some wishes for the A9

[Godfrey]

Godfrey always feels the need to temper us in our wishes and needs but at the same time he managed to collect quiet a collection of camera equipment to fullfill all his needs.

I've accreted far too much gear in the closet for my comfort. I'll be cutting it back in 2015. I don't need eight interchangeable-lens camera systems....!

He even likes sportcars; what is more useless as that, besides the fun

Them's fightin' words.... ]'-)

I've nearly always had two seaters because they were small, economical on fuel, and carried enough for my needs. My current SLK does just as well to go to work and the grocery store as the Prius did, albeit with a bit less economy (but I don't drive all that much), and better than the Land Rover before that. And it's fun to drive as well...

G

 

[jonoslack]

A pity they did not make the body in aged Oak and I have to shell out another several hundred Euros for that!

Indeed Just saying Vivek, the T is missing so very much (IBIS, speed, weather-sealing, value for money, resolution), but the lenses are good and it does take good pictures, and the interface is really interesting.

 

[jonoslack]

I've accreted far too much gear in the closet for my comfort. I'll be cutting it back in 2015. I don't need eight interchangeable-lens camera systems....!



Them's fightin' words.... ]'-)

I've nearly always had two seaters because they were small, economical on fuel, and carried enough for my needs. My current SLK does just as well to go to work and the grocery store as the Prius did, albeit with a bit less economy (but I don't drive all that much), and better than the Land Rover before that. And it's fun to drive as well...

G

Hah! You don't need to defend yourself Godfrey you really don't!
I tried defending myself against accusations as a Leica shill to Michiel in a PM (did you get it Michiel? Did you believe me?)

We Are All Guilty!

 

[Godfrey]

... We Are All Guilty!

Yup.

I think what got me about this thread is that the Sony A7II has JUST been announced, is JUST getting in the marketplace—maybe a few have actually been delivered!—and already people are speculating what they'd like to have in the next model.

That seems over the top to me. Despite my own excesses...!

I did just buy another instant film camera. And another lens for the M9. These excesses have either got to bring me massive joy or they have to stop.

G

 

[jonoslack]

Or even mild enjoyment?
To be honest I can't really think of what I want in an A9 . . . better Auto ISO options? Full electronic shutter? Soul . . . that's it, I want it to have Soul (the A900 had it, but I'm not sure that any Sony camera since then has).

 

[Paratom]

I've accreted far too much gear in the closet for my comfort. I'll be cutting it back in 2015. I don't need eight interchangeable-lens camera systems....!



Them's fightin' words.... ]'-)

I've nearly always had two seaters because they were small, economical on fuel, and carried enough for my needs. My current SLK does just as well to go to work and the grocery store as the Prius did, albeit with a bit less economy (but I don't drive all that much), and better than the Land Rover before that. And it's fun to drive as well...

G

7 systems is clearly enough
by the way - reading your post I believe the X is "your" camera!

 

[Vivek]

Every camera that I use to make pictures has a soul and I do not sell them. Just use it until they die or the soul migrates to the new one that I use.

 

[Paratom]

Yup.

I think what got me about this thread is that the Sony A7II has JUST been announced, is JUST getting in the marketplace—maybe a few have actually been delivered!—and already people are speculating what they'd like to have in the next model.

That seems over the top to me. Despite my own excesses...!

I did just buy another instant film camera. And another lens for the M9. These excesses have either got to bring me massive joy or they have to stop.

G

Godfrey,
I posted about the A9 because...
-I am a little frustrated that my A7 has lost a lot of value just in a couple of weeks because the A7ii has been announced
-there are already rumors about the A9
-I am not sure if I want to experience the same with the A7ii when an A9 comes in 3 months
-many but not all of my wines have been addressed in the A7ii (auto iso settings)

So far I have never ever speculated about the next next model in case of companies like Leica or Canon - where one has the feeling they put all they have in a new model and then go back for r&d for 3 years before they present the next model.
in case of Sony where every 3 months a new model comes up it makes more sense to eventually skip 1 or 2 versions.

 

[Vivek]

So far I have never ever speculated about the next next model in case of companies like Leica or Canon - where one has the feeling they put all they have in a new model and then go back for r&d for 3 years before they present the next model.

Not sure about that, Tom.

Have you seen this? http://www.getdpi.com/forum/615084-post17.html

They are trying to investigate why the M8's sensor glass gets corroded. When was that camera released?

I am yet to encounter a Sony mirrorless camera that dies or has some terrible QC issue or a fatal flaw (has happened with Nikon!).

Contrary to your situation with your A7, mine was bought new for 900 Euros ("gray market with no warranty") and I converted it to a one of a kind Ultraviolet camera. Value- priceless, in every sense.

900 Euros is no small change to me and I could invest that amount of cash only because the cameras from Sony are that reliable.

The A7r with a 3 year warranty still works flawlessly and will continue to work whether there is a new A7ii or an A9 in the market.

 

[iiiNelson]

Yup.

I think what got me about this thread is that the Sony A7II has JUST been announced, is JUST getting in the marketplace—maybe a few have actually been delivered!—and already people are speculating what they'd like to have in the next model.

That seems over the top to me. Despite my own excesses...!

I did just buy another instant film camera. And another lens for the M9. These excesses have either got to bring me massive joy or they have to stop.

G

In fairness the A9 rumor has been floating around for the better part of the last 6 months. The A7II caught EVERYONE who wasn't testing it off guard. I distinctly remember (erroneously) telling Jono in another thread not to hold his breath for IBIS no more than 2 weeks prior to the A7II being announced.

I personally will skip the A7II and wait for the A9 (or A7RII if the A9 proves to all be a just another rumor to drive unique web traffic.)

 

[Godfrey]

7 systems is clearly enough
by the way - reading your post I believe the X is "your" camera!

LOL! Yes, seven should be enough! =8^O

And I agree: there are few cameras I have been as satisfied with as the X in the past couple of years.

G

 

[Godfrey]

Or even mild enjoyment?
To be honest I can't really think of what I want in an A9 . . . better Auto ISO options? Full electronic shutter? Soul . . . that's it, I want it to have Soul (the A900 had it, but I'm not sure that any Sony camera since then has).

Soul sounds good to me.
Just looked at some test frames with the old Summilux 35 v2: yup, it's there!

G

 

[Godfrey]

...
The A7r with a 3 year warranty still works flawlessly and will continue to work whether there is a new A7ii or an A9 in the market.

As does my A7: it does what I bought it for very well, which is to be a "one body fits all lenses" SLR surrogate for the Leica R and Nikkor lenses in my closet. I don't know that I really need or want to upgrade it.

G

 

[jonoslack]

In fairness the A9 rumor has been floating around for the better part of the last 6 months. The A7II caught EVERYONE who wasn't testing it off guard. I distinctly remember (erroneously) telling Jono in another thread not to hold his breath for IBIS no more than 2 weeks prior to the A7II being announced.

I personally will skip the A7II and wait for the A9 (or A7RII if the A9 proves to all be a just another rumor to drive unique web traffic.)

You did indeed Tre.
and as that was my principle complaint with the A7 and A7r (no IBIS) I'm honour bound to get an A7ii (and I will - hopefully it'll be delivered next week).

I also agree - A9 rumours have been around for ages, and the A7ii was a complete bolt out of the blue. A welcome one too, because it shows that Sony are actually listening and thinking.

 

[jonoslack]

Not sure about that, Tom.

Have you seen this? http://www.getdpi.com/forum/615084-post17.html

They are trying to investigate why the M8's sensor glass gets corroded. When was that camera released?

I presume you mean the M9? Mine is from 2009, and close investigation shows that it does exhibit the problem, but it's never shown up in a photograph.

Presumably, as it's a Kodak sensor, it was their fault that they chose the wrong glue . . . but Leica seem to have agreed to replace faulty sensors without a time limit - sure, it'd be better if nothing went wrong, but I don't see that there's much scope for complaint when a company says they'll replace faulty sensors outside the warranty period free of charge (of course, the right thing to do, but still, not many companies do this kind of a right thing).

I am yet to encounter a Sony mirrorless camera that dies or has some terrible QC issue or a fatal flaw (has happened with Nikon!).

I quite agree - I've never had any problem with any of the many Sony cameras I've owned. Better in fact than any other manufacturer by some way.

 

[Vivek]

Well - presumably, as it's a Kodak sensor, it was their fault that they chose the wrong glue . . .

Nothing to do with the glue and though it was based on a Kodak sensor it was Leica's idea (brilliant I might add) to use the BG glass instead of a clear glass to minimize aberrations. Leica falsely believed that having a single coating on that BG (BG = Blue Green) glass would keep it safe from deterioration (that it is known to do). I have a variety of BG filters from Schott and Hoya. It is not difficult to polish a 2mm thick filter from time to time. It is the nature of the beast. The situation, unfortunately, is different when it is stuck to the sensor casing as the only cover glass. This (degradation of BG glass) would eventually happen in every digital camera. In this case it is a bit faster. That is all.

I do applaud them for owning upto it and promising to take care of it. It probably costs them ~$300 to 400 for the sensor replacement.

 

[jonoslack]

Nothing to do with the glue and though it was based on a Kodak sensor it was Leica's idea (brilliant I might add) to use the BG glass instead of a clear glass to minimize aberrations. Leica falsely believed that having a single coating on that BG (BG = Blue Green) glass would keep it safe from deterioration (that it is known to do). I have a variety of BG filters from Schott and Hoya. It is not difficult to polish a 2mm thick filter from time to time. It is the nature of the beast. The situation, unfortunately, is different when it is stuck to the sensor casing as the only cover glass. This (degradation of BG glass) would eventually happen in every digital camera. In this case it is a bit faster. That is all.

I do applaud them for owning upto it and promising to take care of it. It probably costs them ~$300 to 400 for the sensor replacement.

Thanks for the clarification Vivek - hopefully they'll conjure up a complete solution ( I guess they'll be ordering quite a few new sensors from TrueSense!). As an owner of both an M9 and an MM (and both very early ones) I'm glad of it - truth be told they were in a position where only a generous conclusion would stop people losing faith.

Their next challenge is managing the updates so that people don't have to send their cameras in until Leica are ready to replace them (they managed it pretty well with the M strap lugs). . . . . There's not much benefit in 30,000 cameras turning up in Wetzlar next Tuesday!

My MM (early 2012) shows the very tiniest mark (amongst the dust) - certainly it's never shown in an image, and not worth being without.

My M9 (mid 2009) shows two marks - a line on the bottom left and a small mark on the top - again, I've never noticed it in pictures, and even if it did show it'd be easy to fix.

So I'm going to wait until the dust (and the queue) settles before doing anything about it. However, it's nice to know that it can be dealt with if it becomes necessary

 

[Vivek]

I am not at all concerned. Eventually I plan to replace the BG filter on the sensor in my MM with a Suprasil (fused silica) cover glass of similar thickness and use it for UV to IR. Love that camera and I cherish it by using it.

 

[4season]

Soul . . . that's it, I want it to have Soul (the A900 had it, but I'm not sure that any Sony camera since then has).

What is "Soul"?

Looks-wise, I think most Sony cameras have the emotional appeal of a microwave oven or toaster, but sometimes a good microwave oven is just what I need.

 

[4season]

Leica falsely believed that having a single coating on that BG (BG = Blue Green) glass would keep it safe from deterioration (that it is known to do).

Just curious, but how does glass simply deteriorate, coatings or no coatings? Or is it the coatings themselves which are failing? And do you think that someone who tended to wet-clean their sensor glass a lot might actually accelerate the process? My M8 and M9 seemed to generate a lot of greasy particles when they were new, but after a few weeks it mostly stopped, and simply vacuuming-out the camera's interior seemed to suffice from that point onwards.

A long time ago, I decided that the key to optimum Leica happiness was not to worry too much about it: Handcrafted, small-batch products are probably always going to be a little bit irregular. The really amazing thing about the digital M bodies isn't that they're perfect, but that they exist at all.