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

[snerkler]

He is in the wrong job because a car you like, he thinks is the one of the worst they have ever made.

Will message him here and tell him to hand his notice in this morning am sure he won't mind, he has only been working for them for about 25 years or so.

To be fair whilst your mate might have a personal dislike for them (which he's more than entitled to have) the vast majority or reviews (and all of what I'd call my trusted reviews) rate it as 8/10 or higher so I'd say that it's got to be pretty good. I also know a very smitten owner. We will of course all hear different things and have our own trusted resources, but of there's nothing at all that would put me off buying one.

Even niggly things on these motors are generally expensive fixes. With Range rovers its usually the suspension especially any of them that have the air suspension. Often lots of niggly faults with that, and while only niggly faults they are ridiculously expensive to repair. With the girly range rovers like the evoque they also have suspension problems but also have lots of issues with the clutch and gear box, electric gremlins etc. Like with anything else you could fall lucky, my wee bro had one for a while and it was spot on. His missus had one too and had to get rid after 6 months. They bought it back of her in the end as it had so many issues.

The other issue with all JLR cars is that mechanics hate them and a lot of independents won't touch them at all. They are a bit of a pita to work on, but that's not a new thing.

B.M.W are shocking in terms of reliability as well. Audi are okay as long as you keep up the service routine for things like the Haldex etc. The advantage with Audi is that because they share a platform with V,W, Skoda, Seat etc. that service costs are pretty reasonable. There are loads of very good independent specialists so you don't even need to go to the dealers, the independents can even update the electronic service record..

My wee bro recently got rid of his Lambo for an Audi R8. Service for the Lambo was around £1500-2000, the R8 has the same engine, service for it is under £300.

Air suspension faults don't appear to be as bad these days, the older models for sure. It's clearly different where you are because I don't know a single indy that won't touch a JLR vehicle, the only thing is the big daddy one is supposedly a pain as you have to lift the whole body off to work on certain parts. Except for the V8's the maintenance and running costs of the RRS, Velars and Discos I've been considering are no worse than my X5.

All this being said, as per my previous post I don't run any of my cars without warranty in case they need a major fix.

 

[f/1.2]

Air suspension faults don't appear to be as bad these days.

We will have to disagree there.

I know a few people have had 3-5 year old range rovers and had huge issues with the air suspension system, I wouldn't call those that old.

I know quite a few mechanics my uncle is involved in the car trade and even he has to send his SVR to the other side of the country because none of the local mechanics will touch them. He doesn't trust the local dealer so he sends his to an independent specialist.

 

[snerkler]

We will have to disagree there.

I know a few people have had 3-5 year old range rovers and had huge issues with the air suspension system, I wouldn't call those that old.

I didn’t say they didn’t occur, it’s just not as big a problem as it used to be

 

[f/1.2]

I didn’t say they didn’t occur, it’s just not as big a problem as it used to be

To be fair I guess I am going of a small sample size. Every single person I know that has had one has had suspension problems.

 

[ancient_mariner]

Maybe he's in the wrong job.

When I first mentioned getting a LR or another Jag on this forum some said they were unreliable and pointed me at BMW's and Audi's which by a happy coincidence make some of the few cars that were less reliable than JLR products at the time I checked them out in the usual quality and reliability surveys. Maybe that goes to show it's a mixture of pot luck and ownership issues. As to what people will tell me, I'm willing to trust the feedback and advice I've had on another forum as I've been on that forum on and off for knocking on 20 years or more and they don't tend to sugar coat anything.

I'm fully aware that this type of vehicle from a UK or European maker isn't going to be as reliable as a Nissan hatchback or whatever tops the surveys these days and I bought my current Evoque with my eyes wide open. I didn't know if I'd like it so I tested the water with a used one to lessen the financial pain if it all went wrong but touch wood and fingers crossed and so far... I love it Life is short and I'm not too worried about hitting any problems as I have other cars if one conks and I have owned a Jag before and a coupe of Lotus's which are meant to be amongst life's worst and I did over 100k miles in one of them.

Anyway. It's just something I might get.

PS.
Just checked the JD Power and the Evoque comes in at No.53 but I'm not sure what version that is, beating amongst others various BMW and Audi models and the Qashqai. That did surprise me. Rock bottom at No.75 is the Golf. Hmmm. Jag F Pace at No.19 beating every BMW, Merc and Audi. I Pace not listed, maybe they don't sell enough.

Enjoy your new car.

 

[gman]

I had a Jag and it did have quite a few niggly issues including some rather worrying inherent design flaws. I think there's a Class Action going on against JLR because of the DPFs as well. Lovely cars to drive but there's definitely some QC issues.

Friend with a full fat Range Rover has had some pretty big bills but it's a big luxury vehicle so to be expected. A work associate had a brand new Evoque and she couldn't wait to get rid of it. It would shut down completely whilst on the motorway. She replaced it with an Audi TTRS and loves it.

Heard lots of good things from people online with an iPace, although they don't seem to want to replace them with another one once the lease is up. If going for one I would certainly make sure it comes with a good warranty, ideally an extended JLR one.

 

[woof woof]

He is in the wrong job because a car you like, he thinks is the one of the worst they have ever made.

Will message him here and tell him to hand his notice in this morning am sure he won't mind, he has only been working for them for about 25 years or so.

Maybe a move would be better for both him and Jaguar?

I've seen too many people working in jobs they hate and I've seen everything from a couldn't give a flying attitude that browns everyone off including co workers to sabotage of products. Honestly, if he hates the companies products but has stuck the job for 25 years there's something very wrong here.

 

[f/1.2]

Back to cameras anyway. Come the new financial year I need to buy a new body problem is not sure anything suits.

A1 Complete overkill for what I need don't wanna deal with the file sizes either

A9II Bit long in the tooth now.

A7IV Don't like the flippy screen and don't think I could go back to using a camera that isn't blackout free. My missus already has a couple of A7IV's as well and it seems silly to get another one.

A7RV Not suitable really either.

Has there bean any rumours recently about an A9III?

 

[f/1.2]

Maybe a move would be better for both him and Jaguar?

I've seen too many people working in jobs they hate and I've seen everything from a couldn't give a flying attitude that browns everyone off including co workers to sabotage of products. Honestly, if he hates the companies products but has stuck the job for 25 years there's something very wrong here.

He hates the I-Pace and isn't a big fan of the E-Pace either that's it he loves his job and loves a lot of their other cars, totally indoctrinated into working for them. Every time someone he knows needs a car he trys to browbeat them.

 

[snerkler]

Back to cameras anyway. Come the new financial year I need to buy a new body problem is not sure anything suits.

A1 Complete overkill for what I need don't wanna deal with the file sizes either

A9II Bit long in the tooth now.

A7IV Don't like the flippy screen and don't think I could go back to using a camera that isn't blackout free. My missus already has a couple of A7IV's as well and it seems silly to get another one.

A7RV Not suitable really either.

Has there bean any rumours recently about an A9III?

It all seems to have gone a bit quiet on the A9III rumours at the mo, I think they initially thought a March announcement but not heard anything since. I said at the time I'm not sure where it's going to fit in to the lineup unless it is literally just going to be a lower resolution A1 series I do think all future Sonys will have the flippy screen though.

 

[f/1.2]

It all seems to have gone a bit quiet on the A9III rumours at the mo, I think they initially thought a March announcement but not heard anything since. I said at the time I'm not sure where it's going to fit in to the lineup unless it is literally just going to be a lower resolution A1 series I do think all future Sonys will have the flippy screen though.

Mmm you could be right about the flippy screen, I hope not as I may have to jump ship if that is the case.

I would prob be happy with a lower res A1 with the screen from the A7RV as it tilts as well and you don't have to use the flippy. A7IV res is a good sweet spot for me so around that would be ideal.

 

[woof woof]

I have a number of mechanics on my books and they all say that JLR are bad for reliability, however it's only little niggly faults rather than major ones. This is backed up by the fact that I have someone on my books that owns a recovery company and they say that the number of JLR cars they have to recover is no more than any other, and he himself drives a Range Rover.

As you say though it is luck of the draw, my wife's Evoque has had 4 issues in 3 years whereas my brother had an Evoque for 5 years and never had a single issue. I had a Freelander 2 some years back and it was flawless, but then I had an M3 that had 12 faults in the first 3 months and I ended up giving it them back.

For this reason I never run a car without a comprehensive warranty, no manufacturer is immune to issues, for me it's a case of choose the car that you like best and suits your needs. If I won the lottery you can bet your bottom dollar that my first trip would be straight down to the Range Rover dealership.

The niggly faults v bigger issues thing is real and something to take into consideration. I think you've also got to look at the customer in some instances as if you look at the way some people treat cars and other things too it's no surprise they run into problems. A component with a high failure rate is one thing and may be out of the control of the user but a sympathetic owner might just have fewer issues than someone who abuses the thing daily and there are people who'll break just about anything and it will help to be aware of or use a service agent who is aware of common issues and their fixes. This was the case when I bought my S Type. It had a known issue and once that was fixed it was reliable.

Enjoy your new car.

I haven't bought one yet. I do fancy a new car but I'll wait and make my mind up. One thing that puts me off the Evoque is that the boot space is limited. You can drop the back seats but that's not always convenient. I partly bought it as Mrs WW had a XTrail which she left back home so I thought she might drive the Evoque but so far she doesn't seem keen. Electric could be something to try at some point but it doesn't have to be now.

 

[snerkler]

Mmm you could be right about the flippy screen, I hope not as I may have to jump ship if that is the case.

I would prob be happy with a lower res A1 with the screen from the A7RV as it tilts as well and you don't have to use the flippy. A7IV res is a good sweet spot for me so around that would be ideal.

A7RV is definitely the better screen, that's the one I think they'll stick with. I just prefer a simple tilt, but I don't think I'd mind the one from the A7RV

 

[woof woof]

What a shame that we wont be able to read these reviews on this site for much longer.

Sony a7RV in-depth review

The a7R V is the fifth iteration of Sony's high-end, high-res full-frame mirrorless camera. The new 60MP Mark IV, gains advanced AF, focus stacking and a new rear screen arrangement. We think it excels at stills.

www.dpreview.com

One thing that I do dislike about some reviews is that positives and the obvious that affect every similar product appear in the cons list. Yes the camera is customisable but you can go as far down this route as you want or just not bother at all and is there a camera out there that doesn't capture less detail as light levels fall? This all reminds me of some audits and assessments when if all the assessor can do is nit pick minutiae and put positives in the cons column it's pretty much a good thing they're assessing

Customisation is apparently both a pro and a con

• Added detail capture (inevitably) reduces as light levels fall
• Crops and significant rolling shutter limit many video modes
• Extent of customization options is dizzying
• Autofocus capabilities bring significant complexity to achieve very best results
• New status screen displays easy to navigate away from or minimize, inadvertently
• Pixel-shift images need to be combined in desktop software

 

[snerkler]

What a shame that we wont be able to read these reviews on this site for much longer.

Sony a7RV in-depth review

The a7R V is the fifth iteration of Sony's high-end, high-res full-frame mirrorless camera. The new 60MP Mark IV, gains advanced AF, focus stacking and a new rear screen arrangement. We think it excels at stills.

www.dpreview.com

One thing that I do dislike about some reviews is that positives and the obvious that affect every similar product appear in the cons list. Yes the camera is customisable but you can go as far down this route as you want or just not bother at all and is there a camera out there that doesn't capture less detail as light levels fall? This all reminds me of some audits and assessments when if all the assessor can do is nit pick minutiae and put positives in the cons column it's pretty much a good thing they're assessing

Customisation is apparently both a pro and a con

• Added detail capture (inevitably) reduces as light levels fall
• Crops and significant rolling shutter limit many video modes
• Extent of customization options is dizzying
• Autofocus capabilities bring significant complexity to achieve very best results
• New status screen displays easy to navigate away from or minimize, inadvertently
• Pixel-shift images need to be combined in desktop software

Yes it's a bit sad really. My biggest gripes with reviews is that they wax lyrical about a camera, 6 months later something newer comes out and they make out that the previous camera is bad all of a sudden

 

[woof woof]

Yes it's a bit sad really. My biggest gripes with reviews is that they wax lyrical about a camera, 6 months later something newer comes out and they make out that the previous camera is bad all of a sudden

It's the pros and cons list that mostly gets to me. I should really stop reading them.

 

[T_J_G]

Back to cameras anyway. Come the new financial year I need to buy a new body problem is not sure anything suits.

A1 Complete overkill for what I need don't wanna deal with the file sizes either

A9II Bit long in the tooth now.

A7IV Don't like the flippy screen and don't think I could go back to using a camera that isn't blackout free. My missus already has a couple of A7IV's as well and it seems silly to get another one.

A7RV Not suitable really either.

Has there bean any rumours recently about an A9III?

I’m at the stage where one of my bodies needs replacing (>200k shutter count) but I don’t know what to do. I don’t see any benefit to what I do to go into A9/A1 territory. And I’m not sure the A7IV is a big enough jump up to warrant the cost.

I may just get another A7iii

 

[James J]

Camera and Lens turning up tomorrow

 

[snerkler]

IMG_5375 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr

 

[ancient_mariner]

Congratulations Toby.

 

[Micro-four-thirds]

Congratulations.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Should i shoot Velvia 50, Reala 100 or NPS 160? Negative?

I only plan to shoot in daylight….have a 50/1.4 prime, i am thinking Velvia 50….?

 

[snerkler]

Congratulations Toby.

Congratulations.

Thanks, excellent service from Panamoz only ordered on Tuesday.

However, I'm slightly concerned as I've just been going through all the menus (most confusing) and the camera body got noticeably warm, I've can't remember experiencing that with my A9ii or A7RIV I'm hoping that it's just a case of new electronics being used for the first time and it's not an issue

 

[trevorbray]

Thanks, excellent service from Panamoz only ordered on Tuesday.

However, I'm slightly concerned as I've just been going through all the menus (most confusing) and the camera body got noticeably warm, I've can't remember experiencing that with my A9ii or A7RIV I'm hoping that it's just a case of new electronics being used for the first time and it's not an issue

Nice one Toby. Don’t sweat it. Wait till you shoot in anger.

 

[trevorbray]

IMG_5375 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr

Top service from UPS and Panamoz

 

[trevorbray]

IMG_5375 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr

Yeah…well Jel …innit…

 

[Raymond Lin]

Question - how do you remove the tripod foot for the 70-200GM mk1 ?

I don't think the collar comes off, only the food. There is a button but then which way do i push?

Nevermind, got it...needed pliers (with a towel for protection) to twist the knob)

 

[f/1.2]

I’m at the stage where one of my bodies needs replacing (>200k shutter count) but I don’t know what to do. I don’t see any benefit to what I do to go into A9/A1 territory. And I’m not sure the A7IV is a big enough jump up to warrant the cost.

I may just get another A7iii

Yeah tbf A7III is petty good value especially if you can find a lightly used copy.

 

[f/1.4]

Thanks, excellent service from Panamoz only ordered on Tuesday.

However, I'm slightly concerned as I've just been going through all the menus (most confusing) and the camera body got noticeably warm, I've can't remember experiencing that with my A9ii or A7RIV I'm hoping that it's just a case of new electronics being used for the first time and it's not an issue

It does get warm, normal even when going through menus.

 

[woof woof]

Good stuff Toby.

I hope you got her a nice prezzie too?

 

[woof woof]

Yeah tbf A7III is petty good value especially if you can find a lightly used copy.

It's not so long ago that people were raving about that camera so the chances are that it could be useable even today

 

[snerkler]

It does get warm, normal even when going through menus.

Thanks for the confirmation, I wonder why when other bodies don’t?

 

[Kieran_89]

IMG_5375 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr

Top service from Panamoz, it’s worth paying that extra over E-infin for the quick delivery and better customer service.

 

[snerkler]

I’m trying to update the firmware on my A1 and the updater software is not playing nice with my Mac. I’ve followed the instructions to a T, changed the security preferences on my Mac (M1 Silicon) as per the instructions on the Sony site, downloaded and installed the camera driver for silicon Mac, and downloaded the software update installer for Mac. When I double click to open the software update installer the window opens for 2-3 seconds then crashes and disappears. I’ve tried downloading it again and the same happens again.

Anyone any ideas why it’s not working please?

P.S. Im surprised it’s shipped with 1.30 rather than 1.31.

 

[snerkler]

Top service from Panamoz, it’s worth paying that extra over E-infin for the quick delivery and better customer service.

Definitely worth the piece of mind for the warranty.

 

[Kieran_89]

Yeah tbf A7III is petty good value especially if you can find a lightly used copy.

I saw 2 bodies last week on LCE that had a shutter count of 60k and 112k and both cameras were priced under £900.

They’ve got one now for £849 with a very low shutter count but it has a dead pixel in the sensor.

 

[Kieran_89]

I’m trying to update the firmware on my A1 and the updater software is not playing nice with my Mac. I’ve followed the instructions to a T, changed the security preferences on my Mac (M1 Silicon) as per the instructions on the Sony site, downloaded and installed the camera driver for silicon Mac, and downloaded the software update installer for Mac. When I double click to open the software update installer the window opens for 2-3 seconds then crashes and disappears. I’ve tried downloading it again and the same happens again.

Anyone any ideas why it’s not working please?

P.S. Im surprised it’s shipped with 1.30 rather than 1.31.

You using the 1015 driver loader?

For macOS 10.13 - 10.15 Users | SONY

When updating your product, you will need to run "DriverLoader_1015" provided on this web page along with the System Software.

support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp

 

[mstphoto]

Definitely worth the piece of mind for the warranty.

Top service from Panamoz, it’s worth paying that extra over E-infin for the quick delivery and better customer service.

Panamoz is actually £299 cheaper than E-Infinity at the moment

 

[imattersuk]

I’m trying to update the firmware on my A1 and the updater software is not playing nice with my Mac. I’ve followed the instructions to a T, changed the security preferences on my Mac (M1 Silicon) as per the instructions on the Sony site, downloaded and installed the camera driver for silicon Mac, and downloaded the software update installer for Mac. When I double click to open the software update installer the window opens for 2-3 seconds then crashes and disappears. I’ve tried downloading it again and the same happens again.

Anyone any ideas why it’s not working please?

P.S. Im surprised it’s shipped with 1.30 rather than 1.31.

The A7 IV firmware updates are now done by SD card, are you sure the A1 isn't the same ?

 

[f/1.4]

Thanks for the confirmation, I wonder why when other bodies don’t?

Because it shoots 30fps at 50mp at a moments notice. Seems to sit ready for full steam ahead, I remember thinking it was warm when I first got it and I don’t notice it really in the wee half case