Off Brand: Sony Announces the Full-frame a7R III

[Mancubus]

And here I am waiting since 2014 for Canon to make something I could actually buy.

5D4 and 6D2 are a joke. This new Sony has everything I wished for a future 5D series release:

- 4K HDR video (probably uncropped)
- 10fps
- 15 stops of dynamic range
- Eye AF
- No optical low pass filter
- Highest picture quality of any camera they’ve made
- Full HD video at 120p
- $3,199.99

Now I'm here waiting forever for a Canon camera that will never have the specs above. Next one will probably be a severely crippled 5DSR2 for around 4000usd.

5D5 will come out maybe in 2020 and will still fall behind these current releases from Nikon and Sony.

Canon never fails to disappoint me on new bodies. And I'm an idiot for tolerating it.

 

[privatebydesign]

And here I am waiting since 2014 for Canon to make something I could actually buy.

5D4 and 6D2 are a joke. This new Sony has everything I wished for a future 5D series release:

- 4K HDR video (probably uncropped)
- 10fps
- 15 stops of dynamic range
- Eye AF
- No optical low pass filter
- Highest picture quality of any camera they’ve made
- Full HD video at 120p
- $3,199.99

Now I'm here waiting forever for a Canon camera that will never have the specs above. Next one will probably be a severely crippled 5DSR2 for around 4000usd.

5D5 will come out maybe in 2020 and will still fall behind these current releases from Nikon and Sony.

Canon never fails to disappoint me on new bodies. And I'm an idiot for tolerating it.

Yep. If somebody else makes the camera system you want you are an idiot for not buying it.

P.S. How are you supposing they are fitting 15 stops of DR into a 14 bit, at most, file?

 

[rfdesigner]

P.S. How are you supposing they are fitting 15 stops of DR into a 14 bit, at most, file?

Log?

 

[Random Orbits]

I've noticed that Sony dropped a 24-105 f/4 IS lens today as well.

Some folks adore their 24-105L Mk I and had 24-70 f/2.8L II sharpness expectations for the sequel (which is absurd, but whatever). When it turned out the 24-105L mk II was basically similar IQ-wise to the Mk I, a looooot of people got bent out of shape.

But what if this new 24-105 G (not GM) is as sharp as their recent GM offerings optically? How funny would it be that all it took to convert Canonites to Sony was to put out the EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM II that was promised. ;D

- A

Except that Sigma took a swing at the original Canon 24-105L f/4 and couldn't beat it like the 35A/50A did over the 35L/50L. Canon choosing not to improve IQ for a newer version is plausible (24-105 f/4 II and 50 1.8 STM) but both Canon and Sigma failing to decisively beat the original 24-105L's IQ suggest that the limits of the design have been reached (practically/economically).

 

[Mancubus]

Yep. If somebody else makes the camera system you want you are an idiot for not buying it.

P.S. How are you supposing they are fitting 15 stops of DR into a 14 bit, at most, file?

Nobody makes the camera system I want. Sony and Nikon makes bodies I want but that's pretty much it.

I don't really like mirrorless cameras nor Sony lenses, but Canon is making it so hard to like their latest bodies that makes me wonder why I do this to myself.

The 5DSR2 will probably be the last chance for me. If that sucks for whatever reason, I'm jumping off this ship. It will have to at least match the D850 or A7R3 in most specs for me to consider it.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Nobody makes the camera system I want. Sony and Nikon makes bodies I want but that's pretty much it.

I don't really like mirrorless cameras nor Sony lenses, but Canon is making it so hard to like their latest bodies that makes me wonder why I do this to myself.

The 5DSR2 will probably be the last chance for me. If that sucks for whatever reason, I'm jumping off this ship.

So you'll jump from a system with bodies that you don't like to a system where you don't like all the other components. Yeah, that makes just boatloads of sense. Happy landings...

Time will tell, but like the Canon-hater who just bought himself a 5DIV, I suspect most people who threaten to jump ship are all talk and no action.

 

[Famateur]

I'm really excited about the announcement of the A7RIII!

I have no intention of every buying one, but I sure hope a bunch of other people do -- starting with grumblers in this forum.

The better the competition does, the better it is for everyone...

 

[ahsanford]

And here I am waiting since 2014 for Canon to make something I could actually buy.

5D4 and 6D2 are a joke. This new Sony has everything I wished for a future 5D series release:

- No EF mount, and EF glass only 'works' through the magic of third party adaptors that have attempted to reverse engineer Canon's AF routines
- 4K HDR video (probably uncropped)
- 10fps
- Same winning A7 grip design that won the American Association of Hand Surgeons' Golden Goose Award for 'most likely ergonomic design require hand surgery'
- 15 stops of dynamic range
- State of the art customer support that features a recording to direct you to the support web page
- Eye AF
- Overpriced focus by wire lenses because expensive things should maximize lag and minimize tactile feedback by design
- No optical low pass filter
- Highest picture quality of any camera they’ve made ...which it ought to since time has elapsed since they've last released this class of camera, right?
- Menu system that makes you want to kill something with a hammer in a blood rage
- Full HD video at 120p
- $3,199.99

There are indeed some very nice things in that spec sheet, but I've corrected a few omissions for you.

Are you still sure that's the future 5D you wanted? Ferrari guts jammed into a toy with a ton of fine print?

- A

 

[ahsanford]

Except that Sigma took a swing at the original Canon 24-105L f/4 and couldn't beat it like the 35A/50A did over the 35L/50L. Canon choosing not to improve IQ for a newer version is plausible (24-105 f/4 II and 50 1.8 STM) but both Canon and Sigma failing to decisively beat the original 24-105L's IQ suggest that the limits of the design have been reached (practically/economically).

See your point but Art primes and an f/4 zoom are apples and oranges, and the zeal to which Sigma pursued them was quite different.

Recall that Sigma 'beat' the 35L (I) and 50L by throwing out practicality and making whopper pickle jar (Otus-like) mega-lenses. The same principle could have worked for a 24-105 f/4 zoom but -- just like every manufacturer -- Sigma believed that a relatively compact size/weight is a must for that type of lens.

So yes, if Sigma saddles 'reasonableness' on its zoom designs, we shouldn't expect eye-popping results from them.

- A

 

[ahsanford]

Nobody makes the camera system I want. Sony and Nikon makes bodies I want but that's pretty much it.

I don't really like mirrorless cameras nor Sony lenses, but Canon is making it so hard to like their latest bodies that makes me wonder why I do this to myself.

Doing what to yourself, may I ask? Seems like you are logically following value and sticking with Canon. Good call, IMHO.

You'll always lust for something sexier on paper, that's life. That Maserati that just drove me by can corner and accelerate better than my Audi, but my butt hurts driving it (A7 grip), the dashboard is full of buttons with icons I don't understand (A7 menu/interface), and repairs require something arriving by boat in 8 weeks (Sony customer support). Try buying groceries with it (any assignment in the field) and tell me how exhilarating it was.

I'll stick with what I can reliably drive. No alarms and no surprises. I'm highly confident I'll still get where I'm going.

- A

 

[ahsanford]

The better the competition does, the better it is for everyone...

+1 (even for all my giggling at their horrible grip)

Between the D500 breathing new life into crop and the storm of high res / fairly high FPS FF rigs coming out (D850 / A7R3 / A99 II), Canon will have to give their incremental '10-20% better specs this time' approach (aka Time to Make the Donuts) a rethink. I'm not expecting a 75 MP x 8 fps super-rig or anything, but improvements will have to come.

- A

 

[Famateur]

Nobody makes the camera system I want. Sony and Nikon makes bodies I want but that's pretty much it.

I don't really like mirrorless cameras nor Sony lenses, but Canon is making it so hard to like their latest bodies that makes me wonder why I do this to myself.

Doing what to yourself, may I ask? Seems like you are logically following value and sticking with Canon. Good call, IMHO.

You'll always lust for something sexier on paper, that's life. That Maserati that just drove me by can corner and accelerate better than my Audi, but my butt hurts driving it (A7 grip), the dashboard is full of buttons with icons I don't understand (A7 menu/interface), and repairs require something arriving by boat in 8 weeks (Sony customer support). Try buying groceries with it (any assignment in the field) and tell me how exhilarating it was.

I'll stick with what I can reliably drive. No alarms and no surprises. I'm highly confident I'll still get where I'm going.

- A

As an old-school Top Gear fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this (quite apt) analogy.

 

[ahsanford]

As an old-school Top Gear fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this (quite apt) analogy.

 

[woodman411]

And here I am waiting since 2014 for Canon to make something I could actually buy.

5D4 and 6D2 are a joke. This new Sony has everything I wished for a future 5D series release:

- 4K HDR video (probably uncropped)
- 10fps
- 15 stops of dynamic range
- Eye AF
- No optical low pass filter
- Highest picture quality of any camera they’ve made
- Full HD video at 120p
- $3,199.99

Now I'm here waiting forever for a Canon camera that will never have the specs above. Next one will probably be a severely crippled 5DSR2 for around 4000usd.

5D5 will come out maybe in 2020 and will still fall behind these current releases from Nikon and Sony.

Canon never fails to disappoint me on new bodies. And I'm an idiot for tolerating it.

Take a few minutes to read through this thread and ask yourself if specs are everything: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59526785

 

[Famateur]

As an old-school Top Gear fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this (quite apt) analogy.

Hahahaha! Love it...

 

[OSOK]

The better the competition does, the better it is for everyone...

+1 (even for all my giggling at their horrible grip)

Between the D500 breathing new life into crop and the storm of high res / fairly high FPS FF rigs coming out (D850 / A7R3 / A99 II), Canon will have to give their incremental '10-20% better specs this time' approach (aka Time to Make the Donuts) a rethink. I'm not expecting a 75 MP x 8 fps super-rig or anything, but improvements will have to come.

- A

There's nothing Canon can put into a 5DSR2 to make it competitive with the D850 or A7R3 without sabotaging at least the 5D4, the 7D2 and likely 7D3, as well as some Cinema options...just to name a few.

 

[ahsanford]

There's nothing Canon can put into a 5DSR2 to make it competitive with the D850 or A7R3 without sabotaging at least the 5D4, the 7D2 and likely 7D3, as well as some Cinema options...just to name a few.

The real weak link in all of this is the 5D4's 7 fps, which I've ranted to no end about. Besides a seemingly good but not great 30 x 7 throughput (which is roughly half of the competitive list I gave earlier), it will indeed make anything a 5DS2 does on the fps front threaten 5D4 sales, I agree.

So play the duo of 'all-arounder' (5D4) and 'super detail' (5DS) to the hilt. Dramatically jack up the 5DS2 MP and leave the burst parked at 5 fps. One for detail and one for speed. Done.

I (sort of) kid, but Canon's hands may be tied here. Between the competition's mad progress on throughput and the 7 fps of the 5D4, it rather terribly boxes in Canon with the 5DS2. If the 5DS2 throughput is jacked up to compete with Sony & Nikon, the 5D4 will look like the 2nd tier option to users and its sales could very well suffer.

- A

 

[Mikehit]

Take a few minutes to read through this thread and ask yourself if specs are everything: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59526785

Did I read that right? The Sony does not AF wide open?

 

[OSOK]

There's nothing Canon can put into a 5DSR2 to make it competitive with the D850 or A7R3 without sabotaging at least the 5D4, the 7D2 and likely 7D3, as well as some Cinema options...just to name a few.

The real weak link in all of this is the 5D4's 7 fps, which I've ranted to no end about. Besides a seemingly good but not great 30 x 7 throughput (which is roughly half of the competitive list I gave earlier), it will indeed make anything a 5DS2 does on the fps front threaten 5D4 sales, I agree.

So play the duo of 'all-arounder' (5D4) and 'super detail' (5DS) to the hilt. Dramatically jack up the 5DS2 MP and leave the burst parked at 5 fps. Done.

I kid, but between the competition's mad progress on throughput and the 7 fps of the 5D4 rather terribly boxes in Canon with the 5DS2. If the 5DS2 throughput is jacked up to compete with Sony & Nikon, the 5D4 will look like the 2nd tier option to users and its sales could very well suffer.

- A

Sales to new, first time buyers of pro DSLR maybe. They are all going Sony. But the majority of the market is already invested in a system. That's what Canon has been riding on.

 

[OSOK]

Take a few minutes to read through this thread and ask yourself if specs are everything: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59526785

Did I read that right? The Sony does not AF wide open?

I like how someone picks out a single negative Sony post on DPR (likely by a Canon troll) and posts it here then people ride it.

Well played.

Fact is, the superiority of Sony's AF (and Nikon) has been displayed time and time again.

There's plenty to bash Sony on, AF isn't one of them.