Sony Alpha a7R IV Menu Setup Guide

By Douglas Klostermann

Sony Alpha a7R IV Menu Setup Guide for the Sony a7R IV mirrorless camera will help you navigate the detailed and complex menu system, as you set up the camera for your specific shooting needs. This quick-start guide clearly and concisely explains and illustrates all of the items in the numerous menus, including the Camera Settings 1, Camera Settings 2, Network, Playback, and Setup Menus. Each menu item description includes suggested settings and starting points, to assist you in setting up and using your camera.

-Includes Descriptions of all a7R IV Menu Items, with menu screenshots, plus suggested settings and starting points.

-Explains Custom Button Configurations, with recommended settings.

-Discusses the Sophisticated Autofocus System, including the Focus Modes and Focus Areas, plus face and eye detection autofocus, and back-button focus.

-Contains Download Link to free companion Menu Setup Spreadsheet, where you can review and edit suggested menu settings for various shooting situations.

This e-book guide contains a free download link for the companion Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet. The spreadsheet lists suggested settings and recommended starting points for the Settings 1, Settings 2, and Setup Menu items, with full and separate listings for various shooting situations such as Landscape, Sports, Birds, Portraits, and Studio. And you can edit and customize the spreadsheet with your preferred settings.

Get up and running quickly, and start to take control of your Sony a7R IV and the images you create, with this quick-start Menu Setup Guide!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Douglas Klostermann
• Release date: Feb 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463587218

Douglas Klostermann

Douglas Klostermann is a travel, culture, and humanitarian photographer, as well as the best-selling author of Full Stop photography guides including Nikon D850 Experience and Canon 5D Mark IV Experience. He has photographed for numerous organizations in the United States and Latin America, been recognized by the United Nations Development Programme for his humanitarian photography, and been published in magazines, books, and websites including Conde Nast Traveler, NationalGeographic.org, Sherman's Travel, South American Explorer, and Viva Travel Guides. Doug is a member of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). Learn more about photography techniques and equipment on his blog Picturing Change at blog.dojoklo.com and view his photography at dojoklo.com.

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Sony Alpha a7R IV

Menu Setup Guide

By: Douglas J. Klostermann

Full Stop. good writing for better photography

All rights reserved. This work is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold, file-shared, distributed, sub-licensed, or given away. This work can be read on your personal devices. Otherwise no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or in print, without expressed permission from the author.

Every effort has been made to make this guide and spreadsheet as accurate as possible, but no warranty of fitness is implied. The information is provided on an as-is basis. The author shall have no liability or responsibility with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information provided in this guide and spreadsheet including but not limited to the use of any of the materials or methods described, Internet sites, or links provided. Please read and follow all instructions and all use, safety and handling precautions expressed in the manuals provided with your equipment and software, and which take precedence over any content in this work. All products, brands, logos, and contents of menus are property of the respective companies. Terms which are trademarks or service marks in this work are used in an editorial and educational manner and should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark. Sony and a7R IV are trademarks of Sony Inc. The author and the contents of this work are not affiliated with or endorsed by Sony.

Douglas Klostermann is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. (Links are provided to products and accessories mentioned in this guide.)

Special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton, Mass.

https://newtonville.camera

Copyright 2020 Douglas J. Klostermann / Full Stop Media, LLC - all rights reserved.

Cover design and photograph by the author. All photographs by the author.

Sony Alpha a7R IV Menu Setup Guide

by: Douglas J. Klostermann

EPUB Version 1.0a

February 2020

Author’s website: www.dojoklo.com

Author’s blog: http://blog.dojoklo.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FullStopDSLRGuides/

Published by Full Stop Media. good writing for better photography

Arlington, Massachusetts, USA

Learn more about Doug’s dSLR and mirrorless camera guides at:

www.fullstopbooks.com

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION to the a7R IV

1.1 Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet

1.2 Using This Guide

1.3 Navigating the Camera Menus

2. MENUS and SETTINGS

2.1 Setting Up the a7R IV

2.2 Camera Settings 1 Menu

2.3 Camera Settings 2 Menu

2.4 Network Menu

2.5 Playback Menu

2.6 Setup Menu

2.7 My Menu

3. SONY a7R IV MENU SETUP SPREADSHEET

3.1 Introduction to the Spreadsheet

3.2 Download Link for the Spreadsheet

4. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS

FUTURE UPDATES TO THE TEXT

ABOUT the AUTHOR

1. INTRODUCTION to the a7R IV

The introduction of the Sony a7R IV brings about several important new features and enhancements compared to its popular predecessor, the a7R III. The full-frame mirrorless a7R IV boasts a high-resolution 61.0 megapixel CMOS sensor, high-speed shooting at up to 10 frames per second with the mechanical shutter, great image quality at high ISO settings for low-light shooting, and an in-body 5-axis image stabilization feature. The camera’s much improved hybrid autofocus system combines 567 phase-detection points and 425 contrast-detection points, along with face and eye-detection capabilities for capturing still subjects, and Sony’s Real Time AF Tracking system for retaining focus on moving subjects.

Detail of the Sony a7R IV.

The a7R IV includes numerous other powerful features, such as the Highlight Metering Mode, which can help retain highlight details on brightly lit subjects such as in theater and concert scenes. The Pixel Shift Multi Shooting function combines 4 RAW images to create an image with the appearance of a much higher resolution image, or captures 16 RAW images which can be combined using software to create a 240 megapixel image. The camera’s UHS-II compatible dual SD card slots can be configured in a variety of ways to simultaneously save images to both cards, or save RAW and JPEG images to separate cards, or for overflow when the primary card becomes full.

The camera also includes the Multi-Selector joystick, used to quickly select the desired autofocus point while shooting, plus the tiltable rear Monitor offers touch capabilities for locating and moving the autofocus point. Several of the controls have been improved, including a larger AF-ON Button, a larger Multi-Selector, and a locking Exposure Compensation dial to prevent accidentally turning when not in use. To make use of the locking Exposure Compensation Dial, press the release button in the middle of the dial in order to rotate the dial. Turn the dial to your desired setting, then press the button again if you wish to lock the dial. Several of the buttons and controls can be customized to access one of a large number of functions, including the ability to press a button to temporarily switch to an entirely different set of shooting settings. This can be useful when one needs to suddenly switch, for example, between a still subject and a moving subject. And the Fn (Function) Menu can now be customized, for quick access to the settings you use most often during stills and movie shooting. The menu system has been improved to more easily locate desired settings, although with 5 main menu tabs containing nearly 200 options, spread across 40 menu screens, it can still be a challenge to navigate. However this menu guide has been designed to help you understand and to set up each of the different functions and options of the Sony a7R IV.

Filmmakers will be able to take advantage of the camera’s video features, including 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) video which uses the full sensor width, in addition to Full HD frame rates and sizes. The a7R IV also offers S-Log and Hybrid Log Gamma support for video processing and HDR video, 5-axis in-camera image stabilization, and highlight display zebra stripes to indicate overexposed areas of the scene when viewed on the camera’s LCD Monitor. (Image stabilization and zebra stripes are available for still image shooting as well.) Plus, the a7R IV allows uncompressed video output to an optional external recorder, and a built-in stereo microphone. The a7R IV also includes slow-motion and quick-motion video options.

The Sony a7R IV.

The a7R IV offers a wide native ISO sensitivity range (100 to 32,000 ISO, expandable to the 50 to 102,400 ISO range), enabling photographers to capture clean images in low light situations. The camera boasts an improved high-resolution electronic viewfinder with 5.76 million dots, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities through Sony’s PlayMemories app, a higher-capacity battery, improved weather sealing, and a totally silent shooting mode that enables you to discreetly capture images in sensitive situations such as wildlife shots, weddings, and performances.

The powerful BIONZ X processor provides fast processing capabilities and improved image quality with better noise reduction at high ISO settings. The camera’s high-resolution image sensor, fast frame rate, and highly versatile and customizable hybrid autofocus system with face and eye detection and tracking will serve the needs of dedicated photographers of every level, from enthusiasts to professionals. The advanced features and customizable controls of the Sony a7R IV will enable photographers to consistently capture sharp, clean, and well-exposed images in most any shooting situation, including landscapes, portraits, action, and wildlife photography.

Detail of the Sony a7R IV.

But the a7R IV is merely a tool. It is up to you to make use of its features and capabilities to create the images you envision. All of the menu items, settings, and button customizations of the a7R IV are there for a reason:  to help you consistently capture the images you want. Some of them are more useful to different types of photographers and shooting situations, and you don’t necessarily need to learn and use them all immediately, but this Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Guide will help to give you the knowledge to set up and start using the features and options that turn your Sony a7R IV into an image capturing tool that works best for you.

1.1 Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet

I have created a comprehensive Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet to be used as a companion to this menu guide. The Excel spreadsheet lists suggested settings for all of the Camera Settings 1, Camera Settings 2, and Setup Menus, as well as some Playback Menu, shooting and exposure settings. It has complete and separate camera setup suggestions or starting points for different types of shooting, including:

General / Travel / Street

Landscape / Architecture

Action / Sports

Moving Wildlife / Birds

Studio / Portraits

Concert / Performance

The download link to the Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet can be found later in this guide, in Chapter 3. Below is a small detail of the spreadsheet.

Detail of Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Spreadsheet.

Most of the suggested settings on the spreadsheet are explained in this guide, so it is best to use the spreadsheet hand-in-hand with the more detailed explanations in this book. And as you read through the menu settings, perhaps make notes of how you may wish to set them and adjust them for the different types of scenes and situations you photograph. The spreadsheet can be edited to include your own personal settings. Please keep in mind that the reason the Sony a7R IV offers so many menu items and customization options is that photographers have different needs and work in different ways, and it is best to determine which settings you need or prefer.

1.2 Using This Guide

This Sony a7R IV Menu Setup Guide is best used with the camera in your hands, so that you can directly follow and understand the functions and settings as they are being explained. It is also intended to be used in conjunction with and in addition to the camera’s manuals, not to completely replace them, so every bit of information in the Sony a7R IV Instruction Manual and Sony a7R IV Help Guide will not be repeated here. And I will refer to the manuals for very specialized or lesser used functions that are explained there. The a7R IV Instruction Manual can be downloaded as a PDF, and the Sony a7R IV Help Guide can viewed as an online document, and downloaded as a PDF:

Sony a7R IV Instruction Manual:

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/5007/d531f403cf9be9e583cba8a8a3fd4449/50073251M.pdf

Sony a7R IV Help Guide:

https://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1930/v1/en/index.html

Updates to this Guide:

I will keep a log of updates, corrections, and clarifications for this Sony Alpha a7R IV Menu Setup Guide on my blog at:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/sony-a7r-iv-menu-setup-guide-updates-page/

You can also sign up to receive notices of any significant updates, and to be eligible for free e-book copies of updated versions of Sony Alpha a7R IV Menu Setup Guide (if any major updates are made to the text). For example, Sony may release updated firmware which could add features and menu items, and I would update this guide accordingly. Or if an important addition or correction is made to this text, or several minor additions and corrections accumulate over time. Please sign up to be notified of these updates, here:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/ebooks/sign-up-for-full-stop-e-book-updates/

1.3 Navigating the Camera Menus

The controls you will use most often for accessing and changing camera settings and menu settings include the Front Dial (located at the front of the camera and controlled by your index finger), the Rear Dial (located at the top-rear of the camera and controlled by your thumb), the Control Wheel (the larger wheel-dial on the back of the camera, which can also be pressed up, down, left, and right), and the Center Button (located inside the Control Wheel). The Multi Selector is the thumb joystick, found on the rear of the camera.

To navigate the menus after pressing the MENU Button, select the desired menu tab at the top of the screen by first pressing up to highlight the tabs. Then to select a tab, press right or left on the Control Wheel or the Multi Selector joystick, or turn the Front Dial. You can also press the Fn Button to jump from tab to tab. Then select the items in that tab by pressing down on the Control Wheel or the Multi Selector joystick, or turn the Control Wheel or the Rear Dial. Once you are in the menu items field, press right on the Control Wheel to view the next menu screen within that tab. Each of the tabs contains several menu screens. Press the Control Wheel Center Button to select an item. Press the MENU Button to return back a screen.

Press the MENU Button to access the camera menus, and navigate the tabs at the top of the screen to view the different main menus.

When shooting, the Fn Button will access the Function Menu on the rear screen or in the Viewfinder. Use the Multi Selector joystick, or press left / right / up / down on the Control Wheel, to select an item. Press the Control Wheel Center Button to view the options and make your selection. Or, once the desired item is highlighted, turn the Control Wheel or the Front Dial to make the selection, and the options will appear on the same screen. Some of the items have sub-options, so after highlighting an item and pressing the Center Button to make a selection, press left or right on the Control Wheel to access the sub-options. You can also use the Front Dial to make the main selection, and the Rear Dial to make the sub-selection. For example, when selecting the Flexible Spot Focus Area, you will use the Front Dial to select that Focus Area, and the Rear Dial to select the Small, Medium, or Large size for Flexible Spot. While making use of this Function Menu, you can have the Live View screen off or on in the background. Press the DISP Button to first turn on or off the Live View screen.

Press the Fn Button to access the Function Menu. You can first press the DISP Button to view the Live View screen along with the Function Menu (left), or to view this menu on a blank screen (right).

Left: You can then turn the Front and Rear Dials to change the settings of the selected item, directly on the Function Menu screen. The Front Dial will select the main option, such as the Continuous Shooting Release Mode, and the Rear Dial will select the sub-option, such as the Hi, Mid, or Lo setting for Continuous Release. Right: The Front and Rear Dials perform the same functions on the Quick Navi Screen.

You can also access numerous camera and shooting settings with the Quick Navi Screen. Press the DISP Button repeatedly to view the screen, press the Fn Button to activate it, then use the Control Wheel directional buttons to navigate it.

Press the DISP Button to access the Quick Navi Screen.

When viewing the Quick Navi Screen, press the Fn Button to activate it. Press the Control Wheel directional buttons to navigate to the desired item (left), and use the Front Dial to directly select the desired setting and the Rear Dial to select sub-options (right). You can also press the Center Button to view the options and change the setting.

During image playback, press up or down on the Control Wheel to view the various playback information displays. Press right or left on the Control Wheel to view the next or the previous image, or you can turn the Control Wheel. You can also set either the Front Dial or the Rear Dial to jump ahead to protected images or to rated images. Use the Image Jump Setting in the Playback Menu to make this customization. You will also be able to customize buttons to be used to rate or protect images, during playback. This will be explained in the Custom Key options of the Camera Settings 2 Menu.

Two of the image playback information displays, including the image with some of the shooting settings displayed (left), and a smaller thumbnail of the image along with shooting information