EB-1 wrote:
Placement of the EVF is not so critical as it the image viewed. In bright light they just look harsh/grainy and highlights/shadows are not what the eye sees with a good pentaprism. If the Sony sensor has such a great DR, why is the EVF so much worse? Is it a cost issue?
EBH
Did you set contrast to -3, turn DRO on, and reduce sharpening? Assuming you were shooting RAW.
Quick question and sorry if it has already been adressed in this thread, but does anyone know if they finally fixed the issue with the EVF/LCD sensor switch sensitivity?
Or even better, is there an option to completely shut off the LCD screen at all times, except for image reviews? What I mean is, I really would like to use the EVF solely for composition and focus verification, while having the LCD screen turned off completely (in order to save battery life) unless I specify otherwise. So after I take my shot and press the "Play/review" button, it would turn the LCD screen on and show the image on there and then turn off completely once I'm done. Or, if I specify that I want to use the LCD screen for "live view" then the screen will stay on. Is that finally possible?
It would be great if we could have someway to do that...
Anyway, it would be weird if the dynamic range is less, but Sony haven't stated that it is larger either.
Ahh that makes more sense, thanks.
There are competing design decisions, for the α7s the focus on extreme high ISO performance resulted in a compromise in dynamic range at low ISO. It's not impossible that the video requirements or other new features impact dynamic range. I hope not...
curious80 wrote:
Ohh I would never claim that everyone is buying mirrorless for size. I do agree that in not too distant future mirrorless will start offering enough advantages over DSLR that people will switch just due to those features regardless of size. Even in traditional strong areas of DSLRs such as tracking AF, mirrorless will eventually leave DSLRs behind as mirrorless cameras have a lot more information to work with to make AF decisions. However I don't think we are there yet. Today we see a lot of Canon users who are jumping to A7R's because they can't get the DR they want on their Canon's and they still get to use their Canon lenses on A7Rs. But at the same time you will see far fewer Nikon users going to A7/A7r because if you are say aD600/D800 user then there is not much on offer on A7II/A7R which is any better than D600/D800....Show more →
Yes you're right there are fewer reasons to choose the A7R over the D800 although there are some. but the D800 had the 36mp Sony sensor first and the A7RII has a sensor not yet used or possibly available to Nikon. In addition it seems to me that Sony is improving the A7 series faster than Nikon is improving the D8xx series so it could be a matter of time unless Nikon does something unexpected with the next generation D8xx or more likely releases their own full frame mirrorless camera. Whether they are willing to start cannibalizing their own DSLRs remains to be seen but that is how they need to approach things in my opinion. If the A7RII lives up to most of the hype it will already be compelling enough for certain users to prefer it over the D810.
leetmode wrote:
Quick question and sorry if it has already been adressed in this thread, but does anyone know if they finally fixed the issue with the EVF/LCD sensor switch sensitivity?
Or even better, is there an option to completely shut off the LCD screen at all times, except for image reviews? What I mean is, I really would like to use the EVF solely for composition and focus verification, while having the LCD screen turned off completely (in order to save battery life) unless I specify otherwise. So after I take my shot and press the "Play/review" button, it would turn the LCD screen on and show the image on there and then turn off completely once I'm done. Or, if I specify that I want to use the LCD screen for "live view" then the screen will stay on. Is that finally possible?
It would be great if we could have someway to do that......Show more →
Just turn off the auto review in the tool menu. This way the LCD doesn't show an image after you shoot and if you do want to review it all you do is push the play button. In custom key settings set your right button to deactivate monitor. If you choose to not display anything on your LCD you just push the right button on the control wheel. This really improves battery life and you don't have to keep looking at the monitor for every image you shoot. I shoot this way 90% of the time.
leetmode wrote:
Quick question and sorry if it has already been adressed in this thread, but does anyone know if they finally fixed the issue with the EVF/LCD sensor switch sensitivity?
Or even better, is there an option to completely shut off the LCD screen at all times, except for image reviews? What I mean is, I really would like to use the EVF solely for composition and focus verification, while having the LCD screen turned off completely (in order to save battery life) unless I specify otherwise. So after I take my shot and press the "Play/review" button, it would turn the LCD screen on and show the image on there and then turn off completely once I'm done. Or, if I specify that I want to use the LCD screen for "live view" then the screen will stay on. Is that finally possible?
It would be great if we could have someway to do that......Show more →
For sure. It would be such a simple fix. Have one of the custom C1 C2 or C3 be able to switch from FINDER/MONITOR. No word yet if they have addressed this. They haven't addressed this in the other cameras, so it is probably still the same. If there is a way around this someone correct me.
dennishh wrote:
Just turn off the auto review in the tool menu. This way the LCD doesn't show an image after you shoot and if you do want to review it all you do is push the play button. In custom key settings set your right button to deactivate monitor. If you choose to not display anything on your LCD you just push the right button on the control wheel. This really improves battery life and you don't have to keep looking at the monitor for every image you shoot. I shoot this way 90% of the time.
Dennish I think what he is referring to is when you are using EVF only, after you shoot the image you have to actually look into the EVF to review the image. Or if you have to adjust anything in the menus, you also have to look into the EVF. There is no quick way to go back and forth from the "FINDER/MONITOR" (what I believe Sony calls the EVF/LCD in their menu).
I have found that sometimes when I shoot from the waist and look through the LCD, it shuts off because the viewfinder activates (there is a proximity sensor on top of the EVF). It would be nice to have an option in the customs button where you can cycle through how the finder/monitor behaves.
Also, the "deactivate monitor" doesn't actually turn off the LCD, I think it just makes a blank screen. At least on the firmware with my A7s.
alundeb wrote:
One of the most effective base senor sizes for multi aspect ratio using lenses with 42mm image circle, is 36x30 mm. It can do square 30x30, the max square size for that image circle, without removing the possibility for 36x24.
That sounds good, but with a square 36x36mm sensor, you could shoot 36x24 frames in either landscape or portrait orientations at the click of a button (or mouse click in post), without ever having to rotate the camera. And it can do your 30x30 square. Of course the sensor would be bigger and thus more expensive, and the corners of the 36x36 sensor would basically be wasted.
Jman13 wrote:
Guess it's a good thing that these things are subjective. That camera looks like a giant clunky mess in comparison to the A7 II in my eyes. In addition to being far bulkier, the direct settings aren't there, as you need to twirl a wheel then change the setting for things like ISO. I'll take the three wheels that offer direct access to the exposure triangle and the direct quick menus and so on. But again, everyone has different things. I really like the A7 II layout, but I still prefer the Fuji X-T1's a bit more. We're all different, but Sony has been drastically improving in my opinion. I hated the NEX-7 control layout and grip. I like the a6000's quite a bit and the new A7 II body is even better IMO.
I used the Minolta A1 and A2 for years. The A2 is still my all time favorite digital camera. Of course it won't measure up in many ways to more modern digital cameras, but we are talking almost 15 years ago! BTW, the fixed lens was an awesome perfomer
GMPhotography wrote:
Standards in the industry don't not change very often. Leica S still a 3.2 format because Leica invented 35mm framing. Lots of stuff like this in the industry no one wants to buck the system. Getting a radical change in style of body may never happen.
Sigma DP Quattro?
Going forward "lens camera" products like the Sony QX10 and Olympus OPC could result in new body styles becoming much more prevalent as it enables third parties to build bodies, basically anyone who can make a smartphone will be able to make a camera body.
GMPhotography wrote:
But I agree there is very little reason for instance not to have a circular sensor and body built around that. Will never happen
theophilus wrote:
Circular sensor equals too much wasted silicon. I don't feel like doing the math but it would cut the yield substantially. (cutting a bunch of circles out of a 12" circular wafer). With full laser dicing of semiconductors I think it would technically be possible, but add a lot of cost.
I am more shocked it hasn't gone square, especially with the high mpix sensors there is no reason not to crop for portraits. Even cropping in camera starts to make sense at 36+ mp.
They would essentially cost the same as medium format sensors, but in the future there may be advances in yields or reduction in the cost of sensors. One of the advantages of mirrorless is that other formats such as square sensors can be implemented with existing mounts/lenses. You couldn't have a square 36x36mm sensor in a Canon or Nikon DSLR as it would require a larger mirror which would hit the back of the lens.
Even if you designed a new SLR around a square sensor you'd have to increase the flange distance and compromise on lens design.
dennishh wrote:
Just turn off the auto review in the tool menu. This way the LCD doesn't show an image after you shoot and if you do want to review it all you do is push the play button. In custom key settings set your right button to deactivate monitor. If you choose to not display anything on your LCD you just push the right button on the control wheel. This really improves battery life and you don't have to keep looking at the monitor for every image you shoot. I shoot this way 90% of the time.
Yeah I already have auto review turned off but are you sure the "monitor deactivation" setting really powers off the LCD? A while back I remember reading a thread on here where a member discovered that that option does not truly turn off the LCD. The screen appears to be off because it is black but the screen is still being powered, meaning that it is still draining the battery. I never bothered with that setting because of this so I'll have to try this for myself and see if I notice any improvement with battery life but I'm 99% positive someone discovered that it makes no difference. Anyway, the next issue would be that having to activate the screen every time I want to review an image on it, not a big deal I guess but kind of pain and something I think that should be done automatically. Anyway I'll definitely give your suggestion a try so thanks for your input.
johntruong wrote:
Dennish I think what he is referring to is when you are using EVF only, after you shoot the image you have to actually look into the EVF to review the image. Or if you have to adjust anything in the menus, you also have to look into the EVF. There is no quick way to go back and forth from the "FINDER/MONITOR" (what I believe Sony calls the EVF/LCD it in their menu).
I have found that sometimes when I shoot from the waist and look through the LCD, it shuts off because the viewfinder activates (there is a proximity sensor on top of the EVF). It would be nice to have an option in the customs button where you can cycle through how the finder/monitor behaves....Show more →
Yeah exactly John, I was hoping for a way to set the camera to use the EVF soley for composition while having the LCD screen completely off, then have the LCD screen turn on soley for image reviews and menu adjustment automatically with a push of either button, along with the option to set it to liveview only when I need it. If you really think about it, this is exactly how cameras with OVF work, so I feel like a setting like this should not be that difficult to create. Unfortunately, I doubt it will ever happen if it hasn't been done already, considering Sony's track record with firmware updates. :/
In addition to that I too have that same problem with the proximity sensor when trying to shoot at waist level which can be extremely annoying. I found a thread on another forum where a person suggested using a special tape too fix this. I have ordered it but I'm still waiting for delivery so I can try it. I really feel like there should be a way for us to adjust this ourselves though, without needing to place tape over the sensor.
Stoffer wrote:
We all assume that the dynamic range on the new sensor will be [at least] as good as that on the A7R/D810, but do we actually have any evidence that the BSI sensor will match or exceed it?
naturephoto1 wrote:
Well unlike my A7r, I will certainly not pre-order the A7rII. Hopefully when I am ready (maybe late in 2015?) the price of the new camera will drop below the initial list price of $3200.
Besides, right now I have an order to be delivered next week (hopefully) for a new much faster and much more powerful laptop computer to allow me to process my images much faster and to help to deal with the need for a much larger hard drive. So, much of my "free" money is locked up in the computer.
With the new 42 MP sensor for the A7rII and now seeing that Charles K is selling his modified sensor A7r, maybe I will hold off on the Kolari Modified sensor of my A7r. Unlike Charles though, if I purchase the A7rII, I do not intend to sell my A7r, but would instead use the camera as a back-up and also a lighter weight camera body when needed.
In the mean time, I just returned from Shenandoah NP where my A7r produced outstanding results on the 36 MP sensor; boy do I have a lot of images to process. After I have the new computer up and running, I am anticipating taking my A7r to Acadia NP in Maine within the next 2 weeks.
Hi Rich,
I have decided to keep my A7r Mod for another few months. There could be delays in supplying to Australia, so I will be patient for now BTW the A7r Mod is still an amazing cam with all its quirks!
ClausC wrote:
I have decoded Canon CR2 file at one time, the raw-part of the file was encoded according to ITU T.81 Loss Less Compression and does not involve JPEG. It compresses the raw-image a factor of 2 (approx).
Um, you do realize that ITU T.81 is in fact the specification for lossless JPEG compression. Which is what was being referred to. You basically proved yourself wrong with your own post and reference to the spec.
EB-1 wrote:
Placement of the EVF is not so critical as it the image viewed. In bright light they just look harsh/grainy and highlights/shadows are not what the eye sees with a good pentaprism. If the Sony sensor has such a great DR, why is the EVF so much worse? Is it a cost issue?
EBH
lightskyland wrote:
Did you set contrast to -3, turn DRO on, and reduce sharpening? Assuming you were shooting RAW.
That opens up the EVF shadows a ton.
Thanks. No, I was not familiar with it. Is there any chance they will improve the graininess/waviness? It's somewhat like the old fluorescent lights flickering.
Re sensor performance: i am keeping my expectations low. If it matches the d810 I'll be happy. I think, based on the d7200 scores, it should be able to make 15 Stops of dr but I'm not holding my breath.
I'm just still amazed at the af upgrade w Ef lenses. If that and the shutter was the only change I would have been happy!
EB-1 wrote:
Thanks. No, I was not familiar with it. Is there any chance they will improve the graininess/waviness? It's somewhat like the old fluorescent lights flickering.
EBH
Lucky when using the EVF, you will be able to see and get the picture, unlike the OVF which will be completely dark and you won't even try.
in the end it still puts out an 11bit lossy raw chunk of data per shot. so all that up front stuff is essentially nulled out. with all that overwhelming technology why do the put the results out in a crushed form?
sjms wrote:
in the end it still puts out an 11bit lossy raw chunk of data per shot. so all that up front stuff is essentially nulled out. with all that overwhelming technology why do the put the results out in a crushed form?
You are always free to use last decade's Canon sensor that uses jpeg compression.( probably not as lossless as everyone thinks).
mogul wrote:
You are always free to use last decade's Canon sensor that uses jpeg compression.( probably not as lossless as everyone thinks).
It is lossless - provably so. You are confused by the concept of JPEG which encompasses many compression algorithms some of which are lossy and some of which are not. The CR2 is lossless and if you think otherwise you just lack the capability to read a spec and understand it - or take the time to implement it yourself or examine the dcraw source which implements it.
The Canon sensor read noise is crap though just as you say. So yes, lossless compression of a noisy sensor is probably not a big improvement over lossy compression of a much better sensor.
And those thinking the Sony file is equivalent to 11 bit also are fairly clueless. But that said clearly in some circumstances it leaves artifacts which is frustrating to those it impacts.
Anyway this thread ran its course a good 20 pages ago. Time to tune out until reviews are posted.
For some reason Sony discussions turn FM into DPR.
After I have the new computer up and running, I am anticipating taking my A7r to Acadia NP in Maine within the next 2 weeks.