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The Sony A7II

dandrewk

New member
Im a little nervous now about shipping times to US.

Look at this email from Amazon. Copied from Sony Rumors

Since Sony hasn’t given us a date that we will receive and be able to ship these, we do not have a date listed. I checked on your order and it is still in effect. We are not allowing more pre-orders at this time as we have filled our pre-order slots.
It makes me a bit nervous as well, and I don't have the professional necessity as you do. :D

AFAIK, the original Amazon listing and the Sony USA store are the only outlets that listed a ship date. All others say "coming soon". But since Sony is still showing a Dec 7 ship date, I'm cautiously optimistic the same holds for all retailers.
 

JMaher

New member
I hope you are right about the 7th although I don't have any rush needs for the camera. I ordered from B&H withing an hour or so of its becoming available for order. Hoping there is a chance I will want to sell my EM-1 after this purchase but not really betting on it yet.

Jim
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Funny checked my paypal account and I noticed until Dec14 th that there is a 50 dollar off when using your PayPal to purchase from the Sony store. I'll keep my Amazon order and see what Sony comes up with but I bet I have to pay tax on Sony store as well. B&h I avoid the tax. I'll just keep my options open. Worst case I'll buy from Japan if I really get in a pickle. I doubt I will but I can also rent too. I start shooting my big gig on Jan. 8th in LA and I even have Samys there so I think I'll be okay. I'm counting on this 30 percent increase in Af because this cam I need it . The A7r can be the slow camera until the A9 comes.

Anyway check your PayPal accounts see if you see that as well. 50 bucks is 50 bucks
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Ah, okay. Yes, I knew about this. I just hadn't seen the term "FS conversion" before.

I have worked with IR and UV converted cameras in the past. I'm not moving in that direction at present with my photography (I'm more interested in pinhole, zone plate, and instant film as alternative process cameras at present), but it's nice to know that the technology there continues to develop.

G


Full Spectrum conversion (UV, Visible Light, and IR) is a sensor conversion so I have the choice of capturing different or specified bands of the EM Spectrum yet still retain the ability to capture (mostly) visible light only with external lens filters. There's a really nice thread in the Alternative Board where members that have various converter cameras are posting their images. I've been wanting to do it for some time and I was going to convert my Panasonic G1 but the impending FE cameras plus the 20% off sale at LifePixel prompted me to pull the trigger and use my A7R as my base.

Sort of a win-win for me to be able to use most lenses and never really want for additional resolution.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Godfrey

What pinhole assembly do you use for E mount? Thanks Paul
I use a Skink pinhole/zone plate kit for Leica M-mount along with a Novoflex NEX/LEM adapter. It nets a 24mm FoV, approximately, unless I add some extension to it.


Sony A7 + Skink Zone Sieve 24mm
ISO 25600 @ f/71

G
 

jpaulmoore

Active member
The A77 ll is at such a good price now $1499 with 16-50 lens and vertical grip that I have been considering it for portrait work. I have a A7r that I use with a Metabones adapter and my Canon TS lenses for architecture but I would like to leave that set up for that subject matter. Am I crazy for considering this? Is there a better Sony option? I have just given up on Canon bodies.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Yea saw that this morning. Looks real good. I may change my rental ZA 70-200 in January to the FE version so I can take advantage of that setting. I'm worried about the 70-200 being very sharp at 4.5 since that is what I can get away with doing runway and keep shutter speed up to around 1/400 th at ISO 800. Like to keep the ISO low as possible. I used the ZA 70-200 2.8 both on my A7 and A77II. Not sure I should switch now though. See how results are coming in once it hits the streets. I'll be shooting in crop mode as well for the reach.
 

dandrewk

New member
Doesn't 5 axis IS, which helps with "panning/scanning" with the addition of pitch/yaw, give you a few extra F stops?

My own tests show the FE70-200 to sharpen up in the corners at F5.6 when at 200mm. By 6.3, it's gone. Even at 4.5, it's not at all bad. But your tests will give you a good idea.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
IBIS may help me. I'm on a monopod but it can can't hurt me either. I have some time to change my rental before they ship for 12/30 delivery.
 
S

Shelby Lewis

Guest
I shot an a900 for quite a while... it's still a favorite DSLR of all the ones I've owned (but no longer own). If the IBIS on the a7II is as good (or better) as the old a900, you'll all find yourselves totally spoiled.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Looking at the video, most of what was shown is irrelevant to me. Focus tracking, more AF points ... I use all manual*focus lenses. Etc.

However, I like the softer, nicer shape applied to the upper portion of the body for the Menu and other buttons. Easier to see them and get to them. How effective the IBIS is remains to be seen. The steel lens mount is a plus for sure.

Whether I buy one or not, I can't say at the moment. I've got way, way, way!, too much gear and my present A7 works well for what I use it for. I intend to cut back on the-stuff-in-the-closet rather radically in 2015. I just want to do my photography, and what I need to do it is ever decreasing.

G
 

Paratom

Well-known member
As someone having owned an A7s and A7 for just some weeks I agree with those who do not like Sonys product cycle philosophy.
The A7II doesnt make my A7 a worse camera but it decreases ist value when I might want to upgrade to another Body. And it also reduces the chances for really much effort to improve the A7 vs Firmware in the future.

For me the policy makes it harder to Switch to the A7II (even though there are some good reasons for the A7II) because in spring we have to expect the next evolution step/the rumoured A9?.

Changing products so often - IMO - makes it easier for the camera Producer to throw something on the market. If something doesnt work well - they can improve it with the next model. And the customer pays for it.
Shutter to loud? bajonet too weak? doesnt matter, when the A7III Comes People Forget about the Problems they had with the A7/A7II.

Another example: I wonder why I paid for OSS in the 70200 and 2470. If it had bean clear that there are bodies with OSS Sony could have made those lenses somewhat smaller and offer them for a lower Price.

Sorry, bu I had to say it.
 
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