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

woof woof said:
Oly MFT lenses are a lot smaller than FF lenses and in some instances they're also a lot lighter. That may have something to do with the fact that they're lightening fast to focus. I know my FF cameras haven't exactly been SOTA but I bet there aren't many if any FF systems that'll focus as fast as the faster MFT camera and lens combinations.

If there is anything to the argument that small and light has a relation to speed and accuracy (there may not be) it may be much diminished once you get into comparing Sony FF with Nikon FF though. I was just saying that there may be downsides to ever bigger mounts with ever bigger and heavier lenses.
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That's because they cater for smaller image circle on a smaller sensor. They are faster because focussing is easier with m43 when you have smaller elements and large DoF. But in case of telephotos they are just as big. I am wondering if the larger diameter will allow for smaller telephotos but somehow I think not.
 
If someone is looking for sony gear - just posted in the classifieds section A7R II + MC-11 + Canon EF 24-70 F/2.8L II and Sony 18-105 G
 
Livin The Dream said:
How well does the 1.8 keep up with him? Decent hit rate?
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Not bad, I'm still deciding/experimenting with which tracking sensitivity etc works best. If she's going really quick I get 2-3 good shots from a burst usually.

*edit* I could really do with a good 70-200 tbh, Bad timing money-wise though, I'm caught between the Sony f4/f2.8 or waiting for Tamron or Sigma....
 
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NewBeetle said:
Not bad, I'm still deciding/experimenting with which tracking sensitivity etc works best. If she's going really quick I get 2-3 good shots from a burst usually.

*edit* I could really do with a good 70-200 tbh, Bad timing money-wise though, I'm caught between the Sony f4/f2.8 or waiting for Tamron or Sigma....
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I think a 70-200 would be perfect for it. What AF mode are you finding best?
 
Livin The Dream said:
I think a 70-200 would be perfect for it. What AF mode are you finding best?
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Usually continuous with expand flexible spot or Lock On AF Expand Flexible Spot. AF Tracking Sensitivity currently on 2 have played with 1 and 3 but can't make my mind up
 
NewBeetle said:
Usually continuous with expand flexible spot or Lock On AF Expand Flexible Spot. AF Tracking Sensitivity currently on 2 have played with 1 and 3 but can't make my mind up
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It’s been many years since I used to try similar with my parents dog. There was a serious flaw in my 5D2 and 70-200 mk2 setup back then. Still got some ok shots but testing for any af system. Their current Labrador is much slower. Might give it a go in the spring when I get the mount changed on my 135 art. Won’t be as snappy as a zoom though.
 
Livin The Dream said:
It’s been many years since I used to try similar with my parents dog. There was a serious flaw in my 5D2 and 70-200 mk2 setup back then. Still got some ok shots but testing for any af system. Their current Labrador is much slower. Might give it a go in the spring when I get the mount changed on my 135 art. Won’t be as snappy as a zoom though.
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I do often come up against the problem of focus locking onto her chest rather than face so I end up with a whole burst with the chest tack sharp and face OOF. It's a problem I had more with my other camera (A6000) and I realise that something running straight towards the camera is one of the hardest workouts for AF but it's the shots I want so I will keep at it. Of course if Sony firmware brings animal face/eye detect to the A7 III my life should get a whole lot easier.
 
NewBeetle said:
@Livin The Dream

From a couple of shots further in the same burst.

45106868344_a694961511_o by Anthony Andrades, on Flickr
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Awesome!

I’ve found spot sometimes can pick up foreground elements if they’re very close to the point you want to focus, even if they’re on very different focal planes. Testing it the other night where I had someone with their phone up and trying to pick the eye behind, wasn’t too clever tbh. Eye af in poor light also didn’t help so I’m still working out what it struggles with. I’d like to be able to just turn the focus ring and jump straight into MF mode ideally, but don’t think that’s possible.

On another note, anyone know whether you can have the exposure meter show in live view during manual? It shows compensation in numerical values to 2 stops either way. Think it shows in the VF but not the screen?
 
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The weather here is awful. Dark, raining and windy. I'll have a few hours out of the house tomorrow as I need to take one of my cars in for am MoT. It'd be nice to take a camera out but if the weather is like this I might not bother :(
 
Anyone else having problems getting the updater to work? Was a faff last time I recall. have tried both Mac and Windows,
 
To update the firmware do you need to use a USB cable connected to a computer? Can you use the memory card? I bought my A7Riii used off here and don’t have a USB to usb-c cable (it has a hdmi to usb-c cable in the box).
 
rob-nikon said:
To update the firmware do you need to use a USB cable connected to a computer? Can you use the memory card? I bought my A7Riii used off here and don’t have a USB to usb-c cable (it has a hdmi to usb-c cable in the box).
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Has to be a USB micro or USB-C.
 
They say you should use the one supplied with camera, I just did it with a decent USB C - takes about five minutes after downloading.
The main thing is you don't want any hint of flakey worn or wobbly connection either end, because interrupting the transfer would be bad news.
 
Dust seems to be getting the better of me, I was doing fine with running the cleaning routine and using a rocket but there's some persistent small dust particles it's not dislodging now.

Compressed air would probably work but I don't want to use it in case I get unlucky, any recommendations on what else to use?
 
simonbarker said:
Dust seems to be getting the better of me, I was doing fine with running the cleaning routine and using a rocket but there's some persistent small dust particles it's not dislodging now.

Compressed air would probably work but I don't want to use it in case I get unlucky, any recommendations on what else to use?
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Definitely don't use compressed air!! Some kind of dry clean would be my first tool if a blower didn't work. A few years ago i went to SRS Microsystems in Watford with a list of cleaning kit I was going to purchase. I was going to get an Arctic Butterfly brush but they recommended the lensmen sensorklear instead. It was much cheaper so it wasn't like they were trying to up sell. I also purchased the wet clean swabs but never needed to use them yet.

https://lenspen.com/product/sensorklear-ii/
 
simonbarker said:
Dust seems to be getting the better of me, I was doing fine with running the cleaning routine and using a rocket but there's some persistent small dust particles it's not dislodging now.

Compressed air would probably work but I don't want to use it in case I get unlucky, any recommendations on what else to use?
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If all else fails use a wet clean. I must be an excessively mucky photographer because I had to wet clean my Canon and Olympus sensors on several occasions . I’ve had to do it once on my A7R3. I always use a loupe and follow the destructions.
Since I’ve started to use a rocket blower every time I change a lens I’ve not had to use a wet clean, maybe, just maybe I’ve learnt something.
 
simonbarker said:
Dust seems to be getting the better of me, I was doing fine with running the cleaning routine and using a rocket but there's some persistent small dust particles it's not dislodging now.

Compressed air would probably work but I don't want to use it in case I get unlucky, any recommendations on what else to use?
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I don't tend to clean mine that often but shoot wide open mostly so I don't see the problems unless I look for them.

However, I have used most things over the years and the butterfly's are ok for a quick dust down; the sensor clear pens are good for a stubborn mark; wet swabs are messy and the residue sometimes can be a pain so last resort when all else fails. For just dust, the best IMO is the eye lead. Works a treat.
 
I haven't needed to clean my camera sensors for a long time but when I do I use a Pec pad wrapped around a slice cut from an old credit card and a drop Eclipse fluid. Saves on buying ready made cleaning stick thingies if you're a bit tight, like me.
 
woof woof said:
I haven't needed to clean my camera sensors for a long time but when I do I use a Pec pad wrapped around a slice cut from an old credit card and a drop Eclipse fluid. Saves on buying ready made cleaning stick thingies if you're a bit tight, like me.
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You buy it once, then reuse the stick with new pec pads.
 
Raymond Lin said:
You buy it once, then reuse the stick with new pec pads.
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I'll do the sums but a pack of Pec pads and a bottle of fluid seem cheap enough and last a loooooooong time. In fact since I went digital I'm only on my second of each.
 
woof woof said:
I'll do the sums but a pack of Pec pads and a bottle of fluid seem cheap enough and last a loooooooong time. In fact since I went digital I'm only on my second of each.
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I bought a set of pre-made ones when i got my 5D2 and 100 pec pads and 1 bottle of fluid. I still haven't run out yet and I shoot 2 bodies so every time I clean, i use double.
 
rob-nikon said:
Ive had a look in the manual to see what contents would be included but sadly not if you buy it used and its not in the box. There was a hdmi to usb-c cable instead so can't moan. I've got one on order now so all sorted.
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You can also use a micro USB. The ones that come with smartphones generally works quite well unless you have an iPhone
 
Raymond Lin said:
I bought a set of pre-made ones when i got my 5D2 and 100 pec pads and 1 bottle of fluid. I still haven't run out yet and I shoot 2 bodies so every time I clean, i use double.
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5D2? That must have been yesterday. I got mine when I had my 300D in 1258 when Henry III was still on the throne.
 
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