A7rii Studio Shoot w/ Sony 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss T* and 55mm 1.8

[ptortora]

I recently completed a studio session for Erin Brady (2013's Miss USA) and her husband Tony Capasso who are both starring in the ABC reality show "Startup U".  During the session, I switched over from a medium format camera to a Sony a7rii mounted with a 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss T* and a Sony 55mm 1.8 lens.  Lighting for the studio session was with Broncolor and Profoto gear plus quite a few modifiers.  How did the Sony hold up for a commercial studio shoot?  You be the judge.  http://stillsandvideo.squarespace.com/blog/a7rii

 

 

[oneand0]

Absolutely beautiful work and well done. I am a landscape photographer and know nothing about portrait photography, but I can definitely tell your skill is at the tip top. Happy to see the work you put out with the camera and lenses listed. I'm soaking in as much as I can about portrait photography, planning on getting out of my comfort zone. Thanks for listing all of the details.

 

 

[ptortora]

Thank you for the kind words oneand0.  The trick with portraits IMHO is to get proficient enough with both camera usage and lighting techniques so the technical side doesn't get in the way of capturing the essence of the subject.  The mechanics, as important as they may be, needs to become transparent and second nature so you can focus on composition, posing, character capture, connecting with your subject, etc.  Not as bad is it sounds, just takes practice and I suggest you start off with 1 off camera light and a reflector before working your way up to multiple light setups.  Again, thank you for your kind words and taking the time to comment.  Appreciate it.

[ferrellmc]

Wonderful images. The FE 55mm f1.8 is an excellent lens choice. I'm tempted to get the Sony 135mm f1.8 but I keep telling myself, be patient wait for FE mount.

 

Regarding Face Detection and Eye-AF with the A7RII. I typically allow Face detection to identify the face then I press the Eye-AF button (C3 in my case) get the small box and while holding the button press the shutter release. What is your back up option when Eye-AF doesn't work? I'm sure you'd want to make a smooth transition to the back up focus method? Also are you using AF-S or AF-C. I get some throw aways as AF-C rechecks focus - recently I changed Priority Set in AF-C to AF.

 

Thanks again for sharing amazing work! 

[seb]

@ferrellmc: If you're using AF-C don't use spot focus (without lock AF). the camera try to refocus every half sec then. Use spot focus with lock-AF instead. But for Eye-AF I would recommend area focus and AF-C. If you're shooting around f4 or more you can use AF-S too unless you're not waiting too long to release.

 

@ptortora: really nice work! Allthough it is slightly too much skin retouch for my taste.

[ptortora]

@ferrellmc: If you're using AF-C don't use spot focus (without lock AF). the camera try to refocus every half sec then. Use spot focus with lock-AF instead. But for Eye-AF I would recommend area focus and AF-C. If you're shooting around f4 or more you can use AF-S too unless you're not waiting too long to release.

 

@ptortora: really nice work! Allthough it is slightly too much skin retouch for my taste.

I believe I used Lock-on AF: Flexible Spot, AF-C with Priority Set in AF=C set to AF although I'm not positive about that as the shoot was several weeks ago and it was my first attempt at using the a7rii in the studio. I have eye recognition assigned to my AEL lock button (just makes it easy for my thumb to reach it while still keeping my index finger free for shutter release). I believe once the camera recognized the face, I held AEL lock button down until it locked on to the subject's eye, then while still holding it, I fired the shutter release.  I was pleased at the number of images that were in focus overall, I actually didn't expect it after reading all of the criticism about mirror less focusing but for this type of shoot, the hit rate was high.  Regarding the skin, I understand your preference.  These images were retouched for a large print format so in a large sized file and in large prints, the detail is maintained.  What I find happens is that the skin gets a double shot of processing when you downsize the images for web dimensions but in this case, I had to give large print formatting the preference as the client required the retouches for magazine submissions - thus, web view gets a bit compromised.

[seb]

I believe I used Lock-on AF: Flexible Spot, AF-C with Priority Set in AF=C set to AF although I'm not positive about that as the shoot was several weeks ago and it was my first attempt at using the a7rii in the studio. I have eye recognition assigned to my AEL lock button (just makes it easy for my thumb to reach it while still keeping my index finger free for shutter release). I believe once the camera recognized the face, I held AEL lock button down until it locked on to the subject's eye, then while still holding it, I fired the shutter release.  I was pleased at the number of images that were in focus overall, I actually didn't expect it after reading all of the criticism about mirror less focusing but for this type of shoot, the hit rate was high.  Regarding the skin, I understand your preference.  These images were retouched for a large print format so in a large sized file and in large prints, the detail is maintained.  What I find happens is that the skin gets a double shot of processing when you downsize the images for web dimensions but in this case, I had to give large print formatting the preference as the client required the retouches for magazine submissions - thus, web view gets a bit compromised.

 

thanks for your detailed feedback.

I assumed that with the skin and the compression. Thanks for clarifying that. I have often different feelings with print optimized pictures of my own when I put them into the web. It's just optimized for a different medium.

[deckitout]

very nice shots, well done

[EvanWasHere]

I recently completed a studio session for Erin Brady (2013's Miss USA) and her husband Tony Capasso who are both starring in the ABC reality show "Startup U".  During the session, I switched over from a medium format camera to a Sony a7rii mounted with a 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss T* and a Sony 55mm 1.8 lens.  Lighting for the studio session was with Broncolor and Profoto gear plus quite a few modifiers.  How did the Sony hold up for a commercial studio shoot?  You be the judge.  http://stillsandvideo.squarespace.com/blog/a7rii

 

Great shots!  Is that frequency separation in Photoshop to get that skin looking perfect?  Do you also have a shot of your light setup in the studio?

 

 

@ferrellmc: If you're using AF-C don't use spot focus (without lock AF). the camera try to refocus every half sec then. Use spot focus with lock-AF instead. But for Eye-AF I would recommend area focus and AF-C. If you're shooting around f4 or more you can use AF-S too unless you're not waiting too long to release.

 

@ptortora: really nice work! Allthough it is slightly too much skin retouch for my taste.

 

I'm definitely having a focus hunting issue when shooting with AF-S, Face Recog on, and Flex Spot Small.  When I'm in the studio or shooting models outdoor, I try to just use Eye-AF to counter the focus hunting, but if the model is wearing sunglasses or even regular glasses or there is more than 1 model, that is not an option.  If I go to to Flex Spot Medium, there is no hunting issue, but I am no longer focused as much as I can on the eye, as I want to.

 

I'm coming from Nikon, and not being able to easily move the Flex Spot with the joystick in 1 second, drives me crazy.  I have set C2 to "Focus Mode" so I can get to the focus adjustment faster, but it adds an annoying extra step.

 

Does anyone use the Expand Flexible Spot or the Lock on AF to maintain a focus on the eyes?  Will it even do that?

[christer]

Face Recognition (I have it on C1) will override Flex Spot, and there is no need for AF Lock as FR follows the face.

 

Eye Focus (I have it on the AEL button) works well with FR; there is no need to keep the button pressed once you have seen the small green square on the eye.

 

 

 

 

500px.com//nix-pix/sets/riane

[EvanWasHere]

Face Recognition (I have it on C1) will override Flex Spot, and there is no need for AF Lock as FR follows the face.

 

Eye Focus (I have it on the AEL button) works well with FR; there is no need to keep the button pressed once you have seen the small green square on the eye.

 

 

 

 

500px.com//nix-pix/sets/riane

 

Are you sure???  I thought you have to keep the Eye-AF button pressed while you hit the shutter.  The green square only shows when the button is pressed, and if the model moves a couple inches after i let go at 2.8, I dont want to get her out of focus.

[christer]

Are you sure???  I thought you have to keep the Eye-AF button pressed while you hit the shutter.  The green square only shows when the button is pressed, and if the model moves a couple inches after i let go at 2.8, I dont want to get her out of focus.

 

RTFM (Section Eye AF) and test for yourself.

[ScottChicago]

Outstanding - thanks for sharing!  Great work.

[studiov1]

Hi very nice work . Your lighting is exceptional .

I have one question if you know ,because i am total new in sony cause canon user for years.

With which lens works or is enable the eye AF, because I have for now sony 28-135 f4 for video and stills and 16-35 f4 and when I try to put eye AF the camera said is not support with those lenses

I dint try yet with canon lens because I have the camera two days only.

Thanks