighting)

Movie Link File Type Shoot Mode

Metering Mode SteadyShot White Balance

Reg Cust Shoot Set Recall Custom Hold 1

Recall Custom Hold 2

Recall Custom Hold 3

Shutter Priority

Manual Mode

Shoot Mode

uncheck

Aperture

uncheck

Shutter Speed

uncheck

1/320sec

1/250sec

Drive Mode

uncheck

Single Shooting

Single Shooting

Exposure Comp.

uncheck

uncheck

ISO

uncheck

uncheck

Metering Mode

uncheck

uncheck

uncheck

f/8

uncheck

Auto uncheck

Focus Mode

DMF

Continuous AF

Continuous AF

Focus Area

Wide

Center AF

Wide

On

On

On

AF On

Recall Custom Hold 1

DMF WIDE AF On

1/2000 Second Drive: Continuous Focus: Continuous

1/320sec Single Shooting

Recall Custom Hold

1/320sec Single Shooting

Recall Custom Hold

Release

Aperture Priority + ISO Auto Min SS 1/2000 Second Continuous Shooting AF Mode: AF-C

Play Now

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GENERAL- Page 1

STUDIO - Page 2

MOVIES - Page 3

ACTION - Page 4 Finder

Frame Rate

Monitor Brightness

Live View Display

Audio Rec Level

Viewfinder Quality

PC Remote Function

Peaking Setting

Touch Panel Pad

Format

Wireless Flash

Zebra Setting

Touch Pad Settings

Cleaning Mode

External Flash Set.

Touch Operation

Priority Set in AF-C

R

Custom Key

Anti-Flickr

Shoot.

R

Zoom

AF Tracking Sensitivity

Ctrl w/ Smartphone

Pixel Shift

Multi Shoot.

R

Zoom Setting

Function Ring (Lens)

My Menu

R

By using a combination of Memories and Registered camera settings, in conjunction with the Custom Keys and Fn menu, it should be possible to avoid going into the main menus, except for formatting the memory card. By adopting my PAL workflow (Portrait, Action, Landscape) you may find that you greatly reduce the number of images you miss because of inappropriate or hastily chosen camera settings.

www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Back to Contents Page

Play Now

Firmware Updates The menu options of the Alpha 7 cameras have seen many new features with the Version 3 and 3.1 firmware updates. It is highly recommended to update your firmware to access these features if you are running the version 2.00 firmware or earlier.

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2 1 Before Updating Firmware Please Read: https://briansmith.com/guide-to-sony-camera-firmware-updates/

IMPORTANT: Make a record of your previous Memory, Recall Custom Hold Settings, Fn Menu and My Menu items before updating your Firmware.

Mac Users Please Note: If you are running Mac OS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later you must first click on UpdateSettingTool and follow the prompts to run it. UpdateSettingTool replaces the Mac OS 10.13 Driver Loader from earlier firmware versions. Back to Contents Page

Did you ever wonder if you made the right choice in choosing your A7III or A7RIII camera? Watch me NOW

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Supporting website This eBook only scratches the surface of what is available on www.markgaler.com. You will find the website a rich resource for Photoshop actions, Photoshop Tutorials with links to download the Raw images used in the tutorials, Lightroom Tutorials, Lightroom Presets, additional eBooks, an active blog, equipment reviews and news about my speaking engagements for Sony and the occasional photo adventure/workshop/tour that I run in conjunction with World Photo Adventures. Everything except the Photo Tours are free ;-). If you find the learning resources valuable I would value your support to help cover my web-hosting costs and the creation of ongoing learning resources to support the Sony Alpha Community. Thank you.

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Mark Galer Donation Link Back to Contents Page

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eBooks If you have enjoyed this eBook and would like to download additional eBooks just head over to my website and take a look at what is on offer.

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Learning

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Reviews Use the Categories feature to Filter for Reviews

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Announcements Use the Categories feature to Filter for Announcements

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Flickr Albums of Ultra HD Images

44 Support Movies

Patreon Membership

Movie Index Action Settings AF Area Registration APS-C/Super 35 Back-button AF Bulb Center Lock-on AF Colour Management (Science) Commander (Radio Flash) DMF e-Front Curtain Shutter Eye-AF Finder & Monitor Focus Area Focus Peaking Flash - Sony HVL Radio RM

Fn Menu ISO ISO Auto Min. SS Landscape (Tripod) Landscape (Hand-Held) Lenses (Mark’s recommendations)Live View Display Lock Operation Parts Memory Memory Mastermind Metering Modes Movie Settings Multi-Selector One Mount

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Picture Profiles Pixel Shift Multi Shooting Portrait Settings Power Save Recall Custom Hold Remote (Bluetooth) Setting Effect Slow Focus in Low Light Sports Settings Street Settings SteadyShot Switch V/H AF Area White Balance Zebra

Alpha Creative Skills

Alpha Creative Skills

Index Accessories

Action Memory Settings

Animal Eye AF

Aperture Preview

Audio Level

Audio Recording

Astro Settings

Battery

Bluetooth Remote

Bluetooth Settings

Bracket Settings

Bright Monitoring

Bulb

Camera Controls

Calendar Review

Center Lock-on AF

Clear Image Zoom

Control with Smartphone

Control Wheel

Creative Style

Custom Buttons

Database Error

Display

Display as Group

DMF

D-Range Optimizer

Drive Mode

E-Front Curtain Shutter

Eye-AF

Patreon Membership

Exmor

Exposure Compensation

Exposure Review

Face/Eye Priority in AF

Finder

Fn Key

Fn Menu

Focus Area

Focus Magnifier

Focus Mode

Focus Peaking

Focus Point Link

Grip Extension

HDR

ISO

ISO (High ISO)

ISO Auto Min. SS

Jump

Imaging Edge

Image Review

Interval Shooting

Landscape Settings

Live View

Live View Display

Memory Cards

Metering Modes

Memory Settings

MF Assist

Monitor

Movie Mode

Multi Interface Shoe

Multi Selector

Network Settings

NTSC

PAL

PASM

Playback

Portrait Settings

Picture Profiles

Rate

Registering a Memory Setting

S&Q

Saved Settings

Send to Smartphone

Setting Effect

Shot Result Preview

Silent Shooting

Spot AF

Stabilisation (SteadyShot)

SteadyShot

Street Settings

Touch Operation

Touch Pad

White Balance

Wind Noise Reduction

Zebra

Zone

Community Support Patreon YouTube Facebook Flickr Instagram website

Donate Please Donate to support content creation for the Sony Alpha community

thank you

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Become a Patron Due to the volume of requests I receive for support I am unfortunately not able to answer all questions on social media and cannot answer questions via email and Facebook Messenger. If, however, you would like to become a Patron you can join my live monthly Seminars, ask questions in the member only Q&A forums and receive feedback on your photographs. In this way I can become your personal Sony Alpha Consultant for just a few dollars per month.

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Custom Setup Support Firmware 3.10

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