Ordered My Sony A7r

Congrats Wings, Ive spent many hours in the camera store trying it out. Small and compact with a limited but great native lens line-up. Ultimately I went for the Nikon DF though, because I was looking for a replacement for my slow-ass Fuji XE-1. The A7R was definitely an improvement over the Fuji but still relatively slow compared to a DSLR and the DF's low weight and high ISO were just too tempting to resist for my style of shooting. The Sony however is definitely a great camera and through adaptors you can basically use any lens ever made. The A7/A7r are game changers for sure.

I debated about waiting for Canon to come out with a fullframe mirrorless (they currently have only a cropper mirrorless) but at the end I figure even if Canon eventually did come out with a fullframe mirrorless, it would likely be twice as expensive as the Sony. Nikon was out of the question since I am too invested in the Canon lenses. I'm also thinking the Sony with adapter will take Canon's 40mm m-lense, if so, the setup will be flat as a pancake (well, maybe a junior whopper) and I can keep it with me in my attaché case to work at all times, that would be sweet. With the purchase and bundle I also got Sony's FE 28-70 f/3.5-5.6 lens and though it is not quite as wide as I would like it to be, it will be nice to try out and see what Sony lenses have to offer. And inevitably, their Zeiss lens will be impossible to ignore..... :-D


-W

Congrats! I shoot with an A77 and love it but....the thought of the full frame A7r is pretty awesome. Can't wait to see what you can do with it...I'd love to hear what you think, once you've taken it for a spin!

Matt

Yep, the two Zeiss lenses that are available seem very good, especially the 50mm (or is it 55?). Too bad Zeiss don't make AF lenses for the Nikon mount.

Like you, I have also been waiting for Nikon to deliver a FF, lighter mirrorless but I don't think this will happen until Sony and Fuji start grabbing some serious market share from Canon and Nikon. For many, myself included, mirrorless still has too many compromises in the AF and speed department. I love my Fuji XE-1 but I'm tired of having to fight the camera so often. The A7r is definitely a step up and that EVF is gorgeous.

Another Sony that is worth checking out is the RX-1r with a fixed Zeiss 35mm lens. Too bad its $3000 :)

@PAADS, Will keep you updated here once I start using the a7r but if your a77 is a cropper (I'm not familiar with the sony lineup), just going from a cropper to a fullframe makes a world of difference, it did for me when I went from the Canon 7d (cropper) to the 5DII (fullframe). At the very least, edges don't start to fall apart and noise is well controlled.

@Dean, Shutterspeed is not a big concern for me, I went from the 7D's 8 fps down to the 5DII's 3.9 fps and didn't miss it. The Sony offers 1.5 to 4 fps depending on shooting mode. I might miss it for birds-in -flight and other fast moving subjects, but for those situation I would just go back to the 5DII, and even the 7D if I haven't sold it already by then.


-W

Yeah..the A77 is a crop sensor. So I know there would be big differences....but until then, I'll live vicariously through everyone else's reviews!

Its not so much shutter speed, but more a general sluggishness. It takes time for the camera to wake up and there is a black-out time between shots which I found really annoying on the XE-1 and also noticed on the A7 (albeit to a much lesser extent). AF isn't as snappy, although very accurate. Being able to select AF points anywhere in your composition is very cool to have and I miss that from the Fuji. Also really liked the virtual horizon. Ultimately every camera is a compromise of some sorts but with the Canon and Sony you will have an awesome tool kit for sure.

Yea, I did read about the overall sluggishness, and yea I figure that would be just another one of those compromises in any camera, hopefully I will be able to adapt to it. On the bright side, there will be a firmware update later this month that will at least reduce the startup time. Also in the firmware is improved "image quality", what that means have been debated in numerous forums, most are hoping for lossless raw, and the same most are thinking it will only affect jpg outputs.


-W

Got my Sony A7R delivered at work today so needless to say I went home early to play with it. But wouldn't you know it, the damn battery has no charge whatsoever, so I waited for it to charge for about 30 minutes just to get some juice in it so I can play at least a little with the camera. Ok, played a little, drained the battery, back to the charger! This time I waited for it to fully charge for about 2-3 hours. With a fully charged battery, my first impression, it feels a lot like a point and shoot digicam in size, weight, and sounds. I also got a Metabones Canon EF to Sony E adapter for it so I can use my Canon lenses on it. The only Sony lens I got with it is a cheap 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 and that's because it was part of a bundle and which is still backordered so I can't even play with that just yet. The first thing I realize with the Metabones Canon lens adapter is that the AF is not compatible with all canon lenses. I was hoping to use my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 with a canon mount on the sony but that too was not compatible unless I used it in manual focus mode. Anyhow, I do have a number of Canon prime L's that are compatible but will likely use the Sony lens when it becomes un-backlogged and shipped. In the mean time, I played a little with my Canon 40mm f/2.8 M lens on it and surprisingly it was compatible with the Metabones adapter. I haven't downloaded any shots yet but I was shooting ISO 3600 indoors at around midnight tonight and at least on the camera's screen it looked very clean. Below are some camera size comparisons. From left to right is a Canon 7D with 400mm attached, a Canon 5D with 24-105 attached, my wife's Canon Powershot SD800 IS, an old Kodak DC4800, and the Sony A7R with Canon 40mm f/2.8 M lens. The 40mm lens is actually a very nice marriage with the Sony camera since it is very light and is considered a "pancake" lens at about an inch in depth. I will likely keep that lens on the Sony and see if I can live with a 40mm prime as a walkaround lens for now. -W

I had a chance to test out my new a7r last weekend at Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. I shot in Sony's raw format, arw files. The pictures where pretty impressive but I wasn't really able to take control of their raw editing software (Sony Image Data Converter), partially because I was not familiar with some of their way of doing things like sharpening was a mystery, but mainly because the software ran so fricken slow! I know a 36-mpixels file will take longer to work with than what I am used to in my 5dii at 21-mpixels using Canon's Digital Photo Pro (DPP) but I think the Sony software was just not efficiently written. I will likely try Adobe Lightroom next or this other Open Source program called Light Zone. One of the noticable point of the images were that the dark shade/shadow side of scenes were vibrant and a good part of it can be discernable in large part due to the dynamic range of the Sony file. High ISO files cleaned up very nicely. One thing you have to have is patience when it comes to the auto focus system which don't bode well with action photography. I think alot of photographers who have this camera are those who do static photography, alot of home studio users who can take the time to focus, and alot of these photographers are mostly fanatics when it comes to the use of Manual Focusing and collecting exotic lenses which are all great for this camera. Using Manual Focus, the viewfinder and the screen can zoom into the object, allowing you to focus in precise detail. For me, I will likely use it as a camera that I can keep with me at all times, it's small and lightweight size is ideal when coupled with a small lense like the canon 40mm stm pancake lens (shown attached to the a7r in the picture in the post above this one). The day I took the photos below, I had the lens I normally use on my 5dii which is a hefty 24-105L, not ideal, but manageable. So far, with the Metabone lens adapter on, I am able to get AF with my aforementioned 40mm stm, the 80mm f.1.8, the 24-105L, and the 24L (prime) will work only when it wants to (or was that the 35L, I know one of them didn't AF at all while the other one had a hard time to AF). I didn't try any of my longer Canon lenses yet. And the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 which is nice and small and which I had hoped to use with the Sony a7r could not AF :-( which I should of known if I had read the specs of the Metabone lens adapter. I am also awaiting a backordered Sony 28-70 kit lens which I got mainly to play around with and also because the cost of the bundle I got which included the lens was less expensive than other options. Using a native Sony lens will allow me to play with their eye-focusing function which will be neat but I doubt I will use it on any regular level. Below are some sample shots for the Sony A7r coupled with a Canon 24-105L, all handheld. The first shot is made from the camera's built-in sweep panorama function where you keep the shutter button suppressed while moving your camera across the scene and the camera both takes the necessary pictures and stitch them in-camera. Kinda neat, but I didn't realize the file size were relatively small, the below one being only 1856px in height. -W

ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/500




ISO 400, f/9.0, 1/400



ISO 400, f/9.0, 1/400



ISO 1000, f/10, 1/400



ISO 2500, f/4.0, 1/160 (handheld) (yes, ISO 2500! zoom in on the dark area, there is VIRTUALLY NO NOISE and alot of detail!! (after postprocessing noise reduction))

I have a Sony A37 and I much prefer the way Lightroom processes RAW files compared to the Sony software.

Very helpful info, as I am considering getting this camera due to hand/arm issues and not being able to hold my current camera. The slow autofocus issues are a major drawback for me at this point, because I would use it as my primary camera. I'd love to hear how processing in Lightroom works out for you, as that would be where I would do the majority of my work. Thanks!

I will likely try lightzone first (http://www.lightzoneproject.org/) since it's free and I have downloaded and installed it already, it looks very impressive but they don't have a profile for the A7r yet, the a7r profile is due out in a week or so. The thing with lightroom, I installed the eval version about a year ago and never really used it since Canon's DPP had everything I needed for the Canon files. So my lightroom eval is expired and will have to purchase it if I want to use/test it, so I'm holding off until I give the free lightzone a try when their a7r profiles come out. Autofocus will definitely be a challenge, if you're used to a Canon AF, you will be disappointed with the a7r's AF. It's a great cam and takes great big vibrant pics, but it is a first generation so some of the more mature standards we take for granted will have to wait. You should definitely try the AF before you buy if that's a concern. I will be using the a7r as a keep with me all the time camera, and will carry it with my 5dii whenever I have a planned trip. -W

Congratulations. You will love it. I shoot with the A7 and the sony alpha65.
Larry

I have the Sony RX100 point and shoot and I am very impressed with the image quality. Sony is definitely making a presence for itself in the camera market. I use Lightroom 4 to process the Sony RAW files and it does a great job.

Your images of Stanford look great. Especially the ISO 2500 shot! Wow!

A little off-topic--My son has applied to Stanford and today is decision day! He would be over the moon if he gets accepted, so any positive thoughts you wish to send this way are very much appreciated!

Awesome, I've heard good things about the A7.

Stanford is my Cal's arch-enemy! ;-) But to be honest, I liked the campus and its surroundings. Compared to Cal's South area which I perceive to be the main entrance, the surrounding environment of Stanford is very clean, much like most of silicon valley, it is very spread out. If you take highway 84 into the campus, you will pass through the not-so-pleasant part of the city. But once you pass highway 101, it's like night and day! The houses become very noticeably unaffordable! Then you get to downtown Palo Alto where it is both pleasant and casually inviting, with a number of boutique shops and restaurants, we ate at the cheesecake factory - this all contrasts with Cal's downtown/telegraph avenue area, but may be similar to Cal's College Ave area. Then you continue pass the 82 underpass and you are in The Farm! Literally! Well almost literally, it's one big open space much like a farm or park, before entering the Campus Oval where alot of sunworshippers and volleyball players gather, and where you see the main entrance to "The Quad" and off to the left is the iconic Hoover Tower. The large expansive open area before the Oval is a little much imo for a campus, seems a little removed from downtown/civilization, you'll probably have to have a car, take a bus, or ride a bike to get around. It may just be because it was my first trip there, but in comparison to Cal, everything feels alot more spread out. All in all, I liked the campus for its cleanliness and parklike atmosphere though everything is pretty flat compared to Cal and there is no vistas into the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

A side note, the Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge is nearby, that's where I first got back into photography in the digital age, photographing birds, mainly birds in flight.


-W

The Sony A7r can produce some amazing pictures. I have a buddy who has Zeiss lenses for his and he takes some shots in low light that would just blow you away. Once in Lightroom, you can take out the shows and increase the exposure and then you have to search for noise, the sensor is that good.

I may take the plunge in another year or so... Of course, if sony called me and wanted me send me around the world with one, I'd say sign me up.

Congratulations, you are going to love that camera.

I will certainly get one when there is an affordable Nikon lens adapter available, or Sony get some "proper"
glassware themselves... :)

Cool stuff... Enjoy

Jack, there is a Metabones Nikon adapter for $139, I don't know how good it is nor do I know if it's compatible with the Nikon lenses you already own, but the Canon version I'm using is pretty good and it adds only about just under an inch of depth to the setup. There is also a Leica adapter, and though I don't own any Leica lenses, I do know someone with a stash of Leicas who no longer shoots Leicas from whom I might just be able to coerce a temporary use. -W


http://www.metabones.com/products/details/MB_NFG-E-BM1

My understanding is that the Nikon adapter will not give you the full functionality of the lens... The Canon adapter will support Autofocus on most Canon lenses. There is an even more expensive Metabones adapter for the Canon which is much faster with autofocus, etc...

I shot the A7r at a Sony demo shoot and got to spend some time talking to reps about the accessories. Zeiss makes some awesome lenses for the camera, but they are all pretty expensive and so far it seems nobody makes a Wide Angle for the camera, you have to use an adapter.

I suspect in the next couple of years,all of this will change and there will be a wide spectrum of lenses for the A7r.

Overall, I found it to be really cool to shoot, but the auto viewfinder was a little hard for me to get used to. I really like the focus peaking in Red, that is awesome!!

Wings, you bought the Sony A7r just as a second carry around camera, not to replace your 5DM2? Is it that much smaller and lighter than the 5DM2?

Lynn, the size and weight of the a7r is very small and light and when paired with a suitable lens, is a very compact package. The Canon 40mm stm lens together with the metabones adapter I have on it for instance is about slightly just smaller than a canon 35mm f/2. The sony kit 28-70 is just about another 2 inches longer and not much heavier. But that's just one of the many reasons for the a7r.

- I currently (before the a7r) shoot mostly with the canon 5dii but I also have the canon 7d and a lot of times I carry both when shooting, the 5dii to cover the wide to standard ranges and the 7d to shoot the longer shots. I hate carrying one camera and having to change lenses, it's cumbersome and it increases dust bunny opportunities. Now, I've shot with the 5dii using my canon 400mm f/5.6L with a 1.4x teleconverter and concluded that that setup gives me better IQ than when I shoot the 7D+400mm without the 1.4x which it cannot take anyhow without losing AF. So with the a7r, the 5Dii becomes my long cam while the a7r is for the wide to standard shots, still carrying 2 cameras for planned photo trips.

- The 7D IQ sucks, noise even at ISO 400, edges of objects fall apart.

- With the a7r and the 5dii, the 7d may eventually be sold and I become fully fullframe engaged, the only thing I lose without the 7D is the machinegun frames per second action.

- The a7r also becomes my keep with me at all times camera, it fits neatly in either my attaché case or backpack. My ex-current setup was the 5Dii with the 24-105L attached, it was comparatively jumbo-sized. See my camera size comparison image a few posts up.

- The a7r with the metabones adapter attachment takes a number of Canon lenses with AF intact, all remaining Canon lenses I have can still be used with MF.

- With the various metabones adapter attachments, I can also play with Leica lenses, not to mention the couple of Zeiss lenses made for the a7r and more will show up in the future.

- The file resolution of the a7r is enormous (36-megapixels 7360x4912) and they are gorgeous, the IQ is magnificent. That allows me to crop them in the future for various art projects and still have enough resolution to end up with a nice print size.

- I've been trying to do my taxes this past few weeks and came to the conclusion I have next to no write-offs. There's no fun in making a few extra dollars just to pay the tax man, the a7r guarantees I will not make that mistake again the same time next year.

I'm sure there are a few more but that's all I can think of off the top of my head. :-)


-W

The only instance I see to still use a bigger heavier dslr is when using the longer lenses, the longer (current) lenses are better balanced with the dslr's. AF also has to get better and faster with the fullframe mirrorless to make it more suitable for action photography like birds in flights, sports events, and auto races. -W

Congrats on your Sony move! I am surprised to hear that the focus is slow as the a65 and a77 are lightning fast and track well. I have both and would love to add a full frame to the set (whenever funds allow, lol).

I have a Nikon d5100 that was purchased a couple of years ago as a back up. Colors are fine, but, I do tons of action photography (mudding, races, equine, etc.) and it is way too slow and hunts all the time. (Anyone need a Nikon??) My Sony cameras are coupled with older (upwards of 20-25 years!), but quality, Minolta lenses and they are great. All work fully with these two.

Thanks so much for your in depth information on this camera. Looking forward to seeing more of what you will do with it.

Lynda.

In regards to the AF speed, I should add that I am using an adapter+Canon lenses which does slow it down a bit. How much? I don't know since I don't have a native Sony lens to experiment with and compare it to yet, I will get the Sony kit 28-70 when it comes out of backorder and will have a better understanding of Sony's AF system. Nonetheless, reports on the net has identified it as being slow but again that "slow" with the native Sony lens might be better than the adapter+canon combo. The slowness with the adapter+Canon combo is similar to a lens that's hunting with delimiters on so it goes back and forth within a small focal range before it locks on. A Canon lens on a canon body on the otherhand just snaps right to the focal spot. -W

I couldn't afford the full frame Sony last year when I was looking for a smaller camera for backpacking so I settled on the NEX6 with the kit lens plus the 210mm zoom. I like the size and images taken with good lighting conditions turn out brilliant and sharp. However I'm not completely happy with the amount of noise I'm getting in available light, high ISO images. I have to wonder if it's the fault of the camera or if the Sony kit lenses are the problem. Also, the battery life is poor, it seems a bit slow and auto focus is sometimes quirky. For me the biggest problem is it's not full frame so the Sony A7R would be a logical upgrade. I love it's small form factor but for $2,500 I would want it to be as responsive and solid as my 5DM2 with well laid out dials and controls, and auto focus that snaps in quickly. I'm also concerned about purchasing a camera that doesn't have a full line of compatible top quality lenses available. Please keep us posted on how you like it.

Took the A7r to the new Devil's Slide Coastal Trail near Pacifica, California today. The trail had been the often closed Coastal Highway 1 portion that was often victim to rockslides. It was the main highway into and through the small towns along Highway 1 includeing Half Moon Bay, Pillar Point, and Pacifica and when there was a rockslide, businesses along that highway would close down for months. It was also the main highway to the celebrated annual Mavericks surf competitions. A new Tunnel bypass was constructed and open at the end of 2013, the old portion of that Highway that was susceptible to rockslides was rebuilt into part of the Coastal Trail and opened a couple weeks ago. We were out there today, and though it was a bit overcast, I was able to test out the A7r a bit more. But mostly what I did test out was the use of Lightroom which I found that because it is a new version, I was able to reload it as an evaluation version again and test it out. It is definitely everything and more that I have been used to from other raw editors. I'm likely going to go ahead and buy it once the evaluation period is over. The speed of editing in Lightroom is what I am used to in Canon's DPP and about 100x faster than Sony's native Image Data Converter and lightyears more useful. Below are a few images from today's trip, pertinent EXIF are shown. I am getting used to the slow AF when using my current Canon 24-105L lens with the A7r but still anticipate getting the Sony kit lens once it comes out of backorder to see what if any AF speed can be gotten. -W


The New Devil's Slide Tunnels, open end of 2013.
ISO 400 f/9 1/320th



The Old Devil's Slide portion of Coastal Highway 1, now rebuilt into part of the Coastal Trail in California, open a couple weeks ago.
ISO 400 f/13 1/400th

Update.2014.0417

I haven't had much time to explore the Sony a7r much in the last couple weeks but I did just receive my first Sony lens, the Sony/Zeiss 24-70 f/4 OSS at work and since I now carry my camera all the time, I was able to do a few quick test shots at work. And boy what a difference a native Sony lens makes! Up until now, I've been using a Metabones adapter to use my Canon lenses on the Sony. But now with the Sony lens, the AF just zips on target, I now don't see much difference in the Sony AF speed versus my Canon 5DII, I'm sure there is a difference but only measureable with equipments which for all practical purposes is negligible. The sony 24-70 is small and light as a feather and matches well with the A7r. One thing that's great about using the native Sony lens on the Sony camera is the fact that AF is truly AF in that when you move the camera around, the lens will automatically refocus without ever pressing the shutter button half way. And what's even more nice about this is the fact that when used to take videos, the camera retains that AF function as you pan the camera around! Pretty neat. And yes, Sony did just come out with an A7s version of the camera capable of 4K video and ridiculously high ISO's which can allow you to take photo/videos using only campfire lighting in the dark of night! Pretty awesome stuff, and I've got to refrain from reading any more camera articles or reviews (like the new Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art, YIKES!), either that, or I'll need to entrust a loved one with my wallet!

I'll hope to take the new lens with the camera out for some extensive shooting this weekend. But for now, below is a photo artwork using one of my latest shots from the sony A7r this past weekend at the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, CA. It doesn't show much about the camera itself, but it does show the fact that I tend to crop and mask out portions of my photos to be used for other future projects. With the A7r's 36 megapixels, I can have larger masked pieces to work with which is a big deal for me since one should never enlarge the native size of any photo and so with larger native photos to start with, I end up with larger max size photo artworks. -W


"Waiting To Be Abducted By 'The Visitors' At The Chabot Space And Science Center In The Hills Of Oakland California"

I've been reading about your new acquisition with envy, W! I also have a Canon 7D which I can't help but feel kind of disappointed by...just download some hummingbird shots that I thought would turn out amazing but due to the 1000 ISO, they're practically unusable because of the noise. I think 800 ISO is about as high as I can safely go without running into problems. I've never liked the AF either and it's always bugged me that when shooting video, it doesn't automatically refocus when panning...so if I'm videotaping an animal, it's kind of useless because animals move! I tend to take little clips and piece them together. Anyway, your setup sounds wonderful and I'm looking forward to hearing more about how it's working out. I really like your new image!

Peggy, I feel the same about the Canon 7D, add to that that even at ISO 800, you still need really good light to avoid noise. And the edges all tend to fall apart with most shooting conditions. But you don't have to go Sony to get better ISO/noise/IQ results if you have fullframe Canon lenses, just going to a fullframe camera will do the trick, the 5DII did the trick for me and now the Sony is doing the same but with larger file sizes. The 7D's small sensor is probably pushing the file size (18 mpix) it's trying to produce. And hummingbirds are just plain tough, alot of hummingbird photogs have an "outdoor studio" where they set up numerous artificial lights synched with the camera shutter which will help freeze the scene while allowing them to use lower ISO's as well. I have an outdoor studio for my small non-hummingbird bird shots, works great and you don't have to go to them, they come to you! ;-)

-W

Thanks for the feedback, W. I remember when the 7D first came out, everyone was talking about how great it was with noise...I wonder what that was all about. I've been tempted by the 5DII (or the III now!) but have been holding back. May I ask what kind of artificial lights you use in your outdoor setup?

I don't do hummingbirds so I don't generally need artificial light to stop their wingflaps and squeeze out their iridescent feathers, but when I was on fredmiranda.com's forums, there was a few guys that did extensive hummingbirds and they had posted their techniques a few times there in which case I promptly said to myself, this is too much work! :-) I shot small backyard birds in my backyard studio a few years ago (chickadee, nuthatch, scrub jay, stellars jay, finch, robin, titmouse, bushtit, junco, wren, phoebes, sparrow, towhee) which I can get away with by using just good daylight, the studio is still there which had perches and a couple of good feeders and a nice tree background that melted into a creamy bokeh. But the same birds come by all the time and I've shot them a million times now.

Canon now have the 6D fullframe that's very similar to their 5DII both in features and current prices.

-W

I agree about the hummingbird setups...I remember seeing one of those years ago from one of my Flickr contacts and although he had some insanely good hummingbird shots, it seemed like a lot of trouble (and expense) to go to.

I really need something that deals with noise better though...living in the Pacific Northwest, we have a lot of overcast days.

I'll look into the 6D too. Thanks for the suggestion. Either way, it's time to start saving my pennies.

Ordered an A7r yesterday as my back is complaining more and more about the amount of Nikon gear I'm currently lugging around, and I still try to keep that to the bear minimum. The Sony I'll be initially pairing with Leica lenses via the VM-E adapter. Really imterested to see how this pairing works out, especially for portraiture. I'll be ditching my Leica M9-P, long overrdue.

You'll love the a7r, David. Look forward to see what you can do with your Leica glass. The weight of the a7r is terrific. The size can be a blessing but also a challenge ergonomically. I actually got the battery grip on mine now and it feels alot better while still being small, especially in depth, and light. The grip also doubles the juice which is a welcome addition since the battery is small and goes around only 200 shots, ymmv. When I first got my a7r, I was planning on using my canon glasses with the metabones adapter exclusively but quickly realize that the af speed suffered tremendously. I've since gotten a matching Sony/zeiss 24-70 f/4 oss and though the IQ is only ok, the smallness and lightness along with acceptable AF speed makes the lens a perfect match with the a7r. Your Leica lens with adapter probably won't have AF so you won't have to worry about AF.

Here's a few shots from the Sony a7r and 24-70 f/4 combo from last weekend, all shot at iso 400, noise is well controlled in the dark areas and alot of detail is retained due in part to the a7r's removal of the aa filter. -W

In addition to my Canon 5D Mark II, I have the Olympus OMD EM1. It's a great, lightweight camera but it's missing full frame quality. I looked at the A7 when buying but was disappointed in the lens offerings. Has anyone tried adapting any of the OLY mirrorless lenses to the A7r?

When I bought the A7r it was my plan to only use my existing Leica lenses on it. I'm in the process of building profiles for lens cast correction, and so far all seems to be well. I imagine if you're prepared to create suitable profiles to adjust for camera/lens combinations there should be no real issue. There are plenty of adapters out there (Novoflex, Metabones, etc.) so there's probably one for Olympus lenses.

Sony will be coming out with a few more lenses for the a7 series later this year including a 16-35mm f/4 for the wide shooters. -W

I'm not certain about m4/3 but there are OM to e-moumt available.

I've decided to rent the A7r with a Sony 35mm prime and an Olympus lens adapter - if available - to see how the Oly lenses preform on the A7r. I love the 12-40 f/2.8 and the 75mm 1.8 and if they work, I'll figure out how to create profiles for them..... if I can't figure it out, David, I'll be in touch - :)

The Sony/zeiss 35mm looks interesting, the only thing that's holding me back on that one aside from cash flow is the f/2.8 and it doesn't even have oss. I've been using my canon 5dii with the 35L f/1.4 for inside car shows where lighting can be challenging and flash is not allowed so the extra 2 stops can be critical. Canon also have their 35 f/2.8 now but with IS which would be useful for stationary objects like cars, but the sony/zeiss version is still attractive for curiosity reasons if nothing else, not to mention the a7r will get me larger files and bigger prints than the 5dii. Oh sooo many lenses, sooo little time...and money! lol


-W

I'm sort of sorry I let my Zeiss (Canon mount) primes go when I got rid of my Canon gear a couple of years ago. I think they'd be a good pairing with the A7, although that'd pretty much defeat the purpose of my getting the A7r in the first place (to reduce weight). The Leica glass works really well though. Very happy thus far.

Hey David, do you have any images shot with the Sony A7r in your FAA gallery you post links me? Seeing a full resolution preview of the sony/leica combo would be awesome! Thx :)

@Wingsdomain - I tried to view your posted images to check the resolution with the 24-70 f/4 but FAA is not cooperating at the moment. Imagine that - lol!
I have the Canon 24-105 f/4 which I love, but I've gotten spoiled using the micro 4/3 lens size. Lenses, time & money - the 3 keys to happiness!

Nothing in my portfolio as yet Jo Ann. Still running some tests. First time out in the field will be next week.

The Canon 24-105L feels good on the Canon 5dii, not so on the Sony a7r. Before I got the Sony/Zeiss 24-70, I shot a couple of weeks with the Canon 24-105 on the Sony and the images were on par with the lens on a 5dii, maybe even better in dark areas and of course the resolution was bigger. But the AF suffered alot going through the Metabones adapter and obviously balance was not optimal. -W