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

woof woof said:
Unfortunately the lens line up just isn't there. Amongst other things I'd want a compact 24mm f1.8 and there isn't one plus the body and lens package would get bigger to the point I might as well use my A7.

I'll do the sums and have another think but I expect that just like every time I've looked at the A6xxx series I'll end up keeping MFT.
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Ok wait until the Sony A7 III comes out and then sell both the A7 and MFT :D
 
woof woof said:
Unfortunately the lens line up just isn't there. Amongst other things I'd want a compact 24mm f1.8 and there isn't one plus the body and lens package would get bigger to the point I might as well use my A7.

I'll do the sums and have another think but I expect that just like every time I've looked at the A6xxx series I'll end up keeping MFT.
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A lot of people mention about the lens lineup but I don’t think it’s too bad (for me personally) if I were to go there, I’d get the 10-18, 16-70 Zeiss and 24mm Zeiss.

Pretty decent and versatile package with a range from 16mm to 110mm equiv.

Though the 18-105 G is a big lens on the tiny body.
 
Tom Green said:
A lot of people mention about the lens lineup but I don’t think it’s too bad (for me personally) if I were to go there, I’d get the 10-18, 16-70 Zeiss and 24mm Zeiss.

Pretty decent and versatile package with a range from 16mm to 110mm equiv.

Though the 18-105 G is a big lens on the tiny body.
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The main thing is that there's no compact 35mm f1.8 equivalent. The 24mm is by all accounts excellent but it's not a compact lens and wouldn't look out of place on an A7. Compare that to a GX80 plus Olympus 17mm f1.8 which makes for a very compact package. Plus there's no f2.8 zooms and compared to the tiny MFT 9-18mm, 14-42mm and 45-150mm variable aperture zooms the Sony APS-C equivalents are big and more expensive.
 
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woof woof said:
The main thing is that there's no compact 35mm f1.8 equivalent. .
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There is if happy with third party lenses and manual focus. Personally, I prefer manual focus anyway most of the time.

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/lenses/samyang-21mm-
f1-4-ed-as-umc-cs-review

I already have the Samyang 12mm f2 and find it really good. Was planning on buying the 21mm next, but then the Sigma was announced.

Think I'll wait to see reviews on the Sigma, then decide which to go for.
 
That lens (Samyang 21mm) isn't on the size comparison site so I can't be sure but it does look BIG compared to the MFT equivalents at or around 17mm. The Sigma looks massive and of course at 16mm it's 24mm equivalent not 35.

I do like the idea of an A6xxx but it never stacks up against MFT for me.
 
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ChrisHeathcote said:
I'm waiting to see what announcements come in the new year, rumour has it Sigma are launching some new FE lenses
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2018 could see...

Sony A7 III
Sony A7S III
FE 400mm f2.8 G Master
FE 200-600mm G Master
FE 135mm f1.8 G Master
Zeiss Batis lenses
Sigma lenses

Possible surprise announcements... more G Master/FE lenses, Sony A9R / A9S
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
I'm waiting to see what announcements come in the new year, rumour has it Sigma are launching some new FE lenses
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After playing with the old cheap Vivitar 19mm and looking at pictures I took with my Sigma 20mm f1.8 on my 5D I think I could be interested in an E mount 20mm or wider.
 
We still haven't got our wedding photos four months after the big day... NEVER trust family with this. I thought I was doing this family member a favour.
 
I'm looking forward to A9 and A7RIII reports :D

Other than that the cheapo 19mm has got me interested in a quality wide prime. Wide lenses used to be my most used lenses so I'm thinking about spending more for a quality lens.

I wish there was a modern E mount equivalent of the Sigma 20mm f1.8 I had years ago but I don't think there is so are there any recommendations from users of wide primes?
 
I’ve just seen this new Windows/Mac application announced with the Play Memories app on my phone;

https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/imagingedge/en/download/

Includes remote live view (usb) for all of the range as well as raw editing support. Also brings pixel-shifting with the A7Riii for higher resolution images by moving he sensor in 1 pixel increments using the ibis (like Olympus do with their M4/3 bodies).

The proper live view could be a useful tool for studio/architecture.
 
woof woof said:
I'm looking forward to A9 and A7RIII reports :D

Other than that the cheapo 19mm has got me interested in a quality wide prime. Wide lenses used to be my most used lenses so I'm thinking about spending more for a quality lens.

I wish there was a modern E mount equivalent of the Sigma 20mm f1.8 I had years ago but I don't think there is so are there any recommendations from users of wide primes?
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The Samyang 14/2.8 is an excellent ultrawide but is obviously a lot wider than the 19mm you’re using and larger. The Voigtlander 15/4.5 is supposed to be very well controlled too.
 
14mm isn't too bad as I used to have the Sigma 12-24mm :D It's a shame the Voigtlander is only f4.5. That old Sigma 20mm I had was AF and useable at f1.8, even sharp in the centre and at f8 I'd say it was excellent across the frame. I don't suppose there's anything on the market at the moment that could match that Sigma.
 
woof woof said:
I'm looking forward to A9 and A7RIII reports :D

Other than that the cheapo 19mm has got me interested in a quality wide prime. Wide lenses used to be my most used lenses so I'm thinking about spending more for a quality lens.

I wish there was a modern E mount equivalent of the Sigma 20mm f1.8 I had years ago but I don't think there is so are there any recommendations from users of wide primes?
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The Loxia 21 is a tremendously good lens.....
 
woof woof said:
14mm isn't too bad as I used to have the Sigma 12-24mm :D It's a shame the Voigtlander is only f4.5. That old Sigma 20mm I had was AF and useable at f1.8, even sharp in the centre and at f8 I'd say it was excellent across the frame. I don't suppose there's anything on the market at the moment that could match that Sigma.
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I guess the question would be whether or not you'd need anything wider than 4.5 aperture at 15mm? I know the Samyang is 2.8 but, on the whole, I'd be stopping down to shoot wide angle landscapes/architecture etc.

Or, just buy the Samyang for half the price and gain 1mm in width and the option to open up to 2.8?
 
Having f1.8 available makes the lens suitable for other things than good light deep depth of field use. With apertures that limit the sort of use I'd want the only option is to the change the lens and in doing so you change the picture.

I would hope for Sigma to make a 20mm f1.8 in E mount but I think those days are gone and if they do make a wide lens it's probably more likely to be an Art f1.4 which will no doubt be massive and expensive.

I'll have to have a think. f2.8 would be better than f4+ but I don't really like the idea of the Samyang. f1.8 or f2 and AF isn't going to be possible without an adapter and possibly dubious performance so that leaves MF and the Loxia 21mm or the 20mm f2 Tokina.
 
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I have to admit I'm pretty happy with my little 2 lens set up for the A7r, just the 50mm FE & 85mm FE both F1.8, I shoot mainly animal and people portraits so they're fine but would love to add a 35mm for full body shots in the tight confines I have to shoot in, if I did it would be the Zeiss FE 35mm F2.8, The aperture is of no concern as the lens is as sharp as a razor wide open and even shooting available light I doubt I would need to go any wider open than F2.8, with flash its going to be stopped down anyway unless shooting HSS, it also has a the added bonus of being a fairly compact lens too.

I would love to be able to upgrade to the A7R2 and even considered selling of all my Olympus kit to finance it ( EM5MK2, HLD8, 17mm,45mm,60mm macro,40-150 Pro, 300 Pro, 1.4x TC etc) but its that extra 160 g over the original A7R thats the deal breaker for me, that and still needing to find some money for a 100-400 GM, plus the fact that I can shoot the EM5 fully tethered from the laptop, even with me stuck in this bed and the camera down the bottom of the garden, whereas with the A7R its using the app on the iPad only (wifi coverage in the garden from the bedroom just doesn't work) as I still haven't found a way to tether it over USB that gives you live view.
 
woof woof said:
Having f1.8 available makes the lens suitable for other things than good light deep depth of field use. With apertures that limit the sort of use I'd want the only option is to the change the lens and in doing so you change the picture.

I would hope for Sigma to make a 20mm f1.8 in E mount but I think those days are gone and if they do make a wide lens it's probably more likely to be an Art f1.4 which will no doubt be massive and expensive.

I'll have to have a think. f2.8 would be better than f4+ but I don't really like the idea of the Samyang. f1.8 or f2 and AF isn't going to be possible without an adapter and possibly dubious performance so that leaves MF and the Loxia 21mm or the 20mm f2 Tokina.
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To get shallow depth of field from an ultrawide you’d have to be very close to the subject which is going to cause some serious distortion on portraits etc.

While having 1.8 available is a nice to have, I’ve never missed AF on my Sony bodies with ultrawides because it’s pretty hard to not get everything in focus at 14mm :0)
 
Yes f1.8/2 would be very nice and with it it's perfectly possible to get a three quarters to half body shot with no significant if any distortion of the face and a degree of DoF fall off. Yup if you go for a tight portrait things get interesting but I've been using wide angle lenses for decades so this is not exactly new to me :D and of course there are times when you want to play with distortion for both human and non human subjects.

Dunno what to do. I really fancy a quality wide now :D but the options seem to be the Loxia 21mm f2.8, Tokina 20mm f2 or the expensive zooms. This is one time that I do miss my 5D and 20mm f1.8 and 12-24mm.
 
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geeze so the A7r3 has the stop down appature nonsense in AF-C issue

NOOOOOOO! I can't believe they did it again. Got my A7RIII today and tested focusing with my 85mm GM. And even with preview switched off it only focuses using selected aperture instead using open aperture. This extremly slows down the focusing of the camera in dim light conditions and often ends in a missed shot, rendering the camera useless in studio work where closed apertures are necessary.
We fought for months or even years to change this on the A7RII and just after they fixed the issues on the old body they release a new one with exactly the same problem... I can't believe it... Please... admin... please make a post about it to bring attention to this!
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Canceling pre order
 
Oh dear... and they said they were listening to customers.

It's frosty here and Mrs Woof Woof wanted this to send to the east.

A7 and Minolta 45mm f2 at f5.6 and 2.5 deg C.

DSC08666.jpg
 
stevelmx5 said:
Wasn’t that (eventually) fixed with a firmware update though? Weird that they’ve missed it on release but I’d imagine it’s a simple fix via software.
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But if they've done it again the question is when will there be a firmware update to change it.
 
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