Sample Book Pages

from "The Complete Guide to Sony's A65 and A77 SLT Cameras"

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Table of Contents

Chapter 0 Introduction

This Book is Different

Chapter 1 The Alpha 65 and 77 in a Nutshell

Major Features – A65 and A77

World’s Highest-Megapixel APS-C Sensor.

World’s Best Electronic Viewfinder

HD Video with Autofocus

Olympic-style shooting speeds.

Two Panorama Modes

In-camera Lens Corrections

Handheld Twilight / Multi-Frame Noise Reduction

Three Low-Light Modes Compared

Handheld High Dynamic Range (HDR)

Electronic First-Curtain Shutter

Object Tracking

Picture Effects

One Heck of a Kit Lens

An A65-only feature: Built-in guide!

A77-Only Features

12 pictures-per-second

That Crazy Articulated Screen

Two .jpg compression settings

AF Micro-Adjust

Additional Features

Other Sony Standards

Face Detection / Face Registration

Scene Selection Modes and Auto+

YARF (Yet Another RAW format)

Some Essential Lens History

Sony and Minolta Lens Nomenclature

Frequently Asked Questions about Lenses

The Latest Firmware

“My Pictures Aren’t Sharp!”

Chapter 2 Quick Guide for the Impatient User

Some Essential Configuration

Energy-Efficient Mode

Configuring the DISPlay

The Panorama Mode

Program (“P”) Mode

The “Images Remaining Counter”

Focusing Basics

How does the camera know what to focus on?

Autofocus Using Face Detection

Autofocus (AF) / Manual Focus (MF) Switch

Single-Shot AF / Continuous AF Focusing Modes

Continuous Shooting and Memory Cards

The Other Battery

Flash Exposure Accuracy

My Personal Camera Settings

Chapter 3 The Function (Fn) Functions

Single-Shot Advance

Continuous Advance

10s and 2s Self-Timers

Bracketing for HDR (A77 only)

What exactly changes when you bracket?

White Balance Bracketing

DRO Adv. Bracket

Infrared Remote Commander

Slow Sync Flash (A77 only - not in the menu)

Autofocus Mode (A65 Only)

Object Tracking

On (Registered Faces)

High ISO Noise Levels

Multi-Frame Noise Reduction (MFNR)

AUTO ISO Settings

Specifying Auto ISO Boundaries (A77 only)

Less-than-100 ISO Values (A77 only)

Center-weighted and Multi-Segment Metering

Flash Exposure Compensation

Auto White Balance and Pre-Set White Balance

Tweaking the Pre-Set White Balance

The Color Temperature setting

Custom White Balance

Dynamic Range Optimization and HDR

Creative Styles

Frequently Asked Questions

Contrast Setting

Saturation Setting

Sharpness Setting

Combining Settings

Picture Effects

Rich-Tone Monochrome

How do these effects differ from before?

Chapter 4 The “Recording” (Camera icon) Menu Settings

Panorama / 3D Panorama Functions

Other ways to view 3D .mpo Files

Long Exposure NR

Power Ratio (A77 only)

Shooting Tip List (A65 Only)

Exposure Step (A77 Only)

AF-A setup (A77 only)

Priority setup (A77 only)

AF w/ shutter (A77 only)

Memory (A77 only)

Chapter 5 “Custom” (Gear icon) Menu Settings

Finder / LCD Setting

Red Eye Reduction

Release w/o Lens

Auto+ Cont. Shooting

Auto+ Image Extract.

DISP Button (Monitor & Finder)

Graphic Display

For Viewfinder (Rear LCD only)

Peaking Level / Peaking Color

Live View Display

Func. of AEL Button

AF/MF button (A77 only)

Focus Hold Button

Smart Telecon. Button

Smart Teleconverter

Focus Magnifier

Ctrl dial setup (A77 only)

Dial exp. Comp (A77 only)

Exp. Comp. set (A77 only)

Bracket Order (A77 only)

AF drive speed (A77 only)

Lens Comp.: [Three variables]

Chromatic Aberration

Front Curtain Shutter

Face Registration

Chapter 6 The “Playback” Menu Settings

But what if you have an older analog TV?

Slide Show using the Optional Infrared Remote Commander

PhotoTV HD and Bravia Sync

Specify Printing

Printing the Date on the image

Canceling DPOF files

Volume Settings

Playback Display

Chapter 7 Memory Card Menu Settings

If standard form is Selected

If Date Form is Selected

Select REC Folder

Recover Image DB

Display Card Space

Chapter 8 Date, Time, and Area Menu Settings

Date/Time Setup

Chapter 9 The “Setup” (Wrench Icon) Menu Settings

Viewfinder Bright.

Viewing on a Map

GPS Menu Settings

HDMI Resolution

More about Dust

Dust on the Mirror

Delete Confirm. (A77 only)

AF Micro Adj. (A77 only)

Frequently Asked Questions

Another way to Test

Upload Settings (Eye-fi card only)

Mode Dial Guide

Chapter 10 Exteriorly-Set Settings

The Scene Selection Modes

Handheld Twilight

Panorama / 3D Panorama Mode

10 / 12 pictures per second mode

“No Flash” mode (A65 Only)

MR (Memory Recall - A77 Only)

Drive Mode Button

White Balance Button

Exposure Compensation Button

Slow Sync (A77 only)

AF/MF Button (A77 only)

Smart Teleconverter / Focus Magnifier Button

Playback Button

The Help / Delete Button

Focus Mode Knob / Switch

Viewfinder Eyepiece Diopter Correction

Flash Sync Terminal (A77 only)

Remote Terminal Connector

Remote Commander (Infrared) Receiver

“DC In” Connector

USB and HDMI Connectors

Vertical Grip (A77 only)

Microphone Connector

Chapter 11 Movie Mode and its Menu Settings

Best Lenses for Movie Making

External Microphones

External Display

Manual Control in Movie Mode

Importing your Files to your Computer

.modd and .moff Files

The File Formats

More About the Formats

Choosing a Video Format

Why is my camera warning me when I change formats?

“Can’t Record this Kind of Movie”

Editing your Footage

Saving a Freeze Frame

Burning AVCHD videos

Creating a Data Disc

Playing Movies on your PS3

Audio Recording

Wind Noise Reduction

SteadyShot (for movies only)

Chapter 12 Wireless Flash and Advanced Flash Topics

How does it work?

As Simple As It Gets

The New Wireless Protocol

Intermixing the New and Old Flashes

How to do Ratio Flash

Ratio Flash using a 36 and/or 56 as slaves

Advanced 2- or 3-way Ratio Flash using a 42 and/or 58 as slaves

Groups and Channels

Will the Control Bursts Affect Exposure?

Light Modifiers

Umbrellas and Softboxes

Manual Flash Mode

To put the 56 into Manual Slave mode

To put the 43 and 58 into Manual Slave mode

To put the 42 into Manual Slave mode

High Speed Sync (HSS) flash

How to Activate HSS

Balancing Ambient Light and Flash

To Probe Further

Chapter 13 DRO and HDR

Dynamic Range Optimization

More DRO examples

Frequently Asked Questions about DRO

So When Does DRO kick in?

When DRO is bad

Combining with Sunset Image Style

DRO on Your Computer

High Dynamic Range (HDR)

Chapter 14 Digital Imaging Topics

An Introduction to RAW

The Bayer Filter and Demosaicing

How Your Camera Creates A JPG

RAW, TIF, and JPG Compared

JPG Compression Artifacts

Any Other Upsides to Shooting .JPG?

RAW Processing using RawTherapee and NeatImage

Step 1: Convert the RAW File

Step 2: Apply Noise Reduction

RAW Processing using Lightroom 3.3 or Adobe Camera RAW CS5

A Final Rant About High-ISO Noise and Camera Reviews

Image Size and Resolution

“Hot Pixels”

Some Background on MemoryStick Pro Duo

Some Background on SD Memory Cards

Memory Card Corruption Issues

Chapter 15 Additional Resources

Internet Forums and Discussion Boards

3^rd Party Camera Triggers

Camera and Lens Review Sites

25 Ways to “Wow!” e-Booklet

Advanced Topics 1 and 2

An Introduction to Sony’s Wireless Flash (video)

The Friedman Archives Seminars

What Others Are Saying

Facebook and The Friedman Archives Blog

The Road to China

The Maui Xaphoon

Appendix A A Condensed Guide to the Basics

The Histogram Display

Brightness range, sensors, and the human eye

Using the Histogram for a fin(d)er degree of control

The “Secrets” to Light and Composition

Writing with Light

Composition – The Rule of Thirds

Out of place shot

Classical Portrait

Environmental Portrait

“Hey, Look at Me!”

Appendix B A “Cookbook” for Special Shooting Situations

Artistic Waterfalls

Stage Performances / Rock Concerts

Nighttime Time Exposures

Shooting in Snow

Street Photography

Sunsets and Silhouettes

Nighttime Sports

Christmas Lights

Interiors that sell

Candlelight Shots

Appendix C Tip Cards

Hey, did you ever expect to get so much information for only about 25 bucks??

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