Sony Alpha Memory Mastermind - Secrets to Never Missing a Shot
In this movie I outline how I can jump between registered camera settings to ensure I never miss an image. I don't need to hunt for appropriate settings as I can start with one of my memory defaults, and then make minor adjustments to shutter speed, aperture and focus with the camera at my eye if, and when, I feel the need to fine-tune my settings. The important things is I don't miss the shot with my starting settings. As soon as I move away from my Registered Memory setting on the Shoot Mode dial, and then back again, the defaults are restored. If you find yourself getting frustrated because you are missing shots due to the fact that you have forgotten to dial in a setting, this workflow may just completely change the way you shoot.
Mark Galer is a Sony Alpha Ambassador for Australia.
Join Mark Galer on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to member-only Q&A Forums + Over twenty 1-hour member-only seminars, 'over 15 downloadable' eBooks + cameras settings files (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month): / markgaler
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i will watch this guy for the remainder of my photography career
So back when I started in photography I was reading an article about the "things you need to succeed in photography" and I remember that the last item was "have a mentor" and I was like.. "c**p, I'm self taught..." but then I found your videos! I feel like your channel is very underrated based on the subscriber count, but then I look at the comments and realize that everyone really appreciates the content that you're putting out so you don't get views just because of a novelty but because all of us really want to see what you're producing. As someone else commented in one of your videos, I can't believe we're getting all of this for free so thank you for all the work that you put into making these videos.
Abe Hdz - thanks for the positive feedback - I am avoiding making click-bait movies to increase my following as I would rather maintain the educational integrity of my channel.
Well said Abe, totally concur with this 👍
Yes , this channel is truly great as is your comment . If ever i started to feel a bit cocky I could turn to Mark's channel for a free trip back to earth , thanks for the great video here , applying to my Canon.
Photography is about time management and this video is all about it!
It’s also about enjoying the subject and not stressing about the settings 😀
Sony owes you a commission. I switched systems in part due to this channel. Watching these videos made me very comfortable to switch systems.
lcalisi Totally. I'm deep into switching systems *precisely* because of Mark. His diverse subject matter and logical workflow combined with his insight are indispensable to me. So thankful.
@PD :)
Probably the best video I watch about Sony Alpha camera settings. Thank you Mark.
Hi Mark, I have been a photographer for the past 30 years and thought myself competent. 4 years ago I changed from Canon to Sony A7R2 and thought that I was doing ok until I found your KZhead videos. a month ago when I purchased a Sony A7R4. I have now changed over to your style of working and am amazed at how little I knew and how easy everything has now become. Thank you!
Thanks for the positive feedback Richard.
Absolute best Masterclasses.
Thank you Mark. I follow your channel religiously. your videos are so educative and you have an uncanny knack of explaining Alpha system so well. You are probably the only one there who knows the system so well.
Extremely valuable tutorial, thank you.
Thank you for this wonderful video, your information is priceless.
Nicely done, Mark!
I got your memory set installed and OMG it is like having a new camera. The PAL acronym is very handy. Thank you, Mark!
Another SUPERB video class/tutorial here Mark. Love all your vids. keep up the great work!
Very useful! Thank you Mark!
Thanks for the information. The images in this video were all stunning !!
indispensable information, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and talents!
Wow! I always learn something here. I should watch this again.
Outstanding session here Mark..... Absolutely love how you break this down into words I can totally understand... Thank you for doing such a superb video....
Sitting down with a brew love your videos mark
Thanks. very valuable infos, not just on how to set ones camera, but on how to take sharp and well exposed pictures in general.
Thanky you for showing your photography workflow Mark. This videos really help a lot to master very different photo situations happening in short time.
Thank you Mark. It was very valuable video.
very very interesting video, as always, from Mark ! I have learnt so much from him, so far, using my Alpha 7III camera! Many thanks again for your help !!!
36:47 into video, had to do something else now, will come back soon to watch it all, may be several times. But just want to make a comment. It s a superb video!! There is no other video like it out there. Mark repeated showing us how a master making the logic choice in a already super efficient memory setting, most of all he tell us we can use all these settings in all genres, depending what you want to say about the photos! Mark, thank you! You are simply the best photography educator to my opinion!
Super helpful! Thank you Mark!!!
Superb explanation! Thank you very much Mark! I got an additional note as a a6500 user: beside 2 custom profiles that can be stored permanently, the camera allows to select four additional custom profiles. They are stored on the SD card. Hence, ensure to back up your profiles before formatting the card.
You also have the option to carry a separate card in your camera bag with the four additional settings (that you never format) and load one from this card. After loading the settings you can switch back to your regular card.
Excellent, comprehensive video that not only provides insight into how to use our Sony's but also some good general information on choosing certain settings in certain situations. Mark, I've posted a few specific questions in the Members Channel.
This is really useful, thank you!
This video made join your you tube channel as a paid member. Very well presented.
Excellent video. Thank you!
Thanks Mark. Really useful for me in refining how I set up my A7iii based on your previous videos on memory setup and in terms of how to use portrait, action and landscape modes for alternate genre. I now have Portrait and Action on main dial positions 1 and 2, with landscape (hand), tripod, sunny 16 and video on M1 to M4. I had previously set up C1 button as memory recall to switch to DMF which I found useful but it occurred to me that if I switch to M1 (landscape hand held) it gives me the same function that can be used in a variety of shooting scenarios. It also freed up my C1 button to use for ISO Auto min SS.
Thank you Mark for such a informative video. I love how you not only provide what you do but why you do it. A lot of vloggers don't do that, so good for you. Your videos are some of the most interesting and informative on KZhead. Keep up the good work
Thanks for the positive feedback David
Sooo much information there! I will have to watch it a few times to take it all in. Thank you, now the function dial position MR starts to make waaay more sense than when I read the manual ! I downloaded the Ebook for my A6400 and made a donation.
Thanks for your support Thierry
Thank you for all your advice and videos about Sony gear Mark. Thanks for being loyal just as I am with Sony, I'm not a fanboy just appreciate the products and works well with me. It's not perfect but works great. In a world where there is constant change and people I subscribe or follow keep switching camera systems because a new one arrives with better this, better feel, better menu blah blah blah it's great to know you're constantly updating us with Sony info that I can keep learning and mastering my Sony gear. Thanks again.
Very Nice thank you so much!
Great Video!
Good on ya Mate!!!
Hello Mark, I am so glad I have found your tutorials, which I am watching from my hospital bed after neck surgery. These are the best tutorials by far, especially for Sony shooters. One question: you often refer to “pressing the shutter button slowly”, to avoid shake; why don’t you set a shutter release delay of say a second or two?
Sooo great and soooo helpful!!! Thank you very much! Now, I just need an optimized setting for birds in action for my A7RV 😍 Many greetings from Bavaria.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks Mark
Very welcome
Thanks for the video.
Thank you!
great stuff :)
Respect. Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Join me over on Patreon if you are hungry for more Patreon.com/markgaler
Mark I was just looking at your a6400 ebook for landscape. You spying on me? 😂
thanks, thanks and thanks. love it
Glad you like it!
Terrific video, which raised a question for me. You discuss adjusting the Auto ISO minimum shutter speed in Aperture priority to Slow or Slower so as to get a lower shutter speed in low light than is the camera were in Standard min. SS. Wouldn't the result be the same if you shot in Manual mode and then dial down the SS to what you know you can hold (e.g. your 1/5 sec.)?
With all my respect to you, dear ambassador, I still need alike video for Sony Alpha ILCE-6400
I have a lot of educational support for the A6400 - including 1-hour review movie and a free eBook
Excellent video as always. Question on when holding AEL button to access memory recall 2. How do you do this and still use back button focus?
AF-On is one of the 10 options so if you select this you don’t need to hold down two buttons at the same time.
Hi Mark, thanks for the video. I can't image how many hours it took to create these awesome videos. I have a Sony A7M3, can't do PAL exactly as described but I am thinking of using the M1 as the Landscape setting which requires driving into the menu
Glad it was helpful! - check out my support channel at Patreon.com/markgaler
Mark fantastic video and even better thoughts on memory set up but. One question. Does this mean I would have to give up my back button focus setting as it appears you can’t program this setting! Is that correct or...? Again great work Mark, keep it up as it very much appreciated.
You don’t need to Program BBAF into a Memory if you have already decoupled the shutter release from AF. The memories will not interfere with this aspect of your own personal workflow. You can, however, register AF-On into the Register Custom Shoot Settings / Custom Hold workflow.
Watched it for the 6th of seventh time now. Each time is worth it.
This is one of my most important video tutorials to help users pay more attention to the subject rather than the camera
I really wish Sony cameras had different Function menus for photos and video, as well as for custom memory. Also... that custom memory settings allowed a custom white balance.
Hello Mark! First of all thank you for all your fantastic content, Im gratefull to have access to all of this. I had a question about a feature, I'm an owner of a Sony a7ii and I'm looking forward to this ISO auto min SS feature, Is it never gonna come with firmware update on this model? I try to bypass this problem by increasing the minimum ISO in auto ISO to keep a fast SS(if that make sense) but it's not always tip top, if you have tips and tricks or good news about potential firmaware update, you'll be bless.
Unfortunately Sony don’t inform me about firmware updates but I would be surprised if Sony updates a camera that is more than a couple of years old.
another great video, thank you very much! is it now possible to link the recall custom hold (2) to a memory setting (2) ?
No -unfortunately they are independent memories
Thank you for this Video. Just a quick question: Do you know when the Firmware 6.0 for the A9 will be released? I am waiting for the animal-af.
I am waiting to - there has been no announcement. If it does not appear this week it will be late.
Thank you. Just to recap: if I am shooting a couple (for a wedding) with a beautiful mountain backdrop that I want to included, I will be using a higher aperture like f5.6?
Smaller apertures if you want the background in focus, e.g. f/8 or f/11. The closer you go to your subject the smaller the aperture you have to select as proximity to your subject plays a role in depth of field. With apertures it is best to use the terms wider or smaller as these refer to the size of the hole (aperture) that is letting light reach the sensor. Higher and lower can easily be misinterpreted.
Mark - 1 question: do you usually carry only 1 body (on your person) and hence why you need to set your camera this way to be able to cover all type of shot, whereas if you had 2 bodies with you all the time you could switch back and forth? I usually carry 2 cameras with me each with 2 different focal length primes on them or 1 with a wide prime or wide aperture and the other with a zoon/tele on it so Im covered.
I only carry a second body when I don’t have time to change lenses. Changing camera settings only takes a second or two.
Mark, I have a quick question: You keep referring to slow and slower for shutter speed. Is this a setting in camera, and if so can you give a menu address? BTW i have both the A7iii also A7Riii. Thank you and blessings.
These settings are linked to the ISO Auto Minimum Shutter Speed setting - needless to say that I have a video tutorial on this feature.
Thank you being new to the digital world of photography I wasn't sure what to do with my 3 memory settings. My a77ii doesn't have the extra custom buttons. Still trying to figure out how I can utilize reseting some of the buttons I do have. There's not many on this camera.
I think the A77 predates my time with Sony. I started as an Ambassador with the A99 and NEX6. Hope you manage to set up your camera s you would like.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills mine is a 2015 model with the 2.0 update. The menu Not exactly the same as you cover but much of it is . The menu looks to be really close to the early sony 7ns. I thank for doing what you do it's really helping me out.
Maybe I am just old fashioned but I tend to use specific minimum shutter speeds rather than slow-fast etc. Do the sloe-fast range adjust for the focal length of the lens automatically?
It seems that the STD just follows the old reciprocal rule (ie. shutter speed
Mark, with the latest firmware upgrades, do you ever use back focus anymore??
No - it doesn’t offer any performance improvements. On the A7RlV and A9ll it actually prevents you from using touch tracking using the Finder (using the monitor as a touch pad). I created a new Back Button AF video recently to outline my thoughts on the topic.
One thing that i can't figure out on the A9 is how to save drive modes ( single low med hi) and focus modes (saf caf) because whatever i set in 1-2 or 3 memory it reverts back instantly to whatever is set on the dials, is there a work around?
The partial workaround on the A9 is to use the Recall Custom Hold settings which can temporarily override the drive mode and focus mode on the physical dials.
I am a little bit confused, my settings have been correctly imported and still on 1. the Iso SS is at 500 not at fast as your presentation. Is it a glitch or did you previously change your settings from "Sony A7RM4 Load Camera Settings" video. Thank you in advance Mark.
My own personal settings get changed slightly over time. All of the memories I use are starting points only and get fine-tuned to meet the current situation I am photographing. I started using ISO fast for Memory 1 as this would ensure the shutter speed would not drop below 1/160 when using an 85mm lens and a portrait of someone who may not be keeping there head still. I changed this to ISO Auto Min SS 1/250 to cover situations where I might be using my FE 55 f/1.8 (there is no ISO Auto Min SS 1/160). I recently raised this to ISO Auto Min SS 1/500 as I am increasingly capturing portraits of people who are walking. If someone is static I would now drop the Min shutter speed while photographing them with my new default.
Would you recommend turning steady shot off when shooting a pano on a gimbal?
Depends if you are shooting stills to merge in post production of moving the camera using the camera’s Pano feature. Gimbals : the answer is also dependent on if you are using adapted lenses or native e-Mount lenses.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I'm using native E mount lenses, stitching done in post. I'll be getting my gimbal shortly, I've never used a video gimbal for photos. But, it would be nice to ditch my pano gimbal for stills to save weight instead of carrying both video gimbal and photo gimbal.
I would leave SteadyShot on
Hey Mark, that was such a great video! One question , a7iii only have 2 memory, so use the recall, and putting the preset memory card in first after format the card?
ningsun2 - watch my total recall movie to see how you can load memories from slot 2 while writing files to slot 1. This avoids the need to reformat the memory card in slot 2. You can also set A on the shoot mode dial for the Landscape settings so you would move between 1, 2 and A
Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills wonderful ! Thank you so much mark for your time!! Will do
My Lock-on AF (A6300) is very unreliable and erratic, the only way to make it choose what I want is to narrow his choice down with expanded flexible spot. In 'wide' it is all over the place, and also in 'zone' it picks corners that are not in the defined zone.
This is why Sony improved the tracking performance by adding more algorithms with the 6400 and 6600 cameras.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks, so I choose the wrong one when I doubted between the 6300 en the 6400 :-( .
Cannot find “slow” and “slower” in the iso auto min SS of my alpha 9ii. The lowest value is 30 sec. can you help?
Got to ISO Auto Standard and then cycle left or right to access the fast or slow options
Er, was going to join your patreon page and it says "A single $10 Membership fee" above here, and goes on to say, "(there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month)", but when you go to the page you have to sign up to what looks like EVERY month. Thanks for all your videos btw.
You can sign up, take what you need and then opt out - total cost $10
Does drive mode at continuous shooting like Hi or Hi+ reduces the image quality ?
Depends on the model of camera - older cameras drop to 12 bit whereas modern cameras maintain 14 bit capture
By the way, are you originally from the west midlands in the UK?
i am loving your video's mate and i don't even have a camera! although i am hoping to get an a7ii soon. i see you used the 16-35mm gm lens a lot so i googled it to see how much it was and i nearly died when i seen it for about 2000 euros!! ahaha. this hobby looks dangerous for my wallet
I believe we can only set a button to set memory but not to recall memory. Am I right? It is weird since we set memory once in a while, but recalls memory all the time, no? Any workaround this?
The 1, 2 and 3 are to 'Recall' a registered Memory that has been registered via the menus.
Hi Can you tell me what specs you need in a laptop to run Sony Ar74?
I recommend using a late model Mac with dual or quad core i7 or i9 and either 16 or 32 GB RAM
I bought a hp pavillion laptop i7 16gb ram with a dedicated graphics card. Would that be suitable for the sony ar74?
Should be fine 😀
How come I don’t have iso auto min ss in my menu? Latest firmware and in North America
Depends on the camera you are using but the ISO menus now has multiple ISO Settings on recent cameras. You can also assign it to the Fn menu and a custom key.
Why don't they use scene modes from 'lesser cameras' and include a user defined option.
I have set up my Sony as per your specific instructions and looking forward to get out and take some photos post COVID. Cameras these days have complex functions and it takes practice to get the most out of your camera. It's like ours brains, we only use 10% of the potential. Thank you for the advice. I have both Canon and now Sony camera bodies and lots of expensive glass to take portrait, action, landscape and macro photography. Knowing what to change quickly between modes will make a world of difference.
Are your street settings on your website?
They are published in my free-to-download camera-specific eBooks
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Got it thanks! I plan on possibly booking a 1 on 1 session in the future, I've learned so so much from your videos! I had one last question for this video. When using the Portrait mode 1, what is the custom hold used for? Or do you not use it for this mode? Thanks!
Hi Mark like your video's. is there any chance of you doing a more in depth video on Quick and easy technique to finding Hyperfocal Distance .
Check out the Hyperfocal Distance video on my channel
I did mark, thought an in depth look into landscape focusing would be what I thought?
Brother you can give complete e book for setting a6400 i tried to open your website it is not free i an from Lucknow India my camera resetting by sony service centre earlier I set aal setting that you explain about 2.5 year earlier please help me reply soon brother
Join my Patreon.com/markgaler for the download link.
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I want to transfer fee but my card not transfer you payment I have rupee card panjab national bank how to transfer money please reply soon brother
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Idk these are great but make me think this cam is too complicated vs canon and canon still has better colors esp straight out of cam jpeg’s imo
The point of this video is to show how I can create photographs without lowering the camera from my eye and without entering the main menus - if you think this is complicated you were watching a different video. Differences in colour is only an argument if you shoot JPEGs as you can create a custom profile so that the colours from Nikon, Canon and Sony cameras are identical.
Forgot to mention A6400.
This video tutorial is not camera specific - It is intended for all Alpha cameras.