Archive 2023 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
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p.2 #1 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
jhapeman wrote:
No, not at all. Especially in terms of any moving subjects. The AI focus helps the A7RV be very competitive, and for moving subjects it's a huge improvement over the RIV, but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1. I have both and have done some extensive shooting comparing them.
If you're shooting a lot of static subjects or things that move relatively slowly it's great. But birds in flight, for example, it's just nowhere near an A1, and that should come as no surprise, that's not what the RV is designed for or marketed for.
Having used it for a while though I can say that when that AI system is implemented on the A1 successor it's going to be another huge leap and a real game changer. Heck, if Sony announced an A1 mkII today with only that improvement, I'd be signed up for preorder....Show more →
Thank you for the response. I'm going to wait for the A1 mkII as my A9 upgrade.
p.2 #2 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
Whenever something is generalized to such an extent, I become skeptical of the absoluteness of a statement.
RoamingScott wrote:
I'll save other people 25 minutes.
"Put your camera in front of amazing scenes, the cameras are largely irrelevant now, and the A7R5 doesn't add anything that automatically gets me better photos"
You can tell he's not used the A7R4 because for his use, there'd be practically no difference in output or workflow, nor a reason to pay the premium.
p.2 #3 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
RoamingScott wrote:
I'll save other people 25 minutes.
"Put your camera in front of amazing scenes, the cameras are largely irrelevant now, and the A7R5 doesn't add anything that automatically gets me better photos"
You can tell he's not used the A7R4 because for his use, there'd be practically no difference in output or workflow, nor a reason to pay the premium.
I wonder if he has a similar video for the A1? As soon as he said I am going to review this camera from the perspective of a landscape photographer, I knew where it was going.
p.2 #4 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
galenapass wrote:
I wonder if he has a similar video for the A1? As soon as he said I am going to review this camera from the perspective of a landscape photographer, I knew where it was going.
There's no lie that as a landscape photographer, the light and location are far more important that the equipment. Some scenes just shoot themselves and you don't need a bleeding edge kit to get the shot.
p.2 #5 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
jhapeman wrote:
No, not at all. Especially in terms of any moving subjects. The AI focus helps the A7RV be very competitive, and for moving subjects it's a huge improvement over the RIV, but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1. I have both and have done some extensive shooting comparing them.
If you're shooting a lot of static subjects or things that move relatively slowly it's great. But birds in flight, for example, it's just nowhere near an A1, and that should come as no surprise, that's not what the RV is designed for or marketed for.
Having used it for a while though I can say that when that AI system is implemented on the A1 successor it's going to be another huge leap and a real game changer. Heck, if Sony announced an A1 mkII today with only that improvement, I'd be signed up for preorder....Show more →
but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1it's just nowhere near an A1]but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1
I'm really sorry but your "not even close" statements are exaggeration to say the least. The A1 remains ahead in speed of tracking yes, but in acquiring focus and overall stickiness it's not that far ahead. Were it not for the stacked sensor it wouldn't be at all.
p.2 #6 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
I got A7R5 from LensRentals to see it if I want to upgrade from my A7R4. So far I'm not impressed. Perhaps autofocus is better, but not much as compare with R4. I very seldom had a problem with autofocus even on R2 and R4 is almost as good as it gets. Articulating screen didn't impress me either. To me it just a feature I may never use that adds to the thickness of the screen. I hoped that I could do hand held focus stacking, but didn't have much luck - still need a tripod. My biggest gripe is new menu. It took me years to get comfortable with Sony menu and it looks like I have to start from scratch again. I'm not smartphone generation so touch screen doesn't do anything for me. I'll take it for a spin this weekend along with A7R4 , but so far I don't think upgrade would be worth it to me.
p.2 #7 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
dcisive wrote: but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1it's just nowhere near an A1]but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1
I'm really sorry but your "not even close" statements are exaggeration to say the least. The A1 remains ahead in speed of tracking yes, but in acquiring focus and overall stickiness it's not that far ahead. Were it not for the stacked sensor it wouldn't be at all.
But that's the whole point of A1... It's like you'd say Canon R3 can compete in the same category, forgetting that it has half the pixels...
p.2 #8 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
j4nu wrote:
But that's the whole point of A1... It's like you'd say Canon R3 can compete in the same category, forgetting that it has half the pixels...
p.2 #9 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
dcisive wrote: but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1it's just nowhere near an A1]but it's nowhere near in the same class as the A1
I'm really sorry but your "not even close" statements are exaggeration to say the least. The A1 remains ahead in speed of tracking yes, but in acquiring focus and overall stickiness it's not that far ahead. Were it not for the stacked sensor it wouldn't be at all.
I have both and have used both extensively, with a whole suite of GM lenses; it's not an exaggeration. The "stickiness" is only what you see on the screen with the green boxes. That *looks* good when you're shooting, but when you go pixel-peep the images the percentage of shots in critical focus is much lower than the A1 (or even the A9) and much lower than those green boxes would imply. Part of this is no doubt the fact that the slower readout on the sensor means vastly fewer AF calculations per second; the AI chip can only help locate the objects to focus on, it can't compensate for what happens with motion in between those readouts and AF calculations.
This is why for action and/or fast-moving subjects the A1 does so much better. I spent several full days in my blind shooting birds with the A7RV and down at my favorite place for shooting BIF. It's a great camera. IMO its a huge leap up from the previous A7 series cameras in terms of AF performance (although not so huge over the A7IV which is really quite good as well), but it's just not in the same class as the A1. Static subjects or very slowly moving ones it can excel, and the AI chip actually gives it an edge on finding subjects and locking onto them vs. an A1, but that again doesn't mean a greater total number of keeper shots at the end of the day. Even perched small birds tend to rapidly move their head around, and in bursts with both the A7RV and A1 I still get more critically sharp images from the A1, in no small part due to the fact that at 2-3x the fps you simply statistically increase your odds in a linear fashion.
If you're a mixed-use shooter and you don't do a lot of action photography, the A7RV is a superb camera and really the best choice, but if you like to shoot any kind of action the A1 is the vastly superior option.
p.2 #14 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
One of the reasons I went for the A7R5 and NOT a A1 was I already have a fully lens stocked system with the OM-1. While some love to build up their chest boasting of the big gun A1, I've got news for them. The OM-1 handily keeps up and is perfectly capable of fast-moving subject tracking and provides wonderful files for that purpose let alone the lighter carry weight. There are a number of folks both here in the U.S. and some pro Youtube Europeans that have switched from A1's to the OM-1 for their birding. The A7R5 for ME provides the gap of high-resolution files I desire for my landscapes, portrait and static wildlife and bird subjects. If I didn't own an OM-1 I may well have opted for an A1. But now I'm very content to await the A1MkII which will have not just the speed but ALL the other goodies that have come out since used in the A7R5. I suspect it may well be over another year's wait, but I'm not in a hurry.
p.2 #15 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
The a7RM5 seems to be a compelling upgrade for a7RM3 users or anyone looking for a single do-it-all camera. If one of the new features like focus stacking is especially useful for your work, then the a7RM5 could easily be worth it. My a7RM4 does what I need and the a9M2 does everything else so I'm not trading...yet.
p.2 #16 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
I got a feeling we won’t see a A1 version II until next fall. I can’t wait that long per se but like to see what it is for sure. I’m sure it will steal the new features of the 5 plus plus. The A9iii at 24 mpx is not if any interest to me so long wait here. I’m actually thinking of 2 A7r5s at the moment. My files are really nice
p.2 #17 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
I'm betting they won't even announce the development till at least October-November and potentially begin delivery Feb-Mar of 2024. I see it being the same price and they will lower the current A1 just like they did with the A7RIV
p.2 #19 · Are the A7R5 improvements worth it to you?
Much as I am attracted to the a7R5, I don't find it a compelling camera for imaging (mostly with MF prime lenses). IQ is basically the same at 60MP, which is a nice sweet spot. Some features are undeniably useful for many photographers, just not me.
Owning the a7R4, and two a7R2's, the most logical choice for me is to add a nice used a7R4 and sell one of my a7R2 bodies. I'll be keeping an eye on used prices.
More power to anyone who has the need and can afford the a7R5 -- I'll join you some day down the line!
