Sony does it again, A7 II with 5-axis in-body stabilization

[tron]

No doubt my next camera will be a sony. Most likely the a9 because the a7 series is a bit slow on the fps while tracking.

I want a small, lightweight camera to accompany my 1DX with me to sporting events. My 5Diii is bulky and heavy and is hard to carry easily all day while lugging the 1DX and 300 combo. Truth be told I could live with the a7s or a7ii as a backup camera but want to see the a9 before throwing down the money.

Interesting! So I guess you will decide to either:

1. depend on the the metabones adapter
Most likely, in which case I would like to see how the 300mm 2.8 works with the sony adaptor.
However, in that case it is the weight of 5D3 against the sum of weights of both sony A7 and adaptor : :

2. or get a whole new lens system.

NOT likely, expensive and bulkier (the sum of canon and sony equipment).
In that case the weight of 5D3 is irrelevant.

I would purchase a native FE 35mm prime (or something close) and that would be my secondary camera/lens. I don't want to use a metabones adapter. I would get native lenses. My current need for a second camera is for pre-game, post-game type shots. I use a 300 2.8 on the 1DX during the game. In fact, this combo is together 99% of the time during football season.

This is indeed a lighter combination. However, it is not a backup for 1Dx. But whether backup is necessary or not is another matter. I do understand your need for less bulk and weight though...

I don't recall stating I wanted a backup camera for the 1DX. I just a lighter, full frame second body. I have the M and two lenses but that camera just plain stinks at night.

I read: Truth be told I could live with the a7s or a7ii as a backup camera...

 

[canonvoir]

Apologies! I see the confusion now.

 

[celinealler]

yeah， now I also can see it :

----------------------------------------
coque sony xperia z4 étui xperia z4

 

[tron]

A7s is a little tempting but in my case I would use the adapter and focus manually with some of my best ultrawide lenses.

The reason is: landscape astrophotography.

For that, most of my pictures are taken with iso 10000 (with a 14mm f/2.8 lens).

However, I have invested in 2 5D3s as a general purpose backup solution that some times saves me from exchanging lenses too.

Add to that the fact that I am an amateur that mostly shoots during summer and you can see why I will not get it.

(Plus it has just occured to me that the sum of costs of one of my 5D3s, the a7s and the metabones adaptor could approximate the cost of getting a new 1Dx...)

 

[canonvoir]

yeah， now I also can see it :

Great first post. : :-\

 

[sanj]

http://www.eoshd.com/2014/11/sony-a7-ii-review-5-axis-stabilisation-video-mode/

Spoiler: Reviewer not so excited...

 

[raptor3x]

http://www.eoshd.com/2014/11/sony-a7-ii-review-5-axis-stabilisation-video-mode/

Spoiler: Reviewer not so excited...

That's disappointing.

 

[dude]

http://www.eoshd.com/2014/11/sony-a7-ii-review-5-axis-stabilisation-video-mode/

Spoiler: Reviewer not so excited...

That's disappointing.

Plenty of reviewers will be excited. I think this is progress and that is great. Canon's biggest problem is creating a mirrorless segment without killing their DSLR line.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

http://www.eoshd.com/2014/11/sony-a7-ii-review-5-axis-stabilisation-video-mode/

Spoiler: Reviewer not so excited...

That's disappointing.

A single reviewer's opinion should not matter that much.

 

[Marsu42]

Plenty of reviewers will be excited. I think this is progress and that is great. Canon's biggest problem is creating a mirrorless segment without killing their DSLR line.

They probably discovered a solution for this problem: Don't create a mirrorless segment until the very last possible moment, but keep milking the dslr evolutionary line.

 

[Lee Jay]

Plenty of reviewers will be excited. I think this is progress and that is great. Canon's biggest problem is creating a mirrorless segment without killing their DSLR line.

They probably discovered a solution for this problem: Don't create a mirrorless segment until the very last possible moment, but keep milking the dslr evolutionary line.

If mirrorless were better, they could create that and sell those instead of their SLRs. The problem is, mirrorless isn't better and that's why SLRs out-sell them at least 5:1.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

If mirrorless were better, they could create that and sell those instead of their SLRs. The problem is, mirrorless isn't better and that's why SLRs out-sell them at least 5:1.

Yeah. Today. I wonder what the ratio will be in a few years though.

I wonder what photographers thought when the first SLRs were coming out

 

[Lee Jay]

If mirrorless were better, they could create that and sell those instead of their SLRs. The problem is, mirrorless isn't better and that's why SLRs out-sell them at least 5:1.

Yeah. Today. I wonder what the ratio will be in a few years though.

I wonder what photographers thought when the first SLRs were coming out

Mirrorless large sensor cameras have been available for a long time. They suck, for a lot of things. They do very little if anything better.

I can make a 7D Mark II into a mirrorless camera with a Hoodman, and it has phase-detection focusing.

 

[Marsu42]

Plenty of reviewers will be excited. I think this is progress and that is great. Canon's biggest problem is creating a mirrorless segment without killing their DSLR line.

They probably discovered a solution for this problem: Don't create a mirrorless segment until the very last possible moment, but keep milking the dslr evolutionary line.

If mirrorless were better, they could create that and sell those instead of their SLRs. The problem is, mirrorless isn't better and that's why SLRs out-sell them at least 5:1.

What's "better" (on the doom9 video forum, you'd be banned just for using this word )?

I also don't see the connection between sales and "better" (whatever that is). Are you seriously suggesting the market re-orients towards a new innovation in zero time? Ever heard of the slow diffusion of innovations

The will certainly be a old-school dslr segments left for people who don't want an evf, don't want to change the look and feel or want a fast phase af.

But for the rest, Canon won't try unless they know they can compete - shelling out an m3,m4,m5 again that are reviewed as "nice, but lacking" damages their reputation and marketing potential if they ever get serious with their mirrorless attempts. There is a reason why the m2 didn't make it outside Asia because it would make more people believe this:

Mirrorless large sensor cameras have been available for a long time. They suck, for a lot of things. They do very little if anything better.

 

[ChristopherMarkPerez]

... in fact... if you look back to the beginning of 35mm film photography a person would quickly realize that mirrorless is where it ALL started.

Leica.

We're just coming back around to the beginning. That's all. Well, some companies are. Others seem to believe they have markets and products to protect.

If mirrorless were better, they could create that and sell those instead of their SLRs. The problem is, mirrorless isn't better and that's why SLRs out-sell them at least 5:1.

Yeah. Today. I wonder what the ratio will be in a few years though.

I wonder what photographers thought when the first SLRs were coming out

 

[Lee Jay]

Plenty of reviewers will be excited. I think this is progress and that is great. Canon's biggest problem is creating a mirrorless segment without killing their DSLR line.

They probably discovered a solution for this problem: Don't create a mirrorless segment until the very last possible moment, but keep milking the dslr evolutionary line.

If mirrorless were better, they could create that and sell those instead of their SLRs. The problem is, mirrorless isn't better and that's why SLRs out-sell them at least 5:1.

What's "better" (on the doom9 video forum, you'd be banned just for using this word )?

I also don't see the connection between sales and "better" (whatever that is). Are you seriously suggesting the market re-orients towards a new innovation in zero time?

MILCs have been available for quite a while. In technology terms, several lifetimes.

 

[rocksubculture]

This is a bit off topic...

I have all Canon gear (except the 35 and 50 Art from Sigma, for Canon) and recently picked up one of the old Canon f/0.95 50mm "dream lenses", so needed a mirrorless camera to use it.

After a lot of deliberation, I went with the A7s (the low light ability appealed to me more that the higher res A7 bodies and the new A7IIs IS).

First of all, the body feels so cheap compared to the Canon DSLRs... like a plastic toy. Even the extra battery grip adds no weight or heft (which I guess is the point - but I like weight and durability).

Anyway, I played around with it a little bit, and I have to say that I absolutely LOVE the focus peaking with manual focus. If Canon bodies had this, I would use it a lot (even over auto focus). I do action photography (concerts), and I think it is totally doable with manual focus with the right lens and focus peaking. Getting the red light on someone's eye is just incredible - you really know if you have it locked in. Also, the EVF is impressive. And the completely silent shutter. I definitely see some uses with this body that I cannot do with my Canon gear, so it opens up some new photo possibilities...

Having said all that, Sony seems to be releasing new bodies faster than lenses. I like that when I buy a 5D or 7D series body, it is good for many years.

Like I said, sorry off topic, but in the event someone was interested in a Canon owner's first take on the A7 series...

Jason

 

[Marsu42]

MILCs have been available for quite a while. In technology terms, several lifetimes.

And in terms of coming and going of ice ages, not that long. The diffusion only starts once a critical mass of early adopters have been found, some geek innovators don't matter that much if they aren't able to kickstart the process. The curve is just a rough theory, and stages can be very different in real life.

but I like weight and durability

... both are easily confused, but light isn't necessarily less durable. A full metal body is a marketing thing just like cars are made to feel and sound in a certain way.

Anyway, I played around with it a little bit, and I have to say that I absolutely LOVE the focus peaking with manual focus. If Canon bodies had this, I would use it a lot (even over auto focus).

Canon bodies have it, it's called Magic Lantern. But you're correct, in-viewfinder focus peaking is a game-changer for fast lenses and obsoletes a lot of fuss to phase-af with thin dof.

But as you just discovered, you have to use it to get an idea of the value, so unless Canon adds this to their own lineup die-hard Canon enthusiasts will never know: If Canon doesn't have it, it cannot be any good.

 

[raptor3x]

But you're correct, in-viewfinder focus peaking is a game-changer for fast lenses and obsoletes a lot of fuss to phase-af with thin dof.

But as you just discovered, you have to use it to get an idea of the value, so unless Canon adds this to their own lineup die-hard Canon enthusiasts will never know: If Canon doesn't have it, it cannot be any good.

Focus peaking is nice in theory, but my experience with the Sony implementation is that it's accuracy is questionable for fast lenses, especially in low light/high ISO situations.