Sony A7R - force manual focus enlargement?

[narikin]

When using 3rd party manual focus lenses on the A7R, (one of the pleasures of this camera) I cannot see how to get the focus magnifier to kick in.  Is there a way to do force this option, or place it on a custom button?

It seems not from what I can figure, which if so, is an oversight, as of course when using manual focus lenses, this feature is especially useful. Hopefully a firmware update could add the option.

Be happy to know if I'm missing a way to do it though

[Jim Kasson]

When using 3rd party manual focus lenses on the A7R, (one of the pleasures of this camera) I cannot see how to get the focus magnifier to kick in.  Is there a way to do force this option, or place it on a custom button?

Unless you've reassigned it, press C1 once to see the focus area. Move the focus area to cover the part of the image you want to focus on. Press C1 again for modest enlargement, Press it one more time for max -- 14x -- blowup. Focus. Press the shutter release lightly once to exit the focus mode. Press it firmly to take the picture.

Jim

[narikin]

Thanks.  How embarrassing.  RTFM indeed!

Think I have too many cameras (...) and was confused with the Fuji process where you start turning the manual focus and it auto-detects that and enlarges it for a few seconds.

 

[Jim Kasson]

...and was confused with the Fuji process where you start turning the manual focus and it auto-detects that and enlarges it for a few seconds.

With 3rd party lenses on adapters, the camera has no way of telling when you're turning the focusing ring. (Well, I suppose it could look at local contrast, but there are lots of other things that could change that.)  It's the same situation with the Leica M240; with M-mount lenses, the camera can tell when the rangefinder cam is moving and automagically switch to magnified view. With lenses on an adapter, it can't, and you have to tell it to make the switch manually.

Jim

[Wayne Fox]

you can also set how long it stays zoomed when you are manually focusing in the menu system.  I’ve found I prefer to have it stay zoomed until I am ready and then tapping the shutter button resets it.