Sony A6000

[Turtles06]

Thanks, clearly plenty more to learn and play with!

[Lady_831]

Thanks for creating this thread! Just got my A6000 today.

[Turtles06]

Thanks for creating this thread! Just got my A6000 today.

 

Enjoy it!

 

(BTW, I see you'll be sailing on Anthem next year. We'll be aboard her for the TA this fall. With the Sony a6000. And maybe that Rokinon 12mm lens Dave is so high on. :) )

[pierces]

....And maybe that Rokinon 12mm lens Dave is so high on. :) )

 

Not "high", per se...maybe a little giddy. ;)

 

Dave

[Turtles06]

Not "high", per se...maybe a little giddy. ;)

 

Dave

 

I've been watching the prices daily; I'm not in a rush for it just yet. But if/when it drops again, I will pull the trigger. :)

[pierces]

I've been watching the prices daily; I'm not in a rush for it just yet. But if/when it drops again, I will pull the trigger. :)

 

I think you will find that the manual focus assists like magnification and peaking make the A6000 remarkably easy to use without autofocus. I wouldn't shoot any kind of action with MF, but landscapes, still-life and posed portraiture isn't challenging at all.

 

Rokinon, Mitakon and even Zeiss make excellent manual-focus lenses for the e-mount. Add adapters and the number of superb manual lenses goes through the roof.

 

At first I felt bad for my A77 just sitting there with nothing to do but the A6000 has filled in the last few blanks that the NEX-7 left between DSLR and mirrorless for my purposes.

 

Great thread...great camera!

 

Dave

Edited July 1, 2015 by pierces

[tommui987]

Dave is a bad influence ... to my wallet!

 

His recommendation led me to the 12mm lens.

 

Now I purchased the 50mm f1.8 on his recommendation in his review or contributions to thid section.

 

However, I will admit that you can't go wrong following his advice!

[pierces]

Dave is a bad influence ... to my wallet!

 

His recommendation led me to the 12mm lens.

 

Now I purchased the 50mm f1.8 on his recommendation in his review or contributions to thid section.

 

However, I will admit that you can't go wrong following his advice!

 

I bask in the glow of your admission that I was not wrong about either lens!

 

Enjoy them!

 

Dave

[shootr]

Back to Gary Fong's website - has anybody figured out how to download and print out or work with the settings spreadsheet he posted?

 

Jeez, I grew on computers since the IBM XT's - but Google Docs/Sheets is worthless to me as you know what....

 

Anywho, it seems like a nice little cheat sheet to have and review but I can't import it into any spreadsheet program to work with it, let alone print it out.

 

Thanks.

[pierces]

Back to Gary Fong's website - has anybody figured out how to download and print out or work with the settings spreadsheet he posted?

 

Jeez, I grew on computers since the IBM XT's - but Google Docs/Sheets is worthless to me as you know what....

 

Anywho, it seems like a nice little cheat sheet to have and review but I can't import it into any spreadsheet program to work with it, let alone print it out.

 

Thanks.

 

Google sheet open - File - Download as

 

Multiple file formats available.

 

Dave

[shootr]

Google sheet open - File - Download as

 

Multiple file formats available.

 

Dave

 

I'm not following :(

 

I have Google Sheets open in a Chrome browser tab

(Cannot find "file" or "download" here)

 

I have Gary's website and page up on another tab

(right clicking the link to the spreadsheet does not bring up "file" or "download", just the usual options of where or how to open the link)

 

Left clicking on the link opens the spreadsheet

 

With the spreadsheet open:

Left clicking on the page brings up nothing

Right clicking on the page brings up webpage saving and manipulation options, but nothing like you note.

[pierces]

I'm not following :(

 

I have Google Sheets open in a Chrome browser tab

(Cannot find "file" or "download" here)

 

I have Gary's website and page up on another tab

(right clicking the link to the spreadsheet does not bring up "file" or "download", just the usual options of where or how to open the link)

 

Left clicking on the link opens the spreadsheet

 

With the spreadsheet open:

Left clicking on the page brings up nothing

Right clicking on the page brings up webpage saving and manipulation options, but nothing like you note.

 

This is what I see when editing or viewing an open Sheet.

 

Dave

[shootr]

I just can't figure out how to get an existing spreadsheet, that shows up on a browser tab, into Sheets.

 

In the browser tab with Gary's spreadsheet open - there doesn't appear to be an option to import it, or copy it as a document. If I copy it, it's just a webpage - not a spreadsheet by itself.

 

No worries though - I did the manual "print - cut - paste" and pieced together a couple screen shots and made a single page I can at least scribble on :D

 

It's all good in the neighborhood!

 

Thanks Dave

 

PS - What are you using as a "selfie stick" that is capable of reliably holding your camera? I plan on using my Bogen monopod but if you discovered something in between it and those toy extendable sticks - I'd appreciate hearing about it...

[pierces]

 

PS - What are you using as a "selfie stick" that is capable of reliably holding your camera? I plan on using my Bogen monopod but if you discovered something in between it and those toy extendable sticks - I'd appreciate hearing about it...

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LTT27C0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

 

Caveat - the swivel on the head is capable of holding the A6000 with the heavier 50mm lens on it, but just barely. On the plus side, it is very compact when collapsed.

 

You can also add one of these to mount your phone on the bottom of the stick for remote control via the included phone clamp.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006TAGWT8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

 

Dave

[wmjivey]

I have a ball mount on my monopod I use it as a selfie stick :)

[shootr]

Me too. I don't have the guts to hang it out on anything less:o

[Turtles06]

I'm not following :(

 

I have Google Sheets open in a Chrome browser tab

(Cannot find "file" or "download" here)

 

I have Gary's website and page up on another tab

(right clicking the link to the spreadsheet does not bring up "file" or "download", just the usual options of where or how to open the link)

 

Left clicking on the link opens the spreadsheet

 

With the spreadsheet open:

Left clicking on the page brings up nothing

Right clicking on the page brings up webpage saving and manipulation options, but nothing like you note.

 

FWIW, I am seeing the same thing you are, or, to put it another way, I'm not seeing what Dave is seeing. I've never been a fan of Google Docs...

[shootr]

That lightning pic in the weekly thread - that was a mother to focus on. My 16-50 kit lens infinity is not just to the stop, it's quite a bit short of it imo.

 

Dave - may I ask your best advice for the upcoming fireworks? I'm going to be in the ballpark with the retractable roof open, so like your crane I'll have some foreground interest.

 

Exposure wise I've set a couple memory recalls with what you show to get in the right range, but focusing, - how were you doing it? Any other tips?

 

Thanks.

[pierces]

Thought it was time for some more A6000 eye-candy.

 

This was shot hand-held with my old 100mm Minolta macro lens. I set the focus manually and moved in slightly as I triggered a full-speed burst. I selected six or seven of the resulting 20 images and created this stacked-focus image in Photoshop.

 

 

If you are interested and subscribe to Adobe's $10/mo. Photographers program (Lightroom and Photoshop CC): Select images in Lightroom > right-click > Edit in - Open as Layers in Photoshop > select all layers > Edit - Auto-Align Layers > Edit - Auto-Blend layers > Choose Stack Images and check Seamless tones and colors > Flatten image and crop it to remove the staggered edges.

 

Happy shooting!

 

Dave

Edited July 3, 2015 by pierces

[Turtles06]

Beautiful image, Dave.

 

I was around some flowers yesterday as well, and noticed some very active bees. I had the 16-50mm lens on my camera, and was not going to get close to those guys! So these two images show how much cropping you can do with a 24 MP camera (the a6000 has the most MPs of any camera I've owned).

 

 

[pierces]

That lightning pic in the weekly thread - that was a mother to focus on. My 16-50 kit lens infinity is not just to the stop, it's quite a bit short of it imo.

 

Dave - may I ask your best advice for the upcoming fireworks? I'm going to be in the ballpark with the retractable roof open, so like your crane I'll have some foreground interest.

 

Exposure wise I've set a couple memory recalls with what you show to get in the right range, but focusing, - how were you doing it? Any other tips?

 

Thanks.

 

Manual focus is best. The A6000's autofocus is quick enough that it will actually focus on a starburst but if the firework isn't bright enough, it may start hunting. Focus manually on something distant. set the mode to manual and start out at about 1/30s - f/5 - ISO800. Depending on distance, quantity of simultaneous bursts and awesomeness/lameness of the actual show, you will probably have to work your way up or down from there. At 1/20 for faster, you can use burst shooting to better catch the peak spread of the exploding shell.

 

Fireworks are extremely variable. Be prepared to fiddle with settings quickly at first to get then in the ballpark (pun intended).

 

Happy Fourth!

 

 

Dave

[c230k]

THANKS DAVE!!!!

AS WALL WAYS

 

 

TOM :cool:

[Turtles06]

As I go through Gary Fong's paid "Unleashing..." video, I find that some of what he says is too cursory. For example, his discussion of Lock on AF. I wanted to know more about using this tool on the a6000, and a quick Google search brought up this Robert Wilson (free) video, which I found more informative. (Personally, I was surprised by Gary's dismissive comments about using Flexible Spot focus area mode; I've been finding it quite useful; it obviates the need to recompose the shot after you focus on your subect.)

 

[shootr]

RE fireworks: I'll have to start at 1/2 sec. and go faster from there - no supports allowed in the ballpark so handheld only.

 

(I may try to bring this in though:

 

We have front row upper deck and clamped to the railing - this might be ideal)

 

I'm up for the challenge!

 

EDIT: Yes, it will be tethered if I do use the clamp :-)

Edited July 4, 2015 by shootr

[c230k]

Do you use playmemories Apps

Which ones:

 

 

Good review of each and how they workhttps://www.playmemoriescameraapps.com/portal/

 

 

 

Tom :cool: