User manual SONY SLT-A77

[. . . ] Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera Preparing the camera Shooting and viewing images Shooting images to suit your subject Using the shooting functions Using the playback functions Functions list Viewing images on a computer Others Advanced operations Instruction Manual A-mount Additional information on this product and answers to frequently asked questions can be found at our Customer Support Website. Index Printed using VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)-free vegetable oil based ink. Owner's Record The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom. Record the serial number in the space provided below. Refer to these numbers whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product. __________________________ WARNING To reduce fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. [. . . ] · If you trigger Smile Shutter while tracking a face, the face becomes the target of the smile detection feature (page 121). · · · · 130 Adjusting the brightness of the image AE Lock When shooting into the sun or by a window, and the exposure may not be appropriate for the subject, use the light meter where the subject is bright enough and lock the exposure before shooting. To reduce the brightness of the subject, point the camera forwards a spot that is brighter than the subject and use the light meter to lock the exposure of the entire image. To make the subject brighter, point the camera forwards a spot that is darker than the subject and use the light meter to lock the exposure of the entire image. This section describes how to shoot a brighter image of the subject using the (Spot). Shooting (Advanced operations) 1 Fn button t (Metering Mode) t (Spot) 2 Adjust the focus on the portion you want to lock the exposure. 3 Press the AEL button to lock the exposure. (AE lock mark) appears. · The exposure value based on the locked exposure in the spot metering circle is also indicated on the EV scale. AEL button 4 While pressing the AEL button, focus on the subject, and shoot the subject. · If you continue to shoot with the same exposure value, press and hold the AEL button after the shooting. The setting is canceled when the button is released. 131 Adjusting the brightness of the image Metering Mode Fn button t (Multi segment) (Metering Mode) t Select the desired mode This mode measures light on each area after dividing the total area into multiple areas and determines the proper exposure of the entire screen. (Center weighted) While emphasizing the central area of the screen, this mode measures the average brightness of the entire screen. (Spot) This mode measures light only in the spot metering circle located in the center area. Shooting techniques · Use [Multi segment] metering for general shooting. · When there is a high contrast subject in the AF area, measure the light of the subject you want to shoot with the optimal exposure using the spot metering function and take advantage of an AE lock shooting (page 131). Note · When the exposure mode is set to AUTO, AUTO+, or Scene Selection, or when smart teleconverter is used, [Metering Mode] is fixed to [Multi segment] and you cannot select other modes. Flash Comp. When shooting with the flash, you can adjust the amount of flash light alone, without changing the exposure compensation. You can only change the exposure of a main subject which is within the flash range. Fn button t (Flash Comp. ) t Select the desired setting Toward +: Makes the flash level higher. Toward ­: Makes the flash level lower. Notes · This item cannot be set when the exposure mode is set to AUTO, AUTO+, Sweep Panorama, 3D Sweep Panorama, or Scene Selection. · The higher flash effect may not be visible due to the limited amount of flash light, if the subject is outside the maximum range of the flash. If the subject is very close, the lower flash effect may not be visible. 132 Adjusting the brightness of the image Exposure compensation and flash compensation Exposure compensation changes the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity (when [AUTO] is selected) to perform the compensation. Flash compensation only changes the amount of flash light. Flash control MENU button t setting ADI flash 2 t [Flash control] t Select the desired This method controls the lighting of the flash, factoring in the focus distance information and light metering data from the pre-flash. This method enables an accurate flash compensation with virtually no effect from the reflection off the subject. This method controls the amount of flash light depending on the data only from pre-flash light metering. This method is susceptible to the reflection off the subject. Sets the amount of flash light with [Power ratio] and fires a certain amount of flash light, regardless of the brightness of a subject. Pre-flash TTL Shooting (Advanced operations) Manual flash ADI: Advanced Distance Integration TTL: Through the lens · When [ADI flash] is selected, using a lens that is provided with a distance encoder feature can perform more accurate flash compensation by using more accurate distance information. Notes · When the distance between the subject and the external flash (sold separately) cannot be determined (wireless flash shooting using an external flash (sold separately), shooting with an off-camera flash using a cable, shooting with a macro twin flash, etc. ), the camera automatically selects Pre-flash TTL mode. · Select [Pre-flash TTL] in the following cases, as the camera cannot perform flash compensations with ADI flash. ­ A wide panel is attached to the HVL-F36AM flash. ­ A diffuser is used for flash shooting. ­ A filter with an exposure factor, such as an ND filter, is used. [. . . ] 164 Index M Macro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44, 97 Manual Exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Manual focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ]