The unofficial official Sony a1MKII Thread

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I have been talking to a guy I was friends with in NC that recently purchased the A1 ii. He said he likes most things including the ergonomics. He said there’s one perplexing problem he’s encountered numerous times regardless of settings. He claims the original A1 will lock back on birds in flight or stationary subjects far faster than the A1ii once focus is momentarily lost. This guy is a very knowledgeable photographer and someone I take at his word. He also states he feels like scenes with highlights mess with the AF far more than the original A1. He isn’t sure he’s going to keep it at this point for these and a few other reasons. He seems apprehensive of keeping it hoping Sony will provide a fix which I can definitely understand. Just to be clear I’m not bashing the camera, only repeating what he’s telling me.
 
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sh1209 said:
I have been talking to a guy I was friends with in NC that recently purchased the A1 ii. He said he likes most things including the ergonomics. He said there’s one perplexing problem he’s encountered numerous times regardless of settings. He claims the original A1 will lock back on birds in flight or stationary subjects far faster than the A1ii once focus is momentarily lost. This guy is a very knowledgeable photographer and someone I take at his word. He also states he feels like scenes with highlights mess with the AF far more than the original A1. He isn’t sure he’s going to keep it at this point for these and a few other reasons. He seems apprehensive of keeping it hoping Sony will provide a fix which I can definitely understand. Just to be clear I’m not bashing the camera, only repeating what he’s telling me.
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I haven't experienced this at this time. One thing to consider is the menu and options for af modes goes an extra menu deep. I wonder if he has played with any of these settings yet?
 
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sh1209 said:
I have been talking to a guy I was friends with in NC that recently purchased the A1 ii. He said he likes most things including the ergonomics. He said there’s one perplexing problem he’s encountered numerous times regardless of settings. He claims the original A1 will lock back on birds in flight or stationary subjects far faster than the A1ii once focus is momentarily lost. This guy is a very knowledgeable photographer and someone I take at his word. He also states he feels like scenes with highlights mess with the AF far more than the original A1. He isn’t sure he’s going to keep it at this point for these and a few other reasons. He seems apprehensive of keeping it hoping Sony will provide a fix which I can definitely understand. Just to be clear I’m not bashing the camera, only repeating what he’s telling me.
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That doesn't sound very promising
 
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Steve said:
Great writeup! Thanks for doing it. I ran across the same thing with the speed boost option - I like the idea of it but I don't know that I want to shoot compressed all the time, either. It really does need an option to jump to compressed and 30FPS when you press it.
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Fro knows photo mentioned in 2 different videos that when boosting to 30fps the A1mk2 switches automatically to lossy compressed raw. Did he just smoke really good stuff or is there a sub-sub-sub setting that needs to be activated somewhere? My guess is the former, but who knows, sometimes he stumbles upon nuggets of truth.
 
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FB101 said:
Fro knows photo mentioned in 2 different videos that when boosting to 30fps the A1mk2 switches automatically to lossy compressed raw. Did he just smoke really good stuff or is there a sub-sub-sub setting that needs to be activated somewhere? My guess is the former, but who knows, sometimes he stumbles upon nuggets of truth.
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IDK I will look at it.
 
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FB101 said:
Fro knows photo mentioned in 2 different videos that when boosting to 30fps the A1mk2 switches automatically to lossy compressed raw. Did he just smoke really good stuff or is there a sub-sub-sub setting that needs to be activated somewhere? My guess is the former, but who knows, sometimes he stumbles upon nuggets of truth.
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Fro is wrong. There is no choice beyond the format you want to shoot. Uncompressed, Lossless L, M, S or Compressed. 30fps does not function unless the camera is set to compressed.
 
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My experience with Pro-Capture is similar. At 25/f/s, 20MP sensor, which is the limit with a non-PRO lens like my 100-400 zoom I rarely get more than one shot of a BIF taking off complete in the frame. (The solution is to shoot at 60 or 120f/s although the camera does not refocus between shots.) At 50 f/s which my 300f4 allows I do get several frames to choose from.

HOWEVER......
I think that, over time, the 30f/s with a 50mp frame will allow better results from the A1-2's pre-capture. I suspect that the OP is not positioning the frame correctly. For example: If the bird is taking off to the left the subject needs to be in the EXTREME lower right but the subject does not need to be completely in the frame, as the desired shot is to the left.

I would wait until someone who has extensive experience with pre-capture reports on the A1-2
 
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sh1209 said:
I have been talking to a guy I was friends with in NC that recently purchased the A1 ii. He said he likes most things including the ergonomics. He said there’s one perplexing problem he’s encountered numerous times regardless of settings. He claims the original A1 will lock back on birds in flight or stationary subjects far faster than the A1ii once focus is momentarily lost. This guy is a very knowledgeable photographer and someone I take at his word. He also states he feels like scenes with highlights mess with the AF far more than the original A1. He isn’t sure he’s going to keep it at this point for these and a few other reasons. He seems apprehensive of keeping it hoping Sony will provide a fix which I can definitely understand. Just to be clear I’m not bashing the camera, only repeating what he’s telling me.
Click to expand...

DavidT said:
I haven't experienced this at this time. One thing to consider is the menu and options for af modes goes an extra menu deep. I wonder if he has played with any of these settings yet?
Click to expand...
That hasn't been my experience at all up to now as well and I've been shooting it quite a bit over the last couple of weeks.

In respect to the pre-capture feature, I'm really enjoying this feature for launch type shots. I shoot a lot of Kestrel and with the A1 it was always difficult to time the moment of take-off, not impossible but difficult for me personally, my reaction time isn't all that great. With the mark two, I can get consistent launches every time super happy with the feature.
 
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Jose Raposo said:
In respect to the pre-capture feature, I'm really enjoying this feature for launch type shots. I shoot a lot of Kestrel and with the A1 it was always difficult to time the moment of take-off, not impossible but difficult for me personally, my reaction time isn't all that great. With the mark two, I can get consistent launches every time super happy with the feature.
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Where are the Kestral takeoff shots?

Tom
 
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Tom Reynolds said:
My experience with Pro-Capture is similar. At 25/f/s, 20MP sensor, which is the limit with a non-PRO lens like my 100-400 zoom I rarely get more than one shot of a BIF taking off complete in the frame. (The solution is to shoot at 60 or 120f/s although the camera does not refocus between shots.) At 50 f/s which my 300f4 allows I do get several frames to choose from.

HOWEVER......
I think that, over time, the 30f/s with a 50mp frame will allow better results from the A1-2's pre-capture. I suspect that the OP is not positioning the frame correctly. For example: If the bird is taking off to the left the subject needs to be in the EXTREME lower right but the subject does not need to be completely in the frame, as the desired shot is to the left.

I would wait until someone who has extensive experience with pre-capture reports on the A1-2
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Hey Tom you are WRONG! I have been shooting the a9III all year which will do pre capture up to 120 fps. I know how to position a subject to maximize captures. Also, pre capture is useful well beyond a bird taking off. Frankly that is a crap photo if you can see the feet. Yes, you hit a nerve when you say someone with extensive experience that isn't me. Yea, I have shot over 800K images with pre capture in the a9III which is superior to any of the M4/3 cameras.
 
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DavidT said:
Hey Tom you are WRONG! I have been shooting the a9III all year which will do pre capture up to 120 fps. I know how to position a subject to maximize captures. Also, pre capture is useful well beyond a bird taking off. Frankly that is a crap photo if you can see the feet. Yes, you hit a nerve when you say someone with extensive experience that isn't me. Yea, I have shot over 400K images with pre capture in the a9III which is superior to any of the M4/3 cameras.
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David-

Yes, you are experienced with the A9iii and its high frame rate. I am experienced with a low 25 f/s frame rate as well as a 50 f/s frame rate. The processes are different @ 50 f/s versus 25.

You said that you never got a shot with the A1-2 while I have many with the OM-1mk2 and the 100-400 @ 25f/s so it seems that you are doing something wrong.

Yes, I'd rather have the 120 f/s A9iii and the Sony lenses that can focus that fast so i think your point that the A9iii is superior proves my point.

Peace,

tom
 
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Tom Reynolds said:
David-

Yes, you are experienced with the A9iii and its high frame rate. I am experienced with a low 25 f/s frame rate as well as a 50 f/s frame rate. The processes are different @ 50 f/s versus 25.

You said that you never got a shot with the A1-2 while I have many with the OM-1mk2 and the 100-400 @ 25f/s so it seems that you are doing something wrong.

Yes, I'd rather have the 120 f/s A9iii and the Sony lenses that can focus that fast so i think your point that the A9iii is superior proves my point.

Peace,

tom
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What I said is the pre capture at the slower 20fps frame rate didn’t get me an image that was worth keeping. I also wasn’t shooting perched birds. When I first got it it was cool to get the lift off shots but frankly if you can see the feet it makes for a crap photo so I don’t even bother trying to take that photo anymore.
 
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DavidT said:
What I said is the pre capture at the slower 20fps frame rate didn’t get me an image that was worth keeping. I also wasn’t shooting perched birds. When I first got it it was cool to get the lift off shots but frankly if you can see the feet it makes for a crap photo so I don’t even bother trying to take that photo anymore.
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David-

OK, I get you.

Tom
 
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FB101 said:
Fro knows photo mentioned in 2 different videos that when boosting to 30fps the A1mk2 switches automatically to lossy compressed raw. Did he just smoke really good stuff or is there a sub-sub-sub setting that needs to be activated somewhere? My guess is the former, but who knows, sometimes he stumbles upon nuggets of truth.
Click to expand...
If there's a way to do it, I haven't discovered it. Doesn't sound like Dave has either and he's been using it more thanI have. Although, I'd love to be wrong :)
 
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Regardless of the f/s the BIF will exit the frame in the same split second. the advantage of 50mp is that you can zoom out and increase that split second.

I love the Kestral shots but I think Jose would have captured the subsequent image in the sequence if he positioned the perched bird differently in the frame.

After I take a perched bird shot, I Zoom out. I position the bird in the extreme edge of the frame. With the above Kestral shot only the bird's eye and beak would show. That would gain me about double the distance the BIF would stay in the frame. Hopefully, the next shot or two in the sequence would be the BIF in its full glory and I could crop out the perch.

As David says I am always in pre-capture, so I have multiple perched shots full frame but I can't get that BIF in full frame so I need to crop because I zoom-out. The 20MP of the OM-1 obviously limits that.

The Painted Bunting shot below is not the last decent shot in the sequence. I just liked the wing position better. Obviously cropped.

_4210166_PB_small.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
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Steve said:
Great writeup! Thanks for doing it. I ran across the same thing with the speed boost option - I like the idea of it but I don't know that I want to shoot compressed all the time, either. It really does need an option to jump to compressed and 30FPS when you press it.
Click to expand...

Steve, I saw where you indicated you'd switched to HE* on the Z9. Is there a specific reason you avoid the lossy compression on the Sony (vs. the Nikon)?
 
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Ltgk20 said:
Steve, I saw where you indicated you'd switched to HE* on the Z9. Is there a specific reason you avoid the lossy compression on the Sony (vs. the Nikon)?
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I believe Steve like most of us is using lossless L on the Sony cameras. It’s a 14 bit file and the compressed Raw is a 12 bit file. What is Nikon on HE*?
 
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