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

[Raymond Lin]

I've never understood these videos, or the ones such as this is what I have in my camera bag, I really don't give a monkey's what someone else is using, particularly someone I don't even know. But then I'm not of the generation that follow celebs, or youtubers etc

And “why I left Canon/Nikon/Sony/Fuji/Pentax/Oly” videos.

 

[robj20]

What's everyone using to process their RAWs.
With Capture One Express coming to an end I need options.
I've given Darktable a quick go and wasn't happy.

 

[snerkler]

What's everyone using to process their RAWs.
With Capture One Express coming to an end I need options.
I've given Darktable a quick go and wasn't happy.

Lightroom

 

[Raymond Lin]

What's everyone using to process their RAWs.
With Capture One Express coming to an end I need options.
I've given Darktable a quick go and wasn't happy.

LR/PS, but 12 months sub on Amazon at Black Friday/Prime Day sales for around £70 once a year.

Saves 45% over the monthly sub.

 

[robj20]

Maybe I should have said for free or very small amount of money.
Going from £0 to £70 a year is a bit much of I can avoid it.
I don't take many photos.

Guess I could try Sony Imaging Edge Desktop see what control that has, might be just enough.

 

[nandbytes]

If anyone is selling an original A9 or has one sitting around that they may consider letting go please give me a shout (and post in the appropriate 'for sale' section in line with the rules).

Might have an A7iv for sale soon but no A9 though

 

[ancient_mariner]

Maybe I should have said for free or very small amount of money.
Going from £0 to £70 a year is a bit much of I can avoid it.
I don't take many photos.

Guess I could try Sony Imaging Edge Desktop see what control that has, might be just enough.

I've been using LR 6, converting RAWs to DNGs using ACR first before editing. On1 Photoraw is also pretty good now TBH, for a 1-off payment.

Free? Try DigiKam, Raw Therapee, Dark Table, the old Nik software suite.

 

[woof woof]

Perhaps we need this in e-mount

Cosina Nokton Vintage 28mm f/1.5 VM Has Old-School Style, Modern Optics

Compact, lightweight, and very stylish.

petapixel.com

This is the one that calls to me as does their 35mm f0.95 but they're too big.

Review: Laowa 28mm 1.2 FFII Argus - The world's fastest 28mm lens - phillipreeve.net

The Laowa 28mm 1.2 FFII Argus is the world's fastest 28mm lens and surprisingly compact. But what about bokeh and sharpness, is it actually

phillipreeve.net

 

[woof woof]

I've never understood these videos, or the ones such as this is what I have in my camera bag, I really don't give a monkey's what someone else is using, particularly someone I don't even know. But then I'm not of the generation that follow celebs, or youtubers etc

I suppose this sort of vid could help me when my A7 dies as I wouldn't know what to buy.

 

[nandbytes]

I suppose this sort of vid could help me when my A7 dies as I wouldn't know what to buy.

A7cii

 

[snerkler]

I suppose this sort of vid could help me when my A7 dies as I wouldn't know what to buy.

I prefer camera reviews for that

 

[snerkler]

A7cii

Does it still only have 1 card slot?

 

[woof woof]

A7cii

Highly unlikely due to all the hobbles. AFAIK max mechanical shutter speed of 1/4k, I've no idea if it automatically switches to electronic or not after that, AFAIK constant EFCS, question mark over if I'll like the evf or not. The shutter question is something no reviewer seems to cover. If it switches automatically like my MFT cameras that would be ok but I'm not interested in fiddling with shutter type settings shot to shot. Trying one out in person will possibly mean a day trip to York or Newcastle as there's precious little chance Currys will have one here and I don't think I can be bothered with taking a day out to see one so I would possibly go for one of the slr types as I think I'll know better what they have.

I'll do more research when the time comes but at the mo a A7c just isn't on my radar due to those possible issues.

 

[woof woof]

I prefer camera reviews for that

TBH I'd trust people here more than reviews as very often they just don't seem to cover the things that I know would trigger my ocd

 

[nandbytes]

Does it still only have 1 card slot?

Yes but so does his original A7
I don't think 'C' series will ever have 2 card slots

 

[nandbytes]

Highly unlikely due to all the hobbles. AFAIK max mechanical shutter speed of 1/4k, I've no idea if it automatically switches to electronic

Doesn't automatically switch to electronic.

or not after that, AFAIK constant EFCS,

Have been using EFCS forever, not sure why anyone cares. I know there are some lab tests to prove it affects the bokeh but who really notices in the real world?

question mark over if I'll like the evf or not.

No worst than A7

The shutter question is something no reviewer seems to cover. If it switches automatically like my MFT cameras that would be ok but I'm not interested in fiddling with shutter type settings shot to shot.

You can set a button to toggle between electronic and mechanical shutter. How many times do you actually need to shoot above 1/4000s?
I personally rarely do but you might be different (at the same time you seem to stop down your lenses a lot more than I do)

 

[woof woof]

Doesn't automatically switch to electronic.

Have been using EFCS forever, not sure why anyone cares. I know there are some lab tests to prove it affects the bokeh but who really notices in the real world?

No worst than A7

You can set a button to toggle between electronic and mechanical shutter. How many times do you actually need to shoot above 1/4000s?
I personally rarely do but you might be different (at the same time you seem to stop down your lenses a lot more than I do)

I don't know what % of my pictures would be over 1/4k, certainly a minority but certainly some almost every time I'm out and toggling for the ability is out of the question as it's just another thing to remember and do and another annoyance so thanks for ruling this one out. The c range is an option I don't have to think about now.

Why they can't switch automatically like the Panasonics do I just don't know.

To me the things like this that Japanese companies miss are often just fascinating. Why would a company selling cameras and wide aperture lenses not imagine that people would use a A7c and lens at f1.x in good light? Requiring customers to toggle a button to be able to shoot at wide apertures? How many extra lines of code would it take to have three options in the menu, mechanical, electronic and auto? Seems it's too much trouble. ND's could be an option but I've been there with early MFT cameras and I'm not going back.

On stopping down I very rarely go beyond f8 as with a 35 or 50mm f8 usually gives more than enough depth.

 

[LeeRatters]

I suppose this sort of vid could help me when my A7 dies as I wouldn't know what to buy.

Don't worry about it for now Alan.

We'll help you spend your money on something when the time comes....

 

[woof woof]

Don't worry about it for now Alan.

We'll help you spend your money on something when the time comes....

haha.

Next might be a new pc as the one I got from PC Specialist during lockdown is developing a few niggles and I'd like bigger in the thing storage as I can never be bothered plugging an external drive in I might get a new laptop next year.

One thing to sway me to one camera or another might be do I want just a tilting screen or a full fandangled flappy one.

 

[LeeRatters]

haha.

Next might be a new pc as the one I got from PC Specialist during lockdown is developing a few niggles and I'd like bigger in the thing storage as I can never be bothered plugging an external drive in I might get a new laptop next year.

One thing to sway me to one camera or another might be do I want just a tilting screen or a full fandangled flappy one.

I've not tried a flappy one. But I think I'd prefer the tilting.

My current thinking is getting the A7, or buying av second A7, to have astro h-alpha modified for night skies. As far as I'm aware, it can still be used for normal photography with custom wb settings. Full spectrum requires clip in filters for normal photography.

 

[nandbytes]

I don't know what % of my pictures would be over 1/4k, certainly a minority but certainly some almost every time I'm out and toggling for the ability is out of the question as it's just another thing to remember and do and another annoyance so thanks for ruling this one out. The c range is an option I don't have to think about now.

Up to you. All other options will be larger and heavier than the A7.

Why they can't switch automatically like the Panasonics do I just don't know.

I imagine mostly because half the Panasonic cameras' mechanical shutter max out at 1/500s which is a joke (and IMO is a bigger issue than not automatically switching to electronic shutter).

On stopping down I very rarely go beyond f8 as with a 35 or 50mm f8 usually gives more than enough depth.

I meant to say you stop down more often than I do. I shoot wide open more often and rarely ever need to go beyond 1/4000s.

Having said that I don't always shoot on bright sunlight and UK weather isn't always great either.

 

[snerkler]

Doesn't automatically switch to electronic.

Have been using EFCS forever, not sure why anyone cares. I know there are some lab tests to prove it affects the bokeh but who really notices in the real world?

No worst than A7

You can set a button to toggle between electronic and mechanical shutter. How many times do you actually need to shoot above 1/4000s?
I personally rarely do but you might be different (at the same time you seem to stop down your lenses a lot more than I do)

I don't know what % of my pictures would be over 1/4k, certainly a minority but certainly some almost every time I'm out and toggling for the ability is out of the question as it's just another thing to remember and do and another annoyance so thanks for ruling this one out. The c range is an option I don't have to think about now.

Why they can't switch automatically like the Panasonics do I just don't know.

To me the things like this that Japanese companies miss are often just fascinating. Why would a company selling cameras and wide aperture lenses not imagine that people would use a A7c and lens at f1.x in good light? Requiring customers to toggle a button to be able to shoot at wide apertures? How many extra lines of code would it take to have three options in the menu, mechanical, electronic and auto? Seems it's too much trouble. ND's could be an option but I've been there with early MFT cameras and I'm not going back.

On stopping down I very rarely go beyond f8 as with a 35 or 50mm f8 usually gives more than enough depth.

I thought there was an Auto shutter type on Sonys?

Edit: The A1 does, I’d assume others do.

 

[nandbytes]

I thought there was an Auto shutter type on Sonys?

Edit: The A1 does, I’d assume others do.

View attachment 409548

Pretty sure A7c doesn't.
I just assumed A7cii and A7CR would be the same, but they do have newer firmware.... So I could be wrong (which is good if I'm)

Edit:
As per online guide A7cii doesn't have this option in shutter type

 

[JohnMcL7]

The A9mk1 does have the option so it may be just the stacked sensor cameras that have the option of auto for the shutter type?

 

[nandbytes]

The A9mk1 does have the option so it may be just the stacked sensor cameras that have the option of auto for the shutter type?

Looks like it.
But most other (A7) bodies have the same mechanical and electronic shutter limit i.e. 1/8000s
In case of A7c series mechanical shutter is 1/4000s and electronic is 1/8000s

 

[Redspider]

The Sony a7R IV Full Frame has 61MP. If I shoot in APS-C mode at 26.2MP, will the RAW size be also smaller? At times I would like to use 61MP, but the file size would be expensive to keep, so having the best of both worlds would be useful, but only if the RAW files are smaller at 26.2.

 

[woof woof]

Looks like it.
But most other (A7) bodies have the same mechanical and electronic shutter limit i.e. 1/8000s
In case of A7c series mechanical shutter is 1/4000s and electronic is 1/8000s

What I'd like is the ability to switch between mechanical and electronic automatically, a higher than 1/8k max shutter speed and lower than 100 ISO in auto ISO. That lot should be a doddle to implement and would cover most wide aperture situations.

One issue for me with the A7 is that 1/8k may give over exposure and I keep forgetting to manually select ISO 50 and when selecting ISO 50 I sometimes I forget to put it back on auto.

 

[robj20]

What I'd like is the ability to switch between mechanical and electronic automatically, a higher than 1/8k max shutter speed and lower than 100 ISO in auto ISO. That lot should be a doddle to implement and would cover most wide aperture situations.

One issue for me with the A7 is that 1/8k may give over exposure and I keep forgetting to manually select ISO 50 and when selecting ISO 50 I sometimes I forget to put it back on auto.

If I was bumping into that scenario often id just have an ND filter on.
I get what you mean though, it surely would be an easy tweak in the firmware of the camera.

It sounds like you're perfect camera could be the A7C with a global sensor. It'll happen eventually.

 

[LeeRatters]

The Sony a7R IV Full Frame has 61MP. If I shoot in APS-C mode at 26.2MP, will the RAW size be also smaller? At times I would like to use 61MP, but the file size would be expensive to keep, so having the best of both worlds would be useful, but only if the RAW files are smaller at 26.2.

The important thing here isn't really the file size but the fact you would be "changing" focal length by shooting in APS-C.

 

[robj20]

The important thing here isn't really the file size but the fact you would be "changing" focal length by shooting in APS-C.

I thought it was more akin to cropping than changing focal length.

 

[nandbytes]

What I'd like is the ability to switch between mechanical and electronic automatically, a higher than 1/8k max shutter speed and lower than 100 ISO in auto ISO. That lot should be a doddle to implement and would cover most wide aperture situations.

One issue for me with the A7 is that 1/8k may give over exposure and I keep forgetting to manually select ISO 50 and when selecting ISO 50 I sometimes I forget to put it back on auto.

ISO50 isn't native, it's basically an extended ISO range. Base ISO is 100. Pretty much the same as just reducing it by a stop in post.

 

[snerkler]

The Sony a7R IV Full Frame has 61MP. If I shoot in APS-C mode at 26.2MP, will the RAW size be also smaller? At times I would like to use 61MP, but the file size would be expensive to keep, so having the best of both worlds would be useful, but only if the RAW files are smaller at 26.2.

Yes the file size would be smaller, I believe there's a list in the manual somewhere that tells you the file sizes. In some of the newer cameras you can also choose file size between large, medium and small IIRC, this gives you smaller file sizes with a subsequent loss of megapixels but without changing the effective focal length like APS-C mode does, more below

What I'd like is the ability to switch between mechanical and electronic automatically, a higher than 1/8k max shutter speed and lower than 100 ISO in auto ISO. That lot should be a doddle to implement and would cover most wide aperture situations.

One issue for me with the A7 is that 1/8k may give over exposure and I keep forgetting to manually select ISO 50 and when selecting ISO 50 I sometimes I forget to put it back on auto.

Sounds like you need one of the A9's or A1 then

I thought it was more akin to cropping than changing focal length.

Same thing, if you crop you're changing the effective focal length. APS-C mode in Sony is a 1.5x crop, therefore your effective FOV will be that of a lens 1.5x longer.

 

[LeeRatters]

I thought it was more akin to cropping than changing focal length.

Yes, I guess technically it is cropping.

But if, for example, like me you enjoy using the 35mm focal length, if I start shooting in APS-C, I'll no longer have a 35mm field of view.

 

[woof woof]

If I was bumping into that scenario often id just have an ND filter on.
I get what you mean though, it surely would be an easy tweak in the firmware of the camera.

It sounds like you're perfect camera could be the A7C with a global sensor. It'll happen eventually.

I used ND's when I had my Panasonic G1 and I hated it because I'd need the ND on for a picture and then for the next I could be pointing the camera in a different direction for example taking a picture of a flower or something and looking at too slow a shutter speed or too high an ISO so I was fitting and removing the ND multiple times on a day out and it became... very irritating. 1/8,000 and ISO 100 (or in the case of MFT 1/16k at ISO 200) solves that a lot of the time but there's still a small percentage of shots which need either ISO 50 or a faster shutter speed.

It's irritating that even my A7 can usually solve this problem with ISO 50 but I can't include that in auto ISO and as above I keep forgetting to set the ISO to 50 or reset it to auto again. My fault I admit but the ability to include lower ISO's in auto and to allow automatic switching to the electronic shutter for faster than 1/8,000 shutter speeds could be available even if with a note in the manual that some image degradation may occur. These things could I assume even come in a firmware update if Sony had the inclination.

At the moment an A7III or IV would be a much better fit for me than the A7c range. I'm not intending to replace my A7 until it fails so if and when it does I'll see what's on the market... or ask here

 

[woof woof]

ISO50 isn't native, it's basically an extended ISO range. Base ISO is 100. Pretty much the same as just reducing it by a stop in post.

I know ISO 50 isn't native but when I first got a 50mm f1.1 I did hit problems which I couldn't rescue post capture by dropping the exposure a stop so whatever ISO 50 does it does seems to give better results as a starting point in raw than I can get from shooting the shot at ISO 100 and dropping it a stop. That might be due to my lack of processing skills but whatever ISO 50 does it seems to result in a more manageable file for me.

 

[robj20]

Yes the file size would be smaller, I believe there's a list in the manual somewhere that tells you the file sizes. In some of the newer cameras you can also choose file size between large, medium and small IIRC, this gives you smaller file sizes with a subsequent loss of megapixels but without changing the effective focal length like APS-C mode does, more below

Sounds like you need one of the A9's or A1 then

Same thing, if you crop you're changing the effective focal length. APS-C mode in Sony is a 1.5x crop, therefore your effective FOV will be that of a lens 1.5x longer.

Focal length and cropping aren't the same thing though.
You can't replicate focal length by cropping, you can replicate field of view though.

 

[ancient_mariner]

Focal length and cropping aren't the same thing though.
You can't replicate focal length by cropping, you can replicate field of view though.

By cropping you are changing the *effective* focal length. A 50mm lens is always a 50, but on APS-C it behaves effectively like a 75mm lens on full frame in terms of field of view.

 

[snerkler]

Focal length and cropping aren't the same thing though.
You can't replicate focal length by cropping, you can replicate field of view though.

That's kind of saying the same thing, unfortunately when cropping we do use the wrong term and it should be field of view, however field of view is controlled a result of focal length so the terms are used interchangeably. That's why a 16mm on APS-C looks like 24mm on full frame etc etc

 

[woof woof]

Focal length and cropping aren't the same thing though.
You can't replicate focal length by cropping, you can replicate field of view though.

I think maybe you can replicate a focal length by cropping if you were at the required distance to replicate the perspective . For example 28 and 50mm. If you stand at 50mm distance with a 28mm and then crop the picture you should end up with a picture which has the FoV and perspective of the 50mm. What'll be missing is resolution and DoF effects.

 

[woof woof]

That's kind of saying the same thing, unfortunately when cropping we do use the wrong term and it should be field of view, however field of view is controlled a result of focal length so the terms are used interchangeably. That's why a 16mm on APS-C looks like 24mm on full frame etc etc

Yes because you are standing at 24mm on FF distance.

This is why a 14 or 20mm lens on MFT (or APS-C) doesn't give the obvious perspective distortion you'd get if you framed the shot the same with a 14 or 20mm lens on FF. With those lenses on FF you'd be standing closer for the same composition and altering the perspective.