I read an article this morning about how Sony’s Clear Image Zoom feature will double the focal length of your lens with almost no loss of quality. Actually the term used was minimal loss of quality.
In theory it sounded great and in practice the focal length was indeed doubled but the images were terrible. And to do a proper test I used a tripod and shot in manual at several different apertures.
Just figuring out how to do it with my A6000 was a challenge. First of all you can shoot only JPEG. Then you change the Zoom setting to ClearImageZoom. Then go back to Zoom and Zoom from 0-2x.
After looking at the images I remembered trying this with my RX100 and the results were equally disappointing. But that camera can focus much closer so I shot this Dahlia with it from about an inch and a half away at 10mm.
If you’re interested B&H photo has an article called “Sony Clear Image Zoom: The Most Amazing Shooting Mode You Never Heard Of.” They used a Sony Alpha a7R II so their results might be different.
There is an old proverb that says there is no need to put legs on a snake. But you can get some great shots of him if you use the right lens, until he bites you and then it really won’t matter at all.
Photography OCD 
Amazing image, as usual, Mike!
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Shucks Ma’am, ain’t no thing but a chicken wing. Wait, that was a different shot.
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Lol.
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The techs a bit above my head but all that zooming to and froing paid off – it’s a cracker of a shot – or should that be dahlia
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Thanks Laura, only Sony fans will really get it. Its a digital way of zooming further than the lens normally would reach. This Dalia I shot with a camera that can zoom but instead I got as close as I could.
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Fascinating. I have a Nikon, so can’t try this out. My experience with detail closeup is so variable, I always begin it as a gamble. Sometimes the results are fantastic, other times just a blur.
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Thanks Jazz. Its easy to get caught up in trying to get the details perfect and lose sight of the composition. If I ever bought a true Macro lens I think I’d drive myself crazy (crazier).
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Haha! Love your flower! And I have no plans on getting too close to any snake! 🙂
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Thanks Lisa. Sometimes the snake is actually a rope but that’s a story for a different day. 🙂
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To buy another lens is easier, isn’t it? 😆 Sometimes macro filter can help too. I had sony camera before my nikon, it was terrible, because anything is just for canon or nikon. I’m glad I have one headache less now.
Good shot, Mike!
I haven’t made a shot of dahlia which I like still…
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Thanks Alena, I bought these Dahlias for fifty cents a stem from an Amish woman!
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