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

addicknchips said:
Are we talking macbook pros or imacs - or both? My 2015 macbook has been an absolute workhorse, being used for hours every day. Survived a coffee spill as well. Planning on getting an imac in the Autumn but also heard some murmurings that the latest macbook isn't great.
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I'm still using a 15" MBP from 2012, it just won't die. When it finally does I'll be getting a 27" iMac and just using my iPad for general use etc.

Screenshot 2019-04-11 at 11.50.07.png
 
NewBeetle said:
I'm still using a 15" MBP from 2012, it just won't die. When it finally does I'll be getting a 27" iMac and just using my iPad for general use etc.
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I'm typing this from a Mid 2014 MBP (which was the first Mac I used/owned) and it's never missed a beat, still fast enough for editing. I also have a newer iMac and it's brilliant and I couldn't switch back to windows now. 5 years without any problem, no performance issues and really good displays, no reason to change.
 
Jase said:
I'm typing this from a Mid 2014 MBP (which was the first Mac I used/owned) and it's never missed a beat, still fast enough for editing. I also have a newer iMac and it's brilliant and I couldn't switch back to windows now. 5 years without any problem, no performance issues and really good displays, no reason to change.
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It's they way they just stay fast with little to no messing about, my limited experience with Windows says they seem to clog up and slow down no matter what the specs are. I won't be buying anything other than a Mac.
 
Jase said:
Anyone tried the Timelapse added in the firmware update yet?
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Not yet but I'm really looking forward to trying it out.
 
I missed the sale on Amazon the other day, but have been thinking about a 1st gen A7 for mostly video work; is there anything I should be careful of with these? Anything that stands out as being particularly bad?
 
First all Sony wedding today, got to say I’m loving it. The AF is just on another level. If the firmware improves this then that’ll be crazy.

Also sandisk cards are cheap on amazon again for the newer 170mb/s versions

SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB SDXC Memory Card up to 170MB/s, Class 10, U3, V30 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07H9J1YXN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vS1RCb0BVMC0X
 
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T_J_G said:
First all Sony wedding today, got to say I’m loving it. The AF is just on another level. If the firmware improves this then that’ll be crazy.

Also sandisk cards are cheap on amazon again for the newer 170mb/s versions

SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB SDXC Memory Card up to 170MB/s, Class 10, U3, V30 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07H9J1YXN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vS1RCb0BVMC0X
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Those are good prices for those cards. I gather they are still uhs-I so maximum write speed of 95MB/s but can get 170MB/s read speed with a compatible reader. The performance of the UHS-II cards in the A7R3 is fantastic. I definitely see a difference when shooting at full 10FPS. The buffer is less of an issue.

Has anyone updated to the new firmware yet?
 
nandbytes said:
I wonder how well it works with birds
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If it managed to focus on the eye of a bird in flight it would blow all other manufacturers out of the water and everyone would be changing as it would be a huge game changer for all wildlife photographers. I personally cant see it working for that type of situation and there being many situations it won’t work in. Let’s be honest its the first attempt so we can’t expect miracles. The fact Sony have released it as a free firmware update is amazing in itself. This is the type of update I would expect manufacturers to hold back for a new model making people pay for it when upgrading.
 
footman said:
It's supposed to have made the lens very usable from 400-600mm which was where it was very poor previously. Unfortunately I sold my Sigma before the update and kept the 100-400 GM.
I'm still longing to scratch the itch so I'm hiring one next week to give it a whirl.
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@footman anything to report regarding the 150-600 & MC-11 with new firmware?
 
rob-nikon said:
Those are good prices for those cards. I gather they are still uhs-I so maximum write speed of 95MB/s but can get 170MB/s read speed with a compatible reader. The performance of the UHS-II cards in the A7R3 is fantastic. I definitely see a difference when shooting at full 10FPS. The buffer is less of an issue.

Has anyone updated to the new firmware yet?
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Yeah still UHS1 and replaced the 95mb/s cards (IIRC) I’ve always found the older version adequate for my use so shouldn’t have any problems with new ones.
 
T_J_G said:
Yeah still UHS1 and replaced the 95mb/s cards (IIRC) I’ve always found the older version adequate for my use so shouldn’t have any problems with new ones.
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Yeah I use two of the 95mb/s cards in my A7 III and they are fast enough for me, though they're not quick enough for video on high settings (but I'm 99% photos so not that bothered)
 
rob-nikon said:
If it managed to focus on the eye of a bird in flight it would blow all other manufacturers out of the water and everyone would be changing as it would be a huge game changer for all wildlife photographers. I personally cant see it working for that type of situation and there being many situations it won’t work in. Let’s be honest its the first attempt so we can’t expect miracles. The fact Sony have released it as a free firmware update is amazing in itself. This is the type of update I would expect manufacturers to hold back for a new model making people pay for it when upgrading.
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I don't expect it to work for BiF but it'd be great if it works for stationary birds or slowly moving ones (Eg: ducks in pond)

I am hoping with the next generation it'll work with BiF too or even get part of the way there when they add it to A9.
 
Mac update, make sure you have the latest Mac Sony driver, camera to mass storage USB, click dng, allow security, open resources folder, click file, follow instructions.
 
NewBeetle said:
Yeah I use two of the 95mb/s cards in my A7 III and they are fast enough for me, though they're not quick enough for video on high settings (but I'm 99% photos so not that bothered)
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Also been using 95s for action in the A73 with no issues!
 
I noticed the 170 were cheaper than the 95.
 
A7 and Minolta Rokkor X MD 50mm f1.7.

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50% from that.

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One last one.

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I think it's a lovely lens, It's compact and light, sharp enough from wide open and stopped down I think it's very good and it has good contrast.
 
woof woof said:
There's an A7III help guide about the new firmware update so says the rumor site...

https://www.sonyalpharumors.com/off...xplains-you-the-new-firmware-update-features/
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Thanks for that. I was just looking for something like that.

Animal eye AF looks like it will be interesting to test out. Initial thoughts are its limiting if it needed the wide AF setting (I mostly use single point AF) but the guide linked to by @woof woof shows how to set eye af to a custom button. I’ve set up AE-L button to start up eye AF when it's outside the focus area. That way I can use single point AF and try to engage eye af when it could help.
 
rob-nikon said:
Thanks for that. I was just looking for something like that.

Animal eye AF looks like it will be interesting to test out. Initial thoughts are its limiting if it needed the wide AF setting (I mostly use single point AF) but the guide linked to by @woof woof shows how to set eye af to a custom button. I’ve set up AE-L button to start up eye AF when it's outside the focus area. That way I can use single point AF and try to engage eye af when it could help.
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With the update eye-af will engage anyway in AF-C as long as the focus point is on a face. Works like that for humans anyway.

A separate Eye-Af button (i use AEL too) hunts the entire screen for an eye not just the focus point.
 
rob-nikon said:
Thanks for that. I was just looking for something like that.

Animal eye AF looks like it will be interesting to test out. Initial thoughts are its limiting if it needed the wide AF setting (I mostly use single point AF) but the guide linked to by @woof woof shows how to set eye af to a custom button. I’ve set up AE-L button to start up eye AF when it's outside the focus area. That way I can use single point AF and try to engage eye af when it could help.
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This setup works well. Depending on the lens you could also set the lens fn button to eye af. I have my fe85 setup like this and I also set the ael to eye AF for my sigma lenses.
 
I think AEL is the best for it, that button is way too easy to catch accidentally if you have it changing anything when not held.
 
f/2.8 said:
Thanks for that I am thinking of getting one of these for family hols etc.

I know there is no point I have 4 x A7III's but in my head I am thinking a cheaper body that I could abuse more might be worthwhile.

The lack of a joystick is the only thing putting me off at the moment.
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Yeah thinking the same. Did consider the a6300 given the price but think the new version is worth the extra.
 
Livin The Dream said:
Yeah thinking the same. Did consider the a6300 given the price but think the new version is worth the extra.
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Did a bit more investigation on the A6400 today. My main issues are I want to keep it light and easy for family hols etc.

As a body apart from no joystick the A6400 seems dead on. The problems is lenses, the kit lens is apparently atrocious. The 18-135 kit lens looks a better option but it’s a bigger lens. Trying to work out if I could make do with that my 55mm f/1.8 and the crappy wee Samyang 24mm to keep everything as light as possible. I wouldn’t want to be using this with any of my work lenses as it’s likey to get bashed about a bit.

On the flip side I have also been looking at some mft stuff but the difference in the a.f with those would probably do my head in.
 
You could have a look at the GX80 and GX9, especially the 20mp GX9, these cameras are lightening fast to focus and shoot.
 
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