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

snerkler said:
You can't apply the Fuji film recipes, but you can get Sony ones that replicate (near as damn it) the ones that Fuji use using lightroom (and likely other software). You can create film like presets in camera for SOOC jpegs but I've not seen any yet that are 'that' close to the Fuji ones.

Excuse the rubbish photo/subject but here is a side by side of Classic Chrome from the X100VI and the Classic Chrome Preset I made in Lightroom for the Sony RX1R II.


Screenshot 2025-10-14 at 19.00.54 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr



The only thing that's stumped me so far is the colour of the fence, but I can't get browns right without messing up other colours. That being said, I prefer the colour of the fence with Sony so it's not a pressing issue for me ;)


Screenshot 2025-10-14 at 19.01.23 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr
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Thanks, that’s helpful. I just checked and a couple of my favouritism filters I used in LRC are not Fuji ones anyway :D
 
woof woof said:
This might not last but I'm enjoying using the Sony 55mm f1.8. After not using it for a while it's like having a new lens :D
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It's a wonderful lens. I don't much use 50-ish lenses but FE55 would be my favourite ahead of even the GM :D

The micro-contrast is just amazing imo
 
Anyone bought any camera gear from Aliexpress?
Reports suggest viltrox 2x TC works with sigma 500mm
Would like to try it myself but not really available in the UK right now...
 
LeeRatters said:
I've been out with the 40/1.2 today :)
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As you might remember I sold mine and now have the 35 and 50mm f1.2's plus the 50mm f2 apo and what is possibly still my most used lens ever (for number of pictures taken) the 35mm f1.4. I'm thinking of selling them all as I'm not using them often. There's the 28mm f1.5 and f2 now and although I'm very tempted I know that after a honeymoon period they'd be in a box with the others so I have to resist buying them.

One thing I'd like to do is some Brenizer shots with I suppose the 50mm f1.2 or possibly my Sony 85mm f1.8. I did one years ago with a film era 85mm. It'd be something to do.
 
nandbytes said:
It's a wonderful lens. I don't much use 50-ish lenses but FE55 would be my favourite ahead of even the GM :D

The micro-contrast is just amazing imo
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I remember comparing it to my Sigma 50mm f1.4 on my Canon 50D and being amazed how good the Sony was. I used to take a lot of pictures with 50mm lenses but then gravitated more to 35mm and that and not being able to get over the fact that the 55mm is 55mm and not 50mm has meant that I haven't used it much. I do like the look and colours as they come out of the camera though, it seems to be quite neutral.
 
nandbytes said:
It's a wonderful lens. I don't much use 50-ish lenses but FE55 would be my favourite ahead of even the GM :D

The micro-contrast is just amazing imo
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The bokeh on the GM is much nicer imo.
 
nandbytes said:
Anyone bought any camera gear from Aliexpress?
Reports suggest viltrox 2x TC works with sigma 500mm
Would like to try it myself but not really available in the UK right now...
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I haven't bought any lenses but I have bought a lot of stuff from AliExpress over the last year or so and I think that their service is good and at times better than Amazon and Ebay. The QC with what I've been buying has been poor at times so I've had some returns but their returns procedure seems to be good and when there's been any delay or hassle with the seller AliExpress have been great and have ensured a quick refund.
 
woof woof said:
I haven't bought any lenses but I have bought a lot of stuff from AliExpress over the last year or so and I think that their service is good and at times better than Amazon and Ebay. The QC with what I've been buying has been poor at times so I've had some returns but their returns procedure seems to be good and when there's been any delay or hassle with the seller AliExpress have been great and have ensured a quick refund.
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Do you need to return to China?
 
snerkler said:
The bokeh on the GM is much nicer imo.
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The thing is though that that nicer bokeh comes at the cost of more elements, bulk and weight.

nandbytes said:
Do you need to return to China?
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Not always. It depends on the product and seller with some stuff going to addresses in the UK. You don't pay postage though or at least I haven't.
 
Oh, one thing about AliExpress for anyone who hasn't used them but might.

I've noticed that sometimes with goods with multiple options / possible configurations on the page the one I wanted wasn't what appeared in my basket so you need to double check before hitting "buy." Beneath the item in your basket there may well be a small box detailing the spec and you can click on this and confirm the option your want.

Checking you're ordering what you want and not something similar might seem a bit obvious but a couple of times I've almost ordered the wrong thing despite being sure that I'd configured the thing correctly before adding it to my basket.
 
woof woof said:
Oh, one thing about AliExpress for anyone who hasn't used them but might.

I've noticed that sometimes with goods with multiple options / possible configurations on the page the one I wanted wasn't what appeared in my basket so you need to double check before hitting "buy." Beneath the item in your basket there may well be a small box detailing the spec and you can click on this and confirm the option your want.

Checking you're ordering what you want and not something similar might seem a bit obvious but a couple of times I've almost ordered the wrong thing despite being sure that I'd configured the thing correctly before adding it to my basket.
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I've had similar experience on Temu. Once i complained and the simply refunded without requiring a return.

I guess this is common with Chinese based online marketplaces
 
nandbytes said:
I've had similar experience on Temu. Once i complained and the simply refunded without requiring a return.

I guess this is common with Chinese based online marketplaces
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I think what they possibly sometimes do is default to whatever the first thing on the page is even if you change from that option. I'm glad you've seen it too but I was already convinced that it wasn't my fault. Double checking the item, option and spec is what you want is definitely worth doing.
 
woof woof said:
As you might remember I sold mine and now have the 35 and 50mm f1.2's plus the 50mm f2 apo and what is possibly still my most used lens ever (for number of pictures taken) the 35mm f1.4. I'm thinking of selling them all as I'm not using them often. There's the 28mm f1.5 and f2 now and although I'm very tempted I know that after a honeymoon period they'd be in a box with the others so I have to resist buying them.

One thing I'd like to do is some Brenizer shots with I suppose the 50mm f1.2 or possibly my Sony 85mm f1.8. I did one years ago with a film era 85mm. It'd be something to do.
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I have done quite a few brenizer style shots in the past. They usually work out quite well tbh
 
LeeRatters said:
I have done quite a few brenizer style shots in the past. They usually work out quite well tbh
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Mrs WW often wants her picture taken but she wont strike a pose... so I might not get anything spectacular. Really it's just for something to do as I've taken quite a few panoramas recently as I hadn't done much of that before and this could be another new thing.
 
While we're on the subject of AliExpress. I bought two watch cases off them and both came with a plastic spacer to go around the mechanism but it was missing with the third case so I chatted to the supplier and they told me to return it. I ordered a fourth and this one came without a spacer too. I've just chatted to try and find out if these should have a spacer or not and the answer is... if it comes with one it's a free gift. Well WTF use is that? Now I have to decide if I'm going to build it or not. If it's a slack fit I'll have a half built watch hanging around until I can order a spacer or maybe I should just order one and wait for it to arrive? PITA :mad:
 
I have had a few things from AliExpress and Temu recently and all good so far, lot of the stuff is available on Amazon UK or eBay but some kit is much cheaper direct from China
eg Ulanzi lights
VL119 - (no idea they are any good)
£20 on Ali
£40 odd on Amazon
 
woof woof said:
One thing I'd like to do is some Brenizer shots with I suppose the 50mm f1.2 or possibly my Sony 85mm f1.8. I did one years ago with a film era 85mm. It'd be something to do.
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Now I am at the PC & not bleeding brakes on a Mk1 Escort & swapping clutch cables on the boys i10..... :rolleyes: :ROFLMAO:

Here's a few of my favourites....... Obviously one of them wasn't taken by me :)


*** by Lee, on Flickr


*** by Lee, on Flickr


*** by Lee, on Flickr
 
nandbytes said:
Anyone bought any camera gear from Aliexpress?
Reports suggest viltrox 2x TC works with sigma 500mm
Would like to try it myself but not really available in the UK right now...
Click to expand...
I've bought from aliexpress several times before, but never camera gear. I can't fault them to date
woof woof said:
The thing is though that that nicer bokeh comes at the cost of more elements, bulk and weight.
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Yep always a compromise. I don't understand why "nifty fifties" have gone out of favour these days, plus I'm sure Sony could make a very small compact 50mm f1.8 GM and I reckon it'd sell well. However, going by their lack of update on the OG FE 50mm f1.8 Sony don't share my view.

I do keep contemplating selling my 50mm f1.2GM in favour of the 50mm f1.4GM. I know the IQ and bokeh of the f1.2 is better, but the handling of the 35mm f1.4GM is so much nicer and the 50mm f1.4GM is a VERY similar size and weight. Knowing me I'll still be contemplating it in 5 years time :lol:
 
nog said:
Ulanzi lights
VL119 - (no idea they are any good)
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Do you mean vl120? They are totally fine for light quality just expect a noisy fan always on full blast and plastic mount
 
snerkler said:
Very nice. I think this is the only brenizer I've done, and it's not turned out great.


Harley Davidson Road King by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr
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Did you get the whole bike in the centre frame and go around it? Or get closer and split the bike up too?

In my Escort ones above & had the whole car tightly in the centre frame & then went around it.
 
I keep meaning to experiment with kinda-brenizer (kinda in that I'm not going to move the lens). I've got a modified lens collar, plus combo of a Nikon-E tilt-shift adapter and a hasselblad V adapter... so I can shoot panos with my Hasselblad 80mm/2.8 but keeping the lens static and shifting the camera across the large image circle.

I realise I could just pan and stitch with e.g. my 75mm 1.8 and get shallower DOF...but it's fun to experiment and I really like the Zeiss Hasselblad lens and kinda want to try it properly on digital. Despite having the bits for ages I only got around to modifying the lens collar mount the other day so still to shoot it properly.

Or I could just get the 35mm 1.4 GM shoot it in a square crop and get the same field of view and depth of field... but where's the fun in that :p
 
the_accidental said:
I keep meaning to experiment with kinda-brenizer (kinda in that I'm not going to move the lens). I've got a modified lens collar, plus combo of a Nikon-E tilt-shift adapter and a hasselblad V adapter... so I can shoot panos with my Hasselblad 80mm/2.8 but keeping the lens static and shifting the camera across the large image circle.

I realise I could just pan and stitch with e.g. my 75mm 1.8 and get shallower DOF...but it's fun to experiment and I really like the Zeiss Hasselblad lens and kinda want to try it properly on digital. Despite having the bits for ages I only got around to modifying the lens collar mount the other day so still to shoot it properly.

Or I could just get the 35mm 1.4 GM shoot it in a square crop and get the same field of view and depth of field... but where's the fun in that :p
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As long as it's all good fun :)

I love the 35GM, but I much prefer the look of the first Escort photo with an 85mm brenizer than a single 35mm shot ;)
 
nandbytes said:
Anyone bought any camera gear from Aliexpress?
Reports suggest viltrox 2x TC works with sigma 500mm
Would like to try it myself but not really available in the UK right now...
Click to expand...
Bought a lens once. It was super cheap though. Have also bought flashguns and triggers etc. Have bought loads of small value camera related stuff.

Me the wife and the kids buy loads of tat off there. We get deliveries from them at least a couple of times a week.

If you buy from the Choice selection you get 7 day delivery. In our experience anyway if the item is under £15 they usually just refund rather than return if there is an issue. If it’s over £15 they will insist on a return back to China.

Personally I probably wouldn’t use it for anything too expensive. We haven’t bought anything over £200.

They are one of the better Chinese websites. Tbh the others ones aren’t that bad either although most of it is junk. My daughters literally have orders arriving from SHEIN, Temu, DHGate and Hacoo etc every day.
 
LeeRatters said:
Did you get the whole bike in the centre frame and go around it? Or get closer and split the bike up too?

In my Escort ones above & had the whole car tightly in the centre frame & then went around it.
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I shot the first frame as a 'normal shot' and then started going round in circles gradually moving wider and wider away from the bike, that's how I saw it done on YT :thinking:
 
snerkler said:
I've bought from aliexpress several times before, but never camera gear. I can't fault them to date

Yep always a compromise. I don't understand why "nifty fifties" have gone out of favour these days, plus I'm sure Sony could make a very small compact 50mm f1.8 GM and I reckon it'd sell well. However, going by their lack of update on the OG FE 50mm f1.8 Sony don't share my view.

I do keep contemplating selling my 50mm f1.2GM in favour of the 50mm f1.4GM. I know the IQ and bokeh of the f1.2 is better, but the handling of the 35mm f1.4GM is so much nicer and the 50mm f1.4GM is a VERY similar size and weight. Knowing me I'll still be contemplating it in 5 years time :LOL:
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As above, I wonder how bad the Sony 40mm f2.5 would be if they kept the formula the same and "just" made it f2. Ditto the similar 50mm. If awful at least f2 would be available for those times when your willing to accept the awfulness. An example I have is the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 which is small and not so good with some scenes at its widest apertures but relatively good at f2 and smaller but at least the wider apertures are there for when I want to use them.

I've given up with Chinese lenses now but if a relatively well respected company (but not TTA, 7A, Pergear or Artralab as the trust is gone) comes out with something that interests me I might give it a try.
 
the_accidental said:
I keep meaning to experiment with kinda-brenizer (kinda in that I'm not going to move the lens). I've got a modified lens collar, plus combo of a Nikon-E tilt-shift adapter and a hasselblad V adapter... so I can shoot panos with my Hasselblad 80mm/2.8 but keeping the lens static and shifting the camera across the large image circle.

I realise I could just pan and stitch with e.g. my 75mm 1.8 and get shallower DOF...but it's fun to experiment and I really like the Zeiss Hasselblad lens and kinda want to try it properly on digital. Despite having the bits for ages I only got around to modifying the lens collar mount the other day so still to shoot it properly.

Or I could just get the 35mm 1.4 GM shoot it in a square crop and get the same field of view and depth of field... but where's the fun in that :p
Click to expand...

Yup.
 
snerkler said:
I shot the first frame as a 'normal shot' and then started going round in circles gradually moving wider and wider away from the bike, that's how I saw it done on YT :thinking:
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That's strange then. Maybe it's more in the angle & the scene or something that makes it look not as effective maybe? Or maybe you needed to go wider or something. I think the first photo of the Escort in the street pops really well - and that's quite a close, busy scene too.
 
I was thinking of using my 50mm f1.2 or 85mm f1.8. Looking at the aperture size 50/1.2=41.6mm and 85/1.8=47mm so the 85 should give the more extreme result but I might need to be stood a little further back, maybe, I don't know. I might try both.
 
woof woof said:
I've given up with Chinese lenses now
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We've hear thaat before ;) :p
LeeRatters said:
That's strange then. Maybe it's more in the angle & the scene or something that makes it look not as effective maybe? Or maybe you needed to go wider or something. I think the first photo of the Escort in the street pops really well - and that's quite a close, busy scene too.
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I'm sure it's user error ;)
 
In the UK we rarely get the light he gets so the 400/800 f8 would be hard to use a lot of the time for fast moving subjects i have one, I do like the zoom but a 600f4 gives you far more chance of getting the shot and wild life generally only gives you 1 chance so you just have to pay up to get the fastest shutter speed with the lowest ISO along with the FPS .
 
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