topic Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware in Alpha & NEX interchangeable lens cameras

Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

fandangowheels — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 20:26:11 GMT

Hi, so at the NEC 2019 show I discussed the light grey focus point and how the faded light grey colour is difficult to find on the screen, let along focus on the fly. In discussion with Sony staff, they indicated the colour or density of the focus square would be changed or optional colour etc. in the next A7 III firmware release. Today I downloaded and installed the latest release v3.0, but find no change. Coming from Panasonic and Canon cameras, and working in the field on birds, fast moving vehicles etc. I'm losing the focus or not hitting the right point because I cant fully see where the focus zone is

So Sony why have you not released this update, I'm sure many end users have mentioned this, I see blogs back to 2017! Surely it cant be hard to add optional colours like yellow/orange/red or even the density of the zone via a menu item, to say you have menu items for tons of other features. Really hope this is on the to do list

For anyone with this camera, have you found a solution? I know the focus point goes green when you have focus, I know the auto focus is great and the eye selection works so well too, but when you want to take control, focus where we want to focus, how can we increase the visability of the light grey focus grids

Otherwise loving the camera, thanks

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

SonyA7iiiShooter — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 04:39:34 GMT

I agree. It's not the worst thing in the world but it's pretty annoying and could be easily fixed.

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

TLysholm — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 22:55:24 GMT

And not in the later v3.10 firmware either.

This is pretty much the one thing they really ought/have to finally give us in my opinion. A7III owners have an awesome camera with an awesome AF system. How stupid is it to then be hindered in getting that important shot you wanna get with your awesome camera, because the focus frame is hard to find and you have to fiddle with it while the moment passes?? That has happened to me several times. I've even thought "MAAN!! WHY didn't I just switch to manual mode and get the shot??" I have one of the best AF systems in the world at hand, and yet I had that thought!?!

And do you know what's even more stupid. It's already in the camera! Did you know that. They don't even have to program it. They just have to activate it universally. If you use the touch screen to move the focus frame around while looking through the view finder, it turns orange. If the touch screen is active you can tap the screen while looking through the viewfinder to make it turn orange. Problem is that I don't want the touch screen to be active. Let it be activated at movement of the joystick, for crying out loud. Even if it then turns grey when you click the shutter, that'll be ok. At least then we'll know where it is, and if we then switch to portrait orientation it's grey but then we use the joystick and we'll see it right away. Switch back to landscape, flick the joystick, "ahh, there it is".

Or, of course, make it optional to have it turned on all the time.

Come on, Sony!

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

Nexmanden — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 20:46:01 GMT

I agree

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

AdamDorozinski — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 09:03:53 GMT

TLysholm, THANK YOU for this post

Thanks to this I realized that there is a function in the AF menu that is called "Focus setting", and what it does is to TURN AF POINT ORANGE and then let you move it around with the joystick.

I have it already under C3, one click and then I can move orange AF point around

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

TLysholm — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 15:43:16 GMT

You're most welcome. 🙂

Actually you already have that feature readily assigned to the thumbstick. If you press that inwards as a button, then that screen comes up and you're ready to move the focus frame because your thumb is already on the thumbstick. So you can free up your C3 for something else.

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

smlart — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 23:57:01 GMT

Why not white or red...any color but grey... Ispy focus?? It is invisible in sunny day

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

Dayve2014 — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:20:51 GMT

I've just bought the a7riv and it has a choice of focus area colours (yellow, white or red). Pitty Sony don't take the Fuji approach and offer firmware updates for older models. Maybe it will happen but with Sony who knows. They have given updates to the mk3 but not the useful focus colour 😞

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

Capricorn1ne — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 21:24:33 GMT

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

MV_Photography — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 06:30:24 GMT

Morning

I have recently purchased my first Sony, the A7 III and similarly struggling to see the light grey focus point. I haven't been able to find an update which suggests that the colour can be changed yet when using the latest firmware V4.

Do you know if this is now possible and if not, any suggestions on how to address with Sony - maybe a Twitter campaign? - to get this resolved?

And thanks for posting. I thought it was just me.

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

Joe_Dohn — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 14:35:27 GMT

Have you tried getting in touch with the Sony support reps to leave your feedback as a suggestion? I personally prefer using email (and I've just added my voice to your suggestion by doing just that myself).

The more people who participate the more weight it'll have when they consider adding features in the next update!

Hope this helps!

- JD

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

TLysholm — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 15:34:43 GMT

The only work-around I know of, is to press the thumbstick to activate the "Focus Setting" and then move the thumbstick arund. That turns the Focus Frame orange and you can then see it. Press the thumbstick again, or half press the shutter button to get into shooting mode again.

It's such a stupid issue, and about the only thing I think they REALLY ought to fix. Other than that, I think it's an awesome camera, but at it's price point, I don't think this should be an issue. Newer cameras are superior in some respects of course, and it's not about us wanting more than we paid for. It's just a dumb that they haven't addressed this before several of the other nice updates and upgrades to the firmware.

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

Dayve2014 — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 16:28:27 GMT

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve just sent Sony a message to that effect.

Best wishes,

Dayve

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

TLysholm — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 13:44:40 GMT

I've sent several. Just two days ago I received my first reply (from their UK support team for some reason). It said "Sorry, you feel that way. We're letting the relevant people know, and so we'll see if they care."
I'm paraphrasing here ... but that was the gist of it.

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

Joe_Dohn — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 14:00:03 GMT

@TLysholm that's exactly why having as many people raise the same concern is important, sadly this is true for any/all companies and any/all features.

Though, I've seen Sony implement/rollback changes based on customer feedback a lot, so I'm sure this will make a difference.

Hope you share my sentiment.

- JD

Re: Sony A7 III Light grey focus point, no colour options or change in latest v3 firmware

lilipoot33 — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 07:07:20 GMT

I have the same problem and it is a big issue for me and I really can’t see the focus point in the screen. I find it really frustrating. I am thinking of changing to Sony Alpha iv for this very reason and I am wondering if that model also has the same problem…