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MF on A-mount as on e-mount possible?

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ActionPhotoPassion

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Hi there,

I'd like to know if it is possible to have the MF on A-mount the same as on E-mount side:

I mean with the magnification automatically triggering when overriding the AF manipulating the focusing ring ?
 
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Hi there,

I'd like to know if it is possible to have the MF on A-mount the same as on E-mount side:

I mean with the magnification automatically triggering when overriding the AF manipulating the focusing ring ?
Click to expand...
On my A7ii, this function is called MF Assist in the menus.

On A99ii A-mount (maybe A77ii also), we have the Focus Magnifier - almost the same just not automatic.
 
It is not. The reason it works that way on E mount is that E mount lenses are all focus by wire, with the focus ring only sending a signal back to the body to move the lens' motor.

A mount lenses have the manual focus ring mechanically coupled to the lens' helicoid, so, when you're manually focusing an A mount lens the camera body doesn't get any information about the focus changing.
 
Okay well a queston here:

Is it possible (for the lesnes that have one) to program the focus hold button to the magnifier ?
 
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Okay well a queston here:

Is it possible (for the lesnes that have one) to program the focus hold button to the magnifier ?
Click to expand...
That I don't know, as my newest A mount body is an A900. You should be able to try it with your 500/8, though. What does Focus Hold show when you try to customize it in the menu?
 
SQLGuy said:
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Okay well a queston here:

Is it possible (for the lesnes that have one) to program the focus hold button to the magnifier ?
Click to expand...
That I don't know, as my newest A mount body is an A900. You should be able to try it with your 500/8, though. What does Focus Hold show when you try to customize it in the menu?
Click to expand...
I have to check that out. Actually I have just thought about that.

At the moment the magnifier is on the rear of the body but I don't find this optimize to zoom digitally and mf tuning at the same time.
 
ActionPhotoPassion said:
SQLGuy said:
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Okay well a queston here:

Is it possible (for the lesnes that have one) to program the focus hold button to the magnifier ?
Click to expand...
That I don't know, as my newest A mount body is an A900. You should be able to try it with your 500/8, though. What does Focus Hold show when you try to customize it in the menu?
Click to expand...
I have to check that out. Actually I have just thought about that.

At the moment the magnifier is on the rear of the body but I don't find this optimize to zoom digitally and mf tuning at the same time.
Click to expand...
Actually, I just realized that, while my newest A mount body doesn't support this, I also have an LA-EA4 and an A7R2. With that setup, the answer is, yes, I can program the focus hold button for MF Assist.
 
SQLGuy said:
ActionPhotoPassion said:
SQLGuy said:
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Okay well a queston here:

Is it possible (for the lesnes that have one) to program the focus hold button to the magnifier ?
Click to expand...
That I don't know, as my newest A mount body is an A900. You should be able to try it with your 500/8, though. What does Focus Hold show when you try to customize it in the menu?
Click to expand...
I have to check that out. Actually I have just thought about that.

At the moment the magnifier is on the rear of the body but I don't find this optimize to zoom digitally and mf tuning at the same time.
Click to expand...
Actually, I just realized that, while my newest A mount body doesn't support this, I also have an LA-EA4 and an A7R2. With that setup, the answer is, yes, I can program the focus hold button for MF Assist.
Click to expand...
 
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Hi there,

I'd like to know if it is possible to have the MF on A-mount the same as on E-mount side:

I mean with the magnification automatically triggering when overriding the AF manipulating the focusing ring ?
Click to expand...
The current A-mount cameras do enable focus peaking automatically with focus-by-wire lenses (i.e., the Minolta Xi lenses.) The bodies with focus clutches enable focus peaking after AF in DMF mode. They don't do focus magnification automatically.
 
QuietOC said:
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Hi there,

I'd like to know if it is possible to have the MF on A-mount the same as on E-mount side:

I mean with the magnification automatically triggering when overriding the AF manipulating the focusing ring ?
Click to expand...
The current A-mount cameras do enable focus peaking automatically with focus-by-wire lenses (i.e., the Minolta Xi lenses.) The bodies with focus clutches enable focus peaking after AF in DMF mode. They don't do focus magnification automatically.
Click to expand...
With manual lenses like my Helios , I prefer focus magnification versus focus peaking(which is not that accurate from what i have seen )
 
Last edited:
big aperture said:
QuietOC said:
ActionPhotoPassion said:
Hi there,

I'd like to know if it is possible to have the MF on A-mount the same as on E-mount side:

I mean with the magnification automatically triggering when overriding the AF manipulating the focusing ring ?
Click to expand...
The current A-mount cameras do enable focus peaking automatically with focus-by-wire lenses (i.e., the Minolta Xi lenses.) The bodies with focus clutches enable focus peaking after AF in DMF mode. They don't do focus magnification automatically.
Click to expand...
With manual lenses like my Helios , I prefer focus magnification versus focus peaking(which is not that accurate from what i have seen )
Click to expand...
It just highlights contrast. There is not much way for it not to be accurate. Sometimes it is too intrusive. It is nice to have dual displays one with peaking and one without. It is more effective in the magnified view--it works at the display resolution, not on the sensor side.
 
SQLGuy said:
It is not. The reason it works that way on E mount is that E mount lenses are all focus by wire, with the focus ring only sending a signal back to the body to move the lens' motor.

A mount lenses have the manual focus ring mechanically coupled to the lens' helicoid, so, when you're manually focusing an A mount lens the camera body doesn't get any information about the focus changing.
Click to expand...
Technically, that's not true. When you're manually focusing a screw-driven lens, the camera knows you're changing the focusing distance because the screwdriver is turning.

With SSM and SAM lenses it's trickier, but all lenses with built in motor are also (D) lenses, so when changing focus, the camera receives updates about focusing distance changing.

The camera uses the data (obtained from either source) to improve stabilization and affects exposure, so there's no reason why it couldn't use the info to enable an automatic focus magnifier.
 
toughluck said:
SQLGuy said:
It is not. The reason it works that way on E mount is that E mount lenses are all focus by wire, with the focus ring only sending a signal back to the body to move the lens' motor.

A mount lenses have the manual focus ring mechanically coupled to the lens' helicoid, so, when you're manually focusing an A mount lens the camera body doesn't get any information about the focus changing.
Click to expand...
Technically, that's not true. When you're manually focusing a screw-driven lens, the camera knows you're changing the focusing distance because the screwdriver is turning.

With SSM and SAM lenses it's trickier, but all lenses with built in motor are also (D) lenses, so when changing focus, the camera receives updates about focusing distance changing.

The camera uses the data (obtained from either source) to improve stabilization and affects exposure, so there's no reason why it couldn't use the info to enable an automatic focus magnifier.
Click to expand...
Focus-by-wire is NOT required on E-mount for MF Assist. All that is required is a high resolution focus encoder. The fully manual focus native lenses with electronics support MF Assist.

The resolution/precision of the focus distance encoders on A-mount is rather low. They may be good enough for providing x- and y-axis stabilization and ADI flash at least with the first-party D lenses. The focus distance encoders in third-party A-mount lenses seem to be basically useless judging by how they barely work with the electronic focus limiter.

Sony doesn't show distance units with the focus limiter when using any non D lenses including current Sony lenses. It seems like the internal encoder on the in-body AF motor could be calibrated so the camera could display units. This calibration should also be required for x- and y-axis stabilization and ADI flash.
 
Last edited:
QuietOC said:
toughluck said:
SQLGuy said:
It is not. The reason it works that way on E mount is that E mount lenses are all focus by wire, with the focus ring only sending a signal back to the body to move the lens' motor.

A mount lenses have the manual focus ring mechanically coupled to the lens' helicoid, so, when you're manually focusing an A mount lens the camera body doesn't get any information about the focus changing.
Click to expand...
Technically, that's not true. When you're manually focusing a screw-driven lens, the camera knows you're changing the focusing distance because the screwdriver is turning.

With SSM and SAM lenses it's trickier, but all lenses with built in motor are also (D) lenses, so when changing focus, the camera receives updates about focusing distance changing.

The camera uses the data (obtained from either source) to improve stabilization and affects exposure, so there's no reason why it couldn't use the info to enable an automatic focus magnifier.
Click to expand...
Focus-by-wire is NOT required on E-mount for MF Assist. All that is required is a high resolution focus encoder. The fully manual focus native lenses with electronics support MF Assist.

The resolution/precision of the focus distance encoders on A-mount is rather low. They may be good enough for providing x- and y-axis stabilization and ADI flash at least with the first-party D lenses. The focus distance encoders in third-party A-mount lenses seem to be basically useless judging by how they barely work with the electronic focus limiter.

Sony doesn't show distance units with the focus limiter when using any non D lenses including current Sony lenses. It seems like the internal encoder on the in-body AF motor could be calibrated so the camera could display units. This calibration should also be required for x- and y-axis stabilization and ADI flash.
Click to expand...
Based on what I saw in the film 7 manual, the resolution was pretty good for dof preview info on the rear screen.
D function is not necessary for the focus limiter, as you noticed, and the camera will infer distances between encoded changes from the screwdriver rotation.
And that brings me to mf assist. It's not necessary for the camera to know the tiny changes in focus ring position. Merely reacting to a smallest detectable change would be nice.
 
Last edited:
toughluck said:
toughluck said:
The focus distance encoders in third-party A-mount lenses seem to be basically useless judging by how they barely work with the electronic focus limiter.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
FWIW: Tamrons seem to be ok, though one of mine doesn't show units. Some Sigmas work a bit. The Sigmas show inaccurate units.
...
toughluck said:
And that brings me to mf assist. It's not necessary for the camera to know the tiny changes in focus ring position. Merely reacting to a smallest detectable change would be nice.
Click to expand...
It is possible. The camera is getting that data from the lens. You don't think Sony would get user complaints about a partially-functional feature when people make small focus changes and nothing happens? It would be nice to have on E-mount cameras with adapted lenses too.
 
QuietOC said:
toughluck said:
QuietOC said:
The focus distance encoders in third-party A-mount lenses seem to be basically useless judging by how they barely work with the electronic focus limiter.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
FWIW: Tamrons seem to be ok, though one of mine doesn't show units. Some Sigmas work a bit. The Sigmas show inaccurate units.

...
QuietOC said:
And that brings me to mf assist. It's not necessary for the camera to know the tiny changes in focus ring position. Merely reacting to a smallest detectable change would be nice.
Click to expand...
It is possible. The camera is getting that data from the lens. You don't think Sony would get user complaints about a partially-functional feature when people make small focus changes and nothing happens? It would be nice to have on E-mount cameras with adapted lenses too.
Click to expand...
Sigma GV lenses with the MC-11 adapter on E mount bodies do support this. Most adapters, though, emulate the LA-EA1/3, and we're back to A mount bodies not using this information.
 
SQLGuy said:
QuietOC said:
toughluck said:
SQLGuy said:
The focus distance encoders in third-party A-mount lenses seem to be basically useless judging by how they barely work with the electronic focus limiter.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
FWIW: Tamrons seem to be ok, though one of mine doesn't show units. Some Sigmas work a bit. The Sigmas show inaccurate units.

...
SQLGuy said:
And that brings me to mf assist. It's not necessary for the camera to know the tiny changes in focus ring position. Merely reacting to a smallest detectable change would be nice.
Click to expand...
It is possible. The camera is getting that data from the lens. You don't think Sony would get user complaints about a partially-functional feature when people make small focus changes and nothing happens? It would be nice to have on E-mount cameras with adapted lenses too.
Click to expand...
Sigma GV lenses with the MC-11 adapter on E mount bodies do support this. Most adapters, though, emulate the LA-EA1/3, and we're back to A mount bodies not using this information.
Click to expand...
I believe most of the GV lenses aren't focus-by-wire either. How well does MF Assist work with them?
 
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