Sony ?9 User manual

AF Setup Quick Guide

Introduction

This Quick Guide provides a number of sample AF setups

that can help make the most of the advanced AF capabilities

offered by the α9 in a variety of situations.

• The settings given may not be suitable for all photographic

situations.

• The content of this guide applies to camera software

version 1.01.

• Specifications listed in this Quick Guide may change

without notice in accordance with future updates and

improvements.

• Photographs are provided to illustrate the situations

described in this guide, not to serve as sample a9 images.

Refer to the camera owner’s manual or information provided on relevant

Sony websites for operating details and specifications.

Product page: http://www.sony.net/ilce-9

Help guide: http://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1650/v1/h_zz/

Contents

Frequently used focus controls p.4

Main focus settings p.6

Menu structure p.10

Recommended settings for events and subjects pp.11-28

Recommended settings by scene type pp.29-35

Silent shutter p.42

FTP file transfer p.43

Custom settings pp.36-42

Customizing the button settings p.36

Recall Custom Setting During Hold pp.37-38

My Menu p.39

Customizing the Fn (Function) button p.40

Customizing the Eye AF p.41

2 3

Top Rear

MENU button

Camera Settings /

Network / Playback /

Setup / My Menu

AF On button

Focus without pressing

the shutter button

halfway down.

Mode dial

Intelligent Auto / P (Program Auto) / A (Aperture Priority)

/ S (Shutter Priority) / M (Manual Exposure) / 1/2/3

(Memory recall) / Movie / S&Q (Slow&Quick Motion)

Multi-selector

Move the focus area by pressing the multi-

selector up / down / left / right.

Upper: Drive mode dial

Single Shooting / Hi, Mid, Lo Cont.

Shooting / Self-timer / Bracket

Lower: Focus mode dial

AF-S / AF-C / DMF / MF

Frequently used focus controls

4 5

The recommended focus setups described on pages 11 through

35 include the following focus settings.

Selects the focus area.

Focus Area

Custom key (Shoot.) (My Menu)

Assignable to

Procedure MENU button - [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1) -

[Focus Area]

Determines whether the shutter will release if the subject is not

in focus when continuous AF is activated and the subject is in

motion.

Priority Set in AF-C

(My Menu)

Procedure MENU button - [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1) -

[Priority Set in AF-C]

Use this setting to select the focus mode that best suits the

subject and subject motion.

Focus Mode

Procedure Rotate the Focus Mode dial

Available

Settings

AF-S (Single-shot AF) / AF-C (Continuous

AF) / DMF (Direct Manual Focus) / MF

(Manual Focus)

Available

Settings

Wide / Zone / Center / Flexible Spot: S, M,

L / Expand Flexible Spot / Lock-on AF

Available

Settings AF / Release / Balanced Emphasis

Main focus settings

6 7

Available

Settings

5 (Responsive) / 4 / 3 (Standard) / 2 / 1

(Locked on)

Selects the AF tracking sensitivity that applies when the subject

goes out of focus while shooting still images.

AF Tracking Sensitivity AF area and subject motion

Procedure MENU button - [ ] 5 / 13 (AF2) -

[AF Track Sens]

Select a narrow AF area mode for subjects that move slowly or

predictably. A wide AF area is recommended for subjects that

move rapidly and/or unpredictably.

(My Menu)

Available

Settings Off / AF Point Only / AF Point + AF Area

Determines whether the focus area and position of the focusing

frame will be adjusted according to match horizontal/vertical

camera orientation.

Match focus area to camera orientation

Procedure MENU button - [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1) -

[Swt. V/H AF Area]

(My Menu)

Fast

Slow

Predictable Unpredictable

Subject Motion

Subject

Predictability Expand

Flexible

Spot

Flexible

Spot M

Flexible

Spot L Zone

Flexible

Spot L

Wide

Flexible

Spot S

Assignable to

Main focus settings

8 9

AF Menu Index

AF settings can be accessed via the following three display

pages.

• MENU button - [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

• MENU button - [ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

• MENU button - [ ] 6 / 13 (AF3)

Refer to the following webpage for conditions that may apply during continuous shooting:

http://www.sony.net/cont/ilce9/

Ball games 1-4 pp.12-15

Athletics / Track and field p.16

Winter sports 1-4 pp.17-20

Motor sports 1-2 pp.21-22

Water sports p.23

Other sports 1-2 pp.24-25

Non-sport categories 1-3 pp.26-28

Menu structure Recommended settings for events and subjects

10 11

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Flexible Spot M

[2nd recommendation]

Expand Flexible Spot

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 4 *[ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Flexible Spot M*

[2nd recommendation]

Expand Flexible Spot**

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 3 (Standard) [ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Ball games 2

Basketball, Tennis, VolleyballSoccer / Football, Futsal, Handball

Ball games 1

*Covers a wide range of situations.

** Recommended for pinpoint focus on a selected player.

*Set AF sensitivity to 4 in situations where the ball is frequently passed between players.

Recommended settings for events and subjects

12 13

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Expand Flexible Spot*

[2nd recommendation]

Flexible Spot M**

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 3 (Standard) [ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Expand Flexible Spot

[2nd recommendation]

Flexible Spot M

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 2 *[ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Rugby American football

Ball games 3 Ball games 4

*Set sensitivity to 2 for stable tracking when players are colliding and moving chaotically.

*Covers a wide range of situations.

** Recommended for pinpoint focus on a selected player in a group.

Recommended settings for events and subjects

14 15

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Flexible Spot M*

[2nd recommendation]

Expand Flexible Spot**

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 3 (Standard) [ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Flexible Spot M*

[2nd recommendation]

Expand Flexible Spot**

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 3 (Standard) [ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Sprints (100m~), Hurdles, Javelin, Shot put, Long jump,

Triple jump, High jump, Pole vault, Marathon

Athletics / Track and field

Alpine skiing (near a gate, jump), Mogul, Snowboarding

(Half-pipe slalom), Ski jumping (front, side), Biathlon,

Short-track speed skating, Bobsleigh

Winter sports 1

*For stable tracking.

** Recommended for pinpoint focus on a distant player or a player in a group.

*For stable tracking.

** Recommended for pinpoint focus on a selected player.

Recommended settings for events and subjects

16 17

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Flexible Spot M*

[2nd recommendation]

Zone **

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 3 (Standard) [ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Item Recommended settings Use

Focus Mode AF-C Focus Mode Dial

Focus Area

[1st recommendation]

Flexible Spot M

[2nd recommendation]

Expand Flexible Spot

[ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Priority Set in AF-C Balanced Emphasis [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

AF track Sens. 4 *[ ] 5 / 13 (AF2)

Swt. V/H AF Area AF point only [ ] 4 / 13 (AF1)

Winter sports 3

Ice hockeySpeed skating, Figure skating (Singles, Pairs)

Winter sports 2

*Set AF sensitivity to 4 when the puck is frequently being passed between players.

*To focus on a specific player.

** This can make framing easier when the subject is close.

Recommended settings for events and subjects

18 19

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