Sony cameras have done a lot to move forward the industry, but just like any other system, there are things that can be improved. Here are eight things one photographer would change about the Sony cameras he uses.
Coming to you from Wes Perry, this interesting video discusses eight things he would change about his Sony cameras. No doubt, Sony cameras have done remarkable things for the industry and pushed forward research and development by all companies. But still, there are things that can be improved about them, just like Canon, Nikon, Fuji, and other systems. Personally, after having used several brands for the last decade, the one thing I would most like to change about Sony bodies is the ergonomics. I have always loved the way Canon's bodies have fit in my hand, and the way the buttons fit under my fingers feels quite intuitive. In particular, Canon cameras tend to sit deep in my palm, while I always have to hold a Sony body using my fingertips, though they have made definitely steps forward in the past few generations of cameras. Check out the video above for Perry's full thoughts, and let me know what you would change about Sony cameras in the comments.
I would make them Nikon cameras so that Nikon would have more sales.
Ergonomics - that's it!
What did you replace it with?
Personally I'm not a fan of Canon colours. If I had to rate "colour science" from my own tastes, it would go:
1) Nikon (by a fair margin)
2) Sony
3) Fuji
4) Canon
I've always found Canon to be the least natural of any, with strangely orange skin tones. But I recognize that that's super subjective.
Bigger bodies, they are just to small for large hands.
I prefer the versatility Sony bodies afford, for the most part (aforemented issues notwithstanding). Having the choice of putting a small lens on and using it as a walkabout, then the next day putting on a vertical battery grip and a huge zoom lens for sports makes it a great all-rounder in my books.
1. Ergonomics!
2. Top LCD
3. Articulated monitor
4. More custom menus (like Panasonic)
5. Two identical memory slots (both UHS-II)
6. Better shutter release feel.
Greg Wilson said it well, with more detail.
A couple years ago Sony switched to dual UHS-ii, so that's not an issue anymore (now with dual CFExpress-A cards as well)
The a7Siii also has greatly expanded custom menus, and the articulated monitor (though the articulating action feels like cheap junk, unfortunately)
What do you mean by shutter release feel? The button, or the shutter itself? Because the shutter itself has changed dramatically through the hardware revisions. The latest ones in the a9ii, a7Riv and a7Siii are so quick and quiet they're fantastic. (compared to all their previous models).
I'm guessing, but the shutter button can feel squishy with little feedback, especially compared to other manufacturers. It's barely on my radar as a complaint, but it is something I noticed when I first got my a7iii.
A hi-res touchscreen, like probably every other camera manufacturer out there. An automatic shield like thing to protect the sensor when you take the lens off.
Biggest issue's I have with Sony is battery life and the imaging Edge software used to transfer files wirelessly.
Third generation Sony’s came with much improved battery life and are better than other mirrorless cameras like the R5 and R6. You only need one or two batteries for a days shoot.
Based on the a6000, a6400 and RX100iii, I would change ergonomics. Add a small grip to the RX100. Reshape the other grips to the shape the fingers make when they curl. Whoever designed the grips on the a6xxx cameras has weird hands. And make more space between the lens mound and grip. I have small hands and my fingertips feels squeezed into the gap between grip and lens.
I know nothing of the new menu, but the old menus are a pain. Battery battery life. Either better batteries or design the cameras so they don't drain batteries as fast.
This one is for all camera brands. A depth of field mode like Canon's DEP (not the useless A-DEP).
I'd really love to be able to change the color of the focus box on A7iii from grey to something that doesn't get lost so easily when shooting in busy locations such as woodlands and city centers.
Yes. Its possible with mark4 versions but they did not put it in firmware upgrade for mark3. So Sony A7iv will have, next year.
Apparently a new processor is required to make a grey box turn red 😂
I didn't want to mention anything that's already been 'fixed' in current revision models, even though it's super frustrating when much of it is potentially just a firmware update way, but they're clearly not interested 🙄
Great example of how Sony (and most other camera vendors) highjacks customers into buying new hardware to solve simple issues with existing camera models. I have an A7R2 which is a great camera with lots of potential. But since the advent of the A7R3, they simply stopped pushing out updates for the 2-series. It makes a lot of sense from a short-sighted marketing perspective, but in a world where photogs pay around 3000USD for a new camera, I think it is more than reasonable to expect the camera vendor to supply software updates for the camera during 6-10 years. My iMac that is both older and cheaper than my camera still gets software updates regularly. Just as an example.
A general issue with the whole camera business these days - not just Sony - is that they fail to recognise the advances in software that is being made on smartphones. That's the simple reason that while smartphone pictures get better and better... well.... cameras just don't. I am not saying that I want a "smart" camera, but I do want a camera that leverages modern software advances to go beyond clever focusing systems. Some examples:
1) Eye-AF that is semi-automatic on manual focus lenses, so that then one turns the focus ring, it automatically zooms in on the eye for manual focusing
2) Being able to sync presets between camera and LR/C1 (so I could see the preset live on screen in the camera)
3) Modes that go beyond A/P/M, for instance a "as light as possible, but protect highlights mode"
4) In-camera night mode a la Huawei P40 but keeping RAW files for further editing in post
5) Native, working wireless tethering to LR and C1, for instance on an iPad while in the field without having to deal with 3rd party software
6) In-camera focus stacking, preferably as one RAW output file
These are just examples.
Great suggestions!
If Sony could sort out the abomination that is the Image Edge app so that it can import RAW files and doesn’t require us to jump through hoops just to get our phone/tablet and camera to communicate. In fact the last point goes for all camera brands. I currently use an SD card adapter but rumour has it future phones/tablets are likely to go completely wireless with no ports for adapters. Seamless transfer of RAW files to our mobile devices is a must. I’d like to see some sort of OS universal file transfer instead of individual apps.
I’d get rid of program and auto modes as I think these are pointless on ILC cameras and have a couple of extra custom positions instead. I’d also like to see the annoying exposure comp dial become a customisable dial instead to make it much more useful. Also, whilst I don’t like flippy screens, if there was a way to have a hinged screen that could be reversed to protect the screen but not force us to have to flip it out to the side. We’re not all shooting video 100% of the time.
I'd have to say #1. Bring back the Sony Play Memories apps and make them even better. I still have them on my Sony a7R2 and I still use them from time to time. Case in point, The smooth reflection app takes multiple exposures and does computation inside the camera to average the exposures together and gives you a long exposure effect (still a RAW file). Perfect use case when you have a Canon 17mm Tilt Shift lens and you forgot to bring your really large ND filter kit with you. I think these apps were a really great idea and allowed you to expand the capabilities of your camera. They were fun to use and really unique the market. But they definitely needed work, because the process of installing and updating them took forever.
#2 Vari-Angle Touchscreen on all camera's going forward (just like they did with new A7s III).
Overall, I've been pretty happy with my Sony. It's been a solid camera
I sure do miss that touchless shutter app. Such a simple and effective tool that just never came back! They should just migrate the whole operating system to QNX and open up an app ecosystem.
Add some features that you only get with add-on gear (or in the case of Canon, through Magic Lantern). For instance sound activated shutter trigger, exposure change trigger for lightning, focus trap shutter trigger.
Maybe motion activated trigger, but allow the user to prescribe how many times the shutter is tripped when activated. I could see this useful for some wildlife where an animal is still, but suddenly moves. For instance a bird taking off from a tree limb. Say you set it for four exposures. Pick a focus point for triggering that is in the direction the bird will take off to avoid tripping the shutter from the bird's movement on the limb. The bird launches and once in front of the focus point, four shots are made as it crosses the rest of the frame. Pick which shot looks the best, or combine all of them into one photo. This could also be done with focus trap, but allow for multiple shots.
- Give the user the possibility to have REAL raw files without the dumb noise reduction algorithms that ruin astrophotography on Sony cameras
- Improve internal design for easier ha modification
The A7 III would be a killer astro camera but it's held back mostl by stupid software decisions :(
I use 7R III. Several things bug me. The slow(ish) operation. From clearing the buffer to being slow in reviewing images, with the screen being slow and unresponsive, compared to my Canon and Olympus cameras. The other thing that is really dumb is the menu and the inability to at least touch the items in it. Third thing is the low level back screen. It's not bright enough, the resolution is not high enough and is only "semi" touchscreen. The fourth minor annoyance is the grey AF point, that one cannot see on the screen or in the EVF. Other than that - a great camera. The AF is exceptionally accurate. The resolution is spot on (I don't like the idea of the IV with it's unnecessary big files). The sequential shooting is impressive for a high res camera. The battery life is very good. The camera has amazing JPGs. (I always hoot RAW+JPG and often use the JPGs, with minor corrections in Lightroom). And the lens selection is amazing. Especially since Tamron released their f/2.8 zooms and the Samyang their AF f/1.8 primes. One can have an amazing system, brand new, for relatively low price.
Give them optical viewfinders?
1. Menu
2. a7iii EVF Resolution
3. Nikon lens to Sony Body adaptors, (solid AF just like Canon + mc11)
I don't think that last one is within Sony's control. That f-mount is so old that it's an engineering marvel that Nikon managed to adapt them so well to their new Z mount. It would be pretty shocking if anyone were to figure out how to do the same for E-mount.
i know....sigh. my nikon gears are gathering dust atm.
BTW, i like your new cleaner background on YT.
You seem to be the only one that does. Haha
I have an old a7 but Sony just doesn't capture bright yellow very well.
I'd make them more affordable
ISO-dial instead of exposure compensation.
I think I’ve used the exposure comp dial once in my life. Always iso on the back wheel, but that sure would be more convenient to be able to switch it to whatever you want from iso.
That feature is also available in the Z7/Z7ii as far as I know. Annoys me that Sony won’t implement it. It’s essentially the only reason I use the a7iii instead of the a7Riv.