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

dancook said:
Anyone feel the Sony A9 low light AF could be better?

I use it for events where I'm often at 1/125th, f2.8 and ISO6400

the face detection AF is not as sticky as I would hope.. and if I want to position the person at the edge of the screen it's only a matter of time before it loses them.

Roll on A9 Mk II I guess..
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Interesting you say that Dan, have been thinking that eye AF on the A73 isn’t great in low light either. Haven’t been using it much tbh as a result recently.
 
Livin The Dream said:
Interesting you say that Dan, have been thinking that eye AF on the A73 isn’t great in low light either. Haven’t been using it much tbh as a result recently.
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I haven't stopped using it, still get the shots I need - but I look forward to the day it's perfected, event photography will be even more a breeze then!

I shot a masquerade ball, and had a few troubles with face detect :D oops
 
dancook said:
Anyone feel the Sony A9 low light AF could be better?

I use it for events where I'm often at 1/125th, f2.8 and ISO6400

the face detection AF is not as sticky as I would hope.. and if I want to position the person at the edge of the screen it's only a matter of time before it loses them.

Roll on A9 Mk II I guess..
Click to expand...
I diddnt find much of an issue focusing in low light on mine but I guess face detection sometimes doesn't appear but still managed to grab there face in focus though
 
dancook said:
Anyone feel the Sony A9 low light AF could be better?

I use it for events where I'm often at 1/125th, f2.8 and ISO6400

the face detection AF is not as sticky as I would hope.. and if I want to position the person at the edge of the screen it's only a matter of time before it loses them.

Roll on A9 Mk II I guess..
Click to expand...

Livin The Dream said:
Interesting you say that Dan, have been thinking that eye AF on the A73 isn’t great in low light either. Haven’t been using it much tbh as a result recently.
Click to expand...

dancook said:
I haven't stopped using it, still get the shots I need - but I look forward to the day it's perfected, event photography will be even more a breeze then!

I shot a masquerade ball, and had a few troubles with face detect :D oops
Click to expand...

Not sure if it helps you guys, but there was improvements to AF in low light in v3 of the firmware (not sure what version you are on)

v3.00 (28-6-2018)
Improvements in auto focus performance and functionality
  • Improves tracking performance of moving subjects in AF-C mode
  • Improves auto focus speed in low light conditions
 
-markie- said:
Not sure if it helps you guys, but there was improvements to AF in low light in v3 of the firmware (not sure what version you are on)

v3.00 (28-6-2018)
Improvements in auto focus performance and functionality
  • Improves tracking performance of moving subjects in AF-C mode
  • Improves auto focus speed in low light conditions
Click to expand...

Thanks I will check but I think I have that one, haven't got latest though V4?
 
-markie- said:
Not sure if it helps you guys, but there was improvements to AF in low light in v3 of the firmware (not sure what version you are on)

v3.00 (28-6-2018)
Improvements in auto focus performance and functionality
  • Improves tracking performance of moving subjects in AF-C mode
  • Improves auto focus speed in low light conditions
Click to expand...

The latest firmware according to the Sony site is Version 2 released 10.10.18? They say there's a new version due mid-Dec to sort the card issue out?
 
I took 28,922 photos from Friday 7th December to Tuesday 11th December - and delivered everything in that same time frame, except Tuesday's events were delivered by noon Wednesday.

That included - Masquerade Ball, Corporate Christmas Party, Choir Rehearsals, Junior Nativity, Senior Panto, Senior Carol Service, Christmas Rock Concert, Rugby and Hockey.

Hurrah for Photo Mechanic :) and the A9..
 
dancook said:
I took 28,922 photos from Friday 7th December to Tuesday 11th December - and delivered everything in that same time frame, except Tuesday's events were delivered by noon Wednesday.

That included - Masquerade Ball, Corporate Christmas Party, Choir Rehearsals, Junior Nativity, Senior Panto, Senior Carol Service, Christmas Rock Concert, Rugby and Hockey.

Hurrah for Photo Mechanic :) and the A9..
Click to expand...
You delivered all the pics? Or just the good ones?
 
dancook said:
I took 28,922 photos from Friday 7th December to Tuesday 11th December - and delivered everything in that same time frame, except Tuesday's events were delivered by noon Wednesday.

That included - Masquerade Ball, Corporate Christmas Party, Choir Rehearsals, Junior Nativity, Senior Panto, Senior Carol Service, Christmas Rock Concert, Rugby and Hockey.

Hurrah for Photo Mechanic :) and the A9..
Click to expand...

Did you go through them all and edited?
 
Raymond Lin said:
Did you go through them all and edited?
Click to expand...

Yes in that time I culled them and edited the keepers and delivered them to the client, so every event was delivered by the following day - even when I had 3 events on in one day...

I was exhausted and now I am ill.
 
dancook said:
Yes in that time I culled them and edited the keepers and delivered them to the client, so every event was delivered by the following day - even when I had 3 events on in one day...

I was exhausted and now I am ill.
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How many did you sent out of 27k?

That’s ridiculous amount of editing. My speed is normally about a photo a minute in average, some takes longer, some less but works out a minute a photo generally.
 
Raymond Lin said:
How many did you sent out of 27k?

That’s ridiculous amount of editing. My speed is normally about a photo a minute in average, some takes longer, some less but works out a minute a photo generally.
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With photo mechanic I can speeeeeeeeeeeeeeed through the selection/culling process it is so fast. So I don't feel bad about using 5/sec burst.

Rough length of each event shown, and total of 1605 delivered images.

1h - Hockey - 58
1h - Rugby - 71
2h - Rock Concert - 189
2h - Senior Carol Service - 202
3h - Panto - 289
1h - Junior Nativity - 277
1h - Choir Rehearsal - 69
2h - Christmas Party - 210
2h - Junior Carol Service - 242
2h - Masquerade - 112
 
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Raymond Lin said:
That’s ridiculous amount of editing. My speed is normally about a photo a minute in average, some takes longer, some less but works out a minute a photo generally.
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I batch edit - crop ratio, preset, tweaks

I then go through and either reject, adjust composition if necessary, sort WB and Exposure.

WB and Exposure become copy and pastes for similar scene photos.
 
dancook said:
Football match is 90 minutes long? 1.5h for 3k.

I've shot 17 hours for 29k, at your rate you would have shot 34k - not far off!
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Lol Yea true. Well and half hour shoot as I shoot before the game and during half time sometimes and post match too. Have you tried ftp features of your camera to automatically upload to your home server?
 
dancook said:
I took 28,922 photos from Friday 7th December to Tuesday 11th December - and delivered everything in that same time frame, except Tuesday's events were delivered by noon Wednesday.

That included - Masquerade Ball, Corporate Christmas Party, Choir Rehearsals, Junior Nativity, Senior Panto, Senior Carol Service, Christmas Rock Concert, Rugby and Hockey.

Hurrah for Photo Mechanic [emoji4] and the A9..
Click to expand...

Dan, would you say you might over-shoot just a bit? Some going that, but you’re only keeping 5%.

Quite curious as to what percentage an event photographer would keep. I guess many wedding snappers would keep 15-25% as a generalisation (shoot 2-3k, deliver 3-500)
 
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Livin The Dream said:
Dan, would you say you might over-shoot just a bit? Some going that, but you’re only keeping 5%.

Quite curious as to what percentage an event photographer would keep. I guess many wedding snappers would keep 15-25% as a generalisation (shoot 2-3k, deliver 3-500)
Click to expand...

I am a full time event photographer :-O !

I know what it's like to slow down because I do that with the Leica and Hasselblad, but I decide to make the most of the A9 and Photo Mechanic lets me keep up with processing.

I think what I deliver is to a pretty high standard compared to all the other stuff I see from schools.

Also the school would like to have photographs for every student at each event, there's only so much I can do - but I give it a damn good go.

Photographing weddings is very different, moving to another position for an angle can mean losing minutes of an event - unique opportunities where a student gets to do their part. I create nice compositions, but I'm not continually looking for the next super creative shot, there is no time - so much is packed into short times.
 
Livin The Dream said:
Dan, would you say you might over-shoot just a bit? Some going that, but you’re only keeping 5%.

Quite curious as to what percentage an event photographer would keep. I guess many wedding snappers would keep 15-25% as a generalisation (shoot 2-3k, deliver 3-500)
Click to expand...

This gallery is public.
https://gallery.danielcook.com/g/thomsonchristmasparty/

(most aren't https://gallery.danielcook.com/ )

I was shooting in burst at f1.4, 1/125th, ISO 6400

1/125th easily creates motion blur, the lighting was also cycling colour leds - shooting burst allows me to get more keepers from each setup to choose from. Not missing a shot because they moved as they laughed and it blurred.
 
dancook said:
I am a full time event photographer :-O !

I know what it's like to slow down because I do that with the Leica and Hasselblad, but I decide to make the most of the A9 and Photo Mechanic lets me keep up with processing.

I think what I deliver is to a pretty high standard compared to all the other stuff I see from schools.

Also the school would like to have photographs for every student at each event, there's only so much I can do - but I give it a damn good go.

Photographing weddings is very different, moving to another position for an angle can mean losing minutes of an event - unique opportunities where a student gets to do their part. I create nice compositions, but I'm not continually looking for the next super creative shot, there is no time - so much is packed into short times.
Click to expand...

I’ve not thought about the ratio before of an event photographer. My immediate thought is that they wouldn’t have the variety of a wedding, say. Agree that they’re quite different and the end product different.

Did wonder whether fast FPS might add to the quantity taken. Do you shoot higher than 8fps?
 
Livin The Dream said:
I’ve not thought about the ratio before of an event photographer. My immediate thought is that they wouldn’t have the variety of a wedding, say. Agree that they’re quite different and the end product different.

Did wonder whether fast FPS might add to the quantity taken. Do you shoot higher than 8fps?
Click to expand...

I shoot at 5 fps, the silent shutter is pretty responsible for this too - if I had a shutter sound I'd be a bit more conservative.

If I'm shooting an orchestra, some students may play intermittently - if you see them play it might be one of the few opportunities you have to photograph them doing so, as they may not be playing all night or when you change position later you might not have a clear view. So I take some photos and with no black out I can just think about how to improve the composition, and move and takes more photos - it's very easy to take 20+ similar photos of a student, but usually one of the last ones is best, when you feel you've done all you can. So that right there is a 5% keeper rate.

That also might have taken 5-10 seconds to do, if you're biding your time to line up the shot - you don't know if someone will obstruct it, or whether they will stop.. and did you take any photos at all?

Typically other musicians will move in an out of each other's way with bows, arms and heads - and somewhere in there will be the best composition. Very much like when shooting the conductor, just gattling gun! Particularly as the shutter speed at this point will easily blur them. There will be a point where they have a great expression that is sharp, their arms will frame a student who at that moment is looking up at them.. if you rely on timing that and get it wrong, well the A9 doesn't leave much to chance.
 
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Typically when I shoot live music in Guildford I have three songs to get some photos (happy to use Hasselblad for this), when photographing a Christmas Rock Concert for a school - I have a single 3 minute song to get as many different photos as I can and to include every member of each band (5-8).

I just have to work much faster, and I cannot afford to wait long for each of the shots else it will be over before I know it.

I started at the back to take a wide shot a band, I wanted a photo of them all playing - but it started with a singing solo and they didn't all start playing until half way through the song, I struggled then to get around the room for good shots of each person.
 
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dancook said:
Typically when I shoot live music in Guildford I have three songs to get some photos (happy to use Hasselblad for this), when photographing a Christmas Rock Concert for a school - I have a single 3 minute song to get as many different photos as I can and to include every member of each band (5-8).

I just have to work much faster, and I cannot afford to wait long for each of the shots else it will be over before I know it.

I started at the back to take a wide shot a band, I wanted a photo of them all playing - but it started with a singing solo and they didn't all start playing until half way through the song, I struggled then to get around the room for good shots of each person.
Click to expand...

That sounds a more interesting gig. Interesting insight, thanks.

Some events I guess need certain skill sets more than others, but concentration and timing are factors in all. Technology has meant that timing isn’t quite like
It used to be but positioning is clearly most important in any event.

Have you been finding many issues with banding in venues generally?
 
Livin The Dream said:
That sounds a more interesting gig. Interesting insight, thanks.

Some events I guess need certain skill sets more than others, but concentration and timing are factors in all. Technology has meant that timing isn’t quite like
It used to be but positioning is clearly most important in any event.

Have you been finding many issues with banding in venues generally?
Click to expand...

Yes occasionally I get banding with some LEDS but at 1/125th the banding can be reduced to an unnoticeable amount on a per photo basis, it's only when you cycle photos quickly does it become noticeable. Overall though the finished delivered set looks great :)
 
dancook said:
Yes occasionally I get banding with some LEDS but at 1/125th the banding can be reduced to an unnoticeable amount on a per photo basis, it's only when you cycle photos quickly does it become noticeable. Overall though the finished delivered set looks great :)
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Save you a shutter replacement every year too [emoji15]
 
Can I ask what memory cards everyone uses with the A7Riii? I’m currently using SanDisk extreme pro 95mb/s UHS-I cards. They are fine but I’m noticing it takes a while to clear the buffer when shooting bursts at high FPS.

Looking at UHS-II SD cards 64GB cards seems a good compromise on capacity v price. The top options performance wise seems to be Sony and SanDisk as read and write speeds are pretty similar but both are at the top price end.


Sony G card 300MB/s read 299MB/s write- £108.49
https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/sd-cards/sf-g-series

SanDisk 300MB/S read 260MB/S write- £112.67
https://www.sandisk.co.uk/home/memory-cards/sd-cards/extremepro-sd-uhs-ii


There seems to be some cheaper options that may be worth investigating.

ProGrade 250MB/s write 200MB/s read £75.99
https://progradedigital.com/products/sdxc-uhs-ii-v90-sd-card/

Lexar 300MB/s read 260MB/s write £91.53
http://www.lexar.com/portfolio_page/professional-2000x-sdhcsdxc-uhs-ii-cards/

Integral 280MB/s read 240MB/s write- £83.03
https://www.integralmemory.com/prod...hs-ii-u3-class-10-V90-video-speed-memory-card

I’ve got a while yet to research and decide as I’m planning on using some Sony cash back to help buy one. I thought it would be worth asking others what they use and how they find them. Looking at UHS-II cards it seems write speeds are a mine field when trying to get the full performance the A7Riii is capable of. If any one knows a website that’s tested different cards out on the Sony cameras that would be very useful.
 
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rob-nikon said:
Can I ask what memory cards everyone uses with the A7Riii? I’m currently using SanDisk extreme pro 95mb/s UHS-I cards. They are fine but I’m noticing it takes a while to clear the buffer when shooting bursts at high FPS.

Looking at UHS-II SD cards 64GB cards seems a good compromise on capacity v price. The top options performance wise seems to be Sony and SanDisk as read and write speeds are pretty similar but both are at the top price end.


Sony G card 300MB/s read 299MB/s write- £108.49
https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/sd-cards/sf-g-series

SanDisk 300MB/S read 260MB/S write- £112.67
https://www.sandisk.co.uk/home/memory-cards/sd-cards/extremepro-sd-uhs-ii


There seems to be some cheaper options that may be worth investigating.

ProGrade 250MB/s write 200MB/s read £75.99
https://progradedigital.com/products/sdxc-uhs-ii-v90-sd-card/

Lexar 300MB/s read 260MB/s write £91.53
http://www.lexar.com/portfolio_page/professional-2000x-sdhcsdxc-uhs-ii-cards/

Integral 280MB/s read 240MB/s write- £83.03
https://www.integralmemory.com/prod...hs-ii-u3-class-10-V90-video-speed-memory-card

I’ve got a while yet to research and decide as I’m planning on using some Sony cash back to help buy one. I thought it would be worth asking others what they use and how they find them. Looking at UHS-II cards it seems write speeds are a mine field when trying to get the full performance the A7Riii is capable of. If any one knows a website that’s tested different cards out on the Sony cameras that would be very useful.
Click to expand...

I use 2x Adata 64GB UHS-II cards
And 2x Fuji 32GB UHS-II cards
 
Just read yet again on DPR that f1.2 lenses are only possible on the new Canikons and impossible on Sony. Do these twits not understand that you can buy a f1.2 lens and faster today and stick it on a Sony A7x/9? These fanboys just make me want to shake them.
 
woof woof said:
Just read yet again on DPR that f1.2 lenses are only possible on the new Canikons and impossible on Sony. Do these twits not understand that you can buy a f1.2 lens and faster today and stick it on a Sony A7x/9? These fanboys just make me want to shake them.
Click to expand...

uC549GA.jpg
 
woof woof said:
Just read yet again on DPR that f1.2 lenses are only possible on the new Canikons and impossible on Sony. Do these twits not understand that you can buy a f1.2 lens and faster today and stick it on a Sony A7x/9? These fanboys just make me want to shake them.
Click to expand...

But Sony doesn't make any Native lenses that fast, so it must be impossible...

As an aside, given the price of the GM lenses, anyone care to consider just how expensive and f/1.2 GM would be :eek:
 
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