Sony 'Custom Hold' Shooting, very cool.

[Brownie]

Edited for a clearer description.

Now that the Tamron lets me pan without changing cameras/lenses, I wanted a way to quickly switch to panning settings on the camera.

I have a complete setup for action on the mode dial, Custom Mode 1. It has a fast shutter and certain settings for the head-on shots at the track. But if I want to pan, I have to flip the switch on the lens to pan mode, then slow the shutter, then adjust the aperture. It's not hard and I can do it pretty quickly, but me being lazy looked for another way. The answer is in 'Custom Hold'.

This is beyond programming a custom mode on the dial or a custom key to call up a specific setting. Custom Hold allows you to override the camera's current setting momentarily for a different situation by holding a button, and the return to your previous settings be releasing the button. I believe this feature is on all Sony cameras from the A9 to now.

I was able to set it up in both the A7R III and the A7 IV easily. They're similar, so these instructions should let you find your way around for either menu layout.

On the first tab, fourth page of the menu choose:

• Reg Custom Shoot Set>Recall Custom Hold 1, 2, or 3

In there it gives you:

• Shoot mode
• Aperture
• Shutter speed
• Drive mode
• Compensation
• ISO
• Metering Mode
• Focus Mode
• Focus Area
• AF Tracking sensitivity
• AF on

Choose your settings and register them, then go to the toolbox and choose custom key/dial
Choose which button you want the Custom Hold programmed to. I used AEL since I never use that button and it's right at my thumb.

• Assign Custom Hold 1 (or 2 or 3) to your chosen button.

Now, all you have to do is push and hold the button to change to your programmed settings momentarily. Release the button and it reverts to whatever mode you were in before.

In my case, I can move the switch on the lens and push the AEL button, and the camera goes to 1/200, f/5.6, Auto ISO, AF-C, etc. etc.

I suppose other cameras do this too, but have never used the feature. If you're a landscape or street photographer and you see a BIF while you're out walking around, just program your BIF settings and with a push of the button you're in business! Release the button and your back to landscape. No dials, nothing to look at.

 

[John King]

Tim, Olympus have had custom modes since at least the E-510, released in March 2007.

So I expect most cameras released from around then have also got similar functionality.

Glad that it's working for you.

 

[rayvonn]

Now that the Tarmon lets me pan without changing cameras/lenses, I wanted a way to quickly switch to panning settings on the camera. I have a complete setup for action on my Custom Mode 1, but If I want to pan I have to flip the switch on the lens to pan mode, then slow the shutter, then adjust the aperture. It's not hard and I can do it pretty quickly, but me being lazy looked for another way. The answer is in Custom Shooting. I was able to set it up in both the A7R III and the A7 IV.

They're similar, so these instructions should let you find your way around for either menu layout.

On the first tab, fourth page of the menu choose:

• Reg Custom Shoot Set>Recall Custom Hold 1, 2, or 3

In there it gives you:

• Shoot mode
• Aperture
• Shutter speed
• Drive mode
• Compensation
• ISO
• Metering Mode
• Focus Mode
• Focus Area
• AF Tracking sensitivity
• AF on

Choose your settings and register them, then go to the toolbox and choose custom key/dial
Choose which button you want the custom set programmed to. I used AEL since I never use that button and it's right at my thumb.

• Assign Custom Hold 1 (or 2 or 3) to your chosen button.

Now, all you have to do is push and hold the button to change to your programmed settings momentarily. Release the button and it reverts to whatever mode you were in before.

In my case, I can move the switch on the lens and push the AEL button, and the camera goes to 1/200, f/5.6, Auto ISO, AF-C, etc. etc.

I suppose other cameras do this too, but have never used the feature. If you're a landscape or street photographer and you see a BIF while you're out walking around, just program your BIF settings and with a push of the button you're in business!

Do report back please, it'd be interesting to me to see how it all works out in real word use. Some people whinge about the Sony menu system, maybe it can be justified if put to use effectively?

 

[Brownie]

Do report back please, it'd be interesting to me to see how it all works out in real word use. Some people whinge about the Sony menu system, maybe it can be justified if put to use effectively?

Honestly, the menu system is no better or worse than any other. The truth is no one uses every feature, same as no one uses every feature in Word or Excel. One of my cameras has the old horizontal tabs layout and the other one the new vertical. They're really very similar with some of the nomenclature a little different. I bought the cameras within months of each other so had to learn both layouts simultaneously. I thought I hated them at first, but it was just like anything else, getting used to something different. Now it doesn't warrant a second thought.

I use custom (dial) modes on both, but never really had the need for custom keys until now. I've done a few minor things, like setting up toggling between two different AF areas but never did a complete setup before. I'm still not sure if I like it as a momentary instead of a toggle. I think being a momentary limits it to only convenient buttons like the AEL, something you can activate without looking. As a toggle it could be assigned to any button.

Time will tell!

 

[Brownie]

Just got back from my first outing with Custom Hold. I'll mess with the images tomorrow, am too tired tonight, need to take it easy.

I did learn something though. I was using half-press/recompose as I normally do, then pressing the Custom Hold button. When I reviewed the images I found that the camera was using my C1 dial settings, not the Custom Hold settings. I finally sorted out that once you half-press and hold, the camera won't switch to Custom Hold when you press the button. At first I found that strange, then realized that the camera focuses as soon as you press the Custom Hold button, just like BBF. Once I figured that out I was good to go.

 

[Brownie]

Not much more to report. In addition to what I posted above, I can say it works great. Fast as heck. Flip the switch on the lens to pan mode, press, and shoot.

The one other thing I noticed is that you cannot make changes to the aperture or shutter speed by spinning the dials, it's locked in where you set it. I played around a bit and decided f/8 was the right choice for my needs. The good news is it's very fast to change settings in the menu. I made several changes while sorting it out. I may program a second button with different settings so I can choose one or the other. Then again knowing me I'd probably confuse myself!

In summary, this is a cool feature. I had no idea it even existed until it was pointed out to me. It works very well once you wrap your head around it. I think an excellent use would be a quick access BIF setup as mentioned above. You could be out walking around the woods or on a city street with normal single frame settings and a bird pops out. Push the button and the camera jumps to your BIF or action settings: Tracking, AF-C, High frame rate, etc. You take the shot(s), take your thumb off the button, and you're back to you're original settings. Simple and fast.

 

[Brownie]

Taken it to the nth degree!

There are three buttons I can get to with my thumb without looking on the A7 IV. I never use them for anything, so may as well try and make them worth the real estate they occupy. There is now a Custom Shoot Hold set up on the C1, AF-ON and AEL buttons. On the M4 they're right across the top in the order listed, left to right.

C1 is CH 3, a high-speed shutter setting in case I'm out walking around and see something moving I want to shoot.
AF-ON is the largest and most natural to access so it gets CH 1. It is set for panning, 1/200 shutter speed.
AEL is CH 2. Also set for panning, 1/125 shutter speed.

I'll mess with the shutter speeds out at the track and see what the best shutter settings are for the two options. From what I can tell so far these seem reasonable settings to start. One is for faster motion like Pro Mod/Dragsters/Funny Cars, one for slower like Open Comp and Bracket Racing.

Last, I programmed the Custom Hold menu to C2 on top of the camera for quick access. It's faster than going to my Menu or My Menu.

Can only do two on the A7RIII since the button layout is different, but really only want one on that camera anyway.