Setting up the Sony a7R IV Menus

Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, including the 61 megapixel Sony a7R IV, are notorious for having complicated and difficult to navigate menu systems. This is made worse by having to go back and forth between the camera manual and the a7R IV Help Guide when looking for information on each of the 250+ menu items and sub-items, as well as the other camera functions.

Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Guide

To help you get up and running with the camera, I have created a Sony a7R IV Quick Start Menu Setup Guide book, which explains each of the menu items, along with menu screen shots and suggested settings. In conjunction with the text guide, I have also created a Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheetwhich lists the suggested settings or starting points for all of the menu items, including separate listing for various shooting situations, such as:

General / Travel / Street
Landscape / Architecture
Action / Sports
Moving Wildlife / Birds
Studio / Portraits
Concert / Performance

Detail of the Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet

In order to take full advantage of the powerful Sony a7R IV, you will want to take control of many of these menu items and camera customizations. The spreadsheet also includes listings of shooting settings that can be used for the various types of shooting situations. The Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet can be downloaded from my website. Printing instructions are also included on this page.

http://www.fullstopbooks.com/setup-guides/

As mentioned above, my companion book, Sony a7R IV Quick Start Menu Setup Guide, goes into detail of all of the menu settings, with descriptions, explanations, and screen shots. It is designed to help you set up your camera, begin to learn and understand its features and options, and start to take control of your powerful and customizable a7R IV. You can learn about the guide, preview it, and purchase it here:

http://www.fullstopbooks.com/sony-a7r-iv-menu-setup-guide/

If you still need to purchase the Sony a7R IV, or any lenses or accessories, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link. Your price will be the same, and they will pay me a small commission – thanks!

Purchase the Sony a7R IV mirrorless camera at Amazon:
https://amzn.to/2EfIfat


Why Nikon Isn’t Concerned about the Z 7 vs. a7R III

After years of speculation and anticipation, Nikon has finally introduced the new Nikon Z 7 and Nikon Z 6 full-frame mirrorless cameras. Initial reactions have been heated and emotional, as people debate whether or not the single XQD memory card slot will be its downfall, or whether the autofocusing system will be up to the needs and expectations of Nikon dSLR users. And of course there are endless comparisons of whether they live up to the offerings of the comparable Sony a7R III and a7 III full-frame mirrorless models.

Comparing the specifications, the two sets of cameras are similar on many points. The Z 7 and the a7R III are the high resolution models, while the Z 6 and the a7 III are the little brothers, with most all of the same features as their big brothers, but with a lower mega-pixel count. With some features, such as eye-detection autofocus, burst rates, and buffer rates, the Sonys appear to come out ahead, and with many other features the Nikons seem equal or better.

Detail of an official Nikon Press Photo of the Nikon Z7 body.

But I contend that, while Nikon certainly considered the Sony models when designing the new Z series, this Nikon vs. Sony comparison is not their primary concern. Nikon put that aside, and concentrated on Nikon. They designed a “future-proof” lens system with the new Z-mount, which will begin to make a large difference with the introduction of future wide-angle and fast lenses. There is already an f/0.95 lens that has been announced, the 58mm f/ 0.95 S Noct Lens. Most importantly, they designed a mirrorless camera that looks like a Nikon, feels like a Nikon, and functions like a Nikon. The camera buttons will all be familiar to a Nikon dSLR user, and just as important, the camera menus and navigation will be the same.

As anyone who has used a Sony a7 model will tell you, navigating the menus, finding the setting you are seeking, then interpreting a setting and its options can be painful. I can attest to that, I wrote the book on it! (Sony a7R III Menu Setup Guide and Sony a7 III Menu Setup Guide). It is a very different experience from using a Nikon or Canon menu, and it takes a bit of getting used to. Some of the Sony buttons, controls, and functions offer the same issue, and are not necessarily intuitive to either a new user or to a user coming from Nikon. And that is where Nikon wins… with existing Nikon users.

The Z cameras are not necessarily designed for camera users trying to decide between the Sony a7 and the Nikon Z. If a dedicated Nikon user wanted to try out or to jump to a mirrorless system, a Nikon user would have already bought a Sony a7 camera (or a Fuji or one of the other offerings). Instead, the Z cameras are designed for Nikon users trying to decide between buying a mirrorless camera or not buying a mirrorless camera. If they are going to buy a mirrorless camera, there is a high likelihood they will now be buying a Z 7 or Z 6. Nikon has greatly reduced the friction of converting to mirrorless, by offering a familiar camera. And in addition to the camera body, buttons, menus, options, functions, and features being similar to their current Nikon dSLR, Nikon users can painlessly bring along all their F-mount lenses, with the simple addition of the FTZ Lens Adapter. And Nikon users can expect that the image quality is going to be there.

Beyond the hype and chatter, the pre-orders for the Z cameras appear to be happening, and I believe that these cameras are going to be a success. Nikon has finally entered the full-frame mirrorless camera market, and they are here to stay.

If you want help setting up the Menus and Custom Settings of the Nikon Z 7, Nikon Z 6, Sony a7R III, or Sony a7 III, have a look at my comprehensive Menu Setup Spreadsheets, which are all free for a limited time after the introduction of each of the cameras. Or they are always free with a link included within the text guides for each of the cameras, which can be found at my FullStopBooks website, including the new Nikon Z 7 / Z 6 Experience comprehensive user guide to the Nikon Z 7 and Nikon Z 6.

And if you want to continue to learn, discuss, and ask questions about the settings, features, and functions of the Z 7 and Z 6 from a user-standpoint, please join the Nikon Z 7 / Z 6 Setup and User Tips Facebook group!

Nikon, Nikon Z7, Nikon Z6, Z7, Z6, book, menu, guide, tips, tricks, how to

If you want to learn more about some of the features and specifications of the Nikon Z 7 and Nikon Z 6, have a look at my blog post Nikon Z 7 and Z 6 – Beyond the Specifications.

If you want to pre-order or order the Nikon Z 7 or Nikon Z 6, please consider using my affiliate links below. Your price will be the same, but they will give me a small commission – thanks!

Nikon Z 7 at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MPaiU5 – $3396.95

Nikon Z 7 at B and H:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Mirrorless_System_Cameras/ci/16158/N/4288586281/BI/7364/KBID/7886/kwid/000/DFF/d10-v1-t3-z4288586281

Nikon Z 6 at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MKHSe0$1996.95

Nikon Z 6 at B and H:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Mirrorless_System_Cameras/ci/16158/N/4288586281/BI/7364/KBID/7886/kwid/000/DFF/d10-v1-t3-z4288586281

Nikon FTZ Lens Adapter

Sony a7R III / a7 III Tips, Tricks, and Hidden Features

Both the Sony a7R III and the Sony a7 III mirrorless cameras have provided exciting upgrades to their predecessors. Important improvements and new features included improved hybrid autofocus systems with AF points positioned widely across the entire frame, faster continuous shooting frame rates, and the addition of the Multi Selector joystick to quickly select the desired AF Point while shooting.

Sony a7R III tips tricks recommended settings

Detail of the Sony a7R III Mirrorless Camera

However, they both make use of a complex menu system that can be a challenge to navigate. While the numerous menu options allow for a tremendous amount of control and customization of the cameras, they can also cause confusion with similarly named items, or with items whose functions are unclear at first. To help you better understand all of the menu items and functions of the camera, I have created quick-start Menu Setup Guides, which explain every menu item along with suggested starting points. There are the two separate books, Sony Alpha a7R III Menu Setup Guide and Sony Alpha a7 III Menu Setup Guide, both of which can be purchased at my FullStopBooks.com website. I have also created a Menu Setup Spreadsheet for these cameras, which list suggested settings for each menu item, with different listing for various shooting situations such as Landscape, Portrait, Action, Studio, Birds, etc. The spreadsheets can be downloaded from my website here: www.fullstopbooks.com/setup-guides/.

Information from these guides is excerpted here, to explain some of the tips, tricks, and “hidden” features of the cameras. While none of the camera features are actually hidden if you read through the manual or help guide, or explore the menu items, some of them can be a bit challenging to find or to make use of if you don’t know they exist, and so I will explain them here.

Attach the Spot Metering Point to the Active AF Point

When making use of Spot Metering Mode, the actual spot that is used to determine the exposure settings can either be located in the center of the frame, or it can surround the active AF Point. Often it is more useful to have this point surround the active AF Point, because for example, you may be focusing on a specific face, and you would also like that face to be used to determine the exposure settings. If the Spot Metering circle is located in the center of the frame, you would have to first meter on the face using the center of the frame, lock the exposure settings (AEL), and then recompose, focus, and capture the image. If the Spot Metering circle is located surrounding the active AF Point, then you simply need to autofocus and capture the image, and the camera will simultaneously use the area of the active AF Point to also determine the exposure.

If this is how you wish to work, I suggest setting the Spot Metering Point item of the Camera Settings 1 Menu to “Focus Point Link” in order to have the spot metering point surround the active AF Point.

Know that you can also select the size of the Spot Metering point. When selecting Spot Metering in the Metering Mode menu item of the Camera Settings 1 Menu, or via the Fn Button and Function Menu, be sure to press left or right to choose Spot Large, Medium, or Small.

You can also use the Custom Key settings of the Camera Settings 2 Menu to assign a button to temporarily make use of Spot Metering when that button is pressed, so that you can quickly meter for a precise or specific area without having to take your eye from the Viewfinder as you change the Metering Mode.

Take Advantage of Face Priority and Eye Priority Autofocus

The a7R III and the a7 III both have excellent autofocus systems, which are able to identify and lock onto faces and subject’s eyes found in the scene. In the Camera Settings 1 Menu, you will want to access the Set Face Priority in AF menu item, where you will enable the Face Priority in AF sub-option, in order to take advantage of the autofocusing face detection feature. If the camera detects a face at or near the area of the active AF Point or Zone, the camera will automatically detect, track, and focus on the face. You will still need to use the Multi-Selector to position the active AF Point or Zone at the desired face before focusing, so that the camera knows which part of the scene to look at and locate your desired subject. Then half-press the Shutter Button, and the active face detection frame will turn white.

When working in Single-shot AF (AF-S) Focus Mode, the camera will also automatically detect and focus on the subject’s eyes. When working in Continuous AF (AF-C) Focus Mode, the camera will only detect, focus, and track faces unless you press the center button of the Control Wheel, and then eye detection and tracking will become active as well.

This Face Priority and eye detection feature works extremely well, and thus you may wish to take advantage of it for various shooting situations that involve faces, whether for still subjects or moving subjects. You are even able to register and rank specific faces (in the Face Registration setting later in the Camera Settings 1 Menu), so that the camera will prioritize them in a scene with multiple faces.

Sony a7R III tips tricks recommended settings

Detail of the Sony a7R III Mirrorless Camera

Quickly Switch to a Different Group of Shooting Settings with the Press of a Button

The Register Custom Shooting Settings of the Camera Settings 1 Menu is a powerful option that will let you assign a group of exposure, shooting, and autofocus settings to one of the camera’s custom buttons (C1, C2, or C3 Button). You can then press and hold that button while shooting to temporarily switch to an entirely different group of camera settings.

To make use of this feature, access this menu item, then select which button you wish to register (such as Recall Custom hold 1), then go through the next menu screen and select and set all of the available settings, such as Shooting Mode, Aperture, Drive Mode, Metering Mode, Focus Mode, and Focus Area. Then select Register. Or if you wish, you can set your camera in advance to all of your desired settings, access this menu, and then select Import Current Setting.

In this menu, you can enable or disable the check-mark next to the settings to choose if they will be registered or not. For example, you may wish to register various autofocus and camera settings, but not register specific exposure settings. Then when you make use of this feature during shooting by pressing and holding the C1, C2, or C3 Button, the enabled settings will temporarily change, but the camera’s exposure settings will remain as you currently have them set.

This customization might be used if you are shooting a still situation that might suddenly change to an action situation, such as a standing bird suddenly taking flight. Or it can be used in an action type of situation where you immediately wish to switch to different shooting parameters for a completely different type of action, such as a baseball batting situation vs. a running situation. Or if you are shooting a subject that is actively moving between sun and shade, the various shooting settings (such as the ISO, Metering Mode, and White Balance) can be set up to instantly accommodate the shade situation.

Use the Focus Magnifier to Zoom in on the Live View Scene

The Sony a7 cameras don’t have the same zoom-in and zoom-out buttons for viewing the Live View scene that you may be used to with a Canon or Nikon camera. Instead you will need to make use of the Focus Magnifier of the Camera Settings 1 Menu. You can also assign the Focus Magnifier to a button of your choice, such as the down button on the Control Wheel. The menu items that come after Focus Magnifier are used to customize exactly how the feature will work.

Focus MagnifierAccess this menu item, then press the center of the Multi-Selector to zoom-in on the scene while viewing either the rear Monitor or the Viewfinder. Use the Multi-Selector to move the magnified area about the screen, or press the Delete Button to move it to the center of the screen. You can continue to press the Multi-Selector Center to zoom-in closer. If using manual focus, this can assist you in focusing more precisely on the desired detail. Turn the manual focus ring on the lens to focus. If Touch Operation is set for On, then you can double-tap on the rear Monitor to magnify the desired area. Note that you cannot access this function when using AF-C Focus Mode.

If set for autofocus, you will need to set the AF in Focus Magnification item, just below, to determine how autofocus works with focus magnification. If set for On, the camera will autofocus when half-pressing the Shutter Button. If set for Off, the Focus Magnifier is cancelled and the view returns to the full scene, when the Shutter Button is half-pressed. The next two menu items will determine the time that the Focus Magnifier remains active, and the amount of magnification of the focus magnifier.

Focus Magnifier TimeWhen making use of the Focus Magnifier, this setting will determine how long the magnification remains active, so that you can view and focus on the desired detail. You can select 2 seconds, 5 seconds, or No Limit. With the No Limit setting, magnification will end when you half-press or fully-press the Shutter Button (based on the AF in Focus Magnification setting below). I suggest you set this for No Limit, so that you can examine the area and make your manual focus or autofocus adjustments.

Initial Focus Magnification (still image) – When making use of the Focus Magnifier, this setting will specify the initial amount of magnification. The x1.0 setting will activate the Focus Magnifier, but you will still view the entire scene. Continue to press the Multi-Selector Center to zoom-in closer. The x6.2 (a7R III) or x5.9 (a7 III) setting will immediately enlarge the image by about 6 times, when Focus Magnifier is used. I suggest you set if for x1.0, then activate the Focus Magnifier, adjust the area of focus with the Multi-Selector, then continue to zoom, by pressing the Multi-Selector Center or the Control Wheel Center Button.

AF in Focus Magnification (still image) – This setting determines how autofocus works with the Focus Magnifier. If set for On, the camera will retain the magnification of the screen and autofocus when half-pressing the Shutter Button. The camera will focus at the “+” symbol seen in the center of the screen. The camera will return to the full view of the scene once the image is captured. If set for Off, the Focus Magnifier is cancelled and the view returns to the full scene, when the Shutter Button is half-pressed. I suggest setting this for On so that you can make use of the magnified view to precisely autofocus.

Know the Difference Between AEL Hold and AEL Toggle

When using the Custom Key options of the Camera Settings 2 Menu to customize the function of various camera buttons, you can choose to assign Auto Exposure Lock (AEL) to the button of your choice. Typically you will assign the AEL Button to be used to lock the current exposure settings. For example, if you are using Center Metering or Spot Metering, you would half-press the Shutter Button to begin metering, aim the camera to position the metering area over the desired part of the scene, then press the AEL Button to lock the exposure settings that the camera determined. You will see an asterisk icon (*) on the screen to indicate that exposure lock is active. You can then recompose and fully press the Shutter Button to capture the image.

There are a few different Auto Exposure Lock options. The AEL hold option means that exposure is locked only as you hold down the button. The AEL toggle options means that you can press and release the button to activate exposure lock. The options with the Spot Metering icon, [.] AEL hold and [.] AEL toggle means that Spot Metering will temporarily be activated to determine the exposure settings, and those settings will simultaneously be locked, with either the “hold” option or the “toggle” option that was just explained. This can be a very useful option if you are shooting in a situation where you are not using Spot Metering, but you may temporarily wish to use Spot Metering to determine the exposure settings such as for a portrait.

Choose the Best Refresh Rate for the Electronic Viewfinder

The a7R III offers the Finder Frame Rate option in the Camera Settings 2 Menu. This adjusts the frame rate of the electronic Viewfinder display. The High setting will display moving subjects more smoothly, however the Viewfinder resolution will be reduced. The Standard setting will make use of the normal frame rate, and will be used automatically when the camera’s internal temperature becomes high. However with its higher resolution, you will want to use the Standard setting for situations such as still subjects, studio use, macro, and landscapes. It is recommended that you set for High for general use and moving subjects, and Standard for still subjects.

Assign the C3 Button to Rating or Protect

The Custom C3 Button, located at the upper-left on the rear of the camera, is labeled for the Protect function. This will protect an image from accidental deletion. However, know that reformatting a memory card will delete all images, including protected images. You can also use the Custom Key options of the Camera Setting 2 Menu to assign this button to another function, such as Rating. This may be a more useful feature, as you can mark an image with 1 to 5 stars. This can be used to quickly locate specific images when you later view them on your computer.

The Rating Set item of the Playback Menu can be used in conjunction with this button assignment. If you assign a Custom Button to the Rating feature, then you can select which rating amounts are available to choose from, with each subsequent button press. For example, you may only wish to make use of the 1, 3, and 5 star ratings, and thus you can disable the other rating values so that you don’t have to click through them every time. Then you would press the button one time for 1-star, two times for 3-stars, and three times for 5-stars.

There are numerous other menu options, features, and functions that are discussed in my quick-start menu guides for these cameras, Sony Alpha a7R III Menu Setup Guide and Sony Alpha a7 III Menu Setup Guide, both of which can be purchased at my FullStopBooks.com website. I have also created a Menu Setup Spreadsheet for these cameras, which list suggested settings for each menu item, with different listing for various shooting situations such as Landscape, Portrait, Action, Studio, Birds, etc. The spreadsheets can be downloaded from my website here: www.fullstopbooks.com/setup-guides/.

Sony Alpha a7R III Menu Setup Guide – Updates Page

Updates and corrections for Sony Alpha a7R III Menu Setup Guide.

All guides available at my Full Stop website – http://www.fullstopbooks.com/

Sony Alpha a7R III menu setup guide manual tips tricks how to

2018-05-24 – Version 1.0 published in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI formats – No updates

2018-06-01 – Version 1.1b published in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI (Amazon Kindle) formats, including FullStopBooks, Kobo, iTunes, Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble.

There were a few mentions of “dSLR” or “digital SLR” in the guide. As the a7R III is a mirrorless camera and not an SLR, there errors have been corrected to say “mirrorless” camera.

“Future Updates to the Text” chapter, information, and links added to the guide.

2018-06-04 – Version 1.2 published in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI (Amazon Kindle) formats, including FullStopBooks, Kobo, iTunes, Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble.

To my great embarrassment, there was a typo (extra word) on the very first page of the text. That has been corrected.

 

Firmware Update: A Firmware update was made available for the a7R III, Firmware Version 1.10. You can download the firmware at the Sony Support site, under the Drivers and Software tab:

https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=ILCE7RM3&template_id=1&region_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab

The firmware update provides the following benefits:

-Adds the menu option to select Pixel Shift Multi Shooting (On: Shooting Interval 0.5sec)

Notes:

When using an A-mount lens via an adaptor (LA-EA1/ LA-EA2/ LA-EA3/ LA-EA4), the interval might be slightly longer

When the camera is connected to PC, please use the latest version of the Imaging Edge software

-Adds support for bracketing during silent shooting with uncompressed RAW

-Adds support for tuning of the peaking display level for S-Log shooting

-Makes improvements for a condition where the Eye AF does not work with certain camera settings

-Makes improvements for a condition where Viewfinder Brightness is not reflected correctly in the Manualsetting

-Improves overall stability of camera

~ ~ ~

 

Sign up to receive notices of updates to the text of Sony Alpha a7R III Menu Setup Guide, as well as to be eligible to receive free copies of the updated e-book file (for major updates):

http://blog.dojoklo.com/ebooks/sign-up-for-full-stop-e-book-updates/

Quick Start Setup for the Sony a7R III

The Sony Alpha a7R III mirrorless camera offers numerous improved features and updates from previous versions of the camera, including an improved autofocus system with more effective eye-detection, faster continuous shooting at up to 10 frames per second, better in-camera stabilization, and a faster processor. Boasting 42.2 megapixels, the image resolution is excellent enough to meet most any photographer’s needs.

The a7R III offers numerous menu options, features, and customizations, and you may have found that the menus can be challenging to navigate, and some options are confusing or difficult to understand. In fact there are over 180 menu items, spread across 35 menu pages, and organized under 5 separate tabs. However, it is important to properly set up the options to match your shooting needs, and essential to understand what the features are doing and how the camera is operating, so that you can take full advantage of all that that a7R III offers.

I have put together a comprehensive Sony a7R III Menu Setup Guide Spreadsheet to help walk you through all the Camera Settings and Setup Menus. The spreadsheet contains separate listings of suggested settings and starting points for various types of shooting situations, including:

General / Travel / Street
Landscape / Architecture
Action / Sports
Moving Wildlife / Birds
Studio / Portraits
Concert / Performance

Below is a small detail of the setup guide. You can download the Sony a7R III Menu Setup Guide Spreadsheet at the link below, where you will also find instructions for printing the spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is available for free for a limited time!

http://www.fullstopbooks.com/setup-guides/

Sony a7R III setup quick start guide how to manual

I also offer a companion text guide, which provides more detailed explanations of all the Sony a7R III menu items, recommendations for setting them up, and for making use of the various camera features and functions, along with some a7R III tips and tricks. This more detailed text guide, Sony a7R III Menu Setup Guide, will be available in May 2018. The text guide and the setup guide spreadsheet work hand-in-hand, to help you set up and get the most from your camera.

Take control of your a7R III and the images you create!

Sony a7R III manual menu setup guide how to use quick start

One on One Digital Photography Instruction

Digital SLR Camera Lessons

I am offering one-on-one, individual instruction (or small group workshops) in all aspects of digital photography in the Boston and Cambridge, MA area. I will create a unique lesson with you that can include topics such as choosing a new digital SLR or advanced compact camera and related equipment, learning how to use the various settings and features of your digital camera, photographic composition and taking stronger images, processing and editing your images in Photoshop, and preparing for photographing while traveling.  The lesson plan is up to you and is customized to your interests, needs, level of experience, and specific equipment.  Subjects will be explained, demonstrated, and practiced in ways you will understand, remember, and use.

Please view the Lessons page here, or under Lessons in the blog menu above, to learn more details.

Douglas J. Klostermann Photography Cambridge, MA
Central Square – Cambridge, MA – “Crosswinds” mural by Daniel Galvez

Learn to use your camera with confidence, get the most out of your digital SLR photography equipment, and learn to take better images. Get in touch with me at doug (at) dojoklo (dot) com or at 347-272-Seven Thousand.

Dreaming of a Conde Nast Dream Trip

I’ve been selected as one of the Ten Finalists in the Conde Nast $25,000 Dream Trip Contest (out of over 70,000 entries!) with my photo Boys Emerging from Chuch – Pisac. This photo was captured on my visit to Pisac where I ran into some fellow Yanapay volunteers, and then we all got on the bus going the wrong way, as documented in this post.

I was requested to submit an essay detailing my dream trip, in which I described a trip to visit and photograph the indigenous cultures of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

In addition, I won a Sony a350 digital SLR with an 18-70mm lens, and my photo was published in the October 2009 Conde Nast Traveler magazine.  If you are interested in purchasing this new, never used Sony camera, head over to eBay here. too late!

CondeNastScan