Camera Decisions?

"AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC" (addictedtom3s)
03/05/2016 at 22:51 • Filed to: None

Last year I bought a Sony a7 as my primary camera. I have been very impressed by it. The low light abilities is pretty decent and the image capturing abilities is on a whole new level compared to any other camera I have used (granted, I’ve only used a Nikon D3300 and a Sony NEX-3 prior to it). I then went to pick up a Konica Hexanon 50mm f1.4 for it. It’s pretty capable considering I picked it up for only $72. I love the way it renders colors. Very warm and with a soft glow. The Bokeh is kind of meh though.

My coworker has a full frame Nikon that he brought in last week and he let me fiddle around with it for a bit. I actually really liked it. He had a giant lens with the extra battery grip on it and honestly I really did not mind the weight. In fact, with the grip off it was surprisingly light. I loved the autofocus on it as well. The ergonomics were also superior to my Sony in my opinion.

So that leads me to now. I originally had to decide between the a7, 6d, 5DII or D610 when purchasing the a7. After a few months of the Sony, I am considering selling it off (or trading it) for one of the dSLRs in the list above. Here are my reasons:

The battery life. Yeah, it’s not as bad as everyone says but it’s still not great. Some parts of the internet like to feverishly defend the reputation of the a7's battery life as “dSLR fanboy-ism.” I strongly disagree. It’s just the inherent quality of having a mirrorless setup.

The lens selection. Yes, Sony are making new lenses and Canon/Nikon have had 20+ years to develop their lens selection. I get that. But the new G Master lenses are not the direction I was hoping Sony would go. The lens quality might be off the charts but let’s be honest, I won’t really need or even notice the difference between the G Master and a regular Canon L-lens. Sure if I were to do a side-by-side I might notice but I won’t necessarily need it and I could save money by switching to the Canon/Nikon system. Hell, even the Sony Zeiss partnership lenses aren’t even the true (and cheaper) made in Germany lenses found on Canon/Nikon.

The Autofocus. The Hexanon is Manual focus only. I don’t mind it but sometimes I take pictures of moving cars or people. Manual focus is extremely difficult to use for those situations. I can capture maybe a few shots of moving people or cars with it but I would prefer an autofocus option for very fast moving cars.

The boot time. My Sony takes about 5 seconds to start up after I turn it off. It’s slightly inconvenient when I want to capture something on the move.

The standby mode. This coincides with the above point. I could theoretically circumvent the boot time by leaving it in standby mode. The only downside is there is a sensor above the EVF that detects when one moves the camera to their face to switch the screen off and turn on the EVF. The downside is that if you are out and about, the camera will be against your body and that will trigger the sensor with every step you take. It will eat through the battery thinking you are moving the camera to your face rather than going into standby.

TL,DR: Should I sell/trade the a7 for a dSLR? I am open to arguments for me keeping the a7 as well. I am trying to save money after all (which is what brought this thought on in the first place). Is this just another case of gadget/gear acquisition lust that photography new-comers encounter?

Have some shots I took using the 50mm Hexanon for your time.

DISCUSSION (31)

Nibby > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/05/2016 at 22:56

Can you take a picture of an Audi A7 with your Sony A7 please?

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Nibby
03/05/2016 at 22:57

How about I take a picture of an Audi A7 on my Sony A7 while drinking A-7-up?

HammerheadFistpunch > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/05/2016 at 22:58

Invest in glass, that pretty much means canon. Mirrorless is the biz for lots of reasons but if you are after upping your game over all other considerations it seems like the sensible course

JGrabowMSt > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/05/2016 at 23:03

Don’t sell. Keep your A7. Those shots look gorgeous.

If this is a hobby, you’re experiencing gear envy. The grass is always greener on the other side.

I shoot with a Canon 7D, no battery grip, but some good money into the lenses. I use my 7D for stills and video, and that camera got me through college, and has been fantastic for the documentary I’ve been working on, and will be used to do at least a couple of shorts this year. I could upgrade to a 5D mkII or mkIII, but at the end of the day, I really enjoy the results I get out of the 7D still. I’ve got well over 10k shutter actuations on it, and it’s just as good as the day I bought it. I’ve shot with it in the middle of a hurricane on the beach, it goes all over the place with me to car shows and I also take it with me when I go hiking.

I have no reason to change it (and a lot of money into the gear), so whenever I think I could switch to another camera, I have to think about how much else I have to change at the same time. Hardly worth it. It’s fun to play with fancy expensive cameras, but unless you’re making a living with them, I wouldn’t worry about upgrading any time soon.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/05/2016 at 23:06

I’ve always been a DSLR guy (Canon 40D -> 5D II -> 70D) However, I’ve been recommending to my friends to pick up a mirrorless, or something from Sony since the portability and how I’m constantly impressed by Sony’s Pro Point and Shoot and their cameras in general while I find myself more and more complaining about how Canon’s releases are redundant, overpriced and not the best they can do (BUT I’M STILL GONNA CANON FANBOY TILL I DIE). I think Sony will surpass Canon and Nikon in the long run even though I will remain in the Canon side.

1.) 6D and 5D Mark II are identical if I remember correctly, very small changes, I feel they just gave it the 6D name so they could continue selling the 5D2 after the 5D3 came out.

2.) DSLRs are bulky. Too bulky. I miss many opportunities because carrying a 70D with a 18-200 is not something I can do. And it only gets bigger with the battery grip. There isn’t a single time I’ve taken my DSLR with me that I haven’t brought a backpack SOLELY FOR THAT CAMERA.

Kinja'd!!!

I’d personally try and find a way to keep the A7, get a nice small compact prime lens for it so you can always carry it with you and then from then on start investing in a full on DSLR kit (might a suggest a 70D or a 7D Mark I instead of the full frame ones?) that you carry from camera-specific missions and then collect Canon L-lenses?

twinturbobmw > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/05/2016 at 23:09

If you do end up selling the A7, I have a Canon 5D Mkii for sale for $850. It’s not as good as far as features and quality compared to the 6D and D610, however with both of them going for around $1000 used, the 5D might be a good deal if you can get a good amount for your A7. Autofocus isn’t the greatest and there’s a scratch on the inner plastic of the viewfinder, but it’s been an amazing camera for me and image quality is on par with the A7. If you can stretch your budget a little farther, the 6D is also a fantastic camera. I have quite a few friends who have them and I have some experience with them. Although less megapixels than the 5D, the low light is amazing and AF is a bit quicker.

Xyl0c41n3 > JGrabowMSt
03/05/2016 at 23:31

I shoot a 50D (I know, it's a VERY limited body) with pro-level glass, and good god, all it does it make me miss shooting top of the line Nikon gear. I miss my Nikon gear so, so much.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
03/05/2016 at 23:32

Hmm you bring up good points. Although with that said, I’m not sure how feasible it would be for me to have both the a7 and a DSLR. This is more of a hobby for me so I don’t want to be going too crazy with my spending. I was thinking the DSLR would be more durable and rugged over the course of my adventures with it (hiking, going out and any other circumstance I would want to bring it). I would mainly be looking into a 5DII since they can be had for ~850 in good shape on B&H and KEH. Mind of I ask why you went from a 5DII to a 70D?

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > JGrabowMSt
03/05/2016 at 23:39

Thanks! Coming form someone of your caliber that means a lot.

This is indeed a hobby which is why I am trying to slow it down and really consider if I should bother making the switch. I certainly do enjoy the pictures that come out of the a7 with the Hexanon. I’m considering a fast 85mm and that has made me wonder if I should reconsider if I like the a7 enough to continue down the path of commitment into the Sony ecosystem. Right now I don’t have too much invested into the a7 so it wouldn’t be too painful of a switch.

JGrabowMSt > Xyl0c41n3
03/05/2016 at 23:45

I’ve never liked Nikon, even my girlfriends D3100...I was just brought up on Canon and it does the job. A 50D is certainly a limited camera though, moving to a newer body will do wonders. I did shoot side by side with my old T1i and the D3100 once and with the same settings in the same conditions, the results were quite different. It only reinforced the fact that I prefer Canon. In the end, there are beautiful photos from every brand, from Pentax to Konica, I just am partial to Canon. No different than guitar players being brand loyal.

You should shop KEH and see what’s available. Even moving up to a T5i would probably be an immediately noticeable difference without breaking the bank. Even the T3i is modern enough to do the same thing.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > twinturbobmw
03/05/2016 at 23:45

Interesting. I was looking at used 5DIIs on B&H and KEH. How would you say the low light is on the 5DII?

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > HammerheadFistpunch
03/05/2016 at 23:47

That is pretty much my thinking right now. For glass it seems Canon has a sizable and very well thought out selection. Their prices are more competitive than the Sony line as well. I am certainly into upping my game even if it’s just a hobby.

JGrabowMSt > twinturbobmw
03/05/2016 at 23:52

You’re shooting with a 5D MkIII, right? I’m always staring at half of your instagram photos in awe of how gorgeous they come out. The 5D is one awesome camera line...

Have you used mirrorless much enough to compare full resolution quality? I crop and resize everything, but sometimes I get shots that come out looking a little on the fuzzy side, but the 7D has always been a long struggle regarding the autofocus, and I need to clean the viewfinder really well sometime soon.

twinturbobmw > JGrabowMSt
03/06/2016 at 00:02

Thank you! I use the 5D Mkii and it’s been a fantastic camera for the year and a half I’ve owned it. I’ve only briefly tried the Sony A7 myself, but have a few friends who have various version of the A7 lineup, and I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback. As far as I know, the A7 and A7II use the same sensor as the D610 and the A7R/A7RII use the D800E sensor. Although I haven’t found good direct comparisons between the 5D Mkii and A7 lineup, it seems the low light, quality/resolution of the A7 is most comparable to the 6D, with the Sony being a tad sharper but Canon having a bit better low light.

Xyl0c41n3 > JGrabowMSt
03/06/2016 at 00:09

I will not be “moving up” to a Canon Rebel. (That’s not actually moving up).

I shoot the 50D because I have to.

Pro level Nikon gear is sweet and I miss having daily access to it. I've never shot with their prosumer level gear, though (which the D3100 is). I'd imagine it's similar to the Rebels and lower end shit like the 50D.

JGrabowMSt > Xyl0c41n3
03/06/2016 at 00:21

Well, the 50D and T1i are similar in age and capability, so regardless of product line, the T3i and T5i would be a substantial upgrade in hardware capability.

Pro level anything gear is sweet, but as a photographer I used to spend a lot of time with once told me, “the best camera in the world is the one you have with you.”

twinturbobmw > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 00:22

I would say it’s around the same as the A7 (the Sony may be a small bit better), however all of the low light shooting I’ve done, taking the ISO up to over 2000 hasn’t been a real problem when adding noise reduction in Lightroom. You do get a bit more of that pink coloring in the shadows at higher ISO than with other cameras, but again it’s something that can be fixed in Lightroom. If you’re looking for a low light camera, hands down the 6D is the best option. But if it’s not your priority, you can save yourself a couple hundred bucks and have good low light with the 5D.

For reference, here’s a completely unedited shot at ISO4000 with extremely dark shadows and bright highlights.

Kinja'd!!!

The next shot is with the shadows taken all the way up in Lightroom to show how it deals with dark shadows. As you can see, quite a bit of grain and color (More than you’d get in the 6D), but nothing that can’t be fixed in Photoshop.

Kinja'd!!!

Last shot is shadows taken up half way and sharpening and noise reduction added in Lightroom.

Hope this helps!

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > twinturbobmw
03/06/2016 at 00:29

That was really helpful. Thanks! I’ll have to spend a few weeks considering the 6D and 5DII. Also have to make sure I’m not just suffering from gear envy.

Xyl0c41n3 > JGrabowMSt
03/06/2016 at 00:31

.....

Yes, J. I’m familiar with that nugget o’wisdom. I agree with it. I use it all the time myself, especially with budding photographers.

I’m also a pro photog who misses working with the kind of gear I feels works well with/for me.

Can I still create imagery I’m proud of with the gear I have/have access to? Yes. Hell, sometimes I pull out my cheap plastic film cameras and use just them. Sometimes I use just my iPhone.

My sentiments aren’t coming from a place of gear snobbery, envy or ignorance; my sentiments are coming from a place of knowing what I want and what I can do with the gear of my preference.

I’ll make use of whatever gear is sitting in front of me, but that doesn’t mean my opinion of that gear will be the same no matter what it is.

But thank you for dismissing my opinion as invalid because I should just try harder to make better photographs with the gear I have.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 00:45

I typed it weirdly, I actually have them both right now. I have a 5D2 at home to use but I got a 70D to bring with me to college since my 18-200 doesn’t work on the 5D2 and I didn’t want to bring more than two lenses with me since my dad makes me bring it back home during Winter and Summer Break. I needed a camera here in school because I work as a photographer for a couple school organizations.

Now that you say hiking, DSLRs make a lot more sense. I’ve read someone dropping a 1DS onto a rock and there only being a scratch. My friend’s sister dropped his NEX on the sidewalk and it got “totalled.” I can imagine an A7 shattering if it hit a boulder.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
03/06/2016 at 01:01

Oh, that makes sense. How do you like your 5DII? How does it work for indoor situations where sometimes the lighting may not be optimal but not completely low light?

Yeah, I took my a7 hiking last week. I was not very confident in having it swinging around my hip as we were going up the trail. It feels solid but in an iPhone sort of way and not a robust sort of way. I am terrified of dropping it. I imagine dropping a 1Ds on the rock would have broken the rock.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 01:20

5D2 (even a 40D really) with a good prime (especially my 85mm 1.8) is my favorite combination to use.

Kinja'd!!!

^(5D2 + 85mm 1.8) In a pretty dark room with indirect stage light. Really, anything with a solid prime will take great pictures in low light. I feel the lens is a lot more important than how well the camera handles noise.

Kinja'd!!!

^(70D + 85mm 1.2) From a pretty much dark theater two weeks ago. From these experiences, I believe that a great lens makes a much bigger difference than a higher tier camera.

iSureWilll > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 01:32

Mind if I share this to Photography Kinja?

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > iSureWilll
03/06/2016 at 01:40

Please do! Thanks!

iSureWilll > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 01:58

Shared. I don’t know much about which cameras to buy but somehow I got authorship on Photography. Hopefully the share helps!

iSureWilll > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 01:59

Shared. I don’t know much about which cameras to buy but somehow I got authorship on Photography. Hopefully the share helps!

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > iSureWilll
03/06/2016 at 02:30

Thanks! Hopefully it does. I’ve been wondering how to acquire authorship on there. Fortunately it seems almost all the Photography kinja members are members of oppo.

iSureWilll > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 02:35

Seems like it yeah. Maybe someone will see it in this thread and grant your wishes!

Stephen the Canuck > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 14:28

I can hook you up with authorship.

I park in a garage > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
03/06/2016 at 16:08

Just a couple of thoughts.
1). moving away from mirrorless means moving away from those fantastic old manual focus lenses, at least in the simple adaptation to use them.

2.) you can get grips for the Sony, both OEM and knocks, that do well to add more battery life, along with heft/grip.

3). the mkII models of the Sony’s fix the AF speed very nicely.

4). Minolta Lens if you need quality Sony lenses on the cheap (will need adaptor of course). The LA-EA4 will speed up your AF as it uses one built in to the adaptor.

5). Grass is greener on the otherside. I’d definitely sit on it for a bit longer.

Cheers!

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Stephen the Canuck
03/06/2016 at 19:47

Thank you very much!