[Peter E]

Hi Peter, how are you getting on with the new A58? I can see from the previous posts in this topic that you have certainly been exploring the possibilities.

Further to Andy's comments about autofocus there are a couple of important points to remember. the autofocus on the SLT range of cameras is very fast and accurate, but like all autofocus systems out there it has shortcomings that cannot be overcome no matter how advanced the technology might be. Regardless of which lens you use, autofocus will depending on your focus settings look for an area of distinct contrast under one or all the sensors and autofocus on that and usually, very well even if its the wrong subject. Hence your problems with blurry subjects.

As Andy rightly points out, if you alter your autofocus setting to spot focus, this can go a long way toward solving the problem ( there are other ways). When composing the image, sit the spot sensor (little white rectangle in the centre of the viewfinder) on the subject or part of the subject you want in focus and half press the shutter. If this point is not in the right place in your composition, either hold the shutter half down or press the AE lock button to hold your exposure settings and re-frame the subject before you shoot.

Also remember that your aperture setting has a big influence on focus. If you use a wide aperture, say, f2.8 the depth of field i.e. the area in focus will be much shorter near to far than if you use a small setting like f22 for example. With wider aperture settings, precise focussing is far more critical. The SLT autofocus system is more than capable of coping. Tell it what to focus on and it will!

Rather than using the camera's auto settings I would recommend that you use aperture priority mode ('A' on the mode dial). This allows you to set an aperture of your choosing and the camera will automatically select appropriate shutter speed, white balance and ISO to complement your choice. If you're not familiar with the effect that aperture size has on your images, try taking several pictures of the same subject at different aperture settings (keep the focal length and lighting conditions constant) and compare results. You will then easily understand which settings are going to give the best results for whatever you are shooting.

With regard to your comments about batteries, go for it! The only thing a duff battery will do is stop the camera working. The cameras power supply is regulated internally regardless of what the battery may or may not do. 35 years in the electronics industry tells me I'm on firm ground here! Amazon's return policy is pretty damn good so there is little or no risk involved.

Let me know how you're getting on. Regards
Keith

Hi Keith, Nice to hear from you. actually I am in a bit of a quandry now about the AF/MF debate. The result I got by comparison a couple of days ago seemed to indicate MF to be far better, but today tying other examples, and the same one again from before, which showed more or less no difference this time! (leads me to think the bit that seemed out of focus by comparison before, was probably not correctly in the focus Zone. Very difficult to be that accurate again).
Taking my cam outside, although it is a dull day, and using the MF I just cannot understand how, if I focus on something quite a way off, focus until it glows as bright red as possible, take the shot and then fix on something very much nearer only to find that is still outlined in red without me altering the focus ring. How could both distances, near and far, be in focus on the same ring setting, but they are, the shot comes out O.K. I can only suppose the auto setting is automatically setting a very small aperture! but when the cam looks at something really close wouldn't it adjust the aperture to large accordingly, without you pressing anything.

Then taking all the same shots again with AF, the AF shots seem if anything a bit better. Sometimes (very occasionally) using the MF the results where not so good like a bit out of focus, say on a cars number plate (which is usually very clear) even though always glowing bright red, whereas nothing in AF seems to fail. Strange isn't it.
Anyway I will try and digest all you say above and work on it. I will try the aperture priority, problem is to sort out which aperture I should be selecting at any one time. Need to study that one.

Regards the battery, thanks for that. I did put another new thread on the forum. To see what others thought about Cheap Amazon batteries, and their experiences with them. Then I went into the Amazon web site and looked at one in England, rather than America, which seems to be billing itself as more or less a gen replacement, for £26.
So I looked at customer reviews and found there are big problems. Mainly the battery refusing to charge a second time (which quite a lot of people found) to the cam refusing to accept it! It seems that Sony cams can recognise a fake and reject it. Have you tried to use one in Sony cam? It's a bit puzzling how others can say it wouldn't charge a second time, if the camera rejected it. Something doesn't add up there does it, obviously those people didn't get it rejected. Anyway so many people seemed to have had an issue with the charging that it doesn't sound too good.

No urgency on that one yet but I do need to pick up another spare battery at some point.

The only downside that I have found to the cam so far is deleting pics from it. It can't be done, it seems, using the computer when connected! and there seems absolutely no provision for a mass deletion, like on all other cams I've had (even though there is provision to protect a picture against accidental erasure!) So if you are like me and snap everything in site, especially when out on an excursion, like when I was visiting the knights Templar villages in France in August, I snapped literally hundreds of shots with the Fuji, you then have to painstakingly select each shot and agree to delete etc., I am not going to like that at all. Do you know any way to delete the card all at once?

Pete.

[a_orme]

Hi Peter, how are you getting on with the new A58? I can see from the previous posts in this topic that you have certainly been exploring the possibilities.

Further to Andy's comments about autofocus there are a couple of important points to remember. the autofocus on the SLT range of cameras is very fast and accurate, but like all autofocus systems out there it has shortcomings that cannot be overcome no matter how advanced the technology might be. Regardless of which lens you use, autofocus will depending on your focus settings look for an area of distinct contrast under one or all the sensors and autofocus on that and usually, very well even if its the wrong subject. Hence your problems with blurry subjects.

As Andy rightly points out, if you alter your autofocus setting to spot focus, this can go a long way toward solving the problem ( there are other ways). When composing the image, sit the spot sensor (little white rectangle in the centre of the viewfinder) on the subject or part of the subject you want in focus and half press the shutter. If this point is not in the right place in your composition, either hold the shutter half down or press the AE lock button to hold your exposure settings and re-frame the subject before you shoot.

Also remember that your aperture setting has a big influence on focus. If you use a wide aperture, say, f2.8 the depth of field i.e. the area in focus will be much shorter near to far than if you use a small setting like f22 for example. With wider aperture settings, precise focussing is far more critical. The SLT autofocus system is more than capable of coping. Tell it what to focus on and it will!

Rather than using the camera's auto settings I would recommend that you use aperture priority mode ('A' on the mode dial). This allows you to set an aperture of your choosing and the camera will automatically select appropriate shutter speed, white balance and ISO to complement your choice. If you're not familiar with the effect that aperture size has on your images, try taking several pictures of the same subject at different aperture settings (keep the focal length and lighting conditions constant) and compare results. You will then easily understand which settings are going to give the best results for whatever you are shooting.

With regard to your comments about batteries, go for it! The only thing a duff battery will do is stop the camera working. The cameras power supply is regulated internally regardless of what the battery may or may not do. 35 years in the electronics industry tells me I'm on firm ground here! Amazon's return policy is pretty damn good so there is little or no risk involved.

Let me know how you're getting on. Regards
Keith

[a_orme]

hi-keith
thanks for your imput to pete ,I was hoping there was another out there with some info as I am a novice to so any info you give also helps me

[KeithB]

Hi Pete,
Sorry About the delay in getting back to you, I was away last weekend for a Naval reunion and have only just recovered! Every year I keep forgetting that I'm not 21 any more (or anywhere close). I note now that you've got a couple of threads going and are probably getting battered with information overload!

Welcome to the madhouse Andy. Sony SLTs are becoming quite popular, I wonder if it's anything to do with the world-beating performance?

On the subject of auto versus manual focussing that we touched on before. I can see you are discovering some of the issues for yourself already, nothing's ever simple is it? Each method has it's advantages and disadvantages. For close ups, macro, portrait or still life where you will invariably use a tripod or some other method of keeping the camera still (I hope!), manual focus is definitely advantageous particularly with focus peaking which you've already discovered. In low light conditions manual may also help if you find autofocus struggling to lock, this often happens with long focal lengths for the obvious reasons.

For pretty much everything else autofocus will be fine. you may recall both Andy and me mentioned the advantage of using spot focussing for a particular target. Local focussing where you select which sensor to use also has it's uses but is of course, a bit more fiddly.

Regarding your comments about items near and far being in focus at the same time, if you are using a small aperture, say f22, then the long depth of field will render a significant amount of your scene in focus. As long as the shooting conditions remain constant the camera will not make any changes, remember it has no way of knowing which part of the available scene you are looking at!

A very useful way of speeding up your learning is a book called 'Collins Complete photography Course' by John Garrett & Graeme Harris available from Amazon for £8.49 (new). In ten lessons, complete with lots of examples and photographs, each with an end of lesson assignment it will give you a solid grounding in getting to know the mysteries of DSLR(SLT) photography. I bought a copy for my daughter in law a couple of years ago when she bought herself a Nikon D90 and she loved it.

As far as batteries go, no, I haven't used a cheap battery in the A77 so I can't comment. I used one in my Panasonic FZ7 with no problems, but who knows? Maybe it's better to go with the Sony and sod the expense!!

to delete everything from the card at once. go into the Memory card Tool Menu and select 'Format'. this will wipe the card and reformat it's file system for next time.

From our previous conversations I conclude, that like me you are both retired with time on your hands. If you like I can PM you both my email address and phone number and we can have the occasional chat and brain-picking session in real time.

[Peter E]

Hi Pete,
Sorry About the delay in getting back to you, I was away last weekend for a Naval reunion and have only just recovered! Every year I keep forgetting that I'm not 21 any more (or anywhere close). I note now that you've got a couple of threads going and are probably getting battered with information overload!

Welcome to the madhouse Andy. Sony SLTs are becoming quite popular, I wonder if it's anything to do with the world-beating performance?

On the subject of auto versus manual focussing that we touched on before. I can see you are discovering some of the issues for yourself already, nothing's ever simple is it? Each method has it's advantages and disadvantages. For close ups, macro, portrait or still life where you will invariably use a tripod or some other method of keeping the camera still (I hope!), manual focus is definitely advantageous particularly with focus peaking which you've already discovered. In low light conditions manual may also help if you find autofocus struggling to lock, this often happens with long focal lengths for the obvious reasons.

For pretty much everything else autofocus will be fine. you may recall both Andy and me mentioned the advantage of using spot focussing for a particular target. Local focussing where you select which sensor to use also has it's uses but is of course, a bit more fiddly.

Regarding your comments about items near and far being in focus at the same time, if you are using a small aperture, say f22, then the long depth of field will render a significant amount of your scene in focus. As long as the shooting conditions remain constant the camera will not make any changes, remember it has no way of knowing which part of the available scene you are looking at!

A very useful way of speeding up your learning is a book called 'Collins Complete photography Course' by John Garrett & Graeme Harris available from Amazon for £8.49 (new). In ten lessons, complete with lots of examples and photographs, each with an end of lesson assignment it will give you a solid grounding in getting to know the mysteries of DSLR(SLT) photography. I bought a copy for my daughter in law a couple of years ago when she bought herself a Nikon D90 and she loved it.

As far as batteries go, no, I haven't used a cheap battery in the A77 so I can't comment. I used one in my Panasonic FZ7 with no problems, but who knows? Maybe it's better to go with the Sony and sod the expense!!

to delete everything from the card at once. go into the Memory card Tool Menu and select 'Format'. this will wipe the card and reformat it's file system for next time.

From our previous conversations I conclude, that like me you are both retired with time on your hands. If you like I can PM you both my email address and phone number and we can have the occasional chat and brain-picking session in real time.

Hi Keith,
Thanks for all the advice. Lot to take in all in one go and I am discovering a lot of what you say, like about focus, for myself as I go along. The book you recommend certainly sounds interesting, I will look out for a copy. Maybe I can order one through Waterstones.
Yes it would be nice to chat to you sometimes rather than though this medium, in real time as you put it.
I don't know about having time on my hands though, that is the one thing I don't seem to have enough of! and since I retired it just seems to get worse. Life is very hectic at the moment. I am actually quite difficult to tie down to being around for phone calls, but not impossible. This lack of time, and opportunity, is holding me up from really experimenting with the cam as I would like to, but it's a particularly hectic time right now and should get easier.

I have the battery issue solved and just waiting for my order though our local camera shop to arrive, should be in today with any luck.

The issue of the Multi Delete, and Formatting the card, has also now been solved with the use of a very comprehensive manual from Sony.

Pete.

[a_orme]

hi-pete and hi-keith
Been away for a couple of days putting my caravan to bed ,that is in devon.So had a bit of time to practice with the A58,the main thing I became aware of is as you progress the more you tend to use the semi auto settings than the full auto.This tends to give you the picture that you want not what the camera decides you want ,you can alter it to such a degree that it either becomes terrible or wow I like that one.There may be a right or wrong way to take a photo and I know to get better one has to learn more,but if you like what you have taken and are happy with the results you are getting there.As keith says try different settings all the time till one is happy with the result and write that setting down it helps.The other thing I found useful was as keith stated try-a- setting ,I did this whilst away and found that between f8 and f11 was steady ground for the A 58 ,then I tried f16-f22 and did a bit of adjustment to the ISO this gave some quite good results not quite sure yet what I consider the best BUT the image quality was brill in most of the pics.The taken pics were of Dartmouth in devon which I had also taken with my sony hx200v bridge camera .They were better by far with the A58-regards to you both Andy

[Pierre]

Pete as far as deleting images from your camera card you should be able to do it on your computer using a card reader open the file select which items you want to delete and then hit delete. If that is an unsatisfactory solution you can always format the card in the camera and that will delete all images.

oops didn't see the post from keith

Pierre

[Peter E]

Pete as far as deleting images from your camera card you should be able to do it on your computer using a card reader open the file select which items you want to delete and then hit delete. If that is an unsatisfactory solution you can always format the card in the camera and that will delete all images.

oops didn't see the post from keith

Pierre

Hi Pierre,
Thanks for your advice, but I have now resolved all issues re. mass deletions and formatting the card with the camera. I have obtained a very much more comprehensive manual from Sony that covers things in far more detail.
Pete.

[KeithB]

Pete, Andy.. Long time no hear, how are you guys getting on with the mysterious world of SLT photography? Not much happening here at the moment, weather and light have been consistently lousy for what seems like weeks. On top of that I had keyhole surgery on my shoulder a week ago and at the moment I can just about hold up a wet lettuce leaf so my beloved A77 has stayed in it's nice warm case!
Best wishes for the festive season to you both. (And everybody else on the forum come to that!).

[a_orme]

hi-keithb
Sorry to hear about your shoulder ,hope it heals soon.Since our last chat I have now purchased a 35mm-1.8f prime lens ,that should give me a better quality of picture,I was going to get a 24mm or 30mm for I tend to do more landscape photos and macro ones.But had the thought this lense may be a little to restrictive so hence a 35mm sony.So after making the plunge the time came to try the new prime lens,WELL in some ways its like starting again ,I tended to try the zoom range -ups-is none-then the flash did not pop up on auto-ups-1.8-low light capable,then the extra time needed to compose the scene to get it right,so have been having great fun in getting confused with myself but its all good fun.What I have found out even though the 35mm prime is brill at 3.5-4.5f and using it for macro is good the 18-55mm standard lens is perhaps a little better at landscape shots,at 30mm 16-22f setting at 200iso,could be wrong of course.At the moment the weather is to changeable to do much testing and only so much can be done indoors but I still feel at least one prime lens should be in your kit.I don't know if you have heard from pete but wish you both a merry xmas and a good new year-I tell you now so as not to forget-I do make a point of checking here most nights to see whats new etc and I thank you for your reply-regards andy

[KeithB]

Hi Peter and Andy, Sorry I've been out of touch for so long. how are you both getting on with your Super Sony DSLRs?
We have had my daughter and her family staying with us for the last 7 months pending finding themselves a new house. Mad house doesn't even come close!

Fortunately they have just moved into their new home and Annie and I are getting used to having our lives back. As the weather has improved my A77 has come out of hibernation. I bought a set of Kenko extension rings last year with the intention of doing some experimentation with macro. So that's definitely on the agenda for the Summer. Also I have been practising panning either on the tripod or monopod as I'm hoping to get some good results from Flying Legends at Duxford next month.

Remember all the discussions we had about the highs and lows of autofocus? I didn't really notice what I was doing until quite recently but, I've got into the habit of using manual focus an awful lot because (I suppose) that's what I had to do in my old SLR days (old habits die hard!) and I definitely feel more in control. I tend to use autofocus when there is little time, for example shooting fast moving subjects.

Anyway, that's all from me for now. Hope you are both OK and hopefully hear from you soon