M4/3 plus Z6 or A7lll

Z6 or A7lll

  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .
Dave in Wales

Dave in Wales

Messages
3,355
Edit My Images
Yes
From Oly E-M1 Mkll to either a Z6 or A7lll, I cannot decide

I'm nearly 77 and want to give FF a try, so it's either a Z6 or A7lll, I'll probably hang onto my Oly gear.

I shoot mainly inanimate objects, landscapes, flowers/plants, close-up and stuff that aint going anywhere......I NEVER shoot video.

A large EVF would be nice as I wear specs and a simple menu system, mind you one would hardly call the Oly menu simple.

Bearing in mind the A7lll is about £550 more than the Z6.
 
Last edited:
As a ridiculous sufferer of GAS I have owned both the Z6 and A73.

I currently own the A73 after selling the Z6.

The Z6 is a brilliant camera - the auto focus splits opinion. I found it to be fine and you will definitely not have issues shooting the subjects you mentioned.

For shooting moving objects the Sony is clearly better but I dont think the Z6 is as bad as some people make out.

The Z6 also has better build quality and the EVF and rear screen are on a different planet compared to the Sony - its a lovely thing to shoot through. The A73 EVF and screen are awful in comparison - it really is showing its age in this respect. I find that as my eyes aren't great I can't tell by looking at the screen or through the EVF if I have taken a nice sharp photo - particularly in bright sunlight.

Most people would say that the Ergonomics of the Nikon are also superior but I personally don't find that the case. The Sony is ever so slightly smaller and lighter and this suits my small ish hands ! I honestly prefer walking around with the A73 over the Z6.

Too me the Z6 feels like a Nikon SLR - now that may be a good thing but if you are used to mirrorless cameras the A73 feels like one ! Again this is a purely personal opinion. I would trust the Z6 in a downpour 100x more than the Sony.

The reason I swapped was due to the availablity of lenses and weight/size. The Z6 with the 24-70 to me is a pretty large and heavy beast. With the A73 I have the following lens

28-70 kit lens - for £100 its decent and only weighs 292g - it also zooms internally which I much prefer.
Samyang 18mm f2.8 - 146g so you don't even notice it.

I am also going to add either the Samyang 35mm f2.8 which is a lovely little lens and weighs 86g or possibly the new Tamron 35mm f2.8 that will double as a macro lens.

You just don't have these options with Nikon - it annoyed me that they havent worked with 3rd party lens makers to get more lenses out for the system. I thought the 24-70 f4 would be fine as my only lens but soon realised that on lots of occasions I wanted soemthing smaller and lighter. Even the Nikon f1.8 primes are fairly large and heavy !

Not mentioned image quality as I reckon its so close it would take someone better than be to notice a difference.

Regarding the menu system - the Sony one gets criticised but I find it OK and too be honest there are that many custom buttons you soon set it up where you dont have to go into the menu very often.

Hope that helps.
 
Last edited:
justa1972 said:
As a ridiculous sufferer of GAS I have owned both the Z6 and A73.

I currently own the A73 after selling the Z6.

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Most enlightening thank you.

My usual walk-round lens is the Oly 12-100, that's heavy, so weight will not be a problem
 
Last edited:
In that case the Z6 may well be the better camera for you ?

If so make sure you get it for a good price as the value has really dropped.
 
Just to add some bad weather insight.

I've had a mk1 A7 since they first came out so that's maybe 6 years. I don't get much free time to go out with a camera so when I do I go no matter what the weather. In the UK I've used my A7 in pouring rain, snow and hail and when it's blowing a gale and pouring or hailing on the beach, in the heat of central asia and the heat and humidity of Thailand. So far it hasn't missed a beat and indeed it provided sharp pictures in Thailand at a place where my MTF Panasonic GX7 gave soft pictures presumably due to something steaming up.

I think the weak point of these cameras is the bottom so as long as you don't place the camera in standing water or get a lot of splashes to the bottom common sense measures should perhaps be all you'll need. So for casual use and if using common sense I wouldn't worry too much about the level of weather sealing with these cameras.
 
Last edited:
simonbarker said:
If the rumours are correct I imagine it'll be less once the A74 is announced.
Click to expand...

Probably won't make much difference for a good while. When the A7IV launches and it's not expected until at least March it will be around the £2000-£2200 price mark and probably around £1800-£1900 from the grey importers. It will then take a few months before you see any price drops on the A7III.

As for the o.p's question for what you use your camera for either of those will be a good option and choice will probably come down to personal preference. Nikon have an easier to use menu system but with the Sony's once it is set up along with the custom buttons you hardly ever need to delve into the menu's. The Nikons do have a more dslr build which some prefer and a better evf than what is in the A7III. The Sony has much better autofocus performance and a much bigger range of native lenses including from the third party companies like Tamron, Sigma, Samyang etc. so it just depends what suits you better. The Sony's also use SD cards which are a fair bit cheaper than the options for the Nikon's. Probably not so much of a concern but the A7III being third gen has a really good battery much better than the Nikon battery.

I have had a Z7, the Sony A7III, A7RIV, A9 and the A9II. I much preferred the Sony's but my autofocus requirements are much more demanding than yours and as I use my cameras for work I wouldn't risk a camera with one card slot.

If you decide to go with the Sony it might also be worth considering the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 which is excellent value for money as an alternative the 24-105.

@Dave in Wales check out some of the grey market prices for the A7III vs the Z6 for example at einfinity there is only a £10 price difference at the moment.

https://www.e-infin.com/uk/item/3555/sony_alpha_a7_iii_mirrorless_digital_camera_(body_only)

https://www.e-infin.com/uk/item/3858/nikon_z6_mirrorless_digital_camera_(body_only)

There is an A7RIII for sale in the classifieds which would probably be a better choice than the A7III or the Z6 for landscapes, flowers/plants, close-up and stuff for a similar price to a grey market A7III or a grey or U.K Z6. There is also a well priced A7RII in the classifieds which would also be arguably a better choice for what you want to use the camera for.
 
Last edited:
I have an A7III plus 24-105. For your purposes I'd probably choose the A7RII with that lens. Higher res sensor, ibis and probably slightly cheaper, esp if bought used. I bought the A7III for AF chasing grandchildren.
 
UK
A7iii - £1750 (£150 cashback makes it £1600)
Z6 - £1400 (usually £1550)
Difference - £200 or £50.

Import
A7iii - £1230
Z6 - £1220
Difference - £10

Where did you get a difference of £550?
 
Last edited:
twist said:
UK
A7iii - £1750
Z6 - £1400 (usually £1550)
Difference - £350

Import
A7iii - £1230
Z6 - £1220
Difference - £10

Where did you get a difference of £550?
Click to expand...

Argos have the Z6 on clearance at £1299 as well so is £450 difference U.K.
 
Last edited:
twist said:
Sony has cashback of £150. So £300 UK, or £10 import difference.
Click to expand...


I dare say he was talking about the difference between buying the Z6 kit with the 24-70 f/4 and the A7III with the 24-105 f/4 although I don't think that works out either.
 
f/2.8 said:
I dare say he was talking about the difference between buying the Z6 kit with the 24-70 f/4 and the A7III with the 24-105.
Click to expand...

Doesnt say that in the OP, only says that the A7iii is £550 more. Doh! thread has a poll. :banghead:
 
Last edited:
twist said:
Doesnt say that in the OP, only says that the A7iii is £550 more. Doh! thread has a poll. :banghead:
Click to expand...

:ROFLMAO:

Anyway if it was grey import

Z6 + 24-70 f/4 is £1619 or £1629 with the ftz adaptor

A7III + 24-105 is £1988

So works out at £369 or £379 difference depending on getting the ftz or not.
 
@f/2.8 Yeah, looking at that combo its also more like £600 difference UK. I dont doubt that the 24-105 is a better lens though so cost will increase.

OP would probably be better off looking at the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 @ £550. Total cost incl A7iii £1780 imported, if they were to be looking at closer price point.
 
Last edited:
twist said:
UK
A7iii - £1750 (£150 cashback makes it £1600)
Z6 - £1400 (usually £1550)
Difference - £200 or £50.

Import
A7iii - £1230
Z6 - £1220
Difference - £10

Where did you get a difference of £550?
Click to expand...

Z6+24-70+adapter = £1799 Greys.
A73+24-105=£2579 Park/WEX, minus £190 CB=£2389
£2389-£1799=£590 difference, more than I thought, finger trouble.
 
Cheeky mention of my Z6 and 50mm for sale in the classifieds. The Z system is great, the only reason I am considering selling is a move back to shooting a DSLR which I just find better given large hands and the fact the I can buy a used D750 cheaply which frees up cash for other things.
 
I've seen some stunning shots with the Oly on the sort of subjects you describe, just saying.
 
Dave in Wales said:
Z6+24-70+adapter = £1799 Greys.
A73+24-105=£2579 Park/WEX, minus £190 CB=£2389
£2389-£1799=£590 difference, more than I thought, finger trouble.
Click to expand...

Could go import if you wanted the Sony, the overall cost is higher because the 24_105 is a better lens, so is the tamron 2875.

Really got to think about these as whole systems unless you only want 1 lens.
 
Last edited:
If I was buying 1 lens with okay performance and didn't need the better af I'd probably go z6 kit. Hopefully Nikon show their confidence in the Z line up and support it over F mount, at the moment they seem undecided.
 
Last edited:
twist said:
Could go import if you wanted the Sony, the overall cost is higher because the 24_105 is a better lens, so is the tamron 2875.

Really got to think about these as whole systems unless you only want 1 lens.
Click to expand...

I have no experience with the Sony 24-105 or Tamron 28-75, but if they perform better than the Nikon 24-70 f4 S then they must be phenomenal lenses indeed. The copy of the Nikon lens I have is absolutely stellar from wide open. Of course it doesn't have the range of the Sony or the speed of the Tamron if that's what you're referring to.

twist said:
If I was buying 1 lens with okay performance and didn't need the better af I'd probably go z6 kit. Hopefully Nikon show their confidence in the Z line up and support it over F mount, at the moment they seem undecided.
Click to expand...

If it's an 'okay performer', then I guess I am more than satisfied with 'okay' :LOL:.
 
srhmoto said:
I have no experience with the Sony 24-105 or Tamron 28-75, but if they perform better than the Nikon 24-70 f4 S then they must be phenomenal lenses indeed. The copy of the Nikon lens I have is absolutely stellar from wide open. Of course it doesn't have the range of the Sony or the speed of the Tamron if that's what you're referring to.

If it's an 'okay performer', then I guess I am more than satisfied with 'okay' :LOL:.
Click to expand...

Yes, both the Sony and Tamron offer more (the Sony at higher cost, good optics with a good range cost) its not that the Nikon sucks, its a nice little lens and as a high end 1 lens and body solution its very good value now the price is dropping (which could also be concerning) and I would consider it as per my previous post. Sorry, Im used to primes so zooms are mostly just okay for me.
 
Last edited:
For me the Nikon has better ergonomics, better viewfinder, better LCD and better colours and because of this would choose it over the Sony for what you want to shoot, as long as you’re happy using adapted glass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top