Sony I think this might be it ... a7 drawing me away from m43 (lots of images)

wt21

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I think this might be the end. The end of a relationship (sometimes on and off) since 2009. It might be the end of me and m43.

I still remember when the EP1 came out. It was beautiful. And took pictures at a quality and with a joy that no other compact before it could. Yeah, my DSLR was more sure footed, but who wanted to carry that around? And with this EP1, I could try old legacy lenses. What fun!

Well, it's been years, and other systems have come and gone -- DSLRs, Canon 6D most notably, Nikon D700, NEX, Fuji -- but m43 remained. The only other camera that weaseled it's way in permanently was the Sony RX100 just by virtue of it's portability vs its output.

But I had to go and buy an a7.

It's like the EP1 all grown up. The controls are wonderful (by this I mean I was able to operate the camera with gloves on!). The shutter sound lovely (with front curtain e-shutter that is). The feel and heft. Solid, but not overbearing. It's pretty close to magic. And the legacy glass just sings on this camera the way it didn't at all on the NEX6 and even struggled a bit on m43. I can't believe how much the a7 has resurrected my Takumars (images below).

Of course, I have no AF lenses yet (and there aren't many to choose from!), but I've got one coming on Friday, so we'll see. But if it can at least perform as well as early gen m43 (think EPL1, not EP1), I think I may be quite content. a7 + RX100 might cover my needs.

Still to be seen, but for now, some images from a simple winter walk (I've posted these subjects before, but there's not much to shoot around here in Boston, where it's 20 degrees in mid-march and we still have several feet of snow on the ground!)

All pics are with the Takumar 50/14, except the first which is a Takumar 135/3.5

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by wt2100, on Flickr

Love the subtle tonality and DR on this camera. This is SOOC jpg
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by wt2100, on Flickr

View attachment 10835120150318-20150318-DSC07788 by wt2100, on Flickr

View attachment 10835220150318-20150318-DSC07794 by wt2100, on Flickr

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by wt2100, on Flickr

LENS FLARE!
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by wt2100, on Flickr

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by wt2100, on Flickr

I've been asking on DPR about lenses, and everyone says "get the FE55." I'm sure that's an amazing lens, but the Takumar is doing it for me alright!

If anyone is interested in seeing these full sized, let me know and we can figure out something. The details on this lens stopped down just one click, on the a7 is amazing.
 
As nice as the EP1 and EP2 were, comparing that sensor against the sensor in the A7 is like comparing my little league baseball team to the 1927 Yankees. Little league has it's charms, but the '27 Yanks were, uhhhh, a lot better!

Enjoy!

-Ray
 
As nice as the EP1 and EP2 were, comparing that sensor against the sensor in the A7 is like comparing my little league baseball team to the 1927 Yankees. Little league has it's charms, but the '27 Yanks were, uhhhh, a lot better!

Enjoy!

-Ray

That's not fair, Ray. Your little league time is more like a pinhole camera. :eek-54:

The E-P1 is more like the 2014 Phillies. :hide:
 
Congrats on the A7 - I bet you found a great price on it. I am sure you will have a lot of fun with it. Are you saying that you have been using an EP-1? Wow! No wonder!

However, looking at your shots, I am not sure that these examples would want me to give up my EM-1. I do like #3 and #4. Nice shots

Number 2 on the other hand, and I realize it is SOOC, but you are not showing off the DR with that picture. You should pull the shadows at least. Otherwise that picture looks like it could have been taken with most any camera. That is an excellent sensor in the A7, use it to its fullest potential.

Again, enjoy your new camera.
 
Congrats on the A7 - I bet you found a great price on it. I am sure you will have a lot of fun with it. Are you saying that you have been using an EP-1? Wow! No wonder!

However, looking at your shots, I am not sure that these examples would want me to give up my EM-1. I do like #3 and #4. Nice shots

Number 2 on the other hand, and I realize it is SOOC, but you are not showing off the DR with that picture. You should pull the shadows at least. Otherwise that picture looks like it could have been taken with most any camera. That is an excellent sensor in the A7, use it to its fullest potential.

Again, enjoy your new camera.

I probably missed my mark, but I was trying to reflect the joy the original EP1 gave me back in 2009. I've had EP1, EPL1, EPM1, EPL3, EP3, EPL5, EPM2, EM5, G3, GX1, GX7 (which is my current M43 body). Is that enough cred on the M43 bodies :)

The issues with the images is that they are scaled down twice. First exported from LR then embedded at just 800 pixels long side. The subtle tonal gradients in the clouds are pretty amazing at full resolution.

I'll try for better examples next time :) Plus, maybe some post production.
 
congrats, its great to be in love. i love my rx1 which i believe has the same sensor. DR, low light and resolution are unbeatable, imo. plus it has a silent shutter.

tbh, i do think that sensor lacks some 'punch' somewhere. i'm not sure exactly what, but its 'flat' somehow, either in depth, color or both to my eyes when compared to say fuji or olympus.

in any event, you may want to keep your m4/3 gear for the simple reason that no system is better suited to telephoto work. you will miss that compact m4/3 gear at the zoo, sporting events or for general nature photography.
 
I am not touching anything full frame, for this very reason. I'm so incredibly happy with APSC Fuji stuff... my god I do not need to know what it's like to get those files to work with. Nopenopenope... not touching one. Not even gonna hold one if someone hands it to me just for a second.
 
I've been one of the worst for swapping and changing systems over the years but I feel very happy with my A7R, love having all those megapixels for cropping and also the fact that I can get an adapter for a variety of lenses. Love my RX1 too. I never thought that Sony would capture my imagination in this way :love:
 
Welcome to the A7 owners.
By the way - until now I don't own a FE lens. All my AF lenses are old Minolta AF, newer SAL or APS-C E-Mount ones and I don't miss FE. Although I consider one if I'll get a newer A7xxx model and would get a good combi price.
 
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