Image courtesy: Lensrentals
Roger Cicala from Lensrentals tested how sever the A7r light leak issue is and these are his findings:
- We tested several A7rs and several A7s and all were the same, so it’s simply a design issue, not a batch of defective cameras.
- The light leak occurs with the body cap in place, but is more severe with a 35 f/2.8 Sony lens mounted instead of the body cap.
- The leak is worst when the light is shined onto the lens-release button area. It is also bad when the light shines onto the lower left quadrant of the lens mount, and directly above the lens mount. Other areas either didn’t leak or showed only a thin line that was far less pronounced than these areas.
- Wrapping something around the lens mount stopped the left side leaks, but not the leaks around the lens-release button.
Roger fixed it by putting some rubbed material around the mount and lens release button. This helped to get rid of the problem. And he also wrote this:
And for you Fanboys who just can’t wait to Sony bash over this odd little issue, let he whose camera is without light leak cast the first stone. Because, so far the same problem has been found with Canon, Nikon, and Fuji cameras. I assume a similar solution will work just fine for those, too.
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I have tried body cap, FE35, FE55 and FE24-70 on my a7R and could not detect any light leak issue. I had ISO set to Hi2 and used a very powerful LED flash light. LensRental may need to increase your sample size.
Hi. I just want to ask you how is the FE 24-70 F4. People over the internet are complaining about the softness in the corners at the 24mm end (still soft at f8 and f11). I might buy the A7+this lens next week so I really appreciate your opinion. 10x
Who would have thought the image that started this all was usable.
https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/rawhead/11442418626/in/photostream/
If its only about getting a usable image, I’m sure he could have just used an iphone…
Except that shot was taken AFTER I’d located where the problem was, and I shielded the left side of the lens/mount area with my gloves (which I had to take off in -10˚C weather), and manually hold it in place for the 3+ minute shot.
I disagree with their conclusion. I have tested my A7 extensively with several lenses, shining 2 bright LED torches all around the mount and could not reproduce any lightleak. Obviously I used high iso, long exposure etc.
People just take some pics with the darn thing – stop the hysteria
What I seem to fail to understand is what real life relevance for the very very most of us tests like “use max ISO, 30 seconds of exposure and shine bright light onto the lens mount” have. I tried that for the Lolz, and in fact I could see some light leaking in around the mount. Then I tried a plethora of real world exposures, even stuff I would never do (like 2 sec exposure with 6400 ISO in the bright sun) and I could not see any light leaking in on both my a7 and a7r.
So while I recognize that there actually IS a leak, I don’t see the relevance for most of us. Leaks like that have always been around with pretty much any camera manufacturer, and while it’s annoying to have it, I don’t think it will affect our photography.
So all tone it down, maybe Sony does some kind of callback for service, I don’t know, but in the meantime just enjoy your cameras and take pictures with them 😉
Ever heard of ND filter? And Google is your friend, use it to look up for the real images that affected by light leak.
I’m still trying to figure out what this “light leaks” mean for real-world use. Obviously far more light will “leak” through the front element of the lens?
The same here, what is the EV value of the leak?
light leak crap buy a fuji and you’ll live happy
you mean this Fuji?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqmpLPinIXQ
How are you living now? Happy?
im happy with my real fuji xe2 not that crappy sonuy copycat
Oh what a loser, cant admit when was owned…
If the X-T1 is a copycat then Fuji is even more incompetent since Sony does not suffer from that issue.
Shut up man, you have no arguments whatsoever…
TOTALLY owned! Butt he’s HAPPY 🙂
really? xt1 was a copy, im not for fuji but for the superiority of xe xpro RF models, is a no game, and sure for the xtrans… hope you all enjoy your blubby nex7 sensor with crappy iso 500 noise ahahah
When will you learn
http://admiringlight.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/a7xe2_iso.jpg
i said nex7 you blind
owned by a playstation user? mmmmmm
Fuji only leaks light WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR! It is not supposed to be used this way, the door is there for a reason – close it!
What do you propose to close on A7/A7r to prevent leak through lens release button? (which was supposed to be sealed, you know, with air-tight rubber seals which are, you know, also opaque – so much for Sony’s fraudulent claims).
Oh its not supposed to be used this way?
How do you suppose that you plug in say, a REMOTE SHUTTER RELEASE without opening that door? Thats where the plug is, you know what those things are for right? those 30+ second exposures. Like lets say in full daylight or dark of night. I wonder if there would be any light leaking into an exposure like that…
Also there are reports of light leaking into the body via the AF assist lamp.
I could go on but I think I’m done now.
Oh heres the Fuji fix.
http://res.cloudinary.com/reviewed-com/image/fetch/c_limit,f_auto,g_center,w_559/https://reviewed-production.s3.amazonaws.com/attachment/48587763ed3649fc/FUJI-LIGHT-LEAK-SOLVED-TAPE.jpg
Tape.
You can release shutter wirelessly, from your smartphone! Who the hell still buys special releases for specific cameras which have WiFi control?
HA!!! BUUUUUUUUUURN!!!!!!
Previously it was a batch mishap and now it is a design flaw?!
I will not tell my A7R about either claims lest it start leaking…
Roger Cicala is saying that several highly acclaimed cameras have similar issues.
Makes me wonder – what happened to Quality Control? Don’t giant camera manufacturers check their cameras to make sure they are light tight anymore?
I think QC has not deteriorated. I actually believe that we’ve had these same light leak issues in film cameras as well, but we were never able to detect them, or at least noone tried at the time.
there are tolerances that are acceptable….as in this case
http://www.minipixels.net | Automotive Photography + Design
“The light leak occurs with the body cap in place, but is more severe with a 35 f/2.8 Sony lens mounted instead of the body cap.”
– Another myth debunked (the one where people insisted that issue occurs only with body cap or dodgy 3rd party adapters)
I think the thing to read from this is that some people just love to complain. It seems like this is not just a brand issue so the people that do these Daylight, Hi ISO, ND filtered long exposure would run into problem with almost any camera. And for that 0.01% of these people that do these type of photography for the 0.01% of the time with their camera, they can just put electric tape over the mount. If they do it more often than not? heck just leave the electrical tape there.
I’ve done this type of photography before with low ISO and longer than 30 seconds to filter out people. Just curious how would 5 minutes at iso100 go with this light leak issue.
Got probs with you $2500. camera? Here’s a big boo-hoo for you. Mine is fine. That’s the main thing.
I tired of you problems. Be happy. Put lectric tape on it. Shut up and take pictures. I’m fine.
Valid point. I could only get mine to show up at 8 sec ISO 1600 with a high beam flashlight pointed right at the lower area of the mount with zeiss 55/1,8. Interestingly, I could not reproduce the same result with a Photodiox e to m645 adapter.
All the “testers” will go quiet after someone reputable highlights this pretty much as a non issue, they were so vocal about it too, calling me a Sony fanboy etc etc, they were pathetic. Take some real photos, idiots.
Except that Sony has acknowledged the problem and is offering a fix. Perhaps you should be the one to go quiet and simply not worry about what others demand from their $2,000 purchases.
good. I also don’t think too many reputable users whine on the internet, they’re likely too busy making art with their cameras. I also think the ones who whine the loudest have never posted a single photo of theirs other than test charts on the internet.
There are plenty of beautiful examples taken with these cameras (you can do a camera search on 500px). We would be happy to check out your work online as well, links?
For some photographers who take long exposures this can be a real and detrimental issue. I was very close to purchasing an a7r specifically for long exposures using adapted Canon tilt-shift lenses for architecture & interior work.
I decided against it though I may rent one to test. I will not risk having shots ruined (or having to spend hours per image on a post fix that is less than ideal) for shoots that my clients are paying good money for (and have only one opportunity for me to photograph).
Admin, in the future you may want to refrain from mocking YOUR CUSTOMERS who dare complain about their $,2,000 camera from your dear benefactor. Some of which may have been purchased by clicking links on your site. The links you so often remind people to click to put money in your pocket. Professionalism.
Who did he mock and how/when? Links?
Every new camera has its glitches, just like every car or another new consumer product. In my opinion this is a non issue but it doesn’t mean that Sony has to leave it that way. The real big problem is the light reflections on the sensor when you’re shooting night photography…there are infinite more night photographers out there (I love the genre) than those using ND filters for very long exposure (minutes or hours). We have to wait and see what the 19th March firmware will bring to the table and I’m itching to see a review (photozone, ephotozine, imaging-resource etc) of the Zeiss 24-70 f4 OSS because the amateurish reviews out there seems to point out that it’s not a good lens.
Roll up, roll up, to all those who wish to take long exposure pictures with no light leaks I have the perfect solution!
For the fantastic bargain price of $99 (or £99 for those in rip-off Britain) I will supply you with a custome made masking device. Contructed of finest technologically developed woven fibres, 1 metre square it will cover all your equipment. Comes in specially chosen black…
Roll up, roll up…
I love that the penis (see Peter above) that denied religiously the light leek, is still in denial himself and quick to mock an issue that directly impacts the purpose of photograph, which is the perfection of light capture. What an ass!
First, I have not denied there is a light leak. Indeed, I think it very likely most cameras have them and have had since the dawn of a bayonet mount. The fact is it has absolutely no bearing in 99.99999999999999999999% of cases.
Second, if you think ANY photograph is the perfect capture of light you have no idea of what is actually going on.
Third, as to my being an ass, I earn my entire living from photography, being a full time professional of many years standing. Please do inform us of your qualifications.
Finally, even though I consistently refer to a leak, I think you’ll find a leek is a vegetable, which seems very appropriate in your case.
Erm, the finish on that cam looks pretty dodgy. Sure, it looks worse when it’s all dirty and greasy like that… but it really looks like it was finished by a 3rd grader with a gunky spray paint.
It’s fine in person, it looks like the flash simply caught it in an unflattering direction.
I own four Sony cameras, including an A7, and I love them all. But just because some Nikon, Canon and Fuji cameras also have light leaks it doesn’t excuse Sony’s problem with it. It’s inexcusable for any interchangeable lens camera to have light leaks. It’s not only bad design, it’s bad product testing and quality control.
No product is perfect, no matter how rigorous the testing. As what they say – Perfection is reserved for the Gods. I agree that Sony must take a responsibility, what I don’t agree is your suggestion that the product is not perfect because it was badly tested.
Who said anything about “perfect”? Sealing a camera against light leaks is so basic to a camera’s operation that no photographer should have to give it any thought. “Perfect” has nothing to do with it. Interchangeable single lens cameras have been around for more than 80 years. Preventing light leaks is no big secret. There’s absolutely no excuse for Sony or anyone else to sell a camera that lets unwanted light into the camera body.
There never has been ISO 25600 film back in the days. Also, few people did 120min (or more with low ISO film) exposures in daylight. And they don’t do today. Most probably those leaks have been there all the time.
I still agree that it should be fixed though.
If even light can get in through the holes, dust and moisture can get in for sure. So much for their “weather-sealing”.
Notably absent from the list are Pentax and Olympus WR camera-lens combos.
Well allow me to cast that stone then, since my GH3 is without any light leak issues. It seems full-frame mirrorless mania is not without a few obstacles… my sympathies to the A7 owners 🙁
According to law[citation needed], an owner of a smaller sensor camera cannot participate in any stoning of a larger sensor camera.
It could be that some of the sony lenses flange is made with use of the chromium or so protection. This protection is shining bright in the sun, but from the other hand – it is also not helping to suppress the leaks of light.
This seem to be a strange engineer decision, or. As making the flange with cover of the black color would possibly better work for the light leaks suppression.
seriously, i am a Sony A7 (with 35/2.8) owner. I like the way Sony is handling and acknowledging the issue. In reality, this is such a rare issue or extreme edge case that is not really applicable unless you do very long exposures in direct sunlight. If in the rare circumstance you do this type of shooting, then places an rubber band or hair band around the mount and lens.
Isn’t the A6000 design and build similar to the A7/R? If so, there could be the same issue with that camera when it comes out.