I have a question for A7 II owners: its shutter button performs more like a Nex 7 or a Sony A7r?

 

What I mean is this: with the Nex 7, you get up to a small "detent" that lets you know you're about to shoot, and then if you keep pressing the shutter fires instantly.

 

So I really hate the shutter in the A7r, that I find "mushy" and basically unpredictable. You press, press, press and nothing happens, and then suddenly the shutter fires. With the A7r is not a biggie, because is basically my tripod camera. But I plan to buy the A7 II to use it handheld for streets, travels etc. and ditch the Nex 7 that I use for this purpose. But if the shutter still behaves in the way I don't like I might have to begin to think for alternatives (i.e. another camera system just for this use).

Why not just use back button focus. Once your used to it it works much better.

Why not just use back button focus. Once your used to it it works much better.

 

Thanks, but the problem is not with AF, given I use exclusively legacy glass. It's the shutter release action itself that's not ok for me.

Never used the nex7 or 7R but I would say the A7II also feels "mushy".

 

I believe advanced and pro camera models have soft shutter button. My entry level Nikon D3100 on the other hand had a short travel and hard detent before pushing further for shutter.

 

Best thing to do is go to a camera store or rent to try it out in person and than report back

Thanks!

 

I'll rent the camera if I can (no shop around here that does this at less than 300Km...), but at this point my hopes lie with the not-yet-announced A6100 or A7000 (assuming one of them will have IBIS and a detent-style shutter button).

FWIW I just took note of the button action in normal

use, with you in mind. I also use only legacy lenses.

 

While there is not actual detent, there is a very

free/easy feeling to the first half of the stroke,

and you hit a sort of floor that is distinctly more

firmly resistant. However, concerning the second

half of the stroke, it is all of equal resistance.

 

There is no sense of pushing thru a barrier of extra

resistance to be followed by less resistance. The

floor at the halfway point is easy to sense, but no

subtle "snap thru" occurs ... if thaz what you are

asking about. I find it quite predictable in feel, bare

handed at comfortable temperatures. Whether it

would be the same with cold numb fingers or when

wearing even light glove, I have no idea.

 

Just realized I should have checked my Nex-7 as an

example of what you seek. I'll get to that later :-)

Thanks!

 

For now it looks promising, what I'm looking for is exactly the ability to sense when the camera is about to shoot, and then to be able to shoot without delays, meaning when I press the darn thing it has to go off, not continuing to go down and down and nothing happens like in the A7r

 

When you try your Nex 7 anyway you'll immediately know what I mean.

OK I found my Nex-7 and compared.

 

The Nex-7 action IS just a bit more distinct.

The second half of the stroke almost has that

feel of a mild increase in resistance before

the rest of the follow thru.

 

If I were handed two prototypes of some body

and one had the Nex-7 action and the other

had the A7M2 action, then by comparison I'd

favor the Nex-7 action. Operative term is "By

Comparision". IOW I'd hafta go back and forth

between the two, just a few times, to favor one

over the other, cuz the difference is not major

and I have no problem at all with the A7M2

as to predictable feel.

 

Summarily, the A7M2 feel is neither mushy

nor crisp and is sufficiently predictable. The

Nex-7 hints at being crisp, but it's a small

difference, and in practice I don't find it any

more predictable. I don't shoot sports. For me,

predictability is about low light and slow shutter

shooting of stage performance etc. So I have

repeated chances to get a shot that expresses

what's happening. In sports, there can be THE

deciding moment, never to be repeated. Maybe

the minor difference in feel might put the mind

at ease for sports. For my stuff, it's nothing.

 

`

Thanks Golem, a lot! 

 

As well because you gave me good news. The kind of shutter button action you reported for me is more than good enough (i.e. I don't shoot sport either), so I guess now I'll have to start shopping for an A7 II...