Focus Tracking versus non tracking: I am still learning how to use my sony ar7 iva. Almost all of the videos and other info I have seen recommends using the non tracking form of...

linda lagace

I am still learning how to use my sony ar7 iva.
Almost all of the videos and other info I have seen recommends using the non tracking form of focus versus the tracking form for birds in flight. eg using non tracking zone versus tracking zone. So I haven't tested the tracking forms of focus yet but I am soon to start doing so.
it would seem to me that the tracking modes might give me better results.
Can anyone explain why or why not.
I must add that I do hand held shots and based on almost all the recommendations I have seen do not use the optical steady shot on my lens since all of my speeds are 1/1600 or faster.
Thanks for your comments

linda lagace

I guess I should also add that most of the time I shoot at the 600 end of my sony 200-600 lens and use an aperture somewhere between f8 and f11. I do iso auto but try really hard to keep iso below 640. Thanks again.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Try looking at some of Steve Perry's videos on bird photography. He had a lengthy video that helped me set up my Sony A1 for bird photography.

linda lagace

Thanks

I will check it out

tcthome Loc: NJ

linda lagace wrote:

I am still learning how to use my sony ar7 iva. br... (show quote)

Try some of this guy's vids if you have not already. He is all Sony & pretty detailed as far as I know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUe8dKKZyuc&list=PLWC-IgKORdDHPxtJnEIrXtTAd060HOEH5

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

linda lagace wrote:

I guess I should also add that most of the time I shoot at the 600 end of my sony 200-600 lens and use an aperture somewhere between f8 and f11. I do iso auto but try really hard to keep iso below 640. Thanks again.

Linda, I believe your lens supports an f\stop of 5.6. Why not open it up fully and set ISO to auto? Yes, the high ISO will create more noise but quality of image should improve. If noise is an issue after this consider capping the ISO at 20,000 or 15,000 and also try Topaz DeNoise.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

UTMike wrote:

Try looking at some of Steve Perry's videos on bird photography. He had a lengthy video that helped me set up my Sony A1 for bird photography.

btbg

linda lagace wrote:

I am still learning how to use my sony ar7 iva. br... (show quote)

There is no reason that you can't set your camera up to do both at the same time. For example I have my camera set up so that if I use back button focusing it uses tracking, if I use just the shutter it uses single point focus and if I use the focus button on my lens it uses a different focusing mode.

Instead of just copying someone else's process try different choices, see what works in what situation and then program your camera to fit how you shoot rather than how someone else does.

With that said the suggestion to check out Steve Perry's focusing information is a good starting point. Perry is certainly familiar with the various focusing choices in both Nikon and Sony cameras.

linda lagace

Tks for suggestions. Am trying all options at this point to make the camera work the best for what I shoot and how. The many suggestions offered here have really helped me understand this camera better. It is an amazingly flexible device.

linda lagace

btbg wrote:

There is no reason that you can't set your camera ... (show quote)

I have set up three different programs and find it useful and easy to switch between them depending on what I am shooting
. I haven't gotten to tracking focus modes yet. Will soon try them out but was curious why not many are using these modes at least in what I have found so far . Really was wondering what others were experiencing in terms of performance of two modes of focus. It helps me to know what others ha ve found out already. Makes my process a lot more efficient

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I think that simply, using tracking uses batteries faster but keeps subject in focus if distance changes at all.

linda lagace

tks when i'm trying it out I can watch for my battery usage. I only have two batteries and I can see using them up in a very full day if I am not careful.

Canisdirus

I have the camera and the lens...just play with it...forget the rulebook...or whatever we could call it.

Go out and shoot the heck out that thing...change it up...keep a log...initially if you need to.
Find what works...find your style...your own style.

I typically pull back just a tad on my Focal length...tiny amount.

F/6.3 is great...but not excellent... f/7.1 is excellent.

f/11... that's fine...obviously a sunny day.

Just watch the distances between subject and background...it can seem busy at f/11...if back is to close to subject.

Play with it...enjoy it.

linda lagace

good advice tks I do enjoy this camera more and more

btbg

linda lagace wrote:

I have set up three different programs and find it useful and easy to switch between them depending on what I am shooting
. I haven't gotten to tracking focus modes yet. Will soon try them out but was curious why not many are using these modes at least in what I have found so far . Really was wondering what others were experiencing in terms of performance of two modes of focus. It helps me to know what others ha ve found out already. Makes my process a lot more efficient

Well, my primary shooting is sports not birds in flight. For some sports where you can isolate one individual focus tracking works very well. For example track and field. However, for things like basketball when you get a crowd of players under the backboards focus tracking doesn't necessarily know who to look for. So I will use focus tracking when an individual is on a fast break alone, and switch to another focus mode if we get a defensive player in the picture.

One of the things I have found is that if I use single point focus to pick out the person that I want to focus on and then switch to focus tracking by switching which button I focus with I tend to hold focus on the individual for longer. Then if I lose the tracking I just switch immediately to another mode to pick the individual back up.

I'm not saying that's the best way to use your focus modes, it's just something that I think works well for me, at least on some sports.

The one piece of advice I would give is to try out the various focus modes in controlled settings to see what works best for you.