new NEX 5R - a couple questions

I just picked up a NEX 5R. While setting up pref's etc I realized a couple questions.

- In Flexi-zone AF is there a quick way to revert the focus point to center? I can't find a way but this also seems shouldn't have been overlooked. (Although, Im also surprised that you can't roll through AF point positions via the top thumbwheel, so maybe Sony did miss the boat here...)

- Can spot metering be tied to the Flexi-zone AF point instead of the center zone? Im guessing no since this seems to be a common mistake across brands.

- Wifi - I've done nothing with WiFi settings on my camera, but I don't see a global on-off setting for it. I have no intention of using wifi with this camera. Can I assume it's off by default and not pointlessly sucking down battery looking for hotspots everywhere I go?

Thanks!

Bump, with conclusions I've drawn in the past month of using the camera.

sdh said:

I just picked up a NEX 5R. While setting up pref's etc I realized a couple questions.

- In Flexi-zone AF is there a quick way to revert the focus point to center? I can't find a way but this also seems shouldn't have been overlooked. (Although, Im also surprised that you can't roll through AF point positions via the top thumbwheel, so maybe Sony did miss the boat here...)

Click to expand...

There's no quick re-center of the Flexi-spot focus zone; you have to navigate it back to center. And you can't make the thumbwheels scroll the zone placement.

Bad on Sony; that's a major oversight (focus zone re-centering in particular).

sdh said:

- Can spot metering be tied to the Flexi-zone AF point instead of the center zone? Im guessing no since this seems to be a common mistake across brands.

Click to expand...

Nope. Bad on Sony.

sdh said:

- Wifi - I've done nothing with WiFi settings on my camera, but I don't see a global on-off setting for it. I have no intention of using wifi with this camera. Can I assume it's off by default and not pointlessly sucking down battery looking for hotspots everywhere I go?

Click to expand...

As far as I can tell it is OFF by default, unless you do something to activate it. If I understood the manual correctly, there's a "WIFI" screen icon that presumably indicates when the camera is doing WIFI... stuff. I've never experimented with this cam's wifi capability (and probably won't) and i've also never seen that icon appear. So I'll assume the wifi hardware is off.

Good on you Sony - you don't turn the oven on when nobody wants to cook.

sdh said:

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Welcome.

sdh said:

Bump, with conclusions I've drawn in the past month of using the camera.

sdh said:

I just picked up a NEX 5R. While setting up pref's etc I realized a couple questions.

- In Flexi-zone AF is there a quick way to revert the focus point to center? I can't find a way but this also seems shouldn't have been overlooked. (Although, Im also surprised that you can't roll through AF point positions via the top thumbwheel, so maybe Sony did miss the boat here...)

Click to expand...

There's no quick re-center of the Flexi-spot focus zone; you have to navigate it back to center. And you can't make the thumbwheels scroll the zone placement.

Bad on Sony; that's a major oversight (focus zone re-centering in particular).

sdh said:

- Can spot metering be tied to the Flexi-zone AF point instead of the center zone? Im guessing no since this seems to be a common mistake across brands.

Click to expand...

Nope. Bad on Sony.

sdh said:

- Wifi - I've done nothing with WiFi settings on my camera, but I don't see a global on-off setting for it. I have no intention of using wifi with this camera. Can I assume it's off by default and not pointlessly sucking down battery looking for hotspots everywhere I go?

Click to expand...

As far as I can tell it is OFF by default, unless you do something to activate it. If I understood the manual correctly, there's a "WIFI" screen icon that presumably indicates when the camera is doing WIFI... stuff. I've never experimented with this cam's wifi capability (and probably won't) and i've also never seen that icon appear. So I'll assume the wifi hardware is off.

Good on you Sony - you don't turn the oven on when nobody wants to cook.

sdh said:

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Welcome.

Click to expand...

Flexible spot and hit the center of the screen. You're back to the middle. Most people use the 5R like a point and shoot I expect and take what they get in auto. This says something about your shooting style .

Grant.

Pi lover said:

Flexible spot and hit the center of the screen. You're back to the middle. Most people use the 5R like a point and shoot I expect and take what they get in auto. This says something about your shooting style .
Grant.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'll admit I never even considered that; turning off the touchscreen was the first customization I did.

I'll agree that most people probably use the 5's in fully auto modes, but when you provide direct access controls and shortcuts to more stuff, expectations develop! ;-)

sdh said:

Pi lover said:

Flexible spot and hit the center of the screen. You're back to the middle. Most people use the 5R like a point and shoot I expect and take what they get in auto. This says something about your shooting style .

Grant.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'll admit I never even considered that; turning off the touchscreen was the first customization I did.

I'll agree that most people probably use the 5's in fully auto modes, but when you provide direct access controls and shortcuts to more stuff, expectations develop! ;-)

Click to expand...

Never thought of that as my LCD has a foldable retracting hood cover over it most of the time. Most of the 5r usage is via the optional accessory EVF so I guess there is no way to move the flexible spot back to the center except by using the directional pad to move it back.

What does work well is the focus assist magnify which magnifies a portion of the frame. It too can be moved around the frame like the flexible spot, but to instantly return it to the center of them frame the center button in the directional pad just needs to be pressed. The center button is used to turn off the flexible point movement, while the lower function button engages flexible point movement.

bigley Ling said:

sdh said:

Pi lover said:

Flexible spot and hit the center of the screen. You're back to the middle. Most people use the 5R like a point and shoot I expect and take what they get in auto. This says something about your shooting style .

Grant.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'll admit I never even considered that; turning off the touchscreen was the first customization I did.

I'll agree that most people probably use the 5's in fully auto modes, but when you provide direct access controls and shortcuts to more stuff, expectations develop! ;-)

Click to expand...

Never thought of that as my LCD has a foldable retracting hood cover over it most of the time. Most of the 5r usage is via the optional accessory EVF so I guess there is no way to move the flexible spot back to the center except by using the directional pad to move it back.

What does work well is the focus assist magnify which magnifies a portion of the frame. It too can be moved around the frame like the flexible spot, but to instantly return it to the center of them frame the center button in the directional pad just needs to be pressed. The center button is used to turn off the flexible point movement, while the lower function button engages flexible point movement.

Click to expand...

Yes - I spotted that too! I never use MF but I remember seeing that when exploring the camera. The fact that they provided a return-to-center command for MF magnification, but not Flexi-spot AF really annoys me!

Mistakes like this in software-based UI are soooo inexcuseable.

bigley Ling said:

sdh said:

Pi lover said:

Flexible spot and hit the center of the screen. You're back to the middle. Most people use the 5R like a point and shoot I expect and take what they get in auto. This says something about your shooting style .

Grant.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'll admit I never even considered that; turning off the touchscreen was the first customization I did.

I'll agree that most people probably use the 5's in fully auto modes, but when you provide direct access controls and shortcuts to more stuff, expectations develop! ;-)

Click to expand...

Never thought of that as my LCD has a foldable retracting hood cover over it most of the time. Most of the 5r usage is via the optional accessory EVF so I guess there is no way to move the flexible spot back to the center except by using the directional pad to move it back.

What does work well is the focus assist magnify which magnifies a portion of the frame. It too can be moved around the frame like the flexible spot, but to instantly return it to the center of them frame the center button in the directional pad just needs to be pressed. The center button is used to turn off the flexible point movement, while the lower function button engages flexible point movement.

Click to expand...

Using the magnification with EVF is much more precise than just the EVF. I usually only magnify to the first level. This with focus peaking turned on is great and reasonably fast for most uses.

Grant.

sdh said:

Pi lover said:

Flexible spot and hit the center of the screen. You're back to the middle. Most people use the 5R like a point and shoot I expect and take what they get in auto. This says something about your shooting style .

Grant.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'll admit I never even considered that; turning off the touchscreen was the first customization I did.

I'll agree that most people probably use the 5's in fully auto modes, but when you provide direct access controls and shortcuts to more stuff, expectations develop! ;-)

Click to expand...

i don't find the touchscreen sensitive enough that i need to turn it off. on the 5N i would sometimes accidentally set something off on the screen which makes me wonder if the change to the resistive screen on the 5R was for more than just cost cutting. anyway, with the touchscreen on i find it easier to leave on center focus and touch the screen where i want the focus to be. to return to center you just press the cancel button on the screen.