A99 Firmware requests

[mikeyp2000]

Hi Sony,

Congratulations on a first rate product - the A99.  I'm very impressed - surely the most customisable Alpha so far.

May I be so bold as to request a few extra options for the next firmware release?

1) APS-C crop mode - make it more accessible.  At the moment, it is hidden in a setup menu.  Please add an option for APS-C mode to be added to the smart teleconverter button.  This would allow me to toggle between FF and APS-C with a single button press.  Very useful for sports stuff - APS-C improves frame rate, extends the burst lenght and gives back that APS-C 'reach', even in raw.  Alternatively,allow the smart teleconverter to work in raw - this would have much the same effect.

2) APS-C crop mode - add it to the list of things stored in the 3 memory recall slots.

3) Jpg only functions still give that annoying error message if chosen while in raw or raw+jpg.  Please allow an option to autoswitch to jpg while the jpg only mode is active then revert automically to raw when the feature is deactivated.

4) Make all other buttons customisable too.  Even the movie button (!!)

5) With movie mode selected on the mode dial, allow the shutter button to start/stop recording.  At the moment, it does nothing but is in a far more ergonomic location for starting/stopping  recording.

6) EVF - add a contrast option.  We now have a colour balance option but I'd find a contrast control more useful.

7) Auto-review - add an option to have auto review be sent only to the main rear LCD.  So, if I keep my eye at the EVF, autoreview doesn't activate but as soon as I take my eye away, the rear LCD can show the last pic taken.  (Just like an old fashioned DSLR!)

Perhaps others could add more.  I hope I'm not asking too much!

Cheers,

Michael

[mikeyp2000]

A few more ideas...

Allow a new AF area mode similar to Local AF but only allow the X sensors to be selected.  That would be handy in lower light where the non-cross sensors struggle a bit.

With an AF-D compliant lens and AF-A selected,  the AF system sometimes detects a moving subject and autoswitches to AF-C.  It would be nice if it autoswitched to AF-D instead.

Make the AF boxes more visible when selecting them in Local AF mode.  They just go a bit bolder black and are hard to see against a darker background.  The same comment applied and still applies to the a77.

Bracketing:  have a mode where one single shutter press releases the whole bracket set (as opposed to BRK-C mode which needs a long continuous press, not too handy if some of the exposures are a bit longer!!!). Maybe even allow the 2s timer with this to allow the camera to settle down if tripod mounted.

Bracketing:  allow a user specified bracket set (number of shots and exposure interval)

Auto Iso:  allow us to set a minimum shutter speed befor the ISO gets bumped.   (take a look at how canon and Nikon do this)

Video: allow focus magnifier in movie mode before starting recording.

Just thinking out loud....

[silawre]

First off Sony thank you for producing such an amazing camera, I have never had so much fun with a new camera as I have with my A99.  A very big smile.:smileyhappy:

Now on to the firmware update requests:

1) Can you please include my 135mm F1.8 ZA and 24-70mm F2.8 ZA in the lenses supported by the 102 extra AF points.

2) Allow the camera to automatically write to the second memory card when the first becomes full when using the cards in stand alone mode.

Kind regards

Si

[mikeyp2000]

Si,

I like idea 2 there!  Are you sure you can't get your 24-70za to work with the 102 on sensor points?  Mine works already....

Cheers

[silawre]

Hi Mike,

I'll give it another go later but it did not seem to work the first time I tried.

Si