Sony A1 tracking issues v non tracking.

[Rectory Photography]

I'm now fully in the Sony architecture after using a Canon R5 for a while. I have an A1 together with the 100-400, 200-600, and recently a 600mm f4. In general i am very happy, but one issue i am having is the tracking modes. I am experiencing a significantly lower hit rate with both static and moving animals /birds when using tracking modes..... With a slowish bird in flight for example i have quite a low 'in focus' rate with traclking even when the camera af appears to be tracking the subject well ..... 2 or 3 images out of 10 may be sharp enough that i can use the image. I don't think this is a settings issue as i am fairly experienced with this kind of photography, so do use fast shutter speeds (1/4000 etc) and have tried vibration reduction both on and off to no avail. Changing the tracking sensitivity doesnt seem to help. When sharp, the images are amazing, but i'm wondering if the camera may have an issue. Any thoughts/experiences much appreciated.

 

[bwheeler]

I have found the focus area I pick can affect the accuracy of focus. Steve advises using the smallest area that works - which can require experimentation in the field (smallest not always the best). Also, size of subject in the viewfinder, characteristics of background, proximity of other objects, and lighting situation all interact in ways that can require different combinations of area/tracking settings. Steve's book and video on setting up the A1 for wildlife photography helped me understand the interactions better. I have begun to think of turning tracking "on" as giving the camera permission to follow the subject when it moves, especially when it moves out of the focus area. Sometimes tracking helps, sometimes it does not. I am still refining my understanding of the interactions between "eye recognition" and "tracking." With my A1 set up the way Steve describes, I find myself gradually becoming more proficient in optimizing auto-focus: custom button to quickly cycle among a few focus area sizes, one back-button for focus with tracking, a separate back-button for focus without tracking, and easy access to turning eye recognition on or off. Definitely getting better results than several months ago.

 

[Rectory Photography]

Thanks for the replies. I have just bought a second A1 and interestingly, the af is working much better and far more consistantly, as well as the battery lasting much longer..... I am now assuming my first A1 has had issues from new which are now obvious when compared to a second, properly functioning model. I will be sending it in for repair. This highlights the rather expensive advantage of having two bodies......one acts as a spare in case of repair, but also to compare performance if things are not quite right. When new models come out in the future i can always sell one and replace.....

 

[Steve]

Interesting. I was just going to say my favorite for BIF work with the a1 is Zone Tracking mode and I was surprised to hear you were having such an issue with it. I suppose it could have been a poor copy of the camera.

Also, you might try saving the settings from the a1 that's working well and loading them into the first body. It may be some setting that's affecting things that you set on one and not the other.

 

[Rectory Photography]

Interesting. I was just going to say my favorite for BIF work with the a1 is Zone Tracking mode and I was surprised to hear you were having such an issue with it. I suppose it could have been a poor copy of the camera.

Also, you might try saving the settings from the a1 that's working well and loading them into the first body. It may be some setting that's affecting things that you set on one and not the other.

Hi Steve, I actually copied the settings from the 'faulty' camera straight onto the new one, so i think its probably a bad copy..... but i will do a factory re-set and try once more before sending it away.......Its hard when things are subtly wrong rather than really obvious problems.....if i was shooting landscape rather than action, i probably would never have noticed the issues.

 

[Steve]

Hi Steve, I actually copied the settings from the 'faulty' camera straight onto the new one, so i think its probably a bad copy..... but i will do a factory re-set and try once more before sending it away.......Its hard when things are subtly wrong rather than really obvious problems.....if i was shooting landscape rather than action, i probably would never have noticed the issues.

That is really odd. If the first one is still under warranty, I wonder if it's something you could get Sony to check.

 

[Rectory Photography]

That is really odd. If the first one is still under warranty, I wonder if it's something you could get Sony to check.

The interesting thing with this camera, was that when it arrived, it had two batteries, one already in the camera, which is not at all usual....they are only meant to have one. Its under warranty, so will be sending it to Sony UK....I will update once all that is processed.

 

[lablover27]

The interesting thing with this camera, was that when it arrived, it had two batteries, one already in the camera, which is not at all usual....they are only meant to have one. Its under warranty, so will be sending it to Sony UK....I will update once all that is processed.

Sounds like you got a demo unit or someone’s return. Curious where you ordered from. Please don’t say Amazon

 

[Steve]

The interesting thing with this camera, was that when it arrived, it had two batteries, one already in the camera, which is not at all usual....they are only meant to have one. Its under warranty, so will be sending it to Sony UK....I will update once all that is processed.

Yeah, that was a used camera.