Sony A1 guidance: Help! The Sony A1 intimidates the devil out of me. I am reluctant to just dive in with this camera and I have used Canon, Nikon, and Leica in the past. What blocks me...

folkus

Help! The Sony A1 intimidates the devil out of me. I am reluctant to just dive in with this camera and I have used Canon, Nikon, and Leica in the past. What blocks me in this moment is a mystery. Do others feel the same and how did you push through this resistance? I think some hand holding by Sony would be helpful, but they indicate no interest in providing specific instruction for the A1. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your guidance and push.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Are you saying you're hesitant to spend $6500 for a camera you don't need? I see you had / have a $3500 Sony A9 in prior posts.

Or, are you saying you should have considered what / why you needed a Sony A1 before spending $6500?

It's a digital camera much like any digital camera:

1. Mount the lens.
2. Format the card.
3. Turn it on and place in P(rofessional) mode.
4. Half press the shutter to focus / compose.
5. Press the shutter fully to capture 1 or more images.

Ken Rockwell has created a free user's guide if you need more details about any of the 5 steps above, or how to get the images off the card to your computer: https://www.kenrockwell.com/sony/a1.htm#usage

ricardo00

There are also a ton of youtube videos on how to use and set up your A1 if you learn better by watching a video. Just google on youtube how to set up the Sony A1.

azted Loc: Las Vegas, NV.

folkus wrote:

Help! The Sony A1 intimidates the devil out of me. I am reluctant to just dive in with this camera and I have used Canon, Nikon, and Leica in the past. What blocks me in this moment is a mystery. Do others feel the same and how did you push through this resistance? I think some hand holding by Sony would be helpful, but they indicate no interest in providing specific instruction for the A1. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your guidance and push.

I'm so blocked, too. Why don't you send it to me and I'll work it in for you?

BebuLamar

I have a hard time understand the manual of the A6000 but if you already has the A9 then the A1 shouldn't be a problem.

User ID

folkus wrote:

Help! The Sony A1 intimidates the devil out of me. I am reluctant to just dive in with this camera and I have used Canon, Nikon, and Leica in the past. What blocks me in this moment is a mystery. Do others feel the same and how did you push through this resistance? I think some hand holding by Sony would be helpful, but they indicate no interest in providing specific instruction for the A1. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your guidance and push.

Altho I may (likely) have more general photo experience than you, and I cannot recall a camera ever "intimidating" me, when it comes to a flagship level camera I get the David Busch book, or as a 2nd choice Darrell Young. But, I just checked on that and neither author has written an a1 book as yet :-(

Do keep watch to get one of those books whenever they come out !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~f

BTW, as authors go, I am not favoring Busch over Young. It is the publishers fault that Youngs books rate only 2nd choice, right behind Busch.

BebuLamar

User ID wrote:

Altho I may (likely) have more general photo exper... (show quote)

You should be able to do it with the Sony manual but then I couldn't understand the Sony manual for my TV either. Sony is really good at making manual.

folkus

Thanks for your reply. I got all those basics - just at a loss as to how best to set up my camera for landscape and portraits. There are a ton of menu options and I guess I am paralyzed in trying to get the best setup versus a ton of okay ones.. thanks for your efforts to help.

tcthome Loc: NJ

folkus wrote:

Help! The Sony A1 intimidates the devil out of me. I am reluctant to just dive in with this camera and I have used Canon, Nikon, and Leica in the past. What blocks me in this moment is a mystery. Do others feel the same and how did you push through this resistance? I think some hand holding by Sony would be helpful, but they indicate no interest in providing specific instruction for the A1. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your guidance and push.

Check out this you tube channel. The guy knows Sony cameras pretty good. (I think only because I don't own one) But he has some set-up & usage vids for your camera. Other similar videos will most likely pop also. Second link should be a list of A1 set-up vids. Grab your camera, turn it on, follow along. pause the vid to adjust the settings you might want & try them in shooting scenarios you might use. Relax & remember to have fun.

https://www.youtube.com/c/AlphaCreativeSkills

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=888iqbtcrcw&list=PLWC-IgKORdDEURX9763bAvcAASM1htfD_

User ID

Why not leave the camera at default, at least for a while, and attempt all your custom set ups in one of the custom user modes ? Then youd be able to instantly engage or disengage from your trial set ups. You could use 2 or more user modes while youre experimenting.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

folkus wrote:

Help! The Sony A1 intimidates the devil out of me. I am reluctant to just dive in with this camera and I have used Canon, Nikon, and Leica in the past. What blocks me in this moment is a mystery. Do others feel the same and how did you push through this resistance? I think some hand holding by Sony would be helpful, but they indicate no interest in providing specific instruction for the A1. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your guidance and push.

You really need to look at all three video's by Mark Smith on the a1. To get you started, I have listed the first one below. You really need to look at all three over and over and over again.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.
https://msmithphotos.com/index.php/2021/10/26/sony-a1-setup-guide-is-live/

folkus

Once again the Hoggers have come through! Thanks so much to all of you who have replied and provided such great guidance. It is very much appreciated. 😎

Jeffcs Loc: Myrtle Beach South Carolina

folkus wrote:

Thanks for your reply. I got all those basics - just at a loss as to how best to set up my camera for landscape and portraits. There are a ton of menu options and I guess I am paralyzed in trying to get the best setup versus a ton of okay ones.. thanks for your efforts to help.

You have used the A9 the A1 Isn’t all that much different just the menu form and it’s a little mor customizable to suit the owners needs
As stated above put the lens on it go shoot the camera
Best way to learn a camera ,at least for me, do a couple UTubes than go out and shoot

ggenova64

folkus wrote:

Help! The Sony A1 intimidates the devil out of me. I am reluctant to just dive in with this camera and I have used Canon, Nikon, and Leica in the past. What blocks me in this moment is a mystery. Do others feel the same and how did you push through this resistance? I think some hand holding by Sony would be helpful, but they indicate no interest in providing specific instruction for the A1. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your guidance and push.

I watched Sony sponsored Webinars! and use the Fn (Fun Key).

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

You didn't mention action/wildlife...but should you decide to use this camera this way, Steve Perry has produced a step by step guide on how to set it up. The great thing about Steve is that he will tell you why he chose what he did and other options if what he does doesn't suite your shooting style. I am not sure this offers what you want for the type of photography you do but would teach you something about the options. https://backcountrygallery.com/sony-a1-af-setup-guide/

This camera is a lot! And that is because of it's ability to customization. Once you get it where you want it, Make a copy of your settings and keep it on a memory stick and backed up on your computer. You will need it if you do a firmware update or have to send it in.