Move from Sony A77 to Full Frame Canon 6D?? Your thoughts please

[TurnipFarmer]

I currently have a Sony A77 and want to move to FF. I primarily take architectural images, shooting in low light and need great ISO handling capabilities in places where tripods are not allowed, also quite a bit of long exposure photography with Lee Big Stopper etc

My current kit is Sony A77, Sony A700, Sony 16-50 f2.8, Sigma 10-20, Minolta 50m f1.4, Minolta 70-210 Beercan, Samyang fisheye, Minolta 100mm f.28 macro

I have a short list of Sony A99 and Canon 6D. I am leaning to the Canon 6D as this is better in lower light and great at handling high ISO compared to the Sony. Also price of the Canon 6D is great at the moment with £150 cash back etc. The Sony A99 is so expensive compared to the 6D.

I just want to see what other people thing and what your opinions are on this? Has anybody else be in this situation and what did you do?

 

[srichards]

Sony outlet store sometimes has A99s in for £1400.

There's 2 new A mount FF cameras from Sony due in 2014 so I'd wait and see how they are specced.

I was looking at the a99 but realised it just isn't good enough compared to the A580 I have already. I'm waiting to see what sony bring out next.

To replace all the lenses you have in canon mount will cost an arm and a leg. The a99 is dirt cheap compared to a 6d and a raft of new lenses...

 

[TurnipFarmer]

Sony outlet store sometimes has A99s in for £1400.

There's 2 new A mount FF cameras from Sony due in 2014 so I'd wait and see how they are specced.

I was looking at the a99 but realised it just isn't good enough compared to the A580 I have already. I'm waiting to see what sony bring out next.

To replace all the lenses you have in canon mount will cost an arm and a leg. The a99 is dirt cheap compared to a 6d and a raft of new lenses...

Yeah I see what you are saying but I think those cameras will cost loads too when they are released. The initial outlay of the A99 is about £2000 compared to great deal they are doing on the 6D at the moment.

My A77 is very poor in low light and ISO pretty poor too. Will still need to upgrade lenses to FF if I go for A99.

 

[heidfirst]

Will still need to upgrade lenses to FF if I go for A99.

They will still all work on the A99 though albeit the 16-50, 10-20 & Samyang will have an APS-C crop. The others are FF.

The A99 is certainly the better camera, more of a 5D III competitior than a 6D but if you don't need the extra things that it brings ...
It's only 1/2 a stop worse at high ISO (basically the light lost to the SLT mirror) than the 6D.
http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Comp...(brand)/Canon/(appareil2)/831|0/(brand2)/Sony

 

[pingu666]

new emount ff and adapter?

 

[MWHCVT]

I currently have a Sony A77 and want to move to FF. I primarily take architectural images, shooting in low light and need great ISO handling capabilities in places where tripods are not allowed, also quite a bit of long exposure photography with Lee Big Stopper etc

My current kit is Sony A77, Sony A700, Sony 16-50 f2.8, Sigma 10-20, Minolta 50m f1.4, Minolta 70-210 Beercan, Samyang fisheye, Minolta 100mm f.28 macro

I have a short list of Sony A99 and Canon 6D. I am leaning to the Canon 6D as this is better in lower light and great at handling high ISO compared to the Sony. Also price of the Canon 6D is great at the moment with £150 cash back etc. The Sony A99 is so expensive compared to the 6D.

I just want to see what other people thing and what your opinions are on this? Has anybody else be in this situation and what did you do?

I guess the question would be are there first of all are there any lenses there you don't really use, and also what would you value your current kit at realistically?

 

[Musicman]

They will still all work on the A99 though albeit the 16-50, 10-20 & Samyang will have an APS-C crop. The others are FF. The A99 is certainly the better camera, more of a 5D III competitior than a 6D but if you don't need the extra things that it brings ... It's only 1/2 a stop worse at high ISO (basically the light lost to the SLT mirror) than the 6D. http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/(appareil1)/836%7C0/(brand)/Canon/(appareil2)/831%7C0/(brand2)/Sony

Don't forget you'll lose the advantage of in-body image stabilisation with the A77 and A99 (I've seen it quoted as worth 3 stops). If you're only getting a 1/2 stop improvement in noise, then you're starting at a disadvantage with the 6D.

To get it back, you will have to go with IS lenses if you're contemplating hand-held shooting in low light, which will add to your costs: you'll have to bypass the 17-40 f/4L, which is one of the better value Canon 'L' wide zooms. Canon IS wide primes are few and far between (though there is the new 35mm f/2, which is twice the price of its predecessor).

For my money, a better reason for switching, given your preference for architectural photography, would be to use Canon's TS-E shift lenses, though they are not cheap.

One other alternative: have you considered buying a monopod? I've used one (a Manfrotto carbon fibre one - I think it set me back less than £100 with a head) very successfully for interiors and poor light outside where it's been impractical to use a tripod for various reasons.

Edit: e.g. a couple of shots where I know I used a monopod:

The chapel at Lutyens' Castle Drogo

Canon 5D with EF 35mm f/2 (non-IS)

ISO 1000, f/2, 1/13 sec


Castle Drogo: Chapel by cybertect, on Flickr

with IS, you can push things even further with a monopod. You just have to work very hard on learning good breathing technique

These were taken with a lowly Panasonic G2 and its image-stabilised 14-42mm kit lens (my carry-everywhere kit).




ISO 200, f/6.3, 1 second


The Shard from Cathedral Street by cybertect, on Flickr




ISO 200, f/6.3, 2 seconds


Bedale Street by cybertect, on Flickr

To explain the exposure settings, I don't really like pushing the G2 to ISO 400 if I can avoid it (200 is perfectly fine, but noise starts to become a problem when you go higher) and the kit lens is quite a nice performer at f/6.3. The solution was to extend the exposure time.

You'll have to take my word they're all acceptably sharp closer in