Which Sony A7 would be best to pair with OM Zuikos?

[shawn]

I have spent a fair amount of time exploring the menus and all good so far in setting it up the way I want. One thing I haven't ben able to achieve is turning off the monitor ... you can turn it off but once done you can't review images with it .., it totally kils it. I have set up the down button to disable it but that still leaves it back lit and showing information at the bottom so still using power. I've seen several video tutorials describing how to set the camera to VF or monitor instead of auto and then assigning a function button to toggle back and forth between the two but that doesn't seem to be an option on the Aii. Am I missing something obvious or was it just a choice from the Aii onwards?

Yes, I mentioned that lack earlier in the thread. The A7II does not allow you to assign a button to hard toggle between the LCD or EVF. It is a menu option only on that body. The A7RII does allow you to define a button to swap between the two. I used to have an IR converted A7II and the A7RII and this missing feature drove me a little nuts swapping between the bodies.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Just put something like gaffers tape over the sensor for the eye port on the viewfinder. That'll shut it off. Easily removed too.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

I second the comments about the iii (and iv) versions: better images and better battery life. (I've had base, ii, and iv versions).

Focus using Focus Magnification and Focus Peaking works very, very nicely.

 

[shawn]

Just put something like gaffers tape over the sensor for the eye port on the viewfinder. That'll shut it off. Easily removed too.

That is not what Keith is trying to do. He is trying to shoot with just the EVF and review on the LCD. The A7II lets you set the camera to auto switch between the two using the eye sensor or it is a menu only option (buried in fairly deep) to set it for just EVF or just LCD. Menu diving every time he wants to review on the LCD and then menu diving when he is done is obnoxious

On the A7RII (and I presume later cameras) you can assign a button to switch from EVF to LCD which makes what Keith wants to do much easier. It is how I had my A7RII configured when I had that camera.

Fuji has a nice implementation of this in that you can set shooting and playback independently. So shooting can be EVF only and playback LCD... or EVF only shooting but playback using the eye sensor, or vice versa...etc...etc.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Sorry, I misunderstood what he was trying to do. I agree, menu diving is a pain in the butt. I don't review my pictures until I down load them to my computer so I'm immune from this plague.

 

[Keith]

Just put something like gaffers tape over the sensor for the eye port on the viewfinder. That'll shut it off. Easily removed too.

I hadn't thought of that ... excellent idea provided it still allows use of the screen for reviewing images. Somehow I doubt that but I'll hope. lol 🙂👍

 

[Keith]

That is not what Keith is trying to do. He is trying to shoot with just the EVF and review on the LCD. The A7II lets you set the camera to auto switch between the two using the eye sensor or it is a menu only option (buried in fairly deep) to set it for just EVF or just LCD. Menu diving every time he wants to review on the LCD and then menu diving when he is done is obnoxious

On the A7RII (and I presume later cameras) you can assign a button to switch from EVF to LCD which makes what Keith wants to do much easier. It is how I had my A7RII configured when I had that camera.

Fuji has a nice implementation of this in that you can set shooting and playback independently. So shooting can be EVF only and playback LCD... or EVF only shooting but playback using the eye sensor, or vice versa...etc...etc.

I could just set it to viewfinder I guess because reviewing images is something you tend to do because you 'can' a lot of the time. I'm sure I'll get used to it. I'm very impressed with the EVF ... they have come a long way since I last looked through one and manual focusing is quite easy considering my eyes aren't what they were. One thing I discovered is that the version of Lightroom I have is Classic version 5.0 ... it came with my M240 and doesn't read ARW files. 😂

 

[shawn]

You can review in the evf too which I tend to prefer most of the time. The evf is good and they get even better from there.

 

[Keith]

You can review in the evf too which I tend to prefer most of the time. The evf is good and they get even better from there.

That's true .. I was trying that yesterday and it wasn't a big deal. There is just something about having the screen active on a camera constantly that bugs me. When they design cameras these big manufacturers should sit down with actual photographers instead of base level consumers!

 

[shawn]

Some have, Fuji has EVF only + Eye Sensor for example which has the both screens off until you bring the camera to your eye and then it turns on the EVF.

The other thing is just shut off the camera and turn it on while you are bringing it to your eye. That works fine on the A7II since the power switch is so convenient. Your battery will last much longer that way too. Or set it for a short sleep timer and wake it up as you bring it to your eye.