The Amazing Sony A1/A7/A9/APS-C & Anything else welcome Mega Thread!

I think it's wrong that a company is accused of alienating it's customers for not providing something that wasn't even promised at the time of purchase :thinking:

I am not accusing any company of anything, like I said by Sony's own admission this what their customer base would like whether you agree to it or not. It only makes business sense to cater to your customers which is what Sony said they are doing with the latest firmware update.
I don't have a problem with Sony or any other manufacturer being proactive with the firmware updates, for some reason you and others do.
I do also understand/know that some manufactures (Sony less so) use that as a way to play catchup and try to market that as a good thing which I am not keen on.
but it almost feels like you are anti-improvement :thinking:
 
Last edited:
I am not accusing any company of anything, like I said by Sony's own admission this what their customer base would like whether you agree to it or not. It only makes business sense to cater to your customers which is what Sony said they are doing with the latest firmware update.
I don't have a problem with Sony or any other manufacturer being proactive with the firmware updates, for some reason you and others do.
I do also understand/know that some manufactures (Sony less so) use that as a way to play catchup and try to market that as a good thing which I am not keen on.
but it almost feels like you are anti-improvement :thinking:
I think you've completely misunderstood what I've ben saying ;)

I am not anti firmware updates, and I welcome them especially if they add something useful. As you say, there's an increasing number of users that are asking for these and Sony have recognised the need to do them to keep the customers happy.

My point was simply that I don't agree with the idea that it is expected for them (and other companies) to bring out new features and that if they don't they are somehow failing their customers. As I said, you buy as seen but if they add something else we should be grateful, but it sholdn't be "expected" (y)

Where Sony have recently fallen foul is all the hype about the new update, getting people exciting, only to bring out a slightly underwhelming update. Now again, Sony didn't promise anything else, and they have delivered what they said in their speech, however due to the hype the internet got carried away and were then disappointed when it was finally roled out. I feel that Sony would have been better off rolling it out with much less fanfare, I think if they'd just brought it out without announcing it first more people would have been pleasantly surprised and they wouldn't have had so much backlash.
 
Last edited:
I think you've completely misunderstood what I've ben saying ;)

I am not anti firmware updates, and I welcome them especially if they add something useful. As you say, there's an increasing number of users that are asking for these and Sony have recognised the need to do them to keep the customers happy.

My point was simply that, I don't agree with the idea that it is expected for them (and other companies) to bring out new features and that if they don't they are somehow failing their customers. As I said, you buy as seen but if they add something else we should be grateful, but it sholdn't be "expected" (y)

Where Sony have recently fallen foul is all the hype about the new update, getting people exciting, only to bring out a slightly underwhelming update. Now again, Sony didn't promise anything else, and they have delivered what they said in their speech, however due to the hype the internet got carried away and were then disappointed when it was finally roled out. I feel that Sony would have been better off rolling it out with much less fanfare, I think if they'd just brought it out without announcing it first more people would have been pleasantly surprised and they wouldn't have had so much backlash.
You're absolutely correct.

Compare your contract for your Sony camera Vs say a Pixel phone regards updates.
Pixel phones will get so many years feature updates then so many years security updates so that's what you expect, with the Sony camera I imagine it's purely for critical issues.
 
Thank you James.

I'm often surprised by the detail modern cameras can record even when we can't see it by eye. I know that the human eye and brain is supposed to have more stops of DR than a camera but honestly I was struggling to look in that direction. The Voigtlander has handled the extreme conditions well too.
It certainly is impressive.
Was that shot wide open too? The shutter speed must of been really high.
 
But there IS a problem of expectation, where for some users, possibly due to past history, a lack of updates is disappointing. When I had my first Sony camera, visiting the website I was greeted by the suggestion of updates being available (there weren't any) but I had been led to expect there would be some. Later with my A7 there was an update that gave tracking eye AF, and that was very significant. There may also be lens updates from time to time.

Since so much of what we use is software driven, it's not unreasonable to expect updates, especially for high value bits of kit. An expectation, once given, will always lead to disappointment if not fulfilled.
 
But there IS a problem of expectation, where for some users, possibly due to past history, a lack of updates is disappointing. When I had my first Sony camera, visiting the website I was greeted by the suggestion of updates being available (there weren't any) but I had been led to expect there would be some. Later with my A7 there was an update that gave tracking eye AF, and that was very significant. There may also be lens updates from time to time.

Since so much of what we use is software driven, it's not unreasonable to expect updates, especially for high value bits of kit. An expectation, once given, will always lead to disappointment if not fulfilled.
Yeah I know there is an expectation, I just don’t agree with it ;)
 
Nupe.

I am a bit of a technophobe these days but that's because of decades in computers and wider technology and I just got sick of the sight of it all.
I feel the same way, after 20yrs as a Network Architect there was a level of boredom and "what's next" creeping in, but the move to the cloud and the possibilities of AI have rekindled me somewhat, things are getting exciting again
 
I feel the same way, after 20yrs as a Network Architect there was a level of boredom and "what's next" creeping in, but the move to the cloud and the possibilities of AI have rekindled me somewhat, things are getting exciting again

The only tech I'm even mildly interested in now is photography related. If anyone mentions computers or software or especially phones I just lose all interest :D
 
That’s very similar to what I had the other week with a local beach shot. I had to stop down to f8 to even make out details in the viewfinder.
F8 is my go to aperture for landscapes to ensure large DOF (using the hyperfocal distance). I’m not sure why you’re not seeing details in the VF with wider apertures though, unless you’re using manual mode and overexposing massively by not using a fast enough shutter?
 
I think you've completely misunderstood what I've ben saying ;)

I am not anti firmware updates, and I welcome them especially if they add something useful. As you say, there's an increasing number of users that are asking for these and Sony have recognised the need to do them to keep the customers happy.

My point was simply that I don't agree with the idea that it is expected for them (and other companies) to bring out new features and that if they don't they are somehow failing their customers. As I said, you buy as seen but if they add something else we should be grateful, but it sholdn't be "expected" (y)

Where Sony have recently fallen foul is all the hype about the new update, getting people exciting, only to bring out a slightly underwhelming update. Now again, Sony didn't promise anything else, and they have delivered what they said in their speech, however due to the hype the internet got carried away and were then disappointed when it was finally roled out. I feel that Sony would have been better off rolling it out with much less fanfare, I think if they'd just brought it out without announcing it first more people would have been pleasantly surprised and they wouldn't have had so much backlash.
Yeah I agree they made too much of a thing out of firmware update when it wasn't really needed.
All I am saying is a bit of goodwill goes a long way that's all :)
 
Sigma making a second version of 24-70mm f2.8 and more compact

interesting... sigma is going down the route of compact art lenses. A big turn around from DSLR days where they said they didn't much care for size.
While this lens doesn't interest me.... I am wondering if they'll make a compact fast UWA prime or may be a compact/smaller 85mm f1.2
 
F8 is my go to aperture for landscapes to ensure large DOF (using the hyperfocal distance). I’m not sure why you’re not seeing details in the VF with wider apertures though, unless you’re using manual mode and overexposing massively by not using a fast enough shutter?
That was my first thought but the shutter was fairly high anyway.
I did notice for some strange reason when I got all the images from that day onto the laptop all of them were really over exposed and bringing the exposure back down with the software brought out the grey look to the sky I used to get when I first started using manual mode a few years ago and was struggling to juggle iso, aperture and shutter.
I normally just charge the battery in camera, so I removed the battery this time and charged it with the battery charger and popped it back in and went out a few days later and everything seemed normal again.
Even viewing on the laptop I’ve no longer got to adjust the exposure much in software so all I could think was the camera was playing up a bit and removing the battery seemed to have sorted it.
I’ve not shot anything in bright sunlight again since but I’m hoping all is resolved now.
 
Yeah I agree they made too much of a thing out of firmware update when it wasn't really needed.
All I am saying is a bit of goodwill goes a long way that's all :)
Yeah, completely agree.
 

Yeah I agree they made too much of a thing out of firmware update when it wasn't really needed.
All I am saying is a bit of goodwill goes a long way that's all :)

I believe the biggest wind up/unreasonable expectations re. firmware updates must lie at the feet of Sony Alpha Rumours - "my sources tell me" etc.etc..
 
Why ISO 50 just out of curiosity. Did you specifically want 1/400.

I went out to take some silky water shots, I posted some a week or so ago, and as I was going for silky water I fitted a filter and set the ISO to 50 and of course I then forgot I'd set it to 50 and shot at that ISO even without the filter :D

Just in case you missed them at the time, a silky water shot...

DSC05254.JPG

I normally leave the ISO on Auto :D
 
What lens was that taken with Toby as it has a very narrow dof.
50mm f1.2, but I think it was shot at f1.4 IIRC, it’ll say on Flickr.
 
I believe the biggest wind up/unreasonable expectations re. firmware updates must lie at the feet of Sony Alpha Rumours - "my sources tell me" etc.etc..
The guy at SAR talks so much nonsense that I take everything with a pinch of salt until it’s official. And what’s hi obsession with the Fuji X100 :thinking:
 
Last edited:
Not much doing today so I've been bugging Betty again :LOL:

We went to a table top sale at church. I won three prizes at the tombola, Maltesers, a set of two mugs and some shower gel, and Mrs WW bought two home made bags but was upset she didn't win anything :( Oh, and we also had home made cake :D I think last time they raised over £700 so it'll be interesting to see how they did this time.

Maybe people will forgive a MFT picture in this thread... As it's quiet :D

GX80 and 14mm f2.5 at f2.5, ISO 6,400.

P1080619-Enhanced-NR.jpg

Picnic on the pier the other day. A7 and Sony 35mm f1.8 at f1.8.

DSC05390.jpg
 
Last edited:
When you wander around the pits with a 100-400 and this is all you can fit in - I'll let you guess what car it is till the morning.
Guess the car by Ben Cheneler, on Flickr
Looks like a v-twin so maybe a Morgan or Twin Tech?

Are you going to the BSB testing at Oulton?
 
Looks like a v-twin so maybe a Morgan or Twin Tech?

Are you going to the BSB testing at Oulton?
Wed - Thurs at Oulton i'm at work and B/H weekend staying local Donington historic Sat VSCC sprint Sun and Mallory Mon.
And your wrong with the guess, clue these started 36 years after Morgan.
 
Wed - Thurs at Oulton i'm at work and B/H weekend staying local Donington historic Sat VSCC sprint Sun and Mallory Mon.
And your wrong with the guess, clue these started 36 years after Morgan.
Wow keep this up and you’ll do 100 events a year ;)

I was thinking of going to the Historic Festival but there’s only one race I’m interested in. No idea what VSCC is or what’s on at Mallory?
 
Wow keep this up and you’ll do 100 events a year ;)

I was thinking of going to the Historic Festival but there’s only one race I’m interested in. No idea what VSCC is or what’s on at Mallory?
Vintage sports car club and Mallory is a club meet Emra round 2.
 
Back
Top