Sony Alpha 7 IV Exposure Bracketing Setup Tutorial

[@gerrygibbons5150]

This is very explanatory. Congratulations to all who had a hand in creating this video.

[@morrowaviation]

Appreciate you greatly, Gerry. My name is Mark and it is an honor indeed.

[@williebravousa]

The best tutorial about HDR.

[@pratikborude4624]

This is the most simplest and easiest tutorial video i ever seen ✨🙏🏻♥️ Congratulations you gained 1 subscriber 🎉

[@rogerbeltz2370]

Not real sure why you need to set the camera on Manual mode rather than Aperture Preferred. Also can this basic procedure be done using the self timer?

[@jamesgranger6269]

How do I know which setting it is using to manipulate exposure? For example, if I want to keep my ISO and Aperture the same but have the shutter speed change, how would I do that? Thank you!

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello James, Excellent question! The camera keeps ISO and aperture values unchanged in manual mode(M), and in aperture priority mode (A), unless ISO is set to Auto. In shutter Priority mode (S), it will vary the aperture during bracketing.

[@pixelphotographyByPrasad]

Very good Tutorial, but why you did not use Self Timer in Bracketing. This camera has this self timer in Bracketing feature. My Old A7 ii does not have the timer in Bracketing.

[@davidm8076]

How do you use self time for bracketing?

[@efroy2959]

Excelente explicacion!!

[@Pulamathi]

how you shoot this video sir ..its crystal clear and very sharp ...pls explain

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello @Pulamathi, Thank you for your interest, and the compliments. Parts of the video are shot in 4k video (Panasonic S1H), and the rear side and close-ups are photos taken using the same camera with bracketing. The menu was captured from the HDMI outlet. All sources were put together in Premiere and animated in After Effects. However, the crispness is not achieved by a high resolution alone. Good lighting helps a lot, even though it is quite flat.

[@giorgiofontana2941]

Pls How can I use braketing with flash ? Thank you very much

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello @giorgiofontana2941, I'd suggest activating fill-flash like so MENU > (Exposure/Color) > [Flash] > Fill-Flash Then select the Fn button > Drive Mode > BRKS (Single Bracket). Note that this setting requires using a tripod and pushing the shutter button for each exposure of the bracket. Alternatively, try setting to continuous bracketing BRKC, to see if the flash fires for each shot. If it does, you do not necessarily need a tripod.

[@RayRomanMedia]

Would the Program Shift (P) option work best instead of Manual as far as quickly shooting instead of having to constantly adjust manually? Also, wouldn't the other options make for a better HDR image such as 03.EV3, 0.3EV5 or 0.3EV9? I think 9 images is a bit overboard but 3-5 I could see being perfect.

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello Ray, good points you raise here. P mode has the disadvantage of constantly varying both aperture and shutter speed depending on the brightness of the subject. If you want more automatic, I would rather use A mode, where the aperture has priority. This ensures that the camera doesn't change the aperture during shooting, which in turn would affect the depth of field or overall sharpness from between the images. As for the number of frames, the video tries to simplify. I agree that more images are needed depending on the contrast of the scene. If more pictures are taken, the gradation of EV steps is less important than covering the full dynamic range of the scene.

[@RayRomanMedia]

@@PhotomatixHDR thank you for this detailed response!

[@biblenthusiast]

I did the continuous bracketing settings from this video, but all the photos were of the same exposure.

[@PhotomatixHDR]

@@biblenthusiast If you chose one of the BRK C or BRK S settings with Fn button > Drive Mode the only scenario I can think of is when the camera reaches its upper shutter speed limit of a 1/4000th of a second already with the first shot. Otherwise, check if the mode dial is set to M or A, and whether you didn't choose BRK WB or BRK DRO inadvertently.

[@eliellgvs1]

3 is the max for bracketing: Or can I set to 5 to above ?

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello Eliel, 3 images is not the maximum of images for automatic exposure bracketing on the a7 IV. I chose it to keep the video more simple. The camera can take up to 9 images in one bracketed set. However, with 9 images the max. spacing is 1 EV. So yes, you can set it to 5 (2.0Ev5) to achieve a 2.0 EV spacing.

[@eliellgvs1]

@@PhotomatixHDR Great! Thank you very much!

[@cindymedick]

I followed the tutorial but my camera is only taking 2 shots. I can't seem to figure it out. I'm sure it's user error. Any help?

[@cindymedick]

Just figured it out! I needed to hold the button down until it's done. See, I told you user error!

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello @cindymedick, A possible cause might be the auto focus setting. Try to focus manually (MF) or set the auto focus to Single-shot AF (AF-S). Another reason could be that the camera would exceed the maximal possible shutter speed when taking the third shot. Hence it doesn't release the third exposure.

[@rinaldobranquinho]

What is the first exposure created by the camera in manual mode? Thanks for the video.

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello Rinaldo, This is a good question! It depends on the Bracket order setting in the menu: MENU > (Shooting) > [Drive Mode] > [Bracket Settings] > Bracket order Set it to either 0 > - > + to start with the zero/middle/normal exposure or to - > 0 > + to start with the underexposed image. By default, it starts with the normal exposure (0).

[@71gregorio]

Nice and clear, but still got a doubt, what if you need to take 3 shots at -2ev / 0ev / +5ev , not to be -2ev and +2ev ? Is there a way to customise it? Thanks in advance

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello @71gregorio, It is not possible to set an unequal step increment like that. What you could do is set the bracketing to 5 images at 2 EV step increments, then offset the Exposure Compensation (top dial) by +2 EV. This way you get -2EV, 0EV, +2EV, +4EV, +6EV. That is the closest to your requirement you can get. The +2EV and +6EV images are not used then.

[@71gregorio]

@@PhotomatixHDR thanxxx will try that, it's a good option!

[@morrowaviation]

Rack it up, let it take 9 and remove frames manually as desired.

[@nd7am]

Does it work on moving subjects? I mean if it is taking 3 photos at the same time, or it is taking three consecutive photos?

[@PhotomatixHDR]

The camera takes 3 consecutive photos. Therefore, moving subjects and objects will be in different positions from photo to photo. However, if moving subjects are incidental and less prominent the ghosting that occurs after merging the three photos, can be removed using Photomatix' ghost removal feature.

[@pozityvas4944]

Thank you!

[@mrmarylandrealestate]

How do you put it on a timer? I'm new to sony

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello @mrmarylandrealestate, On Sony cameras, the setting is called Self-timer during Bracketing. You'll find it in the main menu: - Navigate to MENU → (Shooting) → [Drive Mode] → [Bracket Settings] → [Self-timer during Bracketing]. It is the same page where you set the bracketing order and other settings related to bracketing.

[@mtbboy1993]

1:35 I can't use this method. looks like previous owner changed the settings to use scroller wheel instead.

[@KAPhotography]

reset to default all the settings of your camera and set every settings you wannt. so you can be familiarize with all the changes

[@mtbboy1993]

@@KAPhotography I like it as is anyway won't bother, u less I find a reason to. But I did set other stuff how I want it.

[@nando_filmz]

Why does my ev-2 not look different than my ev0

[@arizonagolfandrealestate4508]

Is it very bright at ev0? Outdoor shooting for me doesn't look different if only 2 stops apart.

[@PhotomatixHDR]

If some or all of the images look the same it can have one or several of the following reasons: - The camera can't increase/decrease the shutter speed automatically, because it reached the upper or lower shutter speed limits - Exposure compensation (the top right dial) has been set inadvertently and prevents bracketing from working as expected - The mode dial is set to a setting other than M or A, or the camera is in S&Q or movie mode, not in photo mode - As Ryan mentioned, in certain outdoor scenarios it is hard to tell the difference between exposures when a 1 EV spacing was chosen - The bracketing settings did reset due to a restart of the camera

[@morrowaviation]

@@arizonagolfandrealestate4508 Make sure Auto ISO is off. 200 is typically optimal for most sensors.

[@matrixate]

You forgot one thihg. PP.

[@PhotomatixHDR]

Hello @matrixate, If you are referring to processing the photos in Photomatix Pro (PP), you can find a video about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqKxc4p7hs17o6c

[@nickpotet1970]

IT MAKES NO SENSE! As Sony does exposure braketing via ISO change. Proper bracketing is about changing exposure, not sensitivity. For example shutter speed. 1\125 1\60 1\250. NOT THE SAME EXPOSURE AND DIFFERENT ISO, wtf Sony? Please help me. Ty.

[@PhotomatixHDR]

You might check your ISO setting. If ISO is set to Auto, the camera varies ISO values, not the shutter speed. Set it to a low value of 100 to 800.

[@aznycts]

are you talking to 10 yo kid ? Come on .

[@daveericson8447]

You haven't a clue just admit