Sony Smart Remote Control camera app update 4.10 adds BULB Shooting and Continuous Shooting on a7II, a7RII, a7SII, RX100 IV, RX10 II, RX1R II and BULB shooting on a7, a7R, a7S, a5000, a5100, a6000, RX100 III.
Sony Smart Remote Control Update 4.10 adds:
PLEASE NOTE: To enable Bulb Shooting the camera must be set to ‘Manual’ Shooting Mode
Smart Remote Control allows you to use Play Memories Mobile on iOS or Android smartphones or tablets to control your camera. You can control exposure and shutter release – all from your smartphone! For added convenience, jpegs shot using the application can be automatically sent to your smartphone for on-the-spot sharing.
To Update Read This: How to Update Sony Play Memories Camera Apps
Note: Requires installation of the latest PlayMemories Mobile (Supported OS: Android 4.0-5.1, iOS 7.0-9.0) on the smartphone or tablet: www.sony.net/pmm/ (Refer to Specifications for details.)
Once installed you can access Bulb in Manual Shooting Mode. You don’t have to hold the button the entire time just swipe the Bulb release button at the bottom of the screen to the Left to start exposure and swipe right to end.
As with other exposure settings, you do NOT see a live view exposure during exposure – but you will see a running timer in red at the top of the screen when shooting Bulb exposures (it counts up) that you can use to time your exposure.
PLEASE NOTE: The Smart Remote Control camera app, camera firmware and Play Memories Mobile apps must ALL be up to date for this to work.
Download PlayMemories for iOS or Android
In order to take advantage of the Smart Remote Control application, as well as other wireless and connectivity features that are available with you Sony WiFi-enabled camera, you need to download Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile app – available free for SmartPhones and Tablets for both iOS and Android at their respective app stores.
Setting your camera up for Smart Remote Control shooting
1. Select Menu > Apps Menu > Application List > Smart Remote Control
1. You’ll get a screen prompting you to Sync to Smart Phone.
2. Go to Wi-Fi settings on your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. Select the device shown on the camera menu. Enter the password shown in the menu.
3. Once you see a spinning “Connecting” icon on your smartphone or tablet – you’re connected.
4. Open the PlayMemories app
Important: How to Save RAWs Using Sony Smart Remote Control
Smart Remote Control has it’s own quality settings separate from those you set on your camera that are reset when you update the app.
By default Quality is set to Jpeg Fine:
To also save RAW to your SD card, here’s what you need to do:
Open Smart Remote Control App on your camera:
Menu > Applications > Application List > Smart Remote Control
Connect WiFi between your camera to your tablet or Smart Phone
Once you connect, press Menu > Smart Remote Control > 2 > Quality > Select : RAW & JPEG
Shoot a frame to be certain this setting is saved.
Boom! You’re good to go”¦
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27 thoughts on “Sony Smart Remote Control Update 4.10 Adds Bulb Shooting”
I really wish they would add bracketing control to this app. I shoot interior photography and I fire off a few safety brackets after I do my lighting. Even slightly touching the camera to set up bracketing messes forces me to align the images in Photoshop which is time consuming.
As a Canon shooter who switched to Sony I am lost without Camranger as an interior photographer. They need to directly copy as many features from Camranger as they can. Bulb mode was not a feature I was waiting for. I hope continuous shooting is a step towards bracketing control!
It would be even better if CamRanger would step up to the plate and support Sony cameras.
Any chance the app will let you do touch focus while shooting video?
Nope. Focus Area switches to Wide when using Smart Remote Control in Movie Mode.
I am borrowing an a7ii and have an android phone, just installed the app version 5.51 and it does not seem to support bulb mode. The only reason I installed it was for bulb mode – tonight I’m supposed to go out shooting and I didn’t want to rely on holding my finger on the shutter for minutes at a time. I don’t have a remote.
I’ve got to say the Sony system ranging from the camera to the app and their website is not user friendly at all. I like the technical capabilities of the camera but if functions cannot be accessed or if it takes 2 minutes to change one setting it is not useful. This was the biggest complaint I had heard from people who tried out the Sony system, most of them are back to Nikon or Canon.
I was somewhat surprised at how easy it was to get this app, install it and sync it to the camera, but I am completely stunned that it cannot handle bulb mode… sure does not make me want to buy their camera.
There is no version 5.51 of the Smart Remote Control App.
Maybe you’re thinking of the PlayMemories Mobile App for Android.
They are different things.
To Enable Bulb Mode Smart Remote Control App MUST be updated to version 4.10 or later (the current version is 4.20)
This explains how to: Install & Update Sony Play Memories Camera Apps
Any tricks or tips to engage eye auto focus when using the Smart Remote Embedded? Thanks!
Nope.
But you really should upgrade Smart Remote Embedded to Smart Remote Control at the the PlayMemories Camera Apps store if you want to get the most functions possible.
I just got a Sony A7Sii and have upgraded it to version 2.2. I set the camera to manual and I do not have bulb mode. What’s up?
What version is you Smart Remote Control App???
Hey Brian,
I do not use remote, although have the most current version. I was talking about in my regular settings my bulb setting did not show up at all when I was in manual. As it turns out I had silent shooting turned on and bulb does not work in silent shooting. (When all else fails read the manual!!).
Thanks for your quick reply.
Bill
Aha! You asked a question on a post about Sony Smart Remote Control which is rather confusing when you weren’t using it, but that is correct. Silent Shooting mode is NOT compatible with Bulb exposure.
My region does not having wifi and my smartphone connect by 4G.
Why i cannot use Sony Smart Remote Control (ver.4.31) for my a6500 when connecting with smartphone.
Thank You.
You don’t need to be in a WiFi coverage area. It’s a WiFi connection between the camera and an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet
I Was using the App with RAW mode, but i upgraded for 4.31 version and the RAW mode is gone.
How i downgrade the APP?
I don’t believe there are any takesy-backsey’s when it comes to firmware …however is it possible that:
A) You’re missing the tab for the quality settings?
B) The latest version of the app now follows camera settings instead of having it’s own (which I’ve repeatedly lobbied for)
is it possible to do the bulb mode without holding the shutter and without using the app or a cable. i just want 1 press to start, and another press to end. thanks.
Not using the camera’s shutter release, but you could do that with the touchless shutter app. Wave your hand across the EVF once to open the shutter in Bulb mode. Wave a second time to close.
I have gone through full effort of installing all updates in camera, smartphone, computer. There is a timelapse software that Sony would like me to purchase (10 dollars) but I think it does not work with defined sequences of bulbmode (e.g. 10 x 1 minute). My main goal is to store acquire and store sequences of raw format photos. Can you please comment and hopefully show how to do this….
Thank you so much for this information. I’ve been scratching my head for a few days trying to figure out why I was shooting jpgs while using the remote app. Yet, I could see in the main camera settings that RAW was set! I am really grateful!!
You’re welcome. Remember to re-check the setting whenever you update the app. Sometimes it defaults back to Jpeg.
This looks like the only current information on this software out there, so thank you for that. I’m taking one last shot at using my NEX-5T for astrophotography, which involves taking series of long exposures. The Time-lapse app was a step in the right direction, but could only sequence a maximum of 30-second exposures. If the newer version of the PlayMemories apps don’t add the ability to take a series of exposures in BULB mode, then it’s probably time to bail on this camera. I’d try it myself, but I’ve been unable to locate a USB cable that can make the connection for the required firmware. Anything you can tell me about the updated apps’ functionality would be most appreciated.
Bulb exposure requires the user to start and stop each exposure. How would you automate that?
Have you tried selecting aperture priority?
Hi Brian,
Thanks for your blog, just excellent.
I have a NEX 6 with Smart R C, v4.3 and Play Memories installed.
I have an iphone with Imaging Edge Mobile installed.
All is working ok, but the Bulb setting on IEM is not displayed or accessible in the shutter speed selection, with the camera set to M.
Is it possible to access Bulb via an (or this) app,? If not then is there a dedicated remote device that can be used to access the Bulb setting?
This is desirable to permit the use ND filters.
PlayMemories is essentially a dead program that’s no longer used on the latest two generations of cameras, so I’m not certain what the current version is nor if it was ever compatible with Bulb on NEX cameras.
Make sure your camera is set to Single Shot Shooting Mode. For fairly obvious reasons, Bulb is not supported in Continuous.
Bulb is also not supported with any multi-shot mode such as auto-bracket.
Hi, I recently purchased the A7R2, I updated the firmware and downloaded the playmemories app, although I can only get control of my camera using Imaging edge mobile app, and it works great! Tried to get it into BULB mode last night but whenever I select it on the app it says something about not being able to do it. Any ideas what’s going on?
There are several camera settings that are not compatible with Bulb – most notably continuous shooting, bracketing & silent shooting. Check your camera settings and also make sure Manual Shooting Mode is selected.