The Amazing Sony A1/A7/A9/APS-C & Anything else welcome Mega Thread!

You need to use Sony to appreciate how well it's implemented especially in gen4. You don't even need to point it at a face. Just point the focus somewhere on the person and it'll find their face/eye!
If it can't it'll continue tracking them till it can find it again.

As said before the AF just works.

This would be in Tracking:Flexible Spot or similar (any tracking mode). Or it would still do this in a normal spot mode?

And how is this handled if there are faces in the scene but are not the focal point. As long as they are outside of the box area they aren’t picked up?
 
Has lots of C.A, distortion and heavy vignetting. Your Tamron 28-75 is better at 28mm.



You can, either by half pressing the shutter button or using an assigned button on the camera or lens, you can activate eye a.f in all focus modes. You don't have to use wide. Wide is the easiest setting to use for real time tracking though for a single subject.
You need to use Sony to appreciate how well it's implemented especially in gen4. You don't even need to point it at a face. Just point the focus somewhere on the person and it'll find their face/eye!
If it can't it'll continue tracking them till it can find it again.

As said before the AF just works.
Thanks. What I'm getting at is that on the Nikon if you activate eye-AF it will pick up on the face/eye straight away, however as it's only active using auto-AF if there's more than one face in the scene you're not guaranteed to pick up the face you want, therefore if it picks up on the face that you don't want you then have to use the d-pad to choose the face that you do want, which of course takes time. What I want from an Eye-AF system is to use single point AF like I always do to select the subject and then the AF will automatically track the eye of that subject no matter where it is in the frame. Is this what you're saying happens with the Sony?
 
Thanks. What I'm getting at is that on the Nikon if you activate eye-AF it will pick up on the face/eye straight away, however as it's only active using auto-AF if there's more than one face in the scene you're not guaranteed to pick up the face you want, therefore if it picks up on the face that you don't want you then have to use the d-pad to choose the face that you do want, which of course takes time. What I want from an Eye-AF system is to use single point AF like I always do to select the subject and then the AF will automatically track the eye of that subject no matter where it is in the frame. Is this what you're saying happens with the Sony?

Yes that will happen on the Sony and sony goes it much better.
 
On sony if you have the Tracking Wide on and once you lock on that person it follows it about if they in the frame
 
On sony if you have the Tracking Wide on and once you lock on that person it follows it about if they in the frame
This is where I'm getting confused, is tracking mode different to AF area mode, i.e. is single point AF a separate setting to tracking wide so you could say have single point AF and tracking are wide or is tracking wide an autofocus mode so you can have either single point AF or tracking area wide?
 
On the sony the Face and eye detect works in every mode and would follow the person face or eye even DOG eye ;)

On the lock on tracking i think that best for when doing sports and possibly when the dog running.. Just take it this way in ever AF mode on the sony just RULES
 
On the tracking mode on the sony there loads to choose from Wide, Spot, centre you name it, it be there much more options than the Nikon Z
 
This photo would have been epic had the clouds not appeared. Same spot as the bottom one.

CDrKJWV.jpg


bYt8uvH.jpg
 
This photo would have been epic had the clouds not appeared. Same spot as the bottom one.

CDrKJWV.jpg


bYt8uvH.jpg
Yup your right i would of been.. saying that i still like the image love the light trails etc
 
On the sony the Face and eye detect works in every mode and would follow the person face or eye even DOG eye ;)

On the lock on tracking i think that best for when doing sports and possibly when the dog running.. Just take it this way in ever AF mode on the sony just RULES
On the tracking mode on the sony there loads to choose from Wide, Spot, centre you name it, it be there much more options than the Nikon Z
Thanks, I'm not sure you're getting what I'm asking though (doesn't surprise me, I don't understand myself half the time ;)), I guess I'll just have to have a play with one sometime (y)
 
Yup your right i would of been.. saying that i still like the image love the light trails etc

It would take a some luck to get that, Mt Fuji is famous for cloud cover and I would need it to be clear in a 30min window during the 1 day i visit...ah well.

I end up getting the 3 shots i wanted from there so it was a success.
 
Thanks, I'm not sure you're getting what I'm asking though (doesn't surprise me, I don't understand myself half the time ;)), I guess I'll just have to have a play with one sometime (y)

I think i know what you asking it just hard to explain..
 
Thanks. What I'm getting at is that on the Nikon if you activate eye-AF it will pick up on the face/eye straight away, however as it's only active using auto-AF if there's more than one face in the scene you're not guaranteed to pick up the face you want, therefore if it picks up on the face that you don't want you then have to use the d-pad to choose the face that you do want, which of course takes time. What I want from an Eye-AF system is to use single point AF like I always do to select the subject and then the AF will automatically track the eye of that subject no matter where it is in the frame. Is this what you're saying happens with the Sony?

Yep, even the older models like the A7III will do that if you are holding down the button assigned for eye a.f.
 
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Though we can select which eye to focus on left or right unless this a7riv only?
 
This would be in Tracking:Flexible Spot or similar (any tracking mode). Or it would still do this in a normal spot mode?

And how is this handled if there are faces in the scene but are not the focal point. As long as they are outside of the box area they aren’t picked up?

The normal spot will just be normal spot and tracking will do tracking :)
If you have set the eye detection on even if faces/eyes are in the frame they'll get picked up as long as you point the focus somewhere on the person.


Thanks. What I'm getting at is that on the Nikon if you activate eye-AF it will pick up on the face/eye straight away, however as it's only active using auto-AF if there's more than one face in the scene you're not guaranteed to pick up the face you want, therefore if it picks up on the face that you don't want you then have to use the d-pad to choose the face that you do want, which of course takes time. What I want from an Eye-AF system is to use single point AF like I always do to select the subject and then the AF will automatically track the eye of that subject no matter where it is in the frame. Is this what you're saying happens with the Sony?
Yes

@Both, might be worth watching this video by dpreview :)
https://www.dpreview.com/videos/698...ou-set-up-sony-s-real-time-autofocus-tracking
 
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Are the 35/85 1.8s any good for the A7RIV, if I move I want the newer body. So would be the only choice right now.
 
Are the 35/85 1.8s any good for the A7RIV, if I move I want the newer body. So would be the only choice right now.

Both will be fine. What the fuss over a new body it not the body that takes the image
 
Are the 35/85 1.8s any good for the A7RIV, if I move I want the newer body. So would be the only choice right now.

haven't got either lens at the moment but had the FE85/1.8 on A7RIII.
Why wouldn't they be any good on new body?
 
Yep, even the older models like the A7III will do that if you are holding down the button assigned for eye a.f.
Thanks. Just actually been up to Harrisons to try the A9 and A7RIV and couldn't figure out how to get eye-af to work how I wanted it, but the guy at the store knew absolutely diddly squat about Sony cameras so that didn't help. Didn't find an option to assign eye-af to a button tbh, so only way I could get eye-AF to work and track was to use AF mode tracking wide which works the same as the Nikon Z's and as a result can't select point/face to track it just selects which one it wants to. Tried expanded flexible spot (with AF enabled in the menu but not pressing an assignable button) and whilst it did find the eye if I was close to the AF point as soon as I move the AF point away from the face it just started tracking whatever was under the AF point. But from what you've said you've have to half press the shutter to focus and then press and hold another button such as AF-ON to enable eye tracking?

Based on what you've said I'll give it another go at some point but for now Sony isn't for me anyway. With the A9 I had the same issue as the rest of the A7's I've tried in that my knuckles rub on the lens when holding the grip. The A7RIV grip was noticeably better in this regard and had room for my knuckles, but there were a number of things I wasn't keen on and the A7RIV would kind of like be just swapping like for like anyway (albeit with a better AF allegedly) and I'd be out of pocket quite a bit which is daft unless it's a huge upgrade.

Glad I got to have a play though, put my mind at rest that I've done the right thing. I'll maybe revisit it when the A9-II has dropped quite a bit, unless of course Nikon bring something out that's blackout free and has great AF ;)
 
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Thanks. Just actually been up to Harrisons to try the A9 and A7RIV and couldn't figure out how to get eye-af to work how I wanted it, but the guy at the store knew absolutely diddly squat about Sony cameras so that didn't help. Didn't find an option to assign eye-af to a button tbh, so only way I could get eye-AF to work and track was to use AF mode tracking wide which works the same as the Nikon Z's and as a result can't select point/face to track it just selects which one it wants to. Tried expanded flexible spot (with AF enabled in the menu but not pressing an assignable button) and whilst it did find the eye if I was close to the AF point as soon as I move the AF point away from the face it just started tracking whatever was under the AF point. But from what you've said you've have to half press the shutter to focus and then press and hold another button such as AF-ON to enable eye tracking?

Based on what you've said I'll give it another go at some point but for now Sony isn't for me anyway. With the A9 I had the same issue as the rest of the A7's I've tried in that my knuckles rub on the lens when holding the grip. The A7RIV grip was noticeably better in this regard and had room for my knuckles, but there were a number of things I wasn't keen on and the A7RIV would kind of like be just swapping like for like anyway (albeit with a better AF allegedly) and I'd be out of pocket quite a bit which is daft unless it's a huge upgrade.

Glad I got to have a play though, put my mind at rest that I've done the right thing. I'll maybe revisit it when the A9-II has dropped quite a bit, unless of course Nikon bring something out that's blackout free and has great AF ;)
Glad you sorted your sorted..
 
But for me I am very happy ive made the move back to sony. One day once the lens have built I may get a 2nd body of a new type
 
Both will be fine. What the fuss over a new body it not the body that takes the image

The better weather sealing, larger buttons, when main choice is landscape. It’s helpful to not have to worry about it. I’m not happy with the 3rd gen design. Come on, you can’t say you were either when you had the A7iii which is why you wanted to switch to Z. If I’m switching again I don’t want to sink money into something I’m not 100% with, to have better tracking capability incase I need it for maybe 10% of my shooting, and slight smaller body/lens size. If I was trading yeah it’s fine I’d deal with it for a little, but not putting cash into it. The more I keep writing the reasons seems like less of a point in changing.


haven't got either lens at the moment but had the FE85/1.8 on A7RIII.
Why wouldn't they be any good on new body?

Weren’t sure if they’d show any limits on such a high res sensor. I know the GM lenses are good up to 100mp or whatever not sure about those 2.
 
The better weather sealing, larger buttons, when main choice is landscape. It’s helpful to not have to worry about it. I’m not happy with the 3rd gen design. Come on, you can’t say you were either when you had the A7iii which is why you wanted to switch to Z. If I’m switching again I don’t want to sink money into something I’m not 100% with, to have better tracking capability incase I need it for maybe 10% of my shooting, and slight smaller body/lens size. If I was trading yeah it’s fine I’d deal with it for a little, but not putting cash into it. The more I keep writing the reasons seems like less of a point in changing.




Weren’t sure if they’d show any limits on such a high res sensor. I know the GM lenses are good up to 100mp or whatever not sure about those 2.

Either change or stick. All down to you. I went from a a7iii to z6 then back to a9 and ok the body the same but I feel the a9 a better camera and body and it does have a stronger body as metal all round so feel heavier am happy that the main thing.
 
Plus I don’t need to wait for the lens I want they are all ready to purchase either Sony native or 3rd party
 
Each to their own but I have never had a body which has really caused me ergonomic issues to the point I had to change.
I mainly use a vertical battery grip and have small-medium hands to perhaps this is the reason.
I am still on the fence about changing systems, so going to wait it out and see how I feel next year, fired some snaps off the other night using Eye-AF and it's great. :)
 
Are the 35/85 1.8s any good for the A7RIV, if I move I want the newer body. So would be the only choice right now.
Looking on DXO the 85mm f1.8 score 40mpix sharpness on the A7RII, that's staggering. The 50mm f1.8S on the Z7 scores 37mpix and I know how sharp that is already, so all I can deduce is that that Sony Zeiss 85mm f1.8 is one hell of a lens in terms of sharpness. No idea on the rendering though.
 
Each to their own but I have never had a body which has really caused me ergonomic issues to the point I had to change.
I mainly use a vertical battery grip and have small-medium hands to perhaps this is the reason.
I am still on the fence about changing systems, so going to wait it out and see how I feel next year, fired some snaps off the other night using Eye-AF and it's great. :)

Keep using it see which lens you use most sell others then sorted
 
Each to their own but I have never had a body which has really caused me ergonomic issues to the point I had to change.
I mainly use a vertical battery grip and have small-medium hands to perhaps this is the reason.
I am still on the fence about changing systems, so going to wait it out and see how I feel next year, fired some snaps off the other night using Eye-AF and it's great. :)
I joke about having sausage fingers but I don't really. I do have big hands though and maybe it's the length of my fingers that causes my knuckles to rub on the lens when they're wrapped around the grip? Either way I'd have to choose gen 4 and up A7 bodies and A9 gen 2 and up if I was to go sony (y)

Am I right in thinking you're considering Nikon, or is it another system you're looking at?
 
Either change or stick. All down to you. I went from a a7iii to z6 then back to a9 and ok the body the same but I feel the a9 a better camera and body and it does have a stronger body as metal all round so feel heavier am happy that the main thing.

I will if I want to I’m obviously deciding on best options, before I do. In here looking for advice on my reasons not to be patronized or hear justification why something is fine, When said thing is not what I would like. We know the A9 is perfect for you, I’m not in here researching stuff for you. Don’t need to keep justifying your decision. It has no bearing on mine. Just wanted a simple question answered.
 
Looking on DXO the 85mm f1.8 score 40mpix sharpness on the A7RII, that's staggering. The 50mm f1.8S on the Z7 scores 37mpix and I know how sharp that is already, so all I can deduce is that that Sony Zeiss 85mm f1.8 is one hell of a lens in terms of sharpness. No idea on the rendering though.

I’ve always loved that lens when I had the a7iii reason I got it again
 
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