Questions for using Sony a6000 and Sony A77 at parks

[hdmichael]

Hopefully, this is my last question. When do you, if you do, use AF-C and the high frames per second?

 

[zackiedawg]

Well, there might be plenty of reasons a person would try those settings - but most of the time, it would be if you were trying to photograph a constantly moving subject that is approaching you so that the distance between you and the subject is changing constantly. The AF-C would allow the focus system to always continue to focus without locking at any time, staying with the subject as it moves closer or farther, while the high frame rate would allow you to take a fast series of shots as the subject moves - either for the purpose of documenting the subject's travel in multiple frames or to give you more than one frame to pick from so the best combination of variables are captured. For example, as a wildlife photographer, I love to photograph birds in flight - I could use AF-S focus, but if the bird is flying towards me quickly, by the time I lock focus and shoot, the subject has already moved closer and is no longer in focus. By using AF-C, the focus can stay with the moving target and I just need to pan to keep it in the frame. I'll use 6fps burst mode - I could use a single frame and with continuous focus I might get everything in focus, but there are things I can't control, such as 'did the bird blink as I took the shot?', 'were the wings up or down or in the middle?', 'was the bird pooping just as I took the shot?', 'did the bird fly in front of a telephone pole just as I snapped the shot?' and so on. By taking multiple frames at 6fps, I may have 10 to 15 shots I can choose from, all in focus because of the continuous focus doing its job, and find the one where the exposure was great, wings in the right position, eyes open, nicest background, etc. You might use AF-C and burst mode for a running dog, playing child, flying bird, child playing sports, bike racers, race cars, air shows, etc.