POLL: How many use Custom Modes, how many use Custom Hold, and do you even know Custom Hold exists?

[Brownie]

Custom Modes:
In a recent thread about the A1 dial functions, I was surprised to see how few people actually use the Custom modes on their cameras. I have found it to be a tremendous advantage to recall specific settings that I use at the track. I can fully understand if you're shooting street, photography, car shows, etc., but I would've thought that BIFers would program and use them quite a bit.

For the most part I shoot in M, and just make whatever adjustments are necessary for the circumstance/shot. When I go to the track though, I have specific settings that I use. These aren't anything odd or atypical, tracking, single, burst hi...etc. etc. ad-nauseum. The advantage is I can just turn the mode dial to C1 and everything is exactly the same as it was last time I was there. I still shoot in M and adjust as necessary, but all of the ancillary settings are there, and I don't have to concern myself with them.

At first I tried to come up with three different custom modes for different scenarios. Ultimately, I realized that I really only need the one.

Custom Hold:
The second part of this is Custom Hold. This is a very cool feature that doesn't get a lot of airplay, and I don't understand why. I had seen the titles in the menu but never really knew what they did. I need to thank @Kevriano for suggesting I give them a look. Essentially, it allows you to program a complete set of parameters to a button. The button acts as a momentary, not a latch. That is to say, it works as long as you hold the button down.

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 settings momentarily for a different situation by holding the button, and then return to your previous settings by releasing the button. I believe this feature is on all Sony cameras from the A9 to now.

The settings that are available to program for Custom Hold include:

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

Once programmed, all you have to do is push and hold the button to change to your settings momentarily. After you take the shot, just release the button and the camera reverts to whatever mode you were in before. I have two different CH programs for panning shots at the track.

I also have a Custom Hold set up for fast action shots, which is how I imagine someone would use it while out for a walk. You're in the woods taking flowers or landscapes or whatever, and a bird flies through, or a deer takes off. By having this programmed you can be instantly ready for the shot.

So, who uses Custom Modes? Who uses Custom Hold? I set the poll up so you can give 2 answers so that people who didn't know what Custom Hold is can include it in their response. Poll is private.

 

[Slug]

Use C1 C2 C3 most of the time for variations in stationary birds, birds in flight and quick little birds in the bush. The only hold functions I use are Focus hold buttons on the lens and Exposure hold which is default programmed AEL under my thumb.

 

[Landshark99]

Nope, I understand their usefulness for some, just not me. with one exception my Ricoh Gr has one custom set up for street shooting

 

[spudhead]

Ticked yes to both, I have known about both for a long time and have them set up but really do not use them very much but that is possibly because of what I shoot and the fact is I can work around most things just as quickly because I have basically had the camera bodies so long workflow is second nature, and most settings are changing all the time and not often repeated exactly that much

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

You already know my answer, but yes, custom sets assigned to a button so I can quickly swap between static and flight bird set ups are a godsend.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Great write up Tim, valuable information.

I have Custom 1. Standard walk around.
Custom 2. Bird/wildlife.
Custom 3. Tripod landscape.

For custom 1 I use flexible spot for focus point, and I can simply press the joystick in and it goes straight to human tracking. Makes life easy.

Never felt the need for custom hold, this setup leaves everything feeling very convenient already.

 

[Brownie]

Use C1 C2 C3 most of the time for variations in stationary birds, birds in flight and quick little birds in the bush. The only hold functions I use are Focus hold buttons on the lens and Exposure hold which is default programmed AEL under my thumb.

Interestingly, I never use AEL, so that was a natural for my Custom Hold. It's right there under my thumb, perfect.

I have Custom 1. Standard walk around.
Custom 2. Bird/wildlife.
Custom 3. Tripod landscape.
Never felt the need for custom hold, this setup leaves everything feeling very convenient already.

This is a perfect example of where one might find Custom Hold helpful. Say they're out walking around in Custom 1 and they spot something that needs the settings in Custom 2. They stop, move the dial...crap...the bird is gone! If those settings were also in a Custom Hold, they'd just press the button and shoot, it's instant. I wasn't sure at first, but looking at the back of my camera I realized there are some easily accessed buttons that I never used, so figured why not give it a try. As a Kiwi friend used to say: "It works a treat!"

 

[liggy]

Good thread. Never used Custom hold. I’m going to set one up for air shows.

Going to slow shutter speeds for prop blur will be handy since that would normally entail multiple settings to be changed.

 

[Jeff A]

I have Custom Hold programmed but have never used it. It might happen if I got out more and took more images.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Mark Galer divides the world into "Portrait, Action, Landscape," and distributes CAMSET files ready-programmed for Dial Memory positions 1, 2 and 3. It works for him, and he certainly takes great pics!

I'm sure it's a suitable starting point for very many other photographers too. My camera and I are not so flexible and adventurous and spend most of our time taking pics of the same old stuff in a very few places.

The three dial settings are only the start: there are three or four memory locations on [each?] SD card too. I think it is wonderful flexibility, but I don't have a tidy mind and I'd never remember what they were all set for. I'm lazy about setting it up, and I'd be lazy about using it.

IIRC (I'm an avid manual reader, but it doesn't all stick) one can have three custom hold buttons? Or wait, there's something about custom dial settings on-button too? It's a brilliant idea: instant access to one alternative setup.

I'm not saying never. Quite likely I will use one or more of these functions one day; quite possibly it will suddenly become a why didn't I always do this thing.

 

[Brownie]

IIRC (I'm an avid manual reader, but it doesn't all stick) one can have three custom hold buttons? Or wait, there's something about custom dial settings on-button too? It's a brilliant idea: instant access to one alternative setup.

I think three. I have three buttons across the top back of my A7 IV that can be reached by feel with my thumb, so all three are programmed. The A7R III only has two buttons I can reach, so I'm limited there. But, I think there's a limit of three in the programming.

One thing I learned when I first started using Custom Hold, you cannot half-press the shutter to AF and then hit the Custom Hold, the camera won't switch if you're holding the shutter button. But what's cool is the camera will AF when you press the Custom Hold button, just like BBF.

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Thad gets one demerit....

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Thad gets one demerit....

Why has the fine been reduced..?

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Interestingly, I never use AEL, so that was a natural for my Custom Hold. It's right there under my thumb, perfect.

This is a perfect example of where one might find Custom Hold helpful. Say they're out walking around in Custom 1 and they spot something that needs the settings in Custom 2. They stop, move the dial...crap...the bird is gone! If those settings were also in a Custom Hold, they'd just press the button and shoot, it's instant. I wasn't sure at first, but looking at the back of my camera I realized there are some easily accessed buttons that I never used, so figured why not give it a try. As a Kiwi friend used to say: "It works a treat!"

I have subject target set at AEL and subject detection at AF On.

I'm usually doing standard stuff with a shorter lens so definitely no birds happening there. But Tim you know what, good idea in the opposite way. A lot of times I'll be doing bird shooting with my 200-600mm then switch to custom 1 to take a scenic shot, then switch straight back to custom 2. Custom hold would make this scenario a bit easier, especially when we have the lock button on the mode dial on these cameras which means it's not just as simple as turning the dial with your thumb only. The amount of times I've done this, lined up the image in the EVF then just before pressing the half shutter I realise the camera is on custom 2...

 

[Brownie]

I have subject target set at AEL and subject detection at AF On.

I'm usually doing standard stuff with a shorter lens so definitely no birds happening there. But Tim you know what, good idea in the opposite way. A lot of times I'll be doing bird shooting with my 200-600mm then switch to custom 1 to take a scenic shot, then switch straight back to custom 2. Custom hold would make this scenario a bit easier, especially when we have the lock button on the mode dial on these cameras which means it's not just as simple as turning the dial with your thumb only. The amount of times I've done this, lined up the image in the EVF then just before pressing the half shutter I realise the camera is on custom 2...

Now you're on it! I have them set up in 'both directions'. You can use it however you like. It's just a cool feature.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Now you're on it! I have them set up in 'both directions'. You can use it however you like. It's just a cool feature.

Didn't know you go both ways mate...

 

[Brownie]

Didn't know you go both ways mate...

Only with cameras, never with whiskey!

 

[AlphaWorld]

I have my Custom Modes set to 1: Studio Flash, 2: Action / Birds, 3: still contemplating.

I made it clear in a recent thread that I didn’t fully understand Custom Hold

 

[Brownie]

I have my Custom Modes set to 1: Studio Flash, 2: Action / Birds, 3: still contemplating.

I made it clear in a recent thread that I didn’t fully understand Custom Hold

You should now! I tried to make the description as clear as possible. To help further:

I was able to set it up in both the A7R III and the A7 IV easily. They're similar, so these instructions should help 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

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 found one of the buttons right at your thumb are the easiest to access without looking.

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

That's it! Now when you press the button you should see your parameters change on the screen information.

The poll results are interesting. People who don't understand or didn't know it is even there almost equal the number of people who use Custom Modes. My number is included there, I had no idea until mid-summer what it meant. I wish now I had added one more response choice:

"Now that you're aware of Custom Hold and how it works, do you plan to try it out?

I still wonder if any of the other manufacturers do this, and why Sony doesn't draw more attention to it as a feature?

 

[Jeff A]

I have Custom Hold programmed but have never used it. It might happen if I got out more and took more images.

Recently I was out shooting some stationary Sandhill Cranes when a flock flew overhead. I held one button down as I shot the in-flight birds. Ho=w do I strike out the first sentence above?

 

[spudhead]

Recently I was out shooting some stationary Sandhill Cranes when a flock flew overhead. I held one button down as I shot the in-flight birds. Ho=w do I strike out the first sentence above?

You should be able to edit the first post Jeff