Approach to Camera Set-up

[CoyoteCreationsNW]

When I was learning to play piano and guitar I found that I could not use some chords because my small hands simply could not span the necessary keys/strings. Several button programming suggestions make perfect sense but not for my hands. I have tried several since I got my Z9 in 2021. I recently added a Z8 and I wanted to have similar set-ups. I approached this by trying to determine what features I used most often and then setting them on the most accessible buttons. I came up with the following list.

1. Focus
2. Cycle Auto Focus Area Mode
3. Toggle Subject Detection On/Off
4. F Stop
5. Cycle Auto ISO On/Off
6. ISO
7. Reset Focus Point to Center
8. Exposure Comp.
9. Toggle Zoom
10. Switch Fx/Dx
11. Metering Mode
12. Viewfinder Display Mode (Artifical Horizon)

The first eight are used on almost every outing. Beyond that, the use is very infrequent. I expect others to use different buttons than me but I am interested in what others find themselves changing most frequently in the field. As an aside, I was able to set-up the Z* and Z9 to have virtually identical button layout for the first eight items so switching between cameras is almost seamless for me.

 

[Anjin San]

Before I sold my Z9 for a second Z8 I did the same thing…essentially I ignored the buttons below the LCD and left them set to the defaults which were all things I never changed anyway.