Focusing issues with A7 III and Sony lenses

[Antonio Correia]

... That and the exposure comp dial is very stiff. I will have to order a grip extension or a battery grip.

It is also my experience but with more use it becomes easier to rotate.

 

[Richard Crowe]

I am getting used to it a bit. Right now the biggest issue I have with the handling is the front dial placement. With the grip being so short, I’m only left with two fingers on the grip when I go to rotate the front dial. That and the exposure comp dial is very stiff. I will have to order a grip extension or a battery grip.

I have customized it pretty well now and added some elements to the custom menu.

just got the Tamron 28-75. Haven’t shot much with it, but that’s a true mirrorless lens.

I think you will be very happy with this lens... I like everything about it, image quality, focusing ability, etc., etc...

 

[bdbits]

The exposure comp dial being stiff is interesting because on earlier generation bodies (like my A7ii), it was considered way too easy to accidentally turn it.

 

[Drd1135]

To be fair, the EM1 II also has excellent AF-S.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Richard, are you willing to share with us your customised button on the 7 III ?
Eventually others settings...

 

[Richard Crowe]

I have my A6600 set up to be able to use touch focus or touch tracking on the LCD. Menu / Camera Operation #2 / Touch Operation / Touch Focus - Touch Tracking. I have to turn off the Face/Eye Priority in AF to allow the touch focusing or touch tracking. However, if I have the Face/Eye Priority in AF turned on and there is a face in my image - it will track the face (animal/human) as long as I have AFC (continuous AF selected) so there is really no need for touch focus or touch tracking in that case.

However within that Function of Touch Operation menu selection there is a third choice Touch Shutter which I have not, for some reason been able to implement

Actually, I have not set up my A7iii as extensively as I have the A6xxx cameras. Because: I have not owned the A7iii for as long as I have been using the A6xxx bodies and I mostly shoot portraits using the A7iii and setting it up with Face/Eye- Priority AF has really been all that I need to do...

I cannot vouch for it in experience but, I "think" that the A7ii, while a great camera, may be just a tiny bit behind the A6400 and A6600 in auto focus capability. will try to research this and then try to see if I agree with that concept in actual use of both cameras.

One thing that I do realize is that some of the longer wide aperture lenses (like but, not restricted to the 85mm f/1.8) can have a very narrow DOF in which critical focus is imperative.

 

[Antonio Correia]

I made here some brief comments on my own thread about customisation of this camera
I hope to be able to continue that work but that will be tomorrow.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Even after a couple of month of practice with the A7III I am still struggling how to focuse teh person I want instead of the one the camera decides.

ILCE-7M3    FE 135mm F1.8 GM    135mm    f/2.5    1/320s    ISO 160

 

[sapoeijoek]

Even after a couple of month of practice with the A7III I am still struggling how to focuse teh person I want instead of the one the camera decides.

View attachment 107509​

Have you tried the focus hold? Once it focuses on the person face you want, then you can hold the focus to prevent the camera focusing around. Also you can try lock-on expand flexible spot. Move around to get the target face and once it focuses on the face you want, it’ll stay focus on that face as long as you keep pressing the focus.
I don’t follow this thread so someone might have mentioned it but if it hasn’t, you should try it.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Much obliged Edwin ! Excellent tip ! Why haven't I thought of that before ?
I will try that procedure tomorrow !

 

[sapoeijoek]

Much obliged Edwin ! Excellent tip ! Why haven't I thought of that before ?
I will try that procedure tomorrow !

Yes sir. One more thing, in order to get the focus you want, in your case, HI speed continuous shooting mode would be very helpful too. Good luck.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Antonio, you are not alone in your struggles. (I just don't like to admit I struggle too. But don't tell anybody.)

 

[Antonio Correia]

The problem - if we can consider it as so - in focusing with the A 7 III is connected to the complexity of the system. I say it humbly and having in mind that it may be silly, stupid or whatever. And I may be wrong, of course.

I have set my camera in position 1 to the setting portrait Mark Galer is pointing here and sometimes... I fail !
"Don't blame the camera blame yourself" I think when the focus is wrong or doesn't go where I want it to.

Changing from one person to the other is always a hard work. It never works ! I have even used dynamic focus to try to control the planes (surfaces) in focus with yellow picking...

Well, I will be coming here later on. I will explain in detail what I have done which miserably, fails on location.

Sometimes the focus is easy but when does it happen ? When the situation is static.
If I didn't like so much the sensors of Sony and spent so much, I would have at this point sent the system for a walk !

Now I go and see another video from Mark !

Thank you for reading !

 

[Antonio Correia]

Simple victory. About the same area with two different points in focus. More to come.

ILCE-7M3    FE 55mm F1.8 ZA    55mm    f/1.8    1/1250s    ISO 100

ILCE-7M3    FE 55mm F1.8 ZA    55mm    f/1.8    1/1250s    ISO 100

 

[sapoeijoek]

Simple victory. About the same area with two different points in focus. More to come.

View attachment 107553

View attachment 107554​

That's great. But what it is you're trying to show us? What focus mode did you use?
I honestly don't have a problem with focusing on my A7iii. At least so far. With A7ii it was awful especially with 28/2.0!
But I forgot to tell you this, for multiple faces you have to turn 'Face Detect Frame' on, that way when the face box turned white on target face from gray you then press the focus to lock on that face. Even with many faces and you move the camera for recomposing, your camera will focus on that target face, as long as the subject is still in the frame. If you haven't tried this, you should. You'd be amazed.

 

[Antonio Correia]

That's great. But what it is you're trying to show us? What focus mode did you use?
I honestly don't have a problem with focusing on my A7iii. At least so far. With A7ii it was awful especially with 28/2.0!
But I forgot to tell you this, for multiple faces you have to turn 'Face Detect Frame' on, that way when the face box turned white on target face from gray you then press the focus to lock on that face. Even with many faces and you move the camera for recomposing, your camera will focus on that target face, as long as the subject is still in the frame. If you haven't tried this, you should. You'd be amazed.

Thank you Edwin for your comment.
What am I trying to show you ? Well, it is more like relating what is going on. Hope that is not an issue.
Thank you for the tip of the "Face Detect Frame" but I have it ON already.
I have to insist until I get nice focused shots when and where I want !
I was hoping to be able to share my setting soon... and ear about what you say about them. But not today. The work is not done yet.
Cheers !

ILCE-7M3    FE 24mm F1.4 GM    24mm    f/4.0    1/60s    ISO 200