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

Musicman said:
The LE-EA4 uses the full phase detect AF system from Sony's SLT 'SLRs' like the A99, which is why it's quicker. It has a dedicated AF sensor onboard, to which about a third of the light is diverted off by a semi-transparent pellicle mirror in the adapter itself.

The A7 relies on a number of dedicated AF pixels embedded on the imaging sensor, which provide phase detect AF, but it's not as efficient as a separate AF subsystem.
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Ok so the embedded 117 point system with 25 cross points just isn't as good as a deditacted system. I can understand that. Kind of like how wash and go isn't as good as using separate shampoo and conditioner.

Couple of questions on AF settings.

1) How to I get the phase detect AF overlay to show up in the viewfinder
2) How do I move the focus point. Intuition would you use the D-pad built into the wheel, but that doesn't work.
 
The AF points show by default, all depends what focus mode your using spot, centre or multi.
To move the focus point use spot and move it where you want.

On sensor AF is superior in all things except speed, its more accurate which to me is more important.
 
I've got it set on spot.

I'll I'm seeing is a small square with a spot in it. using the d-pad just selects shutter type, WB etc.. The scroll wheel controls ISO, the two dials control shutter speed and apature depending on what mode I'm on.

I can't see any way to move the spot.

What I want is to see a huge grid of AF points and the ability to select which one I want by moving the d-pad up down left right etc..
 
Your thinking its a DSLR its not, the points arent the same, as far as i know the PDAF covers the centre section and CDAF covers the whole frame, so there are no points as such.
On mine i select flexible spot and i can move it with the rear dial to any point on the screen.

Page 11 here.
http://www.alphaforum.net/bro2013/a7_a7R_ProductGuide.pdf
 
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There is an option in the menu to show the phase detect area in the EVF, as I shoot moving targets it's the first thing I switched on. In Cog Menu 2 it's the bottom option.

As for moving the points, with Focus Area set to Flexible Spot (Camera Menu 3) I mapped the C1 button to 'Focus Settings' (in Cog Menu 6), once you've tapped C1 you can move the AF point where you like (literally anywhere) using the wheel controller, and then just tap the trash can button to return it to centre.

I don't have a manual handy here, but both of the above are described in it.
 
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EXIF is there for me. Was f4 the correct setting for such a photo, surely a higher aperture would be better.
 
Would using a higher F number really give me a better quality image as the 70-200mm is very sharp at F4.

it was shot at 200mm :) f4 and a high'ish shutter speed. :)
 
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Were you using a tripod? I would be using something around f11-16 you would get a sharper picture.
Its still a good photo, its not something i have tried, moon photos don't interest me unless there is some foreground interest as well.

How are you liking the 70-200, its still in the maybe box for me having just gotten an old Canon FD 70-210 f4.
 
Having just checked photozone f8 is the sharpest aperture, f11-16 will start showing diffraction on almost any 35mm lens
 
Well following my switch from mFT to Sony A7 I now have an adequate line up of lenses that reflect my pattern of usage which is mainly a mix of perhaps 70% mid range general shooting, 25% macro or very close up and the rest ultra wide or long tele. This guided how much I was willing to spend on the lenses in each range.

Zooms
Ultra wide: LEA4 adaptor plus Vivitar (also sold under various other brand names) 19-35mm f3.5 - f4.5 Cheap as chips but decent enough for my occasional use
Normal: Kit 28-70mm Pretty good, reasonable size and quite light. I like it much more than I expected to.
Tele. LEA4 plus Sigma 70-300mm. I chose this over the Tamron 70-300 because it has OS which is useful at the longer focal lengths. Also saved £100 though that wasn't the deciding factor. Another lens that doesn't get a lot of use because I don't often need a long tele and generally use the 105mm macro.

Primes.
Zeiss 28mm ZM f2.8 Used native on Leica M8 where it is the workhorse lens and also for infra red work with filter. Works well on A7 with adaptor and is a nice small lens..
Leica Summicron 50mm f2. Lovely lens. Used native on my Leica M8 and with adaptor on Sony A7. Again very small by FE lens standards. This and the kit lens do most of my work on the A7,
Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro with LEA4 adaptor. Big and heavy but very sharp and controllable. Autofocus quick and accurate though it get used a lot on manual focus. A much used lens. I did look at other macros including Nikon and Leica but the OS and autofocus were deciding factors. Price helped but I was willing to spend more on this category.
Zuiko 50mm macro on bellows unit. Sometimes used but generally the 105mm macro does the job. Had this for years.

I looked at the FE 70-200mm but it doesn't fill a particular niche for me. It's not macro, it's not a long tele, it's big, expensive and very obvious. Similarly I looked at the 24-70mm Zeiss but the extra size and cost didn't justify the extra money for me. The FE 55mm is no doubt a wonderful lens but I wouldn't want it and the Summicron and since the Summicron is dual purpose it stays.

I have quite a lot of other 'legacy' lenses but they don't get used, this is my working selection. What guided you to your preferred lens line up?
 
robj20 said:
Were you using a tripod? I would be using something around f11-16 you would get a sharper picture.
Its still a good photo, its not something i have tried, moon photos don't interest me unless there is some foreground interest as well.

How are you liking the 70-200, its still in the maybe box for me having just gotten an old Canon FD 70-210 f4.
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I am loving the Sony 70-200mm but its not a cheap lens, I do however feel its competitvely priced when you look at the competitors from Nikon and Canon as the Sony is smaller, lighter and sharper I think.
It got a good workout at the Cleethorpes Air Show (see Flickr) which I am very pleased with. I am still improving my technique though.

I just feel Sony should make a TC for it :) just for the little big of extra reach without having to crop. With the sharpness this lens produces a TC might work well without not having too much negative impact on IQ.

I don't really need any more lenses for now, perhaps a TC and Macro lens this year. :)
 
Just ordered my A7 today along with its standard kit lens. Also ordered the LA-EA4 lens adapter.

I have loads of Minolta AF lenses I can use so thought it would be a good investment. Also already bought a couple of other adaptors to use FD glass I have.

Off now to buy a separate charger and couple of spare batteries. Also back to page 1 of this thread to read it for some tips....!!
 
9Fern by Tobers, on Flickr

Got this yesterday while being bitten mercilessly by mosquitos. A7R and Sony 55 FE.

Edit ... looks v small. What has happened to Flickr? Trying again...

Fern by Tobers, on Flickr
 
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350wedge said:
Just ordered my A7 today along with its standard kit lens. Also ordered the LA-EA4 lens adapter.

I have loads of Minolta AF lenses I can use so thought it would be a good investment. Also already bought a couple of other adaptors to use FD glass I have.

Off now to buy a separate charger and couple of spare batteries. Also back to page 1 of this thread to read it for some tips....!!
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Good stuff.

I've got a Pentax adapter and an Olympus adapter arrived today but it's different from the advertised pictures and doesn't have the catch for the aperture lever. Complained to the seller. In the meantime I'll have to shoot with my 28mm f3.5 and 50mm f1.8 wide open :p
 
Well done. I just had a picture published in the local newspapers of a WW1 candlelit vigil taken at 12,800 ISO. Bit noisy but I couldn't have done it with any previous equipment.
 
Lo
350wedge said:
Just ordered my A7 today along with its standard kit lens. Also ordered the LA-EA4 lens adapter.

I have loads of Minolta AF lenses I can use so thought it would be a good investment. Also already bought a couple of other adaptors to use FD glass I have.

Off now to buy a separate charger and couple of spare batteries. Also back to page 1 of this thread to read it for some tips....!!
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I look forward to seeing the results of minolta af glass, which ones do you have?
 
yamahatdm900 said:
Thats great, been drooling over the sony 135mm f1.8 7 A7/r for a while, how good is the combination?
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Pretty special, I didn't think I would ever use a better combo than the Sigma 35mm 1.4 ART / D600, but this is comfortably equal to that in terms of 'wow' factor. 35mm is still my favourite focal length, but having f1.8 at 135mm is great fun (and challenging) and it immediately felt like a 'better' lens than the fabled Canon 135mm f2 L.
 
Has any one got the nissin i40 yet, im thinking of getting one? Seems the perfect flash for these cameras.
 
robj20 said:
Has any one got the nissin i40 yet, im thinking of getting one? Seems the perfect flash for these cameras.
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I'm considering one too, it's size and performance seems good :)
 
Place near me has them in stock might go have a look at weekend.
 
Part of me wants one, but the other part remembers how little i actually ever use flash. Difficult one, might save the money and use it to get the samyang 14mm instead.
 
Has anyone with the LE-A4 adapter tried it with rangefinder wide angle lenses yet? The wides suffer from issues with the sensor, due to close focusing distance so I wonder if this adapter is likely to make much difference?
 
the sensor distance wont change because of that adapter?
 
I may be showing my ignorance here...................:)
Just an idle thought. I'm still stuck in analogue and manual mindset.
 
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