Fun with A7S

[hiepphotog]

An afternoon stroll to a few landmarks in my town

ZM 15

Old San Miguel Mission

Across

Wheel of History

 

[retow]

Yes, Photokina is close. My guess is that Sony will release one FF E mount...a low cost FF without an EVF, but with "best in class" focusing...Just a guess, but this positions them well to offer something to those toying with the idea of an A7 series camera, but don't want to pay the price...I'd say....$999.

The A7s is a revelation for me...Silent shutter is the biggest benefit, followed by ISO performance. I have only really been using M lenses, though I did snag a 55 at a great price....

Coupled with the CV VM-E mount close focus adapter, I have many opportunities to find new creative uses for my M lenses and discrete methods of shooting in any light. Comparing files ot my M9 base ISO files, it's hard to distinguish other than that the DR is better for the A7s....

After having tried the A7r and A7 with my M lenses your article on Steve Huff`s blog inspired me to trade in the A7r for a A7s. It`s fantastic with my M lenses and
and the silent shutter is really something. Setting SS and aperture and let the iso move as high as 12800 or even 25600 is the way I use it most. My favorite lens on the A7s so far is the 50 ZM Sonnar.

 

[G43]

I normally use the same settings shooting manual only.

SS 1/320 to leave out any handshake blur.
Aperture
Auto ISO 25600

I started to shoot solely with a B&W mindset since I really fell in love how the S renders the midtones. Prints are looking gorgeous.

 

[RiversPhoto]

I normally use the same settings shooting manual only.

SS 1/320 to leave out any handshake blur.
Aperture
Auto ISO 25600

I started to shoot solely with a B&W mindset since I really fell in love how the S renders the midtones. Prints are looking gorgeous.

I also think it is cool that one can work with a totally BW workflow.

Even though I shoot RAW only, you can set the screen to show you a BW view by picking a Picture Effect for BW. When I import into Lightroom 5.x, I apply a BW filter to the Raw. All editing in the Develop module is still in BW.

I find that this helps me focus on the tonality of the BW as I never see the color version, and reminds me of the years I spent shooting BW Film.

Michael

 

[G43]

Sure Michael

It is a help of course to activate the B&W filter in the camera while shooting this 'style'. I guess the main part of cameras sports this filter.
The extremely clean RAW's from the S and the wide DR inspires one to think *Zone System* ... and decide for mid-high and low key not leaving much worries blocking either shadows or clipping highlights. Isn't it just wonderful

 

[ashwinrao1]

A7s and APO 50 summicron, lower ISO...such a fun combo to shoot

plus one in BW

 

[G43]

Lovely shots Ashwin

Your images shows a very nice artistic rendering we are not used to by nowadays hi-rez sensors.
May I ask you whether these images are RAW OOC or in any way PP, or simply OOC JPEGs?

I don't quite get along with the RAW colors out of camera and I can neither quite get the color tone (or space) I am used to work with.
I am using ACR/PS. Setting WB, tint in ACR and use the color-hue-saturation tool after curves to adjust the color offset.

 

[G43]

Had my morning coffee in a Cafe close by. Shot a simple wall decor in flat indoor light. Perhaps not that exciting, but tells me how difficult it is to get the colors 'in tune' with reality no matter any PP magic.

I also received a Canon EF to Sony FE lens adapter today to try out my Zeiss 21mm 2.8 Distagon. No way 12 MP is good for landscape.. sorry!

Well well, at least the camera works as a nice B&W tool in ISO 12800 darkness

 

[lambert]

No way 12 MP is good for landscape.. sorry!

How large are you printing?

 

[G43]

Olympus EM1 files: Normally A3 or in inches 12 x 17. At times one notch larger, depends on object. B&W I print up to max A2 or in inches 17 x 24. Epson 4900/360 DPI.

The A7S + 21mm landscape files looks nice at A4, but a tad too small for wall art I think.

Everything is of course relative depending on viewing distance.

 

[G43]

Lambert. Perhaps I didn't answer your question how large I print 7S files?

I think the prints looks nice up to A3 if the idea is not aiming at showing a lot of detail. It means the files are looking pretty good for fine art low detail images.
If the aim is to render tiny details, which I think is the case for many of us, contradictory enough I find my 16 MP files from the EM1 resolving far beyond what could be expected from an only 4 MP larger file!
Shooting people or street (not literally of course) with 7S I find the skin tones a bit cartoon-like if you know what I mean? Tonal range off perhaps.

Well you see I have my issues with the 7S. That said I am pretty happy with it anyway.

 

[Viramati]

Well I haven't printed from the A7S yet but I used to happily print to A3+ and A2 and couple of times to A0 and was pretty happy with the results under normal viewing conditions. As it is I now mainly do my landscape work with the Leica M and A7 and will use the A7 more for documentary and low light work where the high iso, silent shutter and faster focussing are more useful.

 

[G43]

Yes Viramati... there's little doubt in my mind when talking the stealthy qualities the 7S muster. All the other astounding qualities the camera demonstrates deserves respect too.

For landscapes and other styles that requires resolution and detail, I've invested in the 3 DP Merrill cameras.

Trying out my 21mm Distagon on the 7S was merely just a trial. I didn't expect the outcome to be printable to that large sizes.

 

[lambert]

Lambert. Perhaps I didn't answer your question how large I print 7S files?

I think the prints looks nice up to A3 if the idea is not aiming at showing a lot of detail. It means the files are looking pretty good for fine art low detail images.
If the aim is to render tiny details, which I think is the case for many of us, contradictory enough I find my 16 MP files from the EM1 resolving far beyond what could be expected from an only 4 MP larger file!
Shooting people or street (not literally of course) with 7S I find the skin tones a bit cartoon-like if you know what I mean? Tonal range off perhaps.

Well you see I have my issues with the 7S. That said I am pretty happy with it anyway.

Hmmm ... my experience is the opposite. Tremendous detail. Wonderful skin tones (in both stills and video). In fact, it's very much in line with MR's A7S Review (Luminous Landscape):

"I'm adding this paragraph just as I prepare this article for publication. I have been looking closely at and make prints from images that I've shot during the few days that I had to work with and test the A7s. All technical considerations aside, the ultimate arbiter has got to be ones own eyes. Technical and theoretical analysis are one thing, but people see images, not numbers. That being the case, I have to say that the Sony A7s produces some of the cleanest, most pleasant images I've seen this side of a medium format system.

People have long claimed that CCDs produce more pleasing images than CMOS. Medium format has, until this year, been exclusively CCD. But now that Sony has produced a 50MP CMOS sensor, currently being used by several medium format camera makers, we see that impressive image quality isn't just the purview of CCD. So – wrong presumtion.

With the Sony A7s we see that Megapixel count isn't the be-all and end-all either. There is something to the look of A7s files that reminds me of medium format, and the only thing that I can think of that could be at work here are the large individual sensels. I can't say why, but like the US Supreme Court judge, when asked for his definition of pornography replied – "I can't say, but I know it when I see it".

Link to review: Sony A7s First Impressions

 

[G43]

Cleanest, pleasant images I've seen this side of medium format....

I agree... That wasn't my point

Details are very defined, whereas the resolution is what it is.

I have a 'natural' color issue which could easily have to do with Adobe ACR/PS.
I can't claim the 12 MP sensor to give me more rez than it is.

 

[sven]

I was just doing a print evaluation of the sony A7s. I was comparing the A7s with the D800E (because its the highest resolution camera that I own). I was just doing this over the past 3 days. I find that up to 18 inches, A7s simply rules, medium format like rendering, and resolution to match D800E. It is obvious even to non-photographers. It is very good in prints upto 24 inches and is close to D800E though the resolution difference can be appreciated. Only in larger prints does the D800E significantly pulls apart in resolution. Granted the lenses used on the Sony A7s were the leica M lux lenses but I am just comparing systems that I own. I did not buy the Zeiss Otus as I find focusing a pain using D800e. Another caveat, I do not shoot forests or mountains, I do primarily portraits, architecture. This is my personal observation based on my use, YMMV.

I use Lightroom and do not have any color issues.

 

[G43]

There might be something to what you say. Sofar, until two hours ago, I used Adobe DNG converter be able to open my ACR. I tried to convert in Lightroom (latest) and... bum... different and far more true colors !!!
The latest DNG converter I have seems not to support the 7S RAW well, hence the mess.
So since you posted Sven I've found out meanwhile everything comes out well

I'll print something tomorrow and see how things come out.

I refuse to print larger than 17" or 18" whatever inches... the colors washes out IMO.

 

[sven]

Glad it worked out. Also another suggestion is to print using Lightroom, I get the best using this workflow.

 

[ryc]

Picked up an A7S. Next week I will post pictures taken with it and a lens that will knock your socks off. Just have to wait before I can post them. The results are simply mind blowing as far as rendering and detail ! can't wait to share! Its an amazing little camera.

 

[ashwinrao1]

Lovely shots Ashwin

Your images shows a very nice artistic rendering we are not used to by nowadays hi-rez sensors.
May I ask you whether these images are RAW OOC or in any way PP, or simply OOC JPEGs?

I don't quite get along with the RAW colors out of camera and I can neither quite get the color tone (or space) I am used to work with.
I am using ACR/PS. Setting WB, tint in ACR and use the color-hue-saturation tool after curves to adjust the color offset.

Thanks so mich. I always shoot RAW and do quite a bit of PP in LR5. I have set up a few custom tweaks, modified to reduce the orange bit of cast I see in skin tones....and I have enjoyed the output, for the most part....