A6100 Sony Alpha Ebook

Custom Setup Support
FREE
eBook
by Mark Galer Sony Ambassador

Community Support
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Contents
Meet the Author Image Review Other Notable Features
Why customise your camera? Network Settings Lens Recommendations
9 Years in the Making Focus Mode & Focus Area Masterclass Movies
Learning Support • Focus Mode Useful Sony Accessories
Mirrorless Advantage • Focus Area
• Size & Weight • DMF Mark’s Custom Settings
• Image Quality • MF Assist Supporting Website
• Live View Display • Focus Tracking Masterclass Movies
• Eye AF eBooks
Camera Controls Movie Index
Finder & Monitor Saved Settings Index
Shooting Modes • Portrait Memory Settings
Custom Settings • Action Memory Settings
Movie Mode • Landscape Memory Settings
Interval Shooting • Street Memory Settings
Donation Page
MARK GALER is a photographer, educator and
published author (30 books for Focal Press). He has a
commercial background in editorial photography and was
also a Digital Imaging Ambassador for Adobe for a period
of 14 years. He was a Program Director and Senior
Lecturer in Photography at RMIT University in Melbourne
and has circumnavigated the globe on a motorcycle.
Mark is using his wealth of experience as both a

photographer and educator to support the Sony Alpha
Community and was appointed a Sony Digital imaging
Ambassador in 2012.
Mark owned the original Alpha 100 and currently owns an

extensive range of Sony mirrorless cameras.
Mark Galer
Sony Digital Imaging Ambassador 4-Minute Profile Movie
Back to Contents Page

Why customise your camera?
The Sony A6100 is a technically advanced camera that
is highly customisable to meet the needs of a broad
range of creative photographers. This guide has been
designed to provide you with ideas and suggestions to
help you customise your A6100 camera to help
maximise your creative potential.
After extensive shooting with the Sony mirrorless

cameras I have now settled on the custom settings that
enable me to work quickly and intuitively in all shooting
situations.
Note > The settings outlined in this guide are

suggestions only and are not intended as definitive
settings that will suit all photographers.

9 Years in the making
The Sony A6100 is a Mirrorless

Interchangeable Lens Camera (ILC)
with an APS-C sensor (often referred
to as a ‘crop’ sensor). It represents the
refinement of mirrorless technologies
since the first Sony NEX cameras
released in 2010.

APS-C (cropped sensor) The images used to illustrate
this eBook were captured on a
range of Sony APS-C cameras
9 Years in the making
Sony launched their mirrorless E-Mount cameras back in 2010
Goodbye Mirror - Hello Live View!
NEX-3 & NEX-5

Phase Detect AutoFocus
PDAF is
added in
2012
NEX-6 PDAF Back to Contents Page

The A6100 represents fast ‘state-of-
the-art’ PDAF (Phase Detect
Autofocus) that is driven by the
cameras fast Bionz X processor and
AI algorithms. If you choose the
appropriate AF Area, Drive Mode and
Shutter Speed you will enjoy a high
rate of success photographing fast
moving subjects such as this dog.

Learning Support
This eBook would be a 1,000 pages long if I
mapped out all of the camera setups and
technicalities of working with these Mirrorless
marvels. For this reason I have built in
numerous links to allow you to navigate to my
Alpha Creative Skills YouTube Channel and/or
website to learn more on a particular topic I
have raised in this eBook.

(A6K) Playlist
Note > This book is supported

by a comprehensive Playlist of
movies specifically created for
the A6000 series cameras.
Play Now
www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills
Mirrorless Advantage
Sony launched its ground-breaking mirrorless
cameras in 2010 with the NEX 3 and NEX 5 models.
After the NEX 6 Sony released the A6000, the first
mirrorless camera branded as an Alpha. Sony have
further refined its mirrorless technologies in the
A6100 (a super-charged A6000) with focussing
systems that put many cameras costing triple the
price to shame.
The A6100 shares its lens mount (E-Mount) with the

larger full-frame A7 and A9 cameras and allows the
Alpha owner access to an extensive range of
lenses. The APS-C sensor does, however, allow
Sony to create a range of smaller lenses for its APS-
C or ‘cropped sensor’ cameras. This makes the
A6100 an ideal camera for photographers who want
an ideal balance of portability (small size and light
weight) and image performance.

Size & Weight
2.2 KG

Size & Weight
SEL
50 f/1.8
Manfrotto Pixi Tripod
Battery Charger
2.2 KG SDXC
SEL 18-135
ND Filters x 2
Card ND 64
ND 200 SEL
10-18
F/4
2x W-Series Batteries
Peak Design
Rocket Blower
Clip and
Cuff Strap
Cleaning Cloth
SensorKlear II

Size & Weight
3.5 KG including
sling bag & iPad Pro
Lowepro PASSPORT SLING III

APS-C Versus Micro Four Thirds
Image Quality
The APS-C sensor of the Sony A6100 is larger than the sensors found in the
Olympus and Panasonic Four-Thirds cameras, and this leads to a higher
image quality (better high ISO performance and increased Dynamic Range). www.camerasize.com
Live View Display
Shutter The Sensor provides a live

view to the Finder &
Monitor. A mechanical
shutter is only used to time
the duration of the
Live View Display
exposure except when
‘silent shooting’ is enabled.
A DSLR uses a mirror to

provide an optical view to
Sensor the Finder. This view,
however, may be
significantly different to the
one the sensor sees.

EVF ‘Live View’ Advantages
Live View provides a WYSIWYG* view

*What You See Is What You Get - Live depth-of-field and exposure preview
In the vast majority of instances a live view from the
sensor is an advantage over using the optical viewfinder
of a DSLR. This ‘live view’ provides us with both a ‘depth
of field preview (how much of our image is in sharp
Live Depth of Field Preview
focus) and also a good idea of whether the exposure is
appropriate for the scene we are photographing.

Camera Controls
In this section we will explore the key features
of the camera before we look into how we can
setup the camera to get the maximum
performance from the camera to achieve a
high success rate of quality images.
A6100 Online Help Guide

This is an overview of the main dials and
buttons - where we get to take creative control
of the camera. If you have no interest in these
you may as well just leave the camera in Auto
- but given you have downloaded this eBook I
am guessing you are a control freak and won’t
be dictated to by a lump of metal, silicon and
glass. If you have owned a Sony Alpha
mirrorless camera before you my want to jump
to the ‘New Features’ section to see how this
camera is different from previous models.

Navigating Menus
To select menu items press the ‘Menu’

button (1) or the Fn (Function) button (2)
and navigate the menus using the 1
‘Control Wheel’ (3). Press the ‘Center
button’ (4) to select an option and press
the Menu button to cancel or move back 2
to the main menu or exit the menus.
3
The camera can be customised by
using the first two tabs and the last tab 4
of the Menus. These are:
Camera Settings1
Camera Settings2
Setup
Custom
Button 1
Shutter Release
Flash
Control Dial
Diopter Adjustment Dial
Shoot Mode Dial
This is the Microphone you will see me
wearing when I am recording many of
Multi Interface Shoe my movies for my YouTube channel
This may sound like a fancy word for what most people call a ‘Hot-
shoe’ but Sony’s Multi-interface shoe does more than just trigger a
flash. I think I can count 21 little pins at the leading edge of the shoe -
ECM-W1M
this is all about communicating with a range of compatible devices. Wireless Microphone

The latest Sony Flashes end with the
letters ‘RM’ - these can communicate
with Sony’s commander without needing
to purchase a separate receiver.
Multi Interface Shoe
Sony flashes cannot compete on price with the

Chinese brands (did I really need to tell your that)
but the one thing that can be said for their flashes is
they work - you will not find forums full of questions
about HSS, banding, sync failures and misfires.
Sony FA-WRC1M Sony HVL-F45RM

Wireless Radio Commander Wireless Radio Flash
Finder & Eye Sensor
Keep the eye sensor clean so the camera can switch
to the monitor when the eye is not at the finder
Multi/Micro USB Terminal

Attach the camera via a Micro USB cable (included
in the box) to your computer for downloading
images or updating the firmware of the camera.
Note > It is faster to download images via a USB-3

or USB-C Card reader.
HDMI Micro Jack

Use this jack for connecting your camera directly to
your TV or recording high quality movies to an
external recorder.
Microphone Jack
Attach an external microphone to this jack for
improved audio quality.
Note > Some microphones may connect via the

multi Interface shoe on the top of the camera and
not need to be connected to this jack.

Movie button
Movies can also be started
using the shutter release
button if the option is
selected in the Main menu.
If you are fussy about the
quality of your movies you
will need to set up the Movie
AEL Button settings in the Menus (see
Auto Exposure Lock button. the Making Movies section)
This button can be customised
in the Custom Keys menu to
perform different functions Control wheel
Scroll through menu items or
move focus area
Center button
Select menu items to modify
or confirm commands

Fn Button
Function button to access Fn or
Pop-up Flash button ‘Quick’ menu. At least half of the
items in the Fn menu probably
Press the button to pop up the flash. don’t need to be there, but that is
This is effective for subjects at close OK - we can change them.
range that require fill-flash
Playback button C2 / Delete button

Review captured images/movies It is only a trash/delete button in
Playback mode so don’t get
paranoid about pressing it OK.

Fn Key
Access and modify your 12
most used camera settings for
quick control - these can be
customised by going to Page
Function (Fn) Menu 8 of the Camera Settings2 tab.
You will probably notice that
mine looks nothing like yours!
Drive Mode and ISO are
usually in the Fn menu by
default, but as we can also
access these via the left and
right buttons on the Control
Wheel there is no problem with
replacing them with something
more useful.

Navigate Fn Menu
In the Fn menu you can access
and modify your 12 most used
camera settings. Select the Fn
item by pressing the left, right, up
Function (Fn) Menu and down buttons on the Control
Wheel. When the item is
highlighted you do NOT need to
press the Center button to modify
the menu. Menu items can be
quickly changed by rotating the
Control Wheel for main menu
items and the Control Dial for
submenu items.

Function (Fn) Menu
Fn Menu Upper1 Upper2 Upper3 Upper4 Upper5 Upper6
Upper Silent Shooting Live View Display Focus Area Focus Mode Interval Timer Metering Mode
Lower Lower1 Lower2 Lower3 Lower4 Lower5 Lower6

Audio Signals Subject Detection Face/Eye Priority in AF Creative Style Touch Operation Shoot Mode
Mark’s Recommendations Shooting for Stills Shooting

Finder & Monitor
The finder is often referred to as the EVF or
Electronic ViewFinder. It is advisable to
spend some time setting these up just the
way you like them. Brightness may appear to
be the only option at first glance (page 1 of
the Setup1 menu) but the Creative Styles
(Contrast, Saturation and Sharpness) can
also be adjusted. The DRO setting (Dynamic
Range Optimizer) also has an impact on the
image presented in the Finder and on the
Monitor. These modification have zero effect
on Raw images being captured.

Electronic
ViewFinder / EVF Eye Sensor (keep clean - otherwise
Monitor may be disabled)
Monitor
If the Monitor is tilted the
view will not switch to the
Finder. The monitor’s
brightness can be set to
‘Sunny Weather’ when the
ambient light is very bright

180-Degree Tiltable LCD Screen
The 180-degree ‘tiltable’ screen is good for
selfies (with an on-screen count down) and, at
a push, useful for vloggers. A lot has been said
in the media about the lack of headphone port
and the fact that a shotgun microphone will
obscure the screen. The Sony wireless
microphone I use has a built-in headphone
port and I can just about see if I am in the
screen and at the correct distance for filming. A
shotgun microphone can always be mounted
on an L-Bracket or cage for the serious
vloggers. The lack of In Body Image
Stabilisation (IBIS or SteadyShot Inside) would
be more of a concern for vloggers who want to
hand-hold the camera without a gimbal.
Headphone attached to
ECM-W1M
Wireless Microphone Receiver Wireless Microphone
Right Side SmallRig Cold Shoe Adapter
For the Vloggers who would like to mount a shotgun
microphone on the A6100 without using a ‘Cage' or ‘L-
Bracket’ a company called SmallRig have designed two
Cold Shoe Adapter Brackets that can be added to the top of
the A6100. This allows a microphone to be attached without
obscuring the monitor when it is tilted up to an angle of
180°. As this is a ‘cold shoe’ adapter any microphone
attached will have to be connected to the A6100 via the
Audio-in jack on the side of the camera.
Note > If you are interested in purchasing either item just click
on one of the images to go to the B&H Store in the USA
A small Sony microphone
Left Side suitable for mounting on
either a cold shoe (via a
mini-jack cable) or Sony’s
multi Interface shoe (Hot
Shoe) is the ECM-XYST1M
pictured right. Click on the
image to order from B&H.
Shooting Modes
The Shooting Modes (accessed via the dial
on the top of the camera) is where we
choose between, Auto, Semi-Auto, Manual,
Movie and Panoramic Modes. We can also
select MR to access a group of saved
camera settings so we can quickly change
between shooting action and still subjects.
The SCN modes offer a better alternative to
Auto but these modes still have some
creative limitations.

The Mode Dial
Auto
...for ‘set-and-forget’ shooting
SCN (scene)
This mode allows you to choose the type of subject The first four scene Modes are highlighted over the
you are photographing in order to help the camera’s following slides. I will then outline some of my
artificial intelligence. After selecting SCN on the preferred settings that will give you a little more
Shoot Mode dial you can choose different SCN control over shooting these subjects.
modes from the Fn menu.
Portrait SCN
1/160 Second
f/4
ISO: Auto
Drive Mode: Single Shooting

Focus Mode: Single-shot AF
Focus Area: Wide
Face Priority On
Limitations: F/4 is not very wide

and Eye AF can reliably track
focus in Continuous Autofocus
Action SCN
1/2000 second
Wide (f/4)
ISO: Auto
Drive Mode: Continuous Shooting

Focus Mode: AF-C
Focus Area: Tracking Wide
Limitations: 1/2000 second is

great for freezing action but not for
creating background blur when
panning the camera. AF area is
best changed to Tracking: Wide
Macro SCN
1/160 Second
f/4
ISO: Auto

Focus Mode: Single-shot AF or AF-S
Focus Area: Wide
Metering Mode: Multi
Limitations: f/4 does not provide a lot of

depth of field (focus) and the SCN mode
cannot switch lenses to a Macro lens that
will allow you to fill the frame with a small
subject such as this Cicada.
Autofocus Override
In some instances Autofocus
can struggle with Macro
Photography. The Macro
Scene mode allows you to
override the default Autofocus
setting in the Fn menu.
Manual or DMF when Auotofocus struggles

Macro SCN mode
cannot attach a
Macro lens for you
The Macro SCN mode can set up
some appropriate camera settings for
shooting Macro but it cannot change
the lens on your interchangeable lens
camera for you. A Macro lens, such as
the SEL 30 F3.5 M, will allow you to go
much closer to your subject compared
to using a non-macro lens. This will
enable you to fill the frame with small
subjects.
SEL 30mm F3.5 Macro for APS-C Cameras

Landscape SCN
Shutter Speed: 1/60 or faster
SEL 1018 F4
Aperture: Approx. f/10
ISO: Auto 100

Focus Mode: Single Shot or AF-S
Focus Area: Wide
Limitations: ISO is only kept at 100 if

the ambient light is bright. This makes no
allowance for the fact that the camera
may be on a tripod or the shutter speed
could be set lower than 1/60 second
when using an ultra-wide-angle lens.
PASM for greater creative freedom
If you are ready to come out of
AUTO or Scene the, P, A, S and
M settings on the Shoot Mode
Dial will enable you to gain a
greater degree of control over
your creative photography
P: Program
A: Aperture Priority
S: Shutter Priority
M: Manual with Auto ISO
Aperture and/or Shutter Speed Adjustment

Alternatives to SCN
Action: Shutter Priority + Focus Area: Tracking: Wide
Portrait: Aperture Priority + Focus Mode: AF-C + Portrait Lens @ f/1.8
Landscapes using a tripod: Aperture Priority + f/8 + ISO 100 + Tripod
Macro: Aperture Priority + MF or DMF + Macro Lens

Aperture Priority
f/2.8 and Wider
ISO: Auto
ISO Auto Min. SS: Fast

Focus Mode: Continuous AF-C
Focus Area: Wide or Flexible Spot
Portraits in AF-C & Wide Apertures SEL 50 F/1.8 or FE 85 F1.8

Aperture Priority
Shutter Speed: Slow Drive Mode: Self Timer
Aperture: f/8 or f/11 Focus Mode: AF-S or Manual
ISO: 100 (not an option in SCN) Focus Area: Flexible Spot or N/A
Landscapes: 100 ISO for Tripod (allow shutter speeds to slow)

To achieve background blur, when panning the
camera, you will need to slow the shutter speed
down. The speed required to create blur is
relative to the speed you are panning the camera.
Action (slow speed panning) - slow shutter speed to create background blur
Custom Settings
It is possible to fully customize the A6100
camera to suit your own style of shooting.
The following pages highlight the most
popular items that photographers may want
to visit with a view to selecting specific
settings or assigning these menu items to the
Fn menu or My Menu to enable quick access
while shooting.

My Menu
You can add any of the existing

menus to your own My Menu so
that you never have to go hunting
for a feature or setting more than
once. Just go to the last page of
this menu and click on ‘Add Item’
and then choose a location for
your new addition.

Touch Operation
Touch Operation can be enabled

and disabled from the Setup3
Menu. I personally switch it on
when using the Monitor and Off
when using the Finder. It is
possible to accidentally move a
spot focus point with your nose
when using the Finder.
Note: Additional options for

Touch Operation can be found in
the Custom Operation 2 menu.

Touch Operation 2
Use the Touch Shutter option for

taking stills of a stationary or
moving subject. If the subject is
moving you will need to follow the
subject with your finger. Select the
Touch Focus for pulling focus
between to different subjects
when shooting movies and select
Touch Tracking to touch the
subject once and let the camera
move the focus point.

Pre-AF - On or Off?
Pre-AF (by default) is normally set

to OFF on most Alpha models.
This can be a useful feature when
taking selfies but can cause
issues in Continuous AF (AF-C)
with an AF Tracking Area
selected. The camera is likely to
latch on to a subject before you
have identified which subject you
would like to track. I recommend
switching this to OFF if you are
more interesting in shooting
action/sports rather than selfies.

Dial / Wheel Lock
This feature has been added to

the newer Alpha cameras to
protect users from moving
camera settings accidentally. If
you switch the setting to ‘Lock’
you will find the Control Wheel
and Control Dial will remain
Unlocked. In order to lock these
controls you need to long-press
the Fn key.

Silent Shooting (faster drive speeds)
Silent shooting was previously

available on older Alpha cameras
but the A6100 now allows silent
shooting in the Mid, Hi and Hi+
drive modes (it was previously
only available in the Lo drive
Mode when shooting in
Continuous Shooting).
IMPORTANT: To avoid the

effects of ‘Shutter Distortion’
avoid using Silent Shooting for
sports/action.

Self Portrait/ - timer
If the Self-portrait/ -timer is

switched to ‘On’ you will get a
3-second countdown on the
screen that will give you time
to strike the perfect pose.

Movie w/ shutter
If you would prefer to use the

Shutter Release to start and
stop movies that is now
possible if you switch the Movie
w/ shutter to On. You must also
select the Movie mode on the
Shoot Mode Dial to use this
feature.

Wireless Flash If you intend to use a Sony flash
off-camera you will need to set
Wireless Flash to On in the
menu. A commander mounted
on the Multi Interface shoe (hot-
shoe) is then used to trigger the
flash via a wireless signal.
Sony FA-WRC1M
Wireless Radio Sony HVL-F45RM
Commander Wireless Radio Flash
Custom Keys
It is also possible to assign different functions
to the Custom keys on the A6100. The
Custom Keys include the C1 and C2 keys
and also the AEL Button, Center Button, Left,
Right and Down Buttons on the Control
Wheel and the Focus Hold Button that may
appear on some of the Sony Lenses.

Custom Key - Custom Button 1 1
Pressing Custom Key 1 will bring

up the Focus Mode options -
turning the Rear Dial will cycle
through the Focus modes, e.g.
changing from AF-S (suitable for
still life and landscapes) to AF-C
(suitable for subjects that are
moving.

Custom Key - AEL & Custom Button 2
The Custom Key screen

highlights the position of the
custom key that is being assigned
a function. I have reassigned the
AEL Button to ‘Focus Area’. I
would recommend setting Custom
Button 2 to ‘Focus Magnifier’.

Custom Key - Center Button
I have reassigned the Center

Button to Focus Standard. This
give me quick access to move the
AF point, e.g., press once to
make the Focus Point active
(movable) and press a second
time to lock it in place or the C2
button (trash can) to return it to
the center.
Note > The Display Button cannot

be reassigned and I personally
leave all options around the
wheel set to their default function.

Dial/Wheel Ev Comp 1
It is possible to assign Exposure

Compensation to either the Rear
Dial (1) or Control Wheel (2) if you
would prefer not to have to press
the down button before you can
adjust the exposure.
If the background behind your

subject is either very dark or very
2 light you may need to adjust the
exposure in order to protect your
shadows or highlights. Note > See
the ‘Exposure’ section in this
eBook to understand this in
greater detail.

Custom Key - Focus Hold Button
I have reassigned the Focus
Hold Button to Eye AF. You may
be wondering if this is necessary
now that Eye-AF is active all of
the time in both AF-S and AF-C
focus modes. This is because I
often switch ‘Face Priority in AF’
to ‘Off’ when I am tracking a
single player in a sports match so
the AF point is not distracted by
another’s player’s face when
shooting with the Zone or Wide
AF areas. When it is appropriate
to use Eye-AF to track a single
player I still have the option to
press the Focus Hold button to
re-engage Eye-AF.

Movie Mode
If you just press the red recording button on
the top-right side of the camera you will, by
default, start capturing movies in Program
Mode (P). It is worth going into the menus
and setting up the Mode, Format and
Record Settings if you value the quality of
your movies so the next time you start
recording a Movie you will be using your own
custom settings. The greatest control over
your movie settings is to be had by setting
the Shoot Mode to Movies on the Shoot
Mode dial so that you can change your
movie mode in the Fn menu when required,
e.g., from Shutter Priority to fully Manual.

Movie Mode
Exposure mode when capturing
movies can be set in the Main
menu. I prefer to set the Shoot
Mode dial to the Movie icon and
then you can adjust the shooting
mode of the movie capture in the
Fn menu (bottom right). I also
use the Shutter release to Start
and Stop the movie recording.
This has to be activated in the
menus (Movie3) - see Movie/ w
Shutter.

Movie Mode
Set the Shoot Mode dial on the
top of the camera to the Movie
icon and then you can adjust
the movie shooting mode in
the Fn menu (bottom right).
Most advanced amateurs and
professional will choose to
shoot movies in Manual or
Shutter Priority and set the
shutter speed to 1/50 second
when filming in 24 and 25
frames per second and 1/60
Second when filming in 30
frames per second.

File Format
Use the XAVC S movie codec
for the highest quality movie
recording. XAVC S prefers SD-
XC cards rather than SD-HC
cards. 4K is great, but I wouldn’t
recommend it for shooting
extended clips - the camera will
get hot, the files will be huge
and you lose some features that
are available to you when
shooting in HD.

Record Settings
Use the settings with the highest
‘M-number’ (2nd number) for the
highest quality movie recording,
e.g. 50 or 100M
Note > Due the Power

frequencies you will notice I
shoot in Australia using 25 and
50p while in the USA you will
have options for 24, 30 and 60p.

PAL or NTSC
NTSC displays pictures at nearly
30 fps—the actual number is
29.97. PAL/SECAM uses exactly
25 fps. These frame rates are
based on the local frequency of
alternating current (AC) electrical
power: 60 Hz in the States; 50 Hz
in most of the rest of the world.
You can change between PAL and

NTSC using the PAL/NTSC menu.

Monitor
The Monitor can be used as a
Touch Screen to select and
move focus. These settings
are accessed via the Setup3
(Touch Operation) and Custom
Operation2 (Function of Touch
Operation) menus.

Recommended
AutoFocus Settings
I recommend setting the Focus Mode
to ‘Continuous AF’ (AF-C) and the
Focus Area to ‘Wide’. I then
recommend turning the Touch
Operation to On (Setup3 menu). If the
Function of the Touch Operation
(Custom Operation2 Menu) is set to
‘Touch Focus’ and the subject on the
monitor is touched, it will result in
changing the focus from AF-C: Wide to
Spot Focus (disabling the AF-C) and
locking the focus on your stationary
subject. Pressing the Center button or
the cancel icon will revert to AF-C and
the Wide Focus Area. To track a
moving subject across the frame
(without moving the focus area) switch
the ‘Function of the Touch Operation’
to ‘Touch Tracking’.

Focus Peaking
When using Manual Focus the
Focus Peaking options
(Peaking Level and Peaking
Color) will assist you to find
focus while filming. This is
achieved by outlining the
edges of your subject that are
in focus with the colour Red,
Yellow or White.

Focus Peaking
Peaking should be used as a
rough guide to what is in
focus. For an accurate idea of
precise sharpness it is strongly
recommended to use Focus
Magnify and/or MF Assist.

MF Assist
Focus peaking provides the
photographer with approximate
focus. It is strongly recommended
when using wide apertures to use
the Focus Magnifier to achieve
critical focus. Focus Magnifier can
be automatically initiated when
you turn the focus ring on the lens
by switching MF Assist to On.

Creative Style
When filming in High Contrast
lighting (full sun) it may be
necessary to lower the
contrast of the movie being
recorded to protect the
highlights from becoming
overexposed. This can be
achieved by lowering the
Contrast in the Creative Style
menu settings.

D-Range Optimizer
Another way of lowering the
contrast of the movie file being
recorded is to increase the
DRO setting from Auto to
either LV2 or LV3. Monitor the
histogram during recording
and lower the exposure if
necessary to protect the
highlights.

Zebra Setting
An alternative approach to
monitoring the Histogram during
the movie recording (in order to
protect the highlights) is to use
the Zebra function. Set to 100+
to be alerted to overexposed
highlights or between 70 and 80
to monitor caucasian skin tones
are being correctly exposed.

White Balance
To avoid unnecessary colour changes during movie recording many
photographers will choose to create a custom white balance prior to recording.

Wind Noise Reduction
Wind Noise Reduction should
not be left On by default as it
seriously lowers the audio
quality being recorded. It is
recommenced to use a Sony
microphone that is compatible
with the Multi Interface shoe on
the top of the camera for
optimum audio quality.

Audio Recording
Switch Audio Recording to On
in the menu and turn Wind
Noise Reduction to Off (unless
absolutely necessary). Use a
Sony compatible external
microphone whenever possible.

Audio Level
It is recommended to monitor
the level or volume of the audio
recording during filming by
switching the ‘Audio Level
Display’ to On. Audio Record
Levels can be assigned to a
Custom key for quick access to
adjusting the audio levels.

S&Q
The Slow and Quick shoot mode
allows you to create slow-motion
movies or time-lapse movies
without having to modify your
standard movie settings in the
menus. If you choose to record at
100 frames per second, and play
back the movie at 25 frames per
second, subjects will appear to
move four times slower than
normal. If you choose a frame rate
of 1 frame per second and play
the movie back at 25 frames per
second, time will accelerate 25x
and clouds will race across the
sky. Note > The number of
‘Frames per second’ may vary
depending on your country.

Interval Shooting
The A6500 was the last A6000

series camera that used the
‘PlayMemories Apps’. These
Apps could be purchased from
Sony to add specialised functions
to the camera. One of the most
useful of these was the
TimeLapse App. Sony have
added this functionality to the
A6100 via the new Interval
Shooting Function.

Movies are typically captured between 24 and 60 frames per second.
If we increase the interval between each frame captured, but play the
movie back at normal speed, we will accelerate time or cause time to lapse.
Example > if we capture one frame per second for 4 minutes, and then play
the movie back at 24 frames per second, four minutes of ‘normal’ time will
be compressed into just 10 seconds…people will move as fast as cars and
clouds will race across the sky.
Interval Shooting
The Interval Shooting Function is
a built in Intervalometer that can
be setup up to take images at a
regular intervals. Using Sony’s
‘Imaging Edge’ edit application
these still images can be used to
create a Time Lapse movie. On
the second page of options, you
will see the option for Silent
Shooting, which will save the wear
and tear on your camera when
shooting thousands of images. If
you would prefer the camera to
make a movie so that you don’t
have to process the files you can
use the new S&Q feature.

Tips for image capture
1. Format your card and charge your battery
2. Set the capture Aspect Ratio to 16:9
3. Choose 1/50 Second Shutter Speed or longer
4. Use an aperture wider than f/8*
5. Capture in Raw when the dynamic range is high
6. Ensure the camera and tripod are free from vibration
*Reduces the visibility of any dust that may be on your sensor.

Why is Raw the preferred Quality setting?
1. Increased Dynamic Range (less likely to clip highlights).
2. Increased flexibility for post-processing.
Before Processing After Processing

Choosing a Shutter Speed
Most movies you see in the cinemas are captured at 24 frames per second.
The shutter speed most often used is 1/50 second. This shutter speed captures
a 50% slice of ‘real time’.
Fast action results in a small amount of motion blur. The 50% slice & blur
ensures action flows smoothly. Action can appear ‘choppy’ with fast shutter
speeds …as there is no blur and less ‘real time’ is sampled.
Choosing a Shutter Speed
With time-lapse we can choose either
1/50 second to capture motion blur or
choose a shutter speed that captures
50% of the interval to ensure a smoothly
flowing movie, e.g., 1 second exposures
when the interval is 2 seconds.
Choosing long shutter speeds may

require the use of a Neutral Density (ND)
filter (sunglasses for your lens).
Choosing an Exposure Mode
Mode 1: Fully Manual

For scenes where the level of light is constant
Set Focus, White Balance, Exposure & ISO to Manual.
Mode 2: Aperture Priority and Auto White Balance

For scenes where the level of light is changing, e.g., for sunset and
sunrise set only the Focus setting to Manual.
Possible issues with using Auto exposure
Sudden changes in exposure or white balance settings can lead to a
visible ‘flicker’ in the final movie. Changing the ‘AE Tracking Sensitivity’
to ‘Low’ may help reduce sudden changes in exposure.
Aperture Priority - Frame 74 Aperture Priority - Frame 75

Sony’s Imaging Edge
Free Software Program
can create a 4K movie from the
still images captured in-camera
using the Interval Shooting
Feature. It is also possible in
Photoshop. For advanced users
the program LR/Timelapse is
recommended

Interval Shoot Func. - Playback
As well as the Interval Time

Func. settings we also have new
menu items to choose how we
would like to review the stills we
have captured ‘in-camera’ before
the movie is made in the post-
post-processing software.
Note: If you would like the

camera to create a time lapse
movie you can use the S&Q
feature.

Exposure
The A6100 has an imaging sensor that has a
broad dynamic range. This makes it possible
capture detail in bright highlights and dark
shadows simultaneously. The broad dynamic
range also allows us to correct and perfect
the exposure in our image editing software.
Photographers who capture in the Raw
Quality setting have greater flexibility to
correct images in post production editing
with less risk of lowering image quality.
Although images can often be corrected in
post production editing software the optimum
image quality is achieved by optimising
exposure in-camera.

SEMI-AUTO EXPOSURE
In Auto and SCN modes exposure is fully
automated. Although this may be
appropriate for most images, it is not
appropriate for ALL images. Using the
Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter
Priority and Manual Shoot Modes allows
the photographer full control over
exposure. The following slides will
highlight when exposure may need to be
adjusted to optimise the quality of the
image being captured.
Program ASM anual
...for creative control

WYSIWYG
whatyouseeiswhatyouget
Exposure
Compensation
…if it doesn’t look right in the Finder then, odds on, it isn’t right
The GOAL of…
Exposure Compensation
The goal of adjusting the
Absolute White
Absolute Black
exposure, before you take an

image, is to put the brightest
highlights and darkest
shadows between the goal
posts of absolute black and
absolute white (clipping). If
you don’t you will lose detail
in the highlights or shadows.

Live Histogram
Press the Display button until
you see the Histogram on the
monitor or in the Finder.

Live Histogram
The Live Histogram in the Finder and on the

Monitor will alert you to overexposed tones.
These overexposed tones may not be able to
be recovered in Post Production editing.
These tones are referred to as being ‘Clipped’.
Light meters want to make things look ‘Average’, even when they are not
Overexposed Exposure Compensated
Exposure compensation is required to render a black swan black

Scene with Dominant Dark Tones
The camera seeks to average the exposure
for all tones, but in instances where dark
tones dominate the camera may overexpose
the highlight tones.
Over exposure

By Pressing the Down button on the Control
Wheel you will be able to lower exposure by
-1.00 EV or more to protect your highlight
tones & prevent them from becoming clipped.
Exposure
Compensation

Scene with Dominant Light Tones

Scene with Dominant Light Tones

Shadows Lightened Further in Post

Expose for the Highlights

Process for the Shadows

Setting Effect OFF
You may need to switch this
to OFF when working with
off-camera non-Sony flash
in a darkened studio or
when the ambient light is
very low. Learn More here:
https://youtu.be/tPKjkbk09us

Live View Display
Setting Effect ON
When setting the flash exposure, the
optimum settings may lead to
underexposure of the ambient light.
This underexposure of the ambient light
will be reflected by the Live View
Display unless the Setting Effect is
switched to ‘OFF’. If not switched to
OFF a dark studio will result in a
monitor and finder appearing
completely black.
1/160 Back to Contents Page

Live View Display
Setting Effect OFF
Ambient Exposure -2.0 OFF
Flash Exposure +1.0
Flash Compensation required
because of light toned subject
Sony HVL-F45RM
Wireless Radio Flash
Sony FA-WRC1M
Wireless Radio Commander
Note > This movie was made
using an A7RII but the
principles are the same for all
Sony Alpha E-Mount
cameras. Live View Display
is currently found on page 6
of the Camera Settings2 tab
Play Now
Image Review
It is a valuable exercise to be able to review an
image, we have just captured, to check if it is
sharp and well exposed. This gives us the
opportunity to modify focus and/or exposure
settings to perfect image capture. The review
process also allows us to rate and delete
images. I personally like to rate images with a
star so that they appear in my post-production
software with the ratings intact (Lightroom).
This also allows me to share just my rated
images with family of friends without having to
cycle through all images. Although it is
possible to delete images in-camera I
personally like to do this in my editing software.

Exposure Review
When reviewing your images
you can press the Display
button a number of times until
to change the level of
information you see with the
image. Use the Dial or press
the Left and Right sides of the
Control Wheel to move
forwards or backwards through
your images.

Exposure Review
When reviewing your images
you can press the Display
button a number of times until
you see the histogram view.

Magnify Review
Press the AEL button to Zoom
in to check if the image is
sharp. The image will zoom to
the Focus point used when
taking the image.

Date Review
Press the Down button on the
Control Wheel to Zoom out to
the Grid View that is organised
by date of capture. Use the
Control Wheel to move through
the captured images. Press the
AF/MF button to return to
reviewing a single image or
cycle left to access the
Calendar view.

Calendar Review
Press the Down button on the
Control Wheel to Zoom out to
the Grid View that is organised
by date of capture. Press the
AEL button to return to
reviewing a single image.

Display as Group
When shooting bursts of images

in Continuous Shooting it is
possible during playback to see
the groups of images rather than
all images. When cycling through
the groups you can see individual
images in that group by pressing
the Center Button in the Control
Wheel.

Image Jump Setting
Image Jump Settings allows you

to choose which images you
want to see in Playback mode,
e.g., you can choose only to see
your rated images. This will be
useful to implement when you
want to show somebody just your
hero images from the day’s
shoot.
You can see all images by using

the dial you have NOT assigned
to see only the rated images.

Custom Key - Playback
Custom keys can be assigned to

different functions in Playback
Mode - such as ‘Rating’ your
images. These image ratings will
be visible in Post Production
software such as Imaging Edge
and Adobe Lightroom.

Network Settings
It is possible to connect your smartphone to
your camera using both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
connections.
With a local Wi-Fi connection you can transfer

images from your camera to your smartphone
using Sony’s free ‘Imaging Edge’ App so you
can quickly share images to social media.
With a Bluetooth connection you can control

the settings of your camera, use the
smartphone as a remote release and transfer
the GPS location information from your phone
to the images being captured by your camera.

Imaging Edge Support: https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/iemobile/en/
Send to Smartphone
Download the Sony Imaging Edge
App to your mobile phone. Make a
local Wi-Fi connection between
your Phone and the Camera.
Choose ‘Select on This Device’ to
start transferring images from your
camera to your Smartphone.

Send to Smartphone
When reviewing an image you also
have the option to press the Fn
button which will start the transfer
to smartphone process. With the
Imaging Edge App already open
you will be given the option to scan
the QR code. If this option does not
appear you can connect to the
camera in the Wi-Fi settings of your
smartphone.

Send to Smartphone
You can transfer multiple images
by choosing either the ‘All with this
date' or ‘Multiple Images’ options.
Check the images you want to
transfer (by pressing the center
button) and then press the menu
button to start the transfer process.

Full Resolution
You can transfer full resolution
images to your phone (the default
is 2 Megapixels) by changing the
Copy Image Size setting in the
phone App to ‘Original’. This is only
possible if you have first selected
JPEG or RAW & JPEG as the ‘File
Format’ in the camera.

Ctrl w/ Smartphone
You can use your smartphone to
control the operations of your
camera (often useful when the
camera is on a tripod).

Ctrl w/ Smartphone
After choosing ‘Connection’ in the
‘Ctrl w/ Smartphone’ menu you will
be given the option to scan the QR
code using the Imaging Edge app.

Bluetooth Settings
Switching the Bluetooth Settings to
on will allow you to connect the
Bluetooth remote or add the GPS
Location Information from your
smartphone to the images being
captured by the camera.

Location Info Link
It is not possible to use the
Location Info Link service if you
have the Bluetooth Remote Control
switched on.

Focus Mode & Focus Area
If you like taking photographs of subjects that
don’t stay still, these Focus skills are the
essential tools for success. When somebody
asks me what the best Focus Area is I know
they need help - because the answer is that it
depends on the subject and the background
and the presence of obstacles that may
momentarily obscure your subject. Once you
know why the camera chooses the subject it
chooses, then it not longer appears to be
rocket science. You can master this skill - I
have confidence in you :-)

Focus Mode
Assigned to C1 on the A6100
• AF-C* : For Moving subjects
• AF-A : Automatic AF
• AF-S : For Static subjects
• DMF: Direct Manual Focus
• Manual Focus
*Note > AF-C (Continuous AF) is

referred to as ‘AI servo’ by Canon

Focus Area
Choosing AF-C and an appropriate
Focus Area are critical for success
when subjects are moving.
I recommend starting with the Wide

Tracking area and reduce the size of
the Area to Zone or Expand Flexible
Spot if you need to target a specific
moving target when there is more
than one or their are obstacles in
front of your primary target.

DMF (Direct Manual Focus) is a powerful
Focus feature on Mirrorless cameras (as
outlined in the ‘Key Features’ section). To use
DMF you must first half-press press the
shutter release of press the AF-ON button and
then turn the focus ring on the lens. If You
have switched Focus Assist on in the Menus
(page 13 of the first Camera Setup tab) the
view will be magnified to help you achieve
critical focus. Push Focus using DMF to Here
If Lens Focuses Here (Wide or Zone AF Area)
Manual Focus
FE 100-400 GM
or DMF at closest focusing distance

MF Assist
Consider turning on MF
Assist & Focus Peaking when

working in Manual Focus or Direct
Manual Focus (DMF). DMF is a
very powerful tool on Mirrorless
cameras for fine-tuning focus
after it has first looked on to your
subject in Autofocus.

Initial Focus Mag.
If you are going to use Focus
Magnifier manually by pressing a
custom button, or automatically by
switching Focus Assist to On, you
may also want to consider choosing
whether you want to see the
zoomed area (indicated by an
orange rectangle) before you
magnify or just magnify immediately
and then move the zoomed area to
your chosen location. If you choose
to magnify straight away set the
Initial Focus Mag. setting to x5.9.

Focus Tracking
Sony FE 70-200 @ 200mm
1/2000 sec at f/4.5, ISO 250
Prior to the new AF Tracking I would normally
recommend people to use a Wide or Zone AF
area and only use Lock-on AF Areas when
obstacles might appear in front of the subject.
Now I will be recommending ‘Tracking’ as the
default AF Area for shooting action/sports.
Tracking
Perhaps the most significant

Autofocus improvements found on
the A6100 is the replacement of
both Lock-on AF and the Center
Lock-On AF options. Tracking now
uses improved AI to improve its
object recognition and now offers a
more reliable workflow for keeping
the focus on the subject, even
when the AF area is no longer over
the subject itself. Tracking also has
a much greater rate of success
when obstacles momentarily
obscure the primary subject.

For the ‘Real-Time Eye AF’ testing I
chose to shoot moving subjects
with Sony’s FE 85mm F/1.8 lens at
maximum aperture (this lens
performs like a 135 mm f/2.8 lens
on a full frame camera). The very
shallow depth of field, I figured,
would highlight any focussing
errors. The camera, however,
proved to be extraordinarily at
quickly locking on and tracking
subjects with an exceptionally high
hit rate for pin-sharp focus. FE 85 F/1.8
1/1250 second at f/1.8, ISO 100

In AF-S the green square that is
highlighted when Eye-AF has found
the face will stay illuminated until the
shot is captured. The Eye AF will
continue to track the eye even if the
subject turns into profile view. Care
needs to be taken, however, that the
subject or the camera does not move
as focus will be inaccurate when using
a wide aperture at close range. It is
advisable to switch the Focus Mode to
AF-C when shooting subjects that are
likely to move. I would also
recommend when shooting in
Aperture Priority and Auto ISO to set
the ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed
to ‘Fast’ to ensure you remove the risk
of subject blur when shooting in low
ambient light.
Sony FE 1.8/85
1/1250 sec at f/1.8, ISO 100 Back to Contents Page
Dean Davis - Hip Hop Projects
In AF-C the ‘Real-Time’ Eye-AF will usually be able to

track the subject when it is moving rapidly. Use an
appropriate shutter speed to freeze the motion and one
of the Focus Area options from the ‘Tracking’ group.
This will ensure object tracking takes over when the
eye of the subject is temporarily lost from view.
Dean Davis - Hip Hop Projects
Sony FE 1.8/85
1/4000 sec at f/1.8, ISO 100

When the eye is obscured from view
the tracking system will revert to
either Face Priority or Object Tracking
as indicated by this new AF icon as
seen in the image to the right.
If the focus area appears as a

number of small green dancing
boxes then the camera has not yet
identified the subject enough to offer
ultra-reliable AF tracking.
If you cannot get the eye-AF or object

tracking icon to appear try using a
wider aperture, increase the level of
illumination or increase subject
contrast in relation to the
background. This might be achieved
just by changing your vantage point
in relation to the subject.

FE 70-200 @ 200mm Tracking Error
The camera proved very reliable at holding onto a subject In this instance the camera lost the subject it was tracking
where ‘Real-time Tracking’ had engaged (as indicated by for half a second when I zoomed out from 200 mm to 130
the new object tracking AF icon). For this test I used the mm. This AF performance will hopefully be improved with a
Sony FE 70-200 F/4 G lens which I know, from experience, future firmware update (as happened with the A9).
can keep up with the fast AF of the A6000 series cameras.
AF Tracking targets the original
subject it has locked onto and will
follow it across the frame,
ignoring the original focus area
and obstacles that momentarily
appear in front of your subject.
Accurate tracking can also make
a difference when you lock onto a
specific part of your subject. In
this photo I have locked onto the
eye of the bird and the camera
then ignores the beak that is
closer to the camera.

In this sequence the advantages of
choosing object tracking quickly
become apparent when other subjects
pass in front of your primary subject.
Sony FE 1.8/85
1/1000 sec at f/1.8, ISO 100

Direct Manual Focus
Direct Manual Focus or ‘DMF’ provides quick and
accurate focusing in instances where you want to fine-
tune the focus after first locking onto to your subject
using Autofocus. I recommend using this in conjunction
with ‘Focus Assist’.
Override Focus to Here
Camera May Focus Here
Focus Assist + DMF

Recall Custom hold 1
Eye-AF
Eye-AF in Continuous AF
The A6100 benefits from real-time Eye-
AF which tracks the eye of your subject
in continuous Autofocus (AF-C) without
having to hold down a custom button.
You can disable Eye-AF by switching
Face Priority to OFF.
Eva by Mark Galer

Sony FE 1.4/85 GM
Back to Contents Page 1/4000sec at f/1.4, ISO 100
Face/Eye AF Set.
The Face / Eye AF Settings can be

accessed from the AF1 tab. You
can choose to display when faces
are detected and also switch
between Human and Animal Eye
AF. Occasionally you may need to
switch Face/Eye Priority off if the
camera is jumping to a face in your
frame that you are not wanting to
focus on.

Face/Eye AF Set.
Subject Detection
I would recommend placing the
Face/ Eye Priority in AF and
Subject Detection options in the Fn
menu of the camera for quick
access and switching.

Animal
Eye-AF

Note > There are a handful
of lenses in Sony’s E-Mount
lens lineup where the camera
does not momentarily open
the aperture wider to assist
focus in AF-S. Learn how to
overcome this if you own one
of these lenses.
Play Now
Saved Settings
Create a memory for
groups of your favourite
Camera Settings
The ability to recall a group of saved camera
settings means a photographer can quickly
switch from shooting landscape with one
group of settings to shooting action with a
completely different group of settings with just
one turn of the shoot mode dial.

Memory Recall
The Memory Recall is a
powerful feature for recalling a
group of settings you have
previously registered. It allows
you to change multiple camera
settings in just a few seconds,
so that your camera is always
optimised for the type of
subject you are shooting.
You are also free to modify

settings once you have
recalled a memory setting but
the Memory defaults are
restored once you move the
Shoot Mode dial away and
then back to the MR setting.

Registering a Memory
When the camera is set up with a
group of menu settings you can
save this combination of settings
by going to Memory on the fourth
page of the Camera Setup1 menu.
Note > 1, 2 and 3 are saved to the

camera and M1 to M4 are saved to
memory card. These are deleted
when the card is formatted.

Portrait Settings for
Head & Shoulder Portraits
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
1/1000 second at f/1.8, ISO 100
Portrait Memory Settings
Shoot Mode Aperture Priority
Aperture (Starting) f/4 (or wider)
ISO AUTO
Shutter Speed N/A
Drive Mode Single Shooting
Focus Mode Continuous AF (AF-C)
Focus Area Tracking:Expand Flexible Spot or Wide
Lens Choice 50-85 mm
Face Priority in AF ON
MF Assist ON
Metering Mode Multi + Face Priority in Multi Metering On
White Balance AUTO (or set to lighting)
Note: For Multiple Subjects or Group Shots start by stopping

the aperture down to f/8 and zooming out to a focal length of
between 24-50 mm.
Katerina: Sony FE 85 F/1.4
Vin tagè by Mark Galer
Sony FE 1.8/85
1/2000sec at f/1.8, ISO 100
Portrait Settings for
Head & Shoulder Portraits
Midsumma Pride March

Sony A6100 with FE 1.8/85mm
1/1000 second at f/1.8, ISO 100
Sony FE 1.8/135
1/1000 sec at f/1.8, ISO 100
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
1/1250 second at f/1.8, ISO 100
Sakura Season
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
1/320 sec at f/5.6, ISO 320
Stopping Down (f/5.6) for

More than One Person
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
1/1000 sec at f/1.8, ISO 160
Staying Wide (f/1.8) if

Subjects are at
same distance
FE 85 F/1.8 1/1000 second at f/2.8, ISO 320
Dog in a Tokyo Park
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
1/500 sec at f/1.8, ISO 100
Staying Wide (f/1.8) to

Isolate your Subject
Camera Settings for
Capturing Fast Action

Pre-AF - On or Off?
Pre-AF by default was normally

set to OFF on previous models.
This can be a useful feature when
taking selfies but can cause
issues in Continuous AF (AF-C)
with an AF Tracking Area
selected. The camera is likely to
latch on to a subject before you
have identified which subject you
would like to track. I recommend
switching this to OFF if you are
more interesting in shooting
action/sports rather than selfies.

SCN
Automated Setting
One better than Auto
You cannot adjust exposure

compensation, shutter speed
or AF Tracking options in the
Back to Contents Page Action SCN Setting
Six of the Best
1. Drive Mode?
2. Focus Mode?
3. Focus Area?
4. Shoot Mode?
5. Shutter Speed?
6. SteadyShot Settings?
Success relies on choosing more than one appropriate setting

1
Drive Mode
Lo, Mid, Hi & Hi+

Hi
• Lo
when panning
Drive • Mid
• panning)
Hi (recommended for live-view
• Hi+ (fastest frames per second)

2
Focus Mode
AF-C
Assigned to the C1 key and
typically found in the Fn
menu
AF-C : For Moving
subjects

3
Focus Area
Wide
Function (Fn) Menu
Suitable for 90% of your subjects

Wide
Wide Prioritizes
Center & Close.
This tends to be
90% of the time.

Use Zone when there
are subjects closer than
your target subject
ZONE
SPOT
Use Tracking: Spot when

you the subject is
positioned at the edge of
the frame and may move
into the frame
4
Shoot Mode
Shutter Priority
S: Shutter Priority
5
Shutter Speed
Freeze
5
Shutter Speed
Freeze
Sony FE 85 mm F/1.8
1/2000 sec at f/1.8, ISO 160
E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS .
5
Shutter Speed
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 320 .

Slower when panning the camera to create motion blur
5
Shutter Speed
Blur
SteadyShot On or Off?
6
Switch SteadyShot OFF in the

camera, if not available on the
lens, when panning the camera
Buffer Capacity
The Buffer of the A6100 (the number of frames it can capture The buffer capacity will increase to 78 Fine Quality JPEGs, and
before the camera slows down as it writes these files to the clear faster, if JPEG is selected as the File Format. After 33
memory card) will vary depending on the File Format and/or Raw files the camera will slow and the buffer will clear slowly
JPEG Quality you have selected. before you can capture a second long sequence.

Action Memory Settings
Shoot Mode Shutter Priority
ISO AUTO
Shutter Speed 1/2000 to freeze or 1/100 to blur b/ground
Drive Mode Continuous Shooting: Hi (Not Hi+)
Focus Mode Continuous AF (AF-C)
Tracking: Wide
Focus Area Tracking: Zone or Expand Flexible Spot
if the target subject is amongst other obstacles
Pre AF OFF
Lens Choice One with an aperture of F/4 or wider
ON (for single subjects)
Face Priority in AF OFF (for multiple subjects or when
people will appear behind primary subject)
Sony FE 70-200 G
1/2000 sec at f/4, ISO 200
Landscape Settings for
Hand Held Landscapes (no tripod)
Sony SEL18-135 F/3.5-5.6

1/80 second at f/8, ISO 200
Landscape Settings (hand-held)
File Type RAW
Aperture (Starting) f/8 or f/11
ISO AUTO
Shutter Speed N/A
Focus Mode DMF
Focus Area Expand Flexible Spot
Lens Choice 10-18 mm for wide coverage
Face Detect N/A
MF Assist ON
Metering Mode Multi
White Balance AUTO
1/200 seconds at f/11, ISO 100 Back to Contents Page

Sony FE 16-35 GM
1/3 second at f/2.8, ISO 400
When photographing evening

landscapes without a tripod you need to
Night Time
LANDSCAPE
use a wide aperture, raise the ISO and
use a lens with SteadyShot (OSS)
In this image the camera was braced on
top of railings to avoid camera shake.
Landscape Settings for
Landscapes using a Tripod
Sony SEL10-18 F/4

Landscape (tripod) Settings
File Type RAW
Aperture (Starting) f/8 or f/11
ISO 100
Shutter Speed N/A
Focus Mode Manual
Focus Area N/A
Lens Choice 10-18 mm for wide coverage
Face Detect N/A
MF Assist ON
Metering Mode Multi
White Balance AUTO
SteadyShot OFF

Street Settings
Sony SEL10-18 F/4
Street Memory Settings
Shoot Mode Manual
Aperture (Starting) f/8
ISO 125 for sunny weather
Shutter Speed 1/500 second
Focus Mode Manual
Focus Area N/A
Focal Length Approximately 24 mm
Face Detect N/A
MF Assist N/A
Metering Mode Expose for the Weather
White Balance Daylight
Back to Contents Page 193

With ‘Street Photography’ I use
manual camera settings that
enable me to capture decisive
moments without having to worry
about focus or exposure. These
relate back to the ‘Sunny 16’ rule
that, in turn, ensures correct
exposure so long as the sun is
shining (my preferred ambient
conditions for Street).
STREET 194
When photographing street in low light I
strongly recommend using the maximum
aperture of a wide aperture prime lens
and using one of the tracking AF areas
to lock focus on your subject
STREET
Night Time
FE 24 F/1.4 @ F/1.4
195 1/250 second at f/1.4, ISO 6400
Other Notable Features
When is Manual Exposure Mode not
Manual? Why have I relegated Exposure
Metering to ‘Other Notables’? Why would
you want to switch SteadyShot off when
you just upgraded to camera that has it?
What is all the fuss about the first curtain
shutter - will you join the ‘I must turn it off
for better bokeh’ club or will you just leave
it on - the way Sony thought was best for
you? Can you solve the mystery of the
disappearing Bulb setting? The answers
to all of these questions await you in the
pages that follow.

When manual is still auto?
This is not a custom setting but is a feature that can easily be overlooked
if you are new to professional Sony cameras.
Manual Mode on the A6100 can be

used in conjunction with Auto ISO.
This means that the optimum shutter

speed and aperture is set by the
photographer and the ISO is adjusted
automatically by the camera, so that an
average auto-exposure is achieved.
Use the Exposure compensation dial to
increase or decrease the exposure. I
prefer to use ISO Auto Min SS in
conjunction with Aperture Priority in
preference to Manual with Auto ISO.

If you understand how the Light
meter works in your camera,
you will also learn when to use
Exposure Compensation for the
times it does not choose an
appropriate exposure. You need
a very good reason to change
the default Metering mode from
Multi to one of the other options.
www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Play Now

High ISO Performance
Catherine: Sony FE 1.8/135
Raw File:1/125 sec at f/4, ISO 6400
Zero Noise Reduction in Post Processing
Although admittedly not as good as Sony’s full frame

cameras, the level of noise is excellent for an APS-C
camera. In conditions of low ambient light try using a wide
aperture lens to keep the ISO as low as possible.
Silent Shooting
Silent Shooting is
enabled from Menu
Drive > Camera Settings 2

e-Front Curtain Shut.
e-Front Curtain shutter should
usually be left on, but may need to
be turned to Off when working
with non-Sony lenses at wide
apertures and very high shutter
speeds. You may hear some
photographers telling you to
switch it off. Unless you encounter
a problem with uneven exposure
(when using a non-Sony lens with
a very fast shutter speed) or
banding (when using flash) you
are recommended to leave it on.

e-Front Curtain Shut.
The e-front Curtain shutter
reduces the lag between
pressing the shutter and the
camera taking an image. It
results in a quieter shutter
sound and removes the risk of
vibration ruining your slow
shutter speed images. It does,
however, change the look of the
bokeh and can cause issues
with adapted lenses. Find out
more by watching the movie.
www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills Play Now

Bulb
Bulb is selected when
the shutter speed passes
30 seconds
It can only be selected

if the Drive Mode is set
to Single Shooting and
Silent Shooting is OFF

Play Now
Lens Recommendations
The advantage of purchasing an ILC (Interchangeable Lens
Camera) over a fixed-lens camera is you can optimise
performance and extend the creative possibilities by attaching
specialist lenses. Sony’s decision to work with one mount (E-
Mount) for both their APS-C and Full Frame Mirrorless cameras
means that you have an extensive range of lenses to choose
from. In some instances I will recommend Full Frame (FE)
lenses over SEL lenses because of superior performance.
Mark’s Recommendations (Movie)

My favourite E-Mount lenses when working with the
APS-C cameras are:
• SEL 30 F/3.5 (Macro)
• SEL 50 F/1.8 (Wide Aperture Prime)
• SEL 16-55 F/2.8 G (Premium Quality Standard Zoom)
• SEL 18-135 (Standard Zoom)
• SEL 55-210 Zoom (Telephoto Zoom)
• SEL 70-350 G Zoom (Premium Quality Telephoto Zoom)
• FE 24 F/1.4 GM (Wide Aperture Wide-Angle Prime)

• FE 35 F/1.8 (Wide Aperture Standard Prime)
• FE 85 F/1.8 (Wide Aperture Telephoto Prime)
• FE 70-200 F/4 G (Telephoto Zoom)
APS-C (cropped sensor)
Note > The A6100 shares its lens mount with all other
Sony E-Mount cameras, including the Full Frame A7
and A9 cameras. Lenses designed for Full Frame E-
Mount cameras start with the letters ‘FE’.

Standard Macro SEL 30 F3.5
Ultra Wide-Angle Zoom SEL 1018 F4
Ultra Wide-Angle Zoom SEL 1018 F4
SEL 18-135
Standard Zoom
Standard Zoom SEL 18-135
Premium Quality Standard Zoom SEL 16-55 F/2.8 G
Premium Quality Standard Zoom SEL 16-55 F/2.8 G
Premium Quality Standard Zoom
SEL 16-55 F/2.8 G

SEL 55-210
Telephoto Zoom
FE 70-200 F/4 G
Telephoto Zoom Recommended for fast moving action
Kangaroo
Sony FE 70-200 F/4 G
1/640 second at f/4.5, ISO 1600
Telephoto Zoom FE 70-200 F/4 G

Recommended for low ambient light
FE or Full Frame
E 70-350 G OSS
Premium Quality Telephoto Zoom

E 70-350 G OSS

E 70-350 G OSS

Wide Angle Prime
FE 24 F/1.4 GM
FE 35 F1.8
Standard Prime
Short Telephoto Prime
E 50 F/1.8
E 50 F/1.8

Comparing Lenses at the 50mm Focal length
Kit Lens Wide Open at 50mm (f/5.6) 50mm f/1/8 Wide Open (f/1.8)

FE 85 F/1.8
Max
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
Medium Telephoto Prime

Medium Telephoto Prime
Shinkansen
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
FE 85 F/1.8
Sumo Stable
Sony FE 1.8/85mm
1/500 second at f/1.8, ISO 2500
FE 85 F/1.8
Masterclass Movies
Hungry for more? Well, join the
Masterclass series — designed for
photographers with serious stamina for
extra learning. I have cherry-picked four
of my presentations for you to watch. Just
get comfortable I have been known to talk
for a while on subjects I am passionate
about :-)

In this presentation I take a look at the
technological developments that have had an
impact on my own 38-year career in
photography. From Tri-X and Kodachrome
film, and the advent of the first DSLR
camera, right through to the Full-Frame
Backlit-Illuminated Stacked CMOS Sensors I
use today. I suggest that, although the
photographic eye is important, the gear does
make a difference to what and how I make
my images.
In this 72-minute movie I explore the

equipment I have chosen and the additional
travel items I pack when I travel light with my
mirrorless cameras. Although it focusses on
Sony equipment it would be suitable for
anyone thinking of moving from a DSLR to a
lighter and more compact camera kit. The
movie also explores some of my basic
camera settings and some advice on
shooting styles when traveling.

In this one-hour seminar style movie I introduce
you to the tips and techniques for capturing
powerful portraits on location. I take an editorial
approach to creating portraits of family, friends
and complete strangers that I have only just met.
I explain the camera settings I use, and also how
I frame my images. I complete the presentation
by taking a look at some simple lighting on
location techniques.
In this 90-minute presentation for Adobe at the

Make-it conference in Sydney I outline my
complete workflow from capture to output. It
includes Colour Management, optimising
software and hardware for speed, creating a new
‘Custom Default’ for Lightroom, optimising and
automating import workflows, incorporating a
‘Mirrored RAID’ drive into my imaging workflows
+ incorporating Develop presets and Smart
workflows in Adobe CC imaging products.

Useful Sony Accessories
I don’t leave home without any of these
products. You may be able to find
cheaper non-Sony items but I would be
wary of batteries and cards - unless you
know they are the genuine article. In fact
even if they are branded as being Sony I
would still advise buying from a reputable
dealer that is not selling look-alike clones.

Useful Accessories
Some accessories for your A6100
camera that you may like to consider is a
spare battery or two (NP-FW50) and a
dedicated battery charger. Sony’s BC-
QM1 allows you to charge two batteries
at the same time from a single power
point (the one in the charger and the one
in the camera). As the megapixel count
of both cameras is generous it is worth
considering moving up to a larger class
10 SD card (94 MB/s). For
photographers working with the camera
on a tripod, Sony’s RM-VPR1 remote
release or RMT-P1BT Bluetooth remote
are perfect companions. I would also
recommend the use of an eternal
microphone (such as the ECM-XYST1M)
if you intend to record movies and would
like improved audio quality over what the
internal microphone can deliver.

RMT-P1BT
Bluetooth Remote
C1 Options (assign Custom Key)
TOGGLE OPTIONS
AF/MF Control Toggle Note > Zoom requires
PowerZoom (PZ) Lenses and
AEL Toggle Focus requires the camera is
AEL Toggle (Spot Metering) first set to Manual Focus (MF).
Flash Exposure Lock Toggle
Focus Magnifier
Finder / Monitor Select
Live View Display Select
Bright Monitoring
Touch Operation Select
HOLD OPTIONS
AF/MF Hold
AEL Hold
Flash Exposure (FEL) Hold
Aperture Preview (when Live View is Off)
Shot Result Preview (when Live View is On)

RMT-P1BT Bluetooth Remote
NOTE > The camera’s Sleep Mode will be

disabled when Bluetooth is switched to On
Hold for 7 Seconds
Lens Adapters
Sony’s LA-EA4 and LA-EA3 lens
adapters will allow you to mount any
Sony A-Mount lens onto your E-Mount
camera. This effectively expands the
range of lenses that you can use with
your camera.If the A-Mount lens has a
focus motor in the lens choose the LA-
EA3 adapter for optimum AF
performance.
Lens adapters for other makes of lenses
are also available to use with the E-
Mount cameras such as Metabones and
Sigma’s MC-11 adapter.

Mark’s Custom Settings
These Settings are intended as Starting Settings
only. They should not be seen as prescriptive
settings that are locked down - other photographers
may use different settings to achieve the same
outcome. Click on the Movie link (below each title)
to see why I have chosen my settings. My Starting
Settings will most likely be changed after I have
started shooting - this may be influenced by
changing lighting or creative decisions.
Shutter Priority is a viable alternative to shooting

Sports/Action. Note that the Landscape settings
change if the camera is on a tripod (auto ISO
becomes a fixed ISO value). Uncompressed RAW
is only really necessary for Landscape shooting but
Uncompressed files can have lossless compression
when imported as DNG files in Lightroom. Setting a
fixed White Balance setting is only really critical for
JPEGs and Movies but some photographers may
prefer to set this in-camera rather than in post.

Memory Recall
Memory Recall (MR) is a way of
quickly accessing a group of
camera settings that have been
saved to the camera’s memory.
On previous models you could
select ‘1’ or ‘2’ on the Shoot
Mode dial while on the A6100
you first select ‘MR’ and then
select one of three memories
saved to the camera, or one of
four memories saved to the
memory card (M1-M4). It is
important to note that memories
saved to the card are removed
when the card is formatted.

Memory Settings
Portrait Action Landscape
Single Head & Shoulder Freeze / Pan with Blur Wide-Angle : Hand-Held
File Type RAW RAW RAW
Shoot Mode Aperture Priority Shutter Priority Aperture Priority
Aperture (Starting only) f/2.8 (or wider) Wide to freeze or stopped down to Blur f/8 or f/11
ISO AUTO AUTO AUTO
Shutter Speed N/A 1/2000 to freeze or 1/250 to blur b/ground N/A
Drive Mode Continuous Shooting Lo Continuous Shooting Hi Single Shooting
Focus Mode Continuous AF (AF-C) Continuous AF (AF-C) Single-shot AF (AF-S)
Focus Area Tracking:Expand Flexible Spot or Wide Tracking: Wide (with Pre AF switched OFF) Expand Flexible Spot
Focal Length 50-85 mm 70-350 mm 10-24 mm
Face Detect ON ON (Off with multiple subjects & a Wide AF area) N/A
MF Assist ON N/A ON
Metering Mode Multi Multi Multi
White Balance AUTO (or set to lighting) AUTO (or set to lighting) Daylight
Custom Buttons
Stills Movies Playback/Review
C1 Focus Mode Follow Custom (Stills) Rating
C2 Focus Magnifier Follow Custom (Stills)
Left Button Drive Mode Audio Record Levels (Stills)
Right Button ISO Follow Custom (Stills)
Down Button Exposure Compensation Follow Custom (Stills)
AEL Button Focus Area Follow Custom (Stills)
Center Button Focus Standard Focus Standard
Focus Hold Button Eye AF Follow Custom (Stills)
Fn Button Send to Smartphone

Function Menu
If you have reassigned the Focus

Hold Button to Eye-AF then it
would also make sense to add
Face Priority in AF to the Fn
menu so that you don’t have to
go hunting in the main menus to
turn it off.
The A6100 has a direct way of

changing the Fn settings. You are
now taken directly to the actual
Fn menu.

Function Menu - Default Settings
There are four default settings in
the Fn menu that are duplicating
options that can be changed by
a custom key …so you don’t
have to worry about losing quick
access to something important.
Upper Six Duplicates

Drive Mode: 1
1 3 Exposure Compensation: 2
1 2 3 2 ISO: 3
4
4 Lower Six Duplicates
White Balance: 4

Function Menu - Mark’s Settings
Upper Six
Silent Shooting
Live View Display
Focus Area
Focus Mode
Interval Shooting
Metering Mode
Lower Six
Audio Signals
Subject Detection
Face/Eye Priority in AF
Creative Style
Touch Operation
Shoot Mode

Function (Fn) Menu
Fn Menu Upper1 Upper2 Upper3 Upper4 Upper5 Upper6
Upper Silent Shooting Live View Display Focus Area Focus Mode Interval Timer Metering Mode
Lower Lower1 Lower2 Lower3 Lower4 Lower5 Lower6

Audio Signals Subject Detection Face/Eye Priority in AF Creative Style Touch Operation Shoot Mode
Mark’s Recommendations Shooting for Stills Shooting

www.markgaler.com

Masterclass Movies
Hungry for more? Well, join the
Masterclass series — designed for
photographers with serious stamina for
extra learning. I have cherry-picked four
of my presentations for you to watch. Just
get comfortable I have been known to talk
for a while on subjects I am passionate
about :-)

In this presentation I take a look at the
technological developments that have had an
impact on my own 38-year career in
photography. From Tri-X and Kodachrome
film, and the advent of the first DSLR
camera, right through to the Full-Frame
Backlit-Illuminated Stacked CMOS Sensors I
use today. I suggest that, although the
photographic eye is important, the gear does
make a difference to what and how I make
my images.
In this 72-minute movie I explore the

equipment I have chosen and the additional
travel items I pack when I travel light with my
mirrorless cameras. Although it focusses on
Sony equipment it would be suitable for
anyone thinking of moving from a DSLR to a
lighter and more compact camera kit. The
movie also explores some of my basic
camera settings and some advice on
shooting styles when traveling.

This 2-hour post processing masterclass looks at
the powerful tools we can use to develop our
images. These skills enable us to express what
we want to say and how we feel about the
subjects we are photographing. Mark draws on
his extensive experience as an Adobe
Ambassador, Beta tester and Professional
Educator to present this illustrated guide to help
put you in control of your post production
workflows. This movie is available to watch in 4K.
In this 90-minute presentation for Adobe at the

Make-it conference in Sydney Mark outlines his
complete workflow from capture to output. It
includes Colour Management, optimising
software and hardware for speed, creating a new
‘Custom Default’ for Lightroom, optimising and
automating import workflows, incorporating a
‘Mirrored RAID’ drive into an imaging workflow +
incorporating Develop presets and Smart
workflows in Adobe CC imaging products.

eBooks
If you have enjoyed this eBook and would
like to download additional eBooks just
head over to my website and take a look
at what is on offer.

Browse Now
Learning

Reviews
Use the Categories feature
to Filter for Reviews

Announcements
Use the Categories feature to
Filter for Announcements

Flickr Albums of Ultra HD Images
Individual Q & A Support
Due to the volume of requests I receive for support I
am unfortunately not able to answer all questions on
social media and cannot answer questions via email
and Facebook Messenger. If, however, you would like
to become a Paid YouTube Member you can join my
live monthly Seminars, ask questions in the member
only Q&A forums and upload images as a part of a
Photo Critique service. Answering members questions
is one of my main priorities. In this way I can become
your personal Sony Alpha Consultant for just a few
dollars per month.
US $4.99 per month
Mark Galer
Membership
31 Support Movies Movie Index
AF Tracking Lens Review : Choosing your next lens
Basic Setup (straight out of the box) Lenses (Mark’s recommendations)
Beyond the Basics Lens Review (Premium Quality G Lenses)
Build a Better Kit Live View Display
Bulb Long Exposure Photography
Capture Professional Portraits Memory Setup
Capture Powerful Portraits Metering Modes
Colour Management (Color Science) Movie Settings
Commander (Radio Flash) One Mount - The Sony Alpha Advantage
DMF Portrait Settings
e-Front Curtain Shutter Power Save
Face Eye Priority in AF Setting Effect
Focus Peaking Fast Focus in Low Light
Flash - Sony HVL Radio RM Sports Settings
Fn Menu Street Settings
White Balance

Index
Action Settings Histogram PDAF
Animal Eye-AF Interval Shooting Phase Detect Autofocus
Aperture Priority ISO Setting Portrait Settings
Bluetooth Remote Jump Setting Pre-AF
Buffer Landscape Settings Rating Images
Bulb Lens Adapters Remote (Bluetooth)
Circulate Focus Point Lens Recommendations S&Q
Custom Keys Live View Display SCN (Scene Mode)
Dial Wheel Lock Macro Self Portrait Timer
DMF Manual Focus Setting Effect
e-Front Curtain Shutter Memory Shooting Modes
Exposure Compensation Metering Modes Silent Shooting
Exposure Review MF Assist Street Settings
Eye AF Movie Mode Touch Operation
Finder Movie With Shutter Touch Shutter
Fn Button Multi Interface Shoe Tracking
Fn Menu Multi/Micro USB Wireless
Focus Area My Dial Wireless Flash
Focus Mode My Menu
HDMI PASM

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Custom Setup Support
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eBook
by Mark Galer Sony Ambassador

A6100 Sony Alpha Ebook

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Custom Setup Support

by Mark Galer Sony Ambassador

Mark is using his wealth of experience as both a

Mark owned the original Alpha 100 and currently owns an

Back to Contents Page

After extensive shooting with the Sony mirrorless

Note > The settings outlined in this guide are

Back to Contents Page

The Sony A6100 is a Mirrorless

Back to Contents Page

NEX-3 & NEX-5

Back to Contents Page

NEX-6 PDAF Back to Contents Page

Back to Contents Page

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Note > This book is supported

The A6100 shares its lens mount (E-Mount) with the

Back to Contents Page

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Lowepro PASSPORT SLING III

Back to Contents Page

Shutter The Sensor provides a live

A DSLR uses a mirror to

Back to Contents Page

Live View provides a WYSIWYG* view

Back to Contents Page

A6100 Online Help Guide

Back to Contents Page

To select menu items press the ‘Menu’

Back to Contents Page

Multi Interface Shoe

Sony flashes cannot compete on price with the

Sony FA-WRC1M Sony HVL-F45RM

Multi/Micro USB Terminal

Note > It is faster to download images via a USB-3

HDMI Micro Jack

Note > Some microphones may connect via the

Back to Contents Page

Back to Contents Page

Playback button C2 / Delete button

Back to Contents Page

Back to Contents Page

Back to Contents Page

Lower Lower1 Lower2 Lower3 Lower4 Lower5 Lower6

Mark’s Recommendations Shooting for Stills Shooting

Back to Contents Page

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Drive Mode: Single Shooting

Limitations: F/4 is not very wide

Drive Mode: Continuous Shooting

Limitations: 1/2000 second is

Drive Mode: Single Shooting

Limitations: f/4 does not provide a lot of

Manual or DMF when Auotofocus struggles

SEL 30mm F3.5 Macro for APS-C Cameras

Drive Mode: Single Shooting