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Archive 2014 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?

  
 
OO7MIKE
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Hello!

I photograph a lot of live dance performances, most of which happen during tech rehearsals. Some unfortunately happen during the actual performance. These are the dances I am most concerned about because the shutter noise my D3s / D700 make. It isn't so bad during hip hop performances because the music is very loud, but it is of great concern for other types of dances. There have been many gigs that I have lost or just haven't had the opportunity to photograph due to shutter noise concerns. I would like to expand my market just a bit and reclaim those lost opportunities.

My solution is to jumping onboard the mirrorless wagon. (no i do not want to purchase a blimp) I'm not looking for a replacement but an addition to my existing gear. I normally photograph my dances with a 70-200 at f2.8 at ISO 1600-6400. Autofocus must be quick and hold a lock for moving targets in low light conditions. Maybe its asking too much of a mirrorless camera to perform in this range which is why I would like to ask everyone here for opinions and real experience.

To recap for those who didn't read above (don't be that guy!)

    Mirrorless camera needs:

    1. Snappy autofocus tracking in low light conditions
    2. Excellent low light performance in 1600-6400 ISO
    3. A lens that gives me good 70-200 f2.8 range or close
    4. Must have an excellent viewfinder as i wont be able to use the large screen on the back


    Thanks!


Jun 12, 2014 at 12:28 PM
AGeoJO
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


I got a hunch that you have to wait longer for that FF mirror less camera and a FF 70-200mm f/2.8 lens to boot that can meet your requirements.


Jun 12, 2014 at 12:39 PM
formula4speed
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


I don't think such a system exists. Closest thing is probably the Olympus EM-1 with the Panasonic 35-100 F/2.8 and while I really like m4/3 I don't think it will satisfy you in tracking or high ISO coming from a D3S. Focus tracking is getting better in mirrorless, but I don't think you are going to get the performance you want with what is out there now.


Jun 12, 2014 at 01:04 PM
mountain_drew
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Panasonic usually has the best low light AF. The GM1 and GX7's af is rated for -4EV. Not sure about Olympus, but Sony's is rated 0EV.


Jun 12, 2014 at 01:16 PM
OO7MIKE
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Thank you for the responses so far. It doesn't have to be a full frame sensor.

So far the Fuji X-T1 and the Sony Alpha NEX 5T are looking good for low noise files but I have no experience with the AF system and i'm not familiar with their lens systems.

I'll look into the Olympus EM-1



Jun 12, 2014 at 01:17 PM
cputeq
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Honestly, you need to move to a DSLR with a quiet shutter. The quiet modes on the 5D3 and 6D, for instance, are pretty awesome.

I don't think a mirrorless system is going to adequately fulfill all your requirements...yet.

The hardest part is going to be tracking AF, especially during low-light. That's the bane of many decent DSLRs and it kills mirrorless also.



Jun 12, 2014 at 01:18 PM
snapsy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Not sure how well it will track but the A7s has a fully-silent electronic shutter mode and will likely have High ISO equal or better than the current FF leaders (D4s/Df/1DX). For 70-200 you can use the new FE 70-200 f/4 or the 70-200 f/2.8 A-mount with adapter.


Jun 12, 2014 at 01:20 PM
OO7MIKE
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


cputeq: Good point but my experience with canon quiet shutters are similar to Nikons. you still have shutter slapping, you just control when it happens. I've heard the 6d shutter in quiet mode and it is quieter but still a problem.

snapsy: Thank you for pointing me to the A7s. It looks like its not out just yet, but the preview files I've seen from that camera are excellent. Its quite the expensive addition, especially after getting a 70-200 to go with it. Might be worth it. I'll have to crunch the numbers.



Jun 12, 2014 at 02:18 PM
mawz
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Note the LA-EA4 will give you quite good AF, albeit with rather restricted frame coverage (it includes a PDAF unit and pellicle mirror)

Hopefully Sony will provide an LA-EA5 with their new AF unit from the A77mII.



Jun 12, 2014 at 08:48 PM
MayaTlab
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


OO7MIKE wrote:
cputeq: Good point but my experience with canon quiet shutters are similar to Nikons. you still have shutter slapping, you just control when it happens. I've heard the 6d shutter in quiet mode and it is quieter but still a problem.


That isn't the case. The 1DX behaves like the Nikons' quiet mode, but the 5DIII, 6D and 70d use electronic braking to reduce noise and don't keep the mirror up until you release the shutter. It behaves exactly like the normal shutter mode, only quieter, with a slightly longer lag and VF blackout, and with a slower max burst mode limit.

And if you found the 6D's quiet shutter a problem, then no mirrorless camera will satisfy you unless you can live with the limitations of full electronic shutters. A French magazine measures in dB shutter noises and the 5DIII's or 6D's quiet mode is just as noisy as a X-pro 1 or E-M1, which are among the quietest cameras around. This is something I can confirm since I own a X-pro 1 and a 5DIII.



Jun 13, 2014 at 06:02 AM
cputeq
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Good point. Maya. The only camera I've used that is quieter than a 6D was the EM5. I'm sure the GX7 with full electronic shutter would win, but I've not used that one.


Jun 13, 2014 at 06:43 AM
Jman13
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


The Panasonic GH4 is going to give you the best low light AF. That thing can AF in practically pitch black situations. Couple that with the 35-100/2.8 and you'll have a very nice setup. Check out this video:




Jun 13, 2014 at 07:16 AM
snapsy
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Jman13 wrote:
The Panasonic GH4 is going to give you the best low light AF. That thing can AF in practically pitch black situations. Couple that with the 35-100/2.8 and you'll have a very nice setup. Check out this video:



The A7s is rated at -4EV as well. The A7s's likely benefits from its very large pixel pitch, allowing it to feed 100% unscaled pixels into its AF system for contrast detection.



Jun 13, 2014 at 10:08 AM
thegdub
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


A sound blimp is what you need.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/996761-REG/aquatech_10198_sound_blimp_shadow_d4.html

Behind the scene still photographers for movies and TV shows use them all the time.



Jun 13, 2014 at 10:18 AM
Alex Phan
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


GH4 has fully-silent electronic shutter. No sound whatsoever.


Jun 13, 2014 at 02:35 PM
curious80
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Jman13 wrote:
The Panasonic GH4 is going to give you the best low light AF. That thing can AF in practically pitch black situations. Couple that with the 35-100/2.8 and you'll have a very nice setup. Check out this video:



This is insane!!



Jun 13, 2014 at 02:57 PM
joychris
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


The GH4 has pretty impressive AF for a mirrorless. I shot an event at a museum yesterday with it and the A7, the room was typical low museum lightning and the A7 did hunt a lot more. The GH4 outperformed the A6000 when I tested them side by side for a week before sending the A6000 back. That said I do enjoy shooting the A7 more. Looking forward to my A7s shipping so I can throw it into the mix.

Chris



Jun 13, 2014 at 06:24 PM
OO7MIKE
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


Curious80: Thanks for the video. that was really impressive. I'm not sure the files that camera produces are going to work for the kind of work I do, but I'm going to keep my eye on it. The AF certainly has my attention.

joychris: let us know how the A7s compares. I do hope they improved the AF over the other A7 Cameras. Focus peaking option might be sony's savior for me, but I havent found any videos on how well it work under low light conditions.



Jun 14, 2014 at 03:30 PM
OO7MIKE
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


I just did some more research on the Sony Alpha NEX-7s. Sony says it has the same AF as the 7r but with an improved EV -4 sensitivity. It sounds like it might put itself in the same class as the Panasonic GH4's Autofocus.


Jun 15, 2014 at 03:01 PM
snapsy
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Best low light autofocus performance in a Mirrorless camera?


OO7MIKE wrote:
I just did some more research on the Sony Alpha NEX-7s. Sony says it has the same AF as the 7r but with an improved EV -4 sensitivity. It sounds like it might put itself in the same class as the Panasonic GH4's Autofocus.


If I had to venture a guess I would say Pany's AF technology is probably a generation or two ahead of Sony's, even including the A7s. But since the A7s's sensor collects 4x the amount of light vs the GH4 that allows for a lot of slop in Sony's CDAF design



Jun 15, 2014 at 03:14 PM
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