New Camera

[Ken Rennie]

Having waited until Canon released their new high megapixel camera I have bought a new camera. Not the Canon which is very expensive here but a Sony A7R4. I really only take landscapes and never take video so 20 frames per second and 8k video mean nothing even 8 stops of shake reduction wouldn't stop me using a tripod just in case that 1/3rd of a second waterfall shot wasn't critically sharp. In the end the deciding factor was the Canon 100-500 RF lens which may be brilliant but it is far too heavy for me to carry all day whereas the Sony 100-400 or Sigma 100-400 are fairly light and far less expensive. So far so good with the Sony, it is lighter than my Nikon D810, has 2 SD card slots and not the frighteningly expensive new cards used by both Canon and Nikon. Went for a walk yesterday to try the camera out, the light was harsh but it gave me a chance to find clipping points. This is Blea Tarn in Cumbria, I walked up Side Pike, the little hill on the right of this image, to see how the heather was progressing.

Some work needed as I am underexposing by 2/3rd of a stop but the files are good and the 16-35GM lens and 24-105 lenses are both sharp. Ken

 

[Jim Dockery]

I'm sure you will appreciate that fine camera. I switched from Canon to Sony many years ago with the NEX-7, which beat out my Canon APS-C camera at half the weight. I've been shooting the A7rII since it came out and am still very happy with it, although I envy you the better battery. The advances they finally made with the new A7sIII, esp. the menu system, have me psyched for the eventual A7rV. The 24-105 and 100-400 + 1.4 are my workhorses.

 

[TimMc]

The results of your first day should convince you that the decision was great, as are the pictures. I really like your logic of letting the available lenses choose the camera . Now the only remaining job is to wear out the camera using it One more thought-boy would it be nice to have terrain like that to fly a drone.

 

[JimFox]

It looks like you made a great decision Ken! These first photos look awesome!

It’s usually not easy to make the decision to switch camera brands, but it looks like all of your decisions in this process were well thought out.

Congrats!

 

[AlanLichty]

Nice images to start out your new path. I really like that second one with the foreground blooms.

 

[Amy Nelson]

Thanks so much for sharing your story, I've been looking at this camera for sometime now and you're experience has convinced me that it's the right direction to go. (mind you this isn't going to happen right away, but at least now I know the path to travel down). These are marvelous images, but then again all your images are marvelous. I'm glad you're enjoying your new purchase.

 

[Ken Rennie]

Thanks for the comments. I seriously considered the Nikon Z7 and spent an hour in a camera shop trying it (pre Covid) it felt great, no surprise as most things are in the same place as my D810. However poorer battery life, the lack of a long lens and the reliance on large amounts of digital correction to make the lenses perform ruled it out. In the end I am sure that all of the modern cameras produce stunning results and it is just learning how to get the most out of them. Another image from the top of the little hill ( Side Pike approx 1,000ft). Ken

 

[Ken Rennie]

The results of your first day should convince you that the decision was great, as are the pictures. I really like your logic of letting the available lenses choose the camera . Now the only remaining job is to wear out the camera using it One more thought-boy would it be nice to have terrain like that to fly a drone.

Little or no restriction to flying drones here unless you want to use the images for commercial purposes. Ken

 

[Joe Colozzo]

Beautiful Images.

 

[Ken Rennie]

Last one for a while, this is the usual "postcard" shot from here. Ken

 

[Dean]

Ken.. these all look really nice. Congrats on the new camera and enjoy. looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful images from that corner of the world.

 

[Beth]

congrats on the new camera! the pictures look great.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Sounds like just what I want from Canon. I want to use my lenses and keep my experience. But this is pretty much what I would love for Canon to make.

 

[ckcarr]

Great shots. New cameras are fun! All are so good now, brand is becoming irrelevant, and probably always was.

Regarding the Nikon battery life though, The Z7 and (I am sure) Z6 battery life is just about equivalent to my D850. It was tested incorrectly, plus people were leaving the Bluetooth on. The other thing is, I have four Nikon batteries (EN-EL15, and they all work between the D850 and Z7 cameras. I always bring all along anyway, and shooting landscapes, I have never had a battery getting even remotely close to running out (unless its below freezing). But I charge all to full before ever going out. And actually now I have a couple 110 volt plugs in my Jeep so I just bring the charger along. Nikon did make a big mistake with not having the lens road map ready for the "Z" cameras when the bodies came out, and also they should have just given away the FTZ adapter along with the camera, not charge $249 retail for it. It turned off a lot of people. I was actually considering buying a Nikon Z50 to set up and use for video, and maybe wildlife. What stopped me there was a different battery (plus it is DX). I have read off and on that the Z50 is as good or better than the D500 for that task.

The Nikon D810 is still one of my favorite Nikons though, although people think the D850 is the best. 36mp was more than enough, and it worked with Photoshop CS6, so I wasn't locked into the subscription plan like now with the Z7 and D850.

 

[Alisa]

Very beautiful!

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Nice images Ken. As for camera, choices. I find my 5DsR is getting a bit dated esp with night work. Have been eyeing the R5. I’ll be waiting a while before making a decision. Perhaps renting a couple different systems might help nail the decision.