Sony 400mm F2.8 GM (1 Viewer)

[wookie7070]

I am an occasional bird photographer and more often found behind the goals or posts watching sport. Just got a new to me 400mm GM and will be trying more bird photography with the teleconverters bolted on. I'm looking to buy an A1 at some point and was wondering if anyone has any experience of the Autofocus on the A1 compared to A9. The extra pixels will be very useful shooting wildlife but is the AF a noticeable improvement and is the Bird Eye-AF as good as you would expect for the outlay

 

[49bentley]

Currently have the Sony 400mm 2.8 with the Sony 2x converter permanently affixed to my Sony A1 for bird photography. I have found the AF to be awesome and the bird eye detect to be excellent (not perfect) for perched birds. For BIF, I find that hand held the AF is excellent, eye detect is more difficult the further the bird is and how erradic the flight path. Note that initial lock on to BIF is slowed down by 2x converter, but once acquired it stays on.

 

[wookie7070]

Currently have the Sony 400mm 2.8 with the Sony 2x converter permanently affixed to my Sony A1 for bird photography. I have found the AF to be awesome and the bird eye detect to be excellent (not perfect) for perched birds. For BIF, I find that hand held the AF is excellent, eye detect is more difficult the further the bird is and how erradic the flight path. Note that initial lock on to BIF is slowed down by 2x converter, but once acquired it stays on.

I tried it with the 2x for perched birds yesterday. Very pleasantly surprised with the sharpness even through the 2xs and despite very gloomy conditions it locked focus very quickly. Are you just shooting in wide Af with bird eye Af and letting the camera do its thing or are you using other modes. I'm hoping to get an A1 in a few months so glad to hear that combo is working well for you

 

[49bentley]

For perched birds I use spot AF, for BIF I use wide AF. I don't notice any degradation in pic quality using the 2x converter.

 

[wookie7070]

Thanks, That is what I am using for my A9. what sensitivity are you using

 

[49bentley]

I have iso set to auto, up to 10,000 iso.

 

[wookie7070]

I have iso set to auto, up to 10,000 iso.

Sorry, I probably got the terminology wrong. I mean the 1-5 setting for how the Af operates on to make it stick or quick

 

[49bentley]

I have my AF sensitivity set to 5 (responsive). Note when bird eye AF is set, and it locks on to a bird eye, it really sticks to the eye focus.

 

[scatcat]

Sorry to jump off topic a little, but can I please ask? When using the Sony A1, can you set and choose the number of frames per second
when using the electronic shutter, or is it all or nothing. ( 30fps )

I think on the Canon R5 you only have the choice of 1 frame or 20 frames with nothing between.
Thanks

 

[49bentley]

When in continuous shooting mode you can set the camera for 5, 10, 20 or 30 fps when in electronic mode.

 

[scatcat]

When in continuous shooting mode you can set the camera for 5, 10, 20 or 30 fps when in electronic mode.

Thanks for that information. I am not a Sony user and assume that continuous shooting is like Canons Ai Servo mode?

 

[49bentley]

Exactly.

 

[wookie7070]

@49bentley Thanks for the help. I'll maybe ask for more if I can raise the funds for an A1

 

[Vollmeise]

Thanks for that information. I am not a Sony user and assume that continuous shooting is like Canons Ai Servo mode?

No, Canons Ai Servo mode means continuous AF. Same like "AF-C" if You use Sony bodies.

 

[Vollmeise]

I think on the Canon R5 you only have the choice of 1 frame or 20 frames with nothing between.

No, Canon R5 users can choose between single shot or continuous drive with low-speed, high-speed or highspeed +