The Sony A73/A7R3/A7S3/A9 Thread

Greebo · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:25

tatts said:
I still kept looking at the 100-400 but bought the sigma and 1.4x Tc first to see if either would save me another £2500.
The sigma is sharper than my 24-70 gm and the 70-200 gm with the TC. As for focus speed, the only thing I haven’t tried is bif but yesterday I used it from 300 to 600mm, never missed a shot and it was no different to my other lenses focus speed wise (it was poor before the updates though). Yes it’s heavy but I got the sports version with sigma TC for £500 so it’s saved me a few quid. The mc-11 came bundled with the A7Riii too so it’s a cheap combo for the amount of use it will get. By the time I sell on the TC it will be a £350 lens and I now can’t justify the extra for a 100-400 over that.

Amazed to hear its sharper than the Sony 24-70 GM. It certainly wasnt when I used the 150-600 sports. Its a great lens and miles cheaper than the Sony 100-400 but isnt a patch on it optically either never mind the 24-70.

Focus speed may well have improved since the update granted.

But yeah for £500 with a free MC-11 you cant knock the bang for buck granted. Even when I bought my sports new with an adapter so spent £1400, it was still substantially cheaper than the sony 100-400 but very definitely the Sony is in a different league IMO.

Greebo · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:26

footman said:
Which sigma lens are you referring to when you say it's sharper than the 24-70GM?
I've seen your shots of the lions and they are very impressive, the updated firmware on the MC-11 seems to have worked well, what focus mode were you in? I wasn't aware that you were using the Sport version, I had been using the Contemporary on the A7R3 and I was unimpressed.

Sports version is miles ahead of the Contemporary version but its bigger and heavier and more expensive but worth it between the two IMO if its that route you are going down.

footman · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:34

Greebo said:
Sports version is miles ahead of the Contemporary version but its bigger and heavier and more expensive but worth it between the two IMO if its that route you are going down.

Just checked the weight of the Sport version, with the MC_11 it is twice that of my 100-400GM, I shan't be changing

. I fly quite a bit with my gear and I'd be well over the 10Kg limit on cabin luggage with the Sport.
I had been very happy indeed with the Contemporary sharpness on my 1Dx but those days are over now.

Greebo · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:36

Yeah having a lens which weighed 3.5kgs and was 1.2m long which I could barely use hand holding was another reason a stumped.up the extra money to buy the 100-400

tatts · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:41

I’m on my second copy of the 24-70. The first copy was very soft and missed focus a few times. Had an afternoon with a rep at my local Sony centre and on his A7Rii it was the same but with the A9 and R3 it was ok, not £1850 ok though. He’s reported the issue back to head office, not sure what will come of it but the gm lenses are hit and miss on mk2 bodies, which he agreed. I found a few other people having the same issues when I later checked on google, a lot calling it missed focus.
They said I could exchange it so I paid the difference and went for the 70-200 gm only to have the same issue. Stationery subjects and focus was totally missed. It made me upgrade to the R3 and what a difference, the 70-200 is now my favourite lens. I bought another 24-70 gm and it’s better than the first one but shooting a sharpness card it’s still softer than the sigma (surprised me to be honest). If I get time I’ll do a comparison this weekend if anyone cares. Maybe I got a good sigma but another poor 24-70?

footman · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:46

tatts said:
I’m on my second copy of the 24-70. The first copy was very soft and missed focus a few times. Had an afternoon with a rep at my local Sony centre and on his A7Rii it was the same but with the A9 and R3 it was ok, not £1850 ok though. He’s reported the issue back to head office, not sure what will come of it but the gm lenses are hit and miss on mk2 bodies, which he agreed. I found a few other people having the same issues when I later checked on google, a lot calling it missed focus.
They said I could exchange it so I paid the difference and went for the 70-200 gm only to have the same issue. Stationery subjects and focus was totally missed. It made me upgrade to the R3 and what a difference, the 70-200 is now my favourite lens. I bought another 24-70 gm and it’s better than the first one but shooting a sharpness card it’s still softer than the sigma (surprised me to be honest). If I get time I’ll do a comparison this weekend if anyone cares. Maybe I got a good sigma but another poor 24-70?

You have indeed been unlucky, a comparison would be useful if you have the time.

Greebo · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:47

Could be. I found it the other way round with mine.

tatts · 6 Oct 2018 at 09:51

footman said:
Which sigma lens are you referring to when you say it's sharper than the 24-70GM?
I've seen your shots of the lions and they are very impressive, the updated firmware on the MC-11 seems to have worked well, what focus mode were you in? I wasn't aware that you were using the Sport version, I had been using the Contemporary on the A7R3 and I was unimpressed.

I have the sports version. I thought I was buying the contemporary version but got sent this. I asked the guy if he had sent the wrong one and he said no he just listed it wrong. At first it was slow, wouldn’t focus beyond 400mm and I was about to stick it up for auction. I asked on Facebook and a few others were getting good results (football and baseball), they said to update it so I updated both and what a difference. I left it in AF-C all day yesterday. The weight is a disadvantage but carrying it over my shoulder with a monopod most of yesterday (from 10am until we left at 5pm) it didn’t really bother me. I took the 70-200 but the reach wasn’t enough and with the TC it’s a bit soft. I’ll not use it a lot to be fair, only when I want extra reach at these wildlife parks so I may as well keep it for what it owes me. I wasn’t expecting a lot when I bought it but I am also impressed with the lion photos.

tatts · 6 Oct 2018 at 10:07

footman said:
You have indeed been unlucky, a comparison would be useful if you have the time.

I wouldn’t say unlucky, there’s definitely an issue with mk2 bodies and gm lenses. The 70-200 was poor on the R2, worse than my F4. Like the 24-70, certain subjects were very soft and it liked to miss focus. If I hadn’t already invested in a load of glass I would have ditched Sony. I have since had bad experiences with the local Sony centre and repair centre but it’s too late to switch now, just hope I have no more problems.

tatts · 6 Oct 2018 at 20:01

See if these work

24-70 gm

150-600 s

jonneymendoza · 7 Oct 2018 at 08:46

Is anyone here Sony pro member? how easy is it to apply? do they just need serial numbers for your gear or also recipts?

footman · 7 Oct 2018 at 08:50

@tatts I must be having a thick moment this morning, can you explain explain what you are doing with those images. I'm struggling with differentiating between them.

tatts · 7 Oct 2018 at 11:28

footman said:
@tatts I must be having a thick moment this morning, can you explain explain what you are doing with those images. I'm struggling with differentiating between them.

Not sure if they’re big enough files to show it (I’ll re upload if not) but the writing and shapes under the lines show the sigma is sharper than my 24-70 gm has previously mentioned. My first 24-70 was a hell of a lot worse than this example too, was unusable beyond 60mm.

And · 7 Oct 2018 at 14:42

Pro only? Plus, much like Canon CPS, you'll need a number of qualifying bodies and lenses.

I do like the look of the free sensor cleaning offer, wish CPS did that, *grumble grumble*.

jonneymendoza said:
Is anyone here Sony pro member? how easy is it to apply? do they just need serial numbers for your gear or also recipts?

Raymond Lin · 7 Oct 2018 at 14:47

You need 2 bodies (bought inside the EU), and at least one from tier A (A9, A7R, RX1R etc), A7III is tier B, so having 2 x A7III doesn't qualify.

/sad panda.

Greebo · 7 Oct 2018 at 15:00

Thats cause the A7iii is a budget camera if you didnt realise?????

Raymond Lin · 7 Oct 2018 at 15:02

Greebo said:
Thats cause the A7iii is a budget camera if you didnt realise?????

/sad panda…..

Annoying the RX1R does !

footman · 7 Oct 2018 at 17:04

tatts said:
I have the sports version. I thought I was buying the contemporary version but got sent this. I asked the guy if he had sent the wrong one and he said no he just listed it wrong. At first it was slow, wouldn’t focus beyond 400mm and I was about to stick it up for auction. I asked on Facebook and a few others were getting good results (football and baseball), they said to update it so I updated both and what a difference. I left it in AF-C all day yesterday. The weight is a disadvantage but carrying it over my shoulder with a monopod most of yesterday (from 10am until we left at 5pm) it didn’t really bother me. I took the 70-200 but the reach wasn’t enough and with the TC it’s a bit soft. I’ll not use it a lot to be fair, only when I want extra reach at these wildlife parks so I may as well keep it for what it owes me. I wasn’t expecting a lot when I bought it but I am also impressed with the lion photos.

I've had two Sigma 150-600 Contemporaries in the last few years and really enjoyed using them but as I mentioned a while ago to you I found them unusable on my A7Riii. Based on what you have posted I scratched the itch again this morning and bought a used 150-600 Sport from MPB and the adapter and dock from Wex.
I can't see that it will replace my 100-400GM and teleconverter as that is my travel long(ish) kit but I really fancy the 150-600S because of the extra reach and half stop gain without using a teleconverter. What you said about the latest firmware update really got me interested again so basically it's all your fault

.

tatts · 7 Oct 2018 at 17:35

footman said:
I've had two Sigma 150-600 Contemporaries in the last few years and really enjoyed using them but as I mentioned a while ago to you I found them unusable on my A7Riii. Based on what you have posted I scratched the itch again this morning and bought a used 150-600 Sport from MPB and the adapter and dock from Wex.
I can't see that it will replace my 100-400GM and teleconverter as that is my travel long(ish) kit but I really fancy the 150-600S because of the extra reach and half stop gain without using a teleconverter. What you said about the latest firmware update really got me interested again so basically it's all your fault .

Fingers crossed its a good one, I look forward to seeing how you get on

I wanted the C version, I only got the S by accident. I bought it not expecting much and to justify buying the 100-400 but the results I've had this week has stopped that. I spent a little time with the 70-200 plus 1.4TC on Friday too but I'm not happy with the ones I've looked at so far, its soft at 280mm F4.

Raymond Lin · 7 Oct 2018 at 19:19

tatts said:
See if these work

24-70 gm

150-600 s

They don’t look too bad from there but if you look at the video by Tony Northorp about the Sony 24-70 GM it is not that good, it’s no way near the sharpness of the Canon 24-70 mk2.

I know it’s just 1 video and it was a quick video but they kinda puts me off a bit on the lens even though I don’t use zooms much.

I can always adapt my Canon 24-70 on it if I am desperate.