Help with AF focus settings on Sony A7R5

I have now used my Sony A7R5 for a couple of weeks of diving vacations. AF with the Sony 90mm macro lens (+/- SMC-1) works very well, but I think there is still room for improvements. The camera is operated in manual mode for macro. The problem may be that there are too many options and therefore it is very difficult to find the optimum...

I would be grateful if someone with the same, or a similar, camera would compare the options of the "Focus Menue", how I have set them on my camera with theirs and give valuable hints and/or discuss them. Here are the settings, that I use for macro photography:

Thanks, Wolfgang

I always use AF-C. I don't see the point of AF-S when you have AF points all over the sensor + unless you plan to take pictures lying all over the reef (to stay still).

With the 90mm I use a mix of modes depending on the subject. When I am shooting fish I usually use Wide or Zone AF - as the camera is really good at identifying the subject fast and accurately - why make it more complex than point and shoot. 

WIDE AREA (no problem picking up the edge of frame damsel, despite shooting in the sun): 

ZONE - offers a bit more control - with a smaller area active (in this case moved to the left of the frame for the face): 

I often leave Animal Recognition on. It does not always engage, but it is usually useful when it does. I don't have Insect on my camera (because Sony are useless at firmware updates)

WIDE with Animal Detect - picked up the cardinal fish eye easily:

For more crittery subjects - slower moving, often smaller, I will use Expand Spot or Tracking Spot. If the subject/situation means the subject is moving more I use Tracking Spot (this is analogous the 3D tracking I used on my Nikon). 

EXPANDED SPOT: moved onto one of the eyes (this is shot with the Nikon 60mm, rather than the 90mm, but I would have done exactly the same with 90mm):

I tend to use the same for Super Macro - but may turn off AF With Shutter (I usually have it on). Although I have found that the camera is perfectly happy running AF with the SMC-1 and SMC-2. When we were shooting the blue belly blennies the camera would face recognise them and lock on the eye through both he SMC-1 and SMC-2 - so I even used Zone with them had the Af on the Shutter Release - just point and shoot.. I will wait for a full on macro trip before deciding exactly what I prefer and it will probably vary a bit between subjects. Nudis with Back Button, fish with obvious faces using AF on the shutter and subject recognition, with Zone.

ZONE with Subject Detect had no problem locking on this eye and holding focus:

I'll add some example images to this post when I get on my computer. Photos added now. 

Alex

4 hours ago, Alex_Mustard said:

I always use AF-C. I don't see the point of AF-S when you have AF points all over the sensor + if you take pictures without lying all over the reef.

With the 90mm I use a mix of modes depending on the subject. When I am shooting fish I usually use Wide or Zone AF - as the camera is really good at identifying the subject fast and accurately - why make it more complex than point and shoot. 

I often leave Animal Recognition on. It does not always engage, but it is usually useful when it does. I don't have Insect on my camera (because Sony are useless at firmware updates)

For more crittery subjects - slower moving, often smaller, I will use Expand Spot or Tracking Spot. If the subject/situation means the subject is moving more I use Tracking Spot (this is analogous the 3D tracking I used on my Nikon). 

I tend to use the same for Super Macro - but may turn off AF With Shutter (I usually have it on). Although I have found that the camera is perfectly happy running AF with the SMC-1 and SMC-2. When we were shooting the blue belly blennies the camera would face recognise them and lock on the eye through both he SMC-1 and SMC-2 - so I even used Zone with them had the Af on the Shutter Release - just point and shoot.. I will wait for a full on macro trip before deciding exactly what I prefer and it will probably vary a bit between subjects. Nudis with Back Button, fish with obvious faces using AF on the shutter and subject recognition, with Zone.

I'll add some example images to this post when I get on my computer. 

Alex

 

Thank you, this is precious information, as always...

=> Your changing of the focus area from Wide/Zone/Tracking Spot (eventually different sizes?) depending on motif, appears important (I was using, so far, Tracking Spot S or M and sometimes the small area became a problem (I guess when snorkeling with dolphins there will not be many images in focus then), sometimes it was very helpful (when getting the eye of a small subject, as e.g. the blue belly bennies with SMC-1)).

I assume you assign a specific button, so that you can easily switch between these different focus areas?

16 minutes ago, Architeuthis said:

I assume you assign a specific button, so that you can easily switch between these different focus areas?

  

I just use the menus. I am still learning which modes I like for what. Once I have this fully nailed down I might make some short cuts. 

I’d also add that the AF is so good with the 90mm that often several modes do a fantastic job and all easily get the same result. 

Alex

I am not a macro specialist but I don't see any values for Single AF with the 90mm I use single AF for wide shot when am not interested in a specific fish but more about the landscape.

It is good to see that Alex trusts the camera in zone and wide mode with AF-C I tend to use tracking expand spot on the 90mm when am running out of depth of field

However for fish portraits where you have depth of field the camera tends to focus on the closest point if detect fails which in most cases is fine as the fish is coming towards you.

In my opinion though the A1 is much better at AF-C because it reads much faster than the A7R5 so I am not sure the performance will be identical at identical settings. It would be good to have some experience from someone with your camera.