Does anyone else appreciate where Sony locates the lens release button?

[Brownie]

Everyone else (as I'm aware) put the lens release button on the opposite side of the grip. If you've never used another camera, you'll find that some interesting hand-crobatics are sometimes needed when unmounting a lens, especially large ones. Of all the silly things I think Sony has done with their designs, this is one thing they got exactly correct. You can keep a solid grip and push the button with one hand which lets you get a good grip on the lens.

Brilliant!

It does take some time for muscle memory to change so you stop looking for the button on the far side. This has really become evident to me while playing with the Maxxum and my old film cameras. It looks like they kept it on the far side through their DSLR and SLT cameras, changing it with the mirrorless offerings.

 

[BryLogan]

I’m not sure what you mean when you say “the far side” WRT the lens release. My entire interchangeable lens camera experience is with Minolta cameras (beginning with the SRT-101) and on through the Sony a7Riva and the Mamiya RB system. Up until using the latest Sony body, I have only known the release button to be located on the right side of the lens barrel as you look at the front of the camera. I had become accustomed to facing the front of the camera while holding it in my right hand and pressing the lens release with my right thumb. I then used my left hand to change the lens. Any other way feels odd.

it took me some time to feel for the release on the left side of the barrel — which to me is the “far” side.

[Edit] I also use OM System bodies. They also place the lens release on the right of the lens barrel, looking from the front.

 

[Brownie]

I’m not sure what you mean when you say “the far side” WRT the lens release. My entire interchangeable lens camera experience is with Minolta cameras (beginning with the SRT-101) and on through the Sony a7Riva and the Mamiya RB system. Up until using the latest Sony body, I have only known the release button to be located on the right side of the lens barrel as you look at the front of the camera. I had become accustomed to facing the front of the camera while holding it in my right hand and pressing the lens release with my right thumb. I then used my left hand to change the lens. Any other way feels odd.

it took me some time to feel for the release on the left side of the barrel — which to me is the “far” side.

[Edit] I also use OM System bodies. They also place the lens release on the right of the lens barrel, looking from the front.

'Far' from the grip, as opposed to 'near' the grip. We're on the exact same page, just using different nomenclature. The basis of the post is the button's proximity to the grip.

OM-1 release is on the far side away from the grip. Not sure about the OM-5.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

I'm just really looking forward to when the AI knows that I want to change the lens and just activates a solenoid for me. ️

 

[BryLogan]

I'm just really looking forward to when the AI knows that I want to change the lens and just activates a solenoid for me. ️

I’m just waiting for the AI to know that I want to change the lens and just reconfigures the one that’s already mounted.

 

[BryLogan]

'Far' from the grip, as opposed to 'near' the grip. We're on the exact same page, just using different nomenclature. The basis of the post is the button's proximity to the grip.

OM-1 release is on the far side away from the grip. Not sure about the OM-5.

Gotcha! IDK about the OM-5 either, but the M1X and M10iii are the same as the OM-1.

 

[Brownie]

I'm just really looking forward to when the AI knows that I want to change the lens and just activates a solenoid for me. ️

With the way Sony implements things it'd activate, and your lens would drop into a river...

 

[Clix Pix]

Chuckling here, remembering how it took me quite a while to get accustomed to the lens release button being in a wholly different place than it is on a Nikon body! After years of Nikons, muscle memory was pretty strong..... Now for the most part I've definitely gotten to the point where I don't even think about it any more, but, even so, just the other day, after three-plus years of using Sony bodies, I caught myself reaching for the lens button on the wrong side! I was thinking about something pretty intently, I guess, not really paying attention as I picked up the camera, ready to remove the lens and put the gear away. Caught myself and did it properly after all.

 

[BryLogan]

Chuckling here, remembering how it took me quite a while to get accustomed to the lens release button being in a wholly different place than it is on a Nikon body! After years of Nikons, muscle memory was pretty strong..... Now for the most part I've definitely gotten to the point where I don't even think about it any more, but, even so, just the other day, after three-plus years of using Sony bodies, I caught myself reaching for the lens button on the wrong side! I was thinking about something pretty intently, I guess, not really paying attention as I picked up the camera, ready to remove the lens and put the gear away. Caught myself and did it properly after all.

Talk about confusion: I’m making heavy use of the LA-EA5 adapter so as to make use my many A-mount lenses on the a7Rm4a body. With the adapter mounted you have to release the A-mount lens on one side of the barrel and release the adapter on the other side of the barrel to mount an E lens!

 

[Brownie]

Talk about confusion: I’m making heavy use of the LA-EA5 adapter so as to make use my many A-mount lenses on the a7Rm4a body. With the adapter mounted you have to release the A-mount lens on one side of the barrel and release the adapter on the other side of the barrel to mount an E lens!

I hadn't even thought about that! Same with the LA-EA4. They're both on the 'wrong' side!

 

[BryLogan]

It’s definitely dependent upon what one is used to. As I stated earlier, my experience has been with just one placement for the release button. I simply could not conceive of it being any other way.

 

[Gaz]

I may have gotten used to it, but it’s in a similar location to my Pentax.

 

[jgerrish]

At first...coming from Canon...I thought it odd (and therefore bad) that Sony puts it on the side near the grip. But, after getting used to it, I now think it's better there for reasons mentioned: can more quickly and easily release the lens, while gripping the camera, and use the left hand to hold the lens. Who knows...maybe it's all just personal preference that gets established based on actual use

 

[Tim Mayo]

I remember watching a video where Tony Northrup was having a small moan about the lens release placement on Sony camera's. He said that he'd accidentally released a lens a few times from simply gripping the camera. I thought he was talking rubbish until literally a couple of weeks later I did exactly the same thing with my 200-600, luckily it didn't fall off. With my Canon R5 the release button is on the other side and is pretty awkward to use when you are used to Sony's setup, but so far I've not accidentally hit that button.

 

[Brownie]

What brought it to mind was someone on another forum bemoaning the location. I thought it was weird too, but now I love it. Of course if I had an accidental release, I'd probably hate it!

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I for one can't stand the placement, or the white lens locator dots. I'm used to wrapping my left hand around the lens securely on top and operating a release button on the left side of the camera with my thumb. On the Sony I have to grab from underneath and use my third or fourth finger; not nearly as secure. And the white locator dots are just downright invisible in certain light. A seemingly small but significant gripe for me.

 

[iain clyne]

I have to say it does take some getting used to after being Nikon for years.

 

[UncleVanya]

It’s exactly where my Pentax bodies place it.

 

[Loren]

Everyone else (as I'm aware) put the lens release button on the opposite side of the grip. If you've never used another camera, you'll find that some interesting hand-crobatics are sometimes needed when unmounting a lens, especially large ones. Of all the silly things I think Sony has done with their designs, this is one thing they got exactly correct. You can keep a solid grip and push the button with one hand which lets you get a good grip on the lens.

Brilliant!

It does take some time for muscle memory to change so you stop looking for the button on the far side. This has really become evident to me while playing with the Maxxum and my old film cameras. It looks like they kept it on the far side through their DSLR and SLT cameras, changing it with the mirrorless offerings.

I agree, the lens is so easy to remove while your hand is still on the grip!

 

[AlphaWorld]

Chuckling here, remembering how it took me quite a while to get accustomed to the lens release button being in a wholly different place than it is on a Nikon body! After years of Nikons, muscle memory was pretty strong..... Now for the most part I've definitely gotten to the point where I don't even think about it any more, but, even so, just the other day, after three-plus years of using Sony bodies, I caught myself reaching for the lens button on the wrong side! I was thinking about something pretty intently, I guess, not really paying attention as I picked up the camera, ready to remove the lens and put the gear away. Caught myself and did it properly after all.

The big difference for me, coming from Canon to Nikon, was that you must rotate the lens in the opposite direction to mount the lens (and dismount it, too).

I think Nikons are the only ones which go that way - pretty sure Sony and Canon are the same way.

I am now accustomed to Sony lens release button and rotation.

 

[T N Args]

I don't find it better or worse.

I do sometimes notice my #4 finger (out of 5) on the grip can press on the lens release from time to time, which is unwanted. But it has never turned into anything serious.

cheers

 

[AlphaWorld]

I don't find it better or worse.

I do sometimes notice my #4 finger (out of 5) on the grip can press on the lens release from time to time, which is unwanted. But it has never turned into anything serious.

cheers

You better look out for Inigo Montoya! He's looking for the 6 fingered man who killed his father.

I only have (up to) four fingers on the grip on my Sony - my thumb is on the back of the camera. In fact, sometimes I only have three fingers on the grip, and my little finger below it.

 

[Brownie]

A7 IV, 4 fingers. A7RIII, 3 fingers.

Not by choice, that's how they fall. It's amazing how the engineers updated the grip ergonomics with only a nominal change in size.

 

[T N Args]

You better look out for Inigo Montoya! He's looking for the 6 fingered man who killed his father.

I only have (up to) four fingers on the grip on my Sony - my thumb is on the back of the camera. In fact, sometimes I only have three fingers on the grip, and my little finger below it.

I don’t know what you are talking about. My post was perfectly clear that I am referring to the hand as five-fingered. If you don’t know that it is common to refer to the human hand as five-fingered, that’s on you.

 

[AlphaWorld]

I don’t know what you are talking about. My post was perfectly clear that I am referring to the hand as five-fingered. If you don’t know that it is common to refer to the human hand as five-fingered, that’s on you.

my post was also perfectly clear - it was a teasing reference to The Princess Bride (if you don’t know that film, that’s on you) after you talked of having 5 fingers on the grip…