A field-ready setup guide for the Sony a6700: a clean first-time configuration, autofocus settings for wildlife, suggested custom buttons, and starting exposures for the situations you actually shoot. For general rules of thumb that apply to any camera, see the Photography Quick Reference.
Note
Menu names can shift slightly between firmware versions. If a label does not match your camera exactly, look for the closest match in the same menu section.
At a Glance
| Camera | Sony a6700, APS-C, 26 MP |
| Everyday mode | Aperture priority (A) with Auto ISO |
| Wildlife mode | Manual (M) with Auto ISO and exposure compensation |
| Wildlife focus | AF-C, Tracking (Zone or Wide), Subject Recognition on |
| Drive mode | Hi (about 8 fps) for tracking, Hi+ (about 11 fps) when you need the extra frames |
| Shutter | Mechanical by default, electronic (silent) for close or skittish subjects |
| File format | RAW for anything you plan to edit |
First-Time Setup
- Format the card in the camera whenever you offload photos, not on your computer.
- Set the file format to RAW (or RAW plus JPEG if you want quick sharing copies).
- Turn on the histogram and zebra in the display options so you can judge exposure without trusting screen brightness.
- Set the image stabilization to On for handheld stills. Turn it off on a tripod.
- Enable Eye AF for people and animals through Subject Recognition (see below) so the camera looks for eyes automatically.
- Pick your card behavior if you use two cards: record to both as a backup, or overflow to the second card.
Autofocus for Wildlife
The a6700 has AI-based subject recognition, and it is the single biggest reason the camera is so good on animals and birds.
| Setting | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Focus Mode | AF-C (Continuous) | Keeps tracking even when the subject barely moves, and follows eyes as they shift |
| Focus Area | Tracking: Zone or Tracking: Wide | Lets the camera find and follow the subject from a wide field |
| Focus Area (distant subject) | Tracking: Expand Flexible Spot | Better when the subject is small in the frame or partly hidden |
| Subject Recognition | On | Enables eye and body detection |
| Recognition Target | Animal for deer and mammals, Bird for birds | Matching the target speeds up detection, or use Auto if you switch subjects constantly |
Tips that make a real difference:
- Start with Tracking: Zone, then switch to Expand Flexible Spot when brush or branches confuse the camera.
- Use back button focus (AF-ON) so focus and the shutter are separate. You can hold focus on the animal and fire only when the pose is right.
- If eye detection is jumpy on a partly hidden animal, the camera will usually still hold the head or body. Keep the tracking box on it and keep shooting.
Drive Mode and Shutter
- Hi (about 8 fps): the camera keeps live tracking between frames. Good for most animal and bird action.
- Hi+ (about 11 fps): more frames per second, but the viewfinder shows the last frame between shots instead of a live view, so tracking is harder. Save it for predictable, fast moments.
- Mechanical shutter: the default for most shooting. It avoids rolling shutter distortion and banding under artificial lights.
- Electronic (silent) shutter: use it for close, wary animals, or anywhere the shutter sound could spook a subject. Expect distortion on fast pans and fast-moving subjects.
Suggested Custom Buttons
These are suggestions, not the only way. Adjust them to how your hands actually fall on the camera.
| Button | Assign | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| AF-ON | AF On | Back button focus |
| C1 | Recognition Target switch | Jump between Animal, Bird, and Human without menus |
| C2 | Focus Area | Flip between Zone, Wide, and Expand Flexible Spot quickly |
| C3 | Focus Magnifier or Drive Mode | Check critical focus, or swap between Hi and Hi+ |
| Lens button (if your lens has one) | Memory recall or a low-light preset | One-press switch to a saved exposure setup |
The camera also lets you save a full set of exposure settings to memory recall slots on the mode dial. A good use is one slot for bright daytime action and one for low-light dawn and dusk work.
Starting Exposures by Situation
| Situation | Mode | Aperture | Shutter | ISO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer at dawn or dusk | M with Auto ISO | Widest available | 1/500s to 1/1000s | Auto, cap around 6400 |
| Deer in good light, standing | A | f/5.6 to f/8 | Auto, keep 1/500s or faster | Auto |
| Birds in flight | M with Auto ISO | f/5.6 to f/8 | 1/2000s or faster | Auto, cap around 6400 |
| Perched birds | A or M | f/5.6 to f/8 | 1/1000s or faster | Auto |
| Landscape on a tripod | A | f/8 to f/11 | Whatever it needs | 100 |
| Portraits | A | f/2 to f/2.8 | 1/200s or faster | 100 to 400 |
| Low light handheld | A or M | Widest available | 1/125s or faster if the subject is still | Auto, up to 6400 or more |
Manual mode with Auto ISO is the favorite for wildlife because the shutter speed stays where you set it and the camera changes ISO to match the light. Use exposure compensation to darken or brighten the result.
Video Basics
- 4K at 24, 30, or 60 fps covers almost everything. Use higher frame rates when you want slow motion.
- Use S-Cinetone for a good-looking color profile straight out of the camera.
- Match your shutter speed to double your frame rate (1/60s for 30 fps, 1/120s for 60 fps) for natural motion blur.
- Set the microphone level manually and turn off any noisy autofocus sounds if you are recording ambient audio.
Notes
- Modern sensors handle high ISO well. A sharp, slightly noisy image is better than a clean blurry one.
- Pair a long lens with a shutter speed of at least 1 divided by the effective focal length. With the crop factor of about 1.5, a 200mm lens acts like a 300mm lens, so aim for 1/300s or faster on stills.
- Check focus after big changes in conditions. A quick zoom in on the back screen tells you if a shot is sharp before the animal leaves.
- Carry spare batteries in cold weather. Cold drains them quickly, so keep the spares in an inside pocket.
Sources and Further Reading
This guide was written from Sony’s own a6700 tutorials and support pages plus hands-on wildlife setup write-ups. Good places to double check menu names and firmware changes: