I started photography in the film days and went on to digital with a Canon 5D full frame. I more recently got a Sony A7, which is fabulous for vintage lenses, as you mention. The focus peaking ensures correct focus and the clean (low noise) sensor allows you to use the ISO as an extra bonus for low light situations. I have a few old Pentax SMC and Olympus Zuiko lenses. I don't like a camera to get in the way of taking photographs and this combination of an A7 body, with great old lenses is just lovely for simple, old-school picture taking.
I'll tell you what, Nigel is quite a singular salesman. After I sold my full-frame camera and thought to finally settle down with a MFT system because I'd never need full frame again, he's got me thinking seriously about owning another full frame. Chapeau
I don't suppose full frame is actually needed by most people, however they're great for shooting vintage lenses because the whole character of the lens is preserved.
No mention of the A7S? Silent shutter. Clean RAW files at 10k ISO and usable until 30K iso. Its really very underrated for photography. 12MP is more than enough for most people.
The A7S is a very nice, but also very niche camera. For its video and low-light capabilities it is the absolute best (among it's siblings)! From my personal experience though, the 12mp is not "more than enough". I never had any problems with the 16,7MP of the NEX6, but 12MP is really pushing it. I don't crop my stills and rarely print, but I would still be able to zoom in every once in a while and see all the details. With the A7S you end up in Pixelland just a tad too soon for my tastes... Still an incredible camera though, it's just that I feel the sweetspot is at around 20MP for detail retrieval 😊 ymmv
Another great video Nigel, thanks and I agree with everything you say about these two superb cameras. That said, I can't see an A7 for less than £380 anywhere online and the A7r is £540? Where did you spot the £250-300 one?
Picked up a new A7 & kit lens a few years back on a Bank Holiday special, full frame quality for size was amazing versus apsc equivalent. Has since stayed a favourite for pared down performance and size versus newer camera bodies I have. I’d be quite happy to see Sony update the A7 as a barebones starter FF without ibis. A few minor updates for focus and menus, and one major update for the battery life. Reckon it would be winner.
I bought my Sony A7 in January of 2014, only about a month after it was released. I upgraded to a A7r3 in 2018 but have kept the A7 which I use as a platform for my collection of Canon FD and M42 lenses. I set the A7 to take photos in black and white and I get a similar experience to what I used to have shooting tri-x with my Canon F1, except that now I can see the image in black and white as I look through the viewfinder.
I do like the black and white images from the A7 - plenty of detail, contrast and richness! These are powerful cameras, even after a few years have passed.
I too started film photography back in the early seventies with a Minolta 101, 50mm 1.8. It had a great split-circle focusing scheme that I miss. Having discovered you Nigel, I've moved back into full manual lenses and even purchased the Sony a7 body. Using the magnifier is fantastic for focusing. Now I must admit that due to a recent Sony sale I've moved over to an a7m3 body for the couple extra programmable buttons you get. They make magnification and peak focusing even more convenient. Plus my vintage lenses love it just as much. And regarding the loud shutter ... it reminded me how much I missed that sound. Thanks for the videos, keep them coming.
Another great video for me to relax and enjoy on my Sunday afternoon. We still have winter where I am here in Western Canada, so nice to see the green surroundings in the UK. We had 35cm of snow last week and more today. I agree entirely that the early Sony α 7 series are an excellent value. I bought a new α 7II last year and I love using it. I simply could not find a used model where they were not asking an almost new price, and new ones were on sale at Amazon. I have no buyer’s remorse whatsoever. I have a collection of vintage lenses which work as they were intended on the FF sensor. The α 7III was twice the price, and although it is better in some ways, most improvements are irrelevant to me. The small battery also fits my α 6000, the video features don’t matter to me, and I would never use dual card slots. My α 7II also has an extremely loud shutter for sure. I personally kind of like to hear that sound.
I absolutely love the form factor of these. It would be good if these were re-released with updated sensors, processors and viewfinders. As it is, they’re a fantastic secondhand buy.
I acquired a Sony a7ii a few years ago, specifically for using with my vintage lenses. The IBIS really goes a long way in helping with the lenses. Another cool thing are the C1 and C2 buttons located nearby the shutter button. I've programmed the C1 for the 3-step magnifier for focusing (I like much better than peaking), and the C2 for changing the focal length as needed in order to get the proper stabilization for whichever lens I'm using. For both buttons being so close to the shutter, it's real breeze to magnify and change the focal lengths so quickly. One annoying thing, though, about the Sony a7ii is that the playback is clunky because you have to push the C3 button to activate it, and then use the back wheel to zoom in or out. Sony didn't do that one right, but I do love how I can use the C1 and C2 buttons. Really speeds up using vintage lenses😊. Great video, as always 😁
I commented on one of your videos a little over a year ago, how the Sony A7 sounded as though one would suit my Pentax lenses. I can report it does, I couldn't resist.
I have an old a7 and agree about the colors. One trick in Adobe that sometimes work to make colors better is on the tab called camera calibration use the "green primary" slider in the plus direction. This makes the reds less yellow, the greens less yellow but also the blues more cyan. Cyan can be fixed in the hue sliders.
Hello Mr Zenography. I bought a second-hand A7R on your advice .I am very happy with this caméra.At first i had trouble setting thé white balance and finding two or three settings to get thé colors to my liking.Since it is only happyness.It is very compact and light and thé older you get the more important it becomes. Bonne journée à vous . Have a good day.
Hi Nigel! Great video!! I always had APS-C, the last one, the fuji XT4. And when I started collecting vintage lenses, I found that I did not really know how was the real performance of the lenses, so I started looking for a full frame camera. And after a big research, I found that the best option, for me, was the Sony A7RII. And the reasons are, the 42mp sensor will not ever limit the lens quality, there is no vintage lens so sharp out there. Second, the camera is capable of 4k video, and for me it was a very desirable feature. And it have IBIS in the body. The price tag for a A7RII is more or less 800€, but it's a big step over the first gen of mirrorless Sony cameras. The main problem of the camera is the battery life, but for the use that I want it is more than enough. I must admit that the image quality is just superior to the Fuji, and it hurts!!! The focus peaking, as you say, is just the best I have used, far, far better than the Fuji. And the thing is, the camera is not bigger than the XT4!! I bought the Sony 35 FE 1,8, for just 440€, and the image quality is incredible!! So I can totally recommend anyone to buy it, for me it's just perfect for vintage lenses, and it's almost perfect for day to day use for hobby. Maybe not for proffesional users, but for just enjoying taking pictures... wow!!! This weekend I took some pictures with a Jupiter 9, and now I know how the lens really perform. Thank you for this video, I think that it can really help people!! And please go on with your great work!!
@@TheCruisinCrew jaja yes! we made the same conclusion! If my experience is useful, I must say that I'm pretty happy with the camera, actually in many ways I like it more than my fuji. It's a beast of a camera, and the prize is very good. I bough mine for 800€ here in Spain, but I must say that the body was very, very used. Anyway, it work perfectly, and the most important part of the camera, the sensor, is in perfect shape. I really recommend it! I have thought a lot if buying the A7rIII was a better option, but it's imposible to find one for less than 1500€, too much in my opinion. Keep us informed if you buit it!
@@zenography7923 I bought a small powerbank to charge my A7 (and iphone) in my backpack while walking around. Also got a couple of generic batteries. The A7iii has a much bigger battery and in-camera stabilisation. I use it for special assignments like product pics. The good thing is that the A7 range keep their value, so you can sell them at no loss (that's what I tell the wife anyway) ;-)
10:45 I loved and still love Sony JPG colors. Sony colors are perfectly realistic. If you take photos in raw, you can make your own Lightroom profiles and create any colors you wish. I used to have a Fujifilm camera for a year, I loved it too, but I eventually sold it and stayed with the Sony system, no other brands can come even close in versatility and performance. I have a fantastic Panasonic S9, too, with its LUT machinery, and I can say that both LUTs and Fuji film simulations look fancy, but they are much farther from reality than Sony out of the camera JPG colors.
All I can do is thank you for another entertaining walk in the park and agree with you completely. I came from Minolta film cameras and, when all that great experience and innovation was absorbed into the Sony empire, buying a Sony digital camera was an obvious choice. From the Alpha 100 through the NEX7 to my latest camera, the A7Rmk3, I have loved every minute. I shoot vintage and modern lenses, modern for professional reasons and vintage for my own enjoyment. Focus peaking is, as you say, very good on the Sony. Certainly better than on my Fujifilm X-T4, although that is also a great camera. Your observations on the relationship between cropped and full-frame sensors are exactly how I have experienced them. I look forward to the next video.
Thank you very much for this informative video. I am currently considering to swap my APS-C Sony NEX-3N against a full-frame Sony a7 to make better use of vintage lenses. On the german MPB site the a7 costs between 450 and 500 Euro. Financially that is quite a leap. I picked up the NEX-3N for less than 60 Euros. I bought the NEX-3N as a cheap camera to use with vintage lenses. I chose it for the peaking, I like the tiltable display, but in terms of ergonomics the NEX-3N is a nuisance. The rear controls are so far on the right side of the camera that I always change the exposure compensation and other settings by accident. At least the battery life is fine.
The Nex cameras are nice little machines, although I think I might struggle with the lack of a viewfinder on some models. If you do get an A7, I don't think you'll regret it.
@@zenography7923 The NEX-3N is a good camera in terms of image quality. And I consider the small size and the low weight a perk. But the design of this specific NEX model is somehow flawed. I sometimes used a NEX-3 when I was a tech writer for a larger german online retailer for camera gear (german viewers will know it). I can‘t remember to have the same problems with this model.
Excellent video! I actually think the A7r ii is an even better value (can be found used under 1k USD), giving you an astonishing 42 megapixels in full frame, still 20 megapixels in super 35 mode (great for lenses that would vignette in full frame mode) and able to record 4k video, even with sensor shift image stabilisation built in... :)
I decided it was worth spending a bit more for the A7ii as it adds in-body stabilisation which is a great bonus when using vintage lenses. When I decided I wanted the extra resolution of the R series, I decided it was worth spending a bit more and got the A7Riii for its significantly larger battery. I got an amazing Black Friday deal for a used, like-new A7Riii and absolutely love it. Of course the longer you’re prepared to wait, the cheaper these cameras become. As a platform for still photography with manual vintage lenses, there’s little benefit in more recent, modern models where the primary focus is on ever-better autofocus and video capabilities.
9 months on, I think the second generation A7 series cameras are a total bargain... over and above the first generation A7 cameras. I bought an A7Rii (used) a few years ago to upgrade my A7ii (also used) mostly for the fully electronic (silent) shutter on the Rii. It's worth noting that the original A7R didn't even have electronic first curtain and you have to skip a generation to the A7iii to get a silent shutter with the 24mp sensor. IBIS can be useful in low light and it's really useful with longer lenses because the magnified view used for critical focusing is stabilized which makes quite a difference. 42mp is nice but overkill for most, although useful for cropping and it makes the APSC crop mode more useable in terms of resolution. Eye AF is really good if you're using native AF lenses, and AF performance in general is better with the second generation cameras (I believe the A7R had contrast detect AF only whereas all other A7 cameras have phase detect becoming more advanced through the various generations). I must've had the A7Rii for 3 years and still very happy with it and not looking to change it in the foreseeable future ;-)
Como poseedor de la Sony Alpha 7R original, estoy bastante satisfecho con esta cámara, incluso años después de su lanzamiento. Lo que más valoro es su sensor de 36MP que, al no tener filtro de paso bajo, me ofrece imágenes increíblemente nítidas y detalladas. Su diseño compacto y ligero fue pionero en su tiempo, lo que hace que aún sea fácil de llevar en viajes. Claro, hay cámaras más recientes con mejoras significativas, especialmente en estabilización de imagen y autofoco, pero para mi uso personal, la 7R sigue siendo una joya.
La a7r original es toda una cámara, compré una para revisarla en el canal y luego la vendí. ¡Me arrepiento de haberla vendido muchas veces desde entonces! The original a7r is quite a camera, I bought one to review on the channel and later sold it on - I have regretted selling many times since!
Very cool, I've never ventured into the world of digital full frame myself but it is enticing... wondering if you'd ever take a look at Fuji's GFX system? I've seen peoples' experiments with vintage lenses on GFX, and the results seem incredible
A few months ago i bought a SONY A6300 and i have discovered your youtube channel as i was searching for some vintage lenses and first of all i would like to say thank you for all your great videos and all the important informations about photography, vintage lenses and so on. Today i have a problem, i bought a Helios 44M-4 lense with an aperture blade broken, one of the two pins is missing. So i have question, do you know where can i find an aperture blade to fix this problem ? i am from france.
As I have a load of vintage lenses then the focus peaking on these would be just the job as my eyesight is not what it used to be. I currently use Canon full frame Dslr’s that work well adapted but focusing is obviously more difficult with manual lenses. Thank you for sharing once again.
Very nice video again, Nigel! Reassuring as well, for me who for not long ago bought an A7r. The reason for buying it was to get the most out of my vintage lenses, and of course to cut cost, 12 rolls of Kodak E100 plus processing costs the same as one of these cameras, and that's only 500 pictures! I'm quite pleased with the camera so far. The electronic view finder is far better than on Fujifilm x e2. I think colors are quite nice, combined with Minolta glass. I cannot get the Contax Yashica adapter to fit on my lenses, though. Not the cameras fault. Unfortunately the easter bunny didn't show up with an extra battery as I'd hoped for.
Glad you enjoyed the video Kalle. Even after a few years have passed, these cameras are still powerful machines. They lack some of the features of later models but personally I don't find that to be a problem. Hope that battery arrives soon!
the only reason I got myself a A7ii instead of the first version is the image stabilization. I found that I only get around 1 stop more out of the stabilization. If you shoot faster than f4 or use a
I've actually been playing around with the idea of saving up to get an A7 to have an FF mirrorless camera to use with my vintage lens collecting hobby. Originally, I was thinking of an A7s, as I thought they would be cheaper because of the lower resolution. But people have actually been charging just as much if not more for them, at least here in the States.
I have both. The A7s was much more expensive compared to the A7. I now prefere the A7s. It is much more sensitive (higher ISO) and has a silent shutter!
@@nicokremers7150 That makes sense, I figured there had to something I wasn't aware of about it. I do know that larger pixels on lower resolution sensors can be better at capturing more light in dim situations.
@@nicokremers7150 hi. How about using non full frame lenses on the a7s. Does the cropping or super 35mm do suffer from being a 12mp to 5mp in still images? I'm thinking of get me an a7s for photography due to the sensitivity of the sensor. But I'm afraid it will severe the end result due to frame cropping.
Thanks man,I agree...I have a a7ll and ya i liike it ..great bang for the buck..Tried all kind of vintage lens on it and there all great but the tweek for me on it was a Meopta 92 1.7
Can you show recommended color setting on modern Sony? I mostly take family pics in joeg and use vivid since the default colors are muted. I also just use 14mp on the a7c2 since the 33mp files are huge
One thing I miss though - not only in these cameras, but in general - is an option for monochrome view finder. Would so much improve the all-important focus peaking (still in color of cause) with manual lenses. In most cases I have no use for the color information in the EVF. Strong colors in the image actually often swamp out the focus peaking outlines. Apart from that - I really love the ability these cameras give me, to shoot all my vintage glass digitally as well. Just give you such a fantastic feel for the glass which is so useful in the analog situation, where every click counts :-)
If you shoot raw like most of us then you can, just select monochrome creative style (or however it's called). It will only affect jpg and raw file's thumbnail. I use it when I shoot black and white.
You got thus old tech really cheap, at your suggested prices! Today a good A7R on MPB is still well over £ 600 Another negative is some vintage glass can't resolve on a high megapixel sensor.
I have an A7ii (I wanted the stabilization) . Cost a little more but it really has been great. Also has a nicer grip imho. Not a big deal though. Most things are the same as the A7 of course. Easy to use, great focus peaking. Of course the ii is a tad bigger, but not too much. I agree on the colours, but then I am a RAW fella so it doesn't effect me. But you're quite right that the colours are not up to the standard of some of the competition. I tend to take a couple of charged batteries with me, but I keep the unit off between shots where I can. 3rd party batteries from Neweer and Duracell are recommended- as is their double battery chargers. The shutter sound doesn't bother ducks up close, so it's probably louder for the shooter. Never had a problem in 3 months of daily shooting either. Best buy I've made- excepting the vintage lenses I use with it.
@@zenography7923 I picked up an A7r just over a year ago, but didn't get very good results from it. Whether it was the 'shutter slap' that people talk about, but nothing was ever sharp. I used vintage Olympus and Pentax lens, and fearing it was that, I bought some modern FE lenses. Still not sharp. So, I sold it recently and got a used A7rii. It does seem better, and of course with stabilisation as well.
The weak mount was something that was reported very early on. But I feel that was more to do with a hostility toward the mirrorless than anything real.
I have an A7R and use it only with vintage lenses. The sensor is good but the camera is not very well suited for using MF (at least not for me). I prefer focus magnifier over peaking - magnification is way too high and cannot be adjusted. Viewfinder image wobbles around horribly when focus magnifier is used. Reviewing images is a pain as the cam zooms in all the way and you have to turn dial for ages to come to a usable zoom level to review the image. All of that could have been fixed in software update - but sony did basically nothing to make it a better camera. Every Fuji or Olympus OMD camera i have just feel like a better camera overall
I recently bought an A7 and you literally just wrote everything I’ve discovered. The peaking isn’t as good as Fujifilm and I have had better results using the same lenses with a lens turbo 2 on Fujifilm. It’s the full frame sensor that’s keeping me here as with DSLR it’s a waste of time trying to focus.
I still have 2 A7's. Even new before discontinued they were 500 euro's. That was a ridicules price. I bought a second one for that price. With the right RF lens ... for me that's the VM Nokton 1.5 with the ultramatic type of ring, a good ring for super fast MF focussing. Than It's just muscle memory and nailing, 10 times faster than wiith a RF. Got a Sumarit 50 1.5, It's a dreamy, smooth bokeh, not the sharpest. I got the Sony Zeiss 35mm 2.8 It has fast AF, even on A7. But a bit clinicical. But those Sony Zeiss 55mm 1.8 and 35mm 2.8 are also pretty cheap now. A7 is also the lightest. And focus peaking is so fast. I zoom peak on C1. When critical. I take 5 battery's every hike, also don't forget to turn the camera off. I never crop ... I would like an R, but just so It can come closer to my Medium Format camera's. Would skip the first R. Battery pack is handy for larger lenses. R lenses. A 100mm Makro Planar. A7R does some weird stuff on RF lenses A7 does not. A7II and R are said to do slightly better everything. Especially the R is much better. AF is better, could be interesting when shooting Contax G. Stronger mount. A7III and R other world, but mainly AF. Heavier. Will be a nice upgrade in 5 years or something. And the backlit sensor ... better iso? dno ... But better buy an A7, and put that money into glass. Find some glass you like. And buy a body only when you need one.
@@zenography7923 Also your very British accent. British English sounds very classy for a portuguese speaker with italian accent who lives in Brazil. In 1 month, I'll be in Italy where I Hope to take some photos. I'm selling my camera, but not my lenses. I'll go for a Sony Alpha 7R II, due to your sugestions. Thank you! Thank you a lot!
Brilliant review of these wonderful cameras. I am looking for one now! Totally out of context but listening to you talk about resolution, my phone which is over ten years old upped the ante by a few magnitudes with a 42MP sensor and takes staggeringly good images (for a phone). The Nokia 1020 held the resolution record up until a couple of years ago. These use the Windows Mobile operating system and can be picked up for £50 - Now that is a bargain just for the camera system. Warning: There is absolutely NO support for this phone or camera. It is though a beautiful thing.
how do you think they do compare with nikon d 700 , when looking for a cheap full frame a friend pointed me to that, they are even cheaper then the alphas?
I could certainly grumble about my a7s . And I have some especially choice words for the batteries, to the point I made my own battery grip so it never needs to see a Sony battery again. It holds a 2×18650 power bank USB dummy battery with voltage booster in the USB bit.
@Nico Kremers hi. How about using non full frame lenses on the a7s. Does the cropping or super 35mm do suffer from being a 12mp to 5mp in still images? I'm thinking of get me an a7s for photography due to the sensitivity of the sensor. But I'm afraid it will severe the end result due to frame cropping.
@@apihtahe I do feel the lack of resolution on the s when using not auto setting . Probably less of an issue on the s2 or s3. The higher iso setting used on stills do generate noisy images.
I had a fuji xt1 with vintage lenses. I hated the crop b/s and having to say this is a 75mm not a 50mm blah blah blah. I bought an A7ii from best buy and it is great because of ibis. When comparing the files to my 24mp XF10 that i still had. The fuji files were noticably cleaner with better dynamic range and way better jpeg color. I eventually sold in favor of the awesome X-E1 back to saying its a 75 not a 50 anymore😁
I borrowed an A7SII last year, and sorry to say, I couldn't really get on with it. The ergonomics and menu were a bit of a mess, to be perfectly honest. I considered getting an A7II, which you can still get new pretty cheaply, but after that experience I'm not so sure. Now I'm looking to get my hands on a used Canon EOS RP, which should hopefully start dropping in price as they release new models.
The issue with the RP is there’s no full time mechanical shutter so you’ll get curtain image shooting wide open in daytime. NO ONE mentions this you have to search for it. Also no IBIS at a similar price to a well used A7iii
I'm not really qualified to give an opinion on focus peaking as I have only used it on Olympus OM-D and Nikon Z but I would say those two are pretty much the same.
These cameras are not cheap any more in 2024, at least not the ones in good conditions. My like-new A7R arrived from MPB yesterday 24 Sept 2, it was 649 EUROS. Absolutely a fantastic camera, In 2013 I bought the the A7, which I still use, it has over 100 thousand actuations. I love out of camera colors, I bought the camera with the Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8
Don’t overlook the A7S either. Seriously cheap too. Yes it’s only 12mp, but pair that camera with a really good vintage lens with good resolving power and it really shines as a stills camera. The trick to the lower megapixel A7S is to not rely on cropping etc in post. It forces a more considered shooting and framing discipline in your workflow. If you shoot lowlight gigs and work up close with bands, these early models work a treat, even the A7S. Had the original A7 and it’s a fantastic workhorse. Beat-Herder festival finally killed it off after 150k plus shots.
I like the S better because it has the silent all-electronic shutter option. Saves mechanical shutter life and good for candid shots, too. Its resolution is plenty for my needs.
@@nicokremers7150 @Nico Kremers hi. How about using non full frame lenses on the a7s. Does the cropping or super 35mm do suffer from being a 12mp to 5mp in still images? I'm thinking of get me an a7s for photography due to the sensitivity of the sensor. But I'm afraid it will severe the end result due to frame cropping.
I agree, bit of a bargain. I got an a7rii not so long ago due to it having ibis but its a similar theory. Great for vintage lenses and low light. A bit dearer at £675 but still good value.
Well, my morning consisted of finding a Ricoflex 2 1/4 camera in a box at home...(with case!) and trying to focus it. I think I set my right hand arthritis forward about 15 years, and I now have tread marks in the tip of my fingers like the Russians just drove through my living room. Reminded me of that little tank of a camera, the Argus. Dent city.
I had the 5D mark I (paid 200 USD in brazillian currency in 2020) and made the swap for a NEX3 (50 USD) to use FDs, Hexanons and Rokkors. The 5D was a bit heavy for me and hard to focus but I loved the images with M42 and OM lenses. Since last year I have been saving for the A7 (the cheaper beaten-up used ones are around 850 USD here). Already have all the adapters and some good lenses. Hopefully I will buy one this year and travel with it! Crop-sensors don't work for me, I need ultra-wide. I fear getting assaulted with such an expensive camera, really, guess I will have to pay insurance for it.
Where have you been looking? The Sony A7R is about $3500 USD. The Sony A7 starts at $680 USD. Have you ever looked into the distortion issues that occur with CCD sensors on the rim of the full frame sensor? This does not exist on smaller sensors.
Prices do vary between countries I'm afraid - in the UK these are pretty cheap at the moment. I know there's said to be distortion with full frame sensors using vintage lenses, hence the Leica curved sensor, but it's yet to intrude to the point where I can actually see it!
The prices I was looking at were on the web from shops in the US. So you are probably right. The distortion is in color aberration. This is due to the glass layer on the top of the CCD bending the light as you move to the sides of the sensor. You can look it up on the web, but this is true with modern full frame cameras too. There are videos on this. With film this never happened. Still, I want to get a full frame camera to get more from my lenses.
Thanks for the video, it is a good one! It would be nice of you could throw in there the first generation a7s as well. I bought it a few months after a lot of thinking between which model to get as cheap as possible. I did get the a7s because it has a totally silent electronic shutter which is kind of a must have for me. Not even the a7 II has that, which was frustrating. Also the low light performance and the video capabilities were very tempting, and I got a good deal for one. I mainly use vintage lenses with it. Well first I actually hate the small grip. (from second gen A7 has bigger grip grip). the second thing is the color science for shooting people inside with artificial lighting. It is dreadful, especially the skin tones. The auto white balance is horrendous and the presets are rarely helpful. Everything is too yellow and just awful. Only with some color tweaks can be usable. In my experience an orange and teal look applied helps somewhat (I use mostly the Cold Orange preset in Capture One Express) I am very curios to know if the a7 has the same color science or not, it might have a better color science since it's sensor is different than the a7s...... So I was very close to selling the a7s until I tried out DXO Photolab trial. That software blow my mind as a raw editor. It has a lot of film simulation and camera body color presets and also one called "DXO Portrait" that with one click fixes the skin tones to look like basically Canon skin tones, or even better Also that program has an INSANE AI noise reduction function in it, which is like magic. I think it will make it less relevant for me after this to have crazy low light performance in a camera. That software is THAT good....I might stick with smaller sensor for a second body like the a6500 as far as I can see it has better color science than the a7. Even my a6000 has better color than my a7s sadly.....
I love full frame sensors too, but except for very subtle differences, it can be very difficult to tell which images were shot on FF, APSC or even m43. There are some YT videos which ask you to pick which identical image was shot on which sensor, and except for obvious bokeh on certain images, it's almost next to impossible to get more than 50% right, even when viewed on a 20 inch screen. And some of the right answers were really just guesses. BTW, nice video too.
It’s not about being able to tell; it’s about being able to use a lens for what it’s supposed to be. A 50mm is a 50mm etc. The depth of field is also night and day if you switch from a crop to a full frame device.
For some reason many reviewers only shoot their old glass wide open. This shows optical aberrations round the edge on full frame sensors, while crop sensors eliminate the worst (best?) flaws in older lenses. As someone who uses vintage glass on m43, aps-c and full frame digital cameras, it would be nice to see comparisons at different apertures. I often shoot portraits on a Fuji X-Pro1 camera with an old 50mm f1.4 lens, and it really sharpens up at f2 while still offering great subject separation.
Nigel, I’m going to have to disagree with you for once! I have found Sony to be the most difficult layout I’ve ever used. My XT-2 and 6D are absolutely flawless and couldn’t be better for ergonomics. The A7 is… the control wheels are strange size and half covered - that C2 button is like a gameshow final round and I have tiny hands! Then there’s that impossible to find button on the AF/MF switch 💀
I guess I've got used to the a7 controls over time and many thousands of shots! I agree about the af/mf button though - impossible to find without looking!
I must agree , too. Stepped in digital photography 3 years ago with a Canon M50 ( which I still highly recommend , best in combination with a Viltrox Speedbooster that works flawless with my vintage lenses) and a year later I found a precious as good as new X-T2 with battery grip for peanuts , that's still beautiful in ergonomics and results. Then I got the fullframe GAS that led me to a Sony a7ii with kit-lense for under 1000€ in our lokal electronic-market. But it was a hate-love thing from the beginning, the ergonomics and menue , colours and saturation , all in all the images themselves didn't please me at all and on top the a7ii got stolen in a bus...long story short I found a Canon EOS R with one year garanty , a battery grip with all in all 4 original batterys , a adapter to ef with controlring and round 6000 shuts for 1300€ on Ebay and I must say , I'm the luckiest man , now. Cheaper RP 's are to be found more and more , not as cheap as the a7 but I would always recommend to look for a good one and observe the market for a week or two...
Hmmm, interesting statement about background and sensor.Since when the size of the sensor determine blur or d.o.f? D.O.F will be the same on any sensor, when staying static and not re-framing the image. You can say that shallow depth of field is easier to get with Full frame but not that sensor make shallower depth of field.D.O.F is determined by distance of camera to subject, aperture and focal length.
Full frame sensors have an increased depth of field vs APSC crop by 1 stop. As sensor sizes are reduced, it decreases. There is no ‘since when’, because those are facts!
@@kevrosas1 Actually they do not have any delta beside the crop and that is the fact.Smaller sensor has shallower d.o.f too.Take a photo from the same place without re-framing with FF and apsc and take a look to d.o.f.I bet you will see no delta.The picture taken with a apsc is only cropped.
I think it's correct to say that for a given lens, to make the same shot (same framing that is), the shot taken with an aps-c camera will show less shallow depth of field than the same shot taken with a full frame sensor camera.
@@zenography7923 Something about that since you have to back up to get the same shot (frame).To get the same shot on apsc you would need to open aperture.That all would not meter to anyone who shoot one or another format.To me it is pointless since I shoot apsc and MF so 135 format is only there when I adapt some vintage lenses on a GFX. The struggle is usually when you need depth of field and looking for more depth of field and not less.To my mind that is about 90% of photography I making.Landscape, real estate, product/macro , corporate events and portrait.For all mentioned you do not need shallow depth of field and for lot of them you want to go beyond f16.
@@eagleeyephoto8715 People often say you get "more" depth of field with full frame sensors, when they mean less! As you say, comparisons are mostly mistaken either way. Shooting a head and shoulders portrait on micro four thirds requires f4 to get the eyes, nose and ears in focus, the normal requirement for a traditional portrait photograph. Yet people dismiss f2.8 on m43 as ridiculously slow.
A7 is great camera but... I bougt a7 bacause i liked to use vintage lenses. But the truth is, my old lenses whitch i liked to use on Nikon and it was real preasure , in combination with a7 it started to produce weired colours((. THe focusing is not as good as i expected to be, but may be its my fault, finally. Then i started with different af lenses produced directly for sony fe and now i can say a7 is very sensitive for the lenses and its coating. Old lenses are not so good in this.
Shutter shock is the reason 7R failed as a camera (plus it was very loud, being all mechanical, but that doesn't affect image quality). A7RII was a much bigger improvement over A7R than A7RII was over A7 (where the only notable difference was IBIS, which does come at a cost of larger and heavier body). Too bad, I did consider A7R back in the day, but A7 proved to be a much more sensible choice (except for those never shooting between 1/60 and 1/160 sec exposure).
Wow these cameras have almost doubled in price since you made this video. Which makes no sense, they are 10 years old now and they aren't worth $500+ imo, at $250-300 yes good deals but now they are $500-$800 which makes no sense, thats almost the price of a brand new mirrorless camera, I dont understand whats happening with all this old tech being way over priced these days. Who is buying them at these inflated prices? DSLRs that are better still cost around $150-350, but for some reason these Sony models keep going up each year as they get older. Its not like they have a warranty or have replacement parts ready and waiting. So weird.
@zenography7923 I'm talking US prices since UK is usually 30% less. That one you are seeing might be UK £350, but is US $462, with taxes is closer to US $500. My last camera was a full frame D600 under a year ago and it was US $225, which would be UK £170. Nikon and Canon's pricing reflect their age. I have no idea why Sony's don't, like I said they seem to be going up for some strange reason lol. Even a D700 and a 5D can be found for under US $200. Every time I want to add an A7 to my collection it just makes more sense to buy another cheaper body from another manufacturer that shoots faster, has longer lasting batteries, better colors out of the camera, etc etc. I wanted an A7 for the smaller body but I might just get a M43 at this point and stay under US $100.
Sonys are ugly, fragile and unserviceable, I am not going back, If I go for cheap used FF I will go to old Canons or Nikons. For "newer" FF I will go with the K1.
I just picked up an A7R great camera, your review nailed it 👌
I started photography in the film days and went on to digital with a Canon 5D full frame. I more recently got a Sony A7, which is fabulous for vintage lenses, as you mention. The focus peaking ensures correct focus and the clean (low noise) sensor allows you to use the ISO as an extra bonus for low light situations. I have a few old Pentax SMC and Olympus Zuiko lenses. I don't like a camera to get in the way of taking photographs and this combination of an A7 body, with great old lenses is just lovely for simple, old-school picture taking.
My thoughts exactly! Thanks for looking in.
I'll tell you what, Nigel is quite a singular salesman. After I sold my full-frame camera and thought to finally settle down with a MFT system because I'd never need full frame again, he's got me thinking seriously about owning another full frame. Chapeau
I don't suppose full frame is actually needed by most people, however they're great for shooting vintage lenses because the whole character of the lens is preserved.
No mention of the A7S? Silent shutter. Clean RAW files at 10k ISO and usable until 30K iso. Its really very underrated for photography. 12MP is more than enough for most people.
The A7S is a very nice, but also very niche camera. For its video and low-light capabilities it is the absolute best (among it's siblings)!
From my personal experience though, the 12mp is not "more than enough". I never had any problems with the 16,7MP of the NEX6, but 12MP is really pushing it. I don't crop my stills and rarely print, but I would still be able to zoom in every once in a while and see all the details. With the A7S you end up in Pixelland just a tad too soon for my tastes...
Still an incredible camera though, it's just that I feel the sweetspot is at around 20MP for detail retrieval 😊 ymmv
Another great video Nigel, thanks and I agree with everything you say about these two superb cameras. That said, I can't see an A7 for less than £380 anywhere online and the A7r is £540? Where did you spot the £250-300 one?
It's 2024 and I've bought my like-new A7R for 649 euro from MPB.
Picked up a new A7 & kit lens a few years back on a Bank Holiday special, full frame quality for size was amazing versus apsc equivalent. Has since stayed a favourite for pared down performance and size versus newer camera bodies I have. I’d be quite happy to see Sony update the A7 as a barebones starter FF without ibis. A few minor updates for focus and menus, and one major update for the battery life. Reckon it would be winner.
I bought my Sony A7 in January of 2014, only about a month after it was released. I upgraded to a A7r3 in 2018 but have kept the A7 which I use as a platform for my collection of Canon FD and M42 lenses. I set the A7 to take photos in black and white and I get a similar experience to what I used to have shooting tri-x with my Canon F1, except that now I can see the image in black and white as I look through the viewfinder.
I do like the black and white images from the A7 - plenty of detail, contrast and richness! These are powerful cameras, even after a few years have passed.
I too started film photography back in the early seventies with a Minolta 101, 50mm 1.8. It had a great split-circle focusing scheme that I miss. Having discovered you Nigel, I've moved back into full manual lenses and even purchased the Sony a7 body. Using the magnifier is fantastic for focusing. Now I must admit that due to a recent Sony sale I've moved over to an a7m3 body for the couple extra programmable buttons you get. They make magnification and peak focusing even more convenient. Plus my vintage lenses love it just as much. And regarding the loud shutter ... it reminded me how much I missed that sound. Thanks for the videos, keep them coming.
Another great video for me to relax and enjoy on my Sunday afternoon. We still have winter where I am here in Western Canada, so nice to see the green surroundings in the UK. We had 35cm of snow last week and more today. I agree entirely that the early Sony α 7 series are an excellent value. I bought a new α 7II last year and I love using it. I simply could not find a used model where they were not asking an almost new price, and new ones were on sale at Amazon. I have no buyer’s remorse whatsoever. I have a collection of vintage lenses which work as they were intended on the FF sensor. The α 7III was twice the price, and although it is better in some ways, most improvements are irrelevant to me. The small battery also fits my α 6000, the video features don’t matter to me, and I would never use dual card slots. My α 7II also has an extremely loud shutter for sure. I personally kind of like to hear that sound.
Must admit, I kind of like it too! Glad you enjoyed the video.
I absolutely love the form factor of these. It would be good if these were re-released with updated sensors, processors and viewfinders. As it is, they’re a fantastic secondhand buy.
It would be hard to beat the Canon 5d Classic, but I'd be willing to have them go head to head to see the differences.
Great video my friend.
Many thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
The 5D has nicer images, but it is harder to use with adapted lenses and no auto ISO if that matters
I acquired a Sony a7ii a few years ago, specifically for using with my vintage lenses. The IBIS really goes a long way in helping with the lenses. Another cool thing are the C1 and C2 buttons located nearby the shutter button. I've programmed the C1 for the 3-step magnifier for focusing (I like much better than peaking), and the C2 for changing the focal length as needed in order to get the proper stabilization for whichever lens I'm using. For both buttons being so close to the shutter, it's real breeze to magnify and change the focal lengths so quickly. One annoying thing, though, about the Sony a7ii is that the playback is clunky because you have to push the C3 button to activate it, and then use the back wheel to zoom in or out. Sony didn't do that one right, but I do love how I can use the C1 and C2 buttons. Really speeds up using vintage lenses😊. Great video, as always 😁
I commented on one of your videos a little over a year ago, how the Sony A7 sounded as though one would suit my Pentax lenses.
I can report it does, I couldn't resist.
Glad you're enjoying your A7, it's a great little machine!
I have an old a7 and agree about the colors. One trick in Adobe that sometimes work to make colors better is on the tab called camera calibration use the "green primary" slider in the plus direction.
This makes the reds less yellow, the greens less yellow but also the blues more cyan. Cyan can be fixed in the hue sliders.
Hello Mr Zenography.
I bought a second-hand A7R on your advice .I am very happy with this caméra.At first i had trouble setting thé white balance and finding two or three settings to get thé colors to my liking.Since it is only happyness.It is very compact and light and thé older you get the more important it becomes.
Bonne journée à vous .
Have a good day.
Hi Nigel! Great video!! I always had APS-C, the last one, the fuji XT4. And when I started collecting vintage lenses, I found that I did not really know how was the real performance of the lenses, so I started looking for a full frame camera. And after a big research, I found that the best option, for me, was the Sony A7RII. And the reasons are, the 42mp sensor will not ever limit the lens quality, there is no vintage lens so sharp out there. Second, the camera is capable of 4k video, and for me it was a very desirable feature. And it have IBIS in the body. The price tag for a A7RII is more or less 800€, but it's a big step over the first gen of mirrorless Sony cameras. The main problem of the camera is the battery life, but for the use that I want it is more than enough. I must admit that the image quality is just superior to the Fuji, and it hurts!!! The focus peaking, as you say, is just the best I have used, far, far better than the Fuji. And the thing is, the camera is not bigger than the XT4!! I bought the Sony 35 FE 1,8, for just 440€, and the image quality is incredible!! So I can totally recommend anyone to buy it, for me it's just perfect for vintage lenses, and it's almost perfect for day to day use for hobby. Maybe not for proffesional users, but for just enjoying taking pictures... wow!!! This weekend I took some pictures with a Jupiter 9, and now I know how the lens really perform. Thank you for this video, I think that it can really help people!! And please go on with your great work!!
Hah, we had the same idea... I just posted about the same! The A7rii is high up on my wish list as an upgrade to my aging A6300... ;)
@@TheCruisinCrew jaja yes! we made the same conclusion! If my experience is useful, I must say that I'm pretty happy with the camera, actually in many ways I like it more than my fuji. It's a beast of a camera, and the prize is very good. I bough mine for 800€ here in Spain, but I must say that the body was very, very used. Anyway, it work perfectly, and the most important part of the camera, the sensor, is in perfect shape. I really recommend it! I have thought a lot if buying the A7rIII was a better option, but it's imposible to find one for less than 1500€, too much in my opinion. Keep us informed if you buit it!
Bought an a7 not long back for my vintage lens collection for the very reasons you mentioned. A tad heavy on the battery though!
Battery life is the only downside to these cameras - but the batteries are small enough to take spares along!
@@zenography7923 I bought a small powerbank to charge my A7 (and iphone) in my backpack while walking around. Also got a couple of generic batteries. The A7iii has a much bigger battery and in-camera stabilisation. I use it for special assignments like product pics. The good thing is that the A7 range keep their value, so you can sell them at no loss (that's what I tell the wife anyway) ;-)
10:45 I loved and still love Sony JPG colors. Sony colors are perfectly realistic. If you take photos in raw, you can make your own Lightroom profiles and create any colors you wish. I used to have a Fujifilm camera for a year, I loved it too, but I eventually sold it and stayed with the Sony system, no other brands can come even close in versatility and performance. I have a fantastic Panasonic S9, too, with its LUT machinery, and I can say that both LUTs and Fuji film simulations look fancy, but they are much farther from reality than Sony out of the camera JPG colors.
All I can do is thank you for another entertaining walk in the park and agree with you completely. I came from Minolta film cameras and, when all that great experience and innovation was absorbed into the Sony empire, buying a Sony digital camera was an obvious choice. From the Alpha 100 through the NEX7 to my latest camera, the A7Rmk3, I have loved every minute. I shoot vintage and modern lenses, modern for professional reasons and vintage for my own enjoyment. Focus peaking is, as you say, very good on the Sony. Certainly better than on my Fujifilm X-T4, although that is also a great camera. Your observations on the relationship between cropped and full-frame sensors are exactly how I have experienced them. I look forward to the next video.
Many thanks Alan, glad you enjoyed it! These older Sony cameras are still powerful machines, even today.
Thank you very much for this informative video. I am currently considering to swap my APS-C Sony NEX-3N against a full-frame Sony a7 to make better use of vintage lenses. On the german MPB site the a7 costs between 450 and 500 Euro. Financially that is quite a leap. I picked up the NEX-3N for less than 60 Euros. I bought the NEX-3N as a cheap camera to use with vintage lenses. I chose it for the peaking, I like the tiltable display, but in terms of ergonomics the NEX-3N is a nuisance. The rear controls are so far on the right side of the camera that I always change the exposure compensation and other settings by accident. At least the battery life is fine.
The Nex cameras are nice little machines, although I think I might struggle with the lack of a viewfinder on some models. If you do get an A7, I don't think you'll regret it.
@@zenography7923 The NEX-3N is a good camera in terms of image quality. And I consider the small size and the low weight a perk. But the design of this specific NEX model is somehow flawed. I sometimes used a NEX-3 when I was a tech writer for a larger german online retailer for camera gear (german viewers will know it). I can‘t remember to have the same problems with this model.
I love my A7R and will never sell it. At 300 dollars it is a steal.
great video. the change of scenery was nice. lots of great information.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks!
Excellent video! I actually think the A7r ii is an even better value (can be found used under 1k USD), giving you an astonishing 42 megapixels in full frame, still 20 megapixels in super 35 mode (great for lenses that would vignette in full frame mode) and able to record 4k video, even with sensor shift image stabilisation built in... :)
Lovely intro with this video, and also with the Yashica review. "and in the jungle, something stirred". A Sony A7, and a Yashica Electro 35!.
Thanks Peter, glad you liked it!
Good review you're right to good cameras actually two great cameras have the a9 Mark 2 now another fantastic camera to see the least thank you again
I decided it was worth spending a bit more for the A7ii as it adds in-body stabilisation which is a great bonus when using vintage lenses. When I decided I wanted the extra resolution of the R series, I decided it was worth spending a bit more and got the A7Riii for its significantly larger battery. I got an amazing Black Friday deal for a used, like-new A7Riii and absolutely love it. Of course the longer you’re prepared to wait, the cheaper these cameras become. As a platform for still photography with manual vintage lenses, there’s little benefit in more recent, modern models where the primary focus is on ever-better autofocus and video capabilities.
Indeed, these older models are still very effective machines - enjoy!
9 months on, I think the second generation A7 series cameras are a total bargain... over and above the first generation A7 cameras.
I bought an A7Rii (used) a few years ago to upgrade my A7ii (also used) mostly for the fully electronic (silent) shutter on the Rii. It's worth noting that the original A7R didn't even have electronic first curtain and you have to skip a generation to the A7iii to get a silent shutter with the 24mp sensor.
IBIS can be useful in low light and it's really useful with longer lenses because the magnified view used for critical focusing is stabilized which makes quite a difference.
42mp is nice but overkill for most, although useful for cropping and it makes the APSC crop mode more useable in terms of resolution.
Eye AF is really good if you're using native AF lenses, and AF performance in general is better with the second generation cameras (I believe the A7R had contrast detect AF only whereas all other A7 cameras have phase detect becoming more advanced through the various generations).
I must've had the A7Rii for 3 years and still very happy with it and not looking to change it in the foreseeable future ;-)
Como poseedor de la Sony Alpha 7R original, estoy bastante satisfecho con esta cámara, incluso años después de su lanzamiento. Lo que más valoro es su sensor de 36MP que, al no tener filtro de paso bajo, me ofrece imágenes increíblemente nítidas y detalladas. Su diseño compacto y ligero fue pionero en su tiempo, lo que hace que aún sea fácil de llevar en viajes. Claro, hay cámaras más recientes con mejoras significativas, especialmente en estabilización de imagen y autofoco, pero para mi uso personal, la 7R sigue siendo una joya.
La a7r original es toda una cámara, compré una para revisarla en el canal y luego la vendí. ¡Me arrepiento de haberla vendido muchas veces desde entonces!
The original a7r is quite a camera, I bought one to review on the channel and later sold it on - I have regretted selling many times since!
Very cool, I've never ventured into the world of digital full frame myself but it is enticing... wondering if you'd ever take a look at Fuji's GFX system? I've seen peoples' experiments with vintage lenses on GFX, and the results seem incredible
A few months ago i bought a SONY A6300 and i have discovered your youtube channel as i was searching for some vintage lenses and first of all i would like to say thank you for all your great videos and all the important informations about photography, vintage lenses and so on.
Today i have a problem, i bought a Helios 44M-4 lense with an aperture blade broken, one of the two pins is missing. So i have question, do you know where can i find an aperture blade to fix this problem ? i am from france.
As I have a load of vintage lenses then the focus peaking on these would be just the job as my eyesight is not what it used to be. I currently use Canon full frame Dslr’s that work well adapted but focusing is obviously more difficult with manual lenses. Thank you for sharing once again.
Very nice video again, Nigel! Reassuring as well, for me who for not long ago bought an A7r. The reason for buying it was to get the most out of my vintage lenses, and of course to cut cost, 12 rolls of Kodak E100 plus processing costs the same as one of these cameras, and that's only 500 pictures! I'm quite pleased with the camera so far. The electronic view finder is far better than on Fujifilm x e2. I think colors are quite nice, combined with Minolta glass. I cannot get the Contax Yashica adapter to fit on my lenses, though. Not the cameras fault. Unfortunately the easter bunny didn't show up with an extra battery as I'd hoped for.
Glad you enjoyed the video Kalle. Even after a few years have passed, these cameras are still powerful machines. They lack some of the features of later models but personally I don't find that to be a problem. Hope that battery arrives soon!
the only reason I got myself a A7ii instead of the first version is the image stabilization. I found that I only get around 1 stop more out of the stabilization. If you shoot faster than f4 or use a
I've actually been playing around with the idea of saving up to get an A7 to have an FF mirrorless camera to use with my vintage lens collecting hobby. Originally, I was thinking of an A7s, as I thought they would be cheaper because of the lower resolution. But people have actually been charging just as much if not more for them, at least here in the States.
I have both. The A7s was much more expensive compared to the A7. I now prefere the A7s. It is much more sensitive (higher ISO) and has a silent shutter!
@@nicokremers7150 That makes sense, I figured there had to something I wasn't aware of about it. I do know that larger pixels on lower resolution sensors can be better at capturing more light in dim situations.
@@kevinroberts1888 It's more of a video-centric/low light camera. More than 12 Mp would be gross over-kill for video.
@@nicokremers7150 hi. How about using non full frame lenses on the a7s. Does the cropping or super 35mm do suffer from being a 12mp to 5mp in still images?
I'm thinking of get me an a7s for photography due to the sensitivity of the sensor. But I'm afraid it will severe the end result due to frame cropping.
Thanks man,I agree...I have a a7ll and ya i liike it ..great bang for the buck..Tried all kind of vintage lens on it and there all great but the tweek for me on it was a Meopta 92 1.7
Gosh, that Meopta sounds like quite a lens!
Can you show recommended color setting on modern Sony? I mostly take family pics in joeg and use vivid since the default colors are muted. I also just use 14mp on the a7c2 since the 33mp files are huge
One thing I miss though - not only in these cameras, but in general - is an option for monochrome view finder. Would so much improve the all-important focus peaking (still in color of cause) with manual lenses. In most cases I have no use for the color information in the EVF. Strong colors in the image actually often swamp out the focus peaking outlines.
Apart from that - I really love the ability these cameras give me, to shoot all my vintage glass digitally as well. Just give you such a fantastic feel for the glass which is so useful in the analog situation, where every click counts :-)
If you shoot raw like most of us then you can, just select monochrome creative style (or however it's called). It will only affect jpg and raw file's thumbnail. I use it when I shoot black and white.
You got thus old tech really cheap, at your suggested prices! Today a good A7R on MPB is still well over £ 600
Another negative is some vintage glass can't resolve on a high megapixel sensor.
What can you advice for street and landscape photography more often in low light with long exposure, Sony A7 or Fujifilm XT20?
We can use a7r for live streaming on you tube ?
I have an A7ii (I wanted the stabilization) . Cost a little more but it really has been great. Also has a nicer grip imho. Not a big deal though. Most things are the same as the A7 of course. Easy to use, great focus peaking. Of course the ii is a tad bigger, but not too much. I agree on the colours, but then I am a RAW fella so it doesn't effect me. But you're quite right that the colours are not up to the standard of some of the competition. I tend to take a couple of charged batteries with me, but I keep the unit off between shots where I can. 3rd party batteries from Neweer and Duracell are recommended- as is their double battery chargers.
The shutter sound doesn't bother ducks up close, so it's probably louder for the shooter.
Never had a problem in 3 months of daily shooting either. Best buy I've made- excepting the vintage lenses I use with it.
They're outstanding cameras - small and portable, full frame sensor and well made too. Glad you're enjoying yours!
Oh man 😅 now I have to start looking for a budget A7R but what about the A7R2???
I know, I only just got this A7r and I'm beginning to wonder what the later models are like!
@@zenography7923 I picked up an A7r just over a year ago, but didn't get very good results from it. Whether it was the 'shutter slap' that people talk about, but nothing was ever sharp. I used vintage Olympus and Pentax lens, and fearing it was that, I bought some modern FE lenses. Still not sharp. So, I sold it recently and got a used A7rii. It does seem better, and of course with stabilisation as well.
The weak mount was something that was reported very early on. But I feel that was more to do with a hostility toward the mirrorless than anything real.
I have an A7R and use it only with vintage lenses. The sensor is good but the camera is not very well suited for using MF (at least not for me).
I prefer focus magnifier over peaking - magnification is way too high and cannot be adjusted. Viewfinder image wobbles around horribly when focus magnifier is used. Reviewing images is a pain as the cam zooms in all the way and you have to turn dial for ages to come to a usable zoom level to review the image. All of that could have been fixed in software update - but sony did basically nothing to make it a better camera. Every Fuji or Olympus OMD camera i have just feel like a better camera overall
I recently bought an A7 and you literally just wrote everything I’ve discovered. The peaking isn’t as good as Fujifilm and I have had better results using the same lenses with a lens turbo 2 on Fujifilm. It’s the full frame sensor that’s keeping me here as with DSLR it’s a waste of time trying to focus.
I still have 2 A7's.
Even new before discontinued they were 500 euro's.
That was a ridicules price.
I bought a second one for that price.
With the right RF lens ... for me that's the VM Nokton 1.5 with the ultramatic type of ring,
a good ring for super fast MF focussing.
Than It's just muscle memory and nailing, 10 times faster than wiith a RF.
Got a Sumarit 50 1.5, It's a dreamy, smooth bokeh, not the sharpest.
I got the Sony Zeiss 35mm 2.8 It has fast AF, even on A7. But a bit clinicical.
But those Sony Zeiss 55mm 1.8 and 35mm 2.8 are also pretty cheap now.
A7 is also the lightest. And focus peaking is so fast.
I zoom peak on C1. When critical.
I take 5 battery's every hike, also don't forget to turn the camera off.
I never crop ... I would like an R, but just so It can come closer to my Medium Format camera's.
Would skip the first R.
Battery pack is handy for larger lenses. R lenses. A 100mm Makro Planar.
A7R does some weird stuff on RF lenses A7 does not.
A7II and R are said to do slightly better everything.
Especially the R is much better.
AF is better, could be interesting when shooting Contax G.
Stronger mount.
A7III and R other world, but mainly AF.
Heavier. Will be a nice upgrade in 5 years or something.
And the backlit sensor ... better iso? dno ...
But better buy an A7, and put that money into glass.
Find some glass you like.
And buy a body only when you need one.
Hello. Tell me for zuiko om lenses, which one is better to choose Sony a7s, a7 or a7r, so that excessive resolution does not spoil the picture?
Thank you! Greetings from Brazil!
Hello to you my friend, hope you're enjoying the videos.
@@zenography7923 Also your very British accent. British English sounds very classy for a portuguese speaker with italian accent who lives in Brazil. In 1 month, I'll be in Italy where I Hope to take some photos. I'm selling my camera, but not my lenses. I'll go for a Sony Alpha 7R II, due to your sugestions. Thank you! Thank you a lot!
Brilliant review of these wonderful cameras. I am looking for one now!
Totally out of context but listening to you talk about resolution, my phone which is over ten years old upped the ante by a few magnitudes with a 42MP sensor and takes staggeringly good images (for a phone). The Nokia 1020 held the resolution record up until a couple of years ago. These use the Windows Mobile operating system and can be picked up for £50 - Now that is a bargain just for the camera system. Warning: There is absolutely NO support for this phone or camera. It is though a beautiful thing.
how do you think they do compare with nikon d 700 , when looking for a cheap full frame a friend pointed me to that, they are even cheaper then the alphas?
I could certainly grumble about my a7s . And I have some especially choice words for the batteries, to the point I made my own battery grip so it never needs to see a Sony battery again. It holds a 2×18650 power bank USB dummy battery with voltage booster in the USB bit.
Now that sounds like quite a battery! Respect!
@Nico Kremers hi. How about using non full frame lenses on the a7s. Does the cropping or super 35mm do suffer from being a 12mp to 5mp in still images?
I'm thinking of get me an a7s for photography due to the sensitivity of the sensor. But I'm afraid it will severe the end result due to frame cropping.
@@apihtahe I do feel the lack of resolution on the s when using not auto setting . Probably less of an issue on the s2 or s3.
The higher iso setting used on stills do generate noisy images.
@@crazygeorgelincoln tq for the prompt reply
Panasonic bad colors? I cannot agree on that. Own the G9 and it has better colors then my A7C. Especially indoors.
I had a fuji xt1 with vintage lenses. I hated the crop b/s and having to say this is a 75mm not a 50mm blah blah blah. I bought an A7ii from best buy and it is great because of ibis. When comparing the files to my 24mp XF10 that i still had. The fuji files were noticably cleaner with better dynamic range and way better jpeg color. I eventually sold in favor of the awesome X-E1 back to saying its a 75 not a 50 anymore😁
If you're like me and you can't live without fuji I'd recommend you to try a speedbooster, if you miss the full frame crop
@@rezzoc91 and... i bought another XT1 and i love it
@@frankartale1026 good man! Have you managed to find a focal reducer?
@@rezzoc91 you must be reading my mind thats the next thing im buying. I see some cheap ones on ebay under 100 so maybe soon
@@frankartale1026 XT1 is amazing. Great choice
I borrowed an A7SII last year, and sorry to say, I couldn't really get on with it. The ergonomics and menu were a bit of a mess, to be perfectly honest. I considered getting an A7II, which you can still get new pretty cheaply, but after that experience I'm not so sure. Now I'm looking to get my hands on a used Canon EOS RP, which should hopefully start dropping in price as they release new models.
The issue with the RP is there’s no full time mechanical shutter so you’ll get curtain image shooting wide open in daytime. NO ONE mentions this you have to search for it. Also no IBIS at a similar price to a well used A7iii
I'm hoping the price of the RP drops too!
I'm not really qualified to give an opinion on focus peaking as I have only used it on Olympus OM-D and Nikon Z but I would say those two are pretty much the same.
I only know Fuji, Olympus and Sony peaking systems - Sony is the best of those three, but others may be just as good, or better!
Forget peaking. Use the magnification! Peaking is not very accurate.
These cameras are not cheap any more in 2024, at least not the ones in good conditions. My like-new A7R arrived from MPB yesterday 24 Sept 2, it was 649 EUROS. Absolutely a fantastic camera, In 2013 I bought the the A7, which I still use, it has over 100 thousand actuations. I love out of camera colors, I bought the camera with the Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8
Don’t overlook the A7S either. Seriously cheap too. Yes it’s only 12mp, but pair that camera with a really good vintage lens with good resolving power and it really shines as a stills camera. The trick to the lower megapixel A7S is to not rely on cropping etc in post. It forces a more considered shooting and framing discipline in your workflow. If you shoot lowlight gigs and work up close with bands, these early models work a treat, even the A7S. Had the original A7 and it’s a fantastic workhorse. Beat-Herder festival finally killed it off after 150k plus shots.
150k shots? I guess mine's hardly broken in at 70k then!
@@zenography7923 I’m sure I would have shot more, but such festivals aren’t always the best places for such cameras ;)
I have both. The S is my favorite.
I like the S better because it has the silent all-electronic shutter option. Saves mechanical shutter life and good for candid shots, too. Its resolution is plenty for my needs.
@@nicokremers7150 @Nico Kremers hi. How about using non full frame lenses on the a7s. Does the cropping or super 35mm do suffer from being a 12mp to 5mp in still images?
I'm thinking of get me an a7s for photography due to the sensitivity of the sensor. But I'm afraid it will severe the end result due to frame cropping.
Great review, as usual.
Many thanks Michael, glad you enjoyed it!
I agree, bit of a bargain. I got an a7rii not so long ago due to it having ibis but its a similar theory. Great for vintage lenses and low light. A bit dearer at £675 but still good value.
Well, my morning consisted of finding a Ricoflex 2 1/4 camera in a box at home...(with case!) and trying to focus it. I think I set my right hand arthritis forward about 15 years, and I now have tread marks in the tip of my fingers like the Russians just drove through my living room. Reminded me of that little tank of a camera, the Argus. Dent city.
It sounds like that Ricoflex needs a spot of oil! Thanks for looking in my friend!
@@zenography7923 I think I'll wrap it up and give to an annoying aquaintance for their birthday...
I have the A7R2....v good entry to FF
A very nice camera, for sure!
I had the 5D mark I (paid 200 USD in brazillian currency in 2020) and made the swap for a NEX3 (50 USD) to use FDs, Hexanons and Rokkors. The 5D was a bit heavy for me and hard to focus but I loved the images with M42 and OM lenses. Since last year I have been saving for the A7 (the cheaper beaten-up used ones are around 850 USD here). Already have all the adapters and some good lenses. Hopefully I will buy one this year and travel with it! Crop-sensors don't work for me, I need ultra-wide. I fear getting assaulted with such an expensive camera, really, guess I will have to pay insurance for it.
I think you'll enjoy the a7 - it's a really nice little camera!
@@zenography7923 Bought one last week, I'm enjoying it so much! The cheapest ones in the used Brazilian market are currently 650/700 USD.
Where have you been looking? The Sony A7R is about $3500 USD. The Sony A7 starts at $680 USD.
Have you ever looked into the distortion issues that occur with CCD sensors on the rim of the full frame sensor? This does not exist on smaller sensors.
Prices do vary between countries I'm afraid - in the UK these are pretty cheap at the moment. I know there's said to be distortion with full frame sensors using vintage lenses, hence the Leica curved sensor, but it's yet to intrude to the point where I can actually see it!
The prices I was looking at were on the web from shops in the US. So you are probably right. The distortion is in color aberration. This is due to the glass layer on the top of the CCD bending the light as you move to the sides of the sensor. You can look it up on the web, but this is true with modern full frame cameras too. There are videos on this. With film this never happened. Still, I want to get a full frame camera to get more from my lenses.
The A7R is said to have a shutter slap issue making the images blurry. Have you experienced this?
Thanks for the video, it is a good one! It would be nice of you could throw in there the first generation a7s as well. I bought it a few months after a lot of thinking between which model to get as cheap as possible. I did get the a7s because it has a totally silent electronic shutter which is kind of a must have for me. Not even the a7 II has that, which was frustrating. Also the low light performance and the video capabilities were very tempting, and I got a good deal for one. I mainly use vintage lenses with it. Well first I actually hate the small grip. (from second gen A7 has bigger grip grip). the second thing is the color science for shooting people inside with artificial lighting. It is dreadful, especially the skin tones. The auto white balance is horrendous and the presets are rarely helpful. Everything is too yellow and just awful. Only with some color tweaks can be usable. In my experience an orange and teal look applied helps somewhat (I use mostly the Cold Orange preset in Capture One Express) I am very curios to know if the a7 has the same color science or not, it might have a better color science since it's sensor is different than the a7s......
So I was very close to selling the a7s until I tried out DXO Photolab trial. That software blow my mind as a raw editor. It has a lot of film simulation and camera body color presets and also one called "DXO Portrait" that with one click fixes the skin tones to look like basically Canon skin tones, or even better Also that program has an INSANE AI noise reduction function in it, which is like magic. I think it will make it less relevant for me after this to have crazy low light performance in a camera. That software is THAT good....I might stick with smaller sensor for a second body like the a6500 as far as I can see it has better color science than the a7. Even my a6000 has better color than my a7s sadly.....
I love full frame sensors too, but except for very subtle differences, it can be very difficult to tell which images were shot on FF, APSC or even m43. There are some YT videos which ask you to pick which identical image was shot on which sensor, and except for obvious bokeh on certain images, it's almost next to impossible to get more than 50% right, even when viewed on a 20 inch screen. And some of the right answers were really just guesses. BTW, nice video too.
I'll check out those videos, thanks! Glad you enjoyed the episode.
It’s not about being able to tell; it’s about being able to use a lens for what it’s supposed to be. A 50mm is a 50mm etc. The depth of field is also night and day if you switch from a crop to a full frame device.
For some reason many reviewers only shoot their old glass wide open. This shows optical aberrations round the edge on full frame sensors, while crop sensors eliminate the worst (best?) flaws in older lenses. As someone who uses vintage glass on m43, aps-c and full frame digital cameras, it would be nice to see comparisons at different apertures. I often shoot portraits on a Fuji X-Pro1 camera with an old 50mm f1.4 lens, and it really sharpens up at f2 while still offering great subject separation.
At some point, they will go as low as the 5D is now, and they'll be a no brainer for me. Tempting as they already are.
Wait just a little longer and they'll be practically free!
Nigel, I’m going to have to disagree with you for once! I have found Sony to be the most difficult layout I’ve ever used. My XT-2 and 6D are absolutely flawless and couldn’t be better for ergonomics. The A7 is… the control wheels are strange size and half covered - that C2 button is like a gameshow final round and I have tiny hands! Then there’s that impossible to find button on the AF/MF switch 💀
I guess I've got used to the a7 controls over time and many thousands of shots! I agree about the af/mf button though - impossible to find without looking!
I must agree , too. Stepped in digital photography 3 years ago with a Canon M50 ( which I still highly recommend , best in combination with a Viltrox Speedbooster that works flawless with my vintage lenses) and a year later I found a precious as good as new X-T2 with battery grip for peanuts , that's still beautiful in ergonomics and results. Then I got the fullframe GAS that led me to a Sony a7ii with kit-lense for under 1000€ in our lokal electronic-market. But it was a hate-love thing from the beginning, the ergonomics and menue , colours and saturation , all in all the images themselves didn't please me at all and on top the a7ii got stolen in a bus...long story short I found a Canon EOS R with one year garanty , a battery grip with all in all 4 original batterys , a adapter to ef with controlring and round 6000 shuts for 1300€ on Ebay and I must say , I'm the luckiest man , now. Cheaper RP 's are to be found more and more , not as cheap as the a7 but I would always recommend to look for a good one and observe the market for a week or two...
Are you interested in our new 28mm F5.6?
Hmmm, interesting statement about background and sensor.Since when the size of the sensor determine blur or d.o.f? D.O.F will be the same on any sensor, when staying static and not re-framing the image. You can say that shallow depth of field is easier to get with Full frame but not that sensor make shallower depth of field.D.O.F is determined by distance of camera to subject, aperture and focal length.
Full frame sensors have an increased depth of field vs APSC crop by 1 stop. As sensor sizes are reduced, it decreases. There is no ‘since when’, because those are facts!
@@kevrosas1 Actually they do not have any delta beside the crop and that is the fact.Smaller sensor has shallower d.o.f too.Take a photo from the same place without re-framing with FF and apsc and take a look to d.o.f.I bet you will see no delta.The picture taken with a apsc is only cropped.
I think it's correct to say that for a given lens, to make the same shot (same framing that is), the shot taken with an aps-c camera will show less shallow depth of field than the same shot taken with a full frame sensor camera.
@@zenography7923 Something about that since you have to back up to get the same shot (frame).To get the same shot on apsc you would need to open aperture.That all would not meter to anyone who shoot one or another format.To me it is pointless since I shoot apsc and MF so 135 format is only there when I adapt some vintage lenses on a GFX. The struggle is usually when you need depth of field and looking for more depth of field and not less.To my mind that is about 90% of photography I making.Landscape, real estate, product/macro , corporate events and portrait.For all mentioned you do not need shallow depth of field and for lot of them you want to go beyond f16.
@@eagleeyephoto8715 People often say you get "more" depth of field with full frame sensors, when they mean less! As you say, comparisons are mostly mistaken either way. Shooting a head and shoulders portrait on micro four thirds requires f4 to get the eyes, nose and ears in focus, the normal requirement for a traditional portrait photograph. Yet people dismiss f2.8 on m43 as ridiculously slow.
Buy a Sony A 7 mk 1 cheap and a Sony LA-EA 4 adapter then buy Minolta AF Lenses for peanuts
A7 is great camera but... I bougt a7 bacause i liked to use vintage lenses. But the truth is, my old lenses whitch i liked to use on Nikon and it was real preasure , in combination with a7 it started to produce weired colours((. THe focusing is not as good as i expected to be, but may be its my fault, finally. Then i started with different af lenses produced directly for sony fe and now i can say a7 is very sensitive for the lenses and its coating. Old lenses are not so good in this.
Shutter shock is the reason 7R failed as a camera (plus it was very loud, being all mechanical, but that doesn't affect image quality). A7RII was a much bigger improvement over A7R than A7RII was over A7 (where the only notable difference was IBIS, which does come at a cost of larger and heavier body). Too bad, I did consider A7R back in the day, but A7 proved to be a much more sensible choice (except for those never shooting between 1/60 and 1/160 sec exposure).
Wow these cameras have almost doubled in price since you made this video. Which makes no sense, they are 10 years old now and they aren't worth $500+ imo, at $250-300 yes good deals but now they are $500-$800 which makes no sense, thats almost the price of a brand new mirrorless camera, I dont understand whats happening with all this old tech being way over priced these days. Who is buying them at these inflated prices? DSLRs that are better still cost around $150-350, but for some reason these Sony models keep going up each year as they get older. Its not like they have a warranty or have replacement parts ready and waiting. So weird.
There's an a7 on ebay right now for £350 with 10k shots - that seems reasonable, but it's true prices have increased to some extent.
@zenography7923 I'm talking US prices since UK is usually 30% less. That one you are seeing might be UK £350, but is US $462, with taxes is closer to US $500. My last camera was a full frame D600 under a year ago and it was US $225, which would be UK £170. Nikon and Canon's pricing reflect their age. I have no idea why Sony's don't, like I said they seem to be going up for some strange reason lol. Even a D700 and a 5D can be found for under US $200. Every time I want to add an A7 to my collection it just makes more sense to buy another cheaper body from another manufacturer that shoots faster, has longer lasting batteries, better colors out of the camera, etc etc. I wanted an A7 for the smaller body but I might just get a M43 at this point and stay under US $100.
Sonys are ugly, fragile and unserviceable, I am not going back, If I go for cheap used FF I will go to old Canons or Nikons. For "newer" FF I will go with the K1.
WTF !?!
lol