Bryan Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Had my hands on a Sony A7 full frame compact system camera in Jessops in Leeds yesterday. It's very small and light, but with a lovely clear electronic viewfinder.Surprisingly not much bigger/heavier than my NEX 6. Looked through with a manual focus lens and became rather attached! Helpful people in the store. Slightly tempted but not sure it's the best solution for stock, probably overkill, and the more limited depth of field may mean lost opportunities. Suspect standard lens not much cop, but alternative Zeiss zoom expensive, although possibly worth it. Wondering if it has the ability to freeze the focus back button style like Canon, is David out there? Anybody else got one or considered buying ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Having gone mirrorless (APS-C) I am less worried about the FF body being bigger & heavier but more concerned that the lenses will be. After all the focal lengths will be 1.5x the equivalent APS-C so similarly bigger in all dimensions. I would actually welcome the ability to reduce DoF more but that would require equally fast (bigger) lenses as the smaller format. I love the fact that my APS-C kit can cover 28-300mm equivalent with two (pretty much pro quality) lenses and a body that goes in a tiny shoulder (not a camera) bag and weighs less than half my equivalent FF outfit. Having bitten the bullet and downsized I am not sure I want add back any weight or bulk for minimal gains for most of my photography although I would welcome just a few more pixels (~10%) to give more cropping opportunities (probably the next iteration of the system). I no longer feel the need for a quality compact as a go anywhere camera. If I end up shooting more commercial studio stuff I guess I could change my mind (or even go MF). For stock no, I will shoot 95+% of it on APS-C and because it is smaller and lighter I will shoot more because I will always have it with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 the more limited depth of field may mean lost opportunities. The limited depth of field was one of the main reason why I switched to FF. I was finding that many of my APSC shots lacked the instant appeal of many of my old 35mm pics, and I realised it was because the greater differential focus gave the subjects I was photographing more 'presence' when busy backgrounds were slightly out of focus. Sure, it can be an advantage sometimes not to have to worry so much about getting the rights bits in focus, but for me that is outweighed by the advantages of FF and simply means I have to take care when shooting which is what any good photographer should do anyway. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NielsVK Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Wondering if it has the ability to freeze the focus back button style like Canon, is David out there? On my NEX-7 I can do that by setting the camera to MF, and setting the AF/MF button to "Hold". From what I understand it's the same on an A7/A7r. I tried the A7 in a local Sony Store a couple of months ago and didn't like the ergonomics. I much prefer my NEX-7 with the viewfinder on the left, and the shutter button more forward on top of the grip. Don't need FF, APS-C is good enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 APS-C works fine for me. If I were looking for another Sony to replace my NEX-6 (which I'm not), I think that I would go for the a6000 despite its shortcomings. However, I don't really need 24 MP. Actually, 8-12 MP would be fine for most of what I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 > APSC shots lacked the instant appeal of many of my old 35mm pics Who's instant appeal????? WRT stock photography $$, its only the buyers' appeal that counts... Is there any evidence that buyers prefer non-FF pics? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 > APSC shots lacked the instant appeal of many of my old 35mm pics Who's instant appeal????? WRT stock photography $$, its only the buyers' appeal that counts... Is there any evidence that buyers prefer non-FF pics? Alan I doubt that most buyers give a you-know-what either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan_Andison Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 > APSC shots lacked the instant appeal of many of my old 35mm pics Who's instant appeal????? WRT stock photography $$, its only the buyers' appeal that counts... Is there any evidence that buyers prefer non-FF pics? Alan I doubt that most buyers give a you-know-what either way. I would say there is a lot that wouldn't / couldn't tell the difference. If you shoot APSc with something like a f/1.2 - f/1.8, you can get excellent isolation depending on FL and distance to object. As for detail, you would only really see the benefit of the FF sensor once you get to prints of about 24-30" and even then, you would have to be looking real close. If I want a landscape print with mass amount of detail, I stitch several frames together. I have a lovely 37" print from my Fuji, 3 shots stitched together. With apps like Autopano Giga, it's a breeze to do. Takes seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryK Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 The Fuji X panoramic function seems to work ridiculously well, almost to easy. http://garyksmithphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/a-week-in-peaks-part-2-fuji-panoramics.html Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 The Fuji X panoramic function seems to work ridiculously well, almost to easy. http://garyksmithphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/a-week-in-peaks-part-2-fuji-panoramics.html Gary Agree.I used it on the Fuji X-Pro 1 but have not used it on the X-T1 yet but I hope to this weekend! L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan_Andison Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 The Fuji X panoramic function seems to work ridiculously well, almost to easy. http://garyksmithphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/a-week-in-peaks-part-2-fuji-panoramics.html Gary I'll have to give it a go.... I do prefer to work with raws and you only get jpgs with the pano I think?!? Back to the original issue.... I liked the look of the A7 but if it was between the Nex6 (or what ever they are called now) and the A7/r/s/, then I think I would be tempted to stick with the Nex size (APSc) style bodies for now. You will have more lens choices and in the future, when there is a better range of lenses for the FF Sony, there will probably have been an upgrade A7mkii or what ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I considered the Sony A7/A7R but the lack of lenses and the notion of having to shoot manual with third party lenses was a big turn off. A couple photogs I know use the SonyA7R with pricey lenses and from what I've seen,I do not see any quality improvement from other cameras they have shot with in the past or their main systems---Nikon or Canon. I expected to be more impressed.... I am happy with the Fuji X-T1. I think Lightroom may have improved processing for the Fuji RAW files as well. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 Wondering if it has the ability to freeze the focus back button style like Canon, is David out there? On my NEX-7 I can do that by setting the camera to MF, and setting the AF/MF button to "Hold". From what I understand it's the same on an A7/A7r. I tried the A7 in a local Sony Store a couple of months ago and didn't like the ergonomics. I much prefer my NEX-7 with the viewfinder on the left, and the shutter button more forward on top of the grip. Don't need FF, APS-C is good enough for me. Thanks for all of the responses. and this one in particular Niels. Must explore menus on NEX 6 to see if it can do the same! Re larger lenses negating the advantage of a CSC, this is true, but the kit lens fitted to the A7 is not at all large nor heavy, compared to a Canon 24-105 for example, or, more particularly a 24-70 f2.8. I currently use mainly old but neat and compact manual focus glass by Pentax and Olympus on the NEX and they would also work with the A7, although I couldn't say if the quality would be acceptable right across the FF sensor. There could be a case for the purchase of some old Zeiss lenses for example, probably cheaper than the new Zeiss zoom, and maybe as good/better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilpatrick Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 You'd be amazeed how very poor Sony and other zooms can be on the A7R (can't say about the A7). It is not immediately apparent, because it's easy to be happy with results similar to Canon 24-105mm etc which are really not all that good. Then you take something the Voigtlander 40mm f/1.4 which I was using today, MF of course, stop it down to f/8 and find yourselves almost counting the pine needles in a forest two miles away. The only E-mount zoom I have got which delivers the goods is the 10-18mm. I'm sure the £1000 each 24-70mm CZ and 70-200mm G will do pretty well, but I really don't want or need £2k worth of relatively large lenses. I am getting superb results from a 20mm Voigtlander (in Nikon fit, mounted on a tilt-shift adaptor instead of plain, and capable of 5mm shift, any tilt). I also have an 85mm Zeiss Leica mount. It's a really difficult choice whether just to stick an AF zoom on the camera of work with manual lenses and adaptors, but I know which choice always produces stunningly perfect images. I picked up a 1970s Nikkor manual f/1.8 50mm recently and for an effective £15 or so, I can tell it matches certain 50mm-ish lenses costing thousands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Had my hands on a Sony A7 full frame compact system camera in Jessops in Leeds yesterday. It's very small and light, but with a lovely clear electronic viewfinder.Surprisingly not much bigger/heavier than my NEX 6. Looked through with a manual focus lens and became rather attached! Helpful people in the store. Slightly tempted but not sure it's the best solution for stock, probably overkill, and the more limited depth of field may mean lost opportunities. Suspect standard lens not much cop, but alternative Zeiss zoom expensive, although possibly worth it. Wondering if it has the ability to freeze the focus back button style like Canon, is David out there? Anybody else got one or considered buying ? Did you bite on the Sony A7? A friend of mine uses the A7R and loves it. I sold off the Fuji...In low light I was getting the watercolor effect. I also found myself carrying out every Fuji lens I owned which defeated the purposes of having a lighter system..Just back to my full frame Canon for now. We've rained almost every day in Chicago since winter ended so I don't think I'll have many outdoor shoots here this year! L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 Had my hands on a Sony A7 full frame compact system camera in Jessops in Leeds yesterday. It's very small and light, but with a lovely clear electronic viewfinder.Surprisingly not much bigger/heavier than my NEX 6. Did you bite on the Sony A7? A friend of mine uses the A7R and loves it. I sold off the Fuji...In low light I was getting the watercolor effect. I also found myself carrying out every Fuji lens I owned which defeated the purposes of having a lighter system..Just back to my full frame Canon for now. We've rained almost every day in Chicago since winter ended so I don't think I'll have many outdoor shoots here this year! L Have decided against for now, sales are up and down and I really can't justify the spend on that basis. Currently processing around 1000 images from trip to Spain/France and motivation sagging, not helped by the fact that I have a batch stuck in QC! Drifting off topic, but you need to be really lucky with the weather to take holiday snaps that will sell. Local knowledge and experience generally trumps the newcomer's eye - certainly in my case. Most of my sales are local to where I live. Would agree with David that old manual focus prime glass will blow the newer cheaper zooms out of the water. It does mean a few missed opportunities due to lack of auto focus, but, if there is the time, the quality is there. My collection of 1960s, 1970s Pentax and Olympus lenses are so beautifully made, with precise and smooth focus and no rattles, while the new Sigma 19mm I have bought feels that it might not be long for this world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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