Switching to Sony, camera/lens help? a99ii, a6300 or a7rii?

PegLeg Media

PegLeg Media

Well-known member
So i work full time as a non profit multimedia designer. My job is 50/50 photo and video, i have more experience in video but im learning more and moe photography. I currently have a GH3 and GH4 with a set of lenses for video then use my Nikon d750 with the 24-70 2.8 and 85mm 1.8 for photos. I am looking for a hybrid camera and something better at video. I'm not sure how much I could get selling all this but im assuming around the 3k mark but would be willing to put in another $1500 and can build from there.

So im assuming my options are

1. The a99ii - this looks great but i would need a 24-70 2.8 lens and something better for portrait and interviews.

2. The a7rii - not sure if this will be better than the a99ii but it looks like it will be a little worse but might have more lens options?

3. Get the a6300 where i could afford 2 grand for a 24-70 lens and also a nice portrait lens. I could then upgrade the a6300 to the a7riii when it comes out and already have the great glass. The issue is I need it to not overheat, i understand this will happen in 4k but will i be okay filming longer projects in 1080?

So if anyone has input on the direction they would recommend and the lenses they would get please let me know. ($4500) max total and i need a 24-70 and a good portrait lens. So any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
If you don't need a new camera right this second, I'd wait before Olympus EM-1MKII and Panasonic GH5 come out. Both use the MFT mount and the preliminary specs make them look fairly competent on the stills side too. And then all you need is a new body.
 
im tired of panasonic. I want full frame. I had teh dvx100b, gh2, gh3 and gh4 but want something with shallow depth of field, better for photography and video auto focus.
 
but those cameras will not be professional quality photography cameras. Nor will they have good enough auto focus or get a shallow depth of field so I am ruling them out.
 
There are reports of the A7RII overheating with heavy use of its 4k video features (1080 is okay?). If you want the more reliable setup, it sounds like the A99II might be the better choice. It also will certainly have better handling since it's not so tiny. One thing for me (I pre-ordered one, in addition to owning an FS7 and Sony A7S) is that the Sony A-Mount lenses have significantly better manual-focus feel versus their E-Mount versions. Though if you're reliant on AF, the E-mounts have much quieter (and video-friendly) auto focus solutions.

You also don't want to discount the A7S (II) for combined photo/video. For most photography, the 12mp sensor is plenty of pixels and the video it produces is brilliant. (And no reports of overheating with 4k.)
 
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Rdouthit said:
There are reports of the A7RII overheating with heavy use of its 4k video features (1080 is okay?). If you want the more reliable setup, it sounds like the A99II might be the better choice. It also will certainly have better handling since it's not so tiny. One thing for me (I pre-ordered one, in addition to owning an FS7 and Sony A7S) is that the Sony A-Mount lenses have significantly better manual-focus feel versus their E-Mount versions. Though if you're reliant on AF, the E-mounts have much quieter (and video-friendly) auto focus solutions.

You also don't want to discount the A7S (II) for combined photo/video. For most photography, the 12mp sensor is plenty of pixels and the video it produces is brilliant. (And no reports of overheating with 4k.)
Click to expand...

A7r II no longer overheats, this was fixed via firmware.

I shoot on the a7r 2 and love it. Photography wise it's fantastic with the IBIS being a godsend in every situation.

A99 II Advantages:
Better Battery LIfe
Cheaper native lenses
Might be better handling due to grip

A7r 2:
Can adapt lenses from every other mount, This is THE reason I'm not getting the A99
Lighter
Sony seems to be focusing more on native lenses for this mount. Other manufacturers definitely are focusing more here.
 
PegLeg Media said:
3. Get the a6300 where i could afford 2 grand for a 24-70 lens and also a nice portrait lens. I could then upgrade the a6300 to the a7riii when it comes out and already have the great glass...
Click to expand...

I'm in a very similar situation, I decided to go this route. I use the GH4 for video and the a6300 for photos and secondary handheld video, usually for 120fps overcrank. The a6300 got the same firmware update as the a7RII and I haven't run into any overheating issues but I mostly use it for photos.

I switched from the 5D3 and use a Metabones Speed Booster with my old Canon Lenses on the a6300, I get a similar image with the same lens that I got on the 5D3, I've found the AF speed adequate for photos but not for video. The a6300's 4K video is the best h264 4K I've used but its HD is nothing special; the a7RII on the other hand has better HD but slightly softer 4K, not that either are unuseable but since I end up using the 120FPS HD more than 4K I probably would have made better use of the a7RII.

I'll have to wait until we know what the a7III will be but I assume it will have the sharper 4K of the a6300 and the sharper HD of the a7RII, which would be perfect for me plus I expect it to have a better AF though I'll likely need a sony lens.

You may also consider the Fuji XT2.
 
I just straight up hate the RS on the A6300, makes the camera unusable for me. Shoot FF on the A7r II because it has the best motion for me.
 
I wouldn't go for the a99 II. It only makes sense if you already have A-mount glass lying around. Regarding the others, well, it depends on what you like and what you need.
 
Why not consider a Sony Fs5?
i know its abit more but it's an E-mount
high frame rates 240 in 1080
its 4K with a variable nD.
save up and get the 18-110 video lens
and finall get the Sony a6500
and Done.

yeah I blew the budget but you will have large enough sensors
and these cameras will match each other perfectly in post.
Thanks,
Michael W.
 
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