RichC
Well-known
The technology in my new camera, an A7R II, is outstanding: it creates amazing images, and the viewfinder and image stabilisation mean I get more "keepers" than with my previous camera, a Nikon D800E.
However, the ergonomics suck! Did Sony's design department bother to give the camera to serious/professional photographers for feedback during its development? Judging by how awful the camera is to use, I guess not! Or they put aesthetics above usability...
The right-hand side of the camera is grippy, which is good; but that makes the rest of the camera worse to hold, with its smooth, slippery painted metal. The camera body is too short, so the base digs uncomfortably into my palm. And the buttons...! These are tiny, barely move, have no feedback (e.g. resistance or a click) and are almost flush with the camera body. The three control wheels are also horrible - tiny, mushy, slippery. And Sony seems to have forgotten about left-eyed photographers: using button C3 means poking my thumb into my right eye! Lastly, the shutter button is also mushy, has little movement and the flat profile makes it awkward to use.
After a couple of weeks' ownership, I've decided that the Sony is the most uncomfortable camera I've ever used (excepting Soviet film ones ... I own a Moskva - imagine a camera built by a tractor factory!).
So, I decided to do something about it. See the photos.
It may just be that Sony happened to design a camera that’s wholly unsuited to me. But in case anyone else finds the camera uncomfortable, here’s what I did...
I always keep an Arco-Swiss quick-release plate permanently attached to my cameras as I often use a tripod. So, I bought a cheap L plate from eBay to increase the depth of the body, removing the upright as it’s uncomfortable to hold (and I don’t need it anyway). The increased height definitely makes the camera more comfortable to hold.
Next I covered the camera in leatherette. You can download my template from here. The camera feels much better in my left hand...!
Leatherette on the camera back doesn't increase comfort. But I took the opportunity to cover up the mess of white lettering (most of which doesn't match the buttons, now I've set custom functions). For neatness, I used leather punches to cut out the holes for the buttons (cheap punches on eBay).
The buttons now have rubber extensions. They feel way better, and I can now find them without fruitless fumbling! I used 1 mm rubber sheet (from eBay), with the circles cut using a ring binder hole punch (perfect size!). Before punching the holes, I attached 3M ultra-strong double-sided tape (eBay again). I cut the two lozenge-shaped buttons by hand.
Lastly, I stuck on a Lolumina self-adhesive soft release, to improve the shutter button.
The camera now handles loads better. It's not perfect - I still poke my thumb into my eye, and the buttons remain mushy - but I notice the ergonomic faults less, allowing me to concentrate on the task in hand: taking pictures.
NB: in case anyone's wondering about the blacked-out logos... I hate logos! I'm not an advertising hoarding! If manufacturers want me to advertise their products, they can pay me! As a matter of course, I remove logos and names from stuff I buy, if easy and practicable.
However, the ergonomics suck! Did Sony's design department bother to give the camera to serious/professional photographers for feedback during its development? Judging by how awful the camera is to use, I guess not! Or they put aesthetics above usability...
The right-hand side of the camera is grippy, which is good; but that makes the rest of the camera worse to hold, with its smooth, slippery painted metal. The camera body is too short, so the base digs uncomfortably into my palm. And the buttons...! These are tiny, barely move, have no feedback (e.g. resistance or a click) and are almost flush with the camera body. The three control wheels are also horrible - tiny, mushy, slippery. And Sony seems to have forgotten about left-eyed photographers: using button C3 means poking my thumb into my right eye! Lastly, the shutter button is also mushy, has little movement and the flat profile makes it awkward to use.
After a couple of weeks' ownership, I've decided that the Sony is the most uncomfortable camera I've ever used (excepting Soviet film ones ... I own a Moskva - imagine a camera built by a tractor factory!).
So, I decided to do something about it. See the photos.
It may just be that Sony happened to design a camera that’s wholly unsuited to me. But in case anyone else finds the camera uncomfortable, here’s what I did...
I always keep an Arco-Swiss quick-release plate permanently attached to my cameras as I often use a tripod. So, I bought a cheap L plate from eBay to increase the depth of the body, removing the upright as it’s uncomfortable to hold (and I don’t need it anyway). The increased height definitely makes the camera more comfortable to hold.
Next I covered the camera in leatherette. You can download my template from here. The camera feels much better in my left hand...!
Leatherette on the camera back doesn't increase comfort. But I took the opportunity to cover up the mess of white lettering (most of which doesn't match the buttons, now I've set custom functions). For neatness, I used leather punches to cut out the holes for the buttons (cheap punches on eBay).
The buttons now have rubber extensions. They feel way better, and I can now find them without fruitless fumbling! I used 1 mm rubber sheet (from eBay), with the circles cut using a ring binder hole punch (perfect size!). Before punching the holes, I attached 3M ultra-strong double-sided tape (eBay again). I cut the two lozenge-shaped buttons by hand.
Lastly, I stuck on a Lolumina self-adhesive soft release, to improve the shutter button.
The camera now handles loads better. It's not perfect - I still poke my thumb into my eye, and the buttons remain mushy - but I notice the ergonomic faults less, allowing me to concentrate on the task in hand: taking pictures.
NB: in case anyone's wondering about the blacked-out logos... I hate logos! I'm not an advertising hoarding! If manufacturers want me to advertise their products, they can pay me! As a matter of course, I remove logos and names from stuff I buy, if easy and practicable.
Attachments
Michael Markey
Mentor
I`m with you on the logo`s Rich but perplexed by everything else 
To each his own I guess.
To each his own I guess.
css9450
Mentor
How's the battery life on that camera? I don't have an A7 (I have an a6000) but the battery life is embarrassingly short.
The big handling issue on the a6000 is the video on/off button. Far too many times I have accidentally touched that button and started an inadvertent video. I've since found a guy who sells a little metal grommet that slips in behind the leatherette and makes enough of a collar that its hard to press that button by accident.
The big handling issue on the a6000 is the video on/off button. Far too many times I have accidentally touched that button and started an inadvertent video. I've since found a guy who sells a little metal grommet that slips in behind the leatherette and makes enough of a collar that its hard to press that button by accident.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Moskva, if not 5, is Zeiss Super Ikonta C. Build on same equipment they took from Germany factory.
And I have seen Porsche tractors.
And I have seen Porsche tractors.
RichC
Well-known
Terrible! By modern standards. But I use medium-format film too and have to reload after 10-15 frames, so sticking a new battery in every 200-300 shots isn’t so bad...! Anyway, I shoot digital like film, so if I take a couple of dozen shots in a day, I consider that a lot!
B-9
Devin Bro
I had a short stint with an A7,
And for all the reasons you mention, I let it go.
Purchased a Panasonic GH3 and was lucky to have both at the same time.
The Panasonic is an ergonomic dream compared to the Sony and well most any camera I have used in the past few years. Lovely to hold but I hate the EVF. The Sony EVF is leagues better.
And for all the reasons you mention, I let it go.
Purchased a Panasonic GH3 and was lucky to have both at the same time.
The Panasonic is an ergonomic dream compared to the Sony and well most any camera I have used in the past few years. Lovely to hold but I hate the EVF. The Sony EVF is leagues better.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
I love my A7, the original model.
I have set it up as a manual camera and don't own any AF lenses for it (although I should get one due to missing focus, eyesight is deteriorating...).
Small buttons are only an issue when you actually need them to shoot and with the camera set up as manual and using Canon FD glass on an adapter, I need only one button while shooting, to activate focus zoom. That's it.
I have set it up as a manual camera and don't own any AF lenses for it (although I should get one due to missing focus, eyesight is deteriorating...).
Small buttons are only an issue when you actually need them to shoot and with the camera set up as manual and using Canon FD glass on an adapter, I need only one button while shooting, to activate focus zoom. That's it.
bayernfan
Well-known
i just snagged a brand new original A7 and Novoflex M to E adapter. It's really hard to argue with that image quality at $800. Eager to see what I can produce with it, as I've been using a Ricoh GXR as my only digital body and find it a little limiting.
dp13
Member
I am going on my fifth year with original a7 and still love it. It is interesting what you have done to make the r2 more comfortable to use...I like innovation like that.
I also prefer an Arca Swiss base and have one on all my cameras except the a7 so I like your solution. I found that the Voigtlander VM-E close focus adapter solves the poor close focus properties of the Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses in m-mount that I like to use.
If you are new to the a7 you will notice from time to time it sounds as though the camera is taking a picture without you pushing the shutter. This is an automatic function, as I understand it, to prevent stuck or dead pixels.
Eventually I may upgrade to the a7 iii, with silent shutter, IBIS, the improved battery, and all the improvements of the new sensor, but I am not in a hurry. My a7 is still the lightest if not the smallest and cheapest full frame digital camera you can buy, even after almost 5 years.
I also prefer an Arca Swiss base and have one on all my cameras except the a7 so I like your solution. I found that the Voigtlander VM-E close focus adapter solves the poor close focus properties of the Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses in m-mount that I like to use.
If you are new to the a7 you will notice from time to time it sounds as though the camera is taking a picture without you pushing the shutter. This is an automatic function, as I understand it, to prevent stuck or dead pixels.
Eventually I may upgrade to the a7 iii, with silent shutter, IBIS, the improved battery, and all the improvements of the new sensor, but I am not in a hurry. My a7 is still the lightest if not the smallest and cheapest full frame digital camera you can buy, even after almost 5 years.