Sony A7 & A7R Field Test Video

[Georg Baumann]

Is my line of thought wrong or will I be able to fit the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 to the A7R?

Ok, I found an answer on diglloyd, it can be done, but remains to be seen in reality because the adapter of course introduces another variable compared to going native on a D800E and considering the weight of this lense.

I would much prefer Zeiss offering a native Sony solution for the Otus.

The idea of dropping >3K on the 55/1.4 and running into trouble because the mount is not 100% due to manufacturing tolerances is not very appealing. Having said that, this can even happen native on a D800E as Lloyd described himself.

 

[fotografz]

I was really excited about the camera until I looked at the specs: 1/160 flash sync and 1.5 fps? Really? I suppose it would still be a good landscape and architecture camera with the Canon T/S lenses, I was just hoping for more.

EDIT: B&H lists 4 fps, which I might be able to live with. Let's hope that's correct.

Sony site specifications:

Continuous shooting: 1.5fps, or ... Speed Priority Continuous shooting 4fps. Don't ask me what the difference is or what the frame rate is when set to single capture.

a7R (Alpha 7R) Interchangeable Lens Camera - All Alpha NEX Sony Store - Sony US

IMO, 1/250 verses 1/160 sync is a relatively small difference except for some very specialized use.

Neither are much help outdoors when trying to overcome the sun (which is why leaf shutter cameras are preferred for that sort of duty ... like the S2 sync of 1/1000) ... few people use full 1/250 sync speeds indoors in dim conditions (unless they deliberately want a wall of black behind an overly flashed subject).

In a vast majority of artificial lighting situations including studio work, the flash duration is what stops the action, not shutter speed.

However, if one needs that 1/2 stop difference, then one needs it. No arguing that.

- Marc

BTW, the Sony site confirms Focus Peaking in this camera ... pull ISO of 50, and the sweep pano produces a 12.416 X 1,856, 23 meg jpg file ...

 

[algrove]

I was really excited about the camera until I looked at the specs: 1/160 flash sync and 1.5 fps? Really? I suppose it would still be a good landscape and architecture camera with the Canon T/S lenses, I was just hoping for more.

EDIT: B&H lists 4 fps, which I might be able to live with. Let's hope that's correct.

FWIW, MR on LL tested the 4fps and he believes it is an accurate number.

 

[docmoore]

Invaluable feature :thumbs: :ROTFL:

May be similar to a red enhancer filter ... or better yet ... may work the same way that Nik Color Efex Pro program "Indian Summer" filter works by changing green leaves into yellows and reds without effecting skin tones.


Of course, no one has to use any "consumer" feature on any of these cameras ... but they are a lot of fun sometimes. Fun is okay occassionally isn't it?

- Marc

Darn....

Thought it was a built in sound track for video....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn_Leaves_(song)

One of my favorites.

Guess I will keep my two A7R's on pre-order. Now does anyone want a RX-1R or a M8.2 cheap?:thumbup:

Bob

 

[Vivek]

Bob, Why 2 of the same? Stereo rig?

 

[docmoore]

Hi Vivek,

Just hedging my bets for delivery...but if the camera is VERY good I may take both...seems like whenever I find something I love it gets changed in a way that makes it less desirable.

Dropped my SLRs and MF camera last year and have been using the RX-1(R) as a travel camera but would love a long, macro and AF solution.

And most of this depends on how moderate WA adapted lenses fare with the camera...and if CornerFix will correct them well enough.



Bob

 

[Brian Mosley]

Wow, that shutter is loud

Nice looking camera though. I'll take one with an electronic shutter, IBIS and sensor cleaning... Hard to justify starting from scratch now that I've got a decent set of lenses for m4/3rds.

On the bright side, the X100 just qualified for my 'keep forever' list of classics.

Good luck everyone, I'll enjoy reading your impression pieces!

Brian

 

[Vivek]

On the bright side, the X100 just qualified for my 'keep forever' list of classics.

Brian,

Either you have a good copy or you are not using it at all if it is still intact and working. I have seen 2 samples ~1 year of gentle use and look like crap with rings falling apart and that whale oil (or whatever they use to lube the shutter/aperture blades) splattered inside the lens. :thumbdown:

The Panasonic GM1, OTOH, is bound to be a classic.

 

[MikalWGrass]

Al, the camera is optimized to work best with the R 80/1.4 in E mount!!!!

 

[Brian Mosley]

Brian,

Either you have a good copy or you are not using it at all if it is still intact and working. I have seen 2 samples ~1 year of gentle use and look like crap with rings falling apart and that whale oil (or whatever they use to lube the shutter/aperture blades) splattered inside the lens. :thumbdown:

The Panasonic GM1, OTOH, is bound to be a classic.

Mine is in perfect condition Vivek, and to clarify - it's my 'keep forever' list of classics. Other models on my list... E-400, R1, E-P1... so it's more a list of 'nice to keep, not worth selling'

Cheers

Brian

 

[neelin]

Anyone heard of custom user settings?
Not having these make me curse my Nex7 on a regular basis.

 

[neelin]

They do have a summer setting. Removes bathing suits at the beach. I just ordered 5 of them

You'll have to order 9 bathing suits, because like face detection it maxes out at 8.

 

[MirekE]

They do have a summer setting. Removes bathing suits at the beach. I just ordered 5 of them

Again?

The Augusta Chronicle

 

[paulrossjones]

I'm quite interested in the A7R.
Mainly as I am not very happy with my canon files, and my contax 645/p65 is too hard to shoot lifestyle with. I would have got a nikon D800, but I much prefer Canon lenses- and I already own a lot.

But for the sony to be even a consideration in my advertising world-
- It has to be able to tether fast, I have clients over my shoulder every time I shoot and they need to see what I am doing.
USB 2 doesn't seem like a good option. and i know the a99 doesnt tether to capture one- is there any other software that will support it?
or is showing stills(4k) though hdmi a possibility?

- As I shoot with wide apertures (f1.2-1.6 a lot), I need the focus point to be fine enough to actually pick the correct place. Its not about accuracy (I need that too) but the size of the focusing area. Canon is quite good with this as I manually choose a point thats close to where I need it and the focus point is small enough to choose- say a pupil of an eye- and not miss and focus on a nose for example. The videos I have seen of the sony camera focusing doesn't seem very encouraging.. the focus "squares" are so large that you end up focusing generally on a head than an eye.

Does anyone else need these features? Can the A7R do these things?


I would love to be able to plug in a on camera monitor so i can see a decent size picture when shooting (like i can with a video camera). i have done this with the canon, but the delay and blackout time is too long to be practical.
maybe having the continuous off sensor playing will speed this up to be practical?

And can anyone tell me how wide in the frame the focusing can be done. I find the focus points in my canon are often not far out enough- most advertising images have the text where the focus points are, and i need to move the subject to the sides.

paul

 

[fotografz]

I'm quite interested in the A7R.
Mainly as I am not very happy with my canon files, and my contax 645/p65 is too hard to shoot lifestyle with. I would have got a nikon D800, but I much prefer Canon lenses- and I already own a lot.

But for the sony to be even a consideration in my advertising world-
- It has to be able to tether fast, I have clients over my shoulder every time I shoot and they need to see what I am doing.
USB 2 doesn't seem like a good option. and i know the a99 doesnt tether to capture one- is there any other software that will support it?
or is showing stills(4k) though hdmi a possibility?

- As I shoot with wide apertures (f1.2-1.6 a lot), I need the focus point to be fine enough to actually pick the correct place. Its not about accuracy (I need that too) but the size of the focusing area. Canon is quite good with this as I manually choose a point thats close to where I need it and the focus point is small enough to choose- say a pupil of an eye- and not miss and focus on a nose for example. The videos I have seen of the sony camera focusing doesn't seem very encouraging.. the focus "squares" are so large that you end up focusing generally on a head than an eye.

Does anyone else need these features? Can the A7R do these things?

I would love to be able to plug in a on camera monitor so i can see a decent size picture when shooting (like i can with a video camera). i have done this with the canon, but the delay and blackout time is too long to be practical.
maybe having the continuous off sensor playing will speed this up to be practical?

And can anyone tell me how wide in the frame the focusing can be done. I find the focus points in my canon are often not far out enough- most advertising images have the text where the focus points are, and i need to move the subject to the sides.

paul

Hi Paul, IMO, this isn't ready for full blown ad shoots. It is just to new. There is only one 55mm f/1.8 FE mount Zeiss prime coming this year.

If you like Canon lenses, especially the f/1.2 variety, the AF simply will not meet your expectations ... the 85/1.2-IIL is already snail slow and will get even slower adapted to this camera (an opinion based on those testers that have tried a Canon lens on the A7R). IMO, that is a deal killer for you and how you seem to work.

The use of FE lenses will bring into play Sony's full AF system ... which includes their eye recognition mode that allegedly works quite well. However, it will be quite awhile before a decent array of FE mount lenses are available ... and how fast the max apertures will be is anyone's guess.

I suspect this Sony will eventually be supported for tethered shooting in Adobe Lightroom.

IMO, this is a camera designed more for mobile type photography where its' super small (5" wide") stature makes it easy to take with and carry all day long ... but deliver a FF 36 meg punch.

While you didn't comment on why you do not like Canon files, you do like the functional aspects and the lenses. So, what is missing? Seems that Canon will respond with some sort of higher resolution camera, if that's the issue.

- Marc

 

[lowep]

Thanks for the review.

I'm a hot candidate for this camera to use my M lenses for occasional color shots.

My main M camera is the MM, and to me Rangefinder work means B&W. So all I care about is something to do a few color shots while traveling or casually walking about using the same M lenses I already have with me. Just not enough interest in color to fork over $7,000 for a M240.

Would be nice to know if the wider M lenses work ... but they must have done something with the sensor to accept W/A optics since they offer a 24-70 FE lens. It'd be nice to work with my M21/1.4 ASPH without needing a aux finder to frame with.

The M50/0.95 Nocti with 36 meg FF should be interesting.


- Marc

Have found the Epson RD1 to be interesting in this respect

 

[paulrossjones]

Hi Paul, IMO, this isn't ready for full blown ad shoots. It is just to new. There is only one 55mm f/1.8 FE mount Zeiss prime coming this year.

If you like Canon lenses, especially the f/1.2 variety, the AF simply will not meet your expectations ... the 85/1.2-IIL is already snail slow and will get even slower adapted to this camera (an opinion based on those testers that have tried a Canon lens on the A7R). IMO, that is a deal killer for you and how you seem to work.

The use of FE lenses will bring into play Sony's full AF system ... which includes their eye recognition mode that allegedly works quite well. However, it will be quite awhile before a decent array of FE mount lenses are available ... and how fast the max apertures will be is anyone's guess.

I suspect this Sony will eventually be supported for tethered shooting in Adobe Lightroom.

IMO, this is a camera designed more for mobile type photography where its' super small (5" wide") stature makes it easy to take with and carry all day long ... but deliver a FF 36 meg punch.

While you didn't comment on why you do not like Canon files, you do like the functional aspects and the lenses. So, what is missing? Seems that Canon will respond with some sort of higher resolution camera, if that's the issue.

- Marc

thanks for the reply. i do suspect canon will come out with something sometime, but this seemed to be a stop-gap measure. i need something to shoot with now. i am very impressed with the nikon d800e files (ive hired and compared quite a few times), not just with res, but with depth of file and look. i really rate the nikon in this respect. maybe i should reconciler that and get one - like many of my colleagues have. its just a shame about the lenses not being quite as nice as the canon look when wide open.

paul

 

[Kolor-Pikker]

thanks for the reply. i do suspect canon will come out with something sometime, but this seemed to be a stop-gap measure. i need something to shoot with now. i am very impressed with the nikon d800e files (ive hired and compared quite a few times), not just with res, but with depth of file and look. i really rate the nikon in this respect. maybe i should reconciler that and get one - like many of my colleagues have. its just a shame about the lenses not being quite as nice as the canon look when wide open.

paul

Historically, there's been no such thing as fast, high-resolution and good looking, all at once, so your requirements are on the cutting edge there.
I'd say to use Zeiss or Leica R lenses to make the most of the D800, if you don't like the Nikkor look, but you lose AF if it's so important to you.
Not much you can do here, but if buying a D800 and a few G primes is going to cost less long-term than renting it out when needed, then go ahead.