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Archive 2014 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

hardlyboring
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

Beni wrote:
How are you focusing?

I was using one of the programable buttons to zoom in. Then I focused and shot. Worked fine 95% of the time.
The only time I had some problems was in really low light stopped down a bit with flash. The EVF shows the predicted exposure but does not account for flash. So I had a low contrast mess sometimes. It was tough then because the detail in the EVF was low at such high iso in low light.

I have since gone back to Leica. I just like the way the true RF works better. I have nothing really bad to say about Sony other than the camera is pretty uninspiring photography wise.

Dec 19, 2014 at 12:05 PM

formula4speed
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

I'm 99% sure you can turn off the exposure preview in the EVF so it is always bright enough to focus. I haven't done it myself, but you could probably use that mode with the live histogram pretty effectively in most situations.

Dec 19, 2014 at 12:49 PM

hardlyboring
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

Dec 19, 2014 at 01:00 PM

ricardovaste
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

hardlyboring wrote:
I have nothing really bad to say about Sony other than the camera is pretty uninspiring photography wise.

Isn't everything compared to a Leica?

Dec 19, 2014 at 01:03 PM

LeeSimms
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

Also, the shutter sound is hushed now on the II — very Canon like (silent mode). Not the totally silent operation you'd assume mirrorless would deliver — and not as quiet as a Leica — but acceptable. The A7r slap was more presence than I wanted.

I'm really impressed how they've brought this thing along in a year. Except for the 24-70, all the FE mount lenses are quite good. The price/performance value is very very good and (at the moment) I can't see any deal-breakers.

And now they've announced coming professional support. Hmmmm.

Dec 19, 2014 at 01:17 PM

hardlyboring
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

For 50mm and wider the Leica is pretty boss except during portraits when I need to fire off more than one shot quickly ... then I just use My D3/F100.
For everything else Leica is where it's at for me

Dec 19, 2014 at 01:23 PM

flash
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

formula4speed wrote:
I'm 99% sure you can turn off the exposure preview in the EVF so it is always bright enough to focus. I haven't done it myself, but you could probably use that mode with the live histogram pretty effectively in most situations.

You can. But then you have to change back and forth all the time. Sony has also buried the function deep in the menus with no way to assign a hardware button, which is a shame.

This is one thing the current Leica M really does better than the Sonys. With the EVF it's bright when focusing and then stops down on half pressing the shutter button. So you get both.

Although I'm getting a mk2, like Doug, I shoot what I can on the Leica's. Sometimes you want AF. That's what the Sony is for. But for wedding work I much prefer my M's.

Gordon

Dec 19, 2014 at 02:16 PM

LeeSimms
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

Gotta admit, that mkII is a lot of camera for 1700USD

Dec 19, 2014 at 02:34 PM

Desmolicious
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

Thanks for the examples Doug (and nice website!)

Dec 19, 2014 at 02:52 PM

brett maxwell
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

LeeSimms wrote:
The only drawback (that I see at present) is no fast 85 (a fast 135 is coming QTR1 2015).

Where'd you see that? The roadmaps I've seen show the only longer prime in development as a 90/2.8 macro.

Dec 21, 2014 at 05:10 PM

fstopperdown
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

hardlyboring wrote:
For 50mm and wider the Leica is pretty boss except during portraits when I need to fire off more than one shot quickly ... then I just use My D3/F100.
For everything else Leica is where it's at for me

For some reason, I find manually focusing ( in my case the Leica M9) mentally taxing after awhile.

Are the Sony's much easier?

I'm going to rent a Sony an try it at a concert

Dec 22, 2014 at 07:47 AM

LeeSimms
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

Thanks Brett, trying to retrace my steps to see where I read that. The 35 1.4 is reported in a few places but I'm trying to find where I read about the 135

Dec 22, 2014 at 12:13 PM

heikoM
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

fstopperdown wrote:
For some reason, I find manually focusing ( in my case the Leica M9) mentally taxing after awhile.

Are the Sony's much easier?

I'm going to rent a Sony an try it at a concert

I found the Sonys a pita for focussing manual. Also depends a lot on the lens. I have no problem to focus my Nikon 50/1.2 with focus peaking if i am careful but I cannot get my CV 35/1.4 in focus without zooming in. It also depends a lot on how contrasty the scene is. My Leicas are much easier to focus.

On the other hand I free-lens a lot with the 50/1.2 wich is quite easy after a while. I already shot kisses at the altar free-lensing. Happy with that.

heiko

Dec 22, 2014 at 03:03 PM

flash
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

OK. I've had mine for exactly 1 hour. Initial impressions compared to the Mk1.

* It's MUCH more responsive. Start up is essentially instant. Changing from EVF to LCD is very quick.
* It feels better in the hand. A lot like the EM-1 Olympus, actually.
* The IBIS is awesome. Test shots using the Sony/Zeiss 135mm 1.8 (with LEA4) and hand holding around the house at 1/25th of a second.
* Dials are plastic, but solid.
* Shutter is a bit better damped. Not a quiet camera but not an awful sound.
* Seems to lock on better in low light but I've yet to see how low I can go compared to the A7S.
*Still can't set one of the buttons to toggle the EVF/LCD.
* Some functions on different dials or buttons (like zoom being moved to wheel). That'll be a pain if I can't have them work the same way.
* Still can't assign separate functions to front/rear dials in AV or TV. Both dials do the same thing.
* Flaps covering ports are a step down from Mk1.

I'm going to like this camera. I do already.

Gordon

Dec 22, 2014 at 11:35 PM

heikoM
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

Hi Gordon,

thank you for your evaluation. How about focusing with the back-button? From the pictures it may seem that the ergonomic with the new grip and back-button is less good then with the A7.

Would be very interested what you think about low light focusing compared to the A7s.

thanks,

heiko

Dec 23, 2014 at 03:05 AM

brett maxwell
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

LeeSimms wrote:
Thanks Brett, trying to retrace my steps to see where I read that. The 35 1.4 is reported in a few places but I'm trying to find where I read about the 135

you got me excited, a good 135 option would probably tip the scales for me. samyang/rokinon are hinting at a 135 now, it will probably be great, but manual focus and a little large.

Dec 23, 2014 at 01:21 PM

flash
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

I use the Sony Zeiss 135 1.8 on my A7 with a LEA4 adaptor. In fact the reason I bought the MK2 was to have stabilisation with this lens, rather than carry an a99. With the LEA4 it is essentially a native lens with SLR focusing and all exif in tact. It is a screw drive lens though. And it's big and heavy being a 1.8.

I've had several 135's including the Canon L and the current Leia APO (which I still have) and the Sony/Zeiss is, IMHO, a better lens in every way. It's the best thing in the Sony system. Possibly one of the best 135's ever made. I like it as much as I loved my 85L in Canon and as much as my 50mm ASPH for my Leica's.

An FE version might be smaller. But it'll be slower (aperture) and it won't be better. So there's already a great 135 in the system if you have an LEA4. In Australia we get a free choice of lens adaptor with every body purchased so the LEA4 or metabones adaptors are free.

Gordon

Dec 23, 2014 at 03:51 PM

flash
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

heikoM wrote:
Hi Gordon,

thank you for your evaluation. How about focusing with the back-button? From the pictures it may seem that the ergonomic with the new grip and back-button is less good then with the A7.

Would be very interested what you think about low light focusing compared to the A7s.

thanks,

heiko

I don't have the grip yet. They weren't in stock. On the camera the C3 button is in a good spot for an AF button, for my medium sized hands. Low light focus is better than the Mk1 but I have yet to compare to the A7S. I was too busy shooting my Christmas tree with a stabilised 135mm at 1/45th of a second. :-)

Gordon

Dec 23, 2014 at 03:58 PM

heikoM
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

flash wrote:
I don't have the grip yet. They weren't in stock. On the camera the C3 button is in a good spot for an AF button, for my medium sized hands. Low light focus is better than the Mk1 but I have yet to compare to the A7S. I was too busy shooting my Christmas tree with a stabilised 135mm at 1/45th of a second. :-)
#

Gordon

oh, I mean the new grip design of the cam, not the add-on grip. With the A7 I use the AF/MF button for focussing, and I thought that may be hard to reach on the A7II, but when the C3 sits better that may work, too.

thanks,

heiko

Dec 23, 2014 at 04:28 PM

brett maxwell
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Sony A7 II — ready for primetime ?

flash wrote:
I've had several 135's including the Canon L and the current Leia APO (which I still have) and the Sony/Zeiss is, IMHO, a better lens in every way. It's the best thing in the Sony system. Possibly one of the best 135's ever made. I like it as much as I loved my 85L in Canon and as much as my 50mm ASPH for my Leica's.
...
Gordon

I've heard wonderful things about the 135/1.8, but in going with a smaller system I'm really hoping for a 135 with an f2.5 or f2.8, beautiful bokeh, compact, and under 500g.

Dec 23, 2014 at 07:33 PM

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