Sony PMCA-RE or our service: an honest comparison
Sony-PMCA-RE is a free, open-source project on GitHub that can change settings such as the menu language on many Sony cameras. If your body and firmware are known to work with it and you are comfortable with technical tools, try it first — it costs nothing. Here is where it gets harder, and what you get by paying us instead.
Side by side
| PMCA-RE (DIY) | MenuLang Unlock | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, open source | $35 per camera, paid only after it works |
| Sony models | Many bodies — check the project's list for yours | Many Sony models — we check your exact firmware for free |
| Newer bodies and firmware | Varies; failure reports exist for some versions | We check your exact firmware before you pay |
| If something goes wrong | Community issue tracker, no guarantees | Free remote help, reply within 24 hours |
| Main risk | An interrupted USB session | An interrupted USB session |
| Canon cameras | No — Sony only | Many Canon models too |
What PMCA-RE is
PMCA-RE ("PlayMemories Camera Apps reverse engineering") is a community project that talks to Sony cameras over USB. It grew out of Sony's old in-camera app platform, so it is best known on bodies from that era. Volunteers maintain it, and it comes with no warranty or support.
When DIY is the right choice
- Your exact model and firmware version are reported as working in the project's documentation or issue tracker
- You are comfortable installing drivers and following technical instructions
- You can manage without anyone to call if something goes wrong
- You want to spend nothing
Where it gets harder
Support depends on the model and the firmware version. Newer bodies and recent firmware are where users report the most trouble — the project's issue tracker has threads about failed attempts on specific versions. Read the open issues for your model before you start.
Firmware updates can change what works, whichever route you choose. Check before you update.
The risks, on both sides
Any tool that writes settings to a camera over USB carries some risk. The main one is an interrupted session: a flat battery, a loose cable or a computer going to sleep. That applies to PMCA-RE and to our service alike. Use a charged battery and a data cable plugged straight into the computer, and leave the camera alone mid-session.
Warranty terms vary by country and seller, and changing settings with a third-party tool may matter to them. That is true for both options.
What paying us gets you
A free check of your exact model and firmware before anything happens, guided steps, free remote help if you get stuck, and a reply within 24 hours. You pay $35 once per camera, and only after the new languages work.
Common questions
Is PMCA-RE safe?+
Many people use it successfully. Like any USB tool that changes camera settings, it carries a small risk, mostly from interrupted sessions. Read the documentation and the open issues for your model first.
I tried PMCA-RE and it didn't work. Can you help?+
Send us your model, firmware version and what happened. If your camera is on our list, the check is free and you pay only if the setup works.
Does PMCA-RE work on Canon?+
No. It is for Sony cameras only.
Related answers
How to tell if your camera is a Japan-market model
How to tell if a Canon or Sony is a Japan-market (JDM) unit: the Language menu, box and warranty card, charger, video system, model name, serial number — and which clues are reliable.
→Canon Kiss names and international names
Japanese Canon names next to their international and US names: Kiss X10 = 250D = Rebel SL3, Kiss X10i = 850D = Rebel T8i, Kiss M = M50, Kiss M2 = M50 Mark II — and which models keep the same name.
→Will a firmware update or a reset remove the languages?
What we know — and what we don't — about firmware updates, factory resets and repairs after adding menu languages to a Canon or Sony camera.
→Sony Camera From Japan? Add Menu Languages to α, ZV & RX
A Sony α7 IV, ZV-E10 or other Sony bought in Japan or as a grey import often has just English and Japanese under Setup → Language. The same model sold in Europe or the US has many more. It’s a firmware setting, not a fault — and on supported models we can add the missing languages over USB.
→Is Adding Menu Languages Safe? What Changes and What Doesn’t
We only change the camera’s language menu settings — not the sensor, the lens mount or the card slots. Still, no modification is completely risk-free. Here’s what changes, what we don’t touch, and how to keep things smooth.
→Tell us your camera model — we'll check for free whether we can add your language
We reply within 24 hours