Samuli Vahonen
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 p.138 #6 · Official: Sony A7 and A7R Fullframe Mirrorless | |
naturephoto1 wrote:
But, if you look at the comment section of the review he would not recommend the camera.
Ah, I didn't pay attention to those recommendations. I lost interest after "OMG! This is the most crazy insane..." from 3rd review jumped to my eye, and wave of disgusting feeling raised from my stomach... then closed the tab ultra quick...
I think I would give 4 out of 5 for A7. If A7r shutter is equivalent to A7 without FCES, then 3.5 (if there is possibility for half points) to A7r. But I never write any review, maybe to Fred's review section, but definitely not to any store. They are useless because people write the reviews in first day hype. I hope nobody isn't going to take them very seriously...
I would never commit to any general "I recommend" or "I don't recommend". It's stupid because, without defining for what use the recommendation is for, how you can recommend something? It's as useful as question "which one is better/best?" (without definition "better for what?") or answers to the question often seen in forums.
Also giving general "x out of y" points without revealing to which scoring system and weighting the final score is based to.........
sflxn wrote:
I do agree Sony can do better, and I hope they keep pushing the boundaries in future releases, but you must admit this is a pretty well executed FF mirrorless for their first try.
Yes, after buying A7+35FE and figuring out will 2nd body be A7 or A7r and most likely getting FE55 I'm pretty sure I'm admitting they did well viamy donations to Sony... I don't think Sony struggles with FF. Actually almost all the flaws are inherited from NEX and Alpha cameras, which unfortunately means there will NOT be any fixes coming any time soon:
- crappy menus without "custom page" or possibility to remove menu items not needed
- crappy sensor toppings from reflection point of view (nightshot local flaring & some lenses 100% useless e.g. 28mm and 35mm PC-nikkors due to reflections etc.)
- ergonomics; crappy quality buttons, button placement (try using top rear wheel while shooting vertical orientation), EVF eyecup design and material (stray light) etc.
- implementation of some functions e.g. combining shooting mode to bracketing and lack of bracketing options and implementation (camera can't automatically shoot bracket sequence) - this was already skrewed up on my age old A850
- non-professional grade accessories - e.g. wired remote is risky for camera port and "motherboard" and made like 5EUR eBay remote even costing 65EUR + lack of accessories available to other similarly priced cameras
Sony could either just copy paste these best practices or bring new solutions - instead Sony R&D mostly have invented half minded stuff which have been implemented even worse. They tried, but for example camera app SDK without possibility to affect exposure stuff - WTF!! Most likely one can code "publish to Facebook"-app in 2 minutes but coding "bulb exposure" app seems impossible. Highly customizable user interface was definetly well done from R&D department. They did some copying e.g. level feature from Nikon, and it's pretty damn nice feature for Canon 5DmkII shooter, for Nikon guys maybe not so big news.
On the FF they did well, all my lenses have less vignetting than with 5DmkII. This was really great surprice and I'm very happy for the feature. And of course sensor is amazing what comes to colors and noise (enormous improvement to Canon users, maybe not so big for Nikon users).
Short flange sounds great, but seems that most Leica M lenses get smearing to corners - of course there are some 35mm, plenty of 50mm and longer rangefinder lenses which give exceptional results while keeping camera very small and light weight. So it remains to be seen can Sony/Zeiss utilize short flange. I will be mostly shooting with SLR-lenses, which is OK for me since small size&weight isn't primary reason for A7(r), but of course I'm very happy to carry lighter bag.
Even slight failure on rangefinder lens compatibility, short flange makes it possible to use Minolta MD, Canon FD, Contax G (at least longer lenses) etc. I'm going to utilize this benefit to fullest; I'm getting all the lenses I have wanted over the years but, which didn't fit to EOS e.g. Rokkor 58mm f/1.2, Canon FD 50/1.2L, Canon FD 85/1.2L and maybe some I have wanted only recently  like Contag G 45&90. For Nikon shooters this is again "bigger" thing, since they could not shoot Leica R, Contax/Yashica, Olympus OM etc. before which were fine on EOS. So for Nikon people this is Hype^2...
I also understand very well that people are so thrilled about the camera and shooting with EVF. I have mostly kept quiet past years, but inside my head I have been thinking that most people are just brain damaged or plain stupid  when people were still shooting with optical viewfinder after 2008 (in 2008 5DmkII came out and it was possible to shoot 100% live view, naturally with LCDVF or similar device required for handheld shooting). For me the EVF in A7(r) didn't offer anything new, just better resolution but at same time 5DmkII live view was easier to focus since in Canon user can adjust image to have more sherpening artifacts via JPG sharpening adjustments and focusing is easier one whole frame mode. When zooming to details both are as easy to focus. If subject doesn't have texture, which would cause artifacts, then Sony is easier to focus. For me 5DmkII has been heavy and large mirrorless with 44mm flange distance since 2008...
I don't see "pushing boundaries" on anything else than overall size/weight. Unless one considers "concept" of "FF mirrorless" pushing boundaries - I don't. Otherwise it's just A99 sensor (in A7r case improved D800E sensor) put to short flange camera body without being able to utilize extreme short flange lenses due to ray angle issues.
Samuli
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