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Any Sony A7s Shooters in the House?


wilfredo

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I primarily shoot with a Leica Monochrom since I am enamored with B&W photography, but there are times when I want to shoot color, or at least have that option. Purchasing the MM put a real dent in my pocket, although I have no regrets! However, I don't want to shell out another 7k or 8k for a FF camera that I can use with my M lenses. Any experiences out there with the Sony A7s and M lenses specifically? Any photos to share? I don't care if they are not technically perfect.

 

I've seen the other threads on Sony A7 series cameras, please don't refer me back to these.

Edited by wilfredo
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Steve and Marc, Thank you.

 

It seems this camera is generating lots of excitement. I'm going to take a trip to Adorama here in NYC and check it out. I'm seriously considering giving up all my Canon gear for a Sony A7s that I can use with my M lenses. Since purchasing the Leica MM, I haven't touched my Canon 5DII. It would make sense to get something that is small, and I can use in conjunction with the Monochrom. I'm not crazy about the camera appearance itself. It almost looks like an old 35mm SLR; there is something awkward about the esthetics. I suppose I could get used to that.

Edited by wilfredo
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No problem Steve. I've read a lot of fantastic reviews on this camera but have't really seen any photos online that have wowed me. Lots of sites combine A7 photos so you don't know what's A7r or A7s and I don't get what's the point of bunching them altogether? At this point the A7s doesn't seem to have a significant Leica M following. I understand perhaps the Sony Colors don't appeal? I'm not totally convinced by the color mysel but the low light possibilites are the big attraction. I hardly ever use a flash.

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I think the disappointing performance with some M lenses on the A7 and A7r has led many of us to assume the A7s will just be more of the same. While I haven't yet seen enough to convince me totally, I have to say that early signs are encouraging. I reckon once more information on M lens performance on this camera becomes available we just might see interest pick up around here. :)

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Yes - I'm a new A7s user. I already love it.

 

I just picked up the Sony A7s last week. As a Leica M (240) user (and occasional Sony A7r user), I have to say I am very impressed with this camera.

 

See why, if you are interested, in Part I of my pictoral review on my blog, here:

Rangefinder Chronicles: The Sony A7s Review - Part 1. Leica M lenses - no problem!

 

And here are a few of the first photos:

 

The first two with Leica 28mm Summicron f2 lens, the second two with the 50mm Summicron and the last with the 50mm Noctilux f1.

 

Nick

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Nick, thanks very much for your blog review. I was encouraged by the performance of the VM 15mm in Steve Huff's review but was waiting to see how the ZM 25mm performed. These two lenses are the reason I didn't go for the A7r or A7. The 25 biogon looks great though. I wonder which adapter you have on the A7s and whether you find the lower focus magnification of the A7s as opposed to the A7r to be a hindrance in focusing? Thanks again and congrats on your fine blog.

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See why, if you are interested, in Part I of my pictoral review on my blog, here:

Rangefinder Chronicles: The Sony A7s Review - Part 1. Leica M lenses - no problem!

 

 

One of my favorite lenses is also the 28mm Summicron. I was curious about it on the Sony A7s and therefore interested in your review in which you clearly used it quite a bit. I also looked up one of the people you referenced in your review and found this from them: "The lens that continues to “misbehave” on the A7s was the Leica 28 mm f/2 Summicron ASPH. This lens gives even Leica M bodies some trouble, and in the case of the Sony A7s, it has continued to produce moderate smearing at the edges."

 

I also read in your text about using your 28 at smaller apertures like 5.6 and 8 for zone focusing and DOF. Maybe that's why you feel there are no issues (?) and perhaps it works best only at those smaller apertures?

 

What's your experience with this lens wide open? On film (I only use film Leica now) it's still a very good lens wide open and with a lot less vignetting than with the digital M (I used to use the M9.) So I guess the question is this: do you have any images somewhere using the lens at wider apertures (and also images that aren't that small, i.e., any full size ones out there somewhere?) Or do you think that individual is incorrect and/or you aren't seeing any smearing?

 

Thanks!

 

(p.s., I do see what I think appears to look like a bit of color shift in the right bottom corner of a couple of your images that have a close to neutral gray in the concrete area (like the two guys walking on the bridge that you posted here.) There's a bit of green-blue/cyan color shifting going on. But I can't see 'smearing' although the images are kind of small.

Edited by CalArts 99
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Nick:

 

Thanks for posting these. I enjoyed a visit to your BLOG. The photos you posted are very convincing and although I find that M images have an image quality that I would prefer, I hardly shoot color anymore since the Monochrom entered my life, and I simply can't justify the expense of another 8k camera. My Canon gear sits idle in the closet for the most part. It seems the A7s may be the way to go for those times when I may want to shoot color. The ISO capabilities seem phenomenal. Although it is only a 12 megapixels camera, I know for a fact that if the sensor is great, you can get excellent A3 prints, which was the case with my M8 before the Monochrom. The 5 megapixel D2 continues to blow me away. I still use that camera on occasion. At less than a third of the price of the M, and the capability to shoot in low light, this sounds like a winning combination.

 

I'm wondering if you will be posting more B&W shots? Just curious about B&W flesh tones with the A7s CMOS sensor?

 

Best!

 

Religion Is Garbage. Why Bother?

Edited by wilfredo
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...So I guess the question is this: do you have any images somewhere using the lens at wider apertures (and also images that aren't that small, i.e., any full size ones out there somewhere?)...

 

Yes, it would be great to see any larger sizes (or crops from the corners)

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Thanks for the feedback and I am glad some people have found the review useful.

 

I didn't feel like doing lots of shots of brick walls at different apertures because I wanted to use the camera as I would in real life, so there ail no doubt be much more scientific reviews out there.

 

However, I was asked by someone else to upload a full size res photo of using the 28 summicron, and did so here:

 

It's true I shot the 28 cron mostly at f5.6-f8, using auto iso, as you can with this camera in nearly all light conditions. But I shall do one with it wide open for Part III of the review (which is also covering other lenses such as the 15mm voigtlander). In fact, if you want anything else reviewed just request and I shall try and do it for Part III of the review - I wanted part II to be dedicated to high iso. Oh, and I will try and do some more monochrome.

 

Nick

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It's true I shot the 28 cron mostly at f5.6-f8, using auto iso, as you can with this camera in nearly all light conditions. But I shall do one with it wide open for Part III of the review

 

That would be great if you could do that. The person who said the lens "misbehaves" with the A7s didn't have any examples of that misbehavior, unfortunately. I'd like to see some at widest aperture and no brick walls but maybe something like a street scene of pavement or something that has common objects in it which can be easily referenced, etc..

Thanks again.

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Nick: Thanks for not posting a brick wall routine! Leaning more and more in the direction of A7s. I currently use Photoshop CS4 for my post processing. Would I need a plug-in for the Sony files?

Edited by wilfredo
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