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Diglloyd Guide to Mirrorless - worth it for A7r users?

chrisd

New member
Do any A7r users here have experience with the Diglloyd Guide to Mirrorless subscription-based content?

I am tempted to subscribe to his Guide to Mirrorless content. I'm interested in in-depth tips and techniques on shooting with this camera system that will help me to improve and inspire me. I realize Lloyd has been a real critic of the A7r due to shutter shake (not a big issue for me personally), and I'm wondering, despite that, if there is useful content there for A7r users.
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
I can't tell you about Diglloyd's Guide, but I can recommend Gary Friedman's book. Sony A7 A7r Book by Gary L. Friedman
Even though I am a longtime Sony shooter, I like to have his books on my iPad and iPhone for reference. Gary has been shooting Sony back to the Minolta days. I always find useful tidbits in his books. He has a 2 week money-back policy if you don't like the book, so you have little to lose.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I can't tell you about Diglloyd's Guide, but I can recommend Gary Friedman's book. Sony A7 A7r Book by Gary L. Friedman
Even though I am a longtime Sony shooter, I like to have his books on my iPad and iPhone for reference. Gary has been shooting Sony back to the Minolta days. I always find useful tidbits in his books. He has a 2 week money-back policy if you don't like the book, so you have little to lose.
It looks good, although I had to laugh out loud at his video. To paraphrase, 'the A7 photos must be better than the ones from the Olympus because the sensor is so much bigger.' Um, that's just dumb in my book.

On the other hand, just in the video there were a couple of nice settings details that I hadn't really paid much attention to. I'll give him the $30 for his effort.

G
 

Annna T

Active member
I can't tell you about Diglloyd's Guide, but I can recommend Gary Friedman's book. Sony A7 A7r Book by Gary L. Friedman
Even though I am a longtime Sony shooter, I like to have his books on my iPad and iPhone for reference. Gary has been shooting Sony back to the Minolta days. I always find useful tidbits in his books. He has a 2 week money-back policy if you don't like the book, so you have little to lose.
I second that : the in depth Sony manual which you can find online is really discouraging (you have to go through so many almost empty pages/link before getting to the info you need) that I got discouraged. Finding things in online forums is very time consuming. So I was very glad to find about this book. In particular it is very readable, even for advanced photographer. It doesn't treat you like a dumb beginner.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Yes, I'm sure that's what Annna T meant. I similarly find it to be almost completely useless, nearly as bad as the abbreviated manual but a lot more annoying to work through.

Sony's manuals, like their ergonomics and controls, are a haphazardly disorganized mess. It's been that way ever since I bought my first Sony camera in 2002. They're the only cameras I've ever felt the need to buy a third-party guide in order to understand basic functionalities.

G
 

Annna T

Active member
Yes, that is the one I disliked. It is not a manual in the usual sense, but the only available apart of the rudimentary booklet coming in the box. And even as an online FAQ feature it is annoying : why force you to click several times on nested links, while at the end there is almost no substance. You may have to go through four one liner or row liners pages just to get two lines of explanation text; why don't they put it all on the same page so that you can keep an understanding of a whole features. It is way too fragmented to be of any use.

NB : it is the first time I have bought such a book in my life, usually the in depth manual is enough, even for complicated cameras like the Olympus.
 

jfzander

New member
OK.

But Diglloyd does only offer little info about how to use a camera, beside his Making Sharp Images section.

It is primarily a technical web site for in depth information and testing of camera systems. If you look for a manual it is not the right site. If you look for technical background, highly recommended. It's a subscription site, but there is lots of free articles which give you a good picture of what his site is about.
 

chrisd

New member
Thanks to all the advice given here. I have my eye on the Gary Friedman book, but I got the Brian Smith one already, which I have found useful, but unfortunately, it caters a lot to the beginner and intermediate photographer, even though I don't quite understand why a beginner would use the A7r in the first place.

Just to clarify, I do realize the Sony manual, like most camera manuals, is a disorganized mess, but I have a pretty good grasp on the mechanics of the A7r already, and I'm not looking for a manual replacement at this time.

I am interested in reading how an expert might go about getting the maximum resolution, image quality, and techniques that can produce inspirational photos given the right subject matter. Sort of a manual or guide for advanced users of the A7r. I am fortunate to have discovered this website, as browsing the forums here has already provided me with a lot of that content.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
If that's what your after no reading is going to help. You than need training to learn how to see and work in the field. Workshops are great if you go to the right ones. One on one training is also extremely good. I do both:)
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
That was not really a plug for me but a plug for people that teach photography the way it should be taught. Someone over your right shoulder.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I never liked his stuff.
Having years of benchmarking experience, I find his performance reports on mac gear just unbelievably naive.
As for photo stuff, he is a tester with his own biases like just about everybody.
I have often found that my results differ.
Anyway you pays your money and takes your choice. Like all data his is "colored" so read carefully and skeptically.
-bob
 
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