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Excellent video, Steve! I’m currently using 3D on my AF On button for AF handoffs. I recall reading in the guidebook about the pros and cons of using 3D or Auto AF for handoffs. I’m curious to hear which mode others are using for this purpose.
I have the same problem with holding down the Fn1 button. My solution is to use one of the lens function buttons for AF Handoff to Auto Area AF.
Yes
Ahh, I get what you're saying. You know, when I'm shooting 99% (or more) of the time I have AF engaged so I don't see much of the little white box. Most of the time, if I'm looking in the viewfinder, I have AF actively engaged - probably a BBAF thing (or just a habit). I really don't have a good explanation for why it would work like that. I'm not out shooting much right now, but I'll take a look when I can.
Just make sure AF stays activated during the handover. IOW, don't release one button before hitting that second button even for a fraction of a second.
Honestly, I think Sony's AF system is easy to use and better implemented. And, in practice, I think it's every bit as effective - in some cases, more effusive - than the more complex Nikon system. It frankly takes more work with Nikon's AF system to get the same results as Sony.
It can get confusing.
Thanks for the clarification. I always program the other button for both AF area mode and AF-On, so that's why I wasn't thinking of it as an override. I don't want to keep pressing two buttons at once. But what you're saying makes sense now! It was an old age issue on my part! Thanks.It can get confusing.
I use the term AF Override because that's what it's really doing. You have your normal AF area set, and when you press a programmed button, it overrides to a different AF area - but only as long as you press. When you release the button, the camera reverts back to the normal AF area it was using prior to the press. If you could tap a button and have the camera switch to the program AF area, then it's would be switching, but as it stands, when you release the button it goes back to the current normal AF area - I don't know how to describe that beyond on override
The real trick comes in because a handoff is a subset of AF override. In both an override and handoff, you are temporarily changing AF areas; but with an handoff you are picking up at the exact AF area the camera was just using. That's not the case with overrides. As I mentioned in the video, all AF handoffs include an AF override, but not all AF overrides include a handoff
My understanding is that even after the handoff, you have to keep both buttons pressed. If you don’t the handoff will not continue.
I believe you should watch the video again.
It depends on if the override includes AF or not. For me, I keep them both pressed because my override is just the AF area and not the area + AF. I like to control AF, even on overrides
OK so if I understand it there are 2 possible ways for the hand-off
Yup
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Once the handoff is complete you only need to press the new button assuming it has AF-ON associated with it. But during handover you’ll want to momentarily have both buttons activated to make the handover seamless and uninterrupted.
How does pressing both buttons allow you to "control AF?" If you have Fn1 set to AF-ON and just keep pressing it after the hand-off are you losing some control that you have when Fn1 is not set to AF-ON and both buttons are pressed? At the beginning I thought I understood, but now my head is spinning.It depends on if the override includes AF or not. For me, I keep them both pressed because my override is just the AF area and not the area + AF. I like to control AF, even on overrides
Meaning that if I have an override button pressed, I can still stop AF operation if I want. If the override has the AF area and AF-On enabled, then it's always focusing when pressed. Granted, most of the time that's absolutely fine, but there are times I want the camera to stop focusing but I want to keep the override pressed. For example, if I'm using Subject Detection with Auto AF on an override, maybe just before the bird flies behind an obstacle I release the AF-On button so the camera doesn't focus on that obstacle and then I reengage AF on the other side (Subject Detection doesn't respond to Focus Tracking With Lock On delays).How does pressing both buttons allow you to "control AF?" If you have Fn1 set to AF-ON and just keep pressing it after the hand-off are you losing some control that you have when Fn1 is not set to AF-ON and both buttons are pressed? At the beginning I thought I understood, but now my head is spinning.
That's a great question. I was out this afternoon shooting Sandies and the answer is that with the Z8, a single AF mode is insufficient. Auto Area went right to the chest and Wide S was much better, usually, but not always staying on the eye. Occasionally, I had to go to a C1 1x1 and then hand off to 3D, even then it would sometimes loose AF, preferring the head or jumping back to the body. So, is it worth the trouble? Compared to what, my old Canon R5/R3? Although I like some aspects of my Z8, namely the buffer, battery life (better than R5), blackout free EVF (similar on R5II), IQ, etc. the only reason I stick with it is because of the PF glass and other lenses.
alrmj,
Yes, they were in the wetlands drinking, stretching, pecking, etc. behind my house, maybe 40-50 yards away at most. Was shooting the Z8/800 PF in solid, afternoon light on perfect sun angle. The irony, is that it had no trouBlue in the same light captuRing a female downy from 20 yards with a black on black eye in AA mode.
