Camera body resets power-zoom lens focal length at power-up

[Paolo70]

Hi everyone, I would like my Alpha cameras (A6100 and A6400) to restore the focal length setting of an attached power-zoom lens (e.g the SELP1650 kit lens) every time they wake up from energy saving sleep mode and, preferably, every time they are turned on. Unfortunately both cameras seem to reset the power-zoom focal lens to the widest zoom position at every wakeup, so I have to check and adjust the focal length setting every time I bring the camera to my eye, which is detrimental to my shooting experience.

I wasn't able to find any menu option for enabling the camera body to remember and restore the focal length of an attached power-zoom lens after a power cycle: can anybody provide some insight?

Thank you in advance!
Paolo

Edited May 7 by Paolo70

[Pieter]

This behaviour is normal for all focus-by-wire lenses. Nothing to be done about it except preventing your camera from powering off.

[Paolo70]

Hi Pieter,

Thank you for your answer.

It's a real pity then: I know for sure many other camera bodies do allow saving and restoring the zoom position on attached power-zoom lenses after a power cycle (see https://help.na.panasonic.com/answers/how-to-use-the-lens-position-resume-function/ for Panasonic and https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z9/en/complying_power_zoom_lens_operations_349.html for Nikon, but they're just the first two examples I found) so I really don't see why Sony bodies shouldn't be supporting that simple function.

By the way, there should be no technical problem to do so, as the focal length of current E-Mount power-zoom lenses can already be controlled by the camera body (for example via the on-camera zoom rocker on the Sony ZV-E1, or even via the Imaging Edge Mobile app on a smartphone) so I guess it would just be a matter of updating the camera FW to issue an additional power-zoom focal length command at wake up time.

All, is there any channel we can use to propose such FW enhancement to Sony?

Thank you again,
Paolo

[Pieter]

Ah sorry, I missread your question as 'focus distance resets' rather than 'focal length resets'.

Apparently with a power zoom you can save your focal length to any of the Memory modes. With the camera then set to the relevant Memory mode, it should recall your last used focal length.

[Paolo70]

Hi Pieter,

I really appreciate your help.

Unfortunately, the function you describe is not mentioned in the A6100/A6400 user manuals; it only appears to be supported by the A1 camera body: https://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/2420/v1/en/contents/231h_preset_zoom_focus.html.

I will give it a try anyway.

Thank you and have a good day,
Paolo

[Pieter]

Seems you are correct (and out of luck). I just tested it with my A6500 and 18-105 PZ and can't get it to save/recall focal length.

[Paolo70]

Thank you Pieter, I appreciate your kind support. I will try to find some place to propose a FW enhancement to Sony. Have a good day! Paolo