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I have an A7iii and I bought the Sony 50 F1.2 GM for it in August last year. I have only used the lens occasionally since then for street photography and some other stuff. I have noticed that occasionally, when using high shutter speeds (in excess of 1/2000 ) and large apertures (eg 1.2, 1.4, 1.8) an exposure will be black or mainly black, but it can come in a series of photos the rest being fine. I cant replicate it on demand, it appears a random intermittent issue.

When putting the photos into C1 and turning the exposure right up some of the faulty images I can see has exposed (by a horizontal straight part of an image) but only the very top of the image, others are totally black. 

The camera had its shutter replaced in March last year but has been used extensively since then.

I have not experienced this before but have never used such fast shutter speeds so frequently as I am with the 50 f1.2 , and it only seems to happen when doing so. 

It can happen when using continuous shoot or just taking single shots. I mainly use Manual settings in the camera and a variety of focus methods depending upon the shoot. 

I've had the camera nearly 7 years so am not a novice but because of a lack of technical knowledge I do not know whether the problem lies in the camera or the lens but I'm guessing it is a shutter issue as the part images are straight across at the top of the image. I am not aware of anything in the lens which would open and close to produce that effect when taking a shot, is that a correct assumption?

If it's the camera I'm assuming the shutter cant cope with the high speed shots consistently, or possibly a sensor issue - anybody experienced something similar can offer a better opinion please?

Two examples of failed exposure are attached to help. Thanks in advance. 

 

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Thanks Cameratose, I gave it a very brief test this afternoon with nothing untoward but you’re right, I should give it a long test. The camera actually makes the shutter noise when this happens, it’s only when I look at the image I see it has faulted, but like you I’m inclined to think it’s the shutter. 

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I'd run several hundred shots of anything random on E shutter. If it doesn't mess up, bingo. The A7 III's expected shutter life is 200,000 actuations. Have you shot that many since the rebuild? If you're using it that much, maybe think about moving to the A7 IV, which has a 500,000-actuation life expectancy. I shoot electronic whenever possible. I doubt I have over 100 actuations on my A1, where my A7 IV probably has 100,000. 

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I’ve done nowhere near the limit since the new shutter was installed, mind the original one went well before that number too! 
 

I’ll do what you suggest this week, if it’s the shutter I’ll wait and see what the new A7V is like or possibly the A7RV, thank you for your help and time I appreciate it. 

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Ok I have tested it a lot and can confirm the mechanical shutter is at fault. It doesn't happen when just using just the E shutter (silent shooting). I have tried over 2 fast lens and it's the same, when using mechanical shutter it randomly doesn't expose an image even though the shutter makes its usual noise. Starts to cut in about 1/1250 with a slight but notcieable darkening but as the shutter speed increases some images go  black around 1/3200.

 

So new camera time I think! Roll on the A7V and fingers crossed it's well specced! 

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