Photoclubalpha

Anyone got useful hints and tips for adjustment?
One lens is clearly hitting focus behind the subject.
Not sure if I need to use + or - settings to bring the focal plane forward.

Mike

You have to try in both ways. Experiment a bit. Even if you nail on a specific setting, e.g. +4, don't stop, instead experiment one more time with +/- 2 increments till you nail it definitely.
Also, experiment with a distance you most often use, e.g. 3-4 metres.

mikeriach wrote:Anyone got useful hints and tips for adjustment?
One lens is clearly hitting focus behind the subject.
Not sure if I need to use + or - settings to bring the focal plane forward.

Mike

Try these:

http://photographylife.com/how-to-quick ... cus-issues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULnImobdBLA

Thanks guys, I had a play on the A99 and It didn't take much to sort it out, only +2.
Took a few shots at the airport today and quite pleased with the result but might try +3 just to see. It sharpened nicely in LR, will have a play with the A77 next weekend.

Mike

Bring us some good shots Mike.

Just one for now...


Mike

2 thumbs up!

No complaints there Mike - nice shot!

mikeriach wrote:Thanks guys, I had a play on the A99 and It didn't take much to sort it out, only +2.
Took a few shots at the airport today and quite pleased with the result but might try +3 just to see. It sharpened nicely in LR, will have a play with the A77 next weekend.

Mike

If you don't have them, these are two more EXCELLENT resources for you to get the most out of your A77 & A99:

http://friedmanarchives.com/alpha77/index.htm

http://friedmanarchives.com/alpha99/index.htm

^^^REALLY good publications; the best I've seen.

mikeriach wrote:Just one for now...


Mike

Beautifully sharp!

It was taken with a Sony 70-300G which I picked up for a good price second hand.
I have problems with weight and volume when carting about the 70-400G and 70-200G as well as other wider lenses and 2 bodies, so was looking for something which offered 70-something in a smaller/lighter package especially for my trip to Japan later in the year.

I often put the 70-400 on the A77 for long range shots of the planes so the 70-200 was usually on the A99 (top notch images by the way on both combinations). This gives me an effective 70-200 and 105-600 pairing. However a genuine 200mm is a bit short and therefore I tried a 1.4X converter but I find I have to stop down to get decent IQ and of course I lose the 70-105 portion. I also have a Sigma 70-300 OS which is OK but is slow to focus and is noisy but is compact. I prefer the short lens handling to the 70-400G which is a handful to rotate from short to long focal lengths.

Oh such a dilemma but the price of the 70-300G was such if it didn't work out I could sell it on for no loss. If it fits the bill I will probably offload the 70-200G and Sigma. The 70-200G is a superb lens with superb handling but I'm running out of space in the bag and it is a £1000 lens and, as DK realised, too expensive to sit on a shelf. I'll be upset to lose it as the IQ on the A99 in particular is stunning.

Anyway my initial impression of the 70-300G was a little soft on the A77 so I tried on the A99 to which it is likely to be attached most of the time. Again a little soft but tweaking the AF seems to have solved that. Need to try again on the A77. By the way when compared to the Sigma I found the Sigma a touch sharper in the centre but by 2/3 frame the G lens was significantly better with a sharper image and less aberration or colour fringing. Overall I'm happy so far. All I need is a sunny day and this wind to drop. I can't do my testing on the tripod with the wind howling about. I am avoiding the "ruler at 5 paces" method as most of my subjects are at several hundred metres so I was testing on a tree or building some way off.

If only I won the lottery I could keep them all.......and add a 300f2.8 and 500f4

Mike

mikeriach wrote: If only I won the lottery I could keep them all.......and add a 300f2.8 and 500f4

Mike

I hear that!