Best settings for sharp focus of moving target

[johnrsims43]

One of the reasons I wanted the A7R3 was for its fast/accurate focus, and tracking for moving objects.

 

However, I'm not having much success For instance, I was attempting to follow a red tailed hawk in flight, and needed to shoot through openings in the trees. With the camera set to: Drive Mode - "Continuous Shooting Mid", Focus Mode - "Continuous AF" I've tried the following "Focus Area" settings without great success:

Lock-on AF: Center

Lock-on AF: Flexible Spot S

Lock-on AF: Expand Flexible Spot

Lock-onAF: Wide

 

All settings produce similar results. The objects close to me are in focus, but my desired target (center of the frame - and most distant) is out of focus.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

John

[tinplater]

I think it is a nearly insurmountable problem when your target is open then obscured by nearby trees, etc.  I do not do birds in flight, so can't really offer an help of substance, but experts here or on other forums (DP Review, Uglyhedgehog, etc) can, I'm sure give you guidance.  At the distance you might be photographing, depending upon depth of field of your lens, you might try manual focus set to a "guestimate distance".?  I have used lock on autofocus for larger moving objects, in the clear, with reasonable success (like dogs, kids playing soccer, cyclists, etc)

[tinplater]

I would add, youtube has a number of segments on Sony and birds in flight with the A9, etc.  Worth a look there to get some guidance. 

[DanArt]

I really do not think it would make much of a difference in pitch darkness or limited light. My A7RII via SSM II focus dead fast in light and even via the 400mm range where I have to drop the light to capture the shape. I think

 

 

In terms of a moving target the steady shot needs to be off and the options for fast focusing needs to be on. There are two options in my A7RII for fast focusing and I have them both on.

[tinplater]

I believe focus area wide, continuous auto focus, and lock on autofocus set to a convenient button.  I use the large button center of the large dial to toggle through the lock on on off functions.  However haven't tried birds in flight however.

[Guest Jaf-Photo]

Autofocus is getting smarter but it's not a heat seeking missile targeting system capable of tracking birds flying through foliage.

 

Using autofocus is about learning how much autofocus can do for you and how much you have to do yourself.

 

I don't know how big the gaps in the trees were. Birds of prey are fast and agile and change speed and direction instantaneously. If the bird was only clear for a second or so, tracking it is almost impossible. To have any chance of tracking them, they really must be in the open for most of the time.

 

That said I remember my old trusty A77II had an uncanny knack of picking up and tracking birds even if they were fast and flew behind buildings and trees momentarily.

[DanArt]

If you have an object that is surrounded by other objects that is obscuring it then you need to follow the object with your camera and the autofocus needs to be centered especially if your surrounded by multiple targets. Meaning you still have the follow the target with you hands. Like a sports person.

 

AF tracking ( I assume since I never used it ) would probably work where your target is specific and you do not want to move erradically to lose the target but again I want a big gigantic picture of a bird or I want to see the flock of birds in a school or whatever.

 

Again I assume your target is well lite up even if the foilage of the trees is presented. Sometimes I find a target and keep into manual mode via the buttons on the lens if I am allowed to. This way I know I am still in focus.

 

Another issue is then speed of the target and that is where the shutter speed must be respected and balanced out with the ISO

( most likely ).

 

Again we are dealing with fast targets. Not people posing for a picture.

 

Again if the target is not leaving the same plane/perspective area it would be safe to hold the focus

unless you feel the image is not going to appear clean or nice.