Sony a7 Series · From Snapshots to Great Shots (Brad Clawson's Library) by Smith, Brian -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Acknowledgments Contents Introduction 1. Sony a7-Series Top Ten List

Ten Tips to Make Your Shooting More Productive Right Out of the Box Poring Over the Camera

Camera Front Camera Front – Mark II

Poring Over the Camera

Camera Back Camera Back – Mark II

Poring Over the Camera

Camera Top Camera Top – Mark II

Poring Over the Camera

Camera Side Camera Side – Mark II

1. Charge Your Battery 2. Turn Off the Auto ISO Setting 3. Set Your JPEG Image Quality 4. Configure Your LCD and Viewfinder 5. Set Your Autofocus Area and Mode 6. Set the Correct White Balance 7. Set Your Color Space 8. Know How to Override Autofocus 9. Review Your Shots 10. Hold Your Camera for Proper Shooting Chapter 1 Assignments

2. First Things First

A Few Things to Know and Do Before You Begin Taking Pictures Poring Over the Picture Choosing the Right Memory Card Formatting Your Memory Card Updating a7-Series Firmware Cleaning the Sensor Using the Right Format: RAW vs. JPEG

So what does RAW have to offer? Advice for new RAW shooters Selecting RAW+JPEG

Lenses and Focal Lengths Understanding Exposure

How is exposure calculated?

Motion and Depth of Field Chapter 2 Assignments

3. Menu Settings

Navigating the Menus Poring Over the Menu

Sony a7-Series Menu Sony a7-Series Tile Menu

Camera Settings

Image Size Aspect Ratio Quality Panorama: Size Panorama: Direction File Format Record Settings Drive Mode Dual Video REC Flash Mode Flash Comp Red Eye Reduction Focus Mode Focus Area Focus Settings AF Illuminator Movie AF drive speed Movie AF Track Sensitivity Exposure Comp Exposure Step ISO ISO AUTO Minimum Shutter Speed Metering Mode White Balance DRO/Auto HDR Creative Styles Picture Effect Picture Profile Zoom Focus Magnifier Long Exposure NR High ISO NR Center Lock-on AF Smile/Face Detection Soft Skin Effect Auto Object Framing Auto Mode Scene Selection Movie SteadyShot SteadyShot Setting SteadyShot Focal Length Color Space Auto Slow Shutter Audio Recording Audio Rec Level Audio Out Timing Wind Noise Reduction Memory Recall Memory

Custom Settings

Zebra MF Assist Focus Magnify Time Grid Marker Display Marker Setting Audio Level Display Auto Review DISP Button Peaking Level Peaking Color Exposure Set Guide Live View Display Display Continuous AF area Phase Detect Area Pre-AF Zoom Settings Eye-Start AF Finder / Monitor Release w/o Lens Release w/o Card Priority Set in AF-S Priority Set in AF-C AF w/Shutter AEL w/Shutter Silent Shooting e-Front Curtain Shutter Superior Auto Image Extract Exposure Comp Set Reset EV Comp Bracket Order Face Registration APS-C Size Capture APS-C/Super 35mm AF Micro Adjust Lens Comp AF System Video Light Set Function Menu Setting Custom Keys Settings Dial Set-up Dial EV Comp Zoom Ring Rotate MOVIE Button Dial / Wheel Lock

Wireless

Send to Smartphone Send to Computer View on TV One Touch (NFC) Airplane Mode WPS Push Access Point Set Edit Device Name Display MAC Address SSID/PW Reset Reset Network Settings

Application

Application List Introduction

Playback

Delete View Mode Image Index Display Rotation Slide Show Rotate Enlarge Image 4K Image PB Protect Specialty Printing

Setup

Monitor Brightness Viewfinder Brightness Finder Color Temp Volume Settings Audio Signals Upload Settings Tile Menu Mode Dial Guide Delete Confirm Display Quality Power Save Start Time NTSC/PAL Selector Cleaning Mode Demo Mode TC/UB Settings Remote Control HDMI Settings HDMI 4K Output Select USB Connection USB LUN Setting Language Date/Time Setup Area Settings Copyright Info Format File Number Select REC Folder New Folder Folder Name Recover Image DB Display Media Info Version Certification Logo Settings Reset

Chapter 3 Assignments

4. Customizing Your Camera

Personalizing an a7-Series Camera for the Way You Shoot Poring Over the Picture Using the Control Wheel to Select an AF Point Avoid ISO Surprises Setting Up Back-Button AF Configuring the Function Menu Saving Custom Key Settings Saving Custom Shooting Modes Chapter 4 Assignments

5. Shooting Modes

Get Shooting with the Shooting Modes Poring Over the Picture Intelligent Auto Mode Scene Selection Modes

Portrait mode Landscape mode Macro mode Sports Action mode Sunset mode Night Portrait mode Night Scene mode Hand-held Twilight mode Anti Motion Blur mode

Sweep Panorama Why You May Never Want to Use the Full Auto Modes Again Picture Effects P: Program Auto Mode

When to use Program Auto (P) mode instead of automatic modes

S: Shutter Priority Mode

When to use Shutter Priority (S) mode

A: Aperture Priority Mode

When to use Aperture Priority (A) mode

M: Manual Mode

When to use Manual (M) mode

How I Shoot: Here Are the Camera Settings I Use Chapter 5 Assignments

6. Portrait Photography

Settings and Features to Make Great Portraits Poring Over the Picture Automatic Portrait Mode Using Aperture Priority Mode

Go wide for environmental portraits

Metering Modes for Portraits Using the AE Lock Feature Focusing: The Eyes Have It Classic Black-and-White Portraits The Portrait Creative Style for Better Skin Tones Using Face Detection and Registration Portraits on the Move The Rule of Thirds Tips for Shooting Better Portraits

Choose the right lens Know your glass Don’t cut them off at the ankles Tame the midday sun Frame the scene Get down on their level Capture candid portraits

Chapter 6 Assignments

7. Moving Target

Tricks to Shooting Sports and Action Poring Over the Picture Stop Right There!

Direction of travel Subject speed Subject-to-camera distance

Using Shutter Priority (S) Mode to Stop Motion Using Aperture Priority (A) Mode to Isolate Your Subject Keep Them in Focus with Continuous AF and Autofocus Area Selection Keeping Up with Continuous Shooting Mode Manual Focus for Anticipated Action A Sense of Motion

Panning

Tips for Shooting Action

Give them somewhere to go Freeze action with flash Get in front of the action

Chapter 7 Assignments

8. Landscape and Cityscape Photography

Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get the Best Landscapes and Cityscapes Poring Over the Picture Sharp and In Focus: Using Tripods

The reciprocal rule Choosing a tripod

Selecting the Proper ISO Using Noise Reduction Selecting a White Balance Using the Landscape Creative Style Shooting Beautiful Black-and-White Landscapes Golden Light Shooting Compelling Sunrises and Sunsets Making Water Fluid Composing Landscapes and Streetscapes

Rule of thirds Creating depth

Where to Focus Easier Focusing Using Manual Focus Assist Using DMF Focus Mode Expand Your Range Shooting Panoramas

Sweep Panorama mode The multiple-image panorama

Look for the Unexpected Chapter 8 Assignments

9. Mood Lighting

Shooting When the Lights Get Low Poring Over the Picture Raising the ISO: The Simple Solution High ISO Noise Reduction Using Fast Glass Using OSS Lenses Mark II: 5-Axis Sensor-Shift Stabilization

Sony E-Mount lenses with OSS Sony E-Mount lenses without OSS Sony A-Mount lenses using the LA-EA3 or LA-EA4 adapter Third-party lenses using lens adapters Manual SteadyShot settings

Focusing in Low Light

Using focus peaking Autofocus Illuminator

Shooting Long Exposures Using Flash

Sync speeds High-speed sync (HSS)

Compensating for the Flash Exposure Flash Modes Using an External Flash

Using off-camera flash

Taming Flash Reflections Chapter 9 Assignments

10. Advanced Techniques

Take Your Images to the Next Level Poring Over the Picture Spot Meter for More Exposure Control

Metering for sunrise or sunset

Manual Mode

Bulb photography

Avoiding Lens Flare Using the Sun Creatively Macro Photography High Dynamic Range Photography Using Dynamic Range Optimizer Wireless Remote Capture App Installing and Updating Sony PlayMemories Camera Apps Sharing Photos with Send to Smartphone One-Touch Connection with an NFC-Enabled Android Smartphone Tethering Your a7-Series Camera Chapter 10 Assignments

11. Lights, Camera, Action!

Getting Professional-looking Video from a7-Series Cameras Poring Over the Camera

Camera Back LCD Monitor Video quality Sound Better sound for your movies Keep it rolling Focusing the camera

It’s All About the Lenses

Manual focus lenses Cine lenses

Movie Shooting Modes Getting a Shallow Depth of Field Giving a Different Look to Your Videos

Using creative styles Using picture effects White balance

Picture Profiles

Picture profile settings

Shooting 4K

Internal 4K Recording 4K to an external recorder

Accessories for Video

Extension tubes and close-up filters Polarizing filters Neutral density filters Tripods Camera stabilization Viewing options

Tips for Better Video

Shoot short clips Stage your shots Focus manually Tame your highlights with Zebra Avoid the quick pan Use a fast memory card Turn off the sound

Watching and Editing Your Video

Watching video Editing video Expanding your knowledge

Chapter 11 Assignments

Index 12. Lens Mount Adapters

Lens Mount Adapters to Expand Your Camera’s Lens Choices Poring Over the Picture Sony Alpha Canon EOS Contax G Leica M Nikon

Lensbaby Tilt Transformer for Nikon lenses

Pentax K Legacy

Leica R to Sony E-Mount Contax/Yashica and Contax N to Sony E-Mount Contax G Lens to Sony E-Mount Minolta MD to Sony E-Mount Canon FD to Sony E-Mount Hasselblad V to Sony E-Mount Mamiya 645 to Sony E-Mount

Activating Focus Peaking Using the Focus Magnifier Chapter 12 Assignments

13. Creative Compositions

Improve Your Pictures with Strong Compositional Elements Poring Over the Picture Depth of Field Work the Angles Point of View Patterns Color Contrast Light and Shadow Leading Lines Frames within Frames The Simplicity of Black and White Chapter 13 Assignments

14. Pimp My A7

Accessories to Expand Your Camera’s Creative Potential External Chargers and Batteries Vertical Grips Filters

UV Polarizing Neutral Density (ND) Graduated ND

Tripods

Quick-release plates and L-brackets

Remote Commanders Macro Photography Accessories

Extension tubes Close-up filters

Hot-Shoe Flashes Flash Triggers Reflectors and Diffusers Neck Straps and Wrist Straps Camera Bags Video Accessories

Sound Video monitors Video rigs

The Small Stuff

SD card cases External hard drives Air blowers Sensor brushes Sensor Gel Stick LensPen Microfiber lens cloths Updates on a7-series camera accessories

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