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The Sony A7 thread [Merged]

dmclalla

By dmclalla
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dwbell

dwbell

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Congratulations!

The A7R + FE35Z appears to be promising.

What's your first impression?

Also, did you have any luck with your Leica lenses on the A7R?

Thanks for any images, including ones with and without problems.

 

I only bought the thing, I'm not sure I need congratulating! ;)

 

First impressions; very positive.

 

Much smaller in the hand than it looks in the images. Very very light, a can imagine my 35 50 75 kit day bag being even lighter still!

 

I can see why DSLR users find the shutter release in an odd position. But as I've been on M's for 4 years it's perfectly natural. The grip is very good, such a relief (I run grip less on the M)

 

Buttons dials etc all perfectly fine, quality feel, if you want to compare tactile things like that, knock yourself out, I only care that they are of a very good standard and work.

 

The speed of menu's etc is really quick, very promising.

 

EVF is bright and beautiful with awesome detail. EVF users will know this but looking in my dimly lit room, with EVF amplification is much easier than looking through the RF with real life levels of light - i.e. dim. Nothing new here for you though KH

 

AF speed is excellent. But my benchmark is 5DmkII so I'm not versed in the latest OMD type speeds - not have I ever found the 5DmkII lacking for my shooting so draw your own conclusions.

 

Just ran some tests through aperture range at base ISO compared to the M240 with 35 cron. First thing I noticed was I can't run my M EVF AND have the Elinchrom trigger mounted..... will post drop box links once I'm up and running. Hopefully later tonight (eu time)

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dwbell

dwbell

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I just got off the phone with Leica New Jersey Technical Support and they specifically stated that they have all parts for the M8 except the LCD. When specifically asked if, they were running out of or had run out of motherboards and shutters... the guy said they have them in stock and they are not running out.

 

I asked about the LCD and was transferred to the Repair Department. They stated that I would be eligible for a trade in toward an ME or an M240!

 

Are posts in blue when you are talking as (wannabe)moderator Rick? :p

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k-hawinkler

k-hawinkler

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dwbell,

 

Many thanks. First impressions are always important! ;)

It appears congratulations might be in order after all! :D

If the A7R handles anything like the E-M1 that would be terrific.

I am looking forward to your images. Thanks again.

 

Oh, more WATE images. Leica WATE on Sony A7R - a set on Flickr

 

As you know one of my favorite lenses on several cameras. :)

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dwbell

dwbell

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dwbell,

 

Many thanks. First impressions are always important! ;)

It appears congratulations might be in order after all! :D

If the A7R handles anything like the E-M1 that would be terrific.

I am looking forward to your images. Thanks again.

 

Yes, agreed.

 

Again, DSLR users have complained about the size of the grip in height, but also again as an M user with long fingered hands (piano player) my little finger has always been curled under the M base plate. And so it is with the A7R. One finger on the release, two in the grip, little one underneath.

 

I messed up with the lighting so give me 30 minutes, but at the moment I'm seeing (at 2.8, 4, 5.6 and 8) basically the same quality file as from the M240, but with a higher size. If you see what I mean. Side by sides at 1:1 are identical sharpness, but the A7R file is bigger. Also the M file is visibly pink (magenta) across the LH side. More DR in the shadows of the A7R.

 

I'll shut up and get going so you have something to look at.

 

Edit - Oh, and the A7R smells weird. Not cat urine mind you, just weird.

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Rick

Rick

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I posts in blue when you are talking as (wannabe)moderator Rick? :p

 

Nah, I wouldn't want to be a moderator of this group. It would be as frustrating as trying to herd cats.

 

But, you might observe my post will not garner the usual troll-hits of the "thanks" button like they did on mben's unreferenced post. Well, I guess I did get a response from one. :p

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IkarusJohn

IkarusJohn

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Nah, I wouldn't want to be a moderator of this group. It would be as frustrating as trying to herd cats.

 

But, you might observe my post will not garner the usual troll-hits of the "thanks" button like they did on mben's unreferenced post... well, I guess I did get a response from one. :p

 

Fact is always more interesting than rumour. I do find opinion interesting, if it is informed. Most of the time, I just find your posts entertaining, Rick!

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dwbell

dwbell

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Nah, I wouldn't want to be a moderator of this group. It would be as frustrating as trying to herd cats.

 

But, you might observe my post will not garner the usual troll-hits of the "thanks" button like they did on mben's unreferenced post. Well, I guess I did get a response from one. :p

 

Look again! Feel better now sweety? :p

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k-hawinkler

k-hawinkler

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Yes, agreed.

 

Again, DSLR users have complained about the size of the grip in height, but also again as an M user with long fingered hands (piano player) my little finger has always been curled under the M base plate. And so it is with the A7R. One finger on the release, two in the grip, little one underneath.

 

Thanks. Not a problem for me.

 

I messed up with the lighting so give me 30 minutes, but at the moment I'm seeing (at 2.8, 4, 5.6 and 8) basically the same quality file as from the M240, but with a higher size. If you see what I mean. Side by sides at 1:1 are identical sharpness, but the A7R file is bigger. Also the M file is visibly pink (magenta) across the LH side. More DR in the shadows of the A7R.

 

I'll shut up and get going so you have something to look at.

 

Thanks. I am used to bigger files and comparing 1:1 at the size of the lower resolution camera. For these comparisons I switch off all in camera processing and develop the raw files in CS6 + Nik. So I would welcome RAW files so that I can develop and compare them.

 

Edit - Oh, and the A7R smells weird. Not cat urine mind you, just weird.

 

Oh well, as long as the images don't smell! :eek:

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dwbell

dwbell

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Ok if anyone is quick help a guy out with drop box?

 

I've put a folder in my 'public' area, but seem only to be able to share the link to an individual file?

 

I've got;

 

A7R with 35FE

M240 with 35 Cron

A7R with 35 Cron

 

all through f/2.8, 4.0, 5.6 and 8.0

 

Edit - and it's telling me 50minutes remaining.......bleh

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Rick

Rick

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Fact is always more interesting than rumour. I do find opinion interesting, if it is informed. Most of the time, I just find your posts entertaining, Rick!

 

I hope it is looked at as entertaining along with factual discussion. With you around here I'd have nobody to give a bad time. And, dwbell and I talk on PM now and again and we actually see things pretty much the same way. Half the time I'm trying to being funny(IMO) and often it is read as emotional. I just should have never signed up as RickLeica. Kind of put a target on my back, didn't I.:p

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dwbell

dwbell

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SPOILER - 35Cron on the A7R is beating everything else hands down.

 

I SO FEEL LIKE STEVE HUFF! THIS IS AWESOME!!!

 

(important note - I really like steve's site, and hate how people here bash him, this was meant in the 'excited reviewing a new camera online' sense)

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dwbell

dwbell

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Ok, try this?

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/seznnrgt40oyslj/wFF5IC90bf

 

They are uploading, should be 12 in total so be patient. I've used Adobe camera raw 8.something to convert the ARW to DNG already.

 

They are in the appropriately named A7R vs M240 folder.

 

-----------

Caveats.

 

I don't know how to manually focus the A7R in zoomed mode yet, so the focus is 'different' in it's placement in all shot groups.

I didn't shoot above f/8 because I couldn't be bothered to change the output on my Elinchrom pack from B to A.

I didn't shoot below f/2.8 to keep it 'fair'

I shot both at their base native ISO.

This is lit with a quadra through a 2X1m 1 stop silk (scrim) only. So very constant source in my experience.

There's a McBeth chart there for colour folks.

I have a stinking head cold and had a hell of a day - I may have f**ked up on any of the shots at any point, if this bothers you - bite me.

I'll be taking requests on Sunday. I have 35 Cron, 50 Lux and 75 Cron with the Novoflex adapter (thanks K-H)

-----------

 

The dropbox M9-P folder has the images of my M9P that's for sale here in the buy and sell section. Ignore them. (Unless you're after an M9P in very good condition that is)

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jdlaing

jdlaing

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dwbell,

 

Many thanks. First impressions are always important! ;)

It appears congratulations might be in order after all! :D

If the A7R handles anything like the E-M1 that would be terrific.

I am looking forward to your images. Thanks again.

 

Oh, more WATE images. Leica WATE on Sony A7R - a set on Flickr

 

As you know one of my favorite lenses on several cameras. :)

 

It don't handle like am EM-1.

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IkarusJohn

IkarusJohn

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Hey Rick, ;)

 

Bad time? Meh!

 

My biggest struggle is with irony - it just doesn't come across in print. Makes me look smug, or smart-ass; or worse, I get an earnest reply from some kind person pointing out that I really don't understand and why ...

 

My interest here is that for most of the photography I like, the focal range 21 to 90, completely manual, optical viewfinder M9 does pretty much everything (but macro). I don't need or want auto anything, other than ISO (with manual aperture and shutter on my Monochrom) or aperture on my M9.

 

But, for sports and wildlife, the M camera is a challenge (frankly, hopeless). I have my D800E and Nikkor AF-S long zoom and macro lens; with that I can take pictures of paragliding and kitesurfing etc, birds with ease, and the results are very nice.

 

Why an A7R? Much like you with your RX-1, a smaller camera which is almost pocketable, fully electronic and with superb image quality is useful for those times when I don't want to be taking slow pictures. A bit of video with my Noctilux etc. I could buy a compact P&S, but I don't really want to compromise image quality if I can avoid it, and the idea of using my Leica lenses is tremendously appealing.

 

Sadly, it's looking like the A7R might not quite be there, and there is no reason for Sony to improve performance with Leica glass. I had hoped that they would achieve a camera with no correction - just clean raw files with most modern lenses. To date, I have taken the pixel peeping reviews with a grain of salt (e.g., Tim Ashley's thorough review of the Summilux 35 (FLE) hasn't really concerned me that much as I like this lens and it does what I need) - the flaws in my photography aren't even remotely related to my equipment - having no subject, the subject half out of the frame, forgetting to focus, over exposed or just the inside of my bag. Lots of great pictures have been taken with flawed glass (I have a Lomo Petzval on order for my D800E for just that purpose).

 

But, some of what I'm seeing suggests that the A7R is problematic. It may work with some of my lenses, and that may justify keeping it. We'll see. I really do not understand why Leica isn't in this space. They have the sensor, the firmware correction - pretty much everything. All they need to do is to strip out the rangefinder and coupling, buy Sony's latest EVF, and repackage it in a gorgeous Leica body and I'd buy one in a heartbeat - hell, I'd trade in and upgrade for every iteration. 24 MP is plenty.

 

What they don't seem to get is that such a camera will not threaten the M cameras, because those cameras will appeal to those who like that traditional feel and approach. For the same reasons there is so much interest in the Sony, people would flock to a Leica - read people's comments on the internet (nice idea, but the Sony lenses will let the idea down - see Tim Ashley on the Zeiss E-mount 16-70mm zoom). Why keep banging on about this? In the vain hope that Leica might actually do something about this - it will boost their lens sales, it will give critical mass to their sensor development with CMOSIS and it is probably the only thing that will get them to 1% - APS-C won't.

 

Hey ho - work to do.

 

John

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CaptZoom

CaptZoom

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Like you John,

I don't buy the canabalization argument regarding Leica M and an RF-less/EVF M-mount camera. Those of us here who like the RF will buy the RF camera regardless of what else is offered. The people Leica is worried about buying the EVF M over the RF M aren't purchasing the RF M as it is. There will be a subset who would've bought the RF M but opt to purchase the EVF M due to cost, but even in this case Leica will have gained a potential optics customer. I would be among the ones who'd purchase both to be used in different circumstances and in this scenario they will have gotten funds from me that at the moment may go to Sony.

Now, does Leica need to do this to ensure continued profitability and/or survival is a different matter and one in which I do not have an opinion.

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