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

[Freakscene]

I agree that Sony have improved them, but the A7 V and A7R IVa menus are still complicated and awfully disorganised.

 

[shawn]

I agree that Sony have improved them, but the A7 V and A7R IVa menus are still complicated and awfully disorganised.

I believe it. Even the method of moving through the menus annoys me on the Sony's as it is different from most (all?) of my other cameras. In my mind the menus are like a menu tree so after you highlight the menu item a 'right' click should enter that menu item and show the options like on most (all?) other cameras. But on the Sony it changes pages.

It is why mapping out the buttons is important. And remembering that 'Format' is on page 4 on the middle of the page in the setup tab..... at least on the A7II/A7RII.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I've never really had a problem with the Sony menus.
Maybe because I've never used any others other than the Nikons I've used.
They are what they are. Approach them with an open mind and it is a lot easier to navigate them, IMO.

 

[Keith]

I've never really had a problem with the Sony menus.
Maybe because I've never used any others other than the Nikons I've used.
They are what they are. Approach them with an open mind and it is a lot easier to navigate them, IMO.

Which will be my approach. 👍🙂

 

[Freakscene]

I've never really had a problem with the Sony menus.
Maybe because I've never used any others other than the Nikons I've used.
They are what they are. Approach them with an open mind and it is a lot easier to navigate them, IMO.

I approach everything with an open mind, completely. But the problem for me is how do you approach them with a totally open mind when you use at least six other menu sets all the time? There are several very strange basic features, mainly that changing or actuating a menu function operates differently than every single other brand of cameras. I have cameras on microscopes, in underwater housings, in drones and underwater autonomous vehicles, in tank monitoring systems, remotely taking time lapse images of experiments and other applications. I know it’s unusual but I’m forced to use them all for work. It can be very frustrating.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I guess the camera manufacturers should have gotten together and agreed upon a format for all menus, kind of like they did for the USB ports.
Would have made it a lot easier on all of us users.

 

[Keith]

I approach everything with an open mind, completely. But the problem for me is how do you approach them with a totally open mind when you use at least six other menu sets all the time? There are several very strange basic features, mainly that changing or actuating a menu function operates differently than every single other brand of cameras. I have cameras on microscopes, in underwater housings, in drones and underwater autonomous vehicles, in tank monitoring systems, remotely taking time lapse images of experiments and other applications. I know it’s unusual but I’m forced to use them all for work. It can be very frustrating.

I'm lucky really ... aside from the D4 I have only had to worry about the Sigmas and their menus are simple to say the least. I've already watched a couple of youtube clips on the Sony basics and I'm ready to rumble! 🙂

 

[Freakscene]

I'm lucky really ... aside from the D4 I have only had to worry about the Sigmas and their menus are simple to say the least. I've already watched a couple of youtube clips on the Sony basics and I'm ready to rumble! 🙂

It is always different if you have decided to use something, rather than being forced. The Sonys are favoured by technology developers because they are physically compact, light and the firmware works well with the combination of high level Python and low level C++ programming for devices such as drones and UAVs. Cameras are increasingly incorporated into devices rather than attached and operated as originally designed. This is why manufacturers like DJI are making their own cameras.

Again, good luck and show us what you get.

 

[peterm1]

If anyone thinks that the Sony menus are bad wait till you try those of the Olympus digital cameras. Maybe they have improved but on my OMD EM 5 (admittedly now pretty old) they are horrid. Though I do very much like the camera itself.

 

[Freakscene]

If anyone thinks that the Sony menus are bad wait till you try those of the Olympus digital cameras. Maybe they have improved but on my OMD EM 5 (admittedly now pretty old) they are horrid. Though I do very much like the camera itself.

I also agree with this. I really liked the Pen F digital but passed on buying it because of the menus. The buttons were really tiny and easily knocked too.

 

[Keith]

I must be out of the gear loop well and truly ... the Sony has not long arrived and I unpacked it this morning for a looksee. I'm stunned that they can make a full frame camera that small ... considerably smaller than I expected it to be! 😀

 

[Freakscene]

I must be out of the gear loop well and truly ... the Sony has not long arrived and I unpacked it this morning for a looksee. I'm stunned that they can make a full frame camera that small ... considerably smaller than I expected it to be! 😀

They are small enough that I find them hard to hold. The vertical grip or a third party grip makes this easier but the vertical grips definitely make the cameras bigger. Good luck with it.

 

[Austintatious]

Keith, hope that you get on with your new photographic adventure. I have been using a Sony A7II for a couple of years now. It does everything I could wish for in a camera. I mostly shoot with various adapted lenses that I have collected over the years. They all work great on it. The Sony auto focus glass is not half bad either. I also have been very pleased with a third party prime, in the nifty fifty range. It's the Rokinon (Sayang)
45mm f1.8 lens. There are loads of great reviews on youtube for it if you ever want or need an auto focus prime. Enjoy that Sony 😀

 

[shawn]

They are small enough that I find them hard to hold. The vertical grip or a third party grip makes this easier but the vertical grips definitely make the cameras bigger. Good luck with it.

Yup, the Sony Gp-x1em little extension grip really helps with that without the bulk of the battery grip. It is ridiculous what Sony charges for them though so either find one used or I think there was an aftermarket version too.

The other thing that can help is an arca plate that extends the grip a little. For example:
Amazon product ASIN B07QVYGKY1
and that also has a third strap mounting point for a vertical carry if you prefer that.

 

[shawn]

I must be out of the gear loop well and truly ... the Sony has not long arrived and I unpacked it this morning for a looksee. I'm stunned that they can make a full frame camera that small ... considerably smaller than I expected it to be! 😀

They get even smaller too.....

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

Yup, the Sony Gp-x1em little extension grip really helps with that without the bulk of the battery grip. It is ridiculous what Sony charges for them though so either find one used or I think there was an aftermarket version too.

The other thing that can help is an arca plate that extends the grip a little. For example:
Amazon product ASIN B07QVYGKY1
and that also has a third strap mounting point for a vertical carry if you prefer that.

I bought the ridiculously overpriced Sony grip extension... sorry to say but damn! It works so well!

It allows me [in the rain] to hold an umbrella in one hand and the camera in the other and take the shots I want... one handed!

I am gushing about an overpriced accessory made in China! You wont see that every day!

Mike

 

[Keith]

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?

 

[Zuiko-logist]

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?

I haven’t tried this but would be interested if you find a solution.

 

[Keith]

I haven’t tried this but would be interested if you find a solution.

I've spent a large part of the day searching for solutions but I'm beginning to suspect there isn't one! I'll just have to live with being able to deactivate it ... which is better than nothing because at least it gets rid of the live view from the screen. I've learned a lot about the A7ii menu system today! 😀

 

[Zuiko-logist]

I took a look too - no luck.