Hi,
"There is a thread over at DPReview discussing the issue at hand:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56349109
There are some really knowledgable guys on that thread, one of those, Iliah Borg has analysed the actual raw file and found that the main culprit is conversion from Prophoto RGB to Adobe RGB that causes extensive clipping. So I would say that it is a processing error by Diglloyd."
Actually, if you read further in the thread, Iliah Borg agrees with Lloyd Chambers that there is in fact a problem with the red channel of the RAW file; it is not just a processing issue in his opinion. Still to be determined, AFAIK, is whether the use of a polarizing filter played a significant role here. And, of course, how often this issue is likely to arise.
I know nobody likes to hear anything bad about their camera, especially when it is new. But every camera has limitations and weaknesses, and I personally am interested in finding out about them. I don't take it as a personal insult when I hear that my cameras (or lenses) might have an issue or two. I want to know. Even if those issues only show up in extreme cases. Don't we want to optimize our equipment, weaknesses and all?
I suggest caution and open-mindedness.
Remember, some people said (and still say) that there is virtually no shutter shock with the A7R. People said (and still say) that there is no proof that Sony's RAW compression scheme ever leads to image degradation. People said (and still say) that the original lens mount used by the A7 cameras was plenty strong enough--or even that it was better than Sony's new (whoops!) replacement stainless steel mount. People say there are no RAW artifacts at bright/dark transitions in A7RII files. And people sometimes blame the messenger, only to realize later on that the messenger had a point. Kind of embarrassing, right?
We can disagree about technical stuff and raise all the objections we want. We can criticize perceived errors or bias. But I don't think we need to launch personal attacks.
I used to subscribe to some of Lloyd Chambers' sites. I didn't always agree with him, but I found a lot of his work very useful. He's overblown a few issues, but he's raised several that were quite legitimate. He's a skilled photographer, who takes photo gear seriously. He's been early to highlight a number of important issues with the digital imaging chain and with various cameras--issues that others jumped on board with later. If you aren't aware of those, you might want to go back and do some research. He's irreverent towards the camera and software companies, including Leica and Adobe, Canon and Nikon. And Sony. Good for him.
We'll find out soon enough if Lloyd is right, wrong, or overreacting in this case. IMO, he doesn't deserve to be disrespected. Just my 2 cents.
--d