Sony a7R – First Look Review from Charles Michel on Vimeo.
You cna finally download the full A7-A7r brochure here: WeTransfer pdf file (Thanks Stephen for sending the link).
Latest A7-A7r news and tests:
Picture`s taken with the A7R 35mm Zeiss and with the adapter LA-EA4 and A-mount 70-200 SSM G (Dyxum)
Full A7r review at Fengniao (google translation here).
Image samples at Mobile01 (Click on green links to see the images)
A7r images by Will Cho on FB.
A dozen photos of preproduction A7, including the Soviet manual industar and Minolta Rokkor 45/2 at Picasaweb.
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Support SonyAlphaRumors: After months of FF mirrorless rumor work I would be glad if you can support my work by making your A7-A7r purchase by using these links below. I will earn a small commission and you don’t pay one single penny more! Thanks!
Specs and Preorders in US and Canada (Click on store name to see direct preorder page):
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.
Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, FI, SE, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, FI, FR, SE, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, FI, FR, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
75 Responses
This may be an option for the A7r, 16mp cropped, especially if it is small. Anyone else thinking this way?
Why you do not take nex6 or 7 ??
Because the A7r offers me much more. The option of full frame lenses, both new and old, weather sealing, magnesium body and dials, and more.
Bionx X, huge EVF, grip available, low light performance, and so on…
And these are all … totally no reasons to buy a ff camera. Sony just needs to get their things together and release a proper semi-pro APS-C NEX camera.
They are the reasons “I” am buying this camera. The fact that it is FF is awesome and an additional feature I will benefit from. It is more versitle for me because I have an APS-C crop optionally or FF when I want the bokeh associated with FF. Please don’t tell me why my reasons are “no” reason to buy a FF camera. It’s my money, my opinion. This camera fills MY needs.
I think Sony are getting things together in investing in FF technology. I think we will see a shift in Sony’s strategy where APSC sensors support the non Pro market and FF the semi to full pro.
Si
If you invest in the A7 I would recommend you the 55 1.8 FE lens. This 50 2.8 will not give you any more bokeh and won’t be much cheaper. The 55 focal length is also more versatile than the 75mm FF equivalent, although this is a macro.
I have preorder the A7r. I would get the 50 1.8 for low light and the 50mm 2.8 macro (75mm eq.) for the 1:1 ratio.
@chelsaywood – just a quick question, is it true 1:1 macro?
@hexx she (or he) is talking about zeiss touit macro lens i believe.
f2.8 is too dark , sorry . Any way zeiss 50 f2 zf is great . I am waiting for 18-105 f4 , is anyone have photo sample ?
The Makro-Planar 2/50 has only a maximum magnification of 1:2, while the Touit 2.8/50 has a magnification of 1:1. I don’t know of any 1:1 macro lens with an aperture faster than 2.8 – and if there is, I bet it’s bigger, heavier and more expensive than the Touit.
Yeah, 1:1 on 50mm f2.8 on APS-C is fantastic! Anyone still in doubt that APS-C mirrorless e-mount cameras are here to stay?
Even for flowers, 60mm is the widest I’d consider for an apsc macro. My question is how well it’ll perform in mf mode (I’m not a big fan of focusing by wire at the best of times)
Tamron 60mm f2.0
The tamron 60mm f2.0 for a mount is extremely sharp, small, lightwieght and very inexpensive. Its an excellent lens.
Oh, didn’t think of that lens. Still, f/2.8 is fine for macro lenses, in most cases even if you use if for portraits too.
Sharp and good for normal pix also.
Note that if you do macro you need dof so try not to use it at f2.
I like to use a bescor led180 light handheld and stop down to between f 9 and 12.
I do this handheld, take 3 exposure bursts ant discard the firs and last exposure.
This allows handheld use at fairly long exposures and minimizes camera shake.
Do not worry about diffraction or cable release. They are less important than good dof and a secure grip on the camera.
This is a 50mm f2.8 MACRO lens. Yes it can be used for other things, but it’s not intended to be a fast low light lens… it’s meant to take close up photo’s with clarity.
Andrea, didn’t you get the mail I sent you a week ago with a link where Zeiss themselves told me the lens will be shown at Photo Plus Expo (26 october) and will be available for sale at Q1/2014? That’s far more reliable info than what you posted here.
what lens? Touit FF?
The Touit 2.8/50M (APS-C, of course).
Looks like the Touit family will be only APSC.
This sounds like a good lens.
Since it is for c the ff equivelent would be slightly over 75mm.
Although i preffer a little longer focal length to provide more working distance this is certainly a comfortable range to work with.
I currently have a 60mm f2 tamron macro also for c only.
This is one of my favorite macro lenses. Since i almost always use macro and long lenses this is a strong endorsement for the lens.
Admin
Is sony coming out with a 32 or 36mp c camera?
If so this lens would be a great match for it.
the Sony 50mm f/2.8 macro ( SAL-50M28 ) offers 1:1 and Fullframe and you can get it for 232 € at amazon.it at the moment, probably an price error, but give it a try
http://www.amazon.it/Sony-SAL50M28-AE-50Mm-F2-8/dp/B000GT11FI/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A11IL2PNWYJU7H&tag=msit-21
FL is way too short. Maybe OK for food or jewelry, but worthless for living creatures.
Depends on what you shoot. 50 mm on APS-C is fine for portraits, still life, studio work and most macro situations – pretty much everything but insects.
Fine for insects if you move smoothly so as not to vibrate the ground. Also do not at any time block the sun that will scare them.
Insects will often allow use of an led light.
Remember this is equivelent to 75mm on a ff.
I’m waiting for an affordable 24mm sigma :D! eheheh
+1. I’m also waiting for Sigma to open the floodgates and start manufacturing tons of full frame e mount glass.
Why is Sony going one way and their pet lens maker going a different way? Seems like they don’t talk, co-operate or produce business synergy.
Zeiss off on the APSc chase and Sony off on a 35mm mirrorless chase.
First, you didn’t seem to get the memo that APS-C NEX is living together with FF NEX, so more expensive, high quality lenses will come for APS-C E-Mount cameras in the future too.
Second: Sony’s ‘pet lens maker’? Seriously? If Zeiss isn’t a big name in the optical industry, I don’t know who is … (Don’t forget their Master Primes, Ultra Primes, microscopes, telescopes, …).
What are you talking about, there are 3 Zeiss FF lenses coming with the A7/r.
This lens was announced at photokina last year. Zeiss on their own is also going to release mirrorless FF lens.
I could have sworn Sony just released the A3000 and NEX 5T. Just because the NEX 7 wasn’t updated this time around the sky is falling in.
Ok JimD, it seems you are clueless about this lens. First, this was announced last year when Sony only offered the APS-C line of E-mount cameras (and just ONE E-mount Fullframe video camera). Second, Sony is going to develop both 35mm and APS-C cameras together, it’s not like they’re only focused on FF like you say. Third, the Zeiss lenses you see with the brand Touit are developed by Zeiss only, I doubt these lenses are ever intended to be marked as a cooperation between camera maker and lens maker. Just like Sigma or Tamron.
I’ve been waiting for this lens. But I’m not sure whether anyone has confirmed that it is 1:1, I hope so.
Everything is in place except an FE mount ultra wide, like Zeiss 18mm f3.5 or 21mm f2.8
Once Sony/Zeiss decides to release this, I will jump into Sony’s Mirrorless promise for good.
Canon will still have my telephoto business 🙂
A7 MkII with an even better, faster AF
Zeiss 18mm f3.5
Zeiss 55mm f1.8
Zeiss 24-70mm f4
That’s all I need
My mind & body
are ready
I’m waiting for sigma to drop some full frame e mount glass.
LOL at people wanting to buy a FF camera and put APSC lenses on it.. yawn..
You think versatility is funny? Odd.
I look forward to having the option of using small lenses for family outings and walking around to keep weight down at 16mp, then being able to swap to FF for paid work and large prints. I think it’s wonderful.
I am hoping that this lens is a telecentric design given the focal range and since it was designed for a crop sensor. Otherwise there may be corner/edge degradation since the light rays will most likely hit the pixels on the A7R where there is no offset microlenses.
$900 minimum.
Admin
Touit lenses are made for sensors over 30mp.
Does that mean Sony will be making a c sensor camera of over 30mp?
I’m no admin but most lens manufacturers will design their lens to go beyond the current megapixel camera offering. This is to prevent the need to update the lens often and in Zeiss situation where their lenses will not sell as fast as Nikon/Canon/Sony lenses, they would want their lens to last quite a long time to cover back their R&D and make a certain amount of profit from it before having to update the lens again.
As for 30+ APSC sensors, it’ll come. The only question is when and who will do it first.
SEL 50mm f1.8 OSS is an amazing lens at a bargain price. This one has the Zeiss name tag and Macro though but I’ll stick with the SEL 50. We already know that Zeiss E mount 1670 f4 OSS is a failure! Glad I canceled the order. Hope Zeiss FE 2470 OSS is a keeper for A7R.
Just watched the video, the lens is a 1:1 macro. Good news. Hope that it is small.
I’m afraid it will be heavily overpriced and won’t perform better than the cheap tamron 60mm macro.
Or the Tamron 90mm F2.8mm, a legand in Macro land.
Si
Another very good lens.
The older version that i have is excellent but despite the hidhly recessed front element the lens hood is very important as this lens is particlarly sudject to flare.
I have not used the newest vesion of this lens.
Both of these lenses are excell
90Mm is a more versatile focal length ant this lens is also suitable for ff
It would be nice to see a FF Zeiss macro but 90-100mm F2.8.
Si
Why is this only APS-C? It isn’t difficult to design a high quality compact 50mm f2.8 macro lens, which covers FF. There are already a lot about. So I’m not sure why they would build a lens like this with such a restricted image circle. What I mean by this, is that I would have thought that Zeiss would simply use a baffle to restrict the image circle, rather than building a lens from the ground up that only covers APS-C.
Also it seems a bit of a miss if Sony are dropping the NEX name. The A7 body isn’t that much more than the NEX-7 when it was introduced. In other words the A7 is going to be quite affordable to the type of photographer who bought the NEX-7.
In absolute terms, a lens designed for APS-C sensors will always be lighter, smaller and cheaper than a lens of the same quality that covers 35mm sensors. Zeiss already said they build the Touit line for absolute compactness while still offering a very high quality, and so far, the Touit lenses didn’t disappoint.
Or, differently said, why should they build this lens weighing 400g and costing €1200 when they can build it weighing 300g and costing €900?
By building a high quality lens for the format it will actually be used for quality can be better.
As an extreme example a microscope lense will resolve much smaller details than a camera lens even thogh it would make a terrible camera lens for landscapes.
Really? Another 50mm lens. Where’s a 100 or 180 Macro?
The pictures from Gustav @ Dyxum are amazing.
Very nice, indeed. I wonder how he managed to take sharp pictures without stabilization and EFCS, haha.
Does the A7R have eye tracking AF? And in that case, what is it?
The af system priorities eyes
Cool. 🙂
So, does the A7R have it?
Hi admin, not sure if you have linked this but these look very nice.
http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/my-first-result-with-a7r_topic102199_post1221899.html#1221899
Help…I’m deaf!!!!
Oh, it’s just there’s no sound on the video…
I was reading the A7/R manual and in the specs it mention a max ISO of 25600 and 51200. So which one is it?
Could be that ISO 25600 is regular max ISO, while ISO 51200 can be achieved with Multi Shot Noise Reduction.
.
Thanks
Just a small point really but tucked away at the back of the brochure linked to above, Sony plug the fact you can use the aps c e mount lenses but apparently OSS doesn’t work on some of the older lens designs (e.g. the old kit lens, the 55-210, one of the travel zooms).. including the more recent 16-50 power zoom though. Also, it notes that at higher iso, you may see extra noise…. yet its singled out the 1650 Power Zoom again suggesting its something specific to that lens – does it overheat or something? I totally accept that buying a a7r and routinely using the cheapest of the old e mount lenses is a little bit of a mismatch but still, its suggests some sort of compatibility issue with the original oss lenses – and if they upgraded the oss with the 50mm 1.8 onward, how did the 1650 slip through? And the original 18200 is fine? Do sony have to right a lens specific routine each time and just haven’t bothered with the cheaper lenses?
For those interested its in the tiny small print on page 18
Generally, this is reflected by the quality + price point. The E 50/1.8 OSS (for unknown reasons!) appears to have escaped this!
That is a very good question!
Just read a review of the a7r and they claim iso is usable up to 6400.
Apparently the lighy gained from the gapless microlnses make the a7r low light performance just as good as the a7.
So much for the “no no sony dont make higher resolution” sceptics.
Hopefully the high sales of this camera will encourage sony to make a higher res camera.
Probably in 2015 along with new technolgy sensor.
I have done the comparison between my D800 and the D4 at the same output size there is no difference.There are very real advantages to higher mp.You get more from every lens you put on it.At low ISO you gain from the extra detail/resolution at high ISO you have extra detail that can be sacrificed to NR to end up with the same noise of lower mp cameras.
the manual is no more online on wetransfer..
does anybody could post a new link ?