p.4 #1 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
I specialize in artwork reproduction and have been using the Sony A7R4 primarily with the Sony 90mm Macro lens for several years now. The R5 came out but mostly added video and eye tracking features that are not useful to me. The R4 absolutely still gets the job done and has been an amazing camera.
I've been saying that I'll upgrade when Sony comes out with a higher resolution camera in the R line. Though the last couple years I've been eyeing Fuji since Sony has been slow with this.
p.4 #2 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
Picked up a Sony RXR1 iii at a great price (far below retail) which makes it easier to take more places than lugging my A1 and lenses around. This is actually small enough to get in concerts and take on family trips without a second thought given the size. With all the compromises, they are both Sony systems and makes decisions on what kit to take much simpler.
p.4 #3 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
I do and don't have too much gear.
What I mean is that I have a lot of excellent lenses and I've culled some fair to middling gear to get where I'm at right now. Sometimes I think of selling one or two that I don't use often but in truth they are such great lenses that I can't justify not keeping them. When I start thinking of selling them I take them out for a day and come back pleased as punch and exorcise any thoughts of getting rid of them.
Examples are my Voigtlander Macro APO-Lanthar 110mm and Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art.
Yup, I've got a lot of gear. Maybe too much but I'm keeping them.
p.4 #4 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
I have all I need, 2 zooms and some primes. Really soured on upgrading already fine lenses so, won’t be doing that any time soon. The busy don’t suffer from GAS.
p.4 #5 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
2025 has been the year of gear, kinda. My current kit consist of an A7CR with 24-50G, 40G and 35GM. And in addition, a Leica M11-P with a 35mm Summilux (recent purchase). I got the Leica because after many years with Sony I wanted to try something different (and I would rather have a camera with manual focus than a camera mediocre autofocus). I’m not sold on the Leica kit yet as I miss having the ability to precisely compose a photo. Love the size and the viewfinder, but the rangefinder doesn’t add anything to the experience for me personally right now. If the A7RVI comes next year I might trade in the Leica kit and just stick with Sony. I’m also considering getting the 24GM, the 50GM, and 24-70GMII, but at the same time I’m hoping Sony will add more F1.8G primes. I’ve also considered Leica Q3 28 and 43 (but the AF hasn’t been the greatest). There will definitely be some more changes in 2026, but I have no idea what that will be yet.
p.4 #6 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
I think this is the most stable I've been on gear in a while (a whopping 6 months), but that is largely due to lack of motivation to shoot. Finishing the year with
Sony a7cr
Sony 24 1.4
CV 40 1.2
Sigma 65 f2
Sony 28-60
Tamron 50-300
OM 1 ii
20 1.4
8-25
12-40 2.8
50-140 2.8
Also m mount 28 f2 ultron ii and 50 1.4 MC ii
I think I'd like a 14 1.8 in the Sony kit and probably sell the ACR and go back to A1 mkii and pick up the 100-400 ii in the OM System.
p.4 #8 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
macwest wrote:
Waiting for a 500mm sigma 5.6 to be delivered Tomorrow for my A1ii. Happy new Year Everyone.
I have discussed about Sigma 500/5.6 with a reddit user for teleconverter use (it is possible for MF with on-off-on trick, I have later tried it myself; Viltrox TC might work with AF, gutted TC that bypasses TC electronics also works for AF). He/She mentioned that after upgrading A1 I to A1 II, the AF hit rate significantly lowered. There is something about A1 II that makes this combination work worse.
p.4 #9 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
In January 2025 I purchased a Leica Q3 43 for my 50th birthday, my first fixed lens camera. Partly out of curiosity and partly to justify the absurd cost, I told myself I was going to use only the Q3 43 for all of 2025. While I did resort to the A7CR and Sigma 100-400 (or recently the 25-200) a couple times for bird pics, otherwise I was able to stick to my goal and do pretty much all my photography with the Leica. It ended up being a huge success for me; I had a ton of fun, learned a lot of new things about manual focusing and composing in general, and got some of my favorite images so far. It also taught me that gear doesn't matter so much (I realize the irony of saying this while using a $6K camera).
As 2026 approaches, part of me is definitely missing the flexibility of a zoom lens so I'm considering selling the rest of my Sony compatible lenses and just keeping either the 25-200 or the 20-70 on my A7CR camera at all times. Instead of stressing about which of my 5 or 6 lenses to bring on a trip or photo outing all the time like I used to (or carrying multiple lenses, which I dislike as well), just focus on a single zoom lens and learn it well.
The smart thing to do would be to just box up the other lenses and hide them in a closet for a year, but I know I typically need something more drastic and final to mentally make leaps like this. Knowing I can just go to the closet for something is too easy an out for me
p.4 #10 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
I am in the unusal state of mind of not really wanting any new gear. I find myself much more interested in getting better at post-processing and at composing interesting and meaningful pictures than I am interested in new gear. I already have more gear than any person needs, and I do try to use it. But some expensive pieces haven't been taken out of the storage cabinet in 9 months.
The one piece of gear that would move me to buy doesn't exist (yet?). I would really like a small, A7CR-sized camera with a stacked sensor of at least 42mpix and a somewhat improved electronic viewfinder. Assuming top-end IBIS and autofocus, that would be my dream camera, and I would buy it in an instant.
The smallness of a camera is a huge feature for me and facilitates my taking more of the spontaneous documentary photos of family life and travel that I love.
Otherwise, I am sort of standing pat on gear and just working on my image-making and post-processing knowledge and skills,
p.4 #13 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
chiron wrote:
The smallness of a camera is a huge feature for me and facilitates my taking more of the spontaneous documentary photos of family life and travel that I love.
I feel exactly the same way, much as I hate to admit it. I'm in my mid-30's, I'm very active, I'm blessed to have a busy life; by rights, I feel like I *should* be the type of person who can tolerate bringing around a full sized mirrorless camera and lens(es) for trips, parties, etc. I certainly get excited when new ones get released! But man, for the life of me, the only camera I ever want to take anywhere is my X100V. The photos aren't nearly as sharp as my R5 II, the focus is orders of magnitude worse, it freezes up from time to time, you can't shoot sports or concerts with it, it's just not as good as most dedicated ILCs in most circumstances. But I actually use it, and not because it's trendy or retro (although that is nice!), but because it's small and easy to stick in a bag and not so prohibitively expensive that if I broke it I would have to sit down with my wife and a budget spreadsheet and figure out how we were going to replace it.
What's the saying about business, or stocks or whatever? Being too early is the same as being wrong? I feel like that about the mid-2010's era of M43 cameras. I hope that Panasonic revives the GM5 line, or maybe Nikon moves the Zfc up market in terms of build quality (or figures out a way to shrink the existing Zf by 20% or so for the Zf II). Small and light = fun, and for me personally, that's what this hobby is all about.
p.4 #14 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
old-gregg wrote:
The incredible Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II.
This lens is not for pixel peepers. My understanding that it is a somewhat modernized pre-ASPH Summilux design from the 60s. It enhances your boring photos with gorgeous optical flaws between f/1.4 and f/2.8, and then becomes more and more vanilla as you stop it down. And just as importantly, it's tiny. I believe it's the smallest 35mm f/1.4 lens among all FF systems.
Despite owning the modern 35mm Lux, the Nokton has been my favorite M-mount lens. So much so that I developed an "inverted" attitude towards it: I take photos with the Nokton by mounting a camera onto it. Not the other way around. I even ended up buying a second Leica just to have a body permanently mounted on the Nokton at all times.
However, when I tried adapting it to my digital Sonys and Nikons, the results weren't quite the same.
Well... finally getting to the point here: today I have received the package from a fellow FM member with the native E-mount Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II inside! I just finished processing a series of photos from the Christmas eve dinner and the results are... let's just say hallelujah!!! My favorite lens has now joined me in the mirrorless land!
And speaking of GAS... I am gassing on the idea of having the Nikon ZF mounted onto this lens. Unfortunately, Voigtlander never released the Z-mount version. I hear similar praises for the 40mm f/1.2 Nokton, but weight/size wise it's a completely different ballgame....Show more →
Maybe have a look at the new Brightin Star 35mm f1.4? It's available for Z mount. I'm guessing the optics will be very similar to the Voigtlander.
p.4 #15 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
nightnight wrote:
I feel exactly the same way, much as I hate to admit it. I'm in my mid-30's, I'm very active, I'm blessed to have a busy life; by rights, I feel like I *should* be the type of person who can tolerate bringing around a full sized mirrorless camera and lens(es) for trips, parties, etc. I certainly get excited when new ones get released! But man, for the life of me, the only camera I ever want to take anywhere is my X100V. The photos aren't nearly as sharp as my R5 II, the focus is orders of magnitude worse, it freezes up from time to time, you can't shoot sports or concerts with it, it's just not as good as most dedicated ILCs in most circumstances. But I actually use it, and not because it's trendy or retro (although that is nice!), but because it's small and easy to stick in a bag and not so prohibitively expensive that if I broke it I would have to sit down with my wife and a budget spreadsheet and figure out how we were going to replace it.
What's the saying about business, or stocks or whatever? Being too early is the same as being wrong? I feel like that about the mid-2010's era of M43 cameras. I hope that Panasonic revives the GM5 line, or maybe Nikon moves the Zfc up market in terms of build quality (or figures out a way to shrink the existing Zf by 20% or so for the Zf II). Small and light = fun, and for me personally, that's what this hobby is all about....Show more →
Smallness (and lightness) of cameras and lenses are really the most important characteristics by far. I think the majority of hobby photographers will agree. While they might only discover this after having owned a bunch of big and heavy cameras and lenses, in the end almost everyone reaches this conclusion.
p.4 #16 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
Small and fast manual focus primes have been my main travel lenses for the last year. I always bring a fast AF lens along as well just in case. We spent 9 days in Paris this year and I used the tiny Thypoch 28/1.4 about 70% of the time and used the Sony 50/1.4 GM to photograph the paintings and other art in museums. The Sony 20/1.8 and CV 10 also made a few appearances.
On our recent trip to Hawaii, I again used a small Thypoch manual focus lens about 70% of the time - the 35/1.4. The CV 21/1.4, TTArtisans 75/2, and the Viltrox 14/4 filled out the rest of my images (I brought the 70-200GM II just for a whale watching tour).
With small and fast primes on vacation, I carry two lenses with me in a sling bag. One lens on the camera and one in the bag. I like to mix and match something different each day. For instance, I’ll have the 35/1.4 on as my main lens but bring either the 75mm or 21mm or 14mm. Whatever my fancy is that morning. The next day will be different. I may decide to use the 21/1.4 as my main lens and bring along the 50/1.4 to match it. It makes things easy, relatively light, and loads of fun. Far more fun for me than a zoom.
p.4 #17 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
I have come to a conclusion that I am in if Sony does something major with RX100 series. Not interrested in latest tele options, but a refresh of RX100VA would be wellcome. I would not mind if they can make the zoom range start from 20mm eqv. Also a better EVF would be nice, even with the expense of slightly larger size.
Since RX1rIII I have been waiting for Sony to do something in the APS-C fixed lens market. Sony could sure make Rich GR IV killer with much better screens and AF (X100VI is more difficult to improve). All the better if the they are brave enough to make it a zoom camera! I know this is just dreaming, but I would like to have a compact APS-C RX with (say) 24-50mm eqv. zoom. That would be a unique offering to the market.
p.4 #18 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
jtra wrote:
I have discussed about Sigma 500/5.6 with a reddit user for teleconverter use (it is possible for MF with on-off-on trick, I have later tried it myself; Viltrox TC might work with AF, gutted TC that bypasses TC electronics also works for AF). He/She mentioned that after upgrading A1 I to A1 II, the AF hit rate significantly lowered. There is something about A1 II that makes this combination work worse.
I am happy to report on my A1 II fiemware 4.0 and Sigma 500 firmware 2.0 . It is wicked fast AF and omg it is Sharp. I only can compare to my 100-400 gm focus and sharpness. not even close I guess older design? Happy New Year.
p.4 #19 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
macwest wrote:
I am happy to report on my A1 II fiemware 4.0 and Sigma 500 firmware 2.0 . It is wicked fast AF and omg it is Sharp. I only can compare to my 100-400 gm focus and sharpness. not even close I guess older design? Happy New Year.
Great! I guess it might be the newer Sigma firmware that made the difference or the reported issue might not have been reproducible in general.
p.4 #20 · Your current gear thoughts (we all have GAS)
tsdevine wrote:
Ordered the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 28mm within minutes of it going on sale in the US. Had it in my hands the next day. Been waiting for it from before it was even announced.
I'm pretty content ATM.
Would love to see a new thread with some pics and feedback on performance. considering getting a A7CR and this would be an ideal prime
