obs1dium/bettermanual

An app for manual mode on Sony Alpha 5100 cameras

BetterManual

This app is intended to ease shooting in manual and aperture priority mode with (legacy) prime lenses on the A5100 camera. It uses the OpenMemories Framework. While the app may work on other cameras, it was written specifically for use with the A5100.

Installation

Use Sony-PMCA-RE or install through sony-pmca.appspot.com.

Usage and features

Features are accessed using either the touch screen or the control wheel.

Shooting modes

Touch the mode indicator on the top left to toggle between manual and aperture priority mode. The icon directly below it allows you to cycle between single shot, low speed and high speed burst modes.

Shooting parameters

The following parameters can be configured directly: Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, exposure compensation. Using the control wheel: Press the down button to select the parameter you'd like to change, then turn the wheel to change its value. Additionally, the enter button allows you to toggle between manual and automatic ISO and set a minimum shutter speed in aperture priority mode. Using the touch screen: Swipe left/right or up/down to change parameters. Tap once to toggle between manual and automatic ISO or set the minimum shutter speed.

Interface

Press the up button to cycle through display modes. This will toggle the histogram, metering display and rule of 3rds grid lines.

Focus magnification

Use the zoom lever to activate focus magnification and zoom in or out. Half-pressing the shutter button ends focus magnification. You can change the position of the preview rectangle by either using the control wheel or swiping the touch screen. The enter button centers the preview rectangle.

Other features

The app also includes simple timelapse and exposure bracketing modes. Touch the icon on the left side and follow the on-screen instructions.

Long exposure noise reduction is disabled (normally forced in single shot mode for exposures >= 1" and in bulb mode on the A5100).

Exit the app using the help/trash button.

The app remembers the configured settings across multiple runs.

bettermanual's Issues

Possibility of overcoming 30 second limit in timelapse mode, other than bulb?

I just installed this app on a7 and it works great as intended. Thanks for doing this!

One question - is it technically feasible to add a new shutter speed setting that exceeds 30 seconds (say, 2/5/10 minutes)? Currently there is no software solution (even connecting to PC) that would allow for automated timelapse for shutter speeds of over 30 seconds.

There is a large group of astrophotography folks that would absolutely love this feature, if it were possible.
: )

Curious about the debugging setup, etc..

Hello!

Great starting point you put together here.

Could you provide some pointers around the project setup, debugging setup/workflow (do you debug against the camera itself, emulator or what?)?

Having those as part of a getting started would be really helpful to those who would like to better understand how this works.

Thanks!

Long Exposure Noise Reduction

Hi @obs1dium!
First of all, thank u for the great app!!
I use it in a5000 and all I have to say is that it has saved my night timelapses because of the Long Exposure Noise Reduction disablement.
But now I'm searching the way to apply this to the Backup.bin file to get this disablement globally in my a5000, so I can forget about this annoying feature that Sony genius engineers have enabled for us.
I would love if you could show me the way you have applied this disablement so that I can search the way of applying it to the whole firmware.

Thank you so much.

Sony a5100 and Better Manual application

Hi there !
I'm using your application quite some time now,
it's very easy and clean to work with.
What i have noticed some time ago and recently, that if i set shutter speed for example 20-30 seconds i can only choose then 3-5 pictures at time.
I remember before, i was able to choose whatever i want, from 5, 7, 9 .... unlimited pictures when shooting.
Also, time to time, when i choose longer shutter speed application restarts.
I have already un-installed and installed application back and again if i want to shoot night photos and set shutter arround 15-30 seconds i can choose just 3-5 pictures at time.
Should i try anything else ?
Thanks,
Best

Will NOT Exit

I have a Sony A6300 and I understand the "Menu" button should exit the app but it DOES NOT. I can't get out of the BetterManual application. Need some help!

Thanks!

No. of pictures

Thank you for the great app. I'm using this app mostly for shooting time-lapse. But is this possible to set the no. of pictures easily instead of scrolling through to get to 300 or 500?

extend this app to other cameras (Nex, A6xxx,A7)

Wow!
Congratulations and thank you for coding this nice APP with many useful features in very simple and intuitive way to operate! As I am shooting 99% in Manual mode and mostly with legacy lenses this app has indeed the most needed for a very nice experience in that regard...

I tried this app on a Nex6! The app runs and was able to even take pictures, however since it haven't touch screen, was not able to change most of the features... With some camera keys re-mapping (e.g. MENU Keys, FN keys and RIGHT-LEFT Keys) and some adjust on swipetouch functions it may be possible to work with cameras without touch-screen.
-Would you please consider to extend the app for other cameras?

Silent shooting

Hello
What a great app!
Is there a way to activate the silent shooting in better manual?
Thanks!

Automatic upload FTP/SFTP after each picture ?

Hello, many thanks for your App for a5100. Would it be possible to automatically upload each image after it has been shot ? For instance via an FTP or better an SFTP.

More exposure times to shoot

Hi, I use Sony Alpha 5000 for astrophotography. In bulb mode it exhibits strong stareater (even when bulb lasts only 15s), but with 30s built-in intervalometer it doesn't have stareater. I was wondering if it could be possible to add e.g 60s, 90s, 120s, 180s, 240s exposure times. It would be great for astrophotography not only for a5000, but also for a6000 and a7 as far as I remember.

Trouble building gradle on linux - error

I've tried all kind of configs.
Maybe one of you guys/girls do know the solution to my issue.

root build.gradle
`apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
compileSdkVersion 10
buildToolsVersion '30.0.2'

defaultConfig {
    applicationId "com.obsidium.bettermanual"
    minSdkVersion 10
    targetSdkVersion 10
    versionCode 7
    versionName "1.5"
    archivesBaseName = "BetterManual-${versionName}"
}
buildTypes {
    release {
        minifyEnabled true
        proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
    }
}

compileOptions {
    sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_6
    targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_6
}

}

repositories {
google()
mavenCentral()
maven { url "https://jitpack.io" }
}

dependencies {
compileOnly 'com.github.ma1co.OpenMemories-Framework:stubs:-SNAPSHOT'
implementation 'com.github.ma1co.OpenMemories-Framework:framework:-SNAPSHOT'
}
`

app/build.gradle (none of the commented worked out)
`buildscript {
repositories {
mavenCentral()
//google()
//gradlePluginPortal()
}
dependencies {
//classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.1.0'
//classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.3.3'
classpath "com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.1.2"

    // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
    // in the individual module build.gradle files
}

}

allprojects {
repositories {
//gradlePluginPortal()
//jcenter()
//google()
mavenCentral()
//mavenCentral { url 'https://maven.aliyun.com/repository/jcenter' }
//maven { url "https://jitpack.io" }
//maven { url 'http://repo1.maven.org/maven2' }
jcenter { url "http://jcenter.bintray.com/" }
}
}`

gradle.wrapper
#Thu Jun 24 20:15:04 EDT 2021 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-5.6.4-all.zip distributionPath=wrapper/dists zipStorePath=wrapper/dists zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME

Terminal gradle --info
....Compiling build file '/home/user/Downloads/openmeories/BetterManual-master/build.gradle' using SubsetScriptTransformer.
Resource missing. [HTTP GET: https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/android/tools/build/gradle/4.1.2/gradle-4.1.2.pom]
Resource missing. [HTTP HEAD: https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/android/tools/build/gradle/4.1.2/gradle-4.1.2.jar]

FAILURE: Build failed with an exception.

• What went wrong:
  A problem occurred configuring root project 'BetterManual-master'.

Could not resolve all dependencies for configuration ':classpath'.
Could not find com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.1.2.
Searched in the following locations:
https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/android/tools/build/gradle/4.1.2/gradle-4.1.2.pom
https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/android/tools/build/gradle/4.1.2/gradle-4.1.2.jar
Required by:
project :

• Try:
  Run with --stacktrace option to get the stack trace. Run with --debug option to get more log output.

BUILD FAILED

Total time: 0.996 secs
Received result Failure[value=org.gradle.initialization.ReportedException: org.gradle.internal.exceptions.LocationAwareException: A problem occurred configuring root project 'BetterManual-master'.] from daemon DaemonInfo{pid=10042, address=[2094e9c2-0fdd-4b3a-92c4-2ddc3532f5a2 port:41411, addresses:[/0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1, /127.0.0.1]], state=Idle, lastBusy=1646205025918, context=DefaultDaemonContext[uid=9c25e298-7d36-436d-a082-811908da0a24,javaHome=/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64,daemonRegistryDir=/root/.gradle/daemon,pid=10042,idleTimeout=10800000,daemonOpts=-XX:MaxPermSize=256m,-XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError,-Xmx1024m,-Dfile.encoding=UTF-8,-Duser.country=US,-Duser.language=en,-Duser.variant]} (build should be done).

Any help is very much welcome.
Thanks all

autofocus and PlayBack of taken Pictures

Hi
I´m using the alpha 5100 for familiy shootings. Ohne thing I really miss is the minimum shutter speed in aperture mode. You gave it to me with this App. Thank you very much!
Your settings works even in normal aperture priority mode after leaving the app. So i can use autofocus. Unfortunately the Setting ist dismissed after Restart or StandBy.
May you add autofocus / the other focus modes to the your APP?
Is there a way to shortly review the shooten images (not automatically, only after pressing the play button)?.

I do programming in VBA and have some basic knowledge of java. If i want to contribute to your project - whats the best was to start with? Generell Android Programming?

RX100 MKIV doesn't work

Better Manual doesn't work on this camera.
I can install and start the app, but no key is working, only the focus rind and the picture button.

Renders A6000 unusable

Hi!
I installed and started your app and experience a severe issue now!
After starting the app and trying to change some settings, the camera started just showing the preview. No buttons react anymore, not even the on/off switch. I had to remove the battery. When I reinsert the battery again, nothing changed/still the same issue.

I right now have an unusable camera, and I hope that after some time(this night) without battery it will hopefully start working again!

Would be nice if you could have a look at this issue + some tips.
BMANUAL.TXT

BetterManual

Soon, i'll purchase full spectrum converted sony a5000 for night and IR photo.
I really like to also use BetterManual application, it's simply the best.
Does this app should work on a5000 and bulb mode ?
Thanks for any information,
Best,
Matej

Disable Face Tracking / Smoothing

This is a great way to push the limits of the A5100 and make it easier to use alongside my more expensive cameras!
Are you interested in enhancing the UI for video recording as well? There's one thing I can't work around that has been driving me nuts for months (actually more like years, since owning this camera): When recording video, skin smoothing comes on even if turned off. The solution has been to disable face tracking, but that only works when the record button is pressed. For some reason, until the recording session starts, the smoothing bug stays on, even if skin smoothing and face tracking is disabled!
Since the A5100 overheats quickly, I've been using the HDMI out to record to an Atmos Ninja, and it works well as a B-cam for recording school plays and what not (can record for hours without overheating).
Problem is, when using the HDMI output to record, since the rec button never gets pressed, we are stuck with waxy skin on all the recordings. It is very annoying. I wish there was a way to make the camera keep that feature off for good! Any chance your app can help with this?

Development Questions

Hi what I still miss is bulb shooting to start with the EnterKey.
Play with it now for two days but it does not get to run.
With the touchlessRemote it seem to trigger the s2Key

public int pushedS2Key()
  {
    ExecutorCreator.getInstance().getSequence().inquireKey(518);
    return 1;
  }

BaseShootingExecutor
public abstract void inquireKey(int paramInt);

but that inquireKey() is not implemented and just an abstract stub.
So i tryed to inject keys with Instrumentation() and Activity.dispatchKeyEvent() but non works.
The injected event gets called inside the activity, but does not lock the s2 key down.

Maybe you have an idea.
greets

Change exposure time and ISO

Hello,
I use your app on three cameras (a5000, A7, A7r2).
I create time-lapse shots with the app.
If I now switch to A mode (aperture priority), the exposure time first goes up to 1/60 second and then gradually increases the ISO until it reaches the set maximum value. - Then the exposure time is increased.
Since a tripod is necessary for a time-lapse shot anyway, it would be more sensible to reverse the automatic mode in time-lapse mode.
So that first the exposure time is increased. When this has reached the set maximum value, the ISO is increased.
This ensures that more noise-free pictures can be taken over a longer period of time - for example, when I'm doing a time-lapse of the sunset.

Would it be possible to add this function in time-lapse mode 😊?

One more thing - do you have a possibility for donations - I use the app so often that I almost have a guilty conscience not to show my gratitude 😊

Greeting