A7s at [shopcountry 35949]
Vice News shot a series about Boko Haram and used the Sony A7s to record in complete dark scenes. You can see the full video on Youtube (Click here). That kind of reportage would be almost impossible to make without the A7s.
“The video from the “Carnival of Venice 2015” is now public. It was recorded with Sony A7S, Atomos Shogun, Zeiss FE 16-35/4 OSS and Zeiss FE 1.8/55. The wideangle clips shot from tripod show the real potential of this combination. Unfortunately, the handheld portrait shots moving around the masks show the loss of quality due to the lack of stabilization of the A7S and the FE 1.8/55 even after digital stabilization (warp) in post processing. Scenes like that require a glidecam, brushless gimbal and additional OSS for professional demands. Irrespective of these little technical imperfections, this video shows the art and beauty of the masks and the scenery in Venice Carnival. Beside that, the article shows some zoomable images taken out as single frames from the video showing the quality of the 4K recording (still in process..).
YouTube (4K/2160p): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1sTOu1e6wk
Vimeo (Download of the original 4K file for Vimeo members): https://vimeo.com/124041563“
Sony A7s Supercut Review by Stronzvanderploeg:
Overall the Sony A7s an incredibly specced camera especially considering the relatively low price point. If you need low-light or mirrorless full frame, it’s definitely the camera for you but just know, you’ll have to deal with a lot of workarounds and you’ll have to learn and adjust to some of the backwards design decisions.
Mark:
I’m a long time reader of Sony Alpha Rumors (I’ve been using Sony since the A900), and would like to pass on my recent experiments with combining the A7s with a Microsoft Kinect for a mixture of 2D video and 3D animation. I put together a blog article and some example videos showing how to combine the two devices using DepthKit software, and thought it might be interesting for your readers:
DepthKit with Microsoft Kinect + Sony A7s
http://idezo.ch/depthkit-with-microsoft-kinect-sony-a7s/
DepthKit – NASA Space Sounds Experiment
https://vimeo.com/124230332
idezo Labs: DepthKit with Microsoft Kinect + Sony A7s
https://vimeo.com/124167201
Kay Burn:
“My name is Kay Burn and I shoot photos and video underwater (and aerial work too).
I recently housed my A7s with a Metabones adapter and the Canon 100mm f2.8 IS L in a Nauticam housing and used a prototype port and focus gear to shoot some macro video in the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia. I thought you might be interested to see how it performs;
https://vimeo.com/124127993
More details are available on the vimeo page itself.“
Sony A7s store links:
Sony A7s in USA/CA at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Sony USA, Sony Canada.
Sony A7s in Eu at Sony DE, UK, ES, FR, IT, NL, BE, AT, CH, SE, NO, FI, PL. And Wex UK.
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52 Responses
That is some really impressive video in the dark.
What can A7s mk2 do? CAN’T WAIT! 😀
the lens marked out, is a F2.8 a-mount verion.
The A7S is a gamechanger. While the amateurs/antagonists have been chewing on about 30min limit, price, battery life, AF performance, external 4K recording, the people in the business have embraced the camera in a whole different way. No, it is not flawless, but then what is?
http://www.cinema5d.com/properly-set-sony-a7s-video/
http://www.eoshd.com/2015/03/dp-review-gold-for-sony-a7s-read-my-filmmakers-perspective-on-page-8/
the D4S can do the same right? So it is not impossible to do without a7S. And since he is using a F2.8 A-mount zoom it could be done with the Nikon F2.8 zoom lenses too.
Check out the reviews: the D4S is outperformed in terms of clarity. As some of the footage was right there at the edge of usability, (where they drink beer) the D4S would be quite noticeably worse. Mostly unusable.
Good point
That said, if they use something like a f0.95 lens, they could get better shots, but focusing it in such darkness is a nightmare.
well the slt mirror would rob some light, so that might close the gap abit
but yeah a a mount 12mp s sensored camera could do alot of great things and be a sports camera too
but no, sony doesnt seem to want that
+1
A99IIs with A77II type FF module would do wonders as a sports camera and would be decent in low light. Only if Sony implemented the flip-up mirror functionality, that would make it equivalent to A7s in low light, whenever needed.
The D4s cost 6500 dollar. A7s is 2500 dollars.
The D4s NEEDS to be better, but it’s worse.
“Do the same” isn’t good enough criteria when you cost 4000 dollars more. You need to be better.
Well… It does better all around with a rugged design body. 12fps, Amazing AF-module, 16Mpx vs. 12Mpx. It’s just in the video department where it lags slightly behind. The only thing the a7S has over the D4S is the video.
And it’s why the A7s was created, only for video and low-light 🙂 (not for the AF, rugged body, nor fps…)
A7s is not only superior at video, it’s also superior at stills as well. If you want something with better low light performance, it simply doesn’t exist even if you were willing to pay 6500 dollars.
All round doesn’t cut it, since there are other cameras with better Autofocus like the NX1.
I really doubt the NX1 is capable of tracking in any light conditions compared to D4S…maybe there is a reason I have seen more D4S than any Samsung camera at football games even if the D4S is more expensive than any A7S or NX1.
But still, the A7S is only superior at video. D4S has slightly higher noise but you have 16Mpx compared to 12Mpx. In any case, writing that the D4S isn’t better than the a7S…that’s a little leg pulling right there. If you’re comparing fullprice, then look at the full specs.
Saying the D4s is better or equal is actually more of a leg pulling. In low light, you will never get better results than the A7s be it video or stills. 33% higher resolution won’t help if the image quality is worse.
Also, the NX1 has over 4 times the amount of focus points than the D4s. So no, the D4s will never be better at autofocus. It’s just a very, very expensive all rounder that is beat by other cameras that are cheaper than it.
ps. the D4s is only 11 fps, not 12 like you said initially. Meanwhile the NX1 is 15 fps.
What I’m trying to say is. The a7S performs great in video (that’s the main reason it was created) but it is not the only camera capable of low light shooting. That’s why I mentioned the D4S, the only other camera capable of doing what the a7S can do at 1080p.
Then you went on saying the D4S should perform better given it’s 4000USD more expensive than the a7S, but those 4000USD gives you better performance in other areas that the a7S can’t compete. And now you’re putting the D4S (a fullframe) against a NX1 which benefits from having an APS-C sensor which is ridiculous (you should know it is more difficult to design a fast fps shutter mechanism for FF compared to APS-C, and you can achieve faster fps in a smaller sensor since the shutter doesn’t have to travel as much as a bigger sensor and the construction tolerances are bigger on smaller sensor)
Sure, go ahead and keep comparing partial aspects of several cameras when comparing full price.
You asked if this 6500 dollar D4s can “do the same”. And the answer is simply no. It can’t achieve the same as the A7s. The D4s is not capable of doing what the A7s can do at low light. Neither for video nor for stills.
That’s because you can buy several cameras for that price, several cameras that each are superior in the different niches.
If you want to compete with the A7s at its niche and you cost 4000 dollars more, then you damn well better be better than the A7s.
If not, then you can’t compete against it in its niche. It’s simple as that.
That’s why I said the D4S is a best all-rounder. Why have several cameras (for several mounts which translates into several lenses and accesories) when you can have one of the most balanced cameras in a single package. The a7S and D4S are both capable of ISO409600, but the d4s has more fps, better AF and more MPx than A7S, rugged body design and the mirror/shutter mechanism can set you those 4000USD. About the NX1, tracking is up for debate with long telephoto (and the lens selection is too limited) but comparing 15fps from a APS-C and 11fps from a FF is apple to oranges. If you know about shutter mechanism, you should know that just jumping from APS-C and FF there is a huge difference. That also explains why the a6000/a77 are capable of 11/12fps respectively while the a7m2/a99 are only capable of 5/6fps respectively.
If you want to defend Sony, is all right. I use Sony too. But just wanted to let people know that there are other cameras that can do the same as a7S. Yes, more expensive with some differences, but it is not the only camera capable of similar results.
Actually if you get A7s, A7r, A6000, you get better low light, better resolution and better autofocus. And the lens mount is the same. And you pay 1600 dollars less. That should be eye opener to how overpriced the D4s is.
This is just a dishonest attempt at presenting them as low light equals when they are not. The D4s is not and will never be as good as the A7s at low light.
Being dishonest isn’t helping you though.
Right…better autofocus but no FF with better autofocus. If you presented a FF with the same AF performance as D4S I would give you the reason, but nope. Now you threw the a7R into the mix…
Woah, dishonest? Whatever you say. I didn’t knew both cameras achieving ISO409600 doesn’t make them as capable of getting the same shot under the same ligthing conditions. Sure, if you say the a7S is cleaner, go ahead, but both cameras can get the same shot to they’re equals. If you want the same level field scenario, then reduce the image from the D4S to match the a7S.
But calling me dishonest? Woah. I’m done.
That’s true but you also pay 1600 dollars less. And you get better low light images, and you get better high resolution images.
Saving money while getting better images overall isn’t too bad a deal.
One more eye opener: those three camera bodies combined weigh less than the D4s.
It doesn’t make them equal at all. The D4s gets significant worse noisy images at the same ISO settings. And it’s just hard to believe that you didn’t know this.
D4s AF is inferior to A6000? You are obviously dreaming. Especially in low light and for approaching subjects mirrorless are still clearly behind. The new sensor in the A7s has an advantage in DR at high ISO, S/N ratio is not much different (look at DXO measurements). Being capable of high ISO doesn’t help if the images are still unusable. Other than for tiny web-sized images ISO409600 is useless. rzero21 isn’t dishonest. The D4s has ISO 409600, too (boosted), it is just not useful. If you look at images at higher ISO, they don’t look too different: www_dpreview_com/forums/thread/3687264#forum-post-53879995
Completely agree! Having an A7s and say a 7DII / D7200 / A77, would absolutely be better than having just a D4s.
If that is too many type of lens for you, you can just use A7s/A7r/A6000 combination. They can cover almost every niche you might want to use, and they can use each others lenses.
I’m absolutely serious when I say you can spend less money and get better results with those three bodies compared to the D4s.
I’m sorry to break it to you, but number of focus points and FPS doesn’t tell us anything.
AF Tracking and Low-Light AF have always been a DSLR’s very strong point. Mirrorless strong points are Versatility and Extreme AF Precision due to on-sensor AF.
So while NX1 can do 15 FPS, you will not see it, or any other mirrorless camera at a game just yet, because AF tracking is sub-par in every MILC, in comparison to DSLR counterparts. However when it comes to portraits or landscape, you have a very high probability of achieving better results using mirrorless.
Year by year, mirrorless AF tracking improves, but it is still not there just yet. Maybe in 2-3 years we will see sufficient advances, that will render all DSLR advantages a non-issue. After all, A6000 AF performance did take us all by a big surprise
What a nonsense. Totally different cameras for different target groups.
In portability+performance A7S wins all the way against any camera you choose
Portability? Yes.
No, the D4S is poor for video, the A7S, when switched to SLOG mode visibly cuts the viewfinder/video noise in half when shooting north of 32,000 ISO. Try it!
Haven’t tried video on 32000 but have tried SLOG on 12800. Thought it was ISO1600!
The A7S was always going to be a great reportage camera as it’s so light and gives usable images in very poor conditions. All that stuff about 4K and external recorders is really not important when the aim is to get usable news footage.
If I was a reporter, I’d like to have an additional feature where the camera can simultaneous upload my pictures and videos to the internet though.
Maybe through smartphone or something.
I’ve seen some documentaries where some hostiles approach the journalist to seize the camera to delete the contents. Automatic uploading to the internet would solve this issue.
or to shoot the reporter before they record to prevent uploading. 🙁
Good piece, excellent journalism.
Everybody is so excited for this ‘pro’ high megapixel A camera. I honestly hope they make a ‘pro’ body with a A7s style sensor and improved AF and battery life. Leave the high MP for the A7r series in my opinion. If you need super rugged and speed my guess is better low light and reasonably resolution would be more important than a camera that needs to be on a tripod to maximize results. This is why few view cameras ever needed to be as bullet proof as an F5. Same with medium format cameras too. Some were pretty tough, but even a Hasselblad 500c/m couldn’t go everywhere an F5 could. 16mp, killer AF, and build and you’d have a lot of wedding shooters going FE mount. Me included.
The lens choice of the 24-70 2.8 Zeiss with an LA-EA4 adapter is a testament to the idea that people will buy a big 2.8 FE zoom. If you need a 2.8 zoom, you’ll buy a 2.8 zoom, when if it’s not. I hope Sony/Zeiss are working on those.
Then why make an E-mount F2.8 lens? Just keep using A-mount lenses. Anyways SSM and mechanical coupling is better than focus-by-wire.
Well, by that logic, why make any FE lenses? The adapter is bulky, adds another point of failure, isn’t weather sealed, and there are more people that would use a native 2.8 than would use an A mount with adapter. But I know what you’re saying, and I think that’s Sony’s mindset for now. My point was moreso that a series of native 2.8 FE zooms will get a lot of professional use.
Why make any FE lenses? To stay true to the E-mount philosophy and have a small body, small lens. Sadly, the only lenses that follows that, are the SEL35F28, SEL55F18 and SEL28F28. The SEL1635Z is quite close to DSLR territory and the SEL70200G is bigger and heavier than SLR lenses. Sony must keep developing lenses that are balanced on FE cameras and leave anything bigger to A-mount.
Who says E-mount philosophy has to remain small?
I happily use both the small and light A7/FE35 combo and also the larger and heavier A7II/FE70-200 combo in other situations.
I’d like Sony to develop both small and large bodies and lenses where appropriate. E-mount is about flexibility – that is the philosophy that should be applied IMO.
No. The beauty of FE is that when you go on a hike, you can take the 125 gram 35/2.8, and when you have to shoot an event at night, you can take the 35/1.4. And then when you go travel you can take a set of tiny Loxias. It is about flexibility, not only size.
f/2.8 FE zooms will come, f/4 got priority for obvious reasons.
,,the dark,, is a wide definition. The video above shows the performance in approx 0,05 lux. (half moon)
Here is a video from the performance in darkness approx 0,001 lux- 0,0003 lux:(night, clouds, no stars)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_XjGJes34M
why purple on the left?
i wonder about this too, it appeared on the Vice video aswell
I replay this question to Faramir. You can read my answer above.
This is the glow from the amp. The a7s has not a noise reduction in video mode.The problem- the user must reducing the noise. But the red glow can no one better eliminate as Sony can do. I hope in the a7sII isn’t this glow.
The glow one can see from ISO 40000 in situations with approx 0,03- 0.01 lux.. I read- the pictures from sony a7s has not this problem. Because the picture mode has a noise reduction and this eliminates the glow, too.
Here is a a7s video in ISO 816000 and (no joke- over one Million ISO) ISO 1608000
(I hope the a7s2 can use the ISO 819200)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZuxo2ZFz_g&feature=youtu.be&t=13m10s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxSPP6WQsTY
It will be great, if sony put a excellent low light sensor in a-mount as well
The excellent low light ability of the sensor can compensate the light lost due to the translucent mirror.
..
Just hope one day the high ISO is so great that we can use F5.6 lens for indoor sport 😛
and people fret about dust on their sensor’s…
FS7 as main cam and an A7S with a sweet little Loxia as B-cam. Nice to see progressive videojournalists use progressive gear. 🙂
Unfortunately, I can’t watch this due to my aversion to bushy-bearded, greasy-haired hipster dbags. Then again, it is Vice, so I should be used to it by now.