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

snerkler said:
I think there's weirdness at play tbh. I'm not sure it's the monitor size as for me it doesn't matter if I"m viewing on the MBP, iPad or phone, sharpness is reduced by a considerable amount, to the point where I'm embarrassed by my images on here and feel the need to explain. I think it's more likely to do with the way images are exported from Lightroom etc, size, monitor sharpening etc.
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I assume you have your LR export setting to full res? like I say I've noticed it at times that on FLickr my images were sharper, as intended, and then sharing on here saw a slight reduction but never anything major - certainly not as in I feel the need to make any excuses. When I see an image I like posted on here I always click through to the Flickr version if it's been linked, I'm a sucker, like many here, for detail and also like to see the exif data. So rest assured, at least when I'm viewing your images, I will click through ;)
 
I think this (terrible) photo shows the 85 1.8 bokeh wide open at varying distances with very distracting subjects (imo worst case scenario, backlight, mid range to far OOF), I thought it was a good performer when I considered the whole package VS vfm, I still think its a great lens.

 
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snerkler said:
Been through all my 85mm images and this is the only image I can find that has bokeh that has any sort of resemblance to yours, but I don't mind it at all.


A7R01910-Edit by TDG-77, on Flickr
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Ok, perfect example here, to me this looks as sharp on here as on Flickr, at least at a quick glance comparison - another lurvely doggy too :) [I'm more a cat person but I can appreciate a nice dog, just don't wish to own one!]
 
twist said:
I think this (terrible) photo shows the 85 1.8 bokeh wide open at varying distances with a very distracting subject (imo worst case scenario), I thought it was a good performer when I considered the whole package VS vfm, I still think its a great lens.

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I think some of you are just too picky, what is wrong here? I think it's a quite pleasing image tbh, a little busy perhaps in the bottom right but I would certainly not say terrible. You realise of course, that the general person [not into photography] viewing images like this will not care, they see the image as a whole. And they'll more than likely really like the effect - because they cannot achieve this on their phone
 
snerkler said:
Been through all my 85mm images and this is the only image I can find that has bokeh that has any sort of resemblance to yours, but I don't mind it at all.
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In my picture the foliage in the foreground looks the worst. Compare the bottom right to the bottom left and the right looks much better because the messy background is much further away, further out of the dof and rendered smoother. Ditto yours too I think if you look at the foreground of yours, bottom left to the dogs feet.

But yes, we're nit picking and looking for something that normal people just wont understand and of course years ago you weren't even supposed to look at the out of focus areas.
 
Cagey75 said:
I really like this, my cuppa ... you will always get smoother/nicer bokeh the closer you step in
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It shows where the 1.8FE shines and where it doesnt so much. Shooting full body against a busy background is nervous in comparison to the top lenses but then the top lenses are 1.4, bigger, heavier, slower to AF and cost a lot more. Will the client notice? Probably not the majority, will the shooter? If theyve used the best, they would but then its up to them how much it bothers them and the level of work they want to deliver, choice is great.
 
I remember taking this with a Minolta Rokkor 85mm f2 but I can't remember what aperture, his doesn't look wide open to me.

h6Va9nF.jpg


The Minolta is not as sharp as the Sony f1.8 and maybe a bit smoother as a result.
 
Cagey75 said:
I assume you have your LR export setting to full res? like I say I've noticed it at times that on FLickr my images were sharper, as intended, and then sharing on here saw a slight reduction but never anything major - certainly not as in I feel the need to make any excuses. When I see an image I like posted on here I always click through to the Flickr version if it's been linked, I'm a sucker, like many here, for detail and also like to see the exif data. So rest assured, at least when I'm viewing your images, I will click through ;)
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For web I export at 2000px on the long edge, with standard sharpening for monitor.
Cagey75 said:
Ok, perfect example here, to me this looks as sharp on here as on Flickr, at least at a quick glance comparison - another lurvely doggy too :) [I'm more a cat person but I can appreciate a nice dog, just don't wish to own one!]
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TBH that one doesn't look bad on here for some reason :thinking: And thanks (y)
 
snerkler said:
For web I export at 2000px on the long edge, with standard sharpening for monitor.
TBH that one doesn't look bad on here for some reason :thinking: And thanks (y)
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I just export everything at full res and upload all to Flickr the same, can't be bothered changing sizes for that purpose. The only time I do resize, as I am doing right now - is when people want copies sent through messenger or via email, then I'll downsize them using irfanview and make a seperate folder for the copies ; once sent or uploaded, they get deleted

And yup, he/she? is one cute doggy, name?
 
twist said:
Why haven you posted this @snerkler, excellent shot. Looking at the editing you used post somewhat?

https://flic.kr/p/2jqv5w7
View: https://flic.kr/p/2jqv5w7
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Thanks. I thought I’d posted enough from this event before I edited this ;) Yep added some extra blur (y)
Cagey75 said:
He has some cracking sports shots taken with M43 system too, I do admire these type of shots as it's something I could never get the hang of - panning! To me, it's tougher than getting a sharp 1:1 macro image, I just couldn't hang with sports.
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Thanks (y)
 
Cagey75 said:
I just export everything at full res and upload all to Flickr the same, can't be bothered changing sizes for that purpose. The only time I do resize, as I am doing right now - is when people want copies sent through messenger or via email, then I'll downsize them using irfanview and make a seperate folder for the copies ; once sent or uploaded, they get deleted

And yup, he/she? is one cute doggy, name?
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I never know what and how people steal images online so don’t post/upload full res.

She is called Betty :love:
 
snerkler said:
I never know what and how people steal images online so don’t post/upload full res.

She is called Betty :love:
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Honestly, they're welcome to mine :ROFLMAO:

Betty - wonderful name, my Gran Aunt was Betty and she was a beautiful person, I approve (y)
 
Can anyone help?
How do I tell my camera which head to choose for eye Af when there’s more than one in the frame?
I’ve got eye AF mapped to the AEL button and I use Back Button focusing if that makes a difference.
 
trevorbray said:
Can anyone help?
How do I tell my camera which head to choose for eye Af when there’s more than one in the frame?
I’ve got eye AF mapped to the AEL button and I use Back Button focusing if that makes a difference.
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AFAIK you can take pictures of the people you want to give priority to, register them, and then choose the one you want when using eye/face detect from the list.

I'm 99% sure I have my A7 set up like this but I may be getting confused as I have Panasonic cameras too. I'm very/pretty sure that's the case though.

If you look at the menu you should see something about registering faces.

Here's a youtube video showing you how to do it...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xZ8SYVwIzE
 
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trevorbray said:
Can anyone help?
How do I tell my camera which head to choose for eye Af when there’s more than one in the frame?
I’ve got eye AF mapped to the AEL button and I use Back Button focusing if that makes a difference.
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Which model do you have? If you have real time AF or whatever it’s called just use the tracking AF and start it on the face you want, otherwise I believe it’s a case of registering faces as above. I’m pretty sure with the Z7 it picked up the face it wanted but you could then change the face if there is more in the frame by pressing the D-pad, not sure if Sony is the same?
 
@snerkler @woof woof @imattersuk

Thanks. My scenario. I’m photographing custom and vintage bikes at a Sunday morning meet. I’m using my A7riii withTamron 28-75. I’m shooting wide open with flexible single spot. The owner of the bike I’m photographing is standing behind the bike, about 4 feet. He’s talking to two mates. I want to raise the camera, engage eye AF and focus on him. No one else. Not sure I’ll have time to register the face.
 
trevorbray said:
@snerkler @woof woof @imattersuk

Thanks. My scenario. I’m photographing custom and vintage bikes at a Sunday morning meet. I’m using my A7riii withTamron 28-75. I’m shooting wide open with flexible single spot. The owner of the bike I’m photographing is standing behind the bike, about 4 feet. He’s talking to two mates. I want to raise the camera, engage eye AF and focus on him. No one else. Not sure I’ll have time to register the face.
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if you use expanded AF focus point and have that on his face and press eye af, it will focus on the eye on the person on that focus point. It does mean you need to move the points quickly.
 
Raymond Lin said:
if you use expanded AF focus point and have that on his face and press eye af, it will focus on the eye on the person on that focus point. It does mean you need to move the points quickly.
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Smashing. Thanks Raymond.
 
New menus not coming to old cameras

Sony says the new menu is not coming on older cameras | sonyalpharumors

Sony told at Tweakers that older cameras will not get the new menu design because it's 'technically not possible'. The menu is designed to be used with the new Bionz XR processor. Still, from now on all future cameras will have the same new Sony A7sIII menu system. This was expected.
www.sonyalpharumors.com www.sonyalpharumors.com

I kinda expected that but I was still a little hopeful and this kills it
 
nandbytes said:
New menus not coming to old cameras

Sony says the new menu is not coming on older cameras | sonyalpharumors

Sony told at Tweakers that older cameras will not get the new menu design because it's 'technically not possible'. The menu is designed to be used with the new Bionz XR processor. Still, from now on all future cameras will have the same new Sony A7sIII menu system. This was expected.
www.sonyalpharumors.com www.sonyalpharumors.com

I kinda expected that but I was still a little hopeful and this kills it
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They just can't be bothered to do it more like it and can use that as a feature on their next incremental update to a "new" camera :(
 
Jase said:
They just can't be bothered to do it more like it and can use that as a feature on their next incremental update to a "new" camera :(
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Yep
 
Raymond Lin said:
if you use expanded AF focus point and have that on his face and press eye af, it will focus on the eye on the person on that focus point. It does mean you need to move the points quickly.
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Yep, the only trouble with this is that if the AF point moves off the face for whatever reason it no longer tracks the eyes. I wonder why Sony haven’t released a firmware update so that it works like the A9 and A7RIV? Processing power?
 
snerkler said:
Yep, the only trouble with this is that if the AF point moves off the face for whatever reason it no longer tracks the eyes. I wonder why Sony haven’t released a firmware update so that it works like the A9 and A7RIV? Processing power?
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They did release a firmware update, it does to do realtime eyeAF but not real time tracking like A9/A7RIV.
They did claim hardware issue

Jase said:
They just can't be bothered to do it more like it and can use that as a feature on their next incremental update to a "new" camera :(
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Indeed I am generally more annoyed that they didn't add real time animal eyeAF with A7RIV & they decided to use the same processor on A7RIII even though they had a new one.

Thinking of switching to canon. It seems the tables have slightly turned and it's Sony's turn with cripple hammer.
 
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nandbytes said:
They did release a firmware update, it does to do realtime tracking but not real time eyeAF like A9/A7RIV.
They did claim hardware issue



Indeed I am generally more annoyed that they didn't add real time animal eyeAF with A7RIV & they decided to use the same processor on A7RIII even though they had a new one.

Thinking of switching to canon. It seems the tables have slightly turned and it's Sony's turn with cripple hammer.
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It is a shame it doesn’t have real time animal AF on the R4. Do all Sonys have the irritating ‘lock up’ whilst they’re taking forever to clear the buffer or is it just the R4?
 
snerkler said:
It is a shame it doesn’t have real time animal AF on the R4. Do all Sonys have the irritating ‘lock up’ whilst they’re taking forever to clear the buffer or is it just the R4?
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All Sony's do this. At least all Sony's I have used including A9. I imagine they are all the same.

Canon R5 is seeming more and more to my liking slowly. They seem have fixed all the annoyances I have had put up with on Sony.

Tbh most things are so minor I can't believe it's actually making a difference:
- they haven't fixed star eater
- no touchscreen
- buffer lock up
- lossless compression
- lack of real time animal eyeAF
- using a old processor on A7RIV
 
snerkler said:
It is a shame it doesn’t have real time animal AF on the R4. Do all Sonys have the irritating ‘lock up’ whilst they’re taking forever to clear the buffer or is it just the R4?
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Yeah, better sell it and buy a Canon.... :LOL:
 
nandbytes said:
I have always been unhappy and been quite vocal about all the annoyances frequently. Now here is an alternative.
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True, you can always come back when Sony fix all the annoyances and bring out another Canikon beater.... :p
 
obviously wouldn’t be long until people started to jump ship, going buy past releases on here.

having done it once that was enough for me.
Either no sense or too much money.

There seems to be little you would actually gain between switching from one to the other, the canon might have a little advantage now, not that I can see much to be honest. More a side step and then if Sony trumps it will you all jump back?

What if nikon pulls a blinder next [emoji3]

Even model to model the advancement has slowed, small gain in DR/ISO at best maybe some more MP or FPS.

AF seems to have been the only real advance I’ve seen since the jump from the d700-d800 with its huge DR/MP jump.

My move was to reduce size and gain better AF.

The larger body and lens on canon plus the new buyer premium is eye watering.
 
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