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

gad-westy said:
After a little advice here. I fancy ditching my Nikon FX stuff, mainly due to weight. I mainly shoot landscape (inc astro and urban stuff), families (kids running around) and motorsport. So things that are important to me have normally been dynamic range and continuous auto focus ability. More recently, portability has become a major consideration too. I'd ruled out the Sony system previously, mainly on the grounds of auto focus. My intention was to go down the Fuji X-T2 route, and I may still do that but the Sony A7Riii had piqued my interest a little. I've had a little price up of what I'd want/need and it's eye watering to say the least but I recognise that you cannot really compare FF and APSC on price alone. In an effort to keep things portable and affordable (relatively speaking!), I was looking at something along the lines of Samyang 14mm, Batis 25mm, Sony 35mm 2.8, Sony 55mm 1.8.

And then I'd want a 70-200. So my main question at this stage is whether I can save a few quid by going for the f/4 version of the 70-200. I don't see the 1 stop issue being a problem but more concerned about IQ for landscape as I shoot long quite often. Must admit I'd love to be able to save some weight and £'s here but I don't want to be disappointed. Any thoughts?
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Personally I think the 70-200 f4 is excellent, I've just bought another one, very sharp and I'd say easily equal to the Nikon 70-200 f4 I had before, relatively cheap used so could try it and sell it on if you don't like it!

twist said:
IF the a7riii really is twice as fast as the a7rii with the same phase system in all conditions only because of updated algorithms that would be impressive, but id wonder why Sony won't release that as a fw update for the rii if its not hardware based.

I'm a little cautious of mirrorless Af claims.
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+1 :agree:
 
twist said:
IF the a7riii really is twice as fast as the a7rii with the same phase system in all conditions only because of updated algorithms that would be impressive, but id wonder why Sony won't release that as a fw update for the rii if its not hardware based.

I'm a little cautious of mirrorless Af claims.
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Doesn't A7RIII have a better processor and also faster readouts. May be that has something to do with faster processing with faster AF?
What makes you think it's the same AF system. Same number of points doesn't necessarily mean safe AF system.

If the above two doesn't explain it, I want my firmware update Sony. this would be the second time Sony had screwed us over in terms of fw updates (first time being not updating A7 and/or A6000 to PDAF with adapters like they did the A7II)
 
nandbytes said:
Doesn't A7RIII have a better processor and also faster readouts. May be that has something to do with faster processing with faster AF?
What makes you think it's the same AF system. Same number of points doesn't necessarily mean safe AF system.

If the above two doesn't explain it, I want my firmware update Sony. this would be the second time Sony had screwed us over in terms of fw updates (first time being not updating A7 and/or A6000 to PDAF with adapters like they did the A7II)
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The sensor spec and af is far to similar to be a completely new design, as you said, it may be the processing at work here (but that may explain fps, buffer, video, menu lag etc more) Sonys AF only speeds up when they add more phase detect points ime.

It's not unusual for Sony to offer what could be achieved via fw in a new model.
 
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twist said:
I only use CAF and it's better than all the mirrorless I've used (most) which surprised me. With fast primes it's fast to achieve focus, mirrorless will slow down in lower light without the fastest primes though. A lot is also dependant on the camera af mode settings.

What setup did you test?

Edit.... I've also used most ff dslrs extensively and I think the way to go for speed would be the a9 and not a7riii, the riii af system looks like an incremental upgrade rather than revolution like a9. Id love an a9 tbh.
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Interesting reading this. My only experience has been admittedly brief and was using the 70-300 to focus on a terrier on the beach (mate's camera and dog). I didn't get much chance to really experiment but it seemed so much more hit and miss than I'm used to from my D3. I have read great reviews of the A9 in this regard but its the A7R sensor that really appeals to me for landscape stuff and in particular astro. Just not as excited by the A9 for some reason, and of course it's many more £'s :(

Having seen some of the early reviews of the A7Riii, it seems like it may close performance to the A9. I need to wait until I can get my hands on one as most reviews I've seen so far have been in quite controlled conditions. I'm still some way off making a switch but I'm keen to see if Sony might work for me where in the past I've always ruled it out for one reason or another. There is a lot of appeal.
 
gad-westy said:
Interesting reading this. My only experience has been admittedly brief and was using the 70-300 to focus on a terrier on the beach (mate's camera and dog). I didn't get much chance to really experiment but it seemed so much more hit and miss than I'm used to from my D3. I have read great reviews of the A9 in this regard but its the A7R sensor that really appeals to me for landscape stuff and in particular astro. Just not as excited by the A9 for some reason, and of course it's many more £'s :(

Having seen some of the early reviews of the A7Riii, it seems like it may close performance to the A9. I need to wait until I can get my hands on one as most reviews I've seen so far have been in quite controlled conditions. I'm still some way off making a switch but I'm keen to see if Sony might work for me where in the past I've always ruled it out for one reason or another. There is a lot of appeal.
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Yeah, id also love an A9r, gotten used to the megapixels though.

The a7rii is no d3 beater in afc (but I've not used something like 70200gm for max performance), I don't think the a7riii would do that either but id say they are better than other cscs, then you need to look at what these cameras have that are far more advanced than a d3 offers. Mirrorless has only now reached pro (speed) af level with the a9.
 
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And at the other end of the market I've just bought and old 19mm. I've read that performance can vary so I'm looking forward to seeing how bad it can be but hopefully it'll be ok for whole pictures viewed normally and give me a taste of what I used to get from my 5D and Sigma 20mm :D
 
I'll have had my A7 four years soon. I suppose I'm not too demanding and it therefore does just about everything I want.

I had my Canon 20D for over seven years, I had my Nikon SLR for a couple of decades and I've had my Kodak Instamatic for over forty years. I've not used it for a while though :D
 
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twist said:
Couple of years.... bloody hell thats practically a lifetime!
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I bought A7 few months after release, so I've had A7 for a while (though technically not as I sold it and re-bought it at a later date to convert it for IR photography)
My A7RII is more than a year old.
 
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Has anyone bought the Voigtlander 65mm f2 that was released back in August/Sept?
I'm looking to complete my Prime Line-up, have the Loxia 21 and Loxia 35 but feel the 50 is probably a bit close to 35 really, fancy the 65 as its longer and also the macro ability could be fun to play with but wondered if anyone's used one yet?
 
chrism_scotland said:
Has anyone bought the Voigtlander 65mm f2 that was released back in August/Sept?
I'm looking to complete my Prime Line-up, have the Loxia 21 and Loxia 35 but feel the 50 is probably a bit close to 35 really, fancy the 65 as its longer and also the macro ability could be fun to play with but wondered if anyone's used one yet?
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Nope but looks great
 
chrism_scotland said:
Has anyone bought the Voigtlander 65mm f2 that was released back in August/Sept?
I'm looking to complete my Prime Line-up, have the Loxia 21 and Loxia 35 but feel the 50 is probably a bit close to 35 really, fancy the 65 as its longer and also the macro ability could be fun to play with but wondered if anyone's used one yet?
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I haven't used one but its reviewed very well and claimed by Voigtlander to be one the best lenses they made. It might just be on the same level as the legendary Voigtlander APO-lanthar 125mm macro. As I mentioned above, my main issue with it is it doesn't do 1:1.

I was thinking of a nice prime setup and I have always like the ~2x focal length rule of thumb for spacing out focal lengths...
So Voigt 10mm | Tokina Firin 20mm or loxia 21mm | Voigt 40mm/1.2 | Loxia 85mm. Now that's a line up I'd like :D
 
I'm tempted... there's a few reviews on line and no one seems to have a bad word to say about it. The general consensus seems to be that it's excellent. Didn't they say it's the best lens they've ever made?

You do know it's not 1:1 macro? This wouldn't matter to me. I do have my Sigma 50mm f2.8 which is 1:1 but I expect the Voigtlander to be better :D
 
nandbytes said:
I haven't used one but its reviewed very well and claimed by Voigtlander to be one the best lenses they made. It might just be on the same level as the legendary Voigtlander APO-lanthar 125mm macro. As I mentioned above, my main issue with it is it doesn't do 1:1.

I was thinking of a nice prime setup and I have always like the ~2x focal length rule of thumb for spacing out focal lengths...
So Voigt 10mm | Tokina Firin 20mm or loxia 21mm | Voigt 40mm/1.2 | Loxia 85mm. Now that's a line up I'd like :D
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Are you not tempted by some of the film era lenses? Some of them seem easily good enough.... for me :D
 
nandbytes said:
I haven't used one but its reviewed very well and claimed by Voigtlander to be one the best lenses they made. It might just be on the same level as the legendary Voigtlander APO-lanthar 125mm macro. As I mentioned above, my main issue with it is it doesn't do 1:1.

I was thinking of a nice prime setup and I have always like the ~2x focal length rule of thumb for spacing out focal lengths...
So Voigt 10mm | Tokina Firin 20mm or loxia 21mm | Voigt 40mm/1.2 | Loxia 85mm. Now that's a line up I'd like :D
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I had seriously thought about the 40mm but I really like a 35mm so was an easy one for me (that and the Loxia was cheap!) - I had heard a few folk saying it might be harder to focus that some manual glass as it had a fairly short throw.
 
chrism_scotland said:
I had seriously thought about the 40mm but I really like a 35mm so was an easy one for me (that and the Loxia was cheap!) - I had heard a few folk saying it might be harder to focus that some manual glass as it had a fairly short throw.
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Loxias are freaking amazing. Wish I didn't need af.
 
woof woof said:
Are you not tempted by some of the film era lenses? Some of them seem easily good enough.... for me :D
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I would be actually... bought the Loxia 21 as generally the older wide lenses don't have a great reputation and I've had it before and was blown away.
I did consider buying a Canon FD 35 f2 but again having used the Loxia 35 and the price I paid for it made it a no brainer really.
I would be interested in legacy longer length stuff though if you had any reconsiderations!

I'm not averse to a Loxia 50 but wondered if there might be a good legacy option in the 55-70 range?
 
twist said:
Loxias are freaking amazing. Wish I didn't need af.
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I was very surprised how much I've enjoyed manual focus with the primes, so easy with the A7rii!
Its the Loxia's that keep me with Sony currently, I know there's manual options for other systems but the way they work (EXIF, Auto Peaking/Magnfify, etc) just makes them a breeze.
 
chrism_scotland said:
I would be actually... bought the Loxia 21 as generally the older wide lenses don't have a great reputation and I've had it before and was blown away.
I did consider buying a Canon FD 35 f2 but again having used the Loxia 35 and the price I paid for it made it a no brainer really.
I would be interested in legacy longer length stuff though if you had any reconsiderations!

I'm not averse to a Loxia 50 but wondered if there might be a good legacy option in the 55-70 range?
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Get the loxia they'l all look so pretty together.
 
woof woof said:
Are you not tempted by some of the film era lenses? Some of them seem easily good enough.... for me :D
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I have a few but sometimes there is no replacement for certain modern lenses. Also like Chris mentioned manual focusing with native lens with stabilisation, exif, auto-magnify and peaking makes it nicer to use.

chrism_scotland said:
I would be actually... bought the Loxia 21 as generally the older wide lenses don't have a great reputation and I've had it before and was blown away.
I did consider buying a Canon FD 35 f2 but again having used the Loxia 35 and the price I paid for it made it a no brainer really.
I would be interested in legacy longer length stuff though if you had any reconsiderations!

I'm not averse to a Loxia 50 but wondered if there might be a good legacy option in the 55-70 range?
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The OM 21 (both f2 and f3.5) are rather good.

Plenty in 50-70mm range... Rokkor 58mm f/1.2 is legendary for its bokeh (I know of one in excellent condition going for €500)
but all depends on your size and price requirements
 
twist said:
Get the loxia they'l all look so pretty together.
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Haha, too true!

nandbytes said:
I have a few but sometimes there is no replacement for certain modern lenses. Also like Chris mentioned manual focusing with native lens with stabilisation, exif, auto-magnify and peaking makes it nicer to use.

The OM 21 (both f2 and f3.5) are rather good.

Plenty in 50-70mm range... Rokkor 58mm f/1.2 is legendary for its bokeh (I know of one in excellent condition going for €500)
but all depends on your size and price requirements
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A 58mm sounds nice actually.... always had a fancy for the Nikon 58mm!
 
58mm f/2 gets you the classic Helios lenses. YMMV but mine's plenty sharp enough, with swirly bokeh too if that's your bag.
 
twist said:
The other problem is that the d850 is the same price as the a9.
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Two very different camera's though... if you don't need the high megapixel count, Sony A9 every time!
If you need high megapixel then the Sony A7R III...... did somebody say d850? :D lol
 
twist said:
Not sure id come to that conclusion.
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The Nikon D850 is great, all of these bodies are great but I am firmly in the mirrorless camp.
I can see the appeal of the D850 though.
 
Riz_Guru said:
The Nikon D850 is great, all of these bodies are great but I am firmly in the mirrorless camp.
I can see the appeal of the D850 though.
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I wish Sigma would release some fe stuff. The ART performs very well adapted, even in pitch black but it's frustrating sigma is only selling apsc stuff for emount, doesn't make much sense.
 
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