A7s for stills

[wuffer]

I am a close-up and macro photographer who also does documentary films. I am used to using the Nikon D800E for this work and am not used to 12MP, but it looks like the A7s can do the job.

nice shot.
one of the best I've seen so fare.

I have searched through a lot of reviews and I get more and more sceptical about the colour rendition of the A7s - apart from some shots in 'natural', I'm still not that impressed by the colour grades so far. I looks like quite hard to achieve a pleasant look like Canikon. Would you like to share your experience? As I shoot with Zeiss and the D800 too, I knew this is hard to beat , but a level of say the D700 would be enough for me.

 

[photochris]

I totally understand the high levels of interest in the A7S to videographers, but I just don't understand the appeal of the A7 and A7R to photographers.

Sony put the best FF sensors on the planet in a package much smaller and cheaper than the D6/800 with the most adaptable lens mount you can buy. The A7/r/s can take a EF lens and with a $85 adapter have full electronic control. If you're a Nikon shooter with the D6/800, then you know the superior shadow and highlight recovery the Sony sensor has over Canon, if not its eye opening. Then there's the resolution advantage, which like DR, is unmatched until you go medium format.

Heres a photo thread with almost 400 pages of images using FE lenses and tons of adapted glass.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1255248

If you shoot stuff like sports or a safari, you'd be better off with DSLR AF and lenses with more reach, beyond that the A7 series is a pretty amazing package. They haven't even been on the market for a year, its certainly going to take time for the lens lineup to round out, but there's plenty of legacy lenses, Canon EF glass and adapted A mount lenses to fill the gaps.

I love what Sony is doing with the A7 series, improve the AF to A6000 levels or better in the next generation, get a few fast primes out and its perfect for my needs and many others. YMMV

 

[Samuel H]

Are you sure of this?
Even with the Sony’s LA-EA4 lens adapter which adds full-time continuous Phase Detection AF?

I forgot about that one. I have very little faith in over-complicated engineering, but if it works it can be a solution for a few users.

Ok, I'll give you 10 lp/mm more.
Btw, high results at lower spatial frequencies (10 lp/mm and lower) seem to affect perceived sharpness way more than high results at nominally relevant spatial frequencies (30+) unless you excessively magnify the image on display.

100% agree

I am amazed that Sony released 3 full frame mirrorless cameras using a lens mount where there are only 5 native full frame lenses with auto focus available. Of those 5 lenses, 3 are zooms, none of the zooms are below F4. What photographer would leave their full frame platform for this, I just don't get it.

I totally understand the high levels of interest in the A7S to videographers, but I just don't understand the appeal of the A7 and A7R to photographers.

The a7r appeals to Leica and medium format users. The a7 appeals to those who would like an a7r but think it's a bit too expensive and want better AF (even in just a few lenses). The a7s is mainly for videographers, I think.

 

[Michael Erlewine]

You don't really need monster lenses with the A7S. Anything that resolves 30 lp/mm is plenty with its resolution.

The reason for lenses like the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO on the A7s is not the resolution, but the fact that the lens is highly corrected. Highly corrected lenses are what are in short supply, not sharp lenses.

 

[cpc]

Sharp lens is an euphemism for highly corrected lens. The only way for a lens to be sharp is to be highly corrected.

 

[Michael Erlewine]

Well, I guess "sharp" is not a standard definition, but varies. I distinguish between resolution and acutance. For example the Zeiss 100mm Makro-Planar Macro lens is a sharp lens (resolution-wise), but it is not highly corrected enough (aberrations, etc.) for my purposes. I don't use it. The Zeiss Otus 55mm APO, on the other hand, is both sharp (resolution) and highly corrected. It is the corrections that I am after.

I have a number of industrial Nikkor lenses that are highly corrected, in particular the Printing Nikkors ( i have a 95mm, 105mm, and 150mm PR) and were originally used for film transfers, so they are very highly corrected. However, they don't have some of the more modern coatings and were used indoors only, inside a transfer machine. But they are fully apchromatic. I use them on a bellows for the most part.

As we both know the word 'sharp' really has no correct definition. In my own quest for sharpness, I found (after years of searching) that sharpness finally depends on corrections to color. That was a surprise for me.

 

[Samuel H]

I see smart people

 

[Erik Naso]

I have the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART in a Canon EF mount and it's amazing. On the A7s auto focus isn't great with Metabones adapter just like all my EF glass, but if it was a native Alpha mount how much better would auto focus work? I would think it would be pretty good.

 

[vincent thomas]

I would be interested to have a feedback on the Zeiss 55mm 1.8 in E mount. It's supposely to be stellar performance, just under the optus and it will have off course AF on the A7s. It's also light..
My only worry would be should i invest in E mount lens? Would it not safer in a long run to investigate my money on EF mount lens?

What do you think yourself? What about IS on the sony A7s and for video? How much would you value it? Best prime lens normal don't have it, will you chose these or go for a versatill stabilized zoom like the Tamron AF 24-70mm f/2.8 SP Di USD VC (Canon EOS)?

________________________________________________________________
Vincent Thomas
http://fr.linkedin.com/in/vincentthomas
http://www.stranger-than-paradise.book.fr/

I have the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART in a Canon EF mount and it's amazing. On the A7s auto focus isn't great with Metabones adapter just like all my EF glass, but if it was a native Alpha mount how much better would auto focus work? I would think it would be pretty good.

 

[Bubble]

but if it was a native Alpha mount how much better would auto focus work? I would think it would be pretty good.

not that much Eric. Even when you pair up with the latest LA-EA4, AF is about 80% speed vs if you'r using ZA lens with sony alpha camera such as A99. I tried it and return the LA-EA adapter back.

 

[Samuel H]

I would be interested to have a feedback on the Zeiss 55mm 1.8 in E mount. It's supposely to be stellar performance, just under the optus and it will have off course AF on the A7s. It's also light..
My only worry would be should i invest in E mount lens? Would it not safer in a long run to investigate my money on EF mount lens?

What do you think yourself? What about IS on the sony A7s and for video? How much would you value it? Best prime lens normal don't have it, will you chose these or go for a versatill stabilized zoom like the Tamron AF 24-70mm f/2.8 SP Di USD VC (Canon EOS)?

I make a point of buying only lenses that will work on basically any camera, with a few exceptions. So my lens set is vintage Leitz glass for the Leica-R mount (works on basically everything except PL), and I also have a couple of small E-mount lenses (Sigma 19mm f/2.8 and 30mm f/2.8) for whenever I want my NEX-5N to be nearly pocketable and have AF. With the a7s, I have to decide whether I get the 35mm f/2.8, and then maybe 55mm f/1.8, or I just stick to the Sigmas and use APS-C whenever I want an ultra-small footprint.

 

[Joost]

The reason I want the a7s is so I can film the same (or better) quality video as the fs100 but with the difference of providing high-quality raw stills for the clients website and other communication. I searched for it but couldn't find if the a7s can take still while in videomode. Or even better, while filming. Can the a7s take HQ photo's in videomode? Somebody know the awser on this?

(p.s. i'm in europe NL, have the money and prefer the camera next week for such a shoot. It's not in the stores yet here. Would there be a possible way to buy and get one online in this timeframe? They will sell him 21st Juli in Netherlands. Now I go on a job on thigh places lots of hiking and lots of rain and water/boating with a 5D mII and fs100, what a hassle)

 

[vincent thomas]

Interesting question...

Im in france and i got mine today. Only few days from hongkong to here ...

The reason I want the a7s is so I can film the same (or better) quality video as the fs100 but with the difference of providing high-quality raw stills for the clients website and other communication. I searched for it but couldn't find if the a7s can take still while in videomode. Or even better, while filming. Can the a7s take HQ photo's in videomode? Somebody know the awser on this?

(p.s. i'm in europe NL, have the money and prefer the camera next week for such a shoot. It's not in the stores yet here. Would there be a possible way to buy and get one online in this timeframe? They will sell him 21st Juli in Netherlands. Now I go on a job on thigh places lots of hiking and lots of rain and water/boating with a 5D mII and fs100, what a hassle)

 

[photochris]

You can't shoot stills when movie is selected on the top mode dial. But you can shoot video in any photo mode and all video functions work including picture profiles. Still shooting is disabled when recording. If you can't stop recording to capture stills, you'll probably need a second camera.

I've always kept a Nex 5n around for those situations, they're cheap, they take great images and you'll be able to use the same lenses. There are tons of cheap used Nex cameras floating around. Just a thought.

 

[Joost]

Chris: Thank you allot Photochris, exactly what I wanted to know (obvious). Great information.

Vincent: Sounds great Vincent. Where did you bought it from Hong Kong? Ebay? Directly from Sony? Thanks for the info.

 

[xenogears]

The reason I want the a7s is so I can film the same (or better) quality video as the fs100 but with the difference of providing high-quality raw stills for the clients website and other communication. I searched for it but couldn't find if the a7s can take still while in videomode. Or even better, while filming. Can the a7s take HQ photo's in videomode? Somebody know the awser on this?

The GH4 can extract a still from the 4k recording (very useful by the way) and give you a nice 8mpx photo, but that because the GH4 can record 4k internally.

 

[PTRush]

Does anyone know why shooting in video mode would be preferred to other modes like aperture priority for instance? Does it only come down to other preference settings like display for instance?
Is there a way to set up quick preferences/modes in the quick function menus. I would love to be able to switch to aps-c, or slow-mo in that quick function menu..

 

[Samuel H]

The GH4 can extract a still from the 4k recording (very useful by the way) and give you a nice 8mpx photo, but that because the GH4 can record 4k internally.

You'd need a Shogun to do that with an a7s. And in any case you must make sure you use a shutter speed that works for both stills and video, which will make tradeoffs appear.

 

[Swink]

Does anyone know why shooting in video mode would be preferred to other modes like aperture priority for instance?

It seems that if you record a movie in non-movie mode, you are always in manual mode (which is what I always use anyway), but in movie mode you can hit the Fn button and choose "Shoot Mode" and have the option to choose between P, S, A or M modes for your movie.

 

[Erik Naso]

The reason I want the a7s is so I can film the same (or better) quality video as the fs100 but with the difference of providing high-quality raw stills for the clients website and other communication. I searched for it but couldn't find if the a7s can take still while in videomode. Or even better, while filming. Can the a7s take HQ photo's in videomode? Somebody know the awser on this?

(p.s. i'm in europe NL, have the money and prefer the camera next week for such a shoot. It's not in the stores yet here. Would there be a possible way to buy and get one online in this timeframe? They will sell him 21st Juli in Netherlands. Now I go on a job on thigh places lots of hiking and lots of rain and water/boating with a 5D mII and fs100, what a hassle)

In video mode you cant take stills. If you have the camera set to manual (M) then both triggers work. One advantage to using Video Mode is you get audio VU meters. On the other hand if you are in M mode you can custom white balance. In Video Mode you have to dial a kelvin setting or use a preset. If you perform a WB in M mode it stores it as a preset so you can switch between the two if a custom WB is needed. This drives me crazy because I prefer to perform a custom white balance as opposed to using kelin settings.