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Q&A Forum: July 2022 (Patreon)

Published:
2022-06-30 22:00:06
Imported:
2026-06
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Please ask all of your photography questions during the month of July 2022 using this forum. When replying to a post that is more than three days old it would help me enormously if you start a new discussion thread as it will be easier for me to find your question. Questions asked during the weekend may not be answered until Monday morning (Australian time zone). Thanks.

PLEASE NOTE > Questions asked via the Patreon Message service will only be answered by my Admin Staff. The current Q&A forum always appears directly below the banner image of the orange Tori Gates in Japan (when using a web browser on a computer).

If you are unsure where to locate the learning resources on this Patreon site you are advised to watch this video: https://youtu.be/DKDVAXNbPis

FORUM PHOTO: Dawn at Deadman's Beach, Stradbroke Island, Queensland
Settings: 0.6 Seconds at f/8, ISO 100
Focus: Manual Focus & Hyperfocal Distance (2 meters)
Additional Gear: Sony Bluetooth Remote + LeoFoto Ranger LS-223CEX Tripod 

The forum image was captured as part of my lens review for Sony's new E 11mm F1.8 ultra wide-angle APS-C prime lens and was captured using an A6600 camera. The lens has an equivalent full-frame angle of view as a 16.5 mm full-frame focal length. It may be attractive for APS-C users and Full-Frame users who are looking for something cheaper, lighter and wider than the FE 20mm F1.8 or 16-35 F2.6 GM lenses (and don't mind the drop in Megapixels) and Vloggers who need something light with a wide angle of view and an aperture wide enough to defocus the background.
B&H Preorder Link: https://bhpho.to/3Mi1QHA

Files

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Comments

Jeff Atchison

Hello Mark. I'll squeeze one more July question in. I finally got back to work on my 1st video testing. I thoroughly reviewed all of the settings from your CAMSET file before a test video. I shot a short video and attempted to play it on my PC but I got this message: "An error occurred when opening this media file. It may be because the file is broken, an unsupported format, protected video content or for another reason." I tried both my player and my video editing software and got the same message. They are both products of CyberLink. I looked through the documentation of the 2022 version of my player (I have the 2021 version) and it said that it supports XAVC. I also tried Windows Media Player and it would not play the clips. I have Windows 10. The movies do play in the camera. Do you have an idea? CyberLink Support is closed until Monday @ 09:00.

Michael Allie

Hello Mark! I will be going on a photography trip to Costa Rica next March. My equipment includes an A1, A9 II, 200-600, 100-400, 70-200 f/4, 24-105, and a 1.4x tc. I asked the organizer for an early list of recommended gear pack so I could plan and I was a bit surprised regarding the request to bring a flash, bracket and flash extender (I.e., Better Beamer or MagMod), but I guess the “cloud forest” doesn’t let in a lot of sunlight. But also there was this: 105mm, 200mm macro (for our frogs/reptiles field trip) + Macro ring light flash. I’ll start by saying I haven’t done a lot of macro work. I was planning on bringing both of my cameras and all of the lenses except my 70-200 f/4, and then using my 100-400 as a macro. I could buy or rent a macro lens, but honestly I’m a little worried about getting all of the equipment I’m taking in my bags. Do you think I’ll be at a disadvantage using my 100-400 as a macro? My second question has to do with a macro or ring flash. I’ve been trying to do some online research and ring flashes aren’t the most reviewed piece of equipment on the market. I have found a few individual reviews but not good product comparisons. In one review of a Godox unit that uses continuous LED lights, it mentions the light doesn’t project that far and falls off quickly, so I’m thinking the 1 meter minimum focusing distance of the 100-400 dictate something more powerful so perhaps continuous light isn’t the way to go. I found a great review of a Meike flash (MT24, I think), but the user reviews on Amazon aren’t exactly glowing. I’m primarily a wildlife shooter and don’t anticipate shooting much macro beyond this trip, so I don’t necessarily want to spend a ton of money on this. But on the other hand, I’m spending a lot of money on this trip, so I want something solid and durable enough to make the trip, and I also want good results without too much difficulty, so if push comes to shove, I’ll spend the money. Any recommendations on buying advice for the ring light is appreciated, whether that be a specific unit or just general advice as to what is most important as I review and consider what is out there on the market. As always, thanks so much for your always thorough and practical advice.

Mark Galer
>>88647938

Sadly this is part of the complex landscape of editing videos on a PC where we have endless video codecs and file formats at play and the power end video files don't support the higher end video codecs. Not so simple as just shooting JPEGs. I am not aware of the Cyberlink products but the files will import into Lightroom (but only if you first target the 'Private' folder in the Import dialog). They can also be edited by Adobe premier Pro, Final Cut Pro and Davinci resolve (the three primary choices for editing movie files by working videographers). You may also find free options to download software that will convert you video files to video files your other software can use. I believe one such option is called 'HandBrake'. On option for playing back most video file formats is VLC.

Mark Galer
>>88683223

I am just preparing the next Patreon seminar which is a close-up photography special. Most of the photography you see that was shot with a Macro lens could have been shot with a lens that just has a good close focusing distance. For a shot to warrant using a Macro lens you have to really be using 0.5x magnification or higher (all the way up to 1:1). The sort of photography where you want to photograph an insect's head rather than the whole insect. The 100-400 GM and new 70-200 GM II both have excellent close focusing distance (0.35x magnification) and when used in APS-C mode, a 10mm Macro Extension Tube or 1.4x teleconverter can render the smallest of mushrooms or forest creatures as large as you need them to be. I can photograph something as small as an SD card and have it fill the frame without using a Macro lens. The 100-400 GM only has an f/5.6 maximum aperture. This has to be taken into account so adding cheap lightweight AF extension tubes to an f/1.8 prime may be another option - so long as you don't mind the very shallow depth of field that will result from photographing at very close range with a wide aperture. My good friend Darran Leal (who runs World Photo adventures) gave up his flash when photographing in rain forests and now uses a very bright LED torch instead. I have a SunwayFoto FL-96 panel which can be mounted on a table top tripod to illuminate something I want is isolate on the forest floor. It's a lot easier and faster than setting up off-camera flash. Continuous light may not be an option with the working distance of the 100-400 unless you have parked the light source on a tabletop tripod, so I would look at Macro Extension tubes if you are not ready to purchase a Macro lens for close distance stuff. One of the things that people don't often mention about Macro lenses is their painfully slow AF. I find AF on Macro lenses so slow I just switch to MF. This is not an issue, of course with, non-Macro lenses with fast linear motors. I would not recommend a ring flash unless you are using a short focal lens the Macro such as the 50mm Macro and even then you will get more drama by using an LED torch to backlight a leaf or mushroom. Here is Darran showing off the technique he uses: https://youtu.be/NEcGolloppI?t=107

Michael Lobel

Mark--I am an accomplished photographer using Sony equipment (most recently the A1) and Lightroom . However, I have near-zero experience with videography from capture through to editing. Can you recommend an online course/resource that could get me started? Michael Lobel

Mark Galer
>>88717185

Unfortunately Custom White Balance settings cannot be saved by the memories. It is only with recent model Alpha cameras that you can save any white balance setting to the memories. My only advice is to make it as easy as possible to create a custom white balance setting by ensuring white balance can be accessed via the Fn menu or a Custom Key. If you need to set any white balance to a memory I would choose Daylight, as most of the time we will be using daylight or daylight balanced light sources whenever possible.

Michael Lobel

Mark -- thank you. The links you provided were very helpful. I was primarily wanting to get educational guidance on a more embarrassing and simpler question. I am looking to learn how to create compelling short movies with travel and wildlife subject matter. So camera angles and movement, length of scenes, video editing strategies and tactics (like or Lightroom ebook for stills) etc. I have an Alpha 1, selling my A7R3 and may get an Alpha IV for video and/or use the Alpha 1 but my questions are somewhat gear independent.

Mark Galer
>>88741690

My area of expertise is primarily Stills photography - so I have not created any general video tutorials that deal with the creative aspects of shooting videos. I know enough to be able to recommend the following: 1) Make sure you record the best possible audio - good microphone, good wind shield and good audio levels. 2) Keep the camera as smooth as possible when shooting hand-held (either Active SteadyShot, Catalyst Browse or a Gimbal. Remember that if the subject is moving the camera can be still. 3) Use Manual Exposure, Manual ISO and Manual White Balance if you are to achieve the highest quality video clips. Use Zebras to avoid clipping the highlights. I will use Auto only when vlogging. 4) Keep clips as short as possible unless there is really interesting dialogue. My students at the University where I taught had to first learn how to make really interesting 30-second vides before they were aloud to create 90-second or 3-minute videos. 5) In a video clip don't be afraid of moments where nothing is in sharp focus - so long as the subject is sharp for some of the time. The subject can walk into the zone of sharp focus. Don't be afraid of using foreground blur (when the camera passes behind something that obscures your primary subject temporarily. 6) Watch this clip before reading the final point : https://youtu.be/vtFqMMjMSMc 7) On reflection you may determine that a good video can be compiled from a series of moving clips where each could be seen just an extended still, i.e. no more than a second or two.

Michael Lobel

Mark--thanks for this philosophy and the Barossa link! Really helps to set me straight on my objectives around videography. What I now realize is that I will mostly need a video editing education but that should be easy to find.

Mark Galer
>>89169404

Hi Micheal - it is also important to edit towards the target audience. Younger generations cannot watch the movies that were considered classics in my day. My children found it painful when I invited them to watch '2001: A Space Odyssey'. They went around teasing me saying "Hal, Open the pod bay doors" reminding me how long that scene took to play out. We must have much more patience to watch slow movies back in the old days.

Mike Turney

Hi Mark, Sony A7IV with your custom settings loaded. While shooting stills I would like to instantly take a movie using specific movie settings (different from the stills) and do this by simply pressing the red movie record button (while in photo mode). What’s the shortest route to approximate something like this? Thanks Mark.

Mike Turney

Yes you did. I had misplaced the original question. Thank You Mark.

mojdeh khatam-moore

Hello Mark, could you discuss monitors? I am interested in your opinion about rgb based and srgb based monitors. Thank you

Ricardo Marcos

Hi Mark, as a general measure for the A7RV, would you recommend turning off the “High ISO Noise Reduction” and “Long Exposure Noise Reduction” settings?

Mark Galer
>>97355450

Hi Ricardo - this is an older July 2022 forum. You will find the current Q&A forum directly below the banner on my landing page (when using a web browser rather than the mobile app). High ISO noise reduction is only applied to JPEGs so can be left on if you don’t mind it being applied to these files. It does a pretty good job. Long Exposure noise reduction is best left on for exposures longer than 30 seconds unless you want to perform your own ‘dark frame subtraction’ workflows in Photoshop to remove the ‘warm pixels’. You will find videos on YouTube that explain this workflow.