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

woof woof said:
Have you got one Graham? (MF.)
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Not yet, haven't really had a chance to think about it to be honest. I think realistically I may have to wait until I have more time to get out and about.

There's also the current economic climate to think about. Without bringing politics into this thread, I can't shake the feeling that we've been properly screwed over by the Americans with all this Russia/Ukraine stuff and until things get sorted I'm not sure an expensive hobby is the sensible choice just now. Time will tell though, maybe come summer the world will be a nicer place.
 
f/2.8 said:
Difficult to tell I guess based on editing just a couple of images.

You won't know for sure until you have imported a whole set of images. Might be slower or might not.
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Having slept on it, I think I might stick with the A73. It doesn't feel like the generational leap after reading more into it. And I’m not sure how beneficial it is to my photography.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Having slept on it, I think I might stick with the A73. It doesn't feel like the generational leap after reading more into it. And I’m not sure how beneficial it is to my photography.
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True just incremental upgrades. Think it might be a long time before we see someone really new.
 
snerkler said:
There’s some thought out there that deleting images rather than simply formatting the card can lead to early card corruption so I’ve always filled the card then formatted, but it sounds like you’ve never had an issue?
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I had a couple of cameras (I think an Olympus E-3 and Nikon D700, CF cameras anyway) and I found after deleting all the images on the card a few times, the cameras would randomly report a card error and not take the picture. The cards were still readable in a PC so I switched to formatting them instead and never had the same issue again so I always format storage now instead, no real downsides and worth it to minimise potential issues.
 
gman said:
Not yet, haven't really had a chance to think about it to be honest. I think realistically I may have to wait until I have more time to get out and about.

There's also the current economic climate to think about. Without bringing politics into this thread, I can't shake the feeling that we've been properly screwed over by the Americans with all this Russia/Ukraine stuff and until things get sorted I'm not sure an expensive hobby is the sensible choice just now. Time will tell though, maybe come summer the world will be a nicer place.
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Unfortunately there always seems to be something, although to be fair the world does seem to have gone more pear shaped than usual at the moment. That being said we don't know what's round the corner and I'm a believer in living for today.
f/2.8 said:
True just incremental upgrades. Think it might be a long time before we see someone really new.
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Most cameras tend to be incremental updates and it's pretty rare for something particularly different to come out. I can't remember anything particularly game changing throughout the history of DSLRs, maybe live view. Obviously mirrorless was a big change and there have been a couple of "game changers" with blackout free shooting and eye-AF but other than that it's just been incremental updates.

I can't see many areas to improve things massively other than a global shutter, and of course we'll see some advancements in AI. There is of course the meta lenses but I can't see those coming into the consumer market within the next 10 years if not 20 years.
 
snerkler said:
Most cameras tend to be incremental updates and it's pretty rare for something particularly different to come out. I can't remember anything particularly game changing throughout the history of DSLRs, maybe live view. Obviously mirrorless was a big change and there have been a couple of "game changers" with blackout free shooting and eye-AF but other than that it's just been incremental updates.

I can't see many areas to improve things massively other than a global shutter, and of course we'll see some advancements in AI. There is of course the meta lenses but I can't see those coming into the consumer market within the next 10 years if not 20 years.
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Yeah I get that, but I do think at this point in the game they could easily roll out blackout free shooting to the entry level full frame bodies. Usually the tech filters down but they seem to be protecting this feature. It has been a long time since the A9 launched with this. I guess they want to protect sales of the higher end bodies.

Another feature that would be hugely popular would be reintroducing the apps they had on the first gen bodies for double exposure etc. That went away completely never to be heard of again while its a standard feature with most other companies.

Basically there has been no real improvements other than slightly improving ergonomics, bumping resolution, slightly improving a.f. since the A7III launched with a vastly improved a.f system.
 
f/2.8 said:
Yeah I get that, but I do think at this point in the game they could easily roll out blackout free shooting to the entry level full frame bodies. Usually the tech filters down but they seem to be protecting this feature. It has been a long time since the A9 launched with this. I guess they want to protect sales of the higher end bodies.
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Do you not need a stacked sensor to achieve this? (that is 'properly') - Stacked sensors carry a premium price tag, so I expect thats why they have not filtered down.
 
f/2.8 said:
Yeah I get that, but I do think at this point in the game they could easily roll out blackout free shooting to the entry level full frame bodies. Usually the tech filters down but they seem to be protecting this feature. It has been a long time since the A9 launched with this. I guess they want to protect sales of the higher end bodies.

Another feature that would be hugely popular would be reintroducing the apps they had on the first gen bodies for double exposure etc. That went away completely never to be heard of again while its a standard feature with most other companies.

Basically there has been no real improvements other than slightly improving ergonomics, bumping resolution, slightly improving a.f. since the A7III launched with a vastly improved a.f system.
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I've always missed panoramic since they removed it.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
Do you not need a stacked sensor to achieve this? (that is 'properly') - Stacked sensors carry a premium price tag, so I expect thats why they have not filtered down.
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They have had the tech for donkeys years now, be surprised it would make that much of a cost difference. Sensor replacement for an A9 is under £300 for parts for example.
 
snerkler said:
I've always missed panoramic since they removed it.
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I would like focus shift for macro, it works really well on my R7.

On another note, how did you find the 24-70mm from Amazon? mine arrived yesterday and although it won't set the world on fire IQ wise it seems very capable even wide open. Bargain if we get the promised voucher.
 
gman said:
Not yet, haven't really had a chance to think about it to be honest. I think realistically I may have to wait until I have more time to get out and about.

There's also the current economic climate to think about. Without bringing politics into this thread, I can't shake the feeling that we've been properly screwed over by the Americans with all this Russia/Ukraine stuff and until things get sorted I'm not sure an expensive hobby is the sensible choice just now. Time will tell though, maybe come summer the world will be a nicer place.
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My time for getting out and about has fallen through the floor but I suppose there are two ways of looking at it. Do I just accept the fact that photography as a hobby is something I can't really do any more? Do I sell the gear (or attempt to) and give up? Or do I make the few times I can get out with a camera that little bit more special by having the luxury kit I want and can afford?

These are questions those of us with little time and opportunity to do photography may want to ask and answer for ourselves.

Money wise, Mrs WW has her own money, property and life she can walk straight back into in Thailand. She doesn't care about any money or property here so I don't care if I die penniless as my awful family quite frankly don't deserve to inherit a button from me. All I/we need here in the UK if I die first is enough left to get Mrs WW on a plane out.
 
woof woof said:
Shiny. New. Toy.

:D
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I put some money into my ISA yesterday...fixed for 12 months, when i had the sense, just to stop myself.

I left enough to cover a used X-Pro 2 though should one pop up! There is a used X100v for £1149 online at the moment, twice what i have allowed myself for.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I put some money into my ISA yesterday...fixed for 12 months, when i had the sense, just to stop myself.

I left enough to cover a used X-Pro 2 though should one pop up! There is a used X100v for £1149 online at the moment, twice what i have allowed myself for.
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I think I'm older than you, I'm 61 and childless so that puts a different spin on things for me/us. Since inflation and interest took off my savings have started to go up again so with income now exceeding outgoings again for the first time in years I'm ok.

The X100f I bought recently has only been used a couple of times since I got it and it has occurred to me that I should sell it (or try to) as it isn't getting used but I don't really need the money. I could buy another car :D I use my Evoque a couple of times a week, my Getz a couple of times and the MX5 isn't moving.
 
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woof woof said:
I think I'm older than you, I'm 61 and childless so that puts a different spin on things for me/us. Since inflation and interest took off my savings have started to go up again so with income now exceeding outgoings again for the first time in years I'm ok.

The X100f I bought recently has only been used a couple of times since I got it and it has occurred to me that I should sell it (or try to) as it isn't getting used but I don't really need the money. I could buy another car :D I use my Evoque a couple of times a week, my Getz a couple of times and the MX5 isn't moving.
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I have no plans to switch to Fuji so whilst I think X-T5 would be great...that kind of money should really be best getting like an A7R3 or something. Trying to use my head instead more when spending money, if I am following my heart then I do want the X-Pro2 which as it turns out, is the cheapest of all the options really, alongside the XH1.

So....X-Pro2, it's meant to be a fun camera....not world-conquering and do it all camera!
 
woof woof said:
My time for getting out and about has fallen through the floor but I suppose there are two ways of looking at it. Do I just accept the fact that photography as a hobby is something I can't really do any more? Do I sell the gear (or attempt to) and give up? Or do I make the few times I can get out with a camera that little bit more special by having the luxury kit I want and can afford?

These are questions those of us with little time and opportunity to do photography may want to ask and answer for ourselves.

Money wise, Mrs WW has her own money, property and life she can walk straight back into in Thailand. She doesn't care about any money or property here so I don't care if I die penniless as my awful family quite frankly don't deserve to inherit a button from me. All I/we need here in the UK if I die first is enough left to get Mrs WW on a plane out.
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That sounds like a good option to me (y)
 
Mike.P said:
I would like focus shift for macro, it works really well on my R7.

On another note, how did you find the 24-70mm from Amazon? mine arrived yesterday and although it won't set the world on fire IQ wise it seems very capable even wide open. Bargain if we get the promised voucher.
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It's not arrived yet, should be arriving today although I'm not back at work until tomorrow so won't pick it up until then.
 
snerkler said:
That sounds like a good option to me (y)
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Well, some say that I/we should give to charity and that's a good argument apart from how some charities seem to spend their money. I must have heard a hundred horror stories about flights to nothing meetings in London involving overnight stays in hotels, meals out and dodgy and excessive expense claims and a friend of mine with cystic fibrosis raised an absolute ton of cash for the charity which they quickly spent on a new HQ. She was livid and never gave them another penny. So, the local animal and elderly charities and the local childrens hospice will get a bump if I/we leave anything but the big name charities will not.
 
Family are great woof woof a few of mine always get in touch when they need / want to borrow Money strange how the promised payments and contact just stop then I'm the bad guy for asking for it back lol

I've closed the bank now no more loans .
Rob.
 
GyRob said:
Family are great woof woof a few of mine always get in touch when they need / want to borrow Money strange how the promised payments and contact just stop then I'm the bad guy for asking for it back lol

I've closed the bank now no more loans .
Rob.
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It was asking for help once a fortnight that split our family. Part of me wishes I'd never asked for help but then I think they've shown themselves for what they are, so stuff them.
 
Mike.P said:
I would like focus shift for macro, it works really well on my R7.

On another note, how did you find the 24-70mm from Amazon? mine arrived yesterday and although it won't set the world on fire IQ wise it seems very capable even wide open. Bargain if we get the promised voucher.
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Yay, I've got a good copy this time. No decentering and it's nearly as sharp as the 24-105mm (both stopped down), only the extreme corners can I see a difference and even then it's not night and day, for the number of times I'm going to use it I can cope with this level of reduction in IQ. Here's the extreme top corner 1:1 crops


Screenshot 2022-12-22 at 13.44.15 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr


Full frame for reference.

Screenshot 2022-12-22 at 13.55.13 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr
 
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Cameraworld won’t accept my 24-105mm now as they already have several and my next best quote is £515, bit disappointing :(
 
Just seen a video of the bird and animal eye AF on the A7RV, very impressive and much better than my A9ii. It’s on the Facebook group though and hasn’t got the option to share :(
 
Does anybody else find that the initial focus acquisition is pretty unreliable with the 200-600mm? If the background is too busy, or the focus is too far away from where it should be (ie infinity when you are trying to focus on a nearby subject) - quite often AF seems to just give up and freeze out. The other frustrating thing is that you can't then grab the focus ring to help it without first toggling over to MF, and then back again. Missed a quite a few opportunities lately with AF failing. I predominantly use my lens at the longer end - 600mm, and I have 3 focus modes assigned to different back buttons. Expand flexible spot, Zone Wide AF and also Tracking. Ive had occasion when neither of the 3 buttons do anything, AF fails to respond, and a reset of the camera (Off and then back on again) is required to get AF to function again Is this normal? Don't get me wrong once I've acquired focus the AF won't let go of the subject which is fantastic, and it keeps up with the movement of my subject better than any lens I've had, but the initial acquisition isn't the best.
 
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Raymond Lin said:
I have no idea, it is not a good idea to delete images in the body, it can cause corruption/error in the card. Just shoot until full then format.
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I've been shooting with Sony's since I got my original A200 about 16 years ago, majority of time I delete in camera, plus occasionally format.
Only ever had 1 problem with a corrupt card, and that was the one card I had that wasn't a Sandisk card.
 
gilbouk said:
Does anybody else find that the initial focus acquisition is pretty unreliable with the 200-600mm? If the background is too busy, or the focus is too far away from where it should be (ie infinity when you are trying to focus on a nearby subject) - quite often AF seems to just give up and freeze out. The other frustrating thing is that you can't then grab the focus ring to help it without first toggling over to MF, and then back again. Missed a quite a few opportunities lately with AF failing. I predominantly use my lens at the longer end - 600mm, and I have 3 focus modes assigned to different back buttons. Expand flexible spot, Zone Wide AF and also Tracking. Ive had occasion when neither of the 3 buttons do anything, AF fails to respond, and a reset of the camera (Off and then back on again) is required to get AF to function again Is this normal? Don't get me wrong once I've acquired focus the AF won't let go of the subject which is fantastic, and it keeps up with the movement of my subject better than any lens I've had, but the initial acquisition isn't the best.
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It’s not that uncommon for AF to struggle when the background is busy, especially when using teles. I remember Nikon being particularly bad (relatively speaking), however it doesn’t freeze, just focusses on the background instead. I’ve had this happen a couple of times with the 100-400mm but only in extreme situations, and it’s never locked up.

The 200-600mm has had known issues in the past with certain bodies, but I can’t remember which.
 
snerkler said:
It’s not that uncommon for AF to struggle when the background is busy, especially when using teles. I remember Nikon being particularly bad (relatively speaking), however it doesn’t freeze, just focusses on the background instead. I’ve had this happen a couple of times with the 100-400mm but only in extreme situations, and it’s never locked up.

The 200-600mm has had known issues in the past with certain bodies, but I can’t remember which.
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It was the A7IV and A7RIV

View: https://youtu.be/3Fg725igrk4
 
imattersuk said:
Not sure if this is a proper fix but interesting to note that UV filters may have a very detrimental affect on AF with the A7RIV & 200-600

View: https://youtu.be/5sm-troSCP0
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Interesting video. I've never been a fan of filters on my long lenses so that's not been the issue for me. And my images are plenty sharp and isolated.
 
imattersuk said:
It was the A7IV and A7RIV

View: https://youtu.be/3Fg725igrk4
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I did note that when I got my lens there was a firmware upgrade available which I immediately did, likewise for my body. I believe the lens firmware was aimed at solving a7riv issues, and for the body firmware solving Eye AF missing focus. I think that the firmware for the lens addressed the issue somewhat. Certainly I have no complaints about soft images. Perhaps I should try my lens on an older body though.

Tbh, having had the the D500, D750, Z6, R6 and now the A7IV, I've found that the initial AF acquisition on mirrorless being a bit hit or miss on longer lenses. I had some problems with the R6 and canon 100-400mm mkii too. Especially with subjects closer when current focus is initially someway behind the subject. As mentioned by snerkler it did stick to the background even when the subject filled the focus group and was large in the frame. I must double check if this is the case with my current combo as I've been focused too much on what isn't in focus at the time of the problem. My D500 certainly was more positive about hunting and eventually sorting AF acquisition in similar situations without help however I feel the motors in the 200-600 and the Eye AF in the body give much more consistent and accurate AF especially for moving subjects. The zoom speed is also superior to the nikon 200-500mm. Need to do some testing to see if there is a workaround. Like zooming out to then zoom in again once AF has been aquired perhaps. I just wish Sony would allow focus override by grabbing the AF ring like Canon and Nikon
 
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gilbouk said:
I did note that when I got my lens there was a firmware upgrade available which I immediately did, likewise for my body. I believe the lens firmware was aimed at solving a7riv issues, and for the body firmware solving Eye AF missing focus. I think that the firmware for the lens addressed the issue somewhat. Certainly I have no complaints about soft images. Perhaps I should try my lens on an older body though.

Tbh, having had the the D500, D750, Z6, R6 and now the A7IV, I've found that the initial AF acquisition on mirrorless being a bit hit or miss on longer lenses. I had some problems with the R6 and canon 100-400mm mkii too. Especially with subjects closer when current focus is initially someway behind the subject. As mentioned by snerkler it did stick to the background even when the subject filled the focus group and was large in the frame. I must double check if this is the case with my current combo as I've been focused too much on what isn't in focus at the time of the problem. My D500 certainly was more positive about hunting and eventually sorting AF acquisition in similar situations without help however I feel the motors in the 200-600 and the Eye AF in the body give much more consistent and accurate AF especially for moving subjects. The zoom speed is also superior to the nikon 200-500mm. Need to do some testing to see if there is a workaround. Like zooming out to then zoom in again once AF has been aquired perhaps. I just wish Sony would allow focus override by grabbing the AF ring like Canon and Nikon
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Just for clarification, my Sony combo has been the best to date and it's only happened a couple of times since I've had it. It happened much more frequently on my D750, D850 and Z7. I can't comment about Canon as I've never used them.
 
woof woof said:
From the rumor site, more reviews of the Tamron 20-40mm.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnsewIc298k



It's interesting that that last guy says the lens is sharp as other reviewers haven't been so keen.
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I've read a few that all say it's plenty sharp enough.
I think those that compare it to other zooms so it's sharp, that other review was comparing it to primes so obviously it's not as sharp.
 
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