Hello from new (old) guy in sunny Stoke-on-Trent

[smilo]

Thought I would join up and see what I can learn from you guys. I doubt there is much I can contribute but you never know! Most of my earlier photos are from previous travels taken with an assortment of compact cameras. I then bought a Zenith with a telephoto lens for motorcycle shots in 14 visits to the Isle of Man TT races. Then a few of the TZ series Panasonics before I started to get serious and graduated to a Sony NEX, bought in Australia (which eventually died with a very unhelpful 'software error'). In Australia I had been exposed to bird and wildlife photography and once home (I almost jumped ship at that point but decided to stick with Sony) I bought an A6000 with a PZ and 55-210 lenses. A few years on and I bought a Sony 100-400GM lens for greater zoom and better optics, then after a few years graduated to my present A7RC. I loved the A6000 (even with the big lens) but I'm not yet getting the same feeling for the A7RC. It's excellent with a small lens for landscapes and portraits but for wildlife, I have a few issues. Hence joining up here to see what I can learn!
I take photos mainly for me and print/frame the best. I love photos and I have scanned thousands from before digital, as a family or travel record but obviously I have become more interested in the actual photo quality since the change to digital. My family and friends sometimes get to see the best ones with birthday cards, photobooks, prints or calendars! I don't do any social media!

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

Welcome. What made you go with the A7C-R over the A6700? You outgrew the APSC lens offerings? Or just wanted more megapixels to work with?

 

[iamdlewis]

I bought an A6000 with a PZ and 55-210 lenses. A few years on and I bought a Sony 100-400GM lens for greater zoom and better optics, then after a few years graduated to my present A7RC. I loved the A6000 (even with the big lens) but I'm not yet getting the same feeling for the A7RC. It's excellent with a small lens for landscapes and portraits but for wildlife, I have a few issues.

Though a few of my favorite photos are from my A6000 + 55-210 days I can say that I don't miss it. It was a great place to start.

So the A7Rs are not really designed for wildlife, especially with silent shooting, as the sensor is not very fast but that doesn't mean it can't be done. First thing I would suggest is that for all wildlife use the mechanical shutter. Second is that for fast action stuff, think birds in flight, that you use one of the AF areas that is either center or use the APS-C mode with wide. Doing either of these will help with reducing the work the AF has to do and will improve the tracking. The 100-400GM will have no issues keeping up.