Setup Guide Sony a7 series

[Jan Anne]

The button configuration of the Sony a7 series is highly customisable to meet the operators specific requirements.

Here's a simple guide of how I've setup my Sony a7S (the 12MP high ISO version) but the configuration should be universally applicable for the other a7 and a7R MKI and MKII models. Feel free to comment, ask questions, share your setup, etc.

First a quick summary of my type of use to put my setup into perspective:
- I don't shoot a lot and have a bad memory so want things to stay simple, repeatable and predictable
- A mix of adapted manual focus lenses and native autofocus lenses is used so the setup needs to facilitate both
- Don't care about film so the setup is for photography only
- Mainly use the camera in Aperture mode and occasionally in Manual exposure mode when needed
- Only use the single exposure mode with lenses ranging from 14mm to 125mm
- With AF lenses the single centre focus point is mainly used for focus and recompose style of shooting (don't care about stuff like face detection)
- Occasionally the single focus point is set to one of the "rule of thirds" positions when a more dynamic shooting style is required

Buttons
DPReview summed up a nice option list for most of the customisable buttons for the a7RII, besides one extra custom button than the MKI models things are pretty much the same. The same page also mentions the options for the Function menu where 12 slots can be programmed to access things that on occasion need attention but don't demand their own dedicated button.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-alpha-7r-ii/4

Here's the top of the MKI models (MKII models have an extra custom C2 button here), as can be seen there's a dedicated dial for EV compensations.


And here the back of the MKI models (C2 is now C3, C3 is now C4 and WB is now ISO on the MKII models)



AF On
As a former Nikon user I was bred to use my thumb to control the AF-C, AF-S or MF focus modes instead of fumbling with switches on the camera or lens bodies while missing all the action. Although the Sony doesn't have a dedicated AF On button the AF/MF button can be setup for this way of shooting with some changes.

In the Customs Menu (with the gear icon)
- Page 3, Pre-AF: Off (default)
- Page 4, AF w/ shutter: Off
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Custom Button 1: Focus Settings
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, AF/MF Button: AF On

Of course this works best in AF-C focus mode but when continuous focus isn't needed AF-S can be used as well. The C1 button can now be used to re-position the AF point or changing the behaviour of the focus point by turning the control wheel on the back.


MF On
The benefit of focus by wire lenses is that you can also control what happens when the focus ring is turned, as with autofocus I don't want anything to happen unless my thumb says its OK. To facilitate this I use the same button as for AF On but with the surrounding switch turned in the AEL position. Optionally the MF Assist can be turned on so the viewfinder zooms in at the chosen focus point when the focus ring is turned (and in this case the AEL button is pressed).

In the Customs Menu (with the gear icon)
- Page 1, MF Assist: On
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, AEL Button: AF/MF Control Hold


Manual Focus with adapted lenses
The Sony is not setup by default to be used with third party manual focus lenses using dumb adapters, the other settings also apply to for MF lenses using electronic adapters (like my Voigtlander 125/2.5 APO in Canon EF mount). With non native lenses the focus magnification isn't automagically enabled but can easily be activated with the C1 button, one press gives you the option to change the position of the magnification area and a second press magnifies the image.

In the Customs Menu (with the gear icon)
- Page 1, Focus Magnif. Time: No Limit (zoom mode can be cancelled by touching the release button)
- Page 2, Peaking Level: Low (depends on used lens)
- Page 2, Peaking Color: Yellow (easier to see than red or white)
- Page 4, Release w/o Lens: Enable (for the dumb adapters only)
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Custom Button 1: Focus Settings (same setting as for AF On, behaviour for AF or MF lenses changes automatically)


ISO
I've programmed the C2 button to activate the ISO menu when in shooting mode, turning the control wheel or one of the dials will change the ISO setting. When selecting the Auto ISO option the minimum and maximum ISO can be changed when pressing the right side of the control wheel (labeled WB).

In the Customs Menu (with the gear icon)
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Custom Button 2: ISO


Custom Button 3
This button is programmed for whatever I need a dedicated button for at that time. For now it's used to change the screen brightness as it was very sunny on our latest trip in the Black Forrest. The same button is used to delete images when viewing images so only adjust the brightness when in shooting mode

In the Customs Menu (with the gear icon)
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Custom Button 3: Monitor Brightness


Finder and Monitor
By default the Display (DISP) "button" was used to change the screen layout for either the active viewfinder or LCD monitor. I found this highly confusing because the screens would change accidentally on occasion and I couldn't care less for all of them besides the clean version with the live histogram in the bottom right corner. By de-activating all the other screen options the button became stripped of its function and I wasn't surprised by airplane cockpits when trying to make an image

In the Customs Menu (with the gear icon)
- Page 1, Grid Line: Rule of 3rds Grid
- Page 2, DISP Button, Monitor: Disable all screens besides the Histogram screen
- Page 2, DISP Button, Finder: Disable all screens besides the Histogram screen

In the black area above and below the image it still shows al the basic info like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, number of shots etc but the image itself is now clean besides the gridlines and the see thru histogram.


Control Wheel and Buttons
The a7 is a small camera and the location of the control wheel borders on where I hold my camera, so besides disabling the DISP (up) button I've disabled all the other functions as well so nothing is changed accidentally anymore. I never change the WB so don't need a dedicated button, ISO has been relocated to the C2 button, etc.

In the Customs Menu (with the gear icon)
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Control Wheel: Not set
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Center Button: Not set
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Right Button: Not set
- Page 6, Custom Key Settings, Down Button: Not set

I will add the other configuration settings later.

[Frank Fremerey]

Thank you so much. I hope any a7 user will profit from this thread