Archive 2012 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #1 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
Yes you have those two and the more new 600D also. So suddenly the NEX 5N has a not so good sensor before it was always great here. I would take any of those 3 bodies for serious macro shooting instead of any NEX body. You will also have a lot of nice macro lenses with IS,OS, VR and other stuff like macro flashes, ring flash made for those bodies
p.5 #2 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
I don't know which accessories you need for your macro setup but I think there is no regular DSLR out there can beat the NEX-7 in term of flexibility. I shoot macro using peaking exclusively. I do hand-held or use a shoulder pod for support (so no cumbersome tripod or monopod). I can use the Sony Twin flash on my camera. And with the flip screen and peaking, I can shoot comfortably at any angle. Angle viewfinder on a DSLR is very limited since you still have to look through it that would induce neck and shoulder fatigue in no time . And that peep hole of the VF is tiny. Even better, I now can use the MPE on my NEX, so there are just plain more advantages. You have to try it before you pass your judgment (and yes I did use DSLR for macro work in the past).
May 05, 2012 at 02:36 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #3 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
hiepphotog wrote:
I don't know which accessories you need for your macro setup but I think there is no regular DSLR out there can beat the NEX-7 in term of flexibility. I shoot macro using peaking exclusively. I do hand-held or use a shoulder pod for support (so no cumbersome tripod or monopod). I can use the Sony Twin flash on my camera. And with the flip screen and peaking, I can shoot comfortably at any angle. Angle viewfinder on a DSLR is very limited since you still have to look through it that would induce neck and shoulder fatigue in no time . And that peep hole of the VF is tiny. Even better, I now can use the MPE on my NEX, so there are just plain more advantages. You have to try it before you pass your judgment (and yes I did use DSLR for macro work in the past)....Show more →
I have tried NEX,
And you have tilt screens on DSLRs also. So you can choose between liveview tilt screen, normal viewfinder and angle finder. The Sony twin flash is very weak compared to the competion in the DSLR flashes.
For really serious macro shooting a tripod is a huge improvement also
p.5 #4 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
Lars Johnsson wrote:
Yes you have those two and the more new 600D also. So suddenly the NEX 5N has a not so good sensor before it was always great here. I would take any of those 3 bodies for serious macro shooting instead of any NEX body. You will also have a lot of nice macro lenses with IS,OS, VR and other stuff like macro flashes, ring flash made for those bodies
since when is calling a sensor solid the same as calling it not so good? imo the sony 24mp sensor is much better for macro though, one of the few applications where all those megapixels really pay off. i'm not so sure about the advantages of dslr systems you mention either - VR and IS aren't very much use for macro with the exception of the new 100L, which has somewhat helpful IS. to me the viewfinders of those crop dslrs are much worse then the NEX-7's for the times you can use them for macro (pretty limited) or normal shooting. the flashes are certainly better from canon and nikon, but i'd never use any. i feel like most situations manual fiber optic lighting would be preferible, but that depends a lot on your work flow i suppose.
p.5 #5 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
More often than not I find tripod a huge handicap that doesn't outweigh the advantage of stability and ability to use lower ISO. Especially with macro I need a lot of freedom to move and rotate my camera in all three directions -- something no tripod can do easily.
p.5 #6 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
Lars Johnsson wrote:
I have tried NEX,
And you have tilt screens on DSLRs also. So you can choose between liveview tilt screen, normal viewfinder and angle finder. The Sony twin flash is very weak compared to the competion in the DSLR flashes.
For really serious macro shooting a tripod is a huge improvement also
Well, none of the DSLR right now actually has peaking (unless one went with the Magic Lantern hack on a Canon-though I don't know how effective that would be). The liveview tilt screen has, overall, better usability than the angle finder (i.e. bigger view). I don't have any problem looking at the LCD during harsh daylight as long as I set it accordingly. And to me, the peaking is way more reliable than to eye-ball it through an OVF and much more flexible than focus mag.
I don't see how you can claim that the Sony is weaker than the competitor. For macro, the power is not as important as the flash duration. People do use diffusers to cut back the reflection. Secondly, guide number of the Sony is 24m at full power vs. 22m of the Canon vs. 20m of the Nikon (whether the number is reliable is another matter).
And I don't really know what you mean by "really serious macro." You can check out dalantech on deviantart to see his insect extreme macro work. He doesn't use a tripod. I have tried 2x mag. with no problem. I just need to have some free time to try out higher mag. with the newly acquired MPE. Again, stable support is good but short flash duration is more important.
May 05, 2012 at 03:20 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #7 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
By weaker I don't talk about the power of the light. I talk about the all the flash options. How many different options in macro and ring flashes do NEX have compared to DSLRs.
it's no point going back and forth about which camera that is best here. IMO the NEX bodies are nice cameras. But it's a camera you choose because of size/weight instead of an DSLR. Not because it has better IQ or flexibility............
p.5 #8 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
Lars,
I was under the impression that we were discussing about the merits of a NEX camera (in this case the NEX-7) in macro photography. I just wanted to point out that the NEX camera is a very flexible platform for macro work due to its peaking and the available Sony twin flash. You said that the twin flash was very weak, so that was why I assumed you meant the power. However, even with macro flash options, I don't see how Sony would be inferior to the other brands. You need only one good twin flash for the work, and it's more flexible than a ring flash. And you can either hunt for the old Minolta ring flash or get a Sigma right flash. I don't know how many other flashes you need for your macro. Macro is a very specific discipline and it is one of my passions as well. So I respectfully disagree with you on this matter.
And I know I would not use my NEX for a portrait session. It can do the job but a DSLR would be way more flexible.
p.5 #9 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
Lars Johnsson wrote:
The Sony twin flash is very weak compared to the competion in the DSLR flashes.
How so?
In answer to your earlier responses, Lars, yes, there are small DSLRs, but they're still bulked up with the DSLR baggage that's fairly pointless when shooting macro on an APS-C body, namely the mirror and the dark little tunnel of an OVF. Angle-finders are great (on full-frames, particularly film bodies without AF) when that's all you've got. I have one and used it on the a900 before I got back into NEXs, and I loved using one on the R8. But there is a better way- live view with greatly increased magnification and the ability to move the magnified view across the frame. If that's what you're going to use, as I choose to do, then why bother with the bulkier, heavier body loaded down with a feature useless to the application?
The lenses I use wouldn't change, regardless of body. IS is great if you're 2:1 or higher, but below that I think you're better off with a pod anyway. The only time I've used flashes for macros is when I was shooting illustrations for technical manuals, and the Sony twin proved just as adept at providing the type of flat, even lighting you need for that kind of work as the Canon. Outside, I'd rather use a reflector if I need more light. So I don't see the advantages of buying into a system for macro work.
May 05, 2012 at 04:34 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #10 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
So what's wrong with the live view and 10x magnification on the DSLRs
p.5 #11 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
Nothing. But why use the camera that has a useless OVF when the feature you're going to use is available with the smaller, lighter camera that provides equal or better IQ?
May 05, 2012 at 04:52 PM
Lars Johnsson Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
p.5 #12 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
It's rather funny when you complain over the "big bulky mirror" but you have no problem using the 200x times larger reflector when shooting with your NEX
We disagree about what camera is better here so there is no point in going on with this
p.5 #14 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
AhamB wrote:
More often than not I find tripod a huge handicap that doesn't outweigh the advantage of stability and ability to use lower ISO. Especially with macro I need a lot of freedom to move and rotate my camera in all three directions -- something no tripod can do easily.
+1
I went from a light tripod to a super-light one but it still stays at home most of the time because of these reasons.
p.5 #15 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
My keeper rate improved a lot when starting to use a tripod for macro. Even if I can miss a few shots sometimes. The ones that I take are so much better and sharper
p.5 #20 · What ONE lens would make you consider a platform change ???
michael49 wrote:
Give me a FF NEX with IBIS and I won't need to switch platforms ever again!
+1
Fully agree.
That would be my dream setup.
Put the D800E sensor in an NEX, not too much bigger than an NEX 7, with IBIS, and I would immediately purchase it up to $3500.
With that setup, I could use all my Contax-G, Contax-CY and Leica R lenses to their full advantage.
before it was always great here. I would take any of those 3 bodies for serious macro shooting instead of any NEX body. You will also have a lot of nice macro lenses with IS,OS, VR and other stuff like macro flashes, ring flash made for those bodies