Focus issues using modeling lights

[adwb]

I find the 7r2 is not at all happy to focus in a studio where the only light source is the modeling light from 3 bowens lights, I seem to also remember that there was a good reason not to use the built in focus light as it causes an issue of some sort, I think I saw this posted or in one of the Freidman books,

 

As I have always shot under modeling lights before , I wondered is this just me or do I have to use the room lights to focus ,( I know ambient does not show up) but I like to work with shadows and move lights a lot to get effect I want , and turning lights on and off is a real pain

[Golem]

Odd Idea:

  

You can focus by room lights yet still see the lighting effect of the

modeling lights if you can provide room lights in an odd color. It's

likely that certain colors maybe more friendly to the AF sensors

than other colors, so that may affect choice of color. But the main

idea of using odd colored room lights is so modeling lights don't

blend into the room light.

  

Your actual shadows [as per captured image] will be visible to the

eye as odd colored shadows, as the room light visually fills them,  

but as you point out, the flash exposure will not record the room

light [neither odd colored nor normal]. 

   

`

[adwb]

Hmm, so since the cameras ficus light is red I guess that's the one to try first it's a good ides thanks

[pfogle]

Hi, I was shooting in the studio today, and I use Bowens lights, so I used the Sony to see what the issue is.

 

This is what I found: using 1/125 sec and f11 at ISO 100.

 

I set WB to auto and shoot raw. The camera does a decent job of switching from tungsten modelling lights to flash without causing unpleasant color casts in the photos or in live-view, and raw allows any fine-tuning.

 

Most important, in the settings menu (the cogwheel), on page 2 set "Live View Display" to "Setting Effect Off". This way you get a fully bright live view or VF image to work with.

 

With these settings I had no problems at all using studio flash.

 

Edit - I'm looking at your original post; are you talking about auto focus? That's something I never use in a studio, so I apologise if I missed the point. However, my A7R focuses fine using AF under those lights. My only AF lens is the 28mm, so I don't normally use it in the studio. I also like to check the images using the remote function and an iPad.