Eldar said:
A couple of questions to those of you with the Sony A7R:
- How happy are you with the EVF and how does it work with manual focus lenses?
- Is it better, worse or same-same as an OVF?
- Are you sufficiently happy with it to recommend it as a special purpose body for the Otus?
Mmmm, it's a slightly mixed bag to date, but in fairness to the a7r I've not had the conditions to put it fully to a test, my comments to date would be.
Completely brilliant size/weight/look & layout (none of which count when it comes to IQ, but helps the general feel).
I'm not so keen on the EVF arrangement, but as I use the a7r more I'm beginning to like it more, it's the very first EVF camera I've used.
I like the EVF for it's quite clear rendition of what your shooting, but it's not as good as say the 1Dx OVF.
I like very much the EVF ability to zoom without having to go to the back LCD and live view.
I like the "focus peaking".
(these last couple of points absolutely help with manual Focus)
I don't like the "Lag" you get between shutter actuations, there's a definite point after tripping the shutter where the view in the EVF Stalls for a second, before you once again get your live image back, that's a huge PIA and in itself makes the Camera almost useless for Fast Action Imaging.
The Sensor is what should have been in the 5DMK III, this is a superb sensor, 36MP of brilliance, I won't go into the DR question I'll likely get burned, enough to say side by side with the 5DMK III on IQ, just IQ, the sensor in the a7r outshines the 5DMK III (I'm sorry Guys, but it's just one man's humble opinion, this doesn't make the a7r better than the 5DMK III, it isn't, but the a7r has a better sensor, unfortunately it's also a large part of why your limited to 4 fps, Oh to have your cake and be able to eat it as well).
4 fps, is fine for most things except fast action, wildlife, sports etc, for Portraits, street photography, landscape, the a7r is in it's element.
On lenses, I have the metabones Canon Mount adaptor to use my Canon Lenses.
To date I've tried both the 17 & 24 TSE Lenses, both work exceptionally well, detail is excellent.
I've of course tried the Otus on the a7r, again works flawlessly.
I bought the a7r with the Zeiss 35, great combo for general Photography, I did order the Zeiss 55 but cancelled until I had some time to read reports on it, seems it also is a very good lens.
If there's a single serious failure here it's Sony's lacklustre ability to have serious set of lenses available at launch, it's somewhat off set by the ability to use pretty well any other Lens ever made, but there will be a slight loss I'm sure when using an adaptor, I haven't really seen it yet, but I imagine if you look close enough it'll be there.
So, not an in depth review of course, more a list of my impressions to date, I like the Camera, I'll certainly continue to use it, and I seem to be reaching more for the a7r now than I do for the 5DMK III, I have an underwater housing ordered for the a7r and once Zeiss release a Macro lens & 15mm WA for this Body this will become my go to UW rig, currently it's the 5DMK III.
I'm heading next week to Sumatra for the Bull Run at Pacu Jawa, the a7r will not be coming (4fps won't cut it), that will be a 1Dx + 200-400 event, with the 5DMK III as a back up (1/2 my gear is in Australia as I'm moving back to Aus permanently in June this year after 28 years living in Jakarta & Singapore).
I bought the a7r primarily because of the Sensor, and the small footprint, and I'm very happy to date. I'm not sure I'de buy it for use with a single lens.
Once Canon bring in their High MP Body (this Century I hope) then with the exception of UW Photography (where the a7r has a size advantage), I hazard a guess I'll opt for the Canon Body & hope it comes in a 1D body rather than the D800 style of body.
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