Metz-52 on Sony A7 - AF Beam

[Phaethon]

I use Metz-52 AF-1 on Sony A7. Build quality and flash work is very good for me. 

But AF-beam (focus assist) from flash unit is not activated. I did "On" at "AF-beam" in flash settings and "On" at "focus assist" in camera setting, and still red diode work from camera only!

What is wrong?

All firmware is up to date. Sony A7 - V3.1 and Metz-52 - V1.2.

 

PS: I was using YN-568EX on Nikon D7000 with laser AF-assist two years ago (before I moved from Nikon at Sony). This couple work very good: camera is focusing in any dark even at long range.

[michelb]

Nothing wrong in that the AF Illuminator from the flash ( and all Sony flash units that i know) were designed for the A-Mount cameras that require a pattern to be projected from the camera or flash to help the PDAF system in those cameras to achieve proper focus even on a totally uniform surface ( totally white wall for example).

This was derived from the Minolta AF system and even then some generations of flash units would not allow use of this AF illuminator with previous generations of cameras because the pattern did change on occasion from one generation to the other.

 

This incompatibility would also have to do with an infrared filter that is on the flash illuminator window that helps in using the WL modes.

 

Not so with E-Mount cameras that use what is now called an AF Assist Light which is just that and projects a red light beam with no pattern to help achieve focus by adding the red light you see from your camera when it can not see enough light or something contrasty enough to achieve focus.

 

In theory, this should work with LA-EA2 and  LA-EA4 lens adapters coupled to an A-Mount lens since they use the PDAF system from the A-mount cameras but Sony did not implement it in Firmware which is a pity. I mention this because the AF illuminator is a lot less intrusive in both time and intensity than the weird AF Assist Light of the E-Mount cameras.

 

By the way Sony's latest flash ( and only one introduced since the advent of E-Mount cameras) HVL-F32M does not even have the AF illuminator anymore. The red window at the front is now only for WL Control/Reception.

[Golem]

Projecting a pattern on a blank wall

so that you can AF on it is pointless

cuz a blank wall records as a blank

wall whether it's in focus or not ...

 

 

 

 

Just being a PITA :-)

[Phaethon]

Nothing wrong in that the AF Illuminator from the flash ( and all Sony flash units that i know) were designed for the A-Mount cameras that require a pattern to be projected from the camera or flash to help the PDAF system in those cameras to achieve proper focus even on a totally uniform surface ( totally white wall for example).

This was derived from the Minolta AF system and even then some generations of flash units would not allow use of this AF illuminator with previous generations of cameras because the pattern did change on occasion from one generation to the other.

 

This incompatibility would also have to do with an infrared filter that is on the flash illuminator window that helps in using the WL modes.

 

Not so with E-Mount cameras that use what is now called an AF Assist Light which is just that and projects a red light beam with no pattern to help achieve focus by adding the red light you see from your camera when it can not see enough light or something contrasty enough to achieve focus.

 

In theory, this should work with LA-EA2 and  LA-EA4 lens adapters coupled to an A-Mount lens since they use the PDAF system from the A-mount cameras but Sony did not implement it in Firmware which is a pity. I mention this because the AF illuminator is a lot less intrusive in both time and intensity than the weird AF Assist Light of the E-Mount cameras.

 

By the way Sony's latest flash ( and only one introduced since the advent of E-Mount cameras) HVL-F32M does not even have the AF illuminator anymore. The red window at the front is now only for WL Control/Reception.

Thanks for answer! 

You are Englishman and you have perfect native English, but that is a little complicated for my intermediate level...

I will try the autofocus at Sony A7 with help of laser pattern from YN-568EX which will mounted on Canon 6D soon

[michelb]

My native language is french so sorry if my explanations may sometimes be bit unclear.

 

To answer Golem: I agree focusing on a blank wall seems pointless but it was designed back in 1985 so that even in very low contrast situations, the system could focus with the help of this pattern in low light using flash.

 

Think of it as an aid in low light low contrast so it could focus on a white shirt where the face could be off center. There was only a single AF sensor in the center of the frame back then.

 

The cameras of the first generation of AF cameras did not have the illuminator on the camera body so in low light AF would have been useless and since we are talking about the film era where ISO 400 was just too grainy for most so the most popular films were ISO 100-200, flash had to be used in low light conditions.

[Phaethon]

My native language is french so sorry if my explanations may sometimes be bit unclear.

Do not worry, I almost understand that you mean And the same time I learned English   

 

 

 

Yesterday I attempted to get focusing in dark at the flat white wall and "wood" floor with laser pattern AF-assistance from YN-568EX II mounted on Canon 6D (lens with cap). On the same time I pushed on shot buttons on both camera: Sony A7 was trying to get the focus and YN-568EX was emitting red-laser pattern on the wall. 

So, can I tell? It is definitely not work 

 

Today evening I will add a couple samples photos from my experiment. (by Moscow time)