[jimr-pdx]

It definitely depends on what lenses you choose as to advantages. I owned the Samsung NX300 with 16 and 30 primes: tiny, even with an APSc sensor. But their 16-50 f/2-2.8 would be a massive pain on a no-grip body like the NX300. Now I have a Lumix G7 and will soon have their tiny retractable 12-32 (24-64mm equiv) that scores very well for image quality. As noted above though, go into exotic f/0.95 primes or the 100-300mm zoom - and the bulk is back. The 35-100 f/2.8 (70-200mme) is 360 grams, that's not bad for another well-regarded lens.

If I keep the G7 I will probably 'need' a few Olympus f/1.8 primes, they look a lot like Limited clones

[philbaum]

For wildlife, ok , fast AF and reach of long lenses, DSLR shines. For traveling , architecture, landscape, mirrorless is small and very capable in a smaller body, perhaps only when used with short FL prime lenses.

I agree with that. The light weight of the body is more apparent when combined with light weight lenses like the shorter FL you mentioned, and F4 lenses. One still gains weight savings with FF lenses over aps/f2.8 lenses, because FF offers higher iso ranges, e.g. 6400 iso versus 3200 iso. To get the reach of long lenses, one can also use smaller aps tele lenses on the crop mode of most FF cameras.

Most wild life/bird shooters don't get the advantages of mirrorless. But i have no long lenses and do only stage/wider landscape shooting. zooms also add more weight to mirrorless than primes. I went on a day long walkabout on the Seatle waterfront area and carried just the A7r2, 55 f1.8 and a zoom lens 28-70 f3.5 to f5.6. The 55 f1.8 lens spent 90% of the time on the camera. LIght weight, easy to carry. Got some really good keepers.

[clackers]

. To get the reach of long lenses, one can also use smaller aps tele lenses on the crop mode of most FF cameras.

Most wild life/bird shooters don't get the advantages of mirrorless.

You can't just use crop mode, Phil, that would throw away more than half the pixels. We want better resolution from expensive purchases, not worse! ☺

And Sony is a terrible platform for wildlife or sports shooters.

There isn't even an FE lens larger than 200mm.

The P&S style setup you describe in the last paragraph is the opposite of what they (we) do.

I use a Sigma 150-500.

[philbaum]

You can't just use crop mode, Phil, that would throw away more than half the pixels. We want better resolution from expensive purchases, not worse! ☺

And Sony is a terrible platform for wildlife or sports shooters.

There isn't even an FE lens larger than 200mm.
.
The P&S style setup you describe in the last paragraph is the opposite of what they (we) do.

I use a Sigma 150-500.

My comments weren't intended as criticism but just acknowledging a difference in uses. What i didn't say very well is that there probably aren't the weight savings when it comes to long lenses.

I have a friend who uses a Tamron 150-600 on his A7r2, and it AFs quite promptly based on my sample use of it. Is that long enough for you?

Crop mode offers additional flexibility in the use of FF cameras. I assume thats why most FF mfr offer it, including Pentax if one believes the rumors.

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Last edited by philbaum; 12-18-2015 at 03:14 PM.

[clackers]

.

I have a friend who uses a Tamron 150-600 on his A7r2, and it AFs quite promptly based on my sample use of it. Is that long enough for you?

Hmm, you're like a salesman leaving out vital information for our forum members, Phil.

That lens is not available for E mount.

He must be using the version for the dying A-mount.

This is a DSLR lens only, and requires buying that adaptor that must have the worst FF PD autofocus system on the market!

No, thank you. I'll stick with my Bigmas, and save my A7 for landscapes. :-)

[neostyles]

The NX1 recently made it into popular photography's top 4 cameras of 2015.

He must be using the version for the dying A-mount.

It's not dying dude.. The a68 is confirmed for next year and the A99ii is rumored to be on its way.

[luftfluss]

The NX1 recently made it into popular photography's top 4 cameras of 2015.


It's not dying dude.. The a68 is confirmed for next year and the A99ii is rumored to be on its way.

The A68 is already out, it's just coming to the US market next year. There's nothing substantive wrt A99II rumors, and Sony has stated that there will be no further FF A-series models.

[Scintilla]

Hmm, you're like a salesman leaving out vital information for our forum members, Phil.

That lens is not available for E mount.

He must be using the version for the dying A-mount.

This is a DSLR lens only, and requires buying that adaptor that must have the worst FF PD autofocus system on the market!

I actually read that post and assumed he meant Canon EF-mount with a smart adapter; I remember reading somewhere that the A7rII can actually focus Canon lenses pretty well. I guess that says something about how much mindshare the Alpha mount has at this point...

[osv]

My comments weren't intended as criticism but just acknowledging a difference in uses. What i didn't say very well is that there probably aren't the weight savings when it comes to long lenses.

I have a friend who uses a Tamron 150-600 on his A7r2, and it AFs quite promptly based on my sample use of it. Is that long enough for you?

is poor clackers trying to troll sony again? such a fail, i always laugh when people quote his posts... just put him on ignore, anyone who shoots with that old sigma stuff hasn't got a clue how good these new 150-600 lenses are... it's a whole 'nother league.

the pdaf in my laea4 adapter and the ultrasonic drive on the tamron work well with fast cars; the lens has a 6-year warranty, it's moisture-resistant, and it goes on sale for $700-779 regularly... since you have an a7rii, you can of course also use the canon ef-mount version of this lens.

and yes, it gets sharp

[clackers]

,i always laugh when people quote his posts... shoots with that old sigma stuff

Ha! No one quoted I own a Sigma ... you maintaining the fiction you don't unblock me to read my posts is pathological, IMHO.

Silver lining - I suppose it's touching that you care, though.

Enjoy the rubbish AF on your adaptor, Osv! 😀

[osv]

I remember reading somewhere that the A7rII can actually focus Canon lenses pretty well. I guess that says something about how much mindshare the Alpha mount has at this point...

i was surprised to see tamron making this super zoom in a-mount, sigma didn't do it for their 150-600, nor for their killer new 24-35 wide zoom.

sony owns ~11% of tamron, but tamron still hasn't released their 15-30 wide zoom in a-mount, although they claimed it's coming i wonder if pentax will get that lens as rebadged oem, before it comes out in a-mount.

afaik, none of that glass appears to be available in e-mount, but the biggest drawback to that so far appears to be with losing the eye-focus capability that native e-mount lenses have.

people are reporting that some of the latest canon zooms focus just as fast on the a7rii as they do on canon bodies, the 24-70L II USM in particular is supposed to rock... it doesn't have ois, but it does have ibis on the a7rii, which is an advantage over putting it on a canon body, where nothing is stabilized... lifestyles of the rich and famous, obviously :-0

if i was using that lens in af mode on the a7rii, i'd screw one of those cheap vertical handles into the tripod mount of the metabones adapter, and support the weight of the rig with that... the left hand would then be lower, which is much easier ergonomically than holding a heavy dslr setup with the left hand under the lens.

[philbaum]

.

Hmm, you're like a salesman leaving out vital information for our forum members, Phil.

That lens is not available for E mount.

He must be using the version for the dying A-mount.

This is a DSLR lens only, and requires buying that adaptor that must have the worst FF PD autofocus system on the market!

No, thank you. I'll stick with my Bigmas, and save my A7 for landscapes. :-)

What's wrong with you - you're like in full-on attack mode?????

Dying A-mount - there's been no announcement of that - another figment of your temper tantrum apparently. Please post a link to an official annoucement. The adapters that bridge emount to a-mount are made by Sony.

Also, there's been several improvements made between the mfr of your A7 and the current A7r2, particularly on autofocus and the LAEA3 adapter is widely reported to work with the Tamron 150-600. I don't keep current on long teles because its not a particular interest of mine. Hadn't expected a full-on attack from you.

[clackers]

.

Dying A-mount - there's been no announcement of that -

I wouldn't talk a friend into getting an A camera. The stench of death is about. Sony have even taken the Alpha name and given it to the mirrorless line.

That's like finding your mom and dad have rented out your room.

Sony sold 1/3 of the cameras in Q1 2015 that they did in Q1 2012. Expect this line to be one of the casualties.

And that would be better than Sony exiting the camera business altogether. That doesn't help anyone.

Samsung's retreat from the market - denied by Neostyles in the same way you're doing now- is similarly undesirable.

.
The adapters that bridge emount to a-mount are made by Sony.

Again, Phil, it was misleading of you to not mention adapted glass was involved. Some forum members know this had to be true, others didn't.

You're right, your omission didn't impress me.

The top of the line LAEA4 is designed for part of the APS-C frame, has only 11 focus points, and a lousy three cross points.

Personally, I think your buddy is better off shooting Nikon with that Tamron if he's serious.

Edit: I see the *LAEA3* you've said in combination with the sensor AF will be "greatly improved" as Brian Smith says.

[biz-engineer]

No sure about where the discussion is heading. The thread is about the pros and cons of mirrorless versus DSLR, size, weight, depending on shooting conditions. I considered the concept. I did not consider any brand name.

[philbaum]

I wouldn't talk a friend into getting an A camera. The stench of death is about. Sony have even taken the Alpha name and given it to the mirrorless line.

That's like finding your mom and dad have rented out your room.

Sony sold 1/3 of the cameras in Q1 2015 that they did in Q1 2012. Expect this line to be one of the casualties.

And that would be better than Sony exiting the camera business altogether. That doesn't help anyone.

Samsung's retreat from the market - denied by Neostyles in the same way you're doing now- is similarly undesirable.



Again, Phil, it was misleading of you to not mention adapted glass was involved. Some forum members know this had to be true, others didn't.

You're right, your omission didn't impress me.

The top of the line LAEA4 is designed for part of the APS-C frame, has only 11 focus points, and a lousy three cross points.

Personally, I think your buddy is better off shooting Nikon with that Tamron if he's serious.

Edit: I see the *LAEA3* you've said in combination with the sensor AF will be "greatly improved" as Brian Smith says.

1. Clackers - your misleading statement was that there wasn't anything longer than 200mm for the A7XX cameras. That was misleading to the readers when several owners are using the Tamron 150-600 mm lens quite successfully with both the LAEA3 and LAEA4 adapters. There is some debate over which is the best adapter and it may depend on the model of camera as well. Most of the buyers are getting the Tamron with the A mount, altho some have tried the Canon mount as well with a metabones or other Canon to e-mount adapter. Do your own research on this as long lenses are not my thing and adapters keep improving. To date, the Canon electronic adapters for this lens seem to have more problems, but i don't know the current trend on this.

2. DSLR A mount is dying. Sony has denied this rumor many times and its true that their attention has been primarily on the e-mount and specifically their FE cameras - because the sales on e and FE have been phenomenal. But they do turn out a DSLR A-mount camera once in a while and one article doubted that Sony would kill the A-mount because of the number of good lenses available to FE owners. As Mark Twain said: The rumors of my death are exaggerated.

3. Clackers has criticized me about not mentioning that the Tamron 150-600 requires an adapter to be used on e or FE cameras. It was never my idea to mislead anyone, but life is too short to spell out all of the nuances involved in buying mirrorless cameras. One of the first things anyone should know about mirrorless cameras, when using DSLR lenses or legacy lenses, adapters are always required. Some, including me, consider that one of the strengths of mirrorless cameras - they are a "universal" mount to some degree. Again there are many nuances about adapters - that i will not spell out - the day is not long enough

Hey Clackers, have some great holidays - and i mean that sincerely.