A7Rii first impressions thread (incl RAW downloads)

[bplet]

Mine hit the deck today.  

 

That's the sort of story that gives me nightmares.  So sorry to hear about that.  It would've been hard to not deck the guy

[3D-Kraft]

Low-light 4K comparison between A7S und A7RII:

 

http://3d-kraft.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=178&catid=40&Itemid=2

 

The A7RII is doing surprisingly good even at ISO 25600.

[Singingsnapper]

That's the sort of story that gives me nightmares.  So sorry to hear about that.  It would've been hard to not deck the guy

 

Indeed.  It was the shrugged shoulders and the lack of apology that really got me.  Accidents happen, it's how you respond that counts.  I'm not one to be too bothered about cosmetic damage, though it affects resale values, but mighty relieved that there appears to be no real damage to the camera, seemingly it disturbed some crud from inside the camera...

[Snowfun]

Low-light 4K comparison between A7S und A7RII:

 

http://3d-kraft.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=178&catid=40&Itemid=2

 

The A7RII is doing surprisingly good even at ISO 25600.

Thanks for this. Do you have an evidence informed opinion as to the best picture profile to use in high ISO (A7S >25k)? I've heard that slog isn't ideal at high ISO (noise in shadows) but I have no experience to help determine the optimum settings. I suppose I should lock myself in a dark room for an hour or two!

Thanks for any guidance...

Tim

[seb]

first yahoo told me, that my account is deactivated (so I had to make a new flickr account) and then my ethernet adapter stopped working due to win10 update. well, this big files over wlan takes a while...

 

I made some 1:1 makro tripot tests with the A7RII and the 90/2.8 makro. A combination for sharpness as its best.

 

https://flic.kr/s/aHskeiNmD4

 

All pictures were made in AF-S with middle spot slightly under the center of the picture. As my "studio" was the TV-table, don't expect too much in the corners. I'll tried to be perfectly over the object but in this distance there is no excuse.

 

All files are made in RAW. I didnt make any adjustments in lightroom, except the lens correction and the adjustment pushs on the 5 pictures named +1EV to +5EV to see how it perform when you have to push the picture. after that i exported to jpg.

on the first you can see a ruler. it's about 3.5-4 mm. so all pictures are about 1:1. but in 42MPix and with the sharpest lens on dxomark.

 

I like the result!

[JonathanStewartPhotos]

FIRST IMPRESSIONS - 24 HOURS

 

1.  Unboxing - Typical Sony fare. I like having a charger and a USB charger and cable. Now we can charge 2 batteries simultaneously.  The extra battery is a nice touch by Sony, but if they hadn't, it would have seemed like a slight, considering the cost of this camera.

 

2.  Feel - solid and heavier than expected.  First lens I installed was the Sony-Zeiss 35mm f/1.4.  It feels heavy and unbalanced. The grip is too small for the weight.  Ditto with the 90mm macro.  The 55mm feels more balanced.  Using the adapter with my A-mount 135mm, the weight actually feels a bit more balanced because the lens is heavier than the body, and you can support the camera with the left hand easier.

 

The custom button most suited for back-button focus (inside the AEL/MF switch) is in an uncomfortable position requiring bending of the thumb. I changed the back-button focus to the C3 button, which allows for a more comfortable extension, but it'll take some getting used to.  Otherwise, the smallness compared to the a99 feels a bit weird, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.  

 

3.  Operation - First thing I noticed (and please correct me if I'm missing something), is that aperture preview works differently than on my a99.  If I'm stopping down to say f/16, the intended DOF shows up in live view all the time, so pushing an aperture preview button does nothing.  As far as I can tell, you'll only get a change in your live view with an aperture preview button if you have "show effect" off in the live view mode.   The stopping down seems to affect the light hitting the sensor.  I got serious hunting during focus with the 90mm macro when stopping to f/16, and it went away at faster apertures.  Bummer. 

 

The battery issue is real.  This thing is a hog.  Nice that you can power it with USB for the long time lapses, or for charging on the road, but you'll need several spares.  I got about 180 shots last night, and used about 50% of the battery.

 

Display/Evf.  You can change the settings to increase the resolution of the EVF.  I recommend doing this.  You can make out pixel patterns on the EVF, especially when looking at low-contrast scenes like the sky.  Changing the quality improves this, but doesn't eliminate it.  It's not that bothersome though. EVF and display are both bright and detailed, but the EVF quality doesn't blow me away, as advertised it would. 

 

Silent shooting mode is really silent.  The problem is, it affects image quality in a big way, especially if you're shooting with artificial ambient light.  When the light is not in phase with the sensor clearing, you get lines in the pictures that totally destroy the image.  I don't think I'll be using this mode unless I absolutely have to.  

 

Using the LAEA4 adapter is no problem at all.  The Zeiss 135 works great and focuses just as fast as on the a99.  As a bonus, it seems like my Sigma 500mm f/4.5 focuses even faster now with the adapter than it did on the a99.  The motor sounds and feels faster for screw drive.  Nice!

 

Video shooting is way better than on the a99.  You can control exposure very easily with the top dial.  I find that setting the shutter to 1/50th for 24fps, and then the aperture at something acceptable, then letting the camera do the ISO automatically works pretty well.  Because . . . 

 

High ISO shooting is great.  No, not A7s great, but worlds better than the a99.  This will probably change the way I shoot.  Where before, I did everything I could to keep ISO below 640, now I feel like I have the flexibility to let the camera set ISO automatically, as images look pretty good beyond 3200.  So I can fix my shutter and aperture according to artistic demands and trust the sensor to give me good images, up to a point. 

 

I love the timelapse app.  It's working great because of the super IQ of the stills.  The tilt/pan extension is awesome.  It's going to be a lot of fun to take that out into the field.  Think I'll get some shots of the meteor shower during the next new moon, and try to get them into a star timelapse. 

 

Here's an album with a few samples, that I'll update periodically:  http://www.jonathanstewartphotos.com/GearReviews/A7R2-Samples/n-TWgR7p/

 

I've already posted a couple of video samples, including a panning timelapse, on my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQQCGk7EPor0Keq2zUrcVAA

 

[Wesley]

A lot of people don't seem to know that there is a battery grip for the A7 series to extend the grip or put in two batteries.

 

Put it on for the heavier lenses & take it off if you want it compact.

 

As for the battery, think of it as a set time instead of picture amount.

You can get 1000+ shooting birds continuously or 300 doing macro. 

[JonathanStewartPhotos]

A lot of people don't seem to know that there is a battery grip for the A7 series to extend the grip or put in two batteries.

 

Put it on for the heavier lenses & take it off if you want it compact.

 

As for the battery, think of it as a set time instead of picture amount.

You can get 1000+ shooting birds continuously or 300 doing macro. 

 

Battery grip isn't for me, but I may end up changing my mind. I like a smaller and lighter setup, but if it's unwieldy and you have to pop the batteries like a smoker popping tic tacs, then maybe I'll have to bite the bullet.  

[Singingsnapper]

A lot of people don't seem to know that there is a battery grip for the A7 series to extend the grip or put in two batteries.

 

Put it on for the heavier lenses & take it off if you want it compact.

 

As for the battery, think of it as a set time instead of picture amount.

You can get 1000+ shooting birds continuously or 300 doing macro. 

I had the grip for the original A7R, but assumed it wouldn't the new model - the battery goes in a different way...

[seb]

first yahoo told me, that my account is deactivated (so I had to make a new flickr account) and then my ethernet adapter stopped working due to win10 update. well, this big files over wlan takes a while...

 

I made some 1:1 makro tripot tests with the A7RII and the 90/2.8 makro. A combination for sharpness as its best.

 

https://flic.kr/s/aHskeiNmD4

 

All pictures were made in AF-S with middle spot slightly under the center of the picture. As my "studio" was the TV-table, don't expect too much in the corners. I'll tried to be perfectly over the object but in this distance there is no excuse.

 

All files are made in RAW. I didnt make any adjustments in lightroom, except the lens correction and the adjustment pushs on the 5 pictures named +1EV to +5EV to see how it perform when you have to push the picture. after that i exported to jpg.

on the first you can see a ruler. it's about 3.5-4 mm. so all pictures are about 1:1. but in 42MPix and with the sharpest lens on dxomark.

 

I like the result!

 

just to update for later use: I've got access to my flickr account back. So I moved all the tests there and will delete the other.

Here's the new link: https://flic.kr/s/aHskgcH3V7

 

Overview by seflick, auf Flickr

 

ruler by seflick, auf Flickr

 

_DSC0145 by seflick, auf Flickr

 

My extension tubes arrived today. So I will add some more soon...

[3dit0r]

Mine hit the deck today.  Some numbskull who had just been standing in the middle of the shot I was planning to take (so that he could take shots of the sunset with his iPhone and chat with someone, carelessly walked into my tripod (big one this time) as I was getting my Lee filters out.  Wanted to do some proper shooting using soft grads so that I wouldn't have any issues with skies.  Ended up with specks all over the sensor.  Had to wait until I got home to check the sensor over.  The back screen has a small scratch, but thankfully all the bits came out when I used a lenspen blower.  Phew!  The guy just shrugged his shoulder without apologising.  I felt like 'accidentally' knocking him off the cliff.  By the time I got my 645Z set up instead, I'd lost the shot I wanted.  Still got some longer shots but I wanted some slow shutter water action with the 16 - 35 and A7RII...

 

I can't believe you passed up an ideal opportunity for us all to find out how effective the A7rii is as a blunt weapon wielded from a camera strap - talk about selfish

[3dit0r]

OK, having seen a few more samples and tests, and with some of the posts in this thread, I'm back on board with this camera. In most respects, it looks too great to pass over. Now I just have to see if I can find one available!

[Massamino]

FIRST IMPRESSIONS - 24 HOURS

 

1.  Unboxing - Typical Sony fare. I like having a charger and a USB charger and cable. Now we can charge 2 batteries simultaneously.  The extra battery is a nice touch by Sony, but if they hadn't, it would have seemed like a slight, considering the cost of this camera.

 

2.  Feel - solid and heavier than expected.  First lens I installed was the Sony-Zeiss 35mm f/1.4.  It feels heavy and unbalanced. The grip is too small for the weight.  Ditto with the 90mm macro.  The 55mm feels more balanced.  Using the adapter with my A-mount 135mm, the weight actually feels a bit more balanced because the lens is heavier than the body, and you can support the camera with the left hand easier.

 

The custom button most suited for back-button focus (inside the AEL/MF switch) is in an uncomfortable position requiring bending of the thumb. I changed the back-button focus to the C3 button, which allows for a more comfortable extension, but it'll take some getting used to.  Otherwise, the smallness compared to the a99 feels a bit weird, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.  

 

3.  Operation - First thing I noticed (and please correct me if I'm missing something), is that aperture preview works differently than on my a99.  If I'm stopping down to say f/16, the intended DOF shows up in live view all the time, so pushing an aperture preview button does nothing.  As far as I can tell, you'll only get a change in your live view with an aperture preview button if you have "show effect" off in the live view mode.   The stopping down seems to affect the light hitting the sensor.  I got serious hunting during focus with the 90mm macro when stopping to f/16, and it went away at faster apertures.  Bummer. 

 

The battery issue is real.  This thing is a hog.  Nice that you can power it with USB for the long time lapses, or for charging on the road, but you'll need several spares.  I got about 180 shots last night, and used about 50% of the battery.

 

Display/Evf.  You can change the settings to increase the resolution of the EVF.  I recommend doing this.  You can make out pixel patterns on the EVF, especially when looking at low-contrast scenes like the sky.  Changing the quality improves this, but doesn't eliminate it.  It's not that bothersome though. EVF and display are both bright and detailed, but the EVF quality doesn't blow me away, as advertised it would. 

 

Silent shooting mode is really silent.  The problem is, it affects image quality in a big way, especially if you're shooting with artificial ambient light.  When the light is not in phase with the sensor clearing, you get lines in the pictures that totally destroy the image.  I don't think I'll be using this mode unless I absolutely have to.  

 

Using the LAEA4 adapter is no problem at all.  The Zeiss 135 works great and focuses just as fast as on the a99.  As a bonus, it seems like my Sigma 500mm f/4.5 focuses even faster now with the adapter than it did on the a99.  The motor sounds and feels faster for screw drive.  Nice!

 

Video shooting is way better than on the a99.  You can control exposure very easily with the top dial.  I find that setting the shutter to 1/50th for 24fps, and then the aperture at something acceptable, then letting the camera do the ISO automatically works pretty well.  Because . . . 

 

High ISO shooting is great.  No, not A7s great, but worlds better than the a99.  This will probably change the way I shoot.  Where before, I did everything I could to keep ISO below 640, now I feel like I have the flexibility to let the camera set ISO automatically, as images look pretty good beyond 3200.  So I can fix my shutter and aperture according to artistic demands and trust the sensor to give me good images, up to a point. 

 

I love the timelapse app.  It's working great because of the super IQ of the stills.  The tilt/pan extension is awesome.  It's going to be a lot of fun to take that out into the field.  Think I'll get some shots of the meteor shower during the next new moon, and try to get them into a star timelapse. 

 

Here's an album with a few samples, that I'll update periodically:  http://www.jonathanstewartphotos.com/GearReviews/A7R2-Samples/n-TWgR7p/

 

I've already posted a couple of video samples, including a panning timelapse, on my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQQCGk7EPor0Keq2zUrcVAA

 

Jonathan, would it be possible to do a compare between the a99 and a7RII? I own a a99 as well and am very interested in the a7RII.

Tnx

[Singingsnapper]

I had a look at the Macro today in Park Cameras in London, and it's great, but I'd rather save the money for the Batis which is mightily delayed.  Apparently, Zeiss have been taken by surprise by the demand for the lenses.  I think it's combination of the lenses and the MKII that has caused this.  No timeline for when the lens will be in the UK.  I was told by the manager there that the release of the camera coincides with the factories' holidays, and so there is likely to be a 4 week delay in stock.  They aren't expecting any more A7RII until September.  This is what the Sony rep has told them.

[seb]

Still in stock in (at least) one store in Switzerland:

http://www.fotopro.ch/index.cfm?name=sony-a7r-m2-gehaumluse-schwarz-digitalkamera&artikelID=33803

[marcopolo]

I can see myself using up to ISO 51,200, but I want to test with people in mind to see what happens with skin color and texture.  I did post the processed jpegs using rawtherapee from ISO 40,000, ISO 51,200 and ISO 102,400 here in the forum.  I guess I had no reason to skip ISO 60,000 but I was impatient and wanted to see what ISO 102,400 would do.  All these were converted using RAWTherapee from raw and adobe bridge was used to convert the tiff to jpeg. 

 

original jpeg size from forum

http://www.sonyalphaforum.com/topic/1379-raw-conversion-preference/?do=findComment&comment=8456

 

flickr set

https://www.flickr.com/photos/i9mark/sets/72157656682467228