Dear Sony: Here Are a Bunch of Things We'd Like You to Do Please

When Sony first released its full-frame mirrorless cameras, there were plenty of problems and meaningful issues that needed to be addressed. In my view, Sony has been doing a brilliant job in fixing these problems, however, it seems there are still lots of things that could be better. 

My first Sony camera was the a7R II and as much as I enjoyed shooting with it, it had a few problems. Then main two issues were battery life and the overheating; especially when filming in 4k. Considering the fact that I bought it predominantly for it's video features, the overheating was a major pain. Sony has done a lot to improve its cameras over the last few years and with the a7R III and a7R IV, they've almost perfected them; almost. 

In a recent video, fellow writer Ryan Mense discusses a whopping 21 things that need addressing. Going through the list, I have to say, a good number of them are things I hadn't even considered. Clearly I'm not shooting with my Sony cameras often enough. 

My favorite points that Mense makes are the 2x crop mode and having a smaller raw option. I love the ability to go into crop mode, especially for video and having that increased to 2x crop would be helpful. On the a7R III you can crop in further when filming, however, it's a bit of a pain having to punch in every time you want to go beyond 1.5x crop. Also, the smaller raw option would be incredibly useful because currently, Sony only offer a cropped mode which isn't the same thing. 

Check out the full video linked above and I'd love to know if you have any suggestions of your own. 

Usman Dawood's picture

Usman Dawood is a professional architectural photographer based in the UK.

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16 Comments

Just get a Nikon :P

They should learn how to build cameras while they're at it...
https://www.dpreview.com/news/0261142298/lensrental-discovers-cracked-se...

Is there a tl;dr version of this 28 minute bulleted list?

0:00 Intro
0:42 Fix the Delays
2:07 Change Crop Mode While Cleaning Buffer
3:13 Focus Point Limiter
4:40 Allow Focus Point Change While AF-C Active
6:13 Flexible Spot - XS
7:33 'Shutter Controls AF' Added to Fn Menu
9:38 2x Crop Mode
10:47 Large Embedded JPEGs in Raw Files
11:51 sRAW
12:48 Faster Wake Time
13:50 Remove Info Screen When Changing to C1, C2, C3 Modes
16:06 Recall Custom Hold: Disable Stabilization
17:34 Recall Custom Hold: AF-C Tracking Sensitivity
17:55 Recall Custom Hold: Faster Activation
18:33 Focus Distance Recall
20:19 Custom Focus Ranges
21:28 Reimagine Zebras for Stills
23:17 Larger, Grippier Control Wheel
24:02 Add Button Between AF-On and AEL
25:23 Remove Lock From Mode Selection Dial
26:20 Redesign Strap Lugs
27:01 Bonus: A Request to Remain Unchanged

Cheers dude! Definitely didn't think someone else would post that (was trying to indirectly pressure the author of the video and possibly of the article to do so) lol

Haha, my bad. Sometimes, I feel compelled to be helpful. :D

All I would say is use the tech available to learn how your gear reacts to light conditions. When you are shooting close and fast (for wildlife), even the best gear will fail all the time...What matters is you and your experience...Not the gear!

wat

Sony makes great sensors and have good tech in their bodies but until they build a body that fits my hands I would never consider buying one, they are just to little. That would be a change I would like to see.

Sony pointed out a while back that small size was one of their highest priorities. So you're going to need to get some kind of grip.

I didn't watch all 28 minutes of video. First two "problems" was enough for me to conclude that it would be just waste of time. I hope that Sony doesn't waste their time and effort to address non-problems for absolute majority of Sony users. And if you think that something you don't like is a problem, then you should buy a brand that doesn't have this problem and be happy.

You're kidding right? Almost half an hour for what should be a 5-minute browse before breakfast.

I'm surprised Sony doesn't just mimic Canon's ergonomics and menus as much as they can get away with legally. I think that alone would have a significant impact on their sales.

Sony's menus are the same as Canon's, down to the color coding and custom menus. Their ergonomics are different, but as usable as Canon's.

I have to disagree, I'm looking at them side by side and they're different enough. Also, navigating Canon menus via the touchscreen makes it a whole lot better than Sony. Having said that, Sony does have custom buttons which means I rarely need to go into the menu so each has it's respective advantages.

I don't use Sony but I'm surprised to hear this. All I have heard for years is that Sony has complicated and aggravating menu systems, while Canon (which I use) has easy and intuitive systems. It's odd that narrative would stand for so long if they really are that similar. But I'll take your word for it.