Sony menu system

[Jack Frost]

I am giving serious thought to switching to a Sony full-frame camera- either the A7Rii or the A7iii  - from my MFT setup but a big fly in the review ointment seems to be the complexity/frustrations with the menu system and I thought it would be worth getting the views of long-term users rather than reviewers who may have only limited use of the cameras. In other words, should I let the menu system be a deal-breaker?

[FunWithCameras]

Sony did a major overhaul of the menu system when they moved to the new processor, but we are talking the A1, A7IV, A7RV cameras (I think the A7SIII might have them, too). I really like the new system, because there are logical top-level menus, and no cases of pages being tucked into what seem like inappropriate places.

That said, I think the older menus aren't too bad. There are several things which alleviate the problem:

• you can put the menus you use most commonly into the My Menu page, so you don't have to find them again - I always put the Format command into My Menu as the very first step
• Sony bodies are very customisable - you can
  • build custom modes which go onto the PASM dial - set up a custom mode for shooting in studio, or photographing birds, or sports....
  • assign functions to buttons (and there are ample buttons you can customise - you can customise almost every button, except Menu!

I would not worry too much about the menus on the A7RII or A7III - there are guides to setting them up. Just be prepared to spend some time learning how to use your camera - they are very flexible beasts.

[Jack Frost]

Many thanks. Really useful.

[XKAES]

Sony menus vary from camera to camera, of course, but I find mine very flexible.  You can set it anywhere from TOTALLY automatic, to fine-tuning everything -- even for various situations.  The number of options can be mind-boggling.  The challenge, for me, is figuring out how one adjustment may effects/impact/conflict with another adjustments.  That's one reason I bought a 500-page book an all the variables -- and it does NOT include any details on POST-PROCESSING. 

Unfortunately, I can't memorize a 500-page book, and it's too large and heavy to carry around with me -- but I assume this is the case with Nikon, Canon, etc. top-tier cameras as well.

[Jack Frost]

OK. Thank you. I've bitten the bullet and bought an A7ii with the 50mm macro lens.