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

[woof woof]

35mm f/1.2

https://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5...ir3zbLTJUk75G7EQmck2GtxfNiyvFys750hmR54IKy55I

Before I read this I was just thinking earlier today that there's nothing I want to buy except maybe a 100-300mm for MFT. Now that I've read this that 100-300mm is still the only thing I'm interested in.

 

[Cagey75]

Canikon patent it innit

Is that why Nikon have one for both dslr and ML?

 

[chris.]

“Cracking” set of images, nuff said.

George.

Thanks George much appreciated [emoji1303]

 

[RPhotos]

Are Sony still having issues with the Zeiss 35mm 1.4 being soft on one side or has this issue now been solved?

 

[jonneymendoza]

Is that why Nikon have one for both dslr and ML?

Yea lol

 

[ukaskew]

Shot an entire wedding with the Tamron 28-75mm, what a gem...

Roman Baths Wedding by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Roman Baths Wedding by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

 

[Deleted member 66768]

Ordered the A6400 off e-infin which arrived then a day later ordered the Sigma 16 1.4 for it. The tracking info never updated and I pestered them about it a few times. They said it may be lost in transit and refunded me straight away. Also said theres a possibility that it may still arrive... anyone ever had anything not turn up from e-infin? I've ordered so many times from them and never ever had a problem.

 

[woof woof]

Shot an entire wedding with the Tamron 28-75mm, what a gem...

I'm sure it is

As I know next to nothing about wedding photography your post has prompted a couple of questions, if you have time to answer...

Why B&W? Do many couples ask for the odd B&W picture or maybe some want the whole thing in B&W?

And secondly... Oh Golly… I had two questions and now I've forgotten the second Oh well... it might come back to me

 

[Raymond Lin]

For me, it simply comes down to the question "How does this shot look best?"

This covers everything from contrast, crop and colour/B&W.

I choose, like I choose how to take that photo from that angle to begin with to the end product of how it is edited. The couples don't ask for B&W, that is down to me.

However, if they do ask for a colour version, I will provide it.

There is often a simple reason why some are B&W besides artistically being more suited to B&W, it can be simply colour distractions in the background. A fire hydrant, a guest in a bright red dress in the back amongst everyone else in pastel etc.

When hiring a photographer they should like your portfolio, if they want a whole wedding in B&W....then they really ought to have hired a photographer with a track record of processing everything in B&W and not someone like me who shoots more in colour. They would have hired the wrong photographer in hiring me.

 

[woof woof]

I sometimes do B&W or rather mostly B&W possibly with a bit of a tint sometimes because I just think it suits the picture and I like it and sometimes I do it because I'm not really happy with the colour version for some reason and may end up preferring the B&W one. But that's for me so I just wondered about paying customers.

 

[Shoot Em Up]

Are Sony still having issues with the Zeiss 35mm 1.4 being soft on one side or has this issue now been solved?

Not sure if it has been resolved but the only thing soft with mine is the case that came with it.

I guess if you pick up a recently manufactured copy, you've got less chance of a soft one (assuming it has been resolved).

 

[Raymond Lin]

I sometimes do B&W or rather mostly B&W possibly with a bit of a tint sometimes because I just think it suits the picture and I like it and sometimes I do it because I'm not really happy with the colour version for some reason and may end up preferring the B&W one. But that's for me so I just wondered about paying customers.

There is a balance between what suits a photo and what your style is. The client should trust me to process the way that I think it looks best, be it colour or black and white. Like they should trust me to get the right angle and capture the key moments. Clients do sometimes ask for a B&W or vice versa, but this is rare, mainly because I provide a mix of both so there are seldom a scene or sequence where it is all colour or all B&W.

For example your use of tints, I don't use them in my clients photos, because it's never been done, not because it won't work but if I all of the sudden put it in...it will stand out like a sore thumb.

For example I quite like this flatter, ethereal profile look in fashion stuff.

It however does not go with a set of photos that has a more contrast look. They book me because they have seen my wedding photos with the more colourful look, not because of these side projects look, so unless they specifically mentioned it beforehand. It won't be processed this way, even if I think it might work.

My wedding black and whites punchy, with definition, always have been.

Colours are lively, I think it gives it a more happy mood, as opposed to more sombre from a flat look.

 

[clicktor]

Shot an entire wedding with the Tamron 28-75mm, what a gem...

Roman Baths Wedding by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Roman Baths Wedding by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Lovely shots. It's a great lens.

 

[woof woof]

There is a balance between what suits a photo and what your style is. The client should trust me to process the way that I think it looks best, be it colour or black and white. Like they should trust me to get the right angle and capture the key moments. Clients do sometimes ask for a B&W or vice versa, but this is rare, mainly because I provide a mix of both so there are seldom a scene or sequence where it is all colour or all B&W.

For example your use of tints, I don't use them in my clients photos, because it's never been done, not because it won't work but if I all of the sudden put it in...it will stand out like a sore thumb.

For example I quite like this flatter, ethereal profile look in fashion stuff.

It however does not go with a set of photos that has a more contrast look. They book me because they have seen my wedding photos with the more colourful look, not because of these side projects look, so unless they specifically mentioned it beforehand. It won't be processed this way, even if I think it might work.

I like the flat look but I can imagine some people thinking it lacks effect and punch... as some seem to like a high impact picture with contrast and saturation etc but I think that over time the flat look might be the picture that ages the best. I can imagine some people initially wanting more impact but eventually coming to appreciate the picture.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I like the flat look but I can imagine some people thinking it lacks effect and punch... as some seem to like a high impact picture with contrast and saturation etc but I think that over time the flat look might be the picture that ages the best. I can imagine some people initially wanting more impact but eventually coming to appreciate the picture.

There are some wedding photographers' style is that flat look, that is their portfolio pretty much so if a couple love that look, they should hire them, and not me. The key is that hire a photographer that you like the look of their work, as a whole, don't ask them to shoot it like this or that, if you are doing that they you have hired the wrong photographer. It would be like hiring a Sushi Chef to cook you Pasta or vice versa. Both of them might be Michelin Star chefs but they are good are specifically what they do.

 

[clicktor]

I agree about colour distraction being a reason to process as mono sometimes.

One of the things I notice a lot about this thread (maybe many other equipment threads are like it these days, not sure) is that a lot of the responses and reasoning is based on an angle from pros who have a job to do. I felt when I've been in owners threads in the past it's been a lot more balanced towards amateurs and hobbyists. I guess it shows that Sony are attracting pros as the gear is very good! I say this having previously owned Panasonic and Olympus M4/3rds, Canon DSLRs and Fuji X.

 

[f/2.8]

Ordered the A6400 off e-infin which arrived then a day later ordered the Sigma 16 1.4 for it. The tracking info never updated and I pestered them about it a few times. They said it may be lost in transit and refunded me straight away. Also said theres a possibility that it may still arrive... anyone ever had anything not turn up from e-infin? I've ordered so many times from them and never ever had a problem.

On my last couple of orders they have been sent to an address in England then sent on to me via R.M.S.D.

Don't imagine there is any chance that it might turn up as it will go the address in England first then be relabelled and sent on again. You would imagine when it gets to England they will just send it back as it has been refunded.

Did a wedding last week with Josh he was saying you are working for him this Friday.

 

[ukaskew]

I'm sure it is

As I know next to nothing about wedding photography your post has prompted a couple of questions, if you have time to answer...

Why B&W? Do many couples ask for the odd B&W picture or maybe some want the whole thing in B&W?

80% of photos I deliver (typically 400 per wedding) are in colour, but when it comes to picking out favourites I almost always get drawn to the B&W ones.

Typically my clients love a good selection of mono shots and from what I've seen of them posting photos subsequently on social media, a higher percentage of those appear. Quite often for key images I will supply both colour and B&W.

As for why, I can't really put a finger on it but some shots just work better. At this venue there are a number of colourful signs for people doing the audio tour, I'd never photoshop stuff out but B&W is an effective tool for 'hiding' them.

What I am trying to learn to worry about less is ‘unclean’ images with what I’d consider distracting things in the background or so on. I follow one of the top wedding photographers in the UK on social media, he rarely posts, just picking out the occasional special image. One in particular was a great emotional moment but had something like a works van prominent in frame. I would have culled it instantly, but most/all couples wouldn’t care about the van as long as the moment captured is there. I’m still struggling with that one a bit, although I am far less concerned about noise than I used to be, a noisy shot is so much better than a blurry one, and back on topic…black and white works great with high ISO!

 

[Cagey75]

When it comes to B&W I almost always prefer a good punch in contrast, I don't want grey scale, I want proper blacks and whites. I've saved many an image by converting to B&W that just didn't work in colour, no matter the filter thrown at it. B&W can give that more timeless feel, it can also go the film noir direction of you get arty with it.

 

[f/2.8]

Like cagey I prefer proper contrasty b&w with no grey tones.

For weddings I deliver a fair amount of mono images especially from getting ready and the ceremony, I don't usually give many mono portraits but occasionally I will.

I never provide them with a colour and mono version. I believe that stems from the old school run and gun type wedding photographers that provided a copy of every image in mono and colour to bump up their numbers. I always associate that with the £250 a wedding guys & girls. That may not be the case of course, just my opinion.

The way I look at it is that the couple need to to trust that I know what I am doing and if an image for me looks better in mono it needs to be mono. I did once have a couple ask for an image that I had supplied in mono to be sent in colour. I thought about saying no, but in the end for the the couple of seconds it took to change it, I sent them a colour version. When they ordered their album they used the mono version.

 

[ukaskew]

Specifically for the images I've posted above...

#1: lots of bright guest outfits, B&W really highlighted the couple at the front compared to the colour version where they got a bit lost in the muddle of colour (the water is pretty bright too!) Other angles where the guests aren't directly behind were fine in colour.

#2: no reason whatsoever other than the a7iii AF is so good that confetti tunnels are hit after hit after hit. If they've got 10 keepers from the same scene all with slightly different expressions etc I'll usually do a couple in B&W just to mix it up a bit rather than bin perfectly good unique photos.

 

[RPhotos]

for me B&W often comes down to emotion, i ask my self is colour needed for the emotion in the images. often its not and being b&w helps to enhance that emotion

 

[Raymond Lin]

Specifically for the images I've posted above...

#1: lots of bright guest outfits, B&W really highlighted the couple at the front compared to the colour version where they got a bit lost in the muddle of colour (the water is pretty bright too!) Other angles where the guests aren't directly behind were fine in colour.

#2: no reason whatsoever other than the a7iii AF is so good that confetti tunnels are hit after hit after hit. If they've got 10 keepers from the same scene all with slightly different expressions etc I'll usually do a couple in B&W just to mix it up a bit rather than bin perfectly good unique photos.

p.s. I've been to the Roman Baths, not as a tourist or wedding though but this (very random), i show up 7:32 in . I can't imagine it to be an easy venue to photograph with the water in the middle.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg70GAALnOY

 

[Cagey75]

Like cagey I prefer proper contrasty b&w with no grey tones.

For weddings I deliver a fair amount of mono images especially from getting ready and the ceremony, I don't usually give many mono portraits but occasionally I will.

I never provide them with a colour and mono version. I believe that stems from the old school run and gun type wedding photographers that provided a copy of every image in mono and colour to bump up their numbers. I always associate that with the £250 a wedding guys & girls. That may not be the case of course, just my opinion.

The way I look at it is that the couple need to to trust that I know what I am doing and if an image for me looks better in mono it needs to be mono. I did once have a couple ask for an image that I had supplied in mono to be sent in colour. I thought about saying no, but in the end for the the couple of seconds it took to change it, I sent them a colour version. When they ordered their album they used the mono version.

The few weddings I did shoot I had full go ahead to process them however I saw fit, I don't think I would have agreed to shoot them otherwise tbh. If a B&G choose you, they will have no doubt seen your work and they are happy to pay for your style. That's how it should be, though I'm sure there's many 'bridezillas' who want in on the final look.

 

[ancient_mariner]

When I shot weddings I didn't get a choice for color or mono.

 

[ukaskew]

p.s. I've been to the Roman Baths, not as a tourist or wedding though but this (very random), i show up 7:32 in . I can't imagine it to be an easy venue to photograph with the water in the middle.

Main issue was 8:30am ceremony, 9am open to the public! We had 10 minutes to do the group and couples shots before we were swamped with tourists, fortunately I’ve always worked very fast so it was fine (but only just). Otherwise it was superb, beautiful place to work and it’s 15 minutes from home, so win-win.

I have a candlelit 7pm 'sunset' wedding there next February, so pretty much pitch black and assuming it’s cold that’s also going to mean loads of steam rising. Should be interesting!

 

[Raymond Lin]

Main issue was 8:30am ceremony, 9am open to the public! We had 10 minutes to do the group and couples shots before we were swamped with tourists, fortunately I’ve always worked very fast so it was fine (but only just). Otherwise it was superb, beautiful place to work and it’s 15 minutes from home, so win-win.

I have a candlelit 7pm 'sunset' wedding there next February, so pretty much pitch black and assuming it’s cold that’s also going to mean loads of steam rising. Should be interesting!

Ouch, that's early!!! What time did you start the bridal prep ?

 

[f/2.8]

Main issue was 8:30am ceremony, 9am open to the public! We had 10 minutes to do the group and couples shots before we were swamped with tourists, fortunately I’ve always worked very fast so it was fine (but only just). Otherwise it was superb, beautiful place to work and it’s 15 minutes from home, so win-win.

I have a candlelit 7pm 'sunset' wedding there next February, so pretty much pitch black and assuming it’s cold that’s also going to mean loads of steam rising. Should be interesting!

That actually sounds awesome, wee short day.

We had a wedding on Friday, it was a bit further away and the ceremony was at 12. So we had to get up at 5.30 a.m. I was still a bit hyper after having a good day so I stayed up and backed everything up etc. when I got home and wasn't hitting bed until 2.30 a.m. It was only the next day that I thought to myself that's frigging mental for a days work.

 

[Raymond Lin]

That actually sounds awesome, wee short day.

We had a wedding on Friday, it was a bit further away and the ceremony was at 12. So we had to get up at 5.30 a.m. I was still a bit hyper after having a good day so I stayed up and backed everything up etc. when I got home and wasn't hitting bed until 2.30 a.m. It was only the next day that I thought to myself that's frigging mental for a days work.

What is your longest day?

Mine was up at 5:30am and I left at 4:30am. Then had to get up at 7am to catch the train back (I was in France)

 

[Cagey75]

What is your longest day?

Mine was up at 5:30am and I left at 4:30am. Then had to get up at 7am to catch the train back (I was in France)

That would be almost typical of a full wedding in Ireland tbh - if you had to travel for it. Church is usually around 11-12, so if you're doing both B&G preps you need to get there around 9am, get both done and get to the church before them. I've never been to an Irish wedding that wasn't still on the go at 3-4am, of course you don't have to photograph that end of it, but some of the more fun shots could be there

 

[f/2.8]

What is your longest day?

Mine was up at 5:30am and I left at 4:30am. Then had to get up at 7am to catch the train back (I was in France)

A couple of years ago we did a wedding over 2 days. The first day the couple got married in a local church then had the reception in a hotel with just their family. The second day they got married again on the beach and had the reception at a different hotel. Not sure why they decided to go that route, the groom's family was quite religious so I am guessing that the first day was to keep them happy. The wedding on the second day was far more relaxed, lots of drink, drugs and good times. (not us obviously) For that one we left the house at about 6.00 a.m for the first wedding, that night we stayed at the hotel and I stayed up with the bride, groom and their brothers and sisters in the hotel bar until about 5.30 a.m the next morning. Went to bed, then back up at 9.00 a.m for the second wedding and got home at about 3.30 a.m. To be fair I could have left at about 10.00 p.m ended up working till about 11.30 then packed away the gear and kicked back with guests for a bit.

They where probably my favourite couple, we are good friends with them now, although we didn't know them before the wedding, we meet them regularly now for nights out etc.

 

[ukaskew]

Ouch, that's early!!! What time did you start the bridal prep ?

Bride was super chilled, she got up at about 7am to get ready herself if I remember correctly. I got to the baths at 7:15am, which was awesome as I had the place to myself for 45 minutes. Everyone (20 guests) arrived at 8am, wedding at 8:30, short walk to the wedding breakfast venue, speeches at 9:30, cake cut and they set me free at 10am when they sat down for breakfast! I was home by 10:30, sat down and processed the photos that afternoon and delivered them the next day before the jetted off on honeymoon. The sunset wedding I have there I’m doing around 6pm – 11pm I think.

 

[Raymond Lin]

A couple of years ago we did a wedding over 2 days. The first day the couple got married in a local church then had the reception in a hotel with just their family. The second day they got married again on the beach and had the reception at a different hotel. Not sure why they decided to go that route, the groom's family was quite religious so I am guessing that the first day was to keep them happy. The wedding on the second day was far more relaxed, lots of drink, drugs and good times. (not us obviously) For that one we left the house at about 6.00 a.m for the first wedding, that night we stayed at the hotel and I stayed up with the bride, groom and their brothers and sisters in the hotel bar until about 5.30 a.m the next morning. Went to bed, then back up at 9.00 a.m for the second wedding and got home at about 3.30 a.m. To be fair I could have left at about 10.00 p.m ended up working till about 11.30 then packed away the gear and kicked back with guests for a bit.

That is quite hardcore, did you price them for 2 days', ie 2 weddings?

 

[f/2.8]

That is quite hardcore, did you price them for 2 days', ie 2 weddings?

Yep, just treated it as 2 separate weddings. Wasn't an issue, the groom had worked as a wedding photographer a few years back so he knew what the craic was.

He has actually started photographing weddings again recently, I have been helping him get things set up.

 

[f/2.8]

Bride was super chilled, she got up at about 7am to get ready herself if I remember correctly. I got to the baths at 7:15am, which was awesome as I had the place to myself for 45 minutes. Everyone (20 guests) arrived at 8am, wedding at 8:30, short walk to the wedding breakfast venue, speeches at 9:30, cake cut and they set me free at 10am when they sat down for breakfast! I was home by 10:30, sat down and processed the photos that afternoon and delivered them the next day before the jetted off on honeymoon. The sunset wedding I have there I’m doing around 6pm – 11pm I think.

That's an awesome wee gig, could be doing with a few of those myself.

We occasionally do a few ceremony only weddings at the local registry office with a few portraits after but it doesn't happen very often.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I think the shortest one I'd done was 10am to 4pm.

All the others are like from morning until midnight, which I don't mind, I love the evening dancing part.

 

[f/2.8]

I think the shortest one I'd done was 10am to 4pm.

All the others are like from morning until midnight, which I don't mind, I love the evening dancing part.

On one hand I like all day as we enjoy all the different parts of the day, but it's also nice to head off home early too.

We have a few different option our half day which for us is bride getting ready, ceremony, bride & groom portraits, bridal party portraits, a few family photos.

Then full day which is bride getting ready until the end of the first dance, although we usually stay for a couple of songs after. First dance here is usually around 8.30-9.30 p.m. We also give them the option of additional time at an hourly rate after the first dance if they are planning for anything else. Some do fireworks at midnight etc.

Like I said above though we occasionally get contacted and they only want the ceremony, we wouldn't do just that but we give them the option of ceremony and a few portraits after. It is usually couples on a very tight budget, so they tend to be mid week so have no issue booking them. We don't get them that often though, but it's a seriously handy "days" work. In August this year we have one of those booked at 12 and another at 3 so 2 weddings in one day.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I stayed so late that the most frequent thing I hear from guests are "I can't believe you are still here!"

 

[f/2.8]

I stayed so late that the most frequent thing I hear from guests are "I can't believe you are still here!"

Yeah we get that too, although here every wedding photographer in the country gets told "it's an awful long day for you too" at least 3-4 times at every wedding.

It is the photographer version of jumping in a taxi and asking the driver, "well busy tonight mate".

 

[Raymond Lin]

Yeah we get that too, although here every wedding photographer in the country gets told "it's an awful long day for you too" at least 3-4 times at every wedding.

That too! and "how many photos have you taken?"