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50 Essential Configuration

enter Direct Manual Focus (DMF) mode. I usually
keep it set to DMF with Peaking Level enabled as
described earlier in this chapter. (Section 5.13)
Focus Area Lock-On AF - Wide. With Face Detection enabled,
it does an outstanding job of being a point-and-
shoot. When I’m making a more careful
composition, I’ll switch to Center and use the old
“Focus Lock-Recompose-Shoot” method. (Section
5.14)
AF Illuminator Technically, the AF Illuminator (which provided an
autofocus-assist light on the original A77) is gone
from this camera. However, if the pop-up flash is
up, a small burst of light from the pop-up flash can
perform the same function. And when an
accessory flash is attached this will enable it's
Focus-assist red LEDs. I keep this set to Off just
because I find the flash to be annoying and the AF
does mighty fine in low light on its own. (Section
5.15)

Recording Menu 4
Function Setting
(Stills) AF Drive Speed Do you want it fast, or do you want it accurate? 
For most lenses the performance is
indistinguishable, but in theory I’d like my camera
to verify focusing before giving me the green light.
So I set it to “Slow”. (Section 5.16)
(Stills) AF Tracking When taking stills, when you’re tracking a subject
Duration (like a football player running toward you),
sometimes other obstacles get in the way
periodically and you don’t want the camera to get
distracted and focus on the obstacles. So this
setting actually slows down the time the camera
will wait before it sees that the subject is out of
focus and tries to refocus. I keep mine set to
“High” which means “don’t wait – if the subject

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