The Sony A73/A7R3/A7S3/A9 Thread

jonneymendoza · 30 Apr 2018 at 07:52

Combat squirrel said:
It's an interesting time to be a photographer - good lord I want the A7 III - it makes sense for me as a full time wedding photographer, also I make about 25% of my living from videography.

BUT - and I have to keep going back to this - will it make my product any 'better' - no is the answer, a photographers skill is just that - their skill - sure its a nice cam, it makes life easier with eye AF, iv been so close to pulling the trigger!! but my 5D3 is a great work horse - it more than does 'the job' - also to date I've been a canon user, as im sure Raymond has.

I'm not sure if it's my age (35) or my point in my career - but there is a point where you stop looking at specs, hardware, 'x' stops of dynamic range and just clicks one day, oh yeah, it's me that's taking the photographs........so be that, be you - take your photos, do your best work, try your best - in this day and age with ever incremental improvements to hardware based mostly on capitalism - it's time to get back to reality - Ansel didn't have any where near this camera tech - yet he's timeless.

Great cam - but - I'll go out and do photography instead.

(disclaimer: sure the shift to mirrorless is the biggest deal since digital cameras, I'm excited to see where it goes, lets give it 5 years - as a professional I will have to shift one day to keep pace with the competition, until then, its ones ability/editing in 2018)

if it makes your work easier to do then IMO that is a valid reason to switch.

And you mentioned how you do videography? The A7mk3 camera blows the canon 5d3 for video. Its a night and day difference!

Combat squirrel · 30 Apr 2018 at 10:33

All very good points, the a7iii is better but it won't make my photos or videos better.....the canon body makes me work harder sure without eye af......sure the a7iii blows away the 5d3 for video.

But will I produce better work or content? No unfortunately.....but I'm trying every single day to produce better work, every day I want to improve, I love what I do. I don't find the 5d3 at this point is limiting my work, again I'd love a a7iii but it won't make a huge difference to what I do......God I want one though! Haha

jonneymendoza · 30 Apr 2018 at 11:13

Combat squirrel said:
All very good points, the a7iii is better but it won't make my photos or videos better.....the canon body makes me work harder sure without eye af......sure the a7iii blows away the 5d3 for video.

But will I produce better work or content? No unfortunately.....but I'm trying every single day to produce better work, every day I want to improve, I love what I do. I don't find the 5d3 at this point is limiting my work, again I'd love a a7iii but it won't make a huge difference to what I do......God I want one though! Haha

What do you regard as better then?

IMO if the outcome of the image or video is noticeably better in IQ and workflow, then that imo would make photos and especially videos better.

Better is such a loose term you need to sort of describe what would make photo and video better for you if it is not the iq, , higher video codec and resolution, S Log for more custom workflow, better video ergonomics with tilt screen and better AF in live view and IBIS as well.

Wouldnt a out of focus video be a deal breaker for you? or jittery video footage handheld? Or guessing the composition when recording from unique angles like above your head or low near the floor?

For photo taking i think the 5d3 is fine but for video work i think you are under-estimating how "better" it is

If something makes me get more keepers in both stills and video, that to me is what i would say would make my stills and video better.

Combat squirrel · 30 Apr 2018 at 11:35

jonneymendoza said:
What do you regard as better then?

IMO if the outcome of the image or video is noticeably better in IQ and workflow, then that imo would make photos and especially videos better.

Better is such a loose term you need to sort of describe what would make photo and video better for you if it is not the iq, , higher video codec and resolution, S Log for more custom workflow, better video ergonomics with tilt screen and better AF in live view and IBIS as well.

Wouldnt a out of focus video be a deal breaker for you? or jittery video footage handheld? Or guessing the composition when recording from unique angles like above your head or low near the floor?

For photo taking i think the 5d3 is fine but for video work i think you are under-estimating how "better" it is

If something makes me get more keepers in both stills and video, that to me is what i would say would make my stills and video better.

Oh yeah absolutely I agree with everything you say and its completely valid - 100% but keepers/in focus video comes down to operator skill - sure better gear makes for better chances, but I have majorly improved my hit rates in photo/video over the years by simply operating the camera with more practice and improved skill.

I recently started having a go at vlogging as a platform to mess around with new video editing stuff, and that sort of stuff is much harder on a 5D series - flippy screen is defo needed or a73 where its more or less certain to be locked on.

I mean - I know this is a gear orientated forum - I used to be all about the gear, went through everything in the camera world for the past 15 years thinking new gear would make me amazing - all it was that made me better was more practice - and everything i say please take as 'generally speaking' - without fail new tech improves hit rate chances.

However the worlds most famous photography, say the best 100 photos ever taken, all taken on gear that's probably now available on ebay for less than £50 unless its a particularly rare camera.

My point to my argument is - skill, practice, talent, 'an eye for it' is going to produce much better photography than an advanced camera will - the camera is a tool, like saying owning a ferrari makes you a better driver???

Again all generally speaking this is - in general terms......... of course if you took say 10 full time professional photographers who are all near the top of their game and all asked them to shoot the same scene for example, they would produce shots based on their own styles but all of those shots would be for example 'highly competent' - and then you might start to eek out slight differences in editing with a sony vs a canon - but id be interested to see if anyone could tell the difference of which camera it was taken on once the editings finished and the final jpg is exported.

I hope this makes sense - I defo do want the sony, it would likely make life easier, and its defo gonna be more noticeable for video - but the majority of my income is stills, if i land on some money or manage to sell my sony video camera ill likely get it

but its not essential.

jonneymendoza · 30 Apr 2018 at 11:40

Actually, driving a ferrari does make u a better driver(Vettel) lol

But yes great post by you and definetly the 5d3 is great for stills!

Maybe instead of investing 2k on a a7mk3, drop that on a photo adventure holiday somewhere you never been?

Or hire models, venues etc to create a project?

Raymond Lin · 30 Apr 2018 at 12:10

These days it isn’t the image quality that you’ll see improvement, it’s the workflow and time saving.

If you are manual focus then dual pixels or eye af won’t matter, if you use auto focus then a new body will help.

If you always focus and recompose then you don’t need to do that anymore.

Also 4K will yield a better image. I guess most people don’t know different and don’t have 4K tv but eventually people will like most have a HD tv now.

Combat squirrel · 30 Apr 2018 at 12:47

Raymond Lin said:
These days it isn’t the image quality that you’ll see improvement, it’s the workflow and time saving.

If you are manual focus then dual pixels or eye af won’t matter, if you use auto focus then a new body will help.

If you always focus and recompose then you don’t need to do that anymore.

Also 4K will yield a better image. I guess most people don’t know different and don’t have 4K tv but eventually people will like most have a HD tv now.

Yeah that's true with regards to workflow, I do have an enormous pile of editing I'm working through this week!! lol - the biggest change I've noticed with work flow so far is Adobe finally made LR somewhat faster - I know there is other editors but I've used LR forever so for better or worse I'm stuck with it ! haha

Yeah I AF, mostly use Sigma Art lenses, as I like the look they have.

RSR · 1 May 2018 at 08:37

Cash Back anyone on Lenses?

https://campaign.odw.sony-europe.co... Cashback Terms and Conditions 02 05 2018.pdf

https://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sony-europe-launches-new-up-to-e1000-cashback-on-cameras-and-lenses/

sHo0sH · 1 May 2018 at 11:40

RSR said:
Cash Back anyone on Lenses?

https://campaign.odw.sony-europe.com/redemption/2018/pdf/uk/DI FY18 Cashback Terms and Conditions 02 05 2018.pdf

https://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sony-europe-launches-new-up-to-e1000-cashback-on-cameras-and-lenses/

Great link that one!

Has anyone seen the hype around the Sigma 28-75mm? All marketing or do you think this could be a good budget walk around option?

ethan · 1 May 2018 at 12:29

Raymond Lin said:
One thing it will improve is more keepers, especially in portraits. It just saves a bit of time, and also headache.

Do you think this would be of added benefit to me? I'm a digital artist and do a lot of portraits etc. As you are probably aware I am an XT2 user. I'm wondering if there is an adapter to enable me to use my Fuji lens' should I decide to get rid of the XT2?

Raymond Lin · 1 May 2018 at 12:59

ethan said:
Do you think this would be of added benefit to me? I'm a digital artist and do a lot of portraits etc. As you are probably aware I am an XT2 user. I'm wondering if there is an adapter to enable me to use my Fuji lens' should I decide to get rid of the XT2?

You will have to start from scratch. APSC sensor on FF will not get you the whole picture so to speak.

ethan · 1 May 2018 at 20:43

Maybe it's not worth it for me yet then? I'll have to concentrate on being a better photographer

Raymond Lin · 1 May 2018 at 20:45

ethan said:
Maybe it's not worth it for me yet then? I'll have to concentrate on being a better photographer

If you want IBIS, there is the X-H1, however at that price, it seems a bit expensive compare to the A73.

The A73 is great for anyone going up from Sony A6500 or Canon or their first FF camera without much baggage. Although the latest gen Nikon adaptors works, it still feels a couple of years behind what Canon adapters performs to.

ethan · 1 May 2018 at 20:50

I'll see what the XT3 will bring. Hopefully the focusing will be better (for portraits) or approaching that of the A7iii which would cater for my needs. I'm happy with the XT2 for everything else.

Lol, this made me laugh: The X-T3 is obsolete. I'm pre-ordering the X-T999 that takes pictures of events before they've even happened.

Raymond Lin · 1 May 2018 at 20:58

ethan said:
I'll see what the XT3 will bring. Hopefully the focusing will be better (for portraits) or approaching that of the A7iii which would cater for my needs. I'm happy with the XT2 for everything else.

Lol, this made me laugh: The X-T3 is obsolete. I'm pre-ordering the X-T999 that takes pictures of events before they've even happened.

I am waiting for an X-Pro 2 to drop in price to near the £500 range and I'll get one. Love the style of the camera, just the AF in the X-Pro 1 sucks.

Combat squirrel · 1 May 2018 at 21:20

Yeah I don't need an A7III, nice cams like, don't need one.

Got one today, its amaze <3 haha - ok I did sell my sony 4k camcorder so that paid for a lot of it ! lol

Raymond Lin · 1 May 2018 at 21:23

Combat squirrel said:
Yeah I don't need an A7III, nice cams like, don't need one.

Got one today, its amaze <3 haha - ok I did sell my sony 4k camcorder so that paid for a lot of it ! lol

LOL. I take it you bought an MC-11 too?

Combat squirrel · 1 May 2018 at 22:39

Raymond Lin said:
LOL. I take it you bought an MC-11 too?

Yeah 2nd hand MC-11 - sadly it didnt have the USB cable and the latest firmware lets u have eye AF - but my mates got one and dropping me the unusual USB cable tomorrow

jonneymendoza · 1 May 2018 at 22:39

wow nice

Combat squirrel · 2 May 2018 at 11:56

Quick question - can you assign the front/rear autofocus buttons to different AF points on the A7iii ? (Like i can on my 5D3) - I always like to have the middle AF point as front half press and rear the upper AF point areas for portraits basically - when I'm in that mode anyway - obviously I can use face/eye detect sometimes - but it depends on the situation.