Setting up the Sony RX10M4 Part 3, 27 January 2018

Lyre bird, Taronga Zoo. RX10M4 original JPG tweaked in Adobe Camera Raw

Memory recall functions   27 January 2018

There are so many functions and optional settings on cameras these days it becomes useful to group them so they can be recalled  together.

Most camera makers have a system by which this can be achieved.

Not to be outdone Sony has two of them.

Two separate, unrelated systems. In the same camera.  

This has caused  considerable confusion leading to much discussion on user forums.

One system saves groups of settings which can be recalled on the MR setting of the Mode Dial.

The second saves a different group of settings accessed by a different process to one or more of the user programmable buttons. The settings only apply while the button is held down.

Let’s start with the more conventional system accessed via the Mode Dial.

Step 1: Think about what groups of camera settings you want to commit to a programmed set which can be recalled.

My current practice is to use the P,A,S,M modes on the Mode dial for general photography.

For sport/action  I set up the camera with a bunch of different settings and save these to Memory 1.

For tripod/landscape work I save a different bunch of settings to Memory 2.

You get the idea. Your specific needs will differ but the principle is the same.

Step 2: Very carefully configure the camera for the group of settings which you want to recall.

To see what settings can be saved by this function turn the Mode Dial to MR, see that 1, 2 or 3 is highlighted along the top and see the menu of settings available. Scroll down to see them all. There are lots of them, it’s not just the first page .  You cannot make or alter settings from this menu, it is information only.

Step 3: See Page 267 of the Help Guide.

With the camera still in whatever Mode you used to set up in Step 2,

Go to Menu>Camera Settings1>Shoot Mode/Drive1> (3/14)>Cam1/Cam2 Memory>Press Center Button>Scroll left/right to highlight 1, 2 or 3> Press the Center Button again.

You have now saved a selection of settings to the Memory recall function.

Step 4:  See page 146 of the Help Guide.

Turn the Mode Dial to MR. Scroll left/right to select the desired number 1, 2 or 3.  (note: the other numbers MR1-4 can only be saved to a memory card)

Press the Center button.

The camera will now operate with the settings saved to memory.

To check this turn the Mode dial off MR briefly to M or Movie then back to MR to bring up the menu again. Scroll down this to confirm all is as you wish it to be.

If you make a mistake or just want to change one or more settings go back to Step 2 and start over.

Note 1:   MR can save Shoot Mode but  not  Focus Mode, Aperture or Exposure Compensation settings.

So when I want to change from general photography on the P,A,S M modes to sport/action on MR1 I have to remember also to turn the Focus Mode rotary switch from S to C.

I have a notice stuck on top of the camera to remind me of this, after forgetting it several times.

Note 2: If you change a setting while the Mode Dial is at the MR setting the camera does not remember this. So for instance my MR1 setting for sport/action uses Mid speed continuous shooting (10 fps). If I change this to Low speed (3.5 fps) for a series of shots then turn the Mode Dial off MR and back to MR again the frame rate will revert to the original saved setting which is Mid speed.

This is the behaviour which I expect from the camera.  

Reg Cust Shoot Set  (Registering shooting settings to a custom key)  See Page 268 of the Help Menu.

This is the second type of memory recall function available on the RX10M4.

This function allows you to program a memory recall set to 1, 2 or 3 of the buttons with user assignable function.

Please read Page 268 of the Help Guide. This has a description of the process required for setting up the function.

To summarise:

Go to Menu>Camera Settings 1>Shoot Mode/Drive2 (4/14)>Reg Cust Shoot Set (it’s the only item on that screen)> Recall Custom Hold 1, 2 or  3>See a submenu. You can select each item On, indicated by a check mark in the box (scroll left to reach the box), or Off. For each item selected  On, press the center button with the item highlighted to open up a submenu. In this submenu you can select which Shoot Mode, Drive Mode, Shutter Speed …….etc as you wish. Keep scrolling down until you come to [Register] then press the center button again.

You have now registered a group of shooting settings to a Reg Cust Shoot Set.

Now you need to allocate this set to a button with user assignable function.

Which button ?

You need to be able to operate the camera which at a minimum means pressing the shutter button and probably zooming while holding down the custom button, without too much disruption to the hold of either hand on the device.

The only two feasible candidates are the AEL button and the Focus Hold button on the left side of the lens housing. I am currently trialling the Focus Hold button. This is not altogether satisfactory with either left-hand-under or left-hand-over hold but it can be done.

Go to Menu>Camera Settings2>Custom Operation1>Custom Key(Shoot)>Scroll to the button to which you wish to assign the Recall Custom Hold function>Select>Scroll to screen 2/21>Recall Custom Hold1> Select.

Now you have assigned the Recall Custom Hold function to a button.

The custom camera settings will be recalled while you hold that button down.

Note: When using this function it is possible to have the Shoot Mode, Focus Mode, Aperture and Exposure Compensation setting ALL different from that indicated on the respective hard dial.

Is this function useful ?

The problem I am having is that there are so many options, settings, groups of settings and functions that it all gets darn confusing.

I don’t think I can remember from one day to the next just exactly what I assigned to which button and when those assignments consist of whole groups of functions the opportunity for confusion and mistakes rises sharply.

I am finding the MR function on the Shoot Mode Dial to be useful, yes.

Maybe users with sharper brains and better memories than me will also find the [Reg Cust Shoot Set] function useful.

Anyway, give it a try.