Multi-cam only for money: Sony brings camera control to the Mac

Sony’s alpha cameras are very popular, but not known for one thing: their simple operation. The Japanese company also sees it that way and has the app Monitor & Control (In short: M&C) an extensive remote control solution for iPhone and iPad as well as Android devices on offer. This serves not only the monitoring of the image, but also the fast configuration of the photo and video cameras FX6, FX3, FX2, FX30, A1 and A1 II, A9 III, A7R V, A7S III, A7 IV and ZV-E1. The video cameras PXW-Z300, PXW-Z200, HXR-NX800 and Burano are also supported. Now Sony has one for the first time Mac version of M&C placed in the App Store. This is very positive at first, but also has disadvantages that are purely economic.

Macs are basically for professionals for Sony

Anyone who has already acquired an expensive alpha expect that a tool like M&C that makes it easier to use is free. This is basically the case: Most features can be used free of charge. However, there are additional features such as recording data as a snapshot, the simultaneous use of settings to all cameras and more ideas for access/frames (up to ten instead of two), for the Sony a “basic” premium fee (see below).

It only gets really professional with the premium tariff: this can not only control four, but up to 20 cameras. And here is also the horse’s foot: While the multi-cam monitoring in the mobile versions including iPad is also contained without payment for four cameras, Sony demands the premium subscription for this function on the Mac. Otherwise, only single cam monitoring is allowed on the computer. Only the group alone knows why Sony implements this-apparently it is assumed that Mac users are always “professionals”.

Confusing pricing model – at first cheaper month

The tariffs for this are salted. Loud Sony’s information (Login required) costs the premium tariff, which includes multi-cam support for the Mac, 21.99 euros a month or EUR 261.68 a year. Confusingly, almost nothing can be saved by concluding the annual subscription (263.88 instead of 261.68 euros) – or you even pay in the first year: in the monthly subscription, the first month is free of charge.

For comparison: For the Basic tariff, which contains most premium functions for M&C except for multi-cam, you pay 4.99 euros a month or 59.38 euros a year. The same game applies here too: if you use the first month as a trial, the monthly subscription is significantly cheaper than the year offer, otherwise only minimally cheaper. M&C needs at least MacOS 14.7 or MacOS 15.3 on the Mac. The app is based on the iPad version.