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Archive 2016 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

PixiPhotography
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p.1 #1 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

So I ended selling the D810. I haven't been using it as often anymore and decided now that its sold, to see what else is out there. I stumbled upon a few 4K videos on YouTube shot on the the GH4 and A7R-II. I do enough video to want both a great still shooter and a great video camera. I think that has always been wish, was to have a awesome still like a D810 with 4k video option. So, that puts the GH4 out and puts the A7R-II in my view. But, my problem with the A7R II is that its too good to be true.

After reading reviews about the A7R-II, I realize its not durable and tough like the Canon or Nikon bodies. I've read owners experiencing complete failures out of no where. Software and firmware issues, freezing or stuck shutters, horrible battery life, and little glitches that would put off new buyers like myself. Error notifications preventing the cameras from being used whatsoever. But I wonder if these were ironed out with later bodies and firmware updates. For example, it is said after Firmware 3.0 or 3.10, the overheating problem was solved. I'm afraid this camera will have a mind of its own and work when it wants. Any A7R II owners willing to chime in? I haven't heard of anything from Sony or forums. For example, the D810s had their issues and later models had that dot underneath to tell you if its a newer, updated/fixed D810.

May 28, 2016 at 06:17 PM

nismoxr34
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p.1 #2 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I had an A7rII for a little bit earlier this year. I really wanted to like it, and wanted a small option for travel. What ended moving me away from it, and just settling with the Nikon's only was the battery life, and lag.

Battery life is pretty bad, even though the camera does come with two batteries. You are able to charge with an external pack, plugging in the micro usb into the camera, but then that makes the size and weight advantage null.

As for the lag, I was trying to use the camera the same way as I was using my D810. It takes a while for the image to write, and to review the image. If I wanted to turn it on, there was a little bit of start up time. And also if I wanted to do some other functions, sometimes it would take a little bit more time than I was used to with a refined DSLR camera.

It is a great camera, definitely has its pitfalls, but if you are looking for a small alternative, with 4k, you can't go wrong. Just don't expect it to be the same as a Nikon DSLR. I ended up not liking how you had to go into the menus to pick a focal point, just little things ended up making me decide that this iteration wasn't ready yet and maybe I need to wait until everything was a little more refined before I switched.

May 28, 2016 at 06:35 PM

Vcize
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p.1 #3 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I own a D750 and A7r. I've previously owned a D800e and rented an A7r2 for a week.

The A7r2 is a great camera, especially from an imaging standpoint. From a usability standpoint, there are issues. Everything is slow, every action, every button press. Just that little bit of lag that grates on you over time. It's a bit like using Windows ME on an underpowered computer with a menu system designed by 3rd graders.

Perhaps another way to put it, the Sony thread on this forum about picking one small thing that you wish Sony would change goes on for pages and pages with most people not being able to narrow it down to one complaint. Meanwhile, the same Nikon thread has merely a few posts from people saying they have nothing to complain about and everything works great.

All of that said, the A7r2 is a superb combination of both still and video image quality in a nice compact, feature rich package. EVF, IBIS, 4k all in a compact body with a top of the line sensor and, finally, great lenses available. But it is going to come with quirks. You're going to notice them every time you pick up the camera. Whether that is a dealbreaker for you or not depends on the person. Those kind of things grate on me personally which is why I'm still sitting here in Nikon/Sony limbo instead of having dedicated myself to Sony by now like I was planning to. I'm the kind of person that can't use a 2 year old cell phone because the lag on it drives me nuts.

Every time I use the Sony (A7r in my case) exclusively for a while and think I'm getting used to the quirks, I pick up the D750 again and am amazed at the way everything just works, and works snappy. Other people aren't bothered by the quirks and get used to them within a week.

Bottom line, what's more important to you. The video image quality, compactness, and other features like IBIS in a package that will ultimately lead to a great result, or a friendly user experience that will be less grating on getting the same great result for stills?

May 28, 2016 at 07:02 PM

PixiPhotography
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p.1 #4 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I see.. seems like even the A7R-II isn't ready to compete head-to-head with flagships from Canon and Nikon. I feel like the software/firmware on the A7R-II is its biggest problem. Where the firmware and user interface on the Nikon/Canon's are really easy, fast, and understandable.. it seems like the Sony firmware is computer like. Its unproven and unstable vs its competition.

I think I might hold out of the A7Rs for now, see what other fixes Sony can release via firmware. I also was looking at the Nikon D500 which is cheaper, but, it's a DX and all I've had from Nikon was FX. The images and 4k that comes out of that camera is amazing.. My only problem with a APS-C D500 is that I shoot a lot of landscapes. Again, I will hold out to see what both Canon and Nikon release at Photokina this year. I am hoping Nikon and Canon release new flagships (5D Mark IV/D900) plus, with the amazing new AF system and ISO performance of the D5 and D500, I think the D810 successor will be just mind blowing.

May 28, 2016 at 07:47 PM

Two23
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p.1 #5 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

SouthwestS2K wrote:
. My only problem with a APS-C D500 is that I shoot a lot of landscapes..

And with the D500 you still have a camera that outperfoms what a Hassleblad was putting out just ten years ago, and everyone was raving about. The biggest downside for a D500 & landscapes that I can see is the 24mm PC-E isn't very wide.

Kent in SD

May 28, 2016 at 08:33 PM

Chdwil
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p.1 #6 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I have Nikon and Sony. I had a d810 and still have the a7rii. Yes the a7rii has some quirks and if I made a living with my camera it would not cut it. However, I'm not a professional photographer I am an enthusiast that enjoys the art. I've had 3 Nikon full frame cameras from the d600 to the d810 and now a d3s. I sold the d600 and honestly regret it. That camera was all around fantastic aside from the dust issue. The d810 I got because I had an offer I couldn't refuse. I really enjoyed it for its outstanding picture quality and build. I tried shooting a nex 6 a few years ago and was hooked on the oled viewfinder. For me the viewfinder and live view on the a7rii is a no going back feature. I tried shooting the d810 again, but always found myself wanting to see a true live view of the shot. I pretty much learned how to shoot manual because of the a7rii's live view. So I sold my d600 and d810 because they just sat there. I also sold many Nikon lenses as they were just sitting as well. Now I have the g master to go with the a7rii and the results are stunning. I also really get a kick out of mounting high end Minolta glass to it. For 90% of what I want the a7rii does. Recently I got a d3s so I could shoot some high frame rate images of my kids. I kept some select nikon lenses and I am just completely blown away by what the d3s can do, especially considering its age. That is a pro camera I could make a living with. Fast, battery lasts all day, 10fps , tank like build quality, dual slots, outstanding iso performance, and the ability to focus in the crappiest of lighting. Not to mention when you show up with a d3s and 500mm lens, you get some Serious attention, that is fun but also has its drawbacks. Do people believe me when I tell them the Sony with the g master costs $5000 plus and the d3s was 1/4th the price, nope.

I guess the lesson is its good to have options. Would the d500 be as good as it is if Nikon wasn't getting fleeced by the mirror less market? Probably not. They had to produce a home run with that camera.

May 28, 2016 at 09:23 PM

neoshazam
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p.1 #7 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

From what I've read the A7R2 overheating is fixed and I wouldn't worry about that.
What I would worry about is if the A7R2 needed repair ( came across a review of a defective sony on one of the NY stores that was a horror story and a youtube review from a former nikon guy that was similarly terrible). If you can buy 2 or more just in case, smoke'em if you've got them.

There is also the rumors of a D810 upgrade and I figure that'd be 4k (but that maybe a cropped 4k ).

May 28, 2016 at 09:32 PM

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p.1 #8 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I've shot with Nikon (and some others) for over 45 years. I owned a D810 and a D750 but sold them off to get into the Sony system. The Nikon stuff I thought was just too big for me at this point in my life. I am no longer working professionally and had been saying that if I was 30 years younger and still working I would still own the Nikons.
Well after using the Sony system for the better part of the past year, I have once again picked up a D810 and a D750.
Here's the deal;
Yes the Sony system is very nice. I love its size, both bodies and lenses. I love the video capabilities. I love the fact that I can carry two bodies and several lenses in one camera bag (just like the old days of F2, F3, and FM2 bodies). I love that I can be very discreet and even make the shutter totally silent if I so desire. I love the output from the A7Rii sensor. However, the Sony system still just has too many drawbacks.
- The flash system is amateurish at best, and due to the fact that it is a live view system, there is a horrible delay in shooting with flash.
- Manual focus by wire is awful, absolutely awful.
- The A7Rii white balance leaves a lot to be desired. Yes it does well in normal daylight conditions but anything else and it struggles.
- Lenses are often a crap shoot. For whatever reason, Sony's QC leaves a lot to be desired. An example is the fact that I just plain gave up trying to find a 35mm F1.4 that was sharp on both edges of the frame. I went through 4 70-200 lenses before getting a good one. Such a shame too because some of the lenses are superb, like the 90 macro and the 55.
I now own both systems. Nikon and Sony so that I can both take a small camera and sling it over my shoulder or I can take a more serious more dependable system if I so desire. I don't know if in the long run I will keep both systems, but I am now at least satisfied in knowing I have the choice.

May 28, 2016 at 10:05 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #9 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

If you sold the D810 because you didn't use it enough, not sure why you would want a A7rII to replace it. Go with a D500 perhaps? Other then video, the Sony falls short of what you had in the D810.

Jim

May 29, 2016 at 12:32 AM

Mark K
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p.1 #10 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

Have a7rII for sometime till I bought D810 last month for my safari. Both cameras are different species. If you want to do general photography mostly landscape, A7rII is definitely a fantastic piece of equipment. The weight saving on carrying the equipment saves a lot of time and the live view information is very useful. However, if you shoot sport, candid shots and wildlife, dSLRs esp D810 is still the best

May 29, 2016 at 11:54 AM

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p.1 #11 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

Interesting opinions from D800/810 owners. The hype for these cameras tends to get a bit much so it is hard to get to the reality of using them outside of easy scenarios like landscapes or casual photography.

Given it is clearly some way from prime time, the price tag is pretty hard to swallow too...

May 29, 2016 at 12:15 PM

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p.1 #12 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

JimFox wrote:
If you sold the D810 because you didn't use it enough, not sure why you would want a A7rII to replace it. Go with a D500 perhaps? Other then video, the Sony falls short of what you had in the D810.

Jim

I didn't use it enough because it and the lenses I was using (14-24, 24-70 and 70-200) were just too big. I wanted smaller, so I went with the Sony. I have absolutely no interest at all in shooting APS-C.

Having used the Sony for months, I have learned of its shortcomings and went back to Nikon (but will all primes this time). The Sony telephoto options just don't make it and its flash system is not very good. As I mentioned earlier, its white balance leaves a lot to be desired as well. On the other hand, its form factor is superb.

I now own both Nikon and Sony so that I now have the choice.

May 29, 2016 at 12:48 PM

PixiPhotography
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p.1 #13 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

Well, I think at minimum say what I was using my D810 for. It was personal use, not an everyday shooter. The D810 was not used for something professional nor paid work, strictly personal for local and other travels. I think the worst conditions were Scandinavia during winters, summers in the Southwest.. humidity in parts of Europe. I think the worst case is I am not around an outlet to charge the camera, so the battery life on the A7R-II would be iffy, although it has USB charging from what I heard and a portable power pack could a solution. I read someones reviews who traveled with the A7R-II and they were let down by the Sony a few times. He suffered lots of shutter errors and shutter sticking. In colder temps, the camera wouldn't even turn on. Am I ever in those severe conditions? No. He was in -20s, worse case I see is above 0F-32F. Again, I wonder if Sony has done anything about their shutter problems on the A7R-II. From reviews, again it seemed too good to be true.

May 30, 2016 at 08:23 PM

mmurph
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p.1 #14 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I'm late to this, but....

I use multiple cameras for stills (2) and videos (3) at events. I have shot Nikon, Canon, and Sony for 8 years now, but I just can't cost justify Sony for 4k.

So I turned to Panasonic for video, and Nikon/Canon for stills. I just received a Panasonic GX85 on Wednesday and have been testing it. It is a great 4k camera that doesn't overheat!

I wanted to go back to Sony. I bought an A6300, but that overheats pretty quickly in video mode. So you really need to spend $2k+ to get an external recorder.

The GX85 was $687 after a small discount. I still have a G7, but the GX85 has 5 Axis Stabilization, Dual IS (body and lens), no 30 minute limit, and it has HDMI out while recording internally, which the G7 and GX8 lack. It is a great little camera, I love it.

I have the Panasonic 12-35 2.8 and 35-100 2.8 zooms, a 24-70 and 70-200 equivalent. I am using it more for stills too, it is just so easy. (It does lack a microphone jack and headphone jack for audio. But it had pretty good internal sound to use for "dual system" sound syncing.)

+++

I am going to sell my D810. If I was staying with Nikon I would probably just keep a D5500 or a D7200. I am actually going to stay with Canon instead, because I can use my Canon lenses on Panasonic and Sony with autofocus, etc.

My main camera will be my Canon 7DII, which also has good autofocus in video mode, and good 1080 out. I am going to keep mostly the 4.0 zooms- 24-105 4.0, 70-200 4.0, and a few cheaper primes. And sell my heavy 2.8 zooms.

+++

We all obsess about image quality so much. I really don't think it matters all that much. I was shooting wildlife this winter in Florida with the D810 and a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary on a tripod. I found out that I was really just as happy with the images from my Panasonic G7 and a $300 Panasonic 100-300 zoom! (200-600 equivalent.)

If you are out from under the expensive kit, start small! Look at the D5500, along with a Sony RX10II bridge camera for 4K video. Or buy a used Sony AX-33 camcorder for video, they are so much easier to use! Then use the D5500 for more serious stuff, with a $300 1080 external recorder.

There are a lot of pretty decent options at $500 more or less. We don't need full frame, and $2,000 zooms and primes. The marginal value isn't there.

My favorite zoom on the D5300/D5500 and 7DII is the Sigma 17-50 2.8 OS, which I bought for $269 on eBay.

Good luck!

Edited on May 30, 2016 at 10:17 PM · View previous versions

May 30, 2016 at 10:06 PM

jhinkey
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p.1 #15 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I have the A7RII and D800 and they are very different animals. My A7RII is for light travel as I now have access to excellent light weight M-mount glass. Throw the very very good 35/2.8 Sony on it and it can't be beat for compactness.

Yes the battery life is not that great - but don't chimp, don't use WiFi, turn it off between shots, etc. and it's totally manageable. Use your D800/810 in LiveView and the battery will suck just as fast.

I don't find the controls particularly sluggish, but the UI is certainly clunky. I like to say that I'm pretty sure there are no photographers on the Sony camera engineering staff, because if there was, the external ergonomics and the UI would be completely different (meaning, way way better).

It's just a different beast and is not meant to compete or replace the D800/810.

Since I use the excellent (and un-equaled in AF lenses) manual focus lenses available to the FE mount, the A7RII works in ways the D800/810 just cannot. I work with the A7RII's quirks and shortcomings because for me it makes up for it in other ways. I still have my D800 and will likely grab a D810 when the replacement comes out (or Nikon finally gets off its a** and makes a FX mirrorless body).

May 30, 2016 at 10:10 PM

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p.1 #16 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I sold my D810 once to buy an A7rII, then sold the A7rIIand bought another D810, sold THAT again and bought another A7rII, and finally just wound up keeping it - and buying another D810.

- So yes I have experience with both cameras (I have a serious problem to boot 

�

But in the end, here are my thoughts.

Dollar for dollar, unless you are shooting sports, both are without a doubt the best bodies that money can buy.

I LOVE the form factor of the Sony, and while the image quality is nothing short of spectacular, I honestly feel that the quality of the D810 images is just a tiny bit more spectacular. The D810 tends to have a smidge less high-iso noise, and the images hold up a little better when I have to pull up the shadows a lot. I think the D810 images also hold up WAY better when I need to recover highlights. Additionally, the D810 is WAY faster for me to operate. For example - changing focus points on the D810 is super-fast and intuitive. Doing the same on the A7rII is REALLY slow, requiring 2 button pushes, etc. Eye-AF on the Sony is GREAT, but it's not foolproof and it doesn't take the place of a joystick, and being able to control your focus points quickly when you need to.

To me, I think the A7rII is a KILLER landscape body, and some of the amazing MF lenses (the Loxia 21 for example) are beyond incredible. But if you shoot anything that moves (and I'm not even talking sports or fast action - more like people, kids, etc), the D810 is going to be a much more satisfying experience, with image quality that is simply amazing. The dynamic range of both of these cameras however, has changed the way I shoot and process images, to the point where MANY of the images that I shoot with them would have been throw-away�s with previous generation bodies.

I also have WAY more trouble getting accurate colors out of my Sony. The Nikon images look natural straight out of the camera, but the Sony tends to exaggerate blues and oranges (kinda easy to fix in post, but they still never look as natural to me as my D810 images do).

Both cameras have their place. But my love affair with the D810 has lasted for a long time, which is unusual for me, because I tend to buy and sell cameras like some people buy groceries. But having them both has been great. When I REALLY want to travel light, I grab the Sony and the 55mm f/1.8 and I have a "point and shoot" that I can literally take ANYWHERE that takes images that are simply breathtaking. And don't even get me started on video quality - the videos that the Sony shoots are mind-blowing. But when I want to travel with a bit more of a purpose - I bring the D810 and a prime or 2, and the images are even better. Oh yeah � and Sony�s flash system is terrible. If you shoot with on-camera strobes, you MUST go Nikon.

It's hard to go wrong with either one, but I would boil it down to this. If you shoot subjects that don�t move a lot, get the Sony and enjoy shooting with a tiny machine that is capable or incredible image making. If you shoot anything that moves, grab the D810.

Or do what I did, and just buy both...

May 31, 2016 at 09:40 AM

Cliff L.
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p.1 #17 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

rlcramer wrote:
Or do what I did, and just buy both...

Same here...

May 31, 2016 at 11:09 AM

PixiPhotography
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p.1 #18 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I see. Well, let's see what PhotoKina brings out in September. I'm hoping for a D810 replacement, which is said to have the A7 III's supposed 75mp sensor but, its speculation so we'll see. I'm imagining the D810 replacement to have sufficient 4K quality, better ISO performance all round and high MPs for extra detail. I love the huge arsenal of lenses Nikon offers.

Jun 03, 2016 at 08:54 PM

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p.1 #19 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

I wanted to buy a Sony to go with my D810 and let me better utilise some of my excellent Canon lenses but I was put off by the reports of poor reliability and very poor support from Sony in the US. I asked a local (Australian) dealer about that and he said that Sony was probably the second worst of any camera brand in terms of service and support. So it's no Sony for me - I've had more than enough problems with reliable gear to want to buy into something even worse.

My new plan involves an as yet unannounced Canon 5D4 and an unannounced Nikon D900. In the meantime I might even have enough time to get my computer working properly - The cameras aren't much good without a working computer

Jun 05, 2016 at 10:46 AM

PixiPhotography
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p.1 #20 · Nikon D810 owners who went Sony A7R-II

Alan321 wrote:
I wanted to buy a Sony to go with my D810 and let me better utilise some of my excellent Canon lenses but I was put off by the reports of poor reliability and very poor support from Sony in the US. I asked a local (Australian) dealer about that and he said that Sony was probably the second worst of any camera brand in terms of service and support. So it's no Sony for me - I've had more than enough problems with reliable gear to want to buy into something even worse.

My new plan involves an as yet...Show more →

That's exactly what I am thinking, just wait to see what comes out. Sony will be releasing their A7 III soon, if we look at their release charts for the A7 bodies, they release a new body quite often. So not only will Sony release a new body, but Nikon/Canon are due to release a new flagship as well. As for a computer, for $1000 you can get yourself a great setup. Its even necessary to go latest and greatest. I'm here on the Haswell I7 4770K at 4GHz and getting a nVidia 780Ti for CUDA support (adobe) and you're good. All the big cards are cheap new, from 780Ti to Titan to 690s or AMDs 7990.. 290X, they are all cheap and offer HUGE bang for the buck.

Jun 06, 2016 at 02:14 PM

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