kezeka Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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michaelwatkins wrote:
Reading your evaluation was a good reminder how personal cameras are to each of us. While I agreed with one point without reservation, my own experience was different.
Too large - This is the only criticism I simply don't get and can't agree with not that we must. The A7r feels small in hand, but not tiny, and given it can mount some large lenses (optionally), this to me feels like a good thing. It's about the same size as a Contax 139 or other small film SLRs; there's probably little they can do to shrink them further while incorporating an EVF (see next point). It's the smallest full frame interchangeable lens autofocus & adaptable lens camera in the world with the Leica a close second albeit manual focus only. Griping about size just seems silly in context whether one likes the size or not.
Fixed EVF - you may prefer an optional tilting EVF (not swivel), but many do not. Tastes differ, but probably a majority of A7/n buyers prefer the EVF be fixed. They might have preferred it be located on the left side, "rangefinder style", but that would make the camera significantly bigger in order to accommodate a decent sized tilt LCD. Speaking of the tilt LCD, this goes a long way to allowing shooting from "lower positions" but in the end, you can't have it all.
Touch screen - granted it would be nice. I wonder what the design consideration was here, or is it marketing "we gotta leave something for the A9!"
Usability - IMO they chose the best of all alternatives: integrated EVF, centre located, keeps noses of left eye and right eye dominant shooters away from the camera's rear LCD. Keep the camera small. Plus it's a familiar shape that many of us intuitively know how to deal with from long association. Retro? Nah, the camera felt functional in my hands, but only time and real world usage will tell for sure.
Startup - I didn't notice this myself and I swapped in and out my SDHC card at least half a dozen times over the course of an evening checking out the camera. It might not be DSLR fast startup, but it's probably not going to get in the way. Ask me in a few weeks if I still feel that way, I'll be honest.
Lag - dunno. I did not get a good sense of shutter lag or post exposure lag while I checked out the camera and I'm usually sensitive to this. I care about shutter lag and I care about shot to shot lag. One of my current cameras is a pain in the ass in the latter regard and I didn't get that sense from the A7r. Hopefully I did not miss this point.
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I live in Texas and even there, there are plenty of reasons to not have a touch screen. In the summer I have so much sweat when I hike that I have to constantly wipe my hands off on my shirt in order to use my iPhone - which I guarantee has a better capacitive array than anything sony puts into its cameras. In the winter, I don't want to have to take my hands out of gloves to us my camera when it dips below 40 degrees (usually when I am traveling) or I just don't want to have to screw around hitting nonpalpable buttons on a flat surface. Just because everything is adding a pointless touchscreen (fridge, laptops, desktop monitors) doesn't mean cameras should. This is clearly being marketed as a prosumer good and should stick with traits that people in that camp value. Not providing for the fickle desires of whatever craptastic trend is dominating the public opinion at that second.
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