The GetDPI Photography Forum
Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!
A7RII game plan
- Thread starter Guy Mancuso
- Start date
After going back and forth on this body, I decided to go in. I had the a7 with the 28-70, 35, and 55 last year. Really enjoyed it, but decided at that point it wasn't mature enough and had a lot of quirks that I couldn't get used to (shutter button odd place, the whole shutter sound, shutter lag, etc). Passed on the a7r, a7s, and the a7ii. Went back and forth between a m4/3 setup (E-M1 with 9 Olympus Pro/Premium lenses) and then where I am now with the D810, 24-120, and 50/85 primes. Really love the IQ, handling, responsiveness of the 810, not loving the clunky LV for video, the weight, and size. I was overlooking the weight/size of th body despite having a 2 yr old to chase after, but these last few weeks I've been shooting less and less because she's getting more active and I have a 2nd on the way, literally tomorrow is her due date.
In between I had the a6000 which I liked due to the size, the green blinkies for the AF, and the whole shooting in LV was quick. Didn't like the missed focus on occasion and didn't like the step back to crop after shooting FF. the a7rii is literally everything I'm looking for in a camera body. High MP, great AF spread, eye AF, 4k, ibis, etc. Sure the price is high, but so are my wife's designer handbags.
I'm looking at a 28/55/85, 24-70 setup for now. I like the 28 view after shooting with a GR for a number of years and the 25 Batis is a little pricey for not my preferred focal length. I didn't love or hate the 35 2.8 when I had it so I'll pass on it. I really liked the 55 and I like shooting the 50 length. 85 is a must for me since I'll be shooting pictures of my two daughters often. And the 24-70 I never had but I need a standard zoom and if center sharpness is good, then I don't care too much about mushy corners. After that I'll decide whether I want to do UWA in the 16-35 (probably not), whether I want a fast prime in the 35 1.4 (which I may, especially after reading Guy love it so much), or the 90 macro (probably not since I'm not a huge macro guy and the 85 Batis will probably be better for me, plus if anything I'll slap on an tube or two).
In between I had the a6000 which I liked due to the size, the green blinkies for the AF, and the whole shooting in LV was quick. Didn't like the missed focus on occasion and didn't like the step back to crop after shooting FF. the a7rii is literally everything I'm looking for in a camera body. High MP, great AF spread, eye AF, 4k, ibis, etc. Sure the price is high, but so are my wife's designer handbags.
I'm looking at a 28/55/85, 24-70 setup for now. I like the 28 view after shooting with a GR for a number of years and the 25 Batis is a little pricey for not my preferred focal length. I didn't love or hate the 35 2.8 when I had it so I'll pass on it. I really liked the 55 and I like shooting the 50 length. 85 is a must for me since I'll be shooting pictures of my two daughters often. And the 24-70 I never had but I need a standard zoom and if center sharpness is good, then I don't care too much about mushy corners. After that I'll decide whether I want to do UWA in the 16-35 (probably not), whether I want a fast prime in the 35 1.4 (which I may, especially after reading Guy love it so much), or the 90 macro (probably not since I'm not a huge macro guy and the 85 Batis will probably be better for me, plus if anything I'll slap on an tube or two).
iiiNelson
Well-known member
When it comes to quality the 16-35 is worlds better than the 24-70. Think of the 24-70 as a 28-65 and then it doesn't look like quite a great value compared to the primes available in that range that are very good to excellent (28FE, 35 Distagon, both Loxia lenses, and the 55FE.) that's not counting the excellent (from what I've seen and read) Batis lenses or the very good 70-200FE.
If you need speed then it may be worth looking into the 25 Batis but if you want wide most say that the 16-35 is optimized for 16-28 or so. The 55 is a no brainier IMO. It's a toss up between the 85 Batis and the 90 Macro but I'd give the edge to the 85 from what I've seen as a pure portrait lens. Naturally you have the benefit and trade off of gaining macro for losing speed but either lens looks to be exceptional.
iiiNelson
Well-known member
Personally I'd hold off on switching systems from Nikon to Canon. One it'll probably cost you extra money you may not need to spend and two it's only a matter of time before someone produces a Nikon F mount compatible AF adapter. Unless you really don't like the glass you have then I'd wait and put the extra money into FE lenses. There are some gems now from the Batis, Loxia, 28FE, 35 Distagon, 55FE, 90 Macro, etc.This camera is the camera I´ve always wanted Sony to launch...minus the priceToo bad it wasn´t announced 6 moth ago so I wouldn´t have sold all my Sony gear for Nikon...now I´ll probably do the reverse (too bad Nikon glass doesn´t work like Canon EOS on the A7RII with full AF). I might try to trade my Nikon stuff for Canon if it´s easier and just stick with Canon glass on the A7RII.
What I reaaally miss about the Sony system is the fast and silent AF on video and most of all the EVF. I had no idea I would miss this so much.
What made me consider come back to Sony: Finally a FF with really fast AF, full AF speed with Canon glass (I can migrate to Sony without having to spend a fortune on FE glass), IBIS, a bunch of new cool video stuff, 4K (I do video and even though clients don´t really know the benefits of 4K, if someone else can offer it they will be one step ahead of you)
To be honest, if the A7RII wasn´t so expensive I would probably sell all my Nikon gear and get 2 of them with Canon lenses. But since it´s not I´ll probably end up with a 6D and the A7RII (unless Sony comes up with a more affordable model)
I´m actually REALLY surprised that Sony would allow Canon lenses to fully use it´s AF system as this may mean MANY PEOPLE will simply use Canon glass...it´s less expensive and high quality. I really hope all future Sony cameras will allow this though. It´s a MASSIVE game changer for me.
Just my opinion though.
V
Vivek
Guest
Think long term instead of system hopping.This camera is the camera I´ve always wanted Sony to launch...minus the price
There is an adapter coming up to do AF of NIkon glass on E mount cams. I would still dump the Nikon stuff for Sony.
At a recent wedding, the pros had canon Gera with a sigma ART 35, some canon fast zooms. One had a D4s with a VR zoom. I used an A7s with a 40/1.7(yashinon) and APOSummicron 75/2. The younger pros were total camera geeks and brought their own A7s one day and were just amazed with the manual focus glass on the A7s.
Pretty much agree everything here. 16-35 is stellar at 16 mm and very good up to 28 mm; the zoom compromize (that is pretty much always gonna be there) is exactly where it should be, at 30-35 mm. 24-70 has compromizes at both extremes and to me that is no fun. I have the 16-35, 35/2.8, 55/1.8 and 70-200. And 90/2.8 and Batis 85 coming soon, but then agqin I'm a diagnosed gear-horder.
As for 90/2.8 vs. Batis 85 for anything else but Macro I'd likely take Batis even though I have not tested it yet. Smaller and more than stop of light etc. The Macro is very nice (sharp as tack from wide open and MF feel if very very good, like MF Zeiss good and I'm nailing focus with peaking only), but that "Macro" comes with compromizes in addition to size: it is pretty slow-focusing on my A7R even in decent light and that more than stop of light in Batis 85 will help indoor AF sensitivity too.
Yeah, I just like shooting with a standard zoom and I'm worried that I'll be disappointed when comparing to a 24-70 2.8 like the Canon version II or the Nikon. I'm using the 24-120 now and it's a decent performer but a little soft and I'm used to using my 50 and 85 primes most of the time. So I'll get the 28/55 to start and add the 85 Batis. I would hold off on the 24-70 if I had rumblings of a 2.8 or a Mark II version of the f/4. I certainly won't pay $1,100 for it, but if I stumble upon a $600-700 version I may just get it to hold me over.
iiiNelson
Well-known member
I agree and I don't mean to say that the 24-70 is horrible because it's not. It's a capable lens but one that is price $3-500 too high IMO. I paid a little less than retail for my new copy last March and I was still somewhat disappointed in it when compared to the standard kit zoom that I've tried in store. My motivation in buying the 24-70 was having a native wide lens but the lens gets noticeably better from 26-28 and stays pretty consistently good until 65mm-ish where it starts to drop off a bit.
To be honest (and it's just my opinion) I think Canon has the best 24-70 and probably the second best 70-200 after the Sony A-mount 70-200 (mkII version.) I think the 16-35 is a bit better than the Sony one in pure sharpness but I'd go with the Sony version because it's optimized for the UWA end. Thankfully there are plenty of great choices in primes in the middle range so that why the 24-70 became more expendable for me personally.
Knorp
Well-known member
For my type of shooting I guess 32GB or perhaps 64GB is sufficient, but choosing the right type seems to me a tricky exercise as there is an abundance of formats available nowadays.
SDHC/XS Class-10, UHS-1, UHS-2, UHS-3 with speeds ranging from 600x (90 MB/s) up to 2000x (300 MB/s) and with camera manufacturers not very helpful I can't deny feeling a bit puzzled.
Needless to say I like a fast reliable card ...
Link to SD Association: Speed class
So guys, what's the game plan for your A7RII memory card ?
SDHC/XS Class-10, UHS-1, UHS-2, UHS-3 with speeds ranging from 600x (90 MB/s) up to 2000x (300 MB/s) and with camera manufacturers not very helpful I can't deny feeling a bit puzzled.
Needless to say I like a fast reliable card ...
Link to SD Association: Speed class
So guys, what's the game plan for your A7RII memory card ?
Last edited:
Rawfa
Active member
I've ended up selling my D600 and trading my D750 for a D610 plus enough cash to almost cover what I've invested on a FE 55mm 1.8 and a 28mm 2.0. Even if I end up not linking the A7RII these 2 lenses are awesome on the A6000 (around and 80mm and my favorite FOV...around a 40mm). Although I'm just drooling over the 90mm 2.8 macro
Vivek said:
"There is an adapter coming up to do AF of NIkon glass on E mount cams. I would still dump the Nikon stuff for Sony."
That would be great, as I use an A7R and Nikon D800E. I have far more Nikon lenses, including several Zeiss lenses, so a "smart" Nikon adapter would be a welcome addition, to say the least. I would be in the front of the line to get one.
Dave in NJ
"There is an adapter coming up to do AF of NIkon glass on E mount cams. I would still dump the Nikon stuff for Sony."
That would be great, as I use an A7R and Nikon D800E. I have far more Nikon lenses, including several Zeiss lenses, so a "smart" Nikon adapter would be a welcome addition, to say the least. I would be in the front of the line to get one.
Dave in NJ
Rawfa
Active member
Some iffy inputs
NTIMAGE: Chinese tester posted the AF speed test result of Sony Alpha a7RII | Camera Comparison Review
Progress on the Nikon adapter with AF
New Nikon F to Sony E-mount electronic autofocus adapter coming soon! | sonyalpharumors
NTIMAGE: Chinese tester posted the AF speed test result of Sony Alpha a7RII | Camera Comparison Review
Progress on the Nikon adapter with AF
New Nikon F to Sony E-mount electronic autofocus adapter coming soon! | sonyalpharumors
Here is a latter update at SAR:
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/
Looks like it may be coming soon, just in time to use with the new A7RII?
Dave in NJ
Well, my extra batteries and grip shipped from Sony today and I just ordered a 16-35 FE f4 to use on the a7rII along with my legacy Contax G glass. I am hoping this body handles the CG28 better than the previous bodies as since my NEX7 I have had the 35mm, 28mm, and 21mm in my Contax G2 kit to be used with that film body instead of my digital bodies. The 45mm and 90mm have been my mainstay CG glass for my digitals since the NEX5. This a7rII for me will replace my NEX7 as my hike in scenic camera system so the 16-35mm, the 45mmCG, and the 90mmCG should have me covered. If the 35mmCG and 28mmCG work without smearing and color shifts I will be sitting on high cotton . To really push my luck if the 21mmCG works I will be a very happy camper but I don't really think these 3 lenses will work without some smearing and color shifting :thumbdown:
. To really push my luck if the 21mmCG works I will be a very happy camper but I don't really think these 3 lenses will work without some smearing and color shifting :thumbdown:markymarkrb
New member
What are people's guesses on the A7RII IQ vs the Pentax 645Z?
Show Performance
Member
I'm also looking forward to the CG lenses (I just have the 45/2 and 90/2.8 left) on the a7RII. Very curious how the TechArt adapter will play with the new body.Well, my extra batteries and grip shipped from Sony today and I just ordered a 16-35 FE f4 to use on the a7rII along with my legacy Contax G glass. I am hoping this body handles the CG28 better than the previous bodies as since my NEX7 I have had the 35mm, 28mm, and 21mm in my Contax G2 kit to be used with that film body instead of my digital bodies. The 45mm and 90mm have been my mainstay CG glass for my digitals since the NEX5. This a7rII for me will replace my NEX7 as my hike in scenic camera system so the 16-35mm, the 45mmCG, and the 90mmCG should have me covered. If the 35mmCG and 28mmCG work without smearing and color shifts I will be sitting on high cotton
I wouldn't hold your breath on the 35 and 28 losing their smear but miracles do happen.
It will not come close to the 645Z since the Z has larger photo sites which makes a 51MP FF 35mm camera not as good as the Z for most purposes. I am not talking about internet postings here of course as the print is my gauge of good or not so good.
SP if we are hoping for miracles I say please let the CG21 work as it is IMHO the best glass in the CG system as I have owned all of them except the 16mm