SONY A7 and A7R

Author
Discussion

AndWhyNot

2,356 posts

198 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Finally caved in and bought an a7r.
Why R and not S? Figured you'd be up for the higher ISO range.

BillPeart said:
The only things concerning me are the effect of the shutter on slow speed photos even tripod mounted (which mine often would be for landscape work) as opposed to the Nikon where in extremes I believe the shutter can be locked. Any ideas on this?
The A7 range are mirrorless so it removes the issue of mirror slap, AIUI.

I just spent a couple of days shooting the A7s. I went to Dark Sky Parks to explore the higher ISO performance so was shooting tripod mounted exposures the whole time. I noticed shake on a couple of frames and then realised I'd forgotten to switch off the anti-shake system. Aside from that, I was very impressed with sharpness, there's no evidence of vibration even with longer focal lengths (up to 70mm). Image quality throughout the ISO range is also impressive.

Here's a couple of frames:

Sycamore Gap, Northumberland at ISO 6,400

Gap, in the clouds

Llanthony Priory, Brecon Beacons at ISO 12,800

Getting a fix

Both single frames with minor tonal adjustments in Lightroom.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
The S is more money and only 12mp, its probably better for astro than the 6d but not by much. I will see if I can get some files to play with one day.

I'm keeping the 6d and will use that for astro, I dont expect the a7r to be much use for it.

nellyleelephant

2,705 posts

233 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
If I didn't have lots of canon glass I would have a d810 now.
Do you know how the af compares to the 5D3?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Terrible.. If you need af it will do so, with most lenses, but it will take seconds.

This is a total landscape bh , I dont use AF much, infact I dont think I tested af on my 6d for 3-4 months...

nellyleelephant

2,705 posts

233 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
The D810?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
oh lol. at least comparable. It has the D4 AF basically, and is damned good.

...Mole...

2,780 posts

190 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
had my A7r for about a month now and haven't regretted the move from my 5D2 at all, feels like it was built for landscapes.

thinking of possibly getting a Cambo Actus for it next year http://www.cambo.com/Html/products_photo/set01/eng...

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
I talked to the guy who made that and he still hasn't come up with a reason canon ef lenses will sudsuddenly provide a larger image circle to cope with movements...

BillPeart

139 posts

115 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
With missing my 4" x 5" so much I'd been thinking of the Horseman version I'd seen (hadn't yet come across this Cambo) but isn't it meant to be used with LF lenses rather than the Nikon/Sony etc.?

EDIT: Just started reading the pdf download and it does look like they expect it to be used with both LF lenses and the ff lenses. Can't see that being too useable given the reports of vignetting and colour shifts on some wide angle lenses mounted to the Sony, even without movements. But with Rodenstock or Apo Symmars etc. I think it might be a useful accessory.

Edited by BillPeart on Saturday 25th October 01:49

StuH

2,557 posts

272 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
I dont have it yet, its complicated. I've bought it in Australia and its being shipped to a mate over there, theres a mail in voucher for a metabones adaptor so I can use my canon lenses with it.

Could be weeks before I actually get it!
Have you got an Oz address for the mail-in deal? I bought my a7r over there xmas and ended up not being able to claim the metabones from the UK ;(

StuH

2,557 posts

272 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
...Mole... said:
had my A7r for about a month now and haven't regretted the move from my 5D2 at all, feels like it was built for landscapes.

thinking of possibly getting a Cambo Actus for it next year http://www.cambo.com/Html/products_photo/set01/eng...
The more I use my 7r the more I love it! The reduced size and weight compared to my 5D3 just make it so versatile.

I've also heard rumours from my mate in the Far East that local dealers are expecting the A7 Mk2 before year end! My only real criticism of the current models is the AF, so if they nail that I'll be all over it....

StuH

2,557 posts

272 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
AndWhyNot said:
The A7 range are mirrorless so it removes the issue of mirror slap, AIUI.

I just spent a couple of days shooting the A7s. I went to Dark Sky Parks to explore the higher ISO performance so was shooting tripod mounted exposures the whole time. I noticed shake on a couple of frames and then realised I'd forgotten to switch off the anti-shake system. Aside from that, I was very impressed with sharpness, there's no evidence of vibration even with longer focal lengths (up to 70mm). Image quality throughout the ISO range is also impressive.

Here's a couple of frames:

Sycamore Gap, Northumberland at ISO 6,400

Gap, in the clouds

Llanthony Priory, Brecon Beacons at ISO 12,800

Getting a fix

Both single frames with minor tonal adjustments in Lightroom.
Brilliant.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
StuH said:
Have you got an Oz address for the mail-in deal? I bought my a7r over there xmas and ended up not being able to claim the metabones from the UK ;(
Yep I have an oz mate who is helping me with that.. If you still have that code perhaps you can send me a mail...

StuH

2,557 posts

272 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Yep I have an oz mate who is helping me with that.. If you still have that code perhaps you can send me a mail...
Thanks for the kind offer Rob, but sadly i don't have it and I purchased one on eBay in the end.

StuH

2,557 posts

272 months

Thursday 20th November 2014
quotequote all
So new A7 II has arrived with in-camera 5-axis stabilisation and better AF. As said previously if they nail the AF on these then any remaining reason to use a full-size DSLR dissapears imo. Hopefully similar improvements to the A7R incoming - as well as sorting out that shutter noise yikes

http://reframe.gizmodo.com/sony-a7-ii-a-mirrorless...


RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Sunday 23rd November 2014
quotequote all
Finally got my A7r. But no metabones adaptor yet so cant use it.

StuH

2,557 posts

272 months

Monday 24th November 2014
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Finally got my A7r. But no metabones adaptor yet so cant use it.
Hi Rob, I'm not using mine at the minute so you're welcome to borrow it until yours shows up?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Monday 24th November 2014
quotequote all
StuH said:
Hi Rob, I'm not using mine at the minute so you're welcome to borrow it until yours shows up?
Cheers Stu, bit far too travel to pick up perhaps? I'm in NZ :-)

StuH

2,557 posts

272 months

Monday 24th November 2014
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Cheers Stu, bit far too travel to pick up perhaps? I'm in NZ :-)
Ahhh! scratchchin

TheRainMaker

6,302 posts

241 months

Monday 24th November 2014
quotequote all
StuH said:
RobDickinson said:
Cheers Stu, bit far too travel to pick up perhaps? I'm in NZ :-)
Ahhh! scratchchin
Can't back out now hehe you said he could borrow it....