A7II: EVF/monitor assigned to function button

[Makten]

I just upgraded from an a7 to a7II, and the bloody EVF sensor is even more sensitive than on the a7. :scry: This drives me nuts, because I can't shoot with tilted screen close to my body without the camera switching to EVF.
Now, for some reason you can't assign a function button to switch between EVF and monitor on the a7 or a7II. But from what I've read, you can on the a7RII! :angry:

Has anyone come up with a solution? Or is it perhaps implemented in newer firmware? I'm on 3.20 now and I don't want to fiddle with it because of numerous reports of problems when updating FW.

 

[Vivek]

You can add a tiny piece of tape to one of the EVF's sensors (there are 2) to desensitize it. Experiment with the size and the location to get the optimal solution. There is a thread on it here from a while ago.

 

[Makten]

You can add a tiny piece of tape to one of the EVF's sensors (there are 2) to desensitize it. Experiment with the size and the location to get the optimal solution. There is a thread on it here from a while ago.

I actually tried that yesterday, but it only made it worse. Maybe I should disassemble the eyepiece to see how it works. I suppose there's an IR diode and a sensor that "sees" the reflected IR when something is close enough. So dimming the diode (not the sensor!) seems like a good idea, if you know where it's located.

 

[Vivek]

How many seconds does it take to remove the eye cup?

~1/3rd of the left sensor.

You do need to take the eye cup off. It slides upwards very easily. You slide it down afterwards. No need to take it apart.

 

[Makten]

How many seconds does it take to remove the eye cup?

~1/3rd of the left sensor.

You do need to take the eye cup off. It slides upwards very easily. You slide it down afterwards. No need to take it apart.

I said eyepiece, not eyecup. :grin: And I meant to take off the whole thing with the small coverglass, to see how it looks behind it.
I've already removed the eyecup since I don't like it poking on my eyebrow. Makes the viewfinder nicer to use.

Edit: But OK, I'll try 1/3 from the left instead of 1/2 that I read somewhere.

Edit 2: Wohoo, it works! :salute: It turned out that the placement of the tape is extremely important. Half a millimeter too far in either direction and it won't work. Now the sensor is activated at ~2.5 cm from the eyepiece, which means I can have the screen touching my belly without blackout, and it only takes a fraction of a second to light up the EVF when I want to use it.

Thanks Vivek! Now let's hope the little piece of tape doesn't move. :chug: