The camera I’ll be taking with me on this and future backpacking trips around the world is the new Sony A7 full-frame mirrorless camera. It was the natural progression for me after loving my Sony NEX-7 for so long,and it’s proven to be a worthy upgrade.

One of the features I was excited about gaining that I didn’t have on the NEX-7 was the WiFi / NFC functionality that let me connect my Sony Xperia Z1 Compact smartphone to the A7. This enables a range of new options, including using the phone as a remote control. For time lapse, night time / low light photography, a remote control is a must-have. What’s even more convenient: I don’t have to worry about carrying an actual remote, since I already have my smartphone with me all the time, anyway.

In the video below, I take you hands on with the Sony PlayMemories app for Android, which you’ll need to download. It’s also available for iPhones on the App Store, although I haven’t personally used that version.

Not only does the app give you a live viewfinder preview of what the camera sees, but it also lets you adjust various settings without having to touch the camera. You’ll find this helpful when needing to change your shutter speed, aperture, white balance, focus, or ISO.

While I’m using the Sony A7 for this video, the Sony PlayMemories app is also compatible with the Sony A7R, as well as the Sony NEX-5T, NEX-5R, and NEX-6, all of which have NFC and WiFi capabilities.

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