Sony RX10Mk4 Settings Chart 17 April 2018

The RX10Mk4 offers very good follow focus capability on moving subjects. I used the Sport/Action settings listed below for this shot. I made 64 still frames in a single take at full zoom with around 95% in sharp focus.

I have been  working with the RX10 Mk4 for several months and have after considerable experiment arrived at some groups of settings which are giving me consistent results.

They are summarised below.

Shooting situation	ISO C1	ISO Auto Min SS C2	Focus Area Fn button	Steady Shot L button	Drive Mode R button	Quality Down button	Mode Dial position	Focus Mode rotary dial	Comment
General photo H H	Auto	Std	Flex Spot large	On	Single	Raw+ JPG	P	S	Standard settings
Birds perched H H	Auto	Std	Flex Spot small	On	Single	Raw+ JPG	P	S
Sport action H H	Auto	Faster	Flex spot large	On	Cont Mid	JPG x.fine	MR 1 P mode	C	Assign to MR1
Birds in flight H H	Auto	Faster	Wide	On	Cont mid	JPG  x.fine	MR 1 P mode	C	Assign to MR1 change Focus Area
Lands cape Tripod	100	Std Or Slow	Flex Spot large	Off	2 Sec timer Or cable	Raw	MR2 A mode	S	Assign to MR2

Notes

H H = hand held

In the items on the top line I have indicated which button I use for each of the adjustable parameters. This is just for information, they can be allocated to any of the configurable buttons. The main thing is to remember what function has been assigned to which button and to become familiar with this.

None of these settings is engraved in stone.  The whole enterprise is an ongoing work in progress. This is just a snapshot of where I am with the settings at the moment.

In low light S Mode with a suitably fast shutter speed might be required for birds, perched or in flight and sport/action.

I use JPG x.Fine for moving subjects which generate a LOT of files in very quickly.  Even at Continuous Shooting: Mid (10 fps) the camera churns out 600 frames per minute.  In Continuous Shooting: High you get 1400 frames per minute.

The x.Fine JPGs are of good quality and will tolerate some editing in Adobe Camera Raw filter.

I find 10 FPS fast enough and for many subjects too fast a frame rate. I would welcome a 5 FPS option.  I find 24 FPS just generates an overwhelming number of files without providing me with more information.

For most sport/action/moving subjects I am finding that [Flexible Spot-Large] Focus Area gives a higher percentage of sharply-in-focus frames than [Wide].

But for birds in flight with clear or cloudy sky in the background, which by the way the RX10M4 can readily handle, [Wide] is better as the bird will not always be behind the AF Area box.  For BIF with a busy background such as trees, I need to do more research.

As they say in the movie….it’s complicated.