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The Sony A7 thread [Merged]


dmclalla

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Charlie,

 

As I have mentioned before in this thread, my suspicion is that if Leica brought out a camera with an EVF and lacking a RF that would use the M-mount lenses and also accept R lenses at this point I would expect the price to be closer to $4,500. When Leica was talking about a new autofocus camera with new AF lenses that would also accept R lenses, in my conversations with Justin Stailey of Leica several years ago we were talking about a $3,500 camera body. That new AF camera was to be a replacement for the R10.

 

Rich

 

11130381605_876f6fee7b_b.jpg

After 40 years re-born! by © leicasonyzeiss 2013-2014, on Flickr

 

Linked with permission :)

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However, since the Leica management is concerned with finding growing markets, - perhaps they should now make the decision that Leica once again shall start to produce new Leica R lenses, but now with an E-mount.

 

Producing big reflex lenses for mirrorless cameras would not be a very smart move.

Reflex cameras will be obsolete very soon, thanks to high-res EVF and phase-detect AF on the sensor.

 

In this digital age Leica should do what they do best, create lenses.:)

 

Eventually.

It is now clear that the A7 cannot totally replace an M for all of us who have invested in M glass (especially wide angles). But it will certainly make new generations of photographers think twice before embracing the M system, as I am sure that Zeiss and other competitors will release great lenses in E-mount.

 

Sales of M bodies will drop, and Leica might choose to do what they do best: create ultra-high-quality compact lenses for third-party bodies. Compact, because the lack of AF must in fact be justified by a smaller size and/or higher optical performance (or lower cost, but that's not Leica's forte).

However, optimizing for current state-of-the-art sensors will probably mean that lenses won't be as compact as one would expect from Leica. The fight will therefore shift to optical quality, where Zeiss can be a really tough competitor, especially if price is in the equation.

In order to avoid the scenario, Leica may alternatively prefer to drop prices of M bodies dramatically to maximize sales of M lenses until...

 

...until next-gen sensors much more tolerant to ray angle will come. At this point Leica bodies will be gone for good (or perhaps will be just re-branded Sony bodies at twice the price ;)), and Leica will be finally able to focus on ultra-high-quality and compact lenses for third-party bodies. Won't be alone, though.

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It sure won't be alone but will be battling in the small leftover market that the smartphone will have on interest in

.......there is no growing market for Leica under its current approach

 

Well they bought Sinar for a reason so they seem to be looking at medium format photography also as a future niche. Maybe they plan to switch over some of Sinar's production capacity to Leica gear and use some of Sinar's engineering talent for new Leica products. They probably figure that by designing electronics for the S and MF lines they can more easily justify the R&D costs. And there probably is very little need to further develop most Sinar cameras beyond periodically updating the digital backs. I suspect sales of the LF film cameras are pretty dismal but can profitably be built in small quantities as long as they share some features with the smaller digital back monorails. Sinar had been counting somewhat on Rollei in their collaboration on the HySix and that did not play out too well.

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While CheshireCat might be a little too pessimistic about the future of the M cameras, it would be a mistake to underestimate the A7 cameras as game changers.

 

APS-C actually won't cut it. Sony themselves have realised this with the move away from NEX.

 

If this style of camera gets traction (ie, a sensor which can handle a variety of lenses), the CRF cameras are going to look quaint. Just consider, through the lens focussing will deal with all focal lengths, without focus shift, obscuring the vf, macro, zooms, long and short focal lengths, without the bulk of a mirror box and prism.

 

At the moment, the A7 sensors (and particularly the A7r) is not living up to our hopes, but it is working for some Leica lenses, and a lot of others. Sony and others are putting out new lenses. I think we might be seeing a new standard developing. A Leica M lens without the coupling would be smaller and easier to make.

 

Leica isn't there at the moment.

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I just stumbled upon these Noctilux 0.95 and a7R photos with full sized jpgs. They look like an exceptionally stunning combo.

 

All sizes | Unscientific Impression on SONY A7R with Leica Noctilux 0.95 - Full size jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

All sizes | ノクティルックスの魔法 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Take a look at the full sized jpg of the bike. The detail in the bicycle seat is sublime.

 

36MP Noctilux, with results like these - i'm in.

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For those who are interested in a lowlight video example taken with the A7R:

 

11153685906_c59ccf1970_o.jpg

(Click on the image to get to the video page)

 

Lenses used: Zeiss FE 2.8/35 and Carl Zeis / Contax Planar T* 85mm f/1.4.

 

Wow! Girls on fire. Amazing video from that little thing.

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I just stumbled upon these Noctilux 0.95 and a7R photos with full sized jpgs. They look like an exceptionally stunning combo.

 

All sizes | Unscientific Impression on SONY A7R with Leica Noctilux 0.95 - Full size jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

All sizes | ノクティルックスの魔法 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Take a look at the full sized jpg of the bike. The detail in the bicycle seat is sublime.

 

36MP Noctilux, with results like these - i'm in.

 

Bleh! Those look terrible. I hope my camera will give me better files than that. No delivery this weekend... I'll have to wait 'till Monday. Another week before I'll have time to put some good glass on the A7R and look at it for myself. I hope the Zeiss FE lenses are sublime... anything short of that on this camera may be a let down for me.

 

RickSony

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Wow! Girls on fire. Amazing video from that little thing.

 

For those who are interested in a lowlight video example taken with the A7R:

 

11153685906_c59ccf1970_o.jpg

(Click on the image to get to the video page)

 

Lenses used: Zeiss FE 2.8/35 and Carl Zeis / Contax Planar T* 85mm f/1.4.

 

As Rick said, simply wow… I filmed a lot with my Canon 5D mk3 but I think the a7r quality is outstanding in many ways!

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Bleh! Those look terrible. I hope my camera will give me better files than that. No delivery this weekend... I'll have to wait 'till Monday. Another week before I'll have time to put some good glass on the A7R and look at it for myself. I hope the Zeiss FE lenses are sublime... anything short of that on this camera may be a let down for me.

 

RickSony

 

Strange answer. I have not seen Noctilux images with such detail and sharpness before. I can only imagine you are commenting on the CA, but it's normal for the Noctilux wide open.

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Strange answer. I have not seen Noctilux images with such detail and sharpness before. I can only imagine you are commenting on the CA, but it's normal for the Noctilux wide open.

 

The focus, and thus the attention, seems to be on the ear hairs on one and the back of the saddle on the other. I can't think of any reason to have such shallow DOF in these images except maybe some may think that is enough on its own. The c/a purple lines really bother me.

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The focus, and thus the attention, seems to be on the ear hairs on one and the back of the saddle on the other. I can't think of any reason to have such shallow DOF in these images except maybe some may think that is enough on its own. The c/a purple lines really bother me.

 

This is a wide-open argument now? Good grief - They are someones test shots!

 

Your opinion on the use of focus and attention of shallow depth of field is irrelevant for a Noctilux owner looking at the camera who has, until now, never realised how razor sharp this lens actually is wide open. This annihilates the M9 and M. The lateral CA, as ever, can be removed in post.

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Well, 40 year Leica-and others-shooter. I have a number of LTM lenses that I use, including a Canon 50/14.

It seems that you can't used adapted lenses on the 240. Someone please tell me I'm wrong because there's a 240 waiting for me at the camera store.

On the other hand, I use my lenses on an NEX-5N so maybe an A7 wouldn't be so bad.

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OK. I didn't know that people are surprised the lens is that sharp nor that these are considered test shots. I imagine this technique could be useful occasionally. But I have a hard time understanding why many people consider buying this lens as many shots from it will be pegged as gimmicky unless you really pull it off right.

 

Yes c/a correction is viable but has a downside also. To correct that image, I had to turn up the power and radius in DXO all of the way. I also had to click on the "purple fringing" box. The purple was replaced by a greyish glow in areas. That much c/a correction can eliminate some desired colors in a photo and will change the character too. (I just tried it on several images.)

 

Maybe the up side overrides the downside for some people.

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OK. I didn't know that people are surprised the lens is that sharp. I imagine this technique could be useful occasionally. But I have a hard time understanding why many people consider buying this lens as many shot from it will be pegged as gimmicky unless you really pull it off right.

 

Yes c/a correction is viable but has a downside also. To correct that image, I had to turn up the power and radius in DXO all of the way. I also had to click on the "purple fringing" box. The purple was replaced by a greyish glow in areas. That much c/a correction can eliminate some desired colors in a photo and will change the character too. (I just tried it on several images.)

 

I know that lens very well and I have never known it to be as sharp as this. The amount of detail here actually is pretty exciting ad it brings a new dimension to this lens.

 

You don't remove CA with one click of a RAW developer either.

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I know that lens very well and I have never known it to be as sharp as this. The amount of detail here actually is pretty exciting ad it brings a new dimension to this lens.

 

You don't remove CA with one click of a RAW developer either.

 

 

Hi Paul,

 

That lens seems to be even more of a stunner on the A7R.

I am looking foward to some images you are going to take with that combination! ;)

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So, my A7R should arrive by Wednesday.

 

There is now also a status change for the FE 35/2.8 I ordered from SonyUSA to: Sent to the Warehouse. :)

I had ordered the lens on November 19.

 

Hey, KH, same goes I can't wait see how you get on with it with your various lenses and adapters. You've made this thread a great read!

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