David Busch's Sony Alpha a7 III Guide to Digital Photography

David Busch's Sony Alpha a7 III Guide to Digital Photography

by David D. Busch
Released May 2018
Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
ISBN: 9781681984148

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Book description

David Busch's Sony Alpha a7 III Guide to Digital Photography is most comprehensive resource and reference for Sony’s affordable 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera. 

With advanced 693-point phase detect autofocus, 5-axis in-body image stabilization, 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting, and 4K video capture, the a7 III offers enthusiasts a versatile combination of advanced features. This book shows you how to master those capabilities as you explore the world of digital photography and hone your creativity with the a7 III.

Filled with detailed how-to steps and full-color illustrations, David Busch's Sony Alpha a7 III Guide to Digital Photography covers every feature of this camera in depth, from taking your first photos through advanced details of setup, exposure, lens selection, lighting, and more, and relates each feature to specific photographic techniques and situations. Also included is the handy camera "roadmap," an easy-to-use visual guide to the camera's features and controls. Learn when to use every option and, more importantly, when not to use them, by following the author’s recommended settings for each menu entry.

With best-selling photographer and mentor David Busch as your guide, you'll quickly have full creative mastery of your camera’s capabilities, whether you're shooting on the job, as an advanced enthusiast exploring full frame photography for the first time, or are just out for fun. Start building your knowledge and confidence, while bringing your vision to light with the Sony a7 III.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. About the Author
  7. Contents
  8. Preface
  9. Introduction
  10. Chapter 1 Sony Alpha a7 III Quick Start
    1. Your Out-of-Box Experience
    2. Initial Setup
      1. Battery Included
      2. Final Steps
    3. Selecting a Shooting Mode
      1. Automatic Modes
    4. Choosing a Metering Mode
    5. Choosing a Focus Mode
    6. Selecting a Focus Area
    7. Other Settings
      1. Adjusting White Balance and ISO
      2. Using the Self-Timer
    8. Quick Start to Movie Making
    9. Reviewing the Images You’ve Taken
    10. Transferring Files to Your Computer
  11. Chapter 2 Your Camera Roadmap
    1. Front View
    2. The Sony a7 III’s Business End
      1. Introducing the Touch Screen/Pad
    3. LCD Panel Data Displays
      1. Using the Quick Navi Function Menu
    4. Going Topside
    5. Underneath Your Sony a7 III
    6. What’s the Fuss about BSI?
  12. Chapter 3 Camera Settings I Menu
    1. Anatomy of the Menus
    2. Camera Settings I Menu Entries
      1. File Format (Stills)
      2. RAW File Type (Stills)
      3. JPEG Quality (Stills)
      4. JPEG Image Size (Stills)
      5. Aspect Ratio (Stills)
      6. APS-C/Super 35mm
      7. Long Exposure NR/High ISO NR (Stills)
      8. Color Space (Stills)
      9. Lens Compensation
      10. Scene Selection
      11. Drive Mode
      12. Bracket Settings
      13. MR Recall
      14. MR Memory
      15. MR Select Media
      16. Register Custom Shooting Set
      17. Focus Mode
      18. Priority Set in AF-S/Priority Set in AF-C
      19. Focus Area
      20. Focus Settings
      21. Switch Vertical/Horizontal AF Area (Stills)
      22. AF Illuminator (Stills)
      23. Center Lock-On AF
      24. Set Face Priority in AF
      25. AF Tracking Sensitivity (Stills)
      26. AF System (Stills)
      27. AF with Shutter (Stills)
      28. Pre-AF (Stills)
      29. Eye-Start AF (Stills)
      30. AF Area Registration (Stills)
      31. Delete Registered AF Area (Stills)
      32. AF Area Auto Clear
      33. Display Continuous AF Area
      34. AF Micro Adjustment
      35. Exposure Compensation
      36. Reset EV Compensation
      37. ISO
      38. ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed
      39. Metering Mode
      40. Face Priority in Multi Metering
      41. Spot Metering Point
      42. Exposure Step
      43. Autoexposure Lock with Shutter (Stills)
      44. Exposure Standard Adjustment
      45. Flash Mode
      46. Flash Compensation
      47. Exp. Comp. Set
      48. Wireless Flash
      49. Red Eye Reduction
      50. White Balance
      51. Priority Setting AWB
      52. DRO/Auto HDR
      53. Creative Style
      54. Picture Effect
      55. Picture Profile
      56. Focus Magnifier
      57. Focus Magnification Time
      58. Initial Focus Magnification (Stills)
      59. AF in Focus Magnification (Stills)
      60. Manual Focus Assist (Stills)
      61. Peaking Setting
      62. Anti-Flicker Shooting (Stills)
      63. Face Registration
      64. Registered Face Priority
  13. Chapter 4 Camera Settings II Menu
    1. Camera Settings II Menu Entries
      1. Exposure Mode (Movies)
      2. Exposure Mode (S&Q Motion)
      3. File Format (Movies)
      4. Record Setting (Movies)
      5. S&Q Settings (S&Q Motion)
      6. Proxy Recording
      7. AF Drive Speed (Movies)
      8. AF Track Sensitivity (Movies)
      9. Auto Slow Shutter (Movies)
      10. Audio Recording
      11. Audio Rec Level
      12. Audio Level Display
      13. Audio Out Timing
      14. Wind Noise Reduction
      15. Marker Display (Movies)
      16. Marker Settings (Movies)
      17. Video Light Mode
      18. Movie with Shutter
      19. Silent Shooting (Stills)
      20. e-Front Curtain Shutter
      21. Release w/o Lens
      22. Release w/o Card
      23. SteadyShot
      24. SteadyShot Settings
      25. Zoom
      26. Zoom Setting
      27. Zoom Ring Rotate
      28. DISP Button
      29. FINDER/MONITOR
      30. Zebra Setting
      31. Grid Line
      32. Exposure Setting Guide
      33. Live View Display
      34. Continuous Shooting Length
      35. Auto Review
      36. Custom Key (Stills)
      37. Custom Key (Movies)
      38. Custom Key (Playback)
      39. Function Menu Settings
      40. Dial Setup
      41. Av/Tv Rotate
      42. Dial EV Compensation
      43. MOVIE Button
      44. Lock Operation Parts
      45. Audio Signals
  14. Chapter 5 Network and Playback Menus
    1. Using the Network Menu
      1. Send to Smartphone Function
      2. Send to Computer
      3. FTP Transfer Function
      4. View on TV
      5. Control with Smartphone
      6. Airplane Mode
      7. Wi-Fi Settings
      8. Bluetooth Settings
      9. Location Information Link Settings
      10. Edit Device Name
      11. Import Root Certificate
      12. Reset Network Settings
    2. Making a Connection
      1. Camera/Device: NFC Connection
      2. Camera/Device: Wi-Fi Connection
      3. Using WPS Push
      4. Registering Manually
      5. Sending Photos to a Smart Device
      6. Wi-Fi Transfer to a Computer
      7. Viewing Images on a TV
      8. Remote Control
    3. Playback Menu
      1. Protect
      2. Rotate
      3. Delete
      4. Rating
      5. Rating Set (Custom Key)
      6. Specify Printing
      7. Copy
      8. Photo Capture
      9. Enlarge Image
      10. Enlarge Initial Magnification
      11. Enlarge Initial Position
      12. Slide Show
      13. Select Playback Media
      14. View Mode
      15. Image Index
      16. Display Continuous Shooting Group
      17. Display Rotation
      18. Image Jump Setting
  15. Chapter 6 Setup Menu and My Menus
    1. Setup Menu
      1. Monitor Brightness
      2. Viewfinder Brightness
      3. Finder Color Temperature
      4. Gamma Display Assist
      5. Volume Settings
      6. Delete Confirm
      7. Display Quality
      8. Power Save Start Time
      9. Auto Power Off Temperature
      10. NTSC/PAL Selector
      11. Cleaning Mode
      12. Touch Operation
      13. Touch Panel/Pad
      14. Touch Pad Settings
      15. Demo Mode
      16. TC/UB Settings
      17. Remote Control
      18. HDMI Settings
      19. 4K Output Selection (Movie)
      20. USB Connection
      21. USB LUN Setting
      22. USB Power Supply
      23. PC Remote Settings
      24. Language
      25. Date/Time Setup
      26. Area Setting
      27. Copyright Info
      28. Format
      29. File Number
      30. Set File Name
      31. Recording Media Settings
      32. Select REC Folder
      33. New Folder
      34. Folder Name
      35. Recover Image Database
      36. Display Media Information
      37. Version
      38. Certification Logo (Non-US/Canada Models Only)
      39. Setting Reset
    2. My Menu
  16. Chapter 7 Nailing the Optimum Exposure
    1. Getting a Handle on Exposure
      1. Equivalent Exposure
    2. How the a7 III Calculates Exposure
      1. Correctly Exposed
      2. Overexposed
      3. Underexposed
    3. The Importance of ISO
    4. Choosing a Metering Method
      1. Multi Metering
      2. Center-weighted Metering
      3. Spot Metering
      4. Entire Screen Averaging
      5. Highlight-weighted Metering
    5. Choosing an Exposure Mode
      1. Aperture Priority (A) Mode
      2. Shutter Priority (S) Mode
      3. Program Auto (P) Mode
      4. Making Exposure Value Changes
      5. Manual Exposure (M) Mode
      6. Using ISO Auto
    6. Exposure Bracketing
      1. Continuous Bracketing
      2. Single Bracketing
      3. White Balance Bracketing
      4. DRO Bracketing
    7. Dealing with Digital Noise
      1. High ISO Noise
      2. Long Exposure Noise
    8. Using Dynamic Range Optimizer
    9. Working with HDR
      1. Auto HDR
      2. Bracketing and Merge to HDR
    10. Exposure Evaluation with Histograms
      1. The Live Histogram
      2. The Playback Histograms
      3. Tonal Range
      4. Histogram Basics
      5. Understanding Histograms
    11. Fine-Tuning Exposure
  17. Chapter 8 Mastering Autofocus Options
    1. Getting into Focus
      1. Contrast Detection
      2. Phase Detection
      3. Comparing the Two Hybrid Components
      4. Focus Modes and Options
    2. Focus Pocus
      1. Adding Circles of Confusion
      2. Your Focus Mode Options
      3. Setting the AF Area
      4. Using Manual Focus
    3. Back-Button Focus
      1. Activating Back-Button Focus
    4. Useful Menu Items for AF
  18. Chapter 9 Advanced Techniques
    1. Exploring Ultra-Fast Exposures
    2. Long Exposures
    3. Continuous Shooting
    4. Customizing White Balance
      1. Fine-Tuning Preset White Balance
      2. Setting White Balance by Color Temperature
      3. Setting a Custom White Balance
    5. Using Creative Styles
  19. Chapter 10 Movie-Making Basics
    1. Some Fundamentals
    2. Preparing to Shoot Video
      1. Steps During Movie Making
    3. More About Frame Rates and Bit Rates
      1. Frame Rates
      2. Bit Rates
    4. Choosing Metering/Exposure Modes
    5. Stop That!
    6. Choosing an Autofocus Mode
    7. Tips for Movie Making
      1. Composition
      2. Lighting for Video
      3. Audio
      4. Lens Craft
  20. Chapter 11 Advanced Video Features
    1. More on Sensors and Crop Factors
      1. Sensor Size
      2. Crop Factor
      3. Other Important Parameters
      4. Frame Guides
    2. Time Codes and User Bits
    3. Picture Profiles
      1. Gamma, Gamma Ding Dong
    4. More on 4K Video
  21. Chapter 12 Choosing and Using Lenses
    1. Don’t Forget the Crop Factor
      1. The Crop Factor and the a7 III
    2. SteadyShot and You
      1. How It Works
    3. Choosing a Lens
      1. Sony FE Lenses
      2. A-Mount Lenses
      3. Zeiss Loxia Lenses
      4. Zeiss Batis Lenses
      5. Other Third-Party Lenses
      6. Using the LA-EA Series Adapters
      7. Other Lens Options
    4. Fine-Tuning the Focus of Your A-Mount Lenses
      1. Lens Tune-Up
    5. What Lenses Can Do for You
    6. Categories of Lenses
    7. Using Wide-Angle Lenses
      1. Avoiding Potential Wide-Angle Problems
    8. Using Telephoto and Tele-Zoom Lenses
      1. Avoiding Telephoto Lens Problems
  22. Chapter 13 Working with Flash
    1. Why Flash?
    2. Electronic Flash Basics
      1. How Electronic Flash Works
      2. Flash Modes
      3. Flash Exposure Compensation
      4. Red Eye Reduction
    3. Using an External Electronic Flash
      1. Guide Numbers, Hot Shoes, and More
      2. HVL-F60M/RM Flash Units
      3. HVL-F45RM Flash Unit
      4. HVL-F43M Flash Unit
      5. HVL-F36AM Flash Unit
      6. HVL-F32M Flash Unit
      7. HVL-F20M Flash Unit
    4. Wireless Flash
      1. Key Wireless Concepts
      2. Setting Channels and Remote Groups
      3. Setting Ratios
      4. Radio Control
  23. Chapter 14 Getting the Most from Your a7 III
    1. Unscheduled Maintenance
      1. Upgrading Your Firmware
      2. Protecting Your LCD
      3. Troubleshooting Memory Cards
    2. Handy Accessories
      1. Battery Grips
      2. Tripod Plates and L-Brackets
      3. Flash Shoe Adapters
      4. LED Video Lights
      5. Filter Accessories
      6. Remotes
      7. Macro Gear

Product information

  • Title: David Busch's Sony Alpha a7 III Guide to Digital Photography
  • Author(s): David D. Busch
  • Release date: May 2018
  • Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
  • ISBN: 9781681984148