Focus Confirmation on Multiple Faces

[sdfreeland]

If there is a small group shot, does the A7RIII show the green focus confirmation for multiple people, or does it only show the focus confirmation on one person? Is there a good way to confirm if the depth of field is too shallow without shooting and reviewing the image or calculating the depth of field beforehand?

 

[techjedi]

If there is a small group shot, does the A7RIII show the green focus confirmation for multiple people, or does it only show the focus confirmation on one person? Is there a good way to confirm if the depth of field is too shallow without shooting and reviewing the image or calculating the depth of field beforehand?

The camera only focuses at one aperture.

It picks a face and focuses on it, highlighting it. It can identify other faces but it picks one. You can register faces and give a priority of which face to prefer to focusing in order. For example, Bride, then groom, then bride's mom, etc. I have heard that without detecting registered faces, the closest one is preferred.

The camera is not going to give you any DoF warning or recommendations based on detecting multiple faces at different focus distances.

If you have the luxury of knowing some of the shooting details in advance (distance/aperture/focal length), then I recommend using a DoF simulator to prepare yourself for the widest aperture you can manage for including multiple subjects, etc.

I use this one:

DOF simulator - Camera depth of field calculator with visual background blur and bokeh simulation.

Calculates camera depth of field and background blur and simulates it on a photo for any lens, camera and distance combination with different types of lens blur (bokeh).

dofsimulator.net

 

[Tristimulus]

If there is a small group shot, does the A7RIII show the green focus confirmation for multiple people, or does it only show the focus confirmation on one person? Is there a good way to confirm if the depth of field is too shallow without shooting and reviewing the image or calculating the depth of field beforehand?

Answer given in the post above is good.

Would use apertures around f/8 when taking group images to get decent depth of field.

 

[lattesweden]

If there is a small group shot, does the A7RIII show the green focus confirmation for multiple people, or does it only show the focus confirmation on one person? Is there a good way to confirm if the depth of field is too shallow without shooting and reviewing the image or calculating the depth of field beforehand?

When testing on a book with two faces on the cover I have managed to get them both green lighted at the same time. But I haven't been able to repeat that in reality.

It would be nice if the camera could detect faces and I could tap on the screen to select which ones are subjects for my image and then the camera could adjust focus and aperture/depth of field automagically to get them all sharp, but we are not there yet.