Optical zoom for macro on Sony A6500

[Pyndle]

Hi,
I have a quick settings question on the A6500 (using the 16-50mm and a seafrogs case + Inon +6 dipter).
Is there any way to do optical zoom for the really small stuff? I find that some heavy cropping gets me decent photos in post prod, but while shooting, I can only see the photo at 100% (shooting raw so optical zoom option not available and manual focus with my case isn't possible either) which makes it impossible to see if my subject is in focus or not.

Anyone has the same issue? Any tricks?

Thanks!

 

[Barmaglot]

Manual focus is perfectly possible. Zoom your lens to 50mm, then press Fn, page to Focus, and select Manual - this will switch your lens ring from zoom to focus. Rotate the housing knob until the camera is focused at minimum distance (0.3m), then move the camera forward until your subject is clear on the screen. I don't recall if it's the default or not, but on my A6300, in this mode, the center button between the four arrows switches display zoom levels, and the arrows move the zoomed-in window around the frame. You lose the ability to zoom (in the housing - on bare camera, you can use the zoom in/out rocker on the lens, but it is not accessible in any housing), but provided that you've zoomed in before activating MF, you don't need it.

Note that a +6 diopter isn't a lot; for "the really small stuff" you want something closer to +15.

Focus peaking also helps when evaluating focus on the screen.

 

[Pyndle]

Thanks a lot for the response @Barmaglot, this is crazy I knew you'd reply, you know absolutely everything about this camera haha!

I guess with that method you get stuck with the 50mm zoom right? So if the camera switches off automatically (mine does after a few minutes) or you switch it off yourself to save on battery, you have to repeat the procedure?

I'm not entirely sure how the settings will work but I will try

Yeah I figured my +6 wasn't enough, debating whether I get a +12 or +15

 

[Pyndle]

OMG I just realized 2 things as I just tried.... I feel so stupid for not realizing.
First, the ring of my case activates the ring of the lens, not the button that rotates/goes slightly up or down to zoom in or out.
Second, that this ring serves as zoom ring when you're on auto focus (I never noticed!) and most importantly, that it switches automatically to focus when you switch to manual.

That will solve a lot of my issues, thank you !!

 

[Barmaglot]

I guess with that method you get stuck with the 50mm zoom right? So if the camera switches off automatically (mine does after a few minutes) or you switch it off yourself to save on battery, you have to repeat the procedure?

Yes, when the camera powers on, or comes up from sleep, the lens resets to 16mm and you'll have to repeat the procedure. Max zoom is what you want when shooting macro through a diopter; there isn't really any point in any wider framing, because if your subject doesn't fit in the frame, just flip the diopter off.

Sounds like you've got it figured out now.

 

[rks]

I don't have my camera near me to try this, but my recollection is that if you use DMF (Direct Manual Focus possibly?) mode then when you press the back focus button and hold it you can use the focus ring to focus, and if you let go of that button you can use it for zoom. If you just hold the button without turning the know it'll auto focus. I know I've done something like this but can not recall the exactly buttonology and again my camera is currently with the housing being serviced so I can not check.

 

[rks]

FWIW I just confirmed I was correct, if you put the A6500 into DMF mode for focus, then the ring on the lens will control zoom level normally, but then if you push and hold the back button then it will change and become a focus knob at the current zoom level, enabling you to tweak the focus, I do this frequently.