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

With all this talk about 70-200, I’m thinking I’m missing out . Personally I dont use either, I prefer the 100-400 and find it much more versatile, with a slight twist I’ve got a lens for wildlife. With the close focus ability it works for pseudo macro stuff. Some of my favourite landscapes have also been taken with it
 
Price shouldn't matter on gear, only performance. I swear this is the only thread where cheaper gear gets put down for the sake of it, every other gear specific thread the cheaper options get hailed rather than shunned - if they are in any way decent. General observation, not aimed at anyone btw

As for the extra 1% sharpness or better performance in corners, you only have to look at Flickr where people use the most expensive gear only to upload in low res so viewers can't even pixel peep - no doubt often cropped a fair amount on top so the corner performance is a lie! :D they may as well have shot [landscape in particular] with a kit lens as it'll look much the same at that res

This thread is as much about willy waving as it is about actual photography. That's the main reason I refrain from posting here these days - bettering your images through gear isn't what photography is about, for me, sorry.
 
Price shouldn't matter on gear, only performance. I swear this is the only thread where cheaper gear gets put down for the sake of it, every other gear specific thread the cheaper options get hailed rather than shunned - if they are in any way decent. General observation, not aimed at anyone btw

As for the extra 1% sharpness or better performance in corners, you only have to look at Flickr where people use the most expensive gear only to upload in low res so viewers can't even pixel peep - no doubt often cropped a fair amount on top so the corner performance is a lie! :D they may as well have shot [landscape in particular] with a kit lens as it'll look much the same at that res

This thread is sometimes about who can spend the most. People buying £2k lenses like they would a bag a sweets.

Baffles me at times.

Sometimes I think we forget it’s the picture taking that counts, not having the same FL covered by 6 lenses ‘just incase’
 
This thread is in the equipment/gear section...

So are all the other camera manufacturer threads, and budget gear is still equipment/gear. It doesn't read 'upper end gear section' does it? I've seen you say same when you saw people slag off the likes of the Samyang lenses, maybe remember your post for next time that annoys you
 
Last edited:
So are all the other camera manufacturer threads, and budget gear is still equipment/gear. It doesn't read 'upper end gear section' does it? I've seen you say same when you saw people slag off the likes of the Samyang lenses, maybe remember your post for next time that annoys you

What are you on about?
 
What are you on about?

NM, it was someone else I was thinking of - point remains though, all the other camera manufacturer threads are also in the gear section and we don't see same.
 
Last edited:
When people slag off the Samyang lenses or whatever, do you not defend them, because there's nowt wrong with budget gear? Or maybe it's someone else, I get confused with some of you if I'm honest

Not me, although I don't think there is anything wrong with budget gear to be honest. The gear that works best for you, is all fine by me regardless of cost. I like Sigma because of where they stand on quality/cost, but boy is there ever a size/weight penalty :D
 
This thread is as much about willy waving as it is about actual photography. That's the main reason I refrain from posting here these days - bettering your images through gear isn't what photography is about, for me, sorry.

:LOL:

Someone says this in this thread at least every couple of weeks.

The truth is that there is some people in this thread who get a right hump when someone buys something new and shiney.

There is a reason more expensive gear is more expensive, it is because it generally performs better, that is just a fact. There has been plenty of discussion about cheaper gear here as well.

As someone else pointed out this thread is in the equipment part of the forum so it's pretty normal to expect that a lot of chat in the thread is going to be about equipment. There are lots of other threads on the forum where you can discuss improving your photography, you can even create one of your own.

We live in a world of have's and have nots, some people will have a budget to buy whatever they want and cost won't be a factor. Others will have a smaller budget and will have to make do.

The difference in this thread compared to some others on the forum, is that some of those who don't have a budget to buy whatever they want take offence when someone else does. You don't really see that so much in other equipment threads.
 
This thread is sometimes about who can spend the most. People buying £2k lenses like they would a bag a sweets.

Baffles me at times.

Sometimes I think we forget it’s the picture taking that counts, not having the same FL covered by 6 lenses ‘just incase’

I use a X-T1 with a 35/1.4 99% of the time in the office…it gets the job done. I know exactly the criteria of the job requirement and the gear that it needs and what would be excessive.
 
I use a X-T1 with a 35/1.4 99% of the time in the office…it gets the job done. I know exactly the criteria of the job requirement and the gear that it needs and what would be excessive.

If your job didn't involve any photography Raymond would you be happier with lower spec gear?

I would, would probably be happy enough with an APSC camera and a couple of decent lenses.
 
I use a X-T1 with a 35/1.4 99% of the time in the office…it gets the job done. I know exactly the criteria of the job requirement and the gear that it needs and what would be excessive.
You need a separate body+lens from a different system because your Sony system can't handle it?
Think you are making TG's point :D
 
I use a X-T1 with a 35/1.4 99% of the time in the office…it gets the job done. I know exactly the criteria of the job requirement and the gear that it needs and what would be excessive.

Yeah, that point doesn’t really apply when you have all the gear under the sun. If anything, why on earth would you use an x-t1 when you have everything else at your disposal.
 
You need a separate body+lens from a different system because your Sony system can't handle it?
Think you are making TG's point :D

Ha no, I just don't need to take more expensive gear when i don't need to. Because I know the prints that i make, the web sizes that I use. I know I only shoot in natural light too so I take the minimal that i need to get the job done.

If your job didn't involve any photography Raymond would you be happier with lower spec gear?

I would, would probably be happy enough with an APSC camera and a couple of decent lenses.

Probably not because when i started out I started with lower spec gear, I bought a 30D (good body at the time), but I had a kit lens and 50/1.8. What frustrated me the most wasn't the sharpness, it was the variable aperture in the kit lens, F/3.5 was only achievable at the widest focal length, the second you zoom it drops down and at that point anything ISO800 and over looks like crap.

Then I remember also getting a Sigma 24-70/2.8, the old one, thinking "sure", I can save some money in not getting the Canon. I returned it because it just didn't focus well.

I sold it all, which wasn't much and started from scratch with lenses (bought a 16-35L, then a Canon 50/1.4 (got rid of that….but it paid for itself), then 135L, 24-70L etc etc), basically I thought, whether I was right or wrong, knowing myself and I am a person who just have to get the top end model wherever possible for whatever thing that i buy, so when I buy my car (i am only on my second, but both I have the largest engine the model offers), when I got my iMac I got top spec that it offers, when I get my glasses I tick every option on the list (highest index, coating etc), so I know myself enough that I should just stop beating around the bush and I am not fooling anyone that if I get the lowest end version of the item offered, it will bug me constantly not getting the top end one and I know eventually I will just end up getting it. So it became both a psychological thing and also saving money thing, just buy the best in day 1, saves losing money upgrading bit by bit. My first guitar isn't a £100 Yamaha Pacifica, but a Taylor T5, and my first full electric guitar is a PRS Custom 24 with a 10-top, my first Les Paul style guitar isn't an Epiphone but a Gibson Custom Shop.

So I am fairly certain that if I don't shoot for work, I would still have nice lenses. I might get the Fuji system and be happy with that, as I don't drive a Ferrari, but I know I would get the top end Fuji model and I would get the fastest Fuji glass. It's just my personality. I believe that if you buy cheap, you buy twice. And ultimately you end up spending more. So in the long term it is cheaper to get something nicer to begin with. It's what hold me back from getting something like an Apple Watch, it just gets outdated and I will have to replace it. Whereas I am happy with an mechanical automatic that only tells time. It does nothing else but tell time but I know it is a quality product and will lasts years and decades. Although weirdly it doesn't apply to everything in my life, I am happy wearing the cheapest of T-shirts, or eat cheap bread with store brand sausages. Mostly though, I would keep the philosophy that I get good quality gear from the beginning. My experiences tells me that is the right way to go. My iMac still going strong from 2012, my guitars have not lost any money really from the price i paid for them amazingly, in part due to the Brexit (and my guitars are Made in USA, so pound weaken means all guitars gets more expensive), and even my car….only lost £3000 in depreciation after 3 years.

Yeah, that point doesn’t really apply when you have all the gear under the sun. If anything, why on earth would you use an x-t1 when you have everything else at your disposal.

Why? I explained why in the very sentence you quoted.
 
Last edited:
:LOL:

Someone says this in this thread at least every couple of weeks.

The truth is that there is some people in this thread who get a right hump when someone buys something new and shiney.

There is a reason more expensive gear is more expensive, it is because it generally performs better, that is just a fact. There has been plenty of discussion about cheaper gear here as well.

As someone else pointed out this thread is in the equipment part of the forum so it's pretty normal to expect that a lot of chat in the thread is going to be about equipment. There are lots of other threads on the forum where you can discuss improving your photography, you can even create one of your own.

We live in a world of have's and have nots, some people will have a budget to buy whatever they want and cost won't be a factor. Others will have a smaller budget and will have to make do.

The difference in this thread compared to some others on the forum, is that some of those who don't have a budget to buy whatever they want take offence when someone else does. You don't really see that so much in other equipment threads.

Whilst I’m sure there are some people on here get jealous of others - that’s really not the point I’m making, nor does it bother me what gear others use...

It’s more that 90% of the chat on this thread is one upping of the one another. If this thread were a little less about willy waving, I’m sure we’d see far, far less of these flare ups and arguments we seem to witness on a near daily basis, no?

I seriously take zero offence by someone buying something more expensive than I am willing to pay, not sure why anyone else would care - but maybe they do. I dunno. The emphasis Brits place on the class system is an oddity I’ve never quite understood.
 
Last edited:
Whilst I’m sure there are some people on here get jealous of others - that’s really not the point I’m making, nor does it bother me what gear others use...

It’s more that 90% of the chat on this thread is one upping of the one another. If this thread were a little less about willy waving, I’m sure we’d see far, far less of these flare ups and arguments we seem to witness on a near daily basis, no?

I seriously take zero offence by someone buying something more expensive than I am willing to pay, not sure why anyone else would care - but maybe they do. I dunno. Class in the UK is a funny ol thing.

I really haven't seen that here at all. Perhaps you could share some posts that come across that way.

What I do see a lot is for example like when Raymond bought a new lens the other day and got a few negative comments, then again when he said he was going to buy a 700-200 f/2.8 he got a few more. It was obvious from the tone of some of them there was a bit of jealousy at play.
 
Whilst I’m sure there are some people on here get jealous of others - that’s really not the point I’m making, nor does it bother me what gear others use...

It’s more that 90% of the chat on this thread is one upping of the one another. If this thread were a little less about willy waving, I’m sure we’d see far, far less of these flare ups and arguments we seem to witness on a near daily basis, no?

I seriously take zero offence by someone buying something more expensive than I am willing to pay, not sure why anyone else would care - but maybe they do. I dunno. The emphasis Brits place on the class system is an oddity I’ve never quite understood.

The jealousy thing is non existent, there's a contradiction to say in other threads nobody gets jealous when others show they bought nice gear, that's proof enough. You have to just take some of the spiel in here with a fistful of salt tbh. It seems those with the pricey gear are the ones who get defensive when anyone points it out more like.
 
I really haven't seen that here at all. Perhaps you could share some posts that come across that way.

What I do see a lot is for example like when Raymond bought a new lens the other day and got a few negative comments, then again when he said he was going to buy a 700-200 f/2.8 he got a few more. It was obvious from the tone of some of them there was a bit of jealousy at play.

Honestly nobody was jealous, if you're partly referring to my comments that was in the midst of a bit of a silly argy bargy and we were mostly slagging off 'high end' coffee. There was nothing more to it. I didn't even spot that be bought another lens tbh. If I was jealous of people who buy higher end gear I'd never come in here :D
 
:LOL:

Someone says this in this thread at least every couple of weeks.

The truth is that there is some people in this thread who get a right hump when someone buys something new and shiney.

There is a reason more expensive gear is more expensive, it is because it generally performs better, that is just a fact. There has been plenty of discussion about cheaper gear here as well.

As someone else pointed out this thread is in the equipment part of the forum so it's pretty normal to expect that a lot of chat in the thread is going to be about equipment. There are lots of other threads on the forum where you can discuss improving your photography, you can even create one of your own.

We live in a world of have's and have nots, some people will have a budget to buy whatever they want and cost won't be a factor. Others will have a smaller budget and will have to make do.

The difference in this thread compared to some others on the forum, is that some of those who don't have a budget to buy whatever they want take offence when someone else does. You don't really see that so much in other equipment threads.

The last part of your comment probably isn't aimed at me at all but, I don't take any offence at all. What I have been doing is stating that one lens was simply more suitable for a job than a different lens. I quite like seeing what people are buying, there are the moments I think 'that is a d*ck measuring contest' but they are few and far between. On other occasions I genuinely wonder how people make money after spending sooo much on kit, but again - few and far between.

Why? I explained why in the very sentence you quoted.

What, that 'it gets the job done'. Ok so, for weddings there are many, many bits of kit below the level of yours that would 'get the job done'. Why don't you take xt-3's to a wedding and save your cash in that case?

Even a d7200 would 'get the job done' at a wedding and be good enough?

In the same way the 70-200 f4 would 'get the job done' for landscape :D

You once posted an image of your kit for a wedding on here and it raised a couple of comments about the amount being 'excessive' - which goes against the post I quoted.

Odd logic in my opinion.

Lets be honest, it isn't just about getting the job done for you and only using stuff that isn't excessive at all.
 
I really haven't seen that here at all. Perhaps you could share some posts that come across that way.

What I do see a lot is for example like when Raymond bought a new lens the other day and got a few negative comments, then again when he said he was going to buy a 700-200 f/2.8 he got a few more. It was obvious from the tone of some of them there was a bit of jealousy at play.

I won't go into detail but I wasn't born rich, i am not rich, my family are not rich. I was born into a house with no toilet, no running hot water and cockroaches would come out day or night and I slept on a piece of wood covered with a bamboo mat.

So when I say "I am going to buy this lens", I know how far I've come so people can talk about necessity or bragging or that, it doesn't concern me as I got here through hard work.
 
Last edited:
The last part of your comment probably isn't aimed at me at all but, I don't take any offence at all. What I have been doing is stating that one lens was simply more suitable for a job than a different lens. I quite like seeing what people are buying, there are the moments I think 'that is a d*ck measuring contest' but they are few and far between. On other occasions I genuinely wonder how people make money after spending sooo much on kit, but again - few and far between.



What, that 'it gets the job done'. Ok so, for weddings there are many, many bits of kit below the level of yours that would 'get the job done'. Why don't you take xt-3's to a wedding and save your cash in that case?

Even a d7200 would 'get the job done' at a wedding and be good enough?

In the same way the 70-200 f4 would 'get the job done' for landscape :D

You once posted an image of your kit for a wedding on here and it raised a couple of comments about the amount being 'excessive' - which goes against the post I quoted.

Odd logic in my opinion.

Lets be honest, it isn't just about getting the job done for you and only using stuff that isn't excessive at all.

Because in the office the largest I would need to print is typically a trade catalogue, A4. With weddings I could print A1 canvas, or in 1 client's case, go on magazines and also large posters in her office. I need the flexibility to cover all the bases.
 
Because in the office the largest I would need to print is typically a trade catalogue, A4. With weddings I could print A1 canvas, or in 1 client's case, go on magazines and also large posters in her office. I need the flexibility to cover all the bases.

I think we can agree to disagree on this one Raymond, because most of the kit I mentioned would happily achieve those results.

To some extent I understand where your coming from, and some, I just don't (y)
 
Let's post a photo shall we?

I remember seeing a wedding ring with doughnut photos from years ago, made an impression but I forgot about it, because how often do you get doughnuts at a wedding?!

Then it happened so I did one!

zpsQDtG.jpg
 
I got in trouble before for willy waving. And this week we are in a (lovely!) caravan so I'm drinking Morrison's coffee!! :oops: :$

I sometimes think some on here are crazy for what they buy and spend on gear but that's up to them. I could afford better and newer gear than I have but imo I don't need it and what I have does what I want. I'm not sure I'd want more lenses etc....

My next purchase will probably be a rear opening hiking backpack with insert so that when I go out I can do it in more comfort :)
 
Let's post a photo shall we?

I remember seeing a wedding ring with doughnut photos from years ago, made an impression but I forgot about it, because how often do you get doughnuts at a wedding?!

Then it happened so I did one!

zpsQDtG.jpg

I went to a friend's dad's funeral the other week. The 'buffet' at the wake was cakes and cupcakes! That was a new one on me!
 
I won't go into detail but I wasn't born rich, i am not rich, my family are not rich. I was born into a house with no toilet, no running hot water and cockroaches would come out day or night and I slept on a piece of wood covered with a bamboo mat.

So when I say "I am going to buy this lens", I know how far I've come so people can talk about necessity or bragging or that, it doesn't concern me as I got here through hard work.

I hear ya.

I have some reasonably decent kit and have been accused here before of being elitist.

I am not rich either, nor is my family, far from it.

If however I need to purchase equipment for work I buy the best option for my needs. That doesn't always mean the best or most expensive. For example I bought the Tamron 17-28 f/2.8 instead of the 16-35GM because while I wanted a faster wide angle lens and I wanted it to be light weight as well. If the 16-35 had better fitted my needs I would however have got that instead.

On the flipside of the coin though there is undoubtedly loads of people in this thread that have more disposable income than me, have nicer houses, drive nicer cars etc. but call me elitist because I like to have the best tool for me to make it easier to do my job. :LOL:

While some if they don't have the budget for something will buy something else and then moan and be negative towards those have the kit they wanted. I would rather wait and when I have the pennys available get the thing I actually want. As you mentioned earlier and it's a lesson I have learned myself over the years, there is no point buying second best if you are hankering to upgrade before you have even bought second best.
 
If however I need to purchase equipment for work I buy the best option for my needs. That doesn't always mean the best or most expensive. For example I bought the Tamron 17-28 f/2.8 instead of the 16-35GM because while I wanted a faster wide angle lens and I wanted it to be light weight as well. If the 16-35 had better fitted my needs I would however have got that instead.

How does Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 faster than Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM? :ROFLMAO:
 
The last part of your comment probably isn't aimed at me at all but, I don't take any offence at all. What I have been doing is stating that one lens was simply more suitable for a job than a different lens. I quite like seeing what people are buying, there are the moments I think 'that is a d*ck measuring contest' but they are few and far between. On other occasions I genuinely wonder how people make money after spending sooo much on kit, but again - few and far between.

You are right it wasn't actually aimed at you, I think if you read back a few pages you can see what I mean.

I can't talk for anyone else but for myself I work out what I can spend on equipment based on what I have left over from covering all of my business expenses, paying my own bills, adding a few quid to my slush fund account where I keep my money for my own expenses, trips away etc. Whatever is left over is spare money so I can spend it on equipment if I want to or something else. I have spent a lot changing over from Nikon to Sony, but to be fair I did get a fair chunk of change back for the Nikon stuff I have sold.

I do think those that have A9's and all the lenses etc. are a bit nuts when they are using them just for personal use but I don't have any issue with it.
 
Last edited:
How does Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 faster than Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM? :ROFLMAO:

Do you have a problem reading English?

I never said it was faster than the 16-35 I said I wanted a faster wide angle lens I had the 16-35 f/4 previously and preferred the Tamron because it was lighter than the G.M.
 
Ok well, in a very loose link to Sony, I thought I'd add a photo to the group. Hopefully as I am on holiday next week I should be able t actually get the Rii out a few times. Thats the plan anyway.

Back to the photo, I recently got a shiny new toy, so I had the perfect opportunity to share a few pics. This was one of my favourites. Taken with my iPhone X (Sony sensor) ;)

AMG Power by Chris Heathcote, on Flickr
 
The talk here of high end kit is 'interesting'. As it's just a hobby for me, I actually feel quite uncomfortable having a couple of grand in a camera and lens, and the though of dropping another £500 on a lens makes me twitch a bit. It's really nice to have good kit, but this stuff is really expensive for just having a bit of fun.
 
The talk here of high end kit is 'interesting'. As it's just a hobby for me, I actually feel quite uncomfortable having a couple of grand in a camera and lens, and the though of dropping another £500 on a lens makes me twitch a bit. It's really nice to have good kit, but this stuff is really expensive for just having a bit of fun.

As a younger fella I used to think nothing of spending a few hundred quid a week getting p***ed, drugs etc. Fun generally isn’t cheap.
 
I do suffer from FOMO (Fear of missing out) - always have (NOT a medical condition!) so will tend to fall for the marketing hype. 'Buy cheap buy twice' etc, so I do tend to try to buy the 'best' I can afford - I know I've over engineered solutions for my needs, but it's what I need to do. There's no snobbery at all - in fact I look at all the money I could have saved and sigh, but I can't do it.

The 85 f/1.8 is a great example - it's lighter and more than meets my needs, yet I have the 1.4GM and sometime regret the size, but I can't swap it for a 1.8 'just in case'.

I did the same with the A7III, bought it, regretted it and ended up going for an A9 and lost a bundle on the swap. I don't need an A9 probably, I could have more variety if I'd stuck with the A7, but again, I just can't do it.
 
Last edited:
If your job didn't involve any photography Raymond would you be happier with lower spec gear?

I would, would probably be happy enough with an APSC camera and a couple of decent lenses.
I wouldn't be. The higher grade stuff feels nicer. Performs nicer and makes things easier then council type equipment ;)
 
This is me :D lol

Yeah but we all know your absolutely minted, wipe your arse with £50 notes etc. :LOL:


I wouldn't be. The higher grade stuff feels nicer. Performs nicer and makes things easier then council type equipment ;)

Not me, if I didn’t need gear for work there is no way I would have the best part of 20k tied up in camera equipment so i could take a few photos of the kids when we are out for the day.
 
Yeah but we all know your absolutely minted, wipe your arse with £50 notes etc. :LOL:




Not me, if I didn’t need gear for work there is no way I would have the best part of 20k tied up in camera equipment so i could take a few photos of the kids when we are out for the day.

I would only have a 35/85mm primes and one nice body if I wasn’t doing it for work.
 
What I do see a lot is for example like when Raymond bought a new lens the other day and got a few negative comments, then again when he said he was going to buy a 700-200 f/2.8 he got a few more. It was obvious from the tone of some of them there was a bit of jealousy at play.

It wasn't jealously, I just felt bad for his back having to lug around that b*****d big bucket sized Sigma.
 
Back
Top