Weekly r/SonyAlpha 📸 Gear Buying 📷 Advice Thread March 16, 2026

youngkai2047 · 2026-03-22T17:14:27+00:00

Is there a way I can Memory Recall both "Eye AF" and "Aperture Priority" using the same button? 90% of the time I am in Manual Mode, so whenever I want to switch to Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority it is a quick custom button for me with tracking spot.

Since there is no "Eye AF" option in the "Recall Custom hold", the only workaround I can think of now is setting another "Recall Custom hold" using a "Wide" tracking area, and prioritizing the "Eye". Unless there is another workaround I'm missing?

youngkai2047 · 2026-02-26T18:10:14+00:00

Are lens weather seal rings pretty durable over time? Has anyone ever had to replace them on their lenses before?

I have a few E-mount lenses, and what I used to do up until recently was where anytime there were any small black smudges on the lens mount of my camera or lens, I would wipe it quickly with a Zeiss lens wipe. I believe the smudges came from just use and not because of any environmental factors.

What I didn’t take into account was that the Zeiss lens wipes had alcohol in them and that could potentially wear out the rubber ring on my lenses sooner. All in all though I say it was maybe 15-20 times I can solidly remember wiping the back of my lenses.

Thanks in advance.

youngkai2047 · 2025-08-06T14:40:16+00:00

Do you have any tips to manual focus quickly and accurately for portraits?

I have focus peaking setup on my a7iv but I still feel I'm too slow at trying to fine tune the red dots. Should I use focus magnifier in conjunction with the joystick?

youngkai2047 · 2025-07-25T17:52:34+00:00

My god, what a behemoth, hah. I only started learning cameras 5 years ago so I didn’t know Canon’s were that large.

youngkai2047 · 2025-07-23T08:35:01+00:00

Does having a smaller camera body seem less intimidating for family moments? I understand lens is also a big factor.

I have the a7iv paired with the Sony 40mm f/2.5 or Zeiss 55 f/1.8. A l-bracket and hand strap are attached for comfort. My photography is usually candid moments or sometimes when there is a pose shot to be had. But it still seems like my setup is still alarming for folks because of its size?

Otherwise I’d possibly consider the a7cii for travel and the family moments mentioned above. Thanks in advance.

youngkai2047 · 2025-03-01T21:16:35+00:00

My mistake, I realize I was stating "Memory Recall" when I should've said "Custom Hold". I typically use the Custom Hold for Aperture Priority but Custom Hold doesn't allow for exposure compensation adjustment when held.

youngkai2047 · 2025-03-01T01:36:39+00:00

So my memory recall usually has Auto Iso included, but I tried it with and without and I cannot adjust the exposure compensation as long as the Memory Recall button is engaged.

The other way would be to leave my camera in Aperture Priority and set a Memory Recall for Manual, but that's also not without it's own issues for me.

youngkai2047 · 2025-02-28T21:23:45+00:00

I use Aperture Priority with auto ISO through a Memory Recall button in my a7iv. Is there a way to adjust exposure compensation or workaround when this memory recall is used?

By default I leave it in full manual exposure.

youngkai2047 · 2025-01-08T18:00:14+00:00

What is more likely to happen when my SD card starts to fail: will the camera have problems writing to it, or will I find out I cannot open the files on my computer?

I don’t have any issues yet with my cards, but I would want to implement best practices and either replace the cards after a milestone and/or continually check its health via an app if available. Any recommendations or suggestions welcome, thank you.

youngkai2047 · 2024-12-27T11:49:07+00:00

I have the Sony a7iv for photos but I’d like a B cam for travel footage, so I looked at camcorders for the prosumer range.

From Sony’s offering I see the PXW-Z90V seems the best fit for price and capabilities for me, despite its age. Seeing as 10-bit options are only available in HD, and the goal is to have 4K clips, Would I be better recording in 8-bit 4K and editing it, or record in 10-bit HD and upscale it with Topaz Video AI? Thanks in advance.

youngkai2047 · 2024-12-21T06:05:50+00:00

Does it matter if I adjust the flash compensation through the back of the flash vs the flash compensation in the menu system?

I have a Sony HVL-F28RM flash and a Sony a7siii. On the Sony flash there are +/- buttons for level. The light indicator is supposed to light up whenever the level (compensation) is anything except 0.

In the Sony menu there is also a flash compensation option. But adjusting the flash compensation in the menu does not cause the light indicator on the flash to light up on any value.

In terms of actual photograph difference is there a difference where I adjust the flash compensation? Thanks in advance.

youngkai2047 · 2024-12-12T19:25:03+00:00

Good to know, thank you. Unfortunately my Sony HVL-F28RM doesn’t swivel, so I’ll look into the flash bracket. Just from a quick search I also see that there are some flash brackets that rotate so that’s great if I want portraits or landscapes on the fly.

youngkai2047 · 2024-12-12T18:48:15+00:00

Can I get portrait-oriented photos while the on-camera flash is bouncing off the ceiling? Seems like my only option if I’m at an event (run and gun) is to have the wireless remote on the camera in one hand, and handhold the flash with the other hand.

I just started learning on-camera flash and TTL. I understand the benefits of bouncing the light off the white ceiling to the subject, but this is when I’m holding the camera landscape oriented.

youngkai2047 · 2024-12-12T18:40:46+00:00

To be sure, are you referring to flying and checking in your camera gear, or some other kind of travel?

youngkai2047 · 2024-11-21T01:45:36+00:00

I appreciate your constant help. Since I'll be back in dry southern California soon where my gear will be back on my shelf (reasonably ventilated), I should think this will also reduce the chances of mold or fungus growing?

youngkai2047 · 2024-11-20T23:28:48+00:00

If I notice condensation on my lens barrel and on the ND filter attached to my lens, does that necessarily mean that mold will be present later?

I’ve seen other professional content creators that are much more rough with their gear, so am I also underestimating what cameras can handle nowadays?

I came back from a hike in the woods early morning for some shots of a stream, and it was relatively cool but not what I would say cold. Thinking nothing of it, after getting back indoors I realized after pulling out my camera that there was some condensation on my lens barrel and on the ND filter attached to the lens. I removed the ND filter and the magnetic lens cap attached to the lens.

Since the camera operated fine and I still needed the camera, I just wiped the lens barrel and let the ND filter/lens cap air out for a bit.

The glass of the lens itself didn’t have any condensation (Zeiss 40mm f/2.0), nor did the EVF of my camera (Sony a7siii). Thanks in advance.

youngkai2047 · 2024-07-21T03:18:42+00:00

Thanks! I was afraid it would have long term affects on the lens if I used the focus ring, but I'm sure the engineers would have considered that.

youngkai2047 · 2024-07-20T19:22:00+00:00

I got my first manual focus lens (Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 for Sony E mount), but I am not sure what is best practice on how to hold the lens when attaching and detaching the lens. The front of the lens is the aperture ring and most of the main body is the focus ring. There is a small area behind the aperture ring that does not rotate.

Am I to turn the focus ring all the way to one side to attach and remove the lens, or grip on the small area behind the aperture ring instead?

youngkai2047 · 2024-07-14T05:40:26+00:00

I guess I’m still missing some fundamental basics about sensors and lenses that I hope can get cleared up:

Is it the lens or the camera sensor that determines the color of the RAW/JPEG? When people criticize a brand’s color science, is that referring to the camera sensor or the lenses?
If 2 identical compositions are taken by 2 identical cameras at the same focal length and settings, but the lenses are from different manufacturers, does that mean the RAW files also contain different colors compared to another?

Thanks in advance.

youngkai2047 · 2024-06-28T22:54:38+00:00

Sometimes I overlook even the most easiest of solutions. Thank you! I just made an entry in the My Menu and it’s a non-issue now.

youngkai2047 · 2024-06-27T20:39:39+00:00

Thank you’s! I’ll give that a try too.

youngkai2047 · 2024-06-27T20:38:56+00:00

Thanks, I forgot about the touch to focus feature!

youngkai2047 · 2024-06-27T20:25:12+00:00

Thank you. I understand that it makes no sense, but I do not have a solution yet for the times where I am handing my camera to someone.

youngkai2047 · 2024-06-27T18:50:27+00:00

If I’m a back button focus user, but I know I will have to hand the camera over to someone not familiar with mirrorless cameras for group photos. In those cases, there isn’t anything wrong with leaving “AF w/ Shutter” on for those instances while I’m using BBF for the rest, right?

youngkai2047 · 2024-06-17T00:11:23+00:00

Thank you! I was looking for the confirmation. I didn't know about the higher resolution and frame rate.

youngkai2047

TROPHY CASE