Mark I have been following your channel for about a year now and as an amatuer photog here in the states that uses sony equipment(rx100v,rx10iv and a7r2) I so appreciate the rudimentary style you use to demonstrate the proper use of these cameras! When I get in the pickup truck to go shoot somewhere I often play one of your tutorials a second or third time as I am driving just to hear and reinforce the explanation again. You are a natural teacher and I very much appreciate your efforts, Thank You!!
I've just taken delivery of a Sony A7r iii and am in the processing of switching over all my shooting to Sony from Canon. Your videos have saved me so much time setting up the camera and, not least, getting the most out of it. Thanks for sharing this super valuable information.
Thanks Mark, very useful! I'm having the A7III for 3 weeks now and I'm halfway learning all the settings where 90% I know so far comes from your channels! Big thanks for that.
Your camera predates the ability to use Lock-On AF tracking for Movies (this first appeared with cameras released during or after 2019). For the A7III and A7RIII cameras you have to use Center Lock-on AF: ruclips.net/video/2Oq6Vm-T9q0/видео.html
There seems to be some disagreement on RUclips regarding picture profiles and their effect on still images. Are my raw images affected by these picture profiles? Thanks for your time
Sometimes the gamma of a Picture Profile will impact on the Raw file but seeing as nothing else of the Profile flows through it is easier just to work without them.
The latest Sony cameras only have S-Log 3 so this is the one I would choose if you have a camera that allows you to choose between S-Log2 and S-Log3. I offer full support on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Mark. thank you so much for info. Im starting to record videos for work. We are trying to load these videos into Dropbox and RUclips. The files from the A7RIII are huge . A 5 minutes vides is more than a gig. Any tips of setting to get the file down to a much smaller size?
Large files with low compression are an advantage when editing - you often need to reconsider how these movies will then be used by your intended audience. Export 1080p or 720p if the movies are not going to be viewed on large ultra HD screens. Research H.264 output settings and also audio settings to reduce file size.
Hi Mark, great video's and tutorials on the Sony A7iii. I have a question you hopefully will be able to answer? The Interval shooting function goes back to the 'ON' position, when I set to 'OFF', then switch the camera off, then on again, it goes back to Intvl shoot func 'ON' Have I accidentally switched something else on by mistake?
What is the best Picture Profile for videoing a dance performance or a concert given on stage under harsh stage lighting conditions. Should I use one of the built in profiles or should I select one and further adjust it? Thanks. PS, your video tutorials are amazing, Mark. Thank you for this valuable information.
PP7 will use SLOG-2 but you need experience grading the footage in post production (usually making use of a LUT). If you have not done this before I would not start with a one-off performance. Using PP6 will be easier to grade and reduce the risk of blowing out the highlights. Its probably worth looking into using Zebras set to 100+ For overexposed highlights or a lower figure to identify when the skin tones are being correctly exposed.
Your Videos/Totorials are excellent way to understand intrinsic features of Alpha cameras. I would like to suggest a workaround for Fn button in A7C. When Fn is pressed, user is in function menu. With round wheel, go to desired icon (out of 12 icon) and then use rear wheel to select appropriate option of that icon. Thus, we need not dive further into seting of that icon.
Mark, many thanks for another informative tutorial! Regarding dragging the memory settings from a desktop folder onto a newly-formatted card: Is this done by dropping the settings onto the card while my A7iii is hardwired to my iMac? Or are there other ways to transfer onto the card in the camera via WIFI or Bluetooth. I have not yet studied these latter features. Thanks ahead of time.
The camera card needs to be connected to the computer. If you have already saved some memory settings to the card you should be able to see the folder structure that Sony uses. After a card has been reformatted you will be able to copy the folder structure, complete with memories, back to the card. I use a card in my camera bag specifically for this purpose (inserted into slot 2) so I don’t have to reformat the card.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills If only the camera companies would give us on board memory like an iPhone - Choose 256GB, 512GB or 1TB and they can charge a premium for the larger sizes, then they make more money and we get on board memory that will keep these settings and not have to mess with keeping it and transferring it on SD cards or accidentally formatting away the settings. That would allow them to use just one card slot as well and free up room for cooling and/or other features.
Hi, I own the alpha 9ii and I can´t find the Center Lock-on AF in the menu to track subjects while filming. I have seen people enabling the touch and track functions and then using one of the tracking modes in this camera. Do you have a tutorial for movie settings in the alpha 9ii by the way?. Thanks
This is an older feature that disappeared in all cameras released in 2019 - offer individual support and guidance on my Patreon site. www.patreon.com/markgaler
Am I correct that exposure is set scene by scene? On the street for instance you may be in the shadows in an alley, in the sun in a park and maybe in between in a shopping area. So you shoot a scene, check exposure for the next scene and reset settings. Since SS must remain the same, then setting auto ISO seems like the most convenient option. Is this correct?
Auto ISO and/or Shutter Priority are convenient but Fully Manual is preferred if you have time on you side as Auto exposure workflows can result in unexpected variations in exposure due to dark or light subjects entering the frame.
Mark I am not sure you will answer, but I need to do a job tomorrow with video and I need to also take stills so I will be switching back and forth with my A7R3, I shoot still in Aperture Priority, and would just like to press the red button for Video but it records video also in this Mode, is there any way that I can program the camera so when the red button is pressed the camera videos in Manual instead? Thank you
I recommend turning to the Movie mode on the Shoot Mode dial if you don't want to shoot movies with your stills settings or have the camera choose program mode for shooting movies. If you turn the dial to Movie Mode you can then choose the exposure mode from the Fn menu.
Could you please tell me why my screen goes black when I place my hand over it when filming. This also happens when the gimbal motor covers the screen. Thanks.
The Eye Proximity detector is being activated and switch to the Finder. Move the screen out slightly from the body and this will deactivate the sensor.
Hi Mark, is there a way of setting the A7iii camera to show the audio levels on the Liveview screen whilst recording. I have set Audio levels on but my camera is only showing the levels when looking through the viewfinder. Gary. Thanks for producing such useful videos.
Hi Mark, great instructional video for someone who has just purchased a A7RIII. On the point of ND filters, would you have any suggestions on the brand of filters that are any good for filming (a lot is mentioned on variable types) some are cheap others are very expensive? Tends to create a lot of confusion on what is out there.
I prefer NOT to use variable ND filters when shooting stills. Absolute sharpness and colour fidelity is maintained by shooting with a fixed density ND. The premium quality brands maintain greater overall sharpness and introduce less colour casts. I use a mixture of Hoya Pro ND filters and more recently have started using NiSi filters. Variable ND filters are often chosen for convenience or for budget reasons.
Thanks Mark, it just so happens that I purchased a Hoya ProND64 filter, before I got your reply. Will get another couple of filters if this does the trick. Thanks for the advice and all the good great stuff you put out.
Guilaad Pesso - It is normal to expose SLOG at +1 or +2 EV. Raising ISO may not lead to overexposure if you have an Auto Exposure mode selected.SLOG is a very flat profile so overexposure is slow to appear. Zebras can be set lower - some videographers set it to 90 to indicate where white shirts are being exposed rather than to indicate overexposed areas.
If the Zebra option in the menu is set to ON (as well as specifying the tonal number) there is no reason for the zebras not to show unless there is a fault. If this is the case you may like to consider seeking support from your retailer.
Hi,I have a question. Is it normal for the Sony AR7ii shutter speed to change automatically? Example when picture or recording it’ll be 1/125 then when I raise camera up or down (depending on light) it changes on its on. It that normal?
Yes it is normal if you are in Auto, Aperture Priority or Program mode. If you want the shutter speed to be fixed choose Manual with ISO Auto or Shutter priority.
Mark, how do you obtain follow focus in 4K (center -Lock On works only in 1080). I am taking a video of someone at the piano with a shallow depth of field and as the person moves her head, I lose focus. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your videos.
am I right in thinking that your movie settings are locked to the video mode on the main dial? in other words no need to save them as a memory option (a7iii only has two memories and I've used both of them) just move the main dial to movie and last entered settings are there?
Life with Matt and Nikki - the movie options selected in the menus will not change when you select another memory recall. You will probably need to check aperture, shutter, focus mode and focus area.
Unfortunately not - download my free eBook for this camera from my website to see how you can set up your camera. Also check out my Memory Mastermind tutorial on RUclips to see how I use the memories to never miss a shot.
Hi Mark just purchased a7r111, while changing settings I lost my menu and monitor displays, neither work,any help greatly appreciated. Love your videos, keep up the great work.
In the Display menu switch FINDER/MONITOR to Auto. My Menu is a permanent fixture of the camera's menu system so I am not sure how it is possible to lose it.
Great Video as usual. I have a question, sometime (not always) when i switch off my camera it takes few seconds and it make a sound similar to (switching off while mirror lock up in DSLR) and it feels the same as well. Any explanation. I am very new to Sony and i am afraid i am doing something wrong.
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills hi Mark, thank you so much for your reply. If you mean sensor stabilization switching off, not sure it is. Because it makes a sound like a shutter release.
It is the shutter - The camera is mapping out hot pixels on the sensor by taking an exposure with the shutter closed. It only has to do this occasionally.
If I set up the camera like this I'm not able to choose 1/50 of a second with the exposure compensation dial set to zero. I either have to choose 1/45 or 1/60. The camera is set to PAL. But if I choose any other setting like + 0,3 I get 1/50 Strange. Any idea why? Thanks for a great video.
Thank you so much for this video. I just switched from Canon to Sony. As I’m applying these settings, the one that I cant change is the very first one. The file format is on jpeg and it is grayed out. When I click on it to change it to RAW, the message I get is: This operation or setting not available as following: Shoot Mode. Manual Exposure. If I change the shoot mode , to shutter priority, I will get the same message: except Shoot Mode: Shutter Priority. Any idea on how to change the file format to RAW?
Nice video, one of the best on the subject. But what about for ex eoshd pro color profiles? Do they work with sonys new colors science? Or is there any profiles that give good skin tones right of the bat in this camera?
2LBROS I use LUTs in Premiere Pro to grade my SLOG movies and just use the in-camera picture profiles (mostly PP6 and/or creative styles to fine tune colour and tone in camera.
Say I am shooting eagles in shutter priority and hit the record button. What is the difference between this and moving the mode dial to video and shooting the eagles?
You will either shoot with your current stills settings (instead of appropriate movie settings) or find yourself shooting in Program Mode rather than your current shooting mode (Shutter Priority).
Thanks Mark. I am kind of slow on the uptake. I have been photographing eagles for about 3 years and only began using video this year. Now it seems to me that 120 slow motion would be a great way to really see the beauty of the wings as the eagle passes by or circles.
Hi Mark, where can I get this LUTs for Premiere which you show in your video (AC-SL2-to-709-2over)? Is there a site where one can download these LUTs? Regards from Austria
Hi Mark, your tips in other videos have helped loads with my motocross photography. What focus mode/settings do you recommend for shooting motocross videos? I'm currently running F10/F11 AF Zone but I find it's hit and miss. Maybe I'm being picky and expecting the same results as I see with the photos.
Nice video... thanks Q: using manual mode for video. Why does auto focus not work unless you trigger on camera controls? I mean manual mode implies manual but holding the AF-On button all day is pretty nasty or even using the touch controls. When the Movie mode allows rack focus.
Dear Mark, thanks for this video. I watched it a few times but still have some questions if you don’t mind. (you told me once to buy the Sony a7iii “to shoot video’s that will stun the world” and so I did. So these questions are in relation to the Sony a7III, with the latest firmware (4.0): 1. when I set up a shoot mode preset in the Fn menu, it will turn to M2, when I move the top dial to M2 (where I have stored my video settings). So now I cant change from manual to shutter priority. What to do? 2.Once you have saved all your settings to M1 or M2 and you want to change one aspect of it, how do you do that? 3. So we can’t save anything to (top dial) video, M, S, A, P, programs? So when you move your top dial to one of those programs (M, A etc.) what will be shown? The last settings used in those programs? 4. if so does that mean that of all the programs that I have on my top dial (P,A,S,M, 1, 2, Video, S&Q, Scn and Auto) in the end ill only use 3; 1, 2 and S&Q? That would be a waste of space. Thanks so much for your videos, they are awesome. Last thought; there was a time there were 3 parameters to consider when taking a picture; Aperture, shutterspeed and ISO (which was on a whole roll of film, so you just had to deal with it). Now I have 100ths of parameters to consider. Do we call this progress?
I now offer personal technical support and assistance for Sony Alpha users from my Patreon Page for as little as little as $10 per month. A $10.00 one-month membership will give you access to learning support files including 15 eBooks, 24 member-only 1-hour seminars + my Alpha Q&A forums. There is no commitment beyond the first month. www.patreon.com/markgaler
Why is the 'M' photo mode, Movie mode, and S&Q mode all linked? When I change the settings in M mode, they will change in all other modes too. When I'm shooting video, I always have a Picture Profile enable, but I don't want to for photos... Or I shoot 1/50 in video, but my still shutter is different. But when I make changes to one, it makes changes to all of them. Why is this going on
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Hmm that sucks. Kinda defeats the purpose of having a separate video and S&Q dial mode if you need to make adjustments each time thanks - Thought it was my camera messing up
Great video as always. thanks for the enormous contribution. Is there any chance you could please do a video about 'How to focus in video mode', not many creditable/referable video about Focusing in Video mode available.
Personally i use manual but i'm trying to figure out why Mark suggests Shutter priority with nd filters as a valid option. Best i can figure you actually want to keep 1/50 or 1/60 SS but you would adjust your dof (aperture) by darkening the exposure with nd filter making the auto aperture widen. To me this just seems like a long way to go instead of just manually adjusting Aperture. Anyone know the reasons to use this method?
I recommend groups of settings as starting points. Shutter priority is semi auto and prioritises the 1/50 or 1/60 shutter speed so movies flow rather than look like flicker books. You can't use wide apertures in bright ambient conditions without overexposing the movie clip when the shutter speed is set slow and the ISO is at its minimum ISO 100 setting. The only way of doing this is to reduce the light using an ND filter.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you. I was thinking iso was auto with a min/max. I was just contemplating why ss priority when you are adjusting aperture with ND filters. Why not just manual priority and adjust aperture manually instead? Is it because camera will change aperture while shooting? Like in a situation where lighting changes?
Hi Mark, I'm beginning to explore video shooting with my Sony a7riii. Do you have tips or tutorial for how to edit them? I only use Lightroom for photo edits and it doesn't work for videos. What would be a good workflow? Thank you,
once i've save all my custom settings for video (in my case to dial mode 3), when i select that mode on the dial, i am no longer able to set a custom WB. which seems odd because i am able to set it both in M (of course) and in the Movie mode. interestingly/frustratingly, any custom WB that have been set prior (say in M mode) and saved to any of the three custom WB slots, also don't carry over to the custom settings modes. so you can't even set a custom WB first, change to custom settings, then select the custom WB you just set. it seems. or am I missing something?
I am not seeing this - If I set a custom white balance as part of the memory on page 3 of the first Camera Menu then it is recalled when I use the Recall mode on the Shooting Mode Dia on the top of the camera. I am then free to override it if required and when I next return to my memory recall setting on the Shooting Mode dial it is returned to the one i programmed into the memory in the menus.
I registered a movie mode and a sports mode but the settings were not recalled.. like the function menu seems independent of registering. so you have to reset it each time.. Some were recalled, some were not, so you have to go through the menus and find out
In the function menu seems to not follow the registered 1 2 3 configurations.. I will go back and pay close attention to what I am doing, I can be a bit reactionary sometimes and often times its operator error
Picture Profile is a much more sophisticated that Creative Style for modifying contrast, saturation and detail compared to Creative Style - basically Creative Style is dumbed down version of Picture Profiles. If you don't have the time to create your own Custom Picture profile just use one of the defaults or switch to the simpler Creative Styles.
could you tell me how to set +2.0 ev for slog shooting and register it in custom settings,i could do this in a6300,but in a7iii it wont save as +2.0 ev in memory recall setting
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I'm to film boats going out of a harbour an hour before daylight. Should I keep the A7III in auto ISO or judge by the screen? Do you have a link to very low light video settings? Thanks.
White balance and ambient lighting levels change rapidly during the twilight period so you are going to have shift settings for every clip or leave it to Auto with Exposure compensation. If you have not shot at this time of day before I suggest you test the conditions prior to the day of the shoot and see if a picture profile will be required to deal with the high contrast.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Great advice. Totally forgotten about white balance and was yet to learn that exposure compensation works in auto iso or auto mode. Will test that out and that advice is a relief to me. Will not be practical to test conditions at the site and it looks like my only window is to go out tomorrow morning. Winter shut in early and suddenly in Nova Scotia this year. The forecast of 20 knot NE may delay the lobster season anyway but I do want to be ready. Also, the difference in the A7RIII and the A7III is the number of custom buttons on the dial which means I'll have to learn to save the landscape, portrait and video settings on the computer. Thanks for your time and all that you do :)
That is a profoundly good video, Sony should offer it as recommended training Question: what is the relationship between frame rate and shutter speed? I know there's some dos and don'ts, but an explanation could go a long way. Thanks.
Frame rate is how often you open the shutter, shutter speed is how long you keep the shutter open for. Obviously, the time you keep the shutter open for must be less that the time between shutter openings, otherwise you'll overlap onto the next opening period. Typically, each time collect a frame, we keep the shutter open for half the time, and keep it closed for the remaining time. This is called "180 degree rule", and it gives a pleasing appearance in terms of smooth movement/motion blur. So, if we set the camera to 25FPS, then we collect a frame every 1/25 of a second. We want to keep the shutter open for half that time, which means 1/50 of a second. If we shoot at 50 fps, then we grab a frame every 1/50 s, and if we keep the shutter open half the time, we set shutter speed to half that, or 1/100 s. Does that make any sense?
I rarely do astro but the site www.lonelyspeck.com was a great help. The optimum high ISO for the A7RIII is 640 and this is best combined with the widest aperture wide-angle lens you can get your hands on. only speck will guide you as to the longest shutter speed you can use before the stars start to drag.
Ian has a lot of great content over at Lonley Speck! Did you mean 6400iso? If so, that is going to be an incredible amount of light and detail with my zeiss batis 18mm. Can't wait for the February new moon! Thanks for the quick response and keep up the great work!
Rob Phillips Photography no that was not a typo - 640. Anything higher and you start to lose dynamic range. To increase your understanding of raising ISO vs raising brightness in post read articles on ISO invariance.
Unfortunately, not all settings are saved, when using the movie tab. for example, if you want Face recognition on in movie (movie tab) and Face recognition OFF in A Mode (photo), you have to change it every time, unless you use M1 for video
Hi Mark, thank you for this comprehensive video. Its invaluable. When you discussed PP, Slog-2 /3 particularly you mentioned increasing the exposure by 2 stops. I can achieve this via the exp. comp dial on the cameras top side, and not necessarily having to increase my aperture or ISO?
If you have selected Shutter priority as the Exposure Mode you can then use the exposure compensation dial. If, however, you are in Manual Exposure with manual ISO then you will need to adjust one of these three settings to raise the exposure.
Unfortunately, Sony cameras don't display the actual/calculated ISO value when Auto ISO is enabled, which is a shame. The camera has the value, I don't get it why it is not displayed? Because of this limitation, we have to use the cumbersome Manual ISO when we want to make sure what ISO we are shooting with.
Still trying to find the right picture profile for cinematic projects. The more I read, the more confused I get. What do you think about this? ruclips.net/video/ub5zWgUrVdo/видео.html I seems like PP Off will be the best option most of the times?
There is useful information in this movie but it has a terrible title (designed for click bait). It also falls short of providing some information that could prove useful. If you record in Sunny weather there is a real risk of clipping the highlights so you do need to lower the contrast to avoid this. Not all Picture Profiles designed to lower contrast are Log profiles, e.g. PP6 will lower the contrast and when used in conjunction with Zebras will be enough to help photographers handle most situations. There is no one best profile as they have to be chosen for each shot. In low contrast or diffused lighting you can switch the PP off. I think I discuss the effect of each profile in this movie. If you are still confused don’t use them and only shoot in soft lighting.
Top-notch as always, Mark. If you are shooting slow-moving wildlife (in bright sun & dark shadows), aside from animal face detection would you change other settings ? or perhaps you have other vids or course on wildlife movie-mode. This was in MF as the Tamron 150-600 doesn't AF in movie mode (argh !) ruclips.net/video/bOBfraZXMa0/видео.html
Animal Eye AF is available with AF Tracking on the A9 cameras but Tracking may be disabled with other cameras. I now use Touch Tracking on the most recent cameras, but this is not available on the older cameras. Lock-on AF can be unreliable in low ambient light so Manual AF may have to be the answer if you can’t keep a flexible spot on your subject (if your subject is in amongst obstacles that prevents you from using wide or zone).
Mark I have been following your channel for about a year now and as an amatuer photog here in the states that uses sony equipment(rx100v,rx10iv and a7r2) I so appreciate the rudimentary style you use to demonstrate the proper use of these cameras! When I get in the pickup truck to go shoot somewhere I often play one of your tutorials a second or third time as I am driving just to hear and reinforce the explanation again. You are a natural teacher and I very much appreciate your efforts, Thank You!!
Thanks for your positive feedback :-)
Well played sir...
I've just taken delivery of a Sony A7r iii and am in the processing of switching over all my shooting to Sony from Canon. Your videos have saved me so much time setting up the camera and, not least, getting the most out of it. Thanks for sharing this super valuable information.
Thanks Mark, very useful! I'm having the A7III for 3 weeks now and I'm halfway learning all the settings where 90% I know so far comes from your channels! Big thanks for that.
The lock on tracking does not seem to work with the Sony a 7R3 in video mode. I’ve tried it all modes. Any help?
Your camera predates the ability to use Lock-On AF tracking for Movies (this first appeared with cameras released during or after 2019). For the A7III and A7RIII cameras you have to use Center Lock-on AF: ruclips.net/video/2Oq6Vm-T9q0/видео.html
This clip is a treasury for newbies, and correct some misunderstandings of videography setting on a Sony A series cameras. Thanks!
Your patience and composure is fascinating. Very helpful
There seems to be some disagreement on RUclips regarding picture profiles and their effect on still images. Are my raw images affected by these picture profiles? Thanks for your time
Sometimes the gamma of a Picture Profile will impact on the Raw file but seeing as nothing else of the Profile flows through it is easier just to work without them.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thanks very much
Thanks❤ great video for me to setting my camera .
Thank you for a concise overview. Sony is the best at menus......
Is it possible that the a7r3 has a separate function button for video?
Mark, do you have a video for the movie settings for the Sony A9 ? I am totally new to Sony!
I cover the movie settings in my free eBook but not in this much detail.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thank you Mark, totally new to Sony - but really appreciate your tutorials and help
Another excellent tutorial!
Thanks again! - Please subscribe to the channel so Sony know I am earning my keep as an Ambassador.
Hi Sir. What is the best S-Log for Sony 7R3 for film making?
The latest Sony cameras only have S-Log 3 so this is the one I would choose if you have a camera that allows you to choose between S-Log2 and S-Log3. I offer full support on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Thank you for quick response sir
@@AlphaCreativeSkills
Just moved from Canon to Sony, and your videos were bloody fantastic. Thanks so much for taking the time to provide such an in depth look!
Mark. thank you so much for info. Im starting to record videos for work. We are trying to load these videos into Dropbox and RUclips. The files from the A7RIII are huge . A 5 minutes vides is more than a gig. Any tips of setting to get the file down to a much smaller size?
Large files with low compression are an advantage when editing - you often need to reconsider how these movies will then be used by your intended audience. Export 1080p or 720p if the movies are not going to be viewed on large ultra HD screens. Research H.264 output settings and also audio settings to reduce file size.
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills will do. Thank you for the response
Hi Mark, great video's and tutorials on the Sony A7iii. I have a question you hopefully will be able to answer? The Interval shooting function goes back to the 'ON' position, when I set to 'OFF', then switch the camera off, then on again, it goes back to Intvl shoot func 'ON' Have I accidentally switched something else on by mistake?
Have you assigned it to a Memory (1, 2 or 3 on the Shoot Mode Dial)?
Ah yes that's what I did, thanks
What is the best Picture Profile for videoing a dance performance or a concert given on stage under harsh stage lighting conditions. Should I use one of the built in profiles or should I select one and further adjust it? Thanks. PS, your video tutorials are amazing, Mark. Thank you for this valuable information.
PP7 will use SLOG-2 but you need experience grading the footage in post production (usually making use of a LUT). If you have not done this before I would not start with a one-off performance. Using PP6 will be easier to grade and reduce the risk of blowing out the highlights. Its probably worth looking into using Zebras set to 100+ For overexposed highlights or a lower figure to identify when the skin tones are being correctly exposed.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thank you.
Your Videos/Totorials are excellent way to understand intrinsic features of Alpha cameras. I would like to suggest a workaround for Fn button in A7C. When Fn is pressed, user is in function menu. With round wheel, go to desired icon (out of 12 icon) and then use rear wheel to select appropriate option of that icon. Thus, we need not dive further into seting of that icon.
Great suggestion!
Mark, many thanks for another informative tutorial!
Regarding dragging the memory settings from a desktop folder onto a newly-formatted card: Is this done by dropping the settings onto the card while my A7iii is hardwired to my iMac? Or are there other ways to transfer onto the card in the camera via WIFI or Bluetooth. I have not yet studied these latter features. Thanks ahead of time.
The camera card needs to be connected to the computer. If you have already saved some memory settings to the card you should be able to see the folder structure that Sony uses. After a card has been reformatted you will be able to copy the folder structure, complete with memories, back to the card. I use a card in my camera bag specifically for this purpose (inserted into slot 2) so I don’t have to reformat the card.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills If only the camera companies would give us on board memory like an iPhone - Choose 256GB, 512GB or 1TB and they can charge a premium for the larger sizes, then they make more money and we get on board memory that will keep these settings and not have to mess with keeping it and transferring it on SD cards or accidentally formatting away the settings. That would allow them to use just one card slot as well and free up room for cooling and/or other features.
Hi, I own the alpha 9ii and I can´t find the Center Lock-on AF in the menu to track subjects while filming. I have seen people enabling the touch and track functions and then using one of the tracking modes in this camera. Do you have a tutorial for movie settings in the alpha 9ii by the way?. Thanks
This is an older feature that disappeared in all cameras released in 2019 - offer individual support and guidance on my Patreon site. www.patreon.com/markgaler
Great job Mark. These videos are to the point and highly informative.
Am I correct that exposure is set scene by scene? On the street for instance you may be in the shadows in an alley, in the sun in a park and maybe in between in a shopping area. So you shoot a scene, check exposure for the next scene and reset settings. Since SS must remain the same, then setting auto ISO seems like the most convenient option. Is this correct?
Auto ISO and/or Shutter Priority are convenient but Fully Manual is preferred if you have time on you side as Auto exposure workflows can result in unexpected variations in exposure due to dark or light subjects entering the frame.
Thank you very much for your help
Mark I am not sure you will answer, but I need to do a job tomorrow with video and I need to also take stills so I will be switching back and forth with my A7R3, I shoot still in Aperture Priority, and would just like to press the red button for Video but it records video also in this Mode, is there any way that I can program the camera so when the red button is pressed the camera videos in Manual instead? Thank you
I dont really like the idea of having to turn the dial on video everytime,
Go into the menu and choose Manual as the Shoot Mode for movies
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills but I think the camera still stays in Av model when you press recore
Unless I turn the dial to film or manual
I’ve become a big fan of yours! These movies are great and I’ve learned a lot even if I’ve been using my Sony Alpha 7Riii for 2 years. Thank you!
Great to hear!
This is amazing! Thanks Mark!
What's the movie mode for, if there is the movie button?
I recommend turning to the Movie mode on the Shoot Mode dial if you don't want to shoot movies with your stills settings or have the camera choose program mode for shooting movies. If you turn the dial to Movie Mode you can then choose the exposure mode from the Fn menu.
If I have set 1,2,3 for still shooting modes, can I use them for movie also or with different set of shooting modes or no?
3 Memories only - so you have to decide between Stills or Movies
Could you please tell me why my screen goes black when I place my hand over it when filming. This also happens when the gimbal motor covers the screen. Thanks.
The Eye Proximity detector is being activated and switch to the Finder. Move the screen out slightly from the body and this will deactivate the sensor.
Great video Mark. How do you get the red square around your screen while youre recording? IN a7C?
Which app do you use to calculate flicker?
Movies or stills?
@@AlphaCreativeSkills mainly stills for shooting events with silent shutter to reduce or eliminate rolling shutter.
Hi Mark, is there a way of setting the A7iii camera to show the audio levels on the Liveview screen whilst recording. I have set Audio levels on but my camera is only showing the levels when looking through the viewfinder. Gary. Thanks for producing such useful videos.
Hi Mark, great instructional video for someone who has just purchased a A7RIII. On the point of ND filters, would you have any suggestions on the brand of filters that are any good for filming (a lot is mentioned on variable types) some are cheap others are very expensive? Tends to create a lot of confusion on what is out there.
I prefer NOT to use variable ND filters when shooting stills. Absolute sharpness and colour fidelity is maintained by shooting with a fixed density ND. The premium quality brands maintain greater overall sharpness and introduce less colour casts. I use a mixture of Hoya Pro ND filters and more recently have started using NiSi filters. Variable ND filters are often chosen for convenience or for budget reasons.
Thanks Mark, it just so happens that I purchased a Hoya ProND64 filter, before I got your reply. Will get another couple of filters if this does the trick. Thanks for the advice and all the good great stuff you put out.
Fantastic thanks again Mark
hello mark. i am using slog 2 in my A7iii. i set the zebras lower level to 107+ but there are no zebras showing, no matter how much i raise my iso.
Guilaad Pesso - It is normal to expose SLOG at +1 or +2 EV. Raising ISO may not lead to overexposure if you have an Auto Exposure mode selected.SLOG is a very flat profile so overexposure is slow to appear. Zebras can be set lower - some videographers set it to 90 to indicate where white shirts are being exposed rather than to indicate overexposed areas.
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills I am using Manual exposure mode. And I even raise my iso to the maximum and still no zebras shown.
If the Zebra option in the menu is set to ON (as well as specifying the tonal number) there is no reason for the zebras not to show unless there is a fault. If this is the case you may like to consider seeking support from your retailer.
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills the zebras work for cine 4 at 100+. The only problem is when using slog-2 at 107+ lower limit. :(
Hi Mark! thank you very much for the video. One question: why in movie mode i can't set raw format from the menu?
Raw video format is not possible on Sony Alpha camera’s.
Hi,I have a question.
Is it normal for the Sony AR7ii shutter speed to change automatically?
Example when picture or recording it’ll be 1/125 then when I raise camera up or down (depending on light) it changes on its on. It that normal?
Yes it is normal if you are in Auto, Aperture Priority or Program mode. If you want the shutter speed to be fixed choose Manual with ISO Auto or Shutter priority.
Mark, how do you obtain follow focus in 4K (center -Lock On works only in 1080). I am taking a video of someone at the piano with a shallow depth of field and as the person moves her head, I lose focus. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your videos.
Try disabling dual recording (proxy)
I love S Log 2 and 3 is so magic🤜🤛
How do I set the Center Lock on-AF control?
I can't activate it! Thank you
Put the feature in your Fn menu - switch on Touch operation and then you should be good to go.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Ok perfect thanks, I had set the Sony A7RM4 to Touch Focus while it should be set to Touch Tracking.
am I right in thinking that your movie settings are locked to the video mode on the main dial? in other words no need to save them as a memory option (a7iii only has two memories and I've used both of them) just move the main dial to movie and last entered settings are there?
Life with Matt and Nikki - the movie options selected in the menus will not change when you select another memory recall. You will probably need to check aperture, shutter, focus mode and focus area.
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills thankyou
Thanks Mark, this is very helpful!
Hi Mark just got my long awaited Sony a7r3,
Can I save these settings in 1,2,3 buttons in custom keys
Unfortunately not - download my free eBook for this camera from my website to see how you can set up your camera. Also check out my Memory Mastermind tutorial on RUclips to see how I use the memories to never miss a shot.
Hi Mark just purchased a7r111, while changing settings I lost my menu and monitor displays, neither work,any help greatly appreciated. Love your videos, keep up the great work.
In the Display menu switch FINDER/MONITOR to Auto. My Menu is a permanent fixture of the camera's menu system so I am not sure how it is possible to lose it.
Thanks, Mark, great video! Does Sony provide LUT for SLog-2? Thank you 🙏
No but I provide a link to LUTs on my S-log blog post on my website
Sony provides their rec 709 conversion lut on their website
Hello Mark! any tips on filming the Northern lights in Norway with a7riii?
I haven’t had the good fortune to do this one yet so will leave this advice to someone who has.
Hi Mark,
I would like to add the Record Mode ( to select frame rate ) to the FN button but don't seem to be able to. Am I missing something?
Not all menu items can be assigned to the Fn menu. You can set up the memories on the shoot mode dial instead.
Great Video as usual. I have a question, sometime (not always) when i switch off my camera it takes few seconds and it make a sound similar to (switching off while mirror lock up in DSLR) and it feels the same as well. Any explanation. I am very new to Sony and i am afraid i am doing something wrong.
This is a normal sound that most Sony E-Mount cameras will occasionally make when powering down.
Thank you so much
Good to know that but what is it if i may ask?
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills hi Mark, thank you so much for your reply. If you mean sensor stabilization switching off, not sure it is. Because it makes a sound like a shutter release.
It is the shutter - The camera is mapping out hot pixels on the sensor by taking an exposure with the shutter closed. It only has to do this occasionally.
If I set up the camera like this I'm not able to choose 1/50 of a second with the exposure compensation dial set to zero. I either have to choose 1/45 or 1/60. The camera is set to PAL. But if I choose any other setting like + 0,3 I get 1/50 Strange. Any idea why? Thanks for a great video.
You have set Exposure Step to 0.5 EV in the menu instead of 0.3 (the default setting)
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks a lot Mark. You were right.
Can the front dial be set to change iso?
Thank you so much for this video. I just switched from Canon to Sony. As I’m applying these settings, the one that I cant change is the very first one. The file format is on jpeg and it is grayed out. When I click on it to change it to RAW, the message I get is: This operation or setting not available as following: Shoot Mode. Manual Exposure. If I change the shoot mode , to shutter priority, I will get the same message: except Shoot Mode: Shutter Priority. Any idea on how to change the file format to RAW?
Not sure what the issue is there - I can’t seem to replicate the problem here. Maybe try resetting the camera to see if that fixes the issue.
Nice video, one of the best on the subject. But what about for ex eoshd pro color profiles? Do they work with sonys new colors science? Or is there any profiles that give good skin tones right of the bat in this camera?
2LBROS I use LUTs in Premiere Pro to grade my SLOG movies and just use the in-camera picture profiles (mostly PP6 and/or creative styles to fine tune colour and tone in camera.
Say I am shooting eagles in shutter priority and hit the record button. What is the difference between this and moving the mode dial to video and shooting the eagles?
You will either shoot with your current stills settings (instead of appropriate movie settings) or find yourself shooting in Program Mode rather than your current shooting mode (Shutter Priority).
Thanks Mark. I am kind of slow on the uptake. I have been photographing eagles for about 3 years and only began using video this year. Now it seems to me that 120 slow motion would be a great way to really see the beauty of the wings as the eagle passes by or circles.
Yes - that sounds fantastic - I would set up the S&Q shoot mode for your 120fps.
thanks
Hi Mark, where can I get this LUTs for Premiere which you show in your video (AC-SL2-to-709-2over)? Is there a site where one can download these LUTs?
Regards from Austria
Just head over to my website and search my blog for picture profiles.
Really excellent content - well prepared and presented! Thank you
This was awesome. Watching in 2021
we apricate for your information
Thanks
MENU: I have a Sony A7Riii - why are my menu setting different from yours? Do I need an update, etc?
I am not sure as I have not owned this camera for several years.
Hi Mark, your tips in other videos have helped loads with my motocross photography. What focus mode/settings do you recommend for shooting motocross videos? I'm currently running F10/F11 AF Zone but I find it's hit and miss. Maybe I'm being picky and expecting the same results as I see with the photos.
Nice video... thanks
Q: using manual mode for video. Why does auto focus not work unless you trigger on camera controls? I mean manual mode implies manual but holding the AF-On button all day is pretty nasty or even using the touch controls. When the Movie mode allows rack focus.
Dear Mark, thanks for this video. I watched it a few times but still have some questions if you don’t mind. (you told me once to buy the Sony a7iii “to shoot video’s that will stun the world” and so I did. So these questions are in relation to the Sony a7III, with the latest firmware (4.0):
1. when I set up a shoot mode preset in the Fn menu, it will turn to M2, when I move the top dial to M2 (where I have stored my video settings). So now I cant change from manual to shutter priority. What to do?
2.Once you have saved all your settings to M1 or M2 and you want to change one aspect of it, how do you do that?
3. So we can’t save anything to (top dial) video, M, S, A, P, programs? So when you move your top dial to one of those programs (M, A etc.) what will be shown? The last settings used in those programs?
4. if so does that mean that of all the programs that I have on my top dial (P,A,S,M, 1, 2, Video, S&Q, Scn and Auto) in the end ill only use 3; 1, 2 and S&Q? That would be a waste of space.
Thanks so much for your videos, they are awesome.
Last thought; there was a time there were 3 parameters to consider when taking a picture; Aperture, shutterspeed and ISO (which was on a whole roll of film, so you just had to deal with it). Now I have 100ths of parameters to consider. Do we call this progress?
I now offer personal technical support and assistance for Sony Alpha users from my Patreon Page for as little as little as $10 per month. A $10.00 one-month membership will give you access to learning support files including 15 eBooks, 24 member-only 1-hour seminars + my Alpha Q&A forums. There is no commitment beyond the first month. www.patreon.com/markgaler
Why is the 'M' photo mode, Movie mode, and S&Q mode all linked?
When I change the settings in M mode, they will change in all other modes too.
When I'm shooting video, I always have a Picture Profile enable, but I don't want to for photos... Or I shoot 1/50 in video, but my still shutter is different.
But when I make changes to one, it makes changes to all of them.
Why is this going on
This is planned behaviour - if you want to save groups of settings then save them to the Memories (1, 2 and 3)
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Hmm that sucks. Kinda defeats the purpose of having a separate video and S&Q dial mode if you need to make adjustments each time
thanks - Thought it was my camera messing up
Great video as always. thanks for the enormous contribution.
Is there any chance you could please do a video about 'How to focus in video mode', not many creditable/referable video about Focusing in Video mode available.
I’ll add that to my things to do list
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks so much.
Personally i use manual but i'm trying to figure out why Mark suggests Shutter priority with nd filters as a valid option. Best i can figure you actually want to keep 1/50 or 1/60 SS but you would adjust your dof (aperture) by darkening the exposure with nd filter making the auto aperture widen. To me this just seems like a long way to go instead of just manually adjusting Aperture. Anyone know the reasons to use this method?
I recommend groups of settings as starting points. Shutter priority is semi auto and prioritises the 1/50 or 1/60 shutter speed so movies flow rather than look like flicker books. You can't use wide apertures in bright ambient conditions without overexposing the movie clip when the shutter speed is set slow and the ISO is at its minimum ISO 100 setting. The only way of doing this is to reduce the light using an ND filter.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you. I was thinking iso was auto with a min/max. I was just contemplating why ss priority when you are adjusting aperture with ND filters. Why not just manual priority and adjust aperture manually instead? Is it because camera will change aperture while shooting? Like in a situation where lighting changes?
I can mentor you via my Patreon site as I have notifications switched off on RUclips- www.patreon.com/markgaler
Hi Mark, I'm beginning to explore video shooting with my Sony a7riii. Do you have tips or tutorial for how to edit them? I only use Lightroom for photo edits and it doesn't work for videos. What would be a good workflow? Thank you,
I use Adobe Premiere Pro because use Adobe CC software. I don't have movies on Video Editing
thanks, great video
TIP for the impatient: use SETTINGS and set Speed to 1.5x ^^
phynesse2000 Thanks for the tip!
once i've save all my custom settings for video (in my case to dial mode 3), when i select that mode on the dial, i am no longer able to set a custom WB. which seems odd because i am able to set it both in M (of course) and in the Movie mode. interestingly/frustratingly, any custom WB that have been set prior (say in M mode) and saved to any of the three custom WB slots, also don't carry over to the custom settings modes. so you can't even set a custom WB first, change to custom settings, then select the custom WB you just set. it seems. or am I missing something?
I am not seeing this - If I set a custom white balance as part of the memory on page 3 of the first Camera Menu then it is recalled when I use the Recall mode on the Shooting Mode Dia on the top of the camera. I am then free to override it if required and when I next return to my memory recall setting on the Shooting Mode dial it is returned to the one i programmed into the memory in the menus.
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills you can override it by setting a new custom WB? For me the "Set" option under WB is not available for selection.
I registered a movie mode and a sports mode but the settings were not recalled.. like the function menu seems independent of registering. so you have to reset it each time.. Some were recalled, some were not, so you have to go through the menus and find out
Shawn Davie what settings were not recalled?
In the function menu seems to not follow the registered 1 2 3 configurations.. I will go back and pay close attention to what I am doing, I can be a bit reactionary sometimes and often times its operator error
Shawn Davie - The memory recall cannot change what appears in the Fn menu or what is assigned to the custom buttons
could it possibly be that in super 35mm mode I have more aliasing, than in usual mode?
No - apart from the crop there is no difference
Couldn't you use the "C" buttons for memory with this? Thanks....
Hi .I can't use picture profile and creative style.in movie mode . Thank you very much.
Picture Profile is a much more sophisticated that Creative Style for modifying contrast, saturation and detail compared to Creative Style - basically Creative Style is dumbed down version of Picture Profiles. If you don't have the time to create your own Custom Picture profile just use one of the defaults or switch to the simpler Creative Styles.
could you tell me how to set +2.0 ev for slog shooting and register it in custom settings,i could do this in a6300,but in a7iii it wont save as +2.0 ev in memory recall setting
Any differences for the A7III?
D P Jones - No Differences
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I'm to film boats going out of a harbour an hour before daylight. Should I keep the A7III in auto ISO or judge by the screen? Do you have a link to very low light video settings? Thanks.
White balance and ambient lighting levels change rapidly during the twilight period so you are going to have shift settings for every clip or leave it to Auto with Exposure compensation. If you have not shot at this time of day before I suggest you test the conditions prior to the day of the shoot and see if a picture profile will be required to deal with the high contrast.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Great advice. Totally forgotten about white balance and was yet to learn that exposure compensation works in auto iso or auto mode. Will test that out and that advice is a relief to me. Will not be practical to test conditions at the site and it looks like my only window is to go out tomorrow morning. Winter shut in early and suddenly in Nova Scotia this year. The forecast of 20 knot NE may delay the lobster season anyway but I do want to be ready. Also, the difference in the A7RIII and the A7III is the number of custom buttons on the dial which means I'll have to learn to save the landscape, portrait and video settings on the computer. Thanks for your time and all that you do :)
My Exposure Mode setting is greyed out and I can't change it. Do you know why? I want to change it for my memory 1 and memory 2 modes
Exposure Mode is controlled by the Exposure Mode Dial on the top of the camera - a physical dial cannot be grayed out.
Why is the Audio Record Level greyed out?
Great Vid...thanks Mark!
Thx so much for this great instruction!!
That is a profoundly good video, Sony should offer it as recommended training
Question: what is the relationship between frame rate and shutter speed? I know there's some dos and don'ts, but an explanation could go a long way. Thanks.
Frame rate is how often you open the shutter, shutter speed is how long you keep the shutter open for. Obviously, the time you keep the shutter open for must be less that the time between shutter openings, otherwise you'll overlap onto the next opening period. Typically, each time collect a frame, we keep the shutter open for half the time, and keep it closed for the remaining time. This is called "180 degree rule", and it gives a pleasing appearance in terms of smooth movement/motion blur. So, if we set the camera to 25FPS, then we collect a frame every 1/25 of a second. We want to keep the shutter open for half that time, which means 1/50 of a second. If we shoot at 50 fps, then we grab a frame every 1/50 s, and if we keep the shutter open half the time, we set shutter speed to half that, or 1/100 s. Does that make any sense?
Any chance you'll do an astrophotography settings video? Loving every one of your a7 series videos!
I rarely do astro but the site www.lonelyspeck.com was a great help. The optimum high ISO for the A7RIII is 640 and this is best combined with the widest aperture wide-angle lens you can get your hands on. only speck will guide you as to the longest shutter speed you can use before the stars start to drag.
Ian has a lot of great content over at Lonley Speck! Did you mean 6400iso? If so, that is going to be an incredible amount of light and detail with my zeiss batis 18mm. Can't wait for the February new moon! Thanks for the quick response and keep up the great work!
Rob Phillips Photography no that was not a typo - 640. Anything higher and you start to lose dynamic range. To increase your understanding of raising ISO vs raising brightness in post read articles on ISO invariance.
Oh wow, I'll look into that! Thanks Mark!
Just read Jim Harmer's article and that's wild! Thanks for the new astro tool!
44k views, 700 likes!!! When people will learn the decency of learning on youtube!! Thank you very much for the valuable information you gave.
This.
Very helpful! Thanks!
Superb!! Thanks for this, helped with setting up my A9
Unfortunately, not all settings are saved, when using the movie tab. for example, if you want Face recognition on in movie (movie tab) and Face recognition OFF in A Mode (photo), you have to change it every time, unless you use M1 for video
Continue focus for video only works on movie mode -_- , not in memory 1 0r 2 ...why :(
my super 35 toggles between auto and manual and not on and off
Shawn Davie - If Auto is set to off and Manual is set to On the toggle will activate APS-C mode as in the movie.
I had that set wrong...
tried doing this, but so many things grayed out, not sure why
Some options will be grayed out if you are shooting in 4K or have not yet selected the movie icon on the Shoot Mode Dial on the top of the camera.
Clear vid 👍
Thanks
Hi Mark, thank you for this comprehensive video. Its invaluable. When you discussed PP, Slog-2 /3 particularly you mentioned increasing the exposure by 2 stops. I can achieve this via the exp. comp dial on the cameras top side, and not necessarily having to increase my aperture or ISO?
If you have selected Shutter priority as the Exposure Mode you can then use the exposure compensation dial. If, however, you are in Manual Exposure with manual ISO then you will need to adjust one of these three settings to raise the exposure.
Got it! Thank you very much.
Unfortunately, Sony cameras don't display the actual/calculated ISO value when Auto ISO is enabled, which is a shame. The camera has the value, I don't get it why it is not displayed? Because of this limitation, we have to use the cumbersome Manual ISO when we want to make sure what ISO we are shooting with.
Nice
You. Are. The. Best.
Thanks for your positive feedback
nice
Still trying to find the right picture profile for cinematic projects. The more I read, the more confused I get. What do you think about this? ruclips.net/video/ub5zWgUrVdo/видео.html I seems like PP Off will be the best option most of the times?
There is useful information in this movie but it has a terrible title (designed for click bait). It also falls short of providing some information that could prove useful. If you record in Sunny weather there is a real risk of clipping the highlights so you do need to lower the contrast to avoid this. Not all Picture Profiles designed to lower contrast are Log profiles, e.g. PP6 will lower the contrast and when used in conjunction with Zebras will be enough to help photographers handle most situations. There is no one best profile as they have to be chosen for each shot. In low contrast or diffused lighting you can switch the PP off. I think I discuss the effect of each profile in this movie. If you are still confused don’t use them and only shoot in soft lighting.
Top-notch as always, Mark. If you are shooting slow-moving wildlife (in bright sun & dark shadows), aside from animal face detection would you change other settings ? or perhaps you have other vids or course on wildlife movie-mode. This was in MF as the Tamron 150-600 doesn't AF in movie mode (argh !) ruclips.net/video/bOBfraZXMa0/видео.html
Animal Eye AF is available with AF Tracking on the A9 cameras but Tracking may be disabled with other cameras. I now use Touch Tracking on the most recent cameras, but this is not available on the older cameras. Lock-on AF can be unreliable in low ambient light so Manual AF may have to be the answer if you can’t keep a flexible spot on your subject (if your subject is in amongst obstacles that prevents you from using wide or zone).
Nice