Looking For second sony camera pick of choices / A1,A7r4,A7c,a9

Paul stuart

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Sold all my m43 gear well last of it going soon painful but it was just collecting dust for the most part ,i already own the a7r3 but i am tempted towards the A1 but ouch the cost leaves little for lens development , we have a a74 on the radar also ,the a7r4 offers best value does nearly everything well but do i need another r series camera ,the A9s are great and bring that fun factor in silent shooting excellent af and zero blackout ,kind of feel what is the point of mirrorless if you have to use mechanical shutter all the time .the a7c is just very compact and offers good compromises ,the best af of the non stacked sensors excellent dynamic and iso performance ,but i can not see me going back to lower mp count cameras.
 
First up, the most controversial thing I'm going to say: the A7 IV is probably not for you. It's the inexpensive entry point to the full frame Sonys, and it sounds like you are beyond that and into the more specialised full frame Sonys. That doesn't mean you are forbidden to get an A7 IV, but it probably won't offer you anything you don't have.

I have owned most of the other cameras you are considering.

The A7R IV offers you more detail than the A7R III. It has a better EVF, too, helping you focus on that detail. If you are cropping your images, the A7R IV will give you more scope to crop.

The A9 series offers you more speed than the A7R III. It's fast to focus, and capable of zero-blackout burst shooting. The catch is that it doesn't have the resolution of the A7R series, so it's a different frame of mind - you have to try to frame the image well. That can mean using different lenses.

That was where I was at in January - I had the A7R III, A7R IV, and A9 III. Then Sony announced the A1.

The A1 offers you a bit more resolution than the A7R III, but its key difference is combining more speed than the A9 with the resolution of the A7R series. You can catch the action like the A9 and crop the image like an A7R. Oh, I think it may shoot video, too, but I haven't tried. All of that with the best EVF you've ever seen.

I have a radical suggestion for you, though. If you don't need to buy a second camera right now, wait a bit. Buy a couple of lenses (I recommend getting some GM primes, like the 135 GM, the 50 GM, and maybe the 24 GM or the 20 G). Use the A7R III, and look at your results. Do you need a smaller body and lighter weight (maybe the A7C and the new primes)? Do you feel like you want more speed? Do you feel like you want more croppability? Look for what's missing and let it guide you to what to get next.
 
First up, the most controversial thing I'm going to say: the A7 IV is probably not for you. It's the inexpensive entry point to the full frame Sonys, and it sounds like you are beyond that and into the more specialised full frame Sonys. That doesn't mean you are forbidden to get an A7 IV, but it probably won't offer you anything you don't have.

I have owned most of the other cameras you are considering.

The A7R IV offers you more detail than the A7R III. It has a better EVF, too, helping you focus on that detail. If you are cropping your images, the A7R IV will give you more scope to crop.

The A9 series offers you more speed than the A7R III. It's fast to focus, and capable of zero-blackout burst shooting. The catch is that it doesn't have the resolution of the A7R series, so it's a different frame of mind - you have to try to frame the image well. That can mean using different lenses.

That was where I was at in January - I had the A7R III, A7R IV, and A9 III. Then Sony announced the A1.

The A1 offers you a bit more resolution than the A7R III, but its key difference is combining more speed than the A9 with the resolution of the A7R series. You can catch the action like the A9 and crop the image like an A7R. Oh, I think it may shoot video, too, but I haven't tried. All of that with the best EVF you've ever seen.

I have a radical suggestion for you, though. If you don't need to buy a second camera right now, wait a bit. Buy a couple of lenses (I recommend getting some GM primes, like the 135 GM, the 50 GM, and maybe the 24 GM or the 20 G). Use the A7R III, and look at your results. Do you need a smaller body and lighter weight (maybe the A7C and the new primes)? Do you feel like you want more speed? Do you feel like you want more croppability? Look for what's missing and let it guide you to what to get next.
Smack on advice. Go for GM glass first. Avoid the 7C: too slow fastest shutter speed at 1/4000, too slow x-sync at 1/160.
 
A1 or 9 for you Paul, knowing what you shoot. The 1 is silly money though (5K import)
 
A1 or 9 for you Paul, knowing what you shoot. The 1 is silly money though (5K import)
Everything leans towards the A1 just because it does everything well and the hardware on it excels, but it is a chunk of money ,ideal scenario is i get the A1 sell the a7r3 later for a a7c camera ,then i have the serious camera and a pocketable walk about camera when i am just out and about.
 
Smack on advice. Go for GM glass first. Avoid the 7C: too slow fastest shutter speed at 1/4000, too slow x-sync at 1/160.
I plan on a A7c as a walk about camera which just fits in my pocket (coat) ,very rare that i get to use 1/4000th and over it does it in electronic support 1/8000th ? I have no flashes so irrelevant
 
Everything leans towards the A1 just because it does everything well and the hardware on it excels, but it is a chunk of money ,ideal scenario is i get the A1 sell the a7r3 later for a a7c camera ,then i have the serious camera and a pocketable walk about camera when i am just out and about.
Yep. I'm thinking of getting one, and giving Sue my RIV. Trouble is it's getting harder to sell APSC DSLR stuff.
 
First up, the most controversial thing I'm going to say: the A7 IV is probably not for you. It's the inexpensive entry point to the full frame Sonys, and it sounds like you are beyond that and into the more specialised full frame Sonys. That doesn't mean you are forbidden to get an A7 IV, but it probably won't offer you anything you don't have.

I have owned most of the other cameras you are considering.

The A7R IV offers you more detail than the A7R III. It has a better EVF, too, helping you focus on that detail. If you are cropping your images, the A7R IV will give you more scope to crop.

The A9 series offers you more speed than the A7R III. It's fast to focus, and capable of zero-blackout burst shooting. The catch is that it doesn't have the resolution of the A7R series, so it's a different frame of mind - you have to try to frame the image well. That can mean using different lenses.

That was where I was at in January - I had the A7R III, A7R IV, and A9 III. Then Sony announced the A1.

The A1 offers you a bit more resolution than the A7R III, but its key difference is combining more speed than the A9 with the resolution of the A7R series. You can catch the action like the A9 and crop the image like an A7R. Oh, I think it may shoot video, too, but I haven't tried. All of that with the best EVF you've ever seen.

I have a radical suggestion for you, though. If you don't need to buy a second camera right now, wait a bit. Buy a couple of lenses (I recommend getting some GM primes, like the 135 GM, the 50 GM, and maybe the 24 GM or the 20 G). Use the A7R III, and look at your results. Do you need a smaller body and lighter weight (maybe the A7C and the new primes)? Do you feel like you want more speed? Do you feel like you want more croppability? Look for what's missing and let it guide you to what to get next.
I have a art 50mm f1.4 no need for another 50 as good as the gm is ,The 135 is tempting but i own the 70-200mm f2.8 so conflicting f/l ,if i get any lens it will be either sigma art 105mm macro or sony 90mm macro that i have used and enjoyed ,probable at later on down the line i will swap out my a7r3 for the a7c with kit lens for a pocketable camera that can double as semi pro cam when needed ,The reason for 2 cameras is you just need it at times when out in the field and everyone knows how detrimental lens swaps are on sony cameras a real pita never cleaned a sensor so much as a sony one.
 
Yep. I'm thinking of getting one, and giving Sue my RIV. Trouble is it's getting harder to sell APSC DSLR stuff.
Tell me about it crop sensor stuff is not fashionable ,my m43 stuff got bad resale ,the olympus omd em1.2 camera got the worst return ,although i have owned it over 5 years so got my use from it ,i still like the second hand market or grey market losses are just less painful ,although you need to be careful.
 
I have a art 50mm f1.4 no need for another 50 as good as the gm is ,The 135 is tempting but i own the 70-200mm f2.8 so conflicting f/l ,if i get any lens it will be either sigma art 105mm macro or sony 90mm macro that i have used and enjoyed ,probable at later on down the line i will swap out my a7r3 for the a7c with kit lens for a pocketable camera that can double as semi pro cam when needed ,The reason for 2 cameras is you just need it at times when out in the field and everyone knows how detrimental lens swaps are on sony cameras a real pita never cleaned a sensor so much as a sony one.
I love the 135mm GM.
 
I love the 135mm GM.
i have the 135mm f1.8 samyang love it also ,light and tack sharp good enough for psuedo macro work also ,which it out prforms the sony for close up sharpness ,but it does has caveats only 15fps on my a1,i sold my 50 mm art sigma f1.4 ,i will most likley replace with the samyang 50-1.4 it is almost a nifty fifty or wait for the sigma e mount mirrorless 50mm version
 
I used to always have two of the same bodies but lately I am using two different ones, getting the best of both, an A1 and was a A7RIV, have now sold that camera and have a A7RV on order, So it will be the A1 getting most of the longer lens duty and the A7RV doing the wider stuff.
 
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