A7s user controls and design by dummies
- Thread starter squig
- Start date
for the audio I put it on the C1 button and I can adjust audio volume went I'm recording
Samuel H
Major Contributor
After a week with the camera, some simple things I would want to see adressed in a future firmware upgrade, from most important to least important (to me):
* My 5N uses auto-exposure while you take a custom WB sample, the a7s should do the same (to avoid the weird errors when doing it under slog2).
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 are stored in the card, and they are lost if you format the card in-camera, which is obviously a problem. If ML sorted this out, Sony certainly could do it too.
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 should remember the crop mode selected. I want to set them to 24p-FF-1/50s, 60p-FF-1/100s, 60p-APSC-1/100s, 120p-APSC-1/200s.
* The record button is indeed ackward (though not completely unbearable, at least to me), please allow me to assign "start/stop video recording" to c1.
* My 5N has a setting that takes all the uneven ISO values out of the settings list, so it is faster to change if you're only going to use 100-200-400-etc. I haven't found it on the a7s, if it's not there, it should be.
* Also, allowing me to go to a grey ISO that can't be selected, just to show an error message afterwards, is slow and inefficient; just stop moving up if the next ISO value can't be selected, or skip them and go to the next "white" one.
* Crop mode should be an option in the function menu.
* 2.35:1 cropmark should be visible too in stills mode, if I want it to be visible.
Regarding customization, this is what I have right now:
* zoom aid on "center" button
* 2.35:1 cropmark on/off on c1 (would gladly change this to "start/stop video recording")
* zebras on c2
* ISO on AF/MF-AEL then wheel
* audio on "down"
* c3 is empty because I don't want to get used to hitting a button that can delete things
I shoot video in M mode, I haven't found any advantages to using the dedicated video mode (well, one: initially the 2.35:1 didn't work on M mode, I'm not sure I solved that; if I didn't, add that to the list above).
edit: I checked, it doesn't show up. Also, M1-M2-M3-M4 are definitely lost when I format the card.
And now that we are talking ergonomics and physical design...
Always with my Leitz Elmarit-R 35mm f/2.8, and including card and battery:
* a7s + cheap dumb adapter + 35mm = 910g
* 5N + speedbooster + 35mm + loupe = 900g
* 5N + speedbooster + 35mm = 840g
* My 5N uses auto-exposure while you take a custom WB sample, the a7s should do the same (to avoid the weird errors when doing it under slog2).
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 are stored in the card, and they are lost if you format the card in-camera, which is obviously a problem. If ML sorted this out, Sony certainly could do it too.
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 should remember the crop mode selected. I want to set them to 24p-FF-1/50s, 60p-FF-1/100s, 60p-APSC-1/100s, 120p-APSC-1/200s.
* The record button is indeed ackward (though not completely unbearable, at least to me), please allow me to assign "start/stop video recording" to c1.
* My 5N has a setting that takes all the uneven ISO values out of the settings list, so it is faster to change if you're only going to use 100-200-400-etc. I haven't found it on the a7s, if it's not there, it should be.
* Also, allowing me to go to a grey ISO that can't be selected, just to show an error message afterwards, is slow and inefficient; just stop moving up if the next ISO value can't be selected, or skip them and go to the next "white" one.
* Crop mode should be an option in the function menu.
* 2.35:1 cropmark should be visible too in stills mode, if I want it to be visible.
Regarding customization, this is what I have right now:
* zoom aid on "center" button
* 2.35:1 cropmark on/off on c1 (would gladly change this to "start/stop video recording")
* zebras on c2
* ISO on AF/MF-AEL then wheel
* audio on "down"
* c3 is empty because I don't want to get used to hitting a button that can delete things
I shoot video in M mode, I haven't found any advantages to using the dedicated video mode (well, one: initially the 2.35:1 didn't work on M mode, I'm not sure I solved that; if I didn't, add that to the list above).
edit: I checked, it doesn't show up. Also, M1-M2-M3-M4 are definitely lost when I format the card.
And now that we are talking ergonomics and physical design...
Always with my Leitz Elmarit-R 35mm f/2.8, and including card and battery:
* a7s + cheap dumb adapter + 35mm = 910g
* 5N + speedbooster + 35mm + loupe = 900g
* 5N + speedbooster + 35mm = 840g
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You are absolutely right! The designer of the A7s never worked with her. This construction is incomprehensible. Ok, we are happy that the camera is as small as it is and ist a challenge for sure to make the best from it, but its made for filmmakers!! and than this button....
Btw even the FS700 is not a masterpiece in useful design.
Benn
Btw even the FS700 is not a masterpiece in useful design.
Benn
Samuel H
Major Contributor
Oh, I forgot the biggest one!!
* The focus aid requires two or three clicks, it should be just one or two. It doesn't make sense that it goes to 1x the first time you hit the button. And it would be nice if I could configure it so only the small zoom or the big zoom is used.
* The focus aid requires two or three clicks, it should be just one or two. It doesn't make sense that it goes to 1x the first time you hit the button. And it would be nice if I could configure it so only the small zoom or the big zoom is used.
cpc
Well-known member
The idea is probably to be able to move the zoom rectangle around after the first click. But yes, this should be a customizable option.
I was also wondering why they did bother with the M1-M4 modes. Having 1 and 2 is still great though.
Samuel H
Major Contributor
Update: I found out that 2.35:1 markings and audio meters are shown also in M mode, but only while recording video. Not ideal, but I can live with that. Kind of.
Which leaves my list as follows:
* My 5N uses auto-exposure while you take a custom WB sample, the a7s should do the same (to avoid the weird errors when doing it under slog2).
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 are stored in the card, and they are lost if you format the card in-camera, which is obviously a problem. If ML sorted this out, Sony certainly could do it too.
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 should remember the crop mode selected. I want to set them to 24p-FF-1/50s, 60p-FF-1/100s, 60p-APSC-1/100s, 120p-APSC-1/200s.
* The record button is indeed ackward (though not completely unbearable, at least to me), please allow me to assign "start/stop video recording" to c1.
* My 5N has a setting that takes all the uneven ISO values out of the settings list, so it is faster to change if you're only going to use 100-200-400-etc. I haven't found it on the a7s, if it's not there, it should be.
* Also, allowing me to go to a grey ISO that can't be selected, just to show an error message afterwards, is slow and inefficient; just stop moving up if the next ISO value can't be selected, or skip them and go to the next "white" one.
* Crop mode should be an option in the function menu.
These things shouldn't be difficult to implement, it's just UI and hosekeeping.
Which leaves my list as follows:
* My 5N uses auto-exposure while you take a custom WB sample, the a7s should do the same (to avoid the weird errors when doing it under slog2).
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 are stored in the card, and they are lost if you format the card in-camera, which is obviously a problem. If ML sorted this out, Sony certainly could do it too.
* Custom modes M1-M2-M3-M4 should remember the crop mode selected. I want to set them to 24p-FF-1/50s, 60p-FF-1/100s, 60p-APSC-1/100s, 120p-APSC-1/200s.
* The record button is indeed ackward (though not completely unbearable, at least to me), please allow me to assign "start/stop video recording" to c1.
* My 5N has a setting that takes all the uneven ISO values out of the settings list, so it is faster to change if you're only going to use 100-200-400-etc. I haven't found it on the a7s, if it's not there, it should be.
* Also, allowing me to go to a grey ISO that can't be selected, just to show an error message afterwards, is slow and inefficient; just stop moving up if the next ISO value can't be selected, or skip them and go to the next "white" one.
* Crop mode should be an option in the function menu.
These things shouldn't be difficult to implement, it's just UI and hosekeeping.
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