Sony Focus Modes - Get the most out of your A73, A7R3, A9, A7S2, A7R2!

*Yes I meant "I never use AF-S" not AF-C lol my bad.
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Today I'm going over all the focus modes and systems in the Sony mirrorless cameras like the A7R3, A73 and A9. It will also apply to the A7R2 and S2 in a lot of cases
What I used to film this VLOG
Sony A7R3
Batis 25mm f2.0
Rode Wireless Lapel kit
Edited in Premiere Pro CC on the iMac Pro
My website: www.christurnerphotographer.com
Facebook: / christurnerphotographer
Instagram: / chris_turner_photographer

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

*Yes I meant "I never use AF-S" not AF-C lol my bad.

[@White_Thorn_Media]

In AF-S mode aperture stay open wide till you take a picture so is much easier to find focus. If you use for example 85mm f1. 8 lens in AF-C mode and aperture you set is f5.6 - that settings make much more trouble for camera to find focus because aperture is small but when you switch to AF-S, camera looking for focus with wide open aperture f1.8 and after that close it to f5.6. So in low lights situations AF-S is King. Hope I explained this clearly. Sorry for my English.

[@vince3ang]

I thought I heard wrongly. Glad you corrected here. Great video, keep it up!

[@GangstasCat]

I've double checked the video and was on my way with the same kind of comment)

[@ParadiseProjectsGroup]

Finally someone did a no nonsense video on Sony focus modes. Thanks for not ranting and just running through easy to understand examples, refreshing.

[@quallzone6219]

Great video! Three years later (2022-09-16), and this information is still useful as more photographers are looking at pre-owned A73, A7R3, A9 and similar bodies.

[@TaoCovillault]

Little trick, if you clic on the joystick in wide mode, it also make a center focus ;)

[@Edgarbopp]

Selection of the eyeAF subject was very helpful.

[@kgsriram]

Probably the best video on AF for Sony! The focus selection of bride and groom from a bunch of ppl is such a useful trick! Thank you mate!

[@TomKaszuba]

The info at the 5:40 mark is exactly what I’ve been looking for. This video really made my day. Thank you.

[@steveyinasia]

Great information Chris, I recently upgraded from A6500 to A7iii so I am in "learning mode" and this has been one of the best explanations on focus modes I have seen to date.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thanks for the feedback Steve!

[@deanwalliss8739]

This is the only really coherent, practical explanation of this topic I've seen so far. Thanks!

[@NeilRedfern]

Great video Chris! Especially the tip about choosing a face when using eye-af 😊

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thanks mate :)

[@babatundeomoniyi2377]

Thanks so much Chris. I have been researching Sony focus modes for weeks. Your video made it so clear and simple. Cheers mate

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

That’s great. Thanks for the feedback!

[@chryseass.5143]

Chris, you had me at "Hawaiian Shirt Tuesday" but I think this is one of your 'best' videos- very good information disseminated in such a clear and helpful manner. I have saved this video to watch again and appreciate you explaining each mode and the reasons behind your choices. Thanks.

[@IlluminatusNZ]

Thanks Chris! The tip about the AF-S vs. AF-C was awesome.

[@kingweddingmedia]

Been shooting Sony for a few years now and never knew about the trick with picking which person to focus on by hovering your focus point over to make their box go white first! Very very helpful thanks Chris!

[@T-Slider]

Directly to the crystal clear points! You saved me a ton of time. Thanks Chris!

[@EricKolibas]

Super comprehensive, what a great video! Helped me learn a few extra things especially with the selection of one person with eye focus 👌

[@Anna-gv7vo]

Best vídeo of all I've seen about Focus modes. Thank you so much!

[@chuknorth]

Hey. I really like the simple / effective video set up you're using. It works.

[@jmalcodray]

Great video Chris, thanks so much. I've had my a7iii for several months and have been shooting mostly events - concerts from the pit. Been searching for a good explanation AND hands-on so I could finally understand the options. This video did it. I struggled with more than one person in the frame and the camera selecting who to focus on, your demo helped me better understand. Grateful!

[@scottpam]

I just got the A7III and migrated from the D750. Also shooting live music events and struggling with the camera - it picks one performer when I want the other.

[@jamesaphotography1286]

Thanks a lot for this video, this has answered so many questions about the Sony focusing system, really helpful if I move over to Sony.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

No worries! Check out the A7 setup video also if you haven’t

[@thainz881]

Awesome video Chris. Thank you

[@pmehta4452]

Thank you Chris. I am coming over from Canon and your videos help a bunch!

[@gyulaco]

fantastic sum up! Especially I didn't know how to choose in between faces.

[@fanoscharalambous2098]

Great review and thanks for the tip for AF-C

[@DevonLad]

Choosing the face was what I've been struggling with. It's so difficult to see those subtle color changes. You've really helped with subject locking, thank you!

[@polinakhanteeva752]

i didn't get that moment. how do we lock it there??

[@TODDZEN]

Thanks. Your video was very helpful and easy to understand.

[@ZoeChing1319]

This was so helpful! You mentioned two things that I don’t know how to do still: 1) how do you make the toggle stick “jump” back to the center point? 2) which button did you designate for eye focus lock? Would love to see your custom button setup and menu!

[@gh0stb0y75]

On the a7 bodies that have a joystick, simply pressing into it will make your focus point jump back to center

[@dieseldavey]

Thanks for the helpful video. I was thinking of getting rid of my Sony camera but but I’ll keep hold for now 🤗

[@goat2503]

I really enjoy your content mate, thank you for the straight forward video, subscribed and recommended to others.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Goat thanks mate appreciate that! More videos coming soon

[@TawiSaran]

thanks for the tutorial. Easy to follow and understand.

[@gadgetphilosophy8290]

Great video buddy. Thanks. I’m going to watch it a few times. Try to get my head around it.

[@danniehan]

Thanks Chris this is so informative

[@mystikmeg]

This was so brilliant. Thanks 🙏🏻

[@nwmi23]

Very informative video, thanks!

[@nov19lmf]

Very informative! Thanks!

[@mrcrooss1]

Thank you for this amazing explanation!

[@krismarvel]

Thanks Chris! Such a helpful video. 😄

[@akirakunphotography241]

Thank you so much for sharing your great experience with us 😃👍🏻

[@peterf9689]

Great video Chris

[@Sabenn]

More people need to see this. GJ

[@graciam3020]

This was amazing. Thank you

[@mpwicks]

Very helpful and to the point. Thank you!

[@alandiprose]

Really helpful ... thanks Chris :)

[@Meggietin]

Super helpful! Thanks so much!

[@fatboicjfilms]

Best Sony focus more on KZbin thank you bro 🤟🏿

[@Kozitaju]

Very simple and informative ! Thank you :-)

[@striper112]

great video,thanks for the info

[@brandonkapana2453]

thank you so much for this video Chris. For a while I've been wondering how to get an eye AF locked on a specific person in a group of people. I usually use "wide" with eye AF so it usually just pics the eye closest to the camera. Very very useful information. thank you again. or should i say, Mahalo from Oahu, HI. :)

[@Yotengri]

Great video !

[@egis7908]

Chris - interesting and very informative. Curious what focus setting would you suggest for wildlife photography where the animals are on the move chasing prey, so the action is happening fast and shooting would be fast as allowable - either 10 fps or 20 fps depending on what Sony I am using with a 100-400 x 1.4TC? Thanks

[@RamiH]

i Under estimated the AF-C on my A7rii, i only use it for eye AF .I will surely be using AF-C more now thanks to you for this simple explanation.There is also a problem when there are multiple faces in a shot and you are in WIDE AREA , it is near impossible to get the right face unless you change the AF area and then you point it over and press the eye-AF button to lock it.. The more you know.....thanks for this!Subbed!

[@kenthomsonphoto1]

Rami H to choose a face when in Wide Area, place it in the centre of the frame then press the shutter or AF button, no need to switch modes. Same applies when using Eye AF with Wide area. That said, I rarely use Face Detect now, Eye AF does the same thing but is more controllable IMO.

[@White_Thorn_Media]

You can register your favourite face so camera will be known which face is important for you.

[@sebastiankirch2153]

oh man..you helped me so much with this video.. i came from canon and this helps alot..thank you

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

No worries mate glad it helped

[@lookylookie]

Subscribed. Excellent thanks

[@user-mn4nf2my1l]

very simple and great video! Thx)

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Thank you!

[@WaleedAlfudhaili]

Thanks a lot Chris for your detalied explanation. I woundring how did get multiple faces in focus as group photo with 85mm in your wedding shooting.

[@VadimOm]

now this is super informative and nice! still on my nikons, cuz i am packed with gear and can't afford to switch, but it is super nice to know that Nikon mirrorless suck so hard compared to Sony, this af thing is just insane thank you dude!

[@scottpam]

I switched from Nikons - this is like running a spaceship versus a Cessna.

[@GangstasCat]

Great video, thanks. Maybe you have same video about metering modes? It's kinda clear to understand the difference between them, but I stuck trying get sunny backlight low contrast dreamy portraits - overexposed background or head outline only) Or some recomendations maybe?)

[@ribe3434]

Great video thanks. Nice you cover the Sony logo with tape on your camera.... haha.

[@roybush1]

Chris , love the videos but could you help me with the settings when shooting the bride and grooms to ensure tight sharp focus on them both . Great shows

[@therealcinnimo]

Yesss please

[@foveacreative]

Great video thanks. Just a note on the Lock-on modes - these activate subject tracking and are great for fast moving subjects - it's like Eye AF but for everything except eyes! I don't do weddings but do lots of events and some performing arts. Lock-on AF: Centre is my default AF setting. I move the camera to centre on the subject, activate AF and then recompose my image. I find this much faster and easier than messing about with the joystick or touchpad to move the AF point, it's a very fluid way of working.

[@LindtBunny]

Exactly what I do Ian! Why move the spot and lose time when you can quickly focus in the middle then just move the camera instead. So much better

[@privilegezudaire1239]

My photos are not sharp enough. Always use af-c and flex point to select a face.because I shoot weddings. I wonder what I'm doing wrong.

[@privilegezudaire1239]

@@LindtBunny My photos are not sharp enough. Always use af-c and flex point to select a face.because I shoot weddings. I wonder what I'm doing wrong.

[@LindtBunny]

@@privilegezudaire1239 are you using Eye AF and continuous mode? And human face detection?

[@privilegezudaire1239]

@@LindtBunny Yes, I use that same setting but I still don't get that image quality. Did you download any of their raw? I have your same team and I can't get that.

[@MrCodyswanson]

Thank you sir!

[@edithclaudio7460]

Hi Chris! Thanks for the video - very helpful. I know this is a very old video but in case you do see it: why would one use the joystick instead of simply tapping on a point on the screen? Is it so that you don't have to remove your eye from the viewfinder?

[@matthewdartford9501]

when you have eye detect on it continues to focus on the eye even when its outside of the focus spot! I had no idea it did this. Is there a way to apply the same principle to face detect? BTW, great video!

[@leafsfan71]

Hey Chris, great video! Question for you - What focus mode would you use to track a fast moving dog?

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Hey mate. Probably extended point or medium flexible I reckon. Zone might work well also

[@chernoawe7894]

Hello great video do you always use auto iso for portraiture?

[@lukacarl2559]

AF-M will only engage automatic magnification if you have a focus by wire lens. On fully manual lenses you have to dedicate a button for that. I am wondering how did you set the camera to zoom out with a half press? I have to cycle the magnifications to zoom out...

[@linvalblackstock1749]

Excellent

[@SketchyPadz]

This video helped a ton! Straight to the point and easy to follow. But when you say back button focusing, what do you mean?

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Search back button focusing on my channel I made a video about it

[@adamsrosales6519]

Very legal and very cool

[@therealcinnimo]

Thank you thank you thank you

[@Jessepalen]

thanks dude

[@photoman5943]

thanks, I'm now going to try out the mid flexible spot on my grandson at swimming.

[@nathangray9892]

Amazing video, really helpful for wedding togs who use Sony. Do you have face detection turned on when shooting weddings?

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Oh yeah all the time. I use eye focus more than anything

[@karlthefirst8690]

I just got my A7riii and this was video was SO helpful, man, thank you. One question for anyone out there: if you’re using AF-C all the time, even for still portraits, I guess you have to be using back-button focus in order to recompose and still hold focus on your subject?

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

You’ll wanna use back button anyway. Look up my back button video. You can just use eye focus because it works all over the frame anyway so just hold that eye af button down and recompose

[@karlthefirst8690]

Chris Turner Thanks so much for the quick reply, man. I’ve resisted and resisted on back button, thinking I rarely shoot moving subjects anyway (and that maybe I’m not that coordinated), but more and more I’m thinking I have to bite the bullet, particularly now I have a Sony mirrorless in my pack.

[@mannumforce]

Thanks Chris, very informative. Do you mind me asking what you are using to record your screen like that, Atamos Ninja 2 maybe? Very interested in buying something to record my screen, thanks

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Yep that’s ninja 2.

[@mannumforce]

@@ChrisTurnerPhotographer thanks

[@summerameen]

This was a very helpful video for a 10+ years Nikon shooter starting to switch over to Sony! There's one question I haven't found the answer to in any videos on KZbin so far... with eye AF, how do you choose which eye you want to focus on? Sometimes I'm shooting and want to focus on the left eye for instance but it keeps focusing on the right one... is there a way to address this?

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

I think now you can change which eye in the menu but not during shooting, it’s supposed to chose the closest eye by default

[@jrmorales1978]

Hi great video How i set my eye auto focus on my a6000

[@afocante]

I wish see you trying the Nikon Z7 !

[@thecanarywolf5421]

Thank yku

[@dieseldavey]

Hi how do you get the large square on the rear screen. Thanks for your time

[@kellygem]

Aloha how are you getting the two gray boxes on the faces I can't for the life of me figure it out sorry I just switched from Nikon to Sony A7R3 a month ago and the learning curve sucks lol Mahalo for your time.

[@beyerfamily5548]

what focus mode and area do you use for a group to get them all in focus?

[@aerialphoto]

afs would be good for handheld architecture where you need to lock focus and recompose without worrying that it switched point of focus.

[@ssvman100]

In AFS it uses contrast and phase for better acuracy thats why it hunts

[@rogerfleming1121]

Phase detection works pretty well. Anyone know of circumstances when hybrid focusing is really much better?

[@scottpam]

what button did you set up for eye-focus? I have it set to the AEL, and AF-ON for BBF, and with four faces, it still only picks one and does not allow me to pick another face in the group. What am I missing in what setting if you know?

[@privilegezudaire1239]

There are many opinions and I am not clear. What configuration do you recommend for both static and moving subjects? thank you

[@fnaticmedia]

I believe you meant @8:50, "that's why I never ever use AF-S (not AF-C)" :) Thanks for sharing your thoughts (y)

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Yep

[@wolfgangfritsch485]

I fondly remember the old days of analog photography when everyone knew how to focus without much ado... now the question is rather how many videos it takes before one has a chance to grasp the concept of proper focussing... this video is really great help, i.e. for the focussed (pun intended) photographer, but we will never be back to the grand old days when things were easy even for the sloppy guy

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Haha I agree. I shot a lot of film, it didn’t matter if focus wasn’t tack sharp cause the photo was generally soft anyways unless I was on medium format. Things were simple yet complicated at the same time

[@shady7012]

can i move all the focusing options on the a7r2 like you did with the joystick on focus zone or can i only move the flexible spot

[@jonpaynephoto906]

If firing with flash/strobe , say an explosive movement eg sprinter on a track would u still use af-c?

[@jessyca9833]

Thank you so much! Not sure why the locking eye-tracking didn't work for me though!

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

What camera do you have

[@jessyca9833]

​@@ChrisTurnerPhotographer A7R3

[@texasmarshalls]

What setting do you use for a large group, 5 people, 40 people, etc.

[@jeremyspal78]

thanks

[@ansonlee3533]

Chris, do you realize that by using AF-S mode and together with face focus tracking being enable, when you click the shutter half way, it actually focusing 2 faces with 2 green box instead of once focusing one face when using AF-C mode.

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

That’s kind of pointless, I mean I get what your saying but it’s impossible to focus at 2 different distances at the same time. You know what I mean?

[@ansonlee3533]

@@ChrisTurnerPhotographer yeah. i get it. but somehow, this is just how's the camera behave. When photographing bunch of ppl with different distance, best way is to use larger F. Maybe F8.0

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Yeah I get it, I’m just saying it’s kind of pointless when you can just choose the right eye (in front of the group for example) and have the faster focusing of AFC, plus back button for the win haha

[@karadytube]

I have question, which focus mode Should I use for a singer moves around? Many thankx

[@edwinjansen6729]

Chris, can i hug you? 🙏

[@scottabergermd]

We need a current version!!

[@N4865G]

Legend. I really enjoyed this and other videos on your channel. Easy to understand, learnt something new today. Thank you. Would you consider Eye-AF for fast moving, low light indoor sports, like Volleyball? thanks again mate...

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Hey mate thanks! Yeah I’d use eyeAF in any situation if I could.

[@vinhau8843]

How do you set up your camera so it can have more than 1 gray box? Thank!

[@7kingsart955]

this is relevant for the a7r iv

[@ChrisTurnerPhotographer]

Mostly but the R4 has real time tracking added also. Otherwise yes