Luminous Landscape Forum
Site & Board Matters => About This Site => Topic started by: Kevin Raber on January 21, 2018, 06:03:28 pm
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Do you have or are you thinking of a Sony a7r III in your future? Then this video will be a help for you in setting up and navigating your way through the sometimes confusing and extensive Sony menus that are a part of this camera. You can see the article and video HERE (https://luminous-landscape.com/sony-a7r-iii-menu-system-setup-video/)
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Kevin,
I know this will be an invaluable video for those fortunate to have the new a7r III. I have the a7r II, so I am guessing this video won't help me. As much as I love my Sony a7r II the menu system is maddening......actually it's worse than that! . I will often grab my Fuji XT-2 when I want a more intuitive menu system and do some experimentation. Kudos to you for making this available!
J. Paul
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JP much of the a7r III menu is like the a7r ii less Pixel Shift and a few other things like card slot set up. You'd find it helpful, plus you can scrub to the menus you are interested in using the timeline.
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Most of the menu items are the same as on my A99II ( not really a surprise, same manufacturer ) so I found it very informative and picked up a couple of things that I had missed.
Perhaps the next big development will be changing settings by talking to the camera ?
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If I ever needed to read a Menu System Setup Video I'd know the camera wasn't for me.
;-)
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If I ever needed to read a Menu System Setup Video I'd know the camera wasn't for me.
;-)
+ 1
That's why I set everything to as near manual as it allows. Two things work very well: Matrix metering; af lenses, especially when I think I have no time to use little green confirmation lights I can hardly find unless I take my eye off the subject first. Which is why I'd have preferred a split-screen central zone for focusing accurately and easily; my old lenses would not then feel pretty much obsolete, and myself along with 'em. If I were to start today from zero, I would buy af lenses because of my sight problems.
:-(
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Well . . . based on emails and some responses here the video was needed. It would be great if the menus didn't need such explaining and that seems to be a common complaint about Sony menus. But, once you get used to them you don't really think about it. There are many good examples of intuitive menu systems that you think Sony would have figured this out. Let's hope that they will surprise us with a really logical intuitive menu system in the future.
In the meantime (at least for me) the a7r III is doing quite the job.
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Is it an A7Rii video or a7riii video? The video title says A7Rii so I did not bother looking at it.
I sent my A7R one back and recently sent the a7Riii back due to personal ergonomics, Mac FW update issues and "my" difficulties with all the 50 or whatever menu screens/items. There's got to be a better way, like Leica and even Phase uses.
I know and see plenty of Sony owners making terrific images with the A7Riii. Just not for me.
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The Video was for the a7r III
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Hello Kevin
Nice video. One thing that took me a while to figure out was adding the eye focus to a button. I think you should point this function out on the video as it is one of the coolest things about the camera...
Joel Schilling
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My current hi-end Sony is an oldy but goody RX10 and I found this video very instructive. Of course, many features did not apply, but sufficient numbers did to make watching extremely worthwhile. Thank you, Kevin!
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Hi, I only grazed through your video – I do not have nor do I plan to get a Sony camera – out of curiosity. I think that your new taping method is very well done, with clear screen shots and well rehearsed commentary. If I had that camera, I would definitely sit through the entire video.
I did find it interesting to see what the viewfinder shows, to me it seems that it shows a whole lot of information about the camera to the detriment of what the viewfinder is really for: finding the view. But, if someone were too give me one of those, i certainly would say "thank you"! I does appear to be quite the camera.
Thanks again for your work in keeping the site interesting and relevant.
Jean-Michel
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it shows a whole lot of information about the camera to the detriment of what the viewfinder is really for: finding the view.
Jean-Michel
You can customise what is shown in the viewfinder, including nothing :) ( apart from the autofocus points )
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The EVF is totally customizable with what shows. Also, you can sequence through a couple of different versions of the display. It's funny when I look back I keep saying I should have mentioned this or that. Anyway, it was the first stab at something and based on emails I have received seems to be relevant for a good number of people. I may try this next with a Fuji.
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Better solution: buy a Nikon D850. Simple and logical. Took me no time to master.
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Thank you Kevin. My A7rIII arrived today and you were a big help
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My current hi-end Sony is an oldy but goody RX10 and I found this video very instructive. Of course, many features did not apply, but sufficient numbers did to make watching extremely worthwhile. Thank you, Kevin!
Mine is the RX10iii, so I will study the video tomorrow.
My biggest grip with modern camera menus is that sometimes something gets set accidentally in a way that I would never intentionally set it. Then to find out how to fix it I have to wade through twenty pages of menus with topics in semi-random order.
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Hi,
Thanks for the video.
I would mention that I make very heavy use of presets. On the Sony A7rII there are two of them. I have a preset for on tripod shooting and one for handheld shooting.
Tripod shooting is base ISO, no image stabilisation, manual focus and self-timer. Handheld is the other way around. So I can find my base setting for each with just a flick on a dial. I regard this a very important feature.
Best regards
Erik
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I had canon, nikon, mamiya, leaf, phase one... i'm really impress with my A7r III... but i really think that Sony should learn from Apple...
First time in my life that i need to read all the manual... and still have unanswered questions...
Just formatting a card is hidden...
The worst part is for video... Frame rate vs Pal/ntsc... hard to find Logs...
Still, i'm really happy to leave reflex... as i was shooting in live view mode all the time...
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Cool video. Thanks for that. Learned one or two things I could set differently on my A7rIII.
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Thank you very much, particularly the reference to the help guide pdf, which I was unaware of--I only have that the pdf of the little manual on my iPad. Now I have to rewatch with my camera turned on.
One thing that would be very helpful for Sony to do: Let people set up the menu system up using their their computer by picking and choosing and arranging under their own custom-named tabs, and then transfer the resulting menus to the camera. I would eliminate 75% of the menu items. Admittedly that is asking for a lot, but having a "switch," in the menu itself that allowed me to eliminate all menu items pertaining to video would be helpful.
As far as I am concerned, you should feel free to double the annual subscription price for LL after this video.
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I'm thinking of trying the Sony so I watched part of the video. Very nice job.
It took me a while but I eventually got the hang of Olympus' menus. The Sony menus can't be any more confusing the Olympus, can they? :o
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Many thanks !
Now i need to find an other video about Sony a7r III settings for video...
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Many thanks !
Now i need to find an other video about Sony a7r III settings for video...
I have the Olympus OMD, Mark II, and used the Mark I. The Olympus menus are much easier and intuitive than the Sony menus. I'd still buy the Sony (and probably won't replace the Mark II when there is a Mark III), but the difference is light and day.
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Hi,
I absolutely agree!
Best regards
Erik
Thank you very much, particularly the reference to the help guide pdf, which I was unaware of--I only have that the pdf of the little manual on my iPad. Now I have to rewatch with my camera turned on.
One thing that would be very helpful for Sony to do: Let people set up the menu system up using their their computer by picking and choosing and arranging under their own custom-named tabs, and then transfer the resulting menus to the camera. I would eliminate 75% of the menu items. Admittedly that is asking for a lot, but having a "switch," in the menu itself that allowed me to eliminate all menu items pertaining to video would be helpful.
As far as I am concerned, you should feel free to double the annual subscription price for LL after this video.
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Kevin Great job taking on the challenge of going through the A7R3 menu system. Based on the video I made some key changes and now the camera performs faster - thank god Sony has enough quick access buttons and function button menu to make it possible for only rare trips to the 36 pages monstrosity.
I loved your Charley Cramer videos. The ease and pacing of the videos was seductive. You covered a lot with side trips to gear like the wonderful Arca Swiss head and shooting and printing work flow. Chris is a terrific videographer. All the best Steve Baczewski