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How Do I Set Up My Sony RX10M4 to enable "Back Camera Focusing" to not interfere with shutter button focusing?
Apr 9, 2021 02:41:47   #
Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS
 
During indoor soccer season in 2019-2020, I set up my Canon EOS D6 Mark ll to do "back camera focusing" and found it to be extremely useful in capturing high action indoor sports better than with half-press, shutter focusing. Now I am struggling in my attempt to set up my Sony RX10M4 to do "back camera focusing" to capture high action wild birds in flight. There are so many options on the settings on the Sony RX10M4 and the "Manual" and "Help Guide and Web Manual" are written in such a way as to give me a migraine headache and a poor result.
Is there anyone on UHH who has a Sony RX10M4 or is smart enough to know how to set up back camera focusing on one, that would be kind enough to hand hold me and walk me through the individual steps to set mine up? (I know that it is a lot to ask and I will be forever grateful for the favor.)



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Apr 9, 2021 05:47:54   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
Menu, first tab, 5th page, 5th line - AF with Shutter - set to off. You can also add it to your "Favorites" menu for easier access - or assign a custom setting to any of the buttons.

Tip: The AF system in the RX10M4 is far faster to react to moving wildlife than using back button focus. I suggest you try the different settings and see what works best for you.

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Apr 9, 2021 06:25:29   #
Peterfiore Loc: Where DR goes south
 
Gene51 wrote:


Tip: The AF system in the RX10M4 is far faster to react to moving wildlife than using back button focus. I suggest you try the different settings and see what works best for you.


I, too, agree with this finding. The AF system is amazingly fast and very accurate.

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Apr 9, 2021 07:10:27   #
malawibob Loc: South Carolina
 
I also use back button focus on my RX10M4 but find setting to continuous focus works really well. (front of camera)

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Apr 9, 2021 07:30:53   #
User ID
 
Gene51 wrote:
Menu, first tab, 5th page, 5th line - AF with Shutter - set to off. You can also add it to your "Favorites" menu for easier access - or assign a custom setting to any of the buttons.

Tip: The AF system in the RX10M4 is far faster to react to moving wildlife than using back button focus. I suggest you try the different settings and see what works best for you.

Doesn’t that interfere with use of the shutter button for AF, actually removing AF-start from the shutter button ?

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Apr 9, 2021 07:43:29   #
User ID
 
Shooter41 wrote:
During indoor soccer season in 2019-2020, I set up my Canon EOS D6 Mark ll to do "back camera focusing" and found it to be extremely useful in capturing high action indoor sports better than with half-press, shutter focusing. Now I am struggling in my attempt to set up my Sony RX10M4 to do "back camera focusing" to capture high action wild birds in flight. There are so many options on the settings on the Sony RX10M4 and the "Manual" and "Help Guide and Web Manual" are written in such a way as to give me a migraine headache and a poor result.
Is there anyone on UHH who has a Sony RX10M4 or is smart enough to know how to set up back camera focusing on one, that would be kind enough to hand hold me and walk me through the individual steps to set mine up? (I know that it is a lot to ask and I will be forever grateful for the favor.)
During indoor soccer season in 2019-2020, I set up... (show quote)

Do you mean you want an auxiliary AF-start button but want the shutter button to also deliver AF-start when desired ? In a normal Sony ILC you just assign the AF-start to any available button, which does NOT in itself remove AF-start from the shutter. I think that is the condition you’re after. It’s similar using to the dedicated additional AF button on some SLRs (possibly including yours ?)

For those who want their AF *only* on their chosen custom button, disabling AF from the shutter is an entirely separate additional step. In your case, just skip that additional step.

Acoarst I wouldn’t know if the RX is similar to or different from a normal Sony ILC.

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Apr 9, 2021 15:21:54   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
User ID wrote:
Doesn’t that interfere with use of the shutter button for AF, actually removing AF-start from the shutter button ?


I don't know what AF-Start is - unless you are referring to Eye-Start AF, which when enabled starts autofocus when you look through the EVF. I believe that it is only available when using A mount lenses with A mount adapters on their other cameras. I don't recall seeing that on RX10M4. Disabling AF on the half press of the shutter allows you to press the shutter without reacquiring focus. The AE-L by default also does focus, but you can set the Focus Hold button on the lens to focus with your left thumb. I haven't decided which one I like better - left thumb (Focus Hold button) or right thumb (AE-L Button).

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Apr 10, 2021 08:13:12   #
Cameralark Loc: Torrington, CT
 
I use the focus hold button on the lens barrel and it works great. Regarding the shutter button, if you leave it on and focus with another programmed focus button and hold it in while shooting, the shutter button will not refocus.

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Apr 10, 2021 12:49:56   #
Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS
 
Cameralark wrote:
I use the focus hold button on the lens barrel and it works great. Regarding the shutter button, if you leave it on and focus with another programmed focus button and hold it in while shooting, the shutter button will not refocus.


Dear Cameralark...
You are right. Leaving the shutter button focus on after setting the focus hold button to focus results in a disaster.
Thank you for your helpful comment.

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Apr 10, 2021 13:17:20   #
bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada
 
Shooter41 wrote:
During indoor soccer season in 2019-2020, I set up my Canon EOS D6 Mark ll to do "back camera focusing" and found it to be extremely useful in capturing high action indoor sports better than with half-press, shutter focusing. Now I am struggling in my attempt to set up my Sony RX10M4 to do "back camera focusing" to capture high action wild birds in flight. There are so many options on the settings on the Sony RX10M4 and the "Manual" and "Help Guide and Web Manual" are written in such a way as to give me a migraine headache and a poor result.
Is there anyone on UHH who has a Sony RX10M4 or is smart enough to know how to set up back camera focusing on one, that would be kind enough to hand hold me and walk me through the individual steps to set mine up? (I know that it is a lot to ask and I will be forever grateful for the favor.)
During indoor soccer season in 2019-2020, I set up... (show quote)

I use the Focus Hold button on the left side of the lens as well as setting the AEL button to toggle Auto Focus / Manual Focus.

But the autofocus is so fast on the IV I seldom use either of the above approaches.

bwa

bwa

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Apr 12, 2021 05:33:40   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
Shooter41 wrote:
Dear Cameralark...
You are right. Leaving the shutter button focus on after setting the focus hold button to focus results in a disaster.
Thank you for your helpful comment.


I just had a thought. Back button focusing is already enabled, by default - on the AE-L button, as is shutter button focusing. I am not sure what your goal is. Typically, disabling shutter focusing is done to eliminate the need to change to AF-S where the camera focuses one time, with the shutter press, and takes a single shot. this is helpful with static or barely moving subjects. In AF-C mode, the camera will continuously focus as long as the shutter is half pressed, and there are custom settings that can lock focus (and metering) but it requires a second button (Focus Hold).

Disabling shutter focus would shift the task of focusing to only when the AE-L button (if you've chosen this for back button focusing), is pressed. Releasing the AE-L button stops the camera from focusing. So the purpose of doing BBF is to have "focus on demand" and independent of the shutter press.

The question posed in your topic seems suggest that the camera already comes set up the way you want. BBF works independently of shutter focus. If you want to keep shutter focus then you don't need AE-L to focus and vice versa, unless you want to not even bother with using AE-L to focus, and are ok with using the focus hold button function to not change focus when you recompose. I am still puzzled by what you are trying to accomplish.

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Apr 12, 2021 08:22:38   #
Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS
 
Gene51 wrote:
I just had a thought. Back button focusing is already enabled, by default - on the AE-L button, as is shutter button focusing. I am not sure what your goal is. Typically, disabling shutter focusing is done to eliminate the need to change to AF-S where the camera focuses one time, with the shutter press, and takes a single shot. this is helpful with static or barely moving subjects. In AF-C mode, the camera will continuously focus as long as the shutter is half pressed, and there are custom settings that can lock focus (and metering) but it requires a second button (Focus Hold).

Disabling shutter focus would shift the task of focusing to only when the AE-L button (if you've chosen this for back button focusing), is pressed. Releasing the AE-L button stops the camera from focusing. So the purpose of doing BBF is to have "focus on demand" and independent of the shutter press.

The question posed in your topic seems suggest that the camera already comes set up the way you want. BBF works independently of shutter focus. If you want to keep shutter focus then you don't need AE-L to focus and vice versa, unless you want to not even bother with using AE-L to focus, and are ok with using the focus hold button function to not change focus when you recompose. I am still puzzled by what you are trying to accomplish.
I just had a thought. Back button focusing is alre... (show quote)


Dear Gene51...I apologize for not being clearer on what I am trying to accomplish. I have a photographic job shooting high action pictures for the Wichita Wings Indoor soccer team. With the pandemic winding down in Park City, Kansas, they will probably start a new indoor soccer season around December, 2021 and ask me to shoot the season again. The arthritis in my hands and scoliosis in my back make lugging my HEAVY Canon EOS 6D Mark II with the Canon 70-200mm telephoto lens mounted on a monopod difficult for me. My new little, light Sony RX10M4 is comfortable for me to hold and shoot without even using a monopod. If I can do the settings on the Sony similar to the Canon during 2019-20 season and get images I can edit that are as good or better than the images coming out of my Canon , it will save my back and hands and I will have reached my goal.
I estimate that my difficulty in going to a smaller, lighter camera, when I shoot test photos at the home opener will be the partial sensor in the Sony may be unable to compete against the full sensor Canon in the Mercury Vapor poor lighting at Hartman arena. (I may be caught between a rock and a hard place.) Thank you for your helpful suggestions.

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Apr 12, 2021 09:32:24   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
Shooter41 wrote:
Dear Gene51...I apologize for not being clearer on what I am trying to accomplish. I have a photographic job shooting high action pictures for the Wichita Wings Indoor soccer team. With the pandemic winding down in Park City, Kansas, they will probably start a new indoor soccer season around December, 2021 and ask me to shoot the season again. The arthritis in my hands and scoliosis in my back make lugging my HEAVY Canon EOS 6D Mark II with the Canon 70-200mm telephoto lens mounted on a monopod difficult for me. My new little, light Sony RX10M4 is comfortable for me to hold and shoot without even using a monopod. If I can do the settings on the Sony similar to the Canon during 2019-20 season and get images I can edit that are as good or better than the images coming out of my Canon , it will save my back and hands and I will have reached my goal.
I estimate that my difficulty in going to a smaller, lighter camera, when I shoot test photos at the home opener will be the partial sensor in the Sony may be unable to compete against the full sensor Canon in the Mercury Vapor poor lighting at Hartman arena. (I may be caught between a rock and a hard place.) Thank you for your helpful suggestions.
Dear Gene51...I apologize for not being clearer on... (show quote)


Mercury vapor lighting will likely cause flickering with the cycling on and off every 1/60 of a second - so shutter speeds shorter than 1/125 second should be avoided if you want consistent color and illumination in each image. I can't find an anti-flicker feature in the menu on my RX10M4.

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Photography-Tips/Flickering-Lights.aspx



The other challenge is that the Sony, having a tiny 1" sensor, will not be a great choice in poor lighting with high ISO. Another issue with the smaller sensor is making prints - they will not produce prints as clean and crisp as a full frame camera due to the extra magnification required to get to a given print size. For display on a computer monitor, or even a projector or 4K TV, you are still dealing with showing a 20 mp image (or less if you are cropping), on a display device that has a max resolution of 8.8 mp - so you are not likely to see a huge difference, especially at greater viewing distances.

So, in general, the RX10M4 will not be a good substitute for your 6D and 70-200 F2.8, but in certain circumstances it may suffice.

On the other hand, the focusing system is so fast/accurate and the range of settings so broad - were it not for the flicker and ISO issues, it would make a great camera for shooting action in good light. An A7RIV is a much better solution, and I believe it has the anti-flicker feature, but it will only save you about 1/2 lb over what you have now. All I can say is that you may want to try the RX10 and see if you are ok with the results.

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Apr 12, 2021 10:14:06   #
Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS
 
Gene51 wrote:
Mercury vapor lighting will likely cause flickering with the cycling on and off every 1/60 of a second - so shutter speeds shorter than 1/125 second should be avoided if you want consistent color and illumination in each image. I can't find an anti-flicker feature in the menu on my RX10M4.

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Photography-Tips/Flickering-Lights.aspx



The other challenge is that the Sony, having a tiny 1" sensor, will not be a great choice in poor lighting with high ISO. Another issue with the smaller sensor is making prints - they will not produce prints as clean and crisp as a full frame camera due to the extra magnification required to get to a given print size. For display on a computer monitor, or even a projector or 4K TV, you are still dealing with showing a 20 mp image (or less if you are cropping), on a display device that has a max resolution of 8.8 mp - so you are not likely to see a huge difference, especially at greater viewing distances.

So, in general, the RX10M4 will not be a good substitute for your 6D and 70-200 F2.8, but in certain circumstances it may suffice.

On the other hand, the focusing system is so fast/accurate and the range of settings so broad - were it not for the flicker and ISO issues, it would make a great camera for shooting action in good light. An A7RIV is a much better solution, and I believe it has the anti-flicker feature, but it will only save you about 1/2 lb over what you have now. All I can say is that you may want to try the RX10 and see if you are ok with the results.
Mercury vapor lighting will likely cause flickerin... (show quote)


Dear Gene51...I just ordered the Sony A7RIV and 70-200mm lens and will shoot it first half and the RX10M4 second half and compare the results after the season opener. (I can't wait to try the mirrorless and 61MP sensor. I suspect I will be using the RX10M4 for daylight trips to Botanica Gardens and the BIG SONY FULL SENSOR for indoor soccer. Thanks again.

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Apr 12, 2021 13:22:11   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
Shooter41 wrote:
Dear Gene51...I just ordered the Sony A7RIV and 70-200mm lens and will shoot it first half and the RX10M4 second half and compare the results after the season opener. (I can't wait to try the mirrorless and 61MP sensor. I suspect I will be using the RX10M4 for daylight trips to Botanica Gardens and the BIG SONY FULL SENSOR for indoor soccer. Thanks again.


I think you're going to be happy with your decision. I have Nikon gear and the RX10M4, and I pretty much use it like you do.

Here are some sample images from the Sony:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157708803907866
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157708793788371
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157705234321622
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157678751378818
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157705352997741
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157678751186148
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157697217633732
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157696606493264
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157667029395028
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157689083645890
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157694805547345
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157665487054018
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157693140571925
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157665486900208
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene_lugo/albums/72157690214837382

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