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Hi folks - my first post in this Alpha forum. Just got the A7riii with 50mm f/1.4. Love it so far. Coming from a Nikon D810. I'm still confused about how I'm going to set up EFCS - whether on or off? Not really confused about Silent Shutter, because I didn't get this camera to have to revert back to 12-bit images or worry about banding issues in mixed lighting. Maybe the anti-flicker option helps? That being said, what is your experience with EFCS? I've read up on the technical and it is recommended for tripod use for sure (especially at lower shutter speeds). But not so sure about handheld at lower shutter speeds, like 1/30s through 1/100s? Certainly in-camera stabilization (along with optimal Auto ISO/wide open apertures) could help mitigate any sharpness issues caused by not having it set to ON at those lower handheld speeds (for example, when shooting in low light). While not always the case, there will be times (e.g. street portrait work) where I’ll also be shooting wide open (f/1.4-f/2.8) at much higher shutter speeds in strong light. From what I've read, Sony and others don't recommend having ON when shooting wide open with high shutter speeds. Yes - you'll get those harsh Bokeh effects and maybe some uneven exposure artifacts. Some say don't turn on after 1/500s, some say 1/1000s – and others just leave ON all the time (set and forget) or use the Mechanical Shutter exclusively. I’m leaning towards the latter. I know I’m probably splitting hairs with the whole sharpness discussion, but I’ll set it to ON if it makes a difference at slower handheld speeds like 1/30s. Probably need it OFF when shooting fast wide open. On my Nikon I used their version with MLU, but for tripod use only. What is your experience – especially for handheld street work with a fast prime? ~Daniel www.danielstainer.com

Here's the thing. Sony has been steadily innovating its cameras, perhaps in a way carrying on the way Minolta's design philosophy would have done had it still been around. Innovating not just new features in an incremental way, but radical new departures not envisioned or anticipated elsewhere. So, in Sony's drive to eradicate all things mechanical in its cameras, isn't it about time develop: 1) Complete electronic curtain and eliminate the shutter completely, and then leading to.... 2) Once you have an effective electronic shutter, it should then be possible to optimize shutter component of exposure by pixel or group of pixels level. In other words, allow a myriad of sensor segments to have independent electronic exposure cut off, thus allowing different parts of the sensor to have different levels of exposure. This should boost usable dynamic range enormously by effectively eliminating blow outs and black spots as each extreme should be perfectly exposed at the points where they are projected on to the sensor. 3) Shutter noise and vibration should be consigned to history. 4) The frame rate could potentially increase enormously. No mechanical shutter reset necessary, it's all electronic so big numbers could then be possible (numbers of frames per second). As this is a concept, is this at all feasible or just a wishful thinking sponsored fantasy? (Yes, I'd love on sensor hybrid pdaf/cdaf or whatever works 'better' for A mount as well.)