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

As it's quiet.

A couple of A7III and Sony 40mm pictures. I can't decide which I like best and which to include in a slideshow, but here both they are. Incoming tide at Redcar.

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I'm trying to decide if I should sell more kit. I suppose I should and I suppose the A7III should go as I prefer the smaller A7cII.
 
Not sure if this is worth a PSA here, but my eye had been caught by the new Viltrox 14mm f/4 AF lens; it’s lightweight, compact, the reviews have been positive and also cheap enough to take a risk on - only £190, reduced to £180 for an introductory period.

I’ve been after an ultrawide FE rectilinear for a while , so I put one in my basket on Amazon at the end of last month resolved to check out after payday, then was rather disappointed a few days ago to find it was no longer available. Perhaps they had not been able to keep up with demand, I thought.

Anyhow, my disappointment turned to delight today when it transpired the lens is available again on Prime Day special offer for only £152!

Order placed, it should be delivered in about a week.
 
 
snerkler said:
This looks quite interesting, quite an amusing video too ;) I wonder how easy it would be to accidentally 'catch' the button and disengage the lock :thinking:

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It's a tripod mount attachment, so a non-started for me.
I'm happy with the 'old fashioned' quick release connectors on my OpTech strap, many have the Peak Design 'button' connectors, both of which work well - but there are lots of copies of both types of connectors (which may well use much lower quality materials) - I don't see the need for another type of connector.
 
Faldrax said:
It's a tripod mount attachment, so a non-started for me.
I'm happy with the 'old fashioned' quick release connectors on my OpTech strap, many have the Peak Design 'button' connectors, both of which work well - but there are lots of copies of both types of connectors (which may well use much lower quality materials) - I don't see the need for another type of connector.
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I have peak design, but I don't use straps much these days as I find they impede low level and high level shooting. I tend to just have a sling bag and no strap on the actual camera.
 
snerkler said:
I have peak design, but I don't use straps much these days as I find they impede low level and high level shooting. I tend to just have a sling bag and no strap on the actual camera.
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I use OpTech, mainly with the Dual Harness unless I'm just taking a few shots, when I'll use the Pro Strap + extension (so it's almost a sling strap) - I don't tend to hold the camera up high very much, and if I'm shooting low I tend to kneel, crouch or lie down, so don't have a problem with the strap getting in the way.
If I'm using a tripod I tend to keep the tripod plate on the camera (or lens, as appropriate), then unclip the strap once the camera is safely mounted on the tripod - which wouldn't be possible with that new design, as you have to remove the strap before you can mount the camera on the tripod.
I also use a monopod with my 200-600 quite a lot - and I 'll often keep the strap attached for safety.
 
I had another studio shoot yesterday and took the 20-70mm. In terms of rendering and depth I couldn't see any difference compared to a prime (shooting at f8), however it missed focus a few times and not ever shot was absolutly tack sharp. What was surprising was the Sigma 85mm DG DN also missed focus a few times, I've had it miss focus before with Betty but I just thought that was the subject rather than the lens. The studio was dark and the lens stopped down to f8 which could explain the problems, although the 50mm f1.2 never missed a beat, tack sharp on every shot.

The benefit of the zoom in the studio was noticeable so I'm pretty sure I'll look at getting the 24-70mm GM II at some point to hopefully get more consistent focussing over the 20-70mm. It's the a question of whether I get this as well as the 20-70mm or as a replacement, the weight and extra 4mm of the 20-70mm do make it a better walkabout lens. I've not got any studio shoots lined up, and certainly highly unlikely I'll do any more this year so I've got some time to ponder on this. I'm also wondering if the 85mm GM II will have better/more consisent focus.
 
The Fuji X100VI arrived today, had a quick play tonight and my initial impressions are that I like it :headbang:

Hopefully I’ll get chance to compare IQ against the RX1R before it goes back, but in terms of usability, speed of menus and changing functions etc it’s better than the RX1R. Also low light focussing is noticeably better.
 
snerkler said:
The Fuji X100VI arrived today, had a quick play tonight and my initial impressions are that I like it :headbang:

Hopefully I’ll get chance to compare IQ against the RX1R before it goes back, but in terms of usability, speed of menus and changing functions etc it’s better than the RX1R. Also low light focussing is noticeably better.
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D’oh !! Don’t ya just hate it when that happens. !!
 
trevorbray said:
D’oh !! Don’t ya just hate it when that happens. !!
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Yep :LOL:

I won’t be swapping anytime soon as it’s too big a hit on the RX1R, maybe one for the future although I’ve done the all important IQ test yet.
 
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GreenNinja67 said:
That's good news.

They were awful and caused me to chop in my Fuji gear for another manufacturer.
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Yeah, that’s why I got rid of my X-T1 as well. I’ve tried the raws from most Fujis since and they’ve all had some form of artefact but from the raws I’ve tried on the X100VI they’ve been fine. I thought there was some weird rendering of trees but that was down to a setting in LR. I’m interested to see how they render fine detail in foliage and grasses, although I’m not sure I’m going to get change to see as the weather is appalling today and it’s forecast to be the same tomorrow :rolleyes:
 
So the tests are done, and we're splitting hairs in terms of IQ. Initially the Fuji files lacked the depth of the Sony ones, however lowering the black level fixed this and now I'm struggling to tell them apart. I still think the Sony files shade it by a gnats but it's extremely close.

Here's the two side by side, I've tried to match the Sony as close as I could to the Fuji Classic Chrome, I struggled to get the fence anywhere close though :thinking:


Screenshot 2025-10-14 at 19.00.54 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr


Here's 1:1's

Screenshot 2025-10-14 at 19.01.23 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr



One area where the Sony has an advantage is the depth of field, I'm surprised how much difference there is between f2 and f2.8 eq (excuse the different framing, they were shot on a tripod but I must have knocked the plate).

Screenshot 2025-10-14 at 19.03.12 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr



Lightroom's blur function can make DOF similar though.

Screenshot 2025-10-14 at 19.16.04 by Toby Gunnee, on Flickr
 
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mstphoto said:
Me neither, Malc.
There's rumours of a Tamron 25-200 coming soon.
That extra width would be nice ;)
Also, the Sigma 20-200 may be good :thinking: but in the meantime, I'm more than happy with the 28-200
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Saw the 25-200 on Sony Rumours over on Fæcesbook yesterday, must admit an extra 3mm doesn't do it for me, and the aperture range is the same as the 28-200, I was hoping for something like 20-200 and f/2.8 -4
 
saltireblue said:
This is my daily go-to choice also. Never lets me down!
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I just couldn't get on with the 28-200. Not wide enough.
I have the 20-70 f4 now, but now I'm missing the long end, bit tempted by the Tamron 70-180 G2 especially it being f2.8, but the Sony 70-200 f4 ii being a half decent macro is appealing as well.
 
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robj20 said:
I just couldn't get on with the 28-200. Not wide enough.
I have the 20-70 f4 now, but now I'm missing the long end, bit tempted by the Tamron 70-180 G2 especially it being f2.8, but the Sony 70-200 f4 ii being a half decent macro is appealing as well.
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I've often been tempted to trade my 24-105 for the 20-70.
I can change my settings to Crop Mode to get to 105mm on my a1 and a7cii.
Perhaps someday soon ;)
 
Unless I’m going crazy and they’ve never been available, have all grey market sellers stopped selling Sigma lenses?
 
Kieran_89 said:
Unless I’m going crazy and they’ve never been available, have all grey market sellers stopped selling Sigma lenses?
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Panamoz stopped selling Sigma lenses donkeys years ago when their was a lot of problems with front and back focusing on the O.G Art series lenses because of the amount of returns.

E-inifin stopped selling them into the U.K after getting a cease and desist court order from Sigma U.K a couple of years ago. You can still buy from them front their U.S, E.U and AUS website front ends though.

I don't think Cotswold ever sold them.

Hdew still sell Sigma stuff.

Not sure about any of the others.
 
f/2.8 said:
Panamoz stopped selling Sigma lenses donkeys years ago when their was a lot of problems with front and back focusing on the O.G Art series lenses because of the amount of returns.

E-inifin stopped selling them into the U.K after getting a cease and desist court order from Sigma U.K a couple of years ago. You can still buy from them front their U.S, E.U and AUS website front ends though.

I don't think Cotswold ever sold them.

Hdew still sell Sigma stuff.

Not sure about any of the others.
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That's interesting that Sigma launched a court order, on this basis it's odd that other manufacturers don't do the same if it's supposedly as 'dodgy' as others make out. I for one am glad they don't ;)

Interestingly Cotswolds have pre-orders for the sigma 200mm f2 but no other sigma lenses.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
Fixed that for you :ROFLMAO:

But that aside - hang out the bunting, @snerkler has found a Fuji camera that passes the lab coat test

(Only the Leica to try now…….:))
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On reflection today the Sony images are a bit nicer, I can't quite put my finger on it but they just render nicer imo. I think the Fuji do look slightly flatter in all honesty, but it's minor and it does seem that Fuji and/or processes have got to the point that artefacts are a thing of the past. I have to say that grass still looks ever so slightly mushier on the Fuji but I'm nit picking ;)
 
snerkler said:
One area where the Sony has an advantage is the depth of field, I'm surprised how much difference there is between f2 and f2.8 eq (excuse the different framing, they were shot on a tripod but I must have knocked the plate).
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For me differences become obvious at something around f2.2-f2.5 but if we're looking at bokeh balls every decimal point of an f stop probably makes some difference. I wish the Sony f2.5 and f2.8 primes could be a little wider and the closer we get to f2 the fewer complaints I'd have.

snerkler said:
On reflection today the Sony images are a bit nicer, I can't quite put my finger on it but they just render nicer imo. I think the Fuji do look slightly flatter in all honesty, but it's minor and it does seem that Fuji and/or processes have got to the point that artefacts are a thing of the past. I have to say that grass still looks ever so slightly mushier on the Fuji but I'm nit picking ;)
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Can you see yourself keeping the Fuji? I haven't tried the newer ones but I always thought my S and F were closer to MFT than FF. For me Fuji makes the most sense as a combination of small size, retro handling and film effects but the further away from any of these the less sense Fuji make for me when the A7c range is there but the Fuji X100's are significantly thinner. I'd still rather use my GX80 than a X100 range camera for speed and AF accuracy and consistency. The A7cII has been a bit of a revelation for me even if it is heavier and fatter than the GX80.
 
snerkler said:
That's interesting that Sigma launched a court order, on this basis it's odd that other manufacturers don't do the same if it's supposedly as 'dodgy' as others make out. I for one am glad they don't ;)

Interestingly Cotswolds have pre-orders for the sigma 200mm f2 but no other sigma lenses.
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If you message e-infin they can set up any of the sigma lenses up as a special order as long as it is being advertised on e.u website etc. Guess that is how they get around it.
 
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