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Is there a button (or custom function which could be assigned to some button) to auto-adjust exposure in Manual exposure mode on Sony Alpha 7?

I am a new A7 user, and didn't find one yet.

On other cameras (several Ricohs, for example) there always was a way to switch to a manual mode so shutter speed/f-stop value won't change all the time depending on how much of a cloudy sky you have in the frame, and after that you could point a lens into the asphalt road (relatively grey when not wet), press that button and it was kind of assurance you'll get properly exposed pictures for THIS kind of lighting. And then – going from let's say shadows to sunlit areas I'd press the same button again pointing to the asphalt (or my palm – about the same fake 18% grey from the exposure measuring point of view), and pressing it again to adjust to changed lighting.

Wondering if there is such a button on Sony A7 – to bring shutter speed (or auto-adjust ISO) to a proper value ones, and keep it at this level until that button is pressed again.

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    Your question does not match the title. Auto exposure adjustment and auto exposure lock are two different things, and neither really apply in M mode on most cameras. In M mode, you set the exposure yourself. It won't change unless you tell it to, so both AE compensation and lock are moot. – ElendilTheTall Sep 28 '14 at 8:28
  • In M mode, your camera should still give you a meter reading, so even if there's no special button for that, you could manually adjust the shutter/aperture to match what the camera tells you. – JohannesD Sep 28 '14 at 10:35
  • @ElendilTheTall I don't see anything about lock in either the title or the question. – Please Read My Profile Sep 28 '14 at 15:04
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    On Pentax cameras, if you press the "green button" while in M mode, the camera adjusts the exposure parameters (shutter, aperture, ISO) as if you were in P mode, just once. It's sort of the inverse of an exposure lock which you turn on in P mode. I find this quite convenient in many cases; the question is simply asking if the Sony A7 has a similar feature hidden somewhere. – Please Read My Profile Sep 28 '14 at 15:06
  • @mattdm: that is exactly the functionality I'm asking about. – earlyadopter Sep 28 '14 at 17:44
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No. This is a function of some cameras, most notably those of Pentax, yet these are the exception rather than the norm.

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Actually, YES -if your A7 is like the A7s

  • It's under the custom setting - "AEL w/ shutter (still image)" set it to 'On' AND set your ISO to Auto. It will then adjust and hold the ISO when when you partially press the shutter button when in M mode.

  • Alternatively, set ISO to Auto, ensure you have AE Lock enabled, flip the AEL/AF/MF lever to AEL, then press and hold the AEL button, it will hold the ISO - when you are in Manual shooting mode.

Candidly, the second option doesn't work as well for me because the camera was designed for smaller hands.

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  • I don't think this answers the question. He's not asking about ISO-hold, he's asking about a shortcut in M to set the aperture and shutterspeed and ISO to the right (P-ish) settings with one button click. I have an A7 and I don't think it's possible. Sounds like a nice feature though. – RoboKaren Feb 4 '15 at 1:12

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