Mark the Redneck

[Dohmnuill]

Robert, you're right about the Etrex!  Recently I was on my way (walking) to Tigh nam Bodach in upper Glen Lyon (Scotland)
and wanting to record the postion of this ancient structure with its stone "family" I pulled out the Etrex - flat! Same problem as the Nex7,
far too easily turned on by adjacent objects, but this grommet idea looks like a winner.

[rmyers]

Rubber O rings also work well for this type of application.  They are smaller in overall diameter.  If you find one with an inside diameter slightly smaller than the OD of the knob, you should be able to "roll" it over the knob and have it stay put without using adhesive.  This would make it easier to remove and reinstall if you should want to use the button.

[Bryan Conner]

True Rednecks don't use duct tape. Much too sophisticated for them. Bailing wire is the binder of choice.

Michael

Being a native of Mississippi, I feel compelled to inform you that there are two breeds of rednecks.  The original redneck would indeed use only bailing wire.  But, a hi-tech redneck does use copious quantities of "Duck Tape".  Plus, the only rednecks that call it "duct tape" are the ones "dat have dun had sum schoolin' ".

[David Hufford]

I reckon a man could pull out a pinch of his chaw and mush it on there to stop it from being pushed by accident. Then agin', real men don't use Sony.

[Fine_Art]

A bead of clear silicone or Goop would also work. I've hit the video button on the A55 a few times by mistake. Its a bit more out of the way being right beside the viewfinder, still it can happen when trying to adjust the ev button to it's right. I really don't like these buttons particularly due to the firmness which moves the camera with the pressing, making the first second junk. It really needs to be some other way which should be easy for the company with the double hinged A900 mirror, the micro-camera live view, and many other innovations.

How's about a simple hold it down, press the shutter release to start filming? 2 button action.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Am I the only one wishing ALL cameras to have a menu item: "Disable video"? Let alone each such a camera to have a retail counterpart without video (not unlike D800 in two versions)?

No.

Jeremy

[Isaac]

My main gripe is that Sony have crippled what is essentially an enthusiasts' camera ... this is an enthusiast camera.  One is left with the impression that Sony designers have no experience of actual photography and what photographers actually want.

I assume that someone in Sony at least knows how many of their various camera models are sold (and what lenses are sold, and ...) - which is more than I know, and I guess more than you know.

Sony might actually have a better understanding of who's buying their cameras; maybe.

... only has bracketing up to 0.7 of a stop either way.  ... Yes I know the cameras have auto-HDR which isn't bad but certainly not suitable for all occasions.

I think the limited bracketing only becomes a problem because auto HDR and multi-shot NR are not available for RAW (because we used camera clipping indicators to check that the highlights weren't blown, and we'll use LR for small exposure changes).

Just as bad is the fact that if one resorts to auto-HDR in low light situations and want to bang the camera on a tripod, then the flaming remote release won't work and one has to use the normal shutter button which kind of defeats the purpose of a tripod.

With the SLT-A35 (and I suspect NEX 7) the problem is that the self-timer functions have been placed in the "Drive Mode" menu, in such a way that setting a self-timer prevents setting bracketing or continuous shooting or auto HDR or multi-shot NR. Basically the cameras need a separate "Timer mode" (as previously seen in the Sony W300 P&S.)

I'm not going to hold my breath any longer waiting for an update for any of the problems.  Sony obviously isn't listening...

Strange you say that Sony isn't listening after you mentioned the announcement of SLT-A37.

That means the SLT-A35 has been replaced by an updated camera after less than a year!

I wasn't the only person who told them that I wanted a movable LCD and a digital level gauge (but maybe we should wait to see if that does appear in the camera).

Maybe Sony was listening. Maybe their response is to make incremental improvements and release new SLT cameras each year, in the same way that they previously released improved P&S cameras each year.

[Mark D Segal]

All of the issues Mark raised are true in spades as well for the NEX 5N - in fact worse in terms of the movie button because there is no room to build anything around it, and no obviously good way of covering it as shown practical for the NEX-7 several posts back. The problem is even made worse because the movie button is a couple of millimeters South-East of the power switch, so if you turn on the camera to make a still shot and nothing happens, well by now I know its because I inadvertently started making a movie by turning on the camera with my thumb slipping a wee bit South-East. Stopping the movie is another matter, because on pressing the movie button again, a message comes up that says "recording" - but it does stop the movie even though it tells you the reverse. This is just a mess and the more worrisome aspect of it is the stubbornness of Sony to not correct it. Too bad, because apart from that this is a technically superb imaging system and otherwise a joy to use. Deleting these accidental movies is not that big a deal with the 5N's menu structure. The sequence is Menu>Playback>View>ACHD>Delete, then when finished deleting the accidental movies one selects STILL in the same View mode and the review function is restored to stills. It isn't hard to memorize this sequence and once memorized it goest fast, because thanks to Sony design one gets lots of practice. :-)

[zohar]

is there a name for the gizmo that swings down to cover the video button or was it made from a piece of hardward?

[Colorado David]

I have a friend who was formerly the director of a great big huge outdoor retailer's video production department.  He's bought a LOT of Sony gear over the years.  He says that if Sony made a pickup truck, he'd buy one.

[Fine_Art]

With the SLT-A35 (and I suspect NEX 7) the problem is that the self-timer functions have been placed in the "Drive Mode" menu, in such a way that setting a self-timer prevents setting bracketing or continuous shooting or auto HDR or multi-shot NR. Basically the cameras need a separate "Timer mode" (as previously seen in the Sony W300 P&S.)

Ive always used a remote/ release cable with whatever drive mode I want. That is all the way back to the A100. If you want to use the 2 second timer with the 3 shot bracket it wont work. If you use a real cable release or a remote commander it works fine.

[Isaac]

If you want to use the 2 second timer with the 3 shot bracket it wont work.

Yes, that's what I wrote ;-)

(It doesn't have to be limited like that.)

If you use a real cable release or a remote commander it works fine.

Yes, and now I have to carry something else around everywhere.

What a pity a cable release is not provided with the camera, and Sony price theirs with 5m cable at $70 rather than providing something that works for $10.

[Fine_Art]

Ive used this for years

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/536955-REG/Seculine_R3_TRS_Seculine_Twin_1_R3_TRS.html

The plastic around the swivelling base cracked. Its still working fine.