NYT's Doug Mills has converted to A9

[ahsanford]

We've talked about where Sony might make in-roads with pros for some time. I'm convinced that photojournos, staff photographers, etc. are where Sony can steal pros right now.

Sports? They need a lot more longer glass. Weddings? They need a better speedlite system.

But the folks in a photography scrum can use the A7/A9 right now as those two things above are a much lower priority for them.

But sometimes I need to be reminded to see mirrorless as a boon and not just a replacement. Here NYT's Doug Mills is touting the A9's completely silent shutter as a competitive advantage against other news agencies as they are often in the room at the same time he is and he doesn't want them to know he's found something interesting to shoot. He also states he's shot Canon his entire life and switched to the A9 because it was a game changer and that 'Canon does not have one of these mirrorless cameras' (presuming he's referring to FF).

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4714207/doug-mills-switches-sony-a9

Amazing what you can find on C-Span.

- A

 

[BeenThere]

Presume you meant “Canon does not have one of these mirrorless cameras.”

Let’s hope that changes by year end.

A good point about Sony making inroads with some pros now.

 

[ahsanford]

Presume you meant “Canon does not have one of these mirrorless cameras.”

Let’s hope that changes by year end.

A good point about Sony making inroads with some pros now.

Yes thank you. Corrected. Single quotes b/c I didn't record it verbatim.

- A

 

[edoorn]

this is what Sony is doing a lot; approaching high profile photographers and make the offer to switch (sponsored or at least partially). Smart strategy.

 

[ahsanford]

this is what Sony is doing a lot; approaching high profile photographers and make the offer to switch (sponsored or at least partially). Smart strategy.

Of course. They've been trying that since A7 launched.

What matters here is that a professional photographer -- sponsored or not -- thinks what the A7/A9 platform offers is worth being their daily driver. They are staking their livelihood on it.

So though the gear may be given gratis for this kind of influencer PR in return, I don't know. I doubt he's a schill, though. Comes across to me that this dude really wants a crazy high fps rig with a silent shutter, and Sony gave it to him.

- A

 

[slclick]

The only place I saw inroads was at the WC and it was with Nikon. No longer a sea of white, I noticed nearly half of all lenses there were black.

 

[ahsanford]

The only place I saw inroads was at the WC and it was with Nikon. No longer a sea of white, I noticed nearly half of all lenses there were black.

WC was pretty heavy Canon, but I'd peg one black lens in 4, not 50% at all.

Look at a TV/political press scrum the next chance you get. Sony is getting in there.

- A

 

[ahsanford]

Just from some google pulls of just 'World Cup photographers' from the last month (date confirmed as this world cup, aligned to specific different games): still pretty heavy Canon. This is a smash and grab anecdotal collection, and it does vary.

https://www.google.com/search?q=World+Cup+photographers&client=firefox-b-1-ab&tbm=isch&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:m&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvr7r125zcAhVEilQKHfmcBksQpwUIIA&biw=1920&bih=983&dpr=1#imgrc=cDhvsndcamEDtM:

- A

 

[slclick]

Just from some google pulls of just 'World Cup photographers' from the last month (date confirmed as this world cup, aligned to specific different games): still pretty heavy Canon. This is a smash and grab anecdotal collection, and it does vary.

https://www.google.com/search?q=World+Cup+photographers&client=firefox-b-1-ab&tbm=isch&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:m&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvr7r125zcAhVEilQKHfmcBksQpwUIIA&biw=1920&bih=983&dpr=1#imgrc=cDhvsndcamEDtM:

- A

And mine was very limited as well after only brief glimpses while watching about 15 matches

 

[ahsanford]

Just from some google pulls of just 'World Cup photographers' from the last month (date confirmed as this world cup, aligned to specific different games): still pretty heavy Canon. This is a smash and grab anecdotal collection, and it does vary.

https://www.google.com/search?q=World+Cup+photographers&client=firefox-b-1-ab&tbm=isch&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:m&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvr7r125zcAhVEilQKHfmcBksQpwUIIA&biw=1920&bih=983&dpr=1#imgrc=cDhvsndcamEDtM:

- A

And mine was very limited as well after only brief glimpses while watching about 15 matches

Many more games on my end (I'm a nut) but in fairness, they were generally in the background. Occasionally, I could grab a half over lunch and I didn't see anything terribly different at the throw-in close up shots than I'd see at other major events. But I'm sure Canon will put out another press release about their high percentage again.

- A

 

[littleB]

At Croatia-England, the field corner closest to me had like 20 photogs, and 4 or 5 were black. Several guys had 2 cameras, one with a big white, the other one more like 24-70.
Will see what it will be at the final.

 

[littleB]

This is how it looks. Took the photo by a mobile phone, the forum auto-rotates wrongly.

They had a very very funny walk towards the team exit point, bordered and restricted by the rope when slowly moving to the point.

 

[Mikehit]

How do you know the whites were Canon, not Sony?

 

[littleB]

How do you know the whites were Canon, not Sony?

Did I ever said that?
How do you know any of whites was Sony?

 

[ahsanford]

How do you know the whites were Canon, not Sony?

Did I ever said that?
How do you know any of whites was Sony?

It was a joke.

But if you want to be pedantic, just zoom in (or check the link I posted above). Sony only has one superwhite longer than 200mm.

- A

 

[Orangutan]

We've talked about where Sony might make in-roads with pros for some time. I'm convinced that photojournos, staff photographers, etc. are where Sony can steal pros right now.

Competition is good for Canon users, so I'm not bothered by the poaching at all. That said, the fact that such individual announcements are still notable is an indication that migrations of top pros are not common.

 

[slclick]

Matches, not games. Thought you were a nut?

 

[ahsanford]

Matches, not games. Thought you were a nut?

Nuts don't have the use the English football vernacular. I still call it soccer when I know I am talking to Americans, for instance.

- A

 

[Kit.]

We've talked about where Sony might make in-roads with pros for some time. I'm convinced that photojournos, staff photographers, etc. are where Sony can steal pros right now.

Well, it happens. Here, for example, you can see one Sony:
http://content.assets.pressassociation.io/2018/07/12164810/4b494500-9ee8-49a8-8e1f-1b84adb35cbe.jpg

Here you can see even two:
https://cbsnews2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2018/07/12/77f21747-196a-4b38-8e81-3f7dae5240c9/thumbnail/1200x630/9403c6938c83b695b56ec4f0e74d1b25/rtx6aytc-1.jpg

 

[slclick]

Matches, not games. Thought you were a nut?

Nuts don't have the use the English football vernacular. I still call it soccer when I know I am talking to Americans, for instance.

- A

Well, since the good ol USA is the ONLY country to call it by the improper name, I'm on a mission to petition one and all to call American Football 'Handegg' as it should be. 3 hours for an hour game, please.....