Lumix and...Sony?

[Tim Sewell]

8 minutes ago, mercer said:

I often read that you can also adapt almost any lens to these mirrorless cameras, but it seems that a lot of folks that say that, usually only shoot with native lenses.

Both are true. Just from my own limited experience - my EF-S 17-55 2.8 has worked well via adapters/focal length reducers, with functioning AF, on every Sony body I've used (FS700, FS5, A7R1, A6600) but is terrible compared to the inexpensive Sony 24-105 f4 - literally worlds apart. So if AF is important, it generally has to be native.

Personally I only use it for 'fun' shooting and for anything intentional use my Super Takumars, but even for the 'fun' stuff I want AF I can rely on.

[mercer]

10 minutes ago, Tim Sewell said:

Both are true. Just from my own limited experience - my EF-S 17-55 2.8 has worked well via adapters/focal length reducers, with functioning AF, on every Sony body I've used (FS700, FS5, A7R1, A6600) but is terrible compared to the inexpensive Sony 24-105 f4 - literally worlds apart. So if AF is important, it generally has to be native.

Personally I only use it for 'fun' shooting and for anything intentional use my Super Takumars, but even for the 'fun' stuff I want AF I can rely on.

Wasn't looking at it that way. Whenever I think of adaptable lenses, recent electronic AF lenses never come to mind. I'm always thinking about M42, like your Tak, or PL mount, or c-mount or old S16 Zeiss lenses.

Love Super Takumar lenses by the way, I was planning on selling off my small and rather basic collection but then after using the 50mm 1.4, even wide open, on my FP, I remember why I bought them in the first place.

If I remember correctly, didn't you used to have the Zeiss Flektogon 35mm 2.4? Or am I thinking of someone else?

[BTM_Pix]

4 hours ago, MrSMW said:

But if my update rambles help other folks in some of their own choices, then good.

Funnily enough, only yesterday I picked up a piece of gear that you featured in a previous episode.

Not the camper van unfortunately but the cart.

Currently on special in Aldi for the bargain price of £44.99 

So, thats the transportation sorted for the kinky amount of 135mm lenses I've acquired over the years.

Will need the camper van for transporting the therapy triggering number of 24 and 35mm lenses.

[Tim Sewell]

43 minutes ago, mercer said:

If I remember correctly, didn't you used to have the Zeiss Flektogon 35mm 2.4? Or am I thinking of someone else?

Someone else, sadly.

I have the 20, 28, 35, 50 1.4, 55/2 and 135 3.5 in the Super Taks and I love them. Sadly I sold the 85 1.8 as I needed to free up some cash a couple of years ago and now I slightly bridle at paying GBP350 or so to get another!

[MrSMW]

45 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

Funnily enough, only yesterday I picked up a piece of gear that you featured in a previous episode.

That’s actually one of my best investments. Along with the motorhome/RV.

The moho/RV saves me around €7k per annum that I am not spending on bed & board and will claw back around 35-40% of its purchase price after 10 years use.

The cart will be worth fuck all after 10 years, if it even lasts that long…which I doubt, but every wedding I use it at (which is almost all of them) it’s been invaluable. Single trip from van to somewhere convenient within the venue with all my kit loaded up which otherwise would be 3-4 walking trips each end of the day. 

Last job of the year it’s going to be especially useful as it’s nearly 1km from the closest parking to the church with no drop off opportunity as the roads are too tiny and I can’t get close. But I can trundle my trolley 2km. Kind of…

[Ninpo33]

11 hours ago, mercer said:

I often read that you can also adapt almost any lens to these mirrorless cameras, but it seems that a lot of folks that say that, usually only shoot with native lenses.

Not really sure how you would know that or where your info comes from but I shoot mirrorless on 3 systems and don't own a single native lens. Lot's of benefits of mirrorless vs DSLR and ergonomics and size is still better even with larger lenses. Just because you have to ad a grip or a mount to help it's still light and the extra grip usually gives you extra battery life so it's a win win. As mentioned, it's opened up a whole new word of vintage glass that was otherwise unavailable. Konica Hexanons as a great example. Speed boosters, etc...

[IronFilm]

19 hours ago, mercer said:

That said... it's kinda moot because other than Pentax, nobody really makes DSLRs anymore... or better said... they don't release new models.

Even Pentax barely releases many new DSLR models. 

Most recent DSLR release was the Pentax KF, early 2023.

Before that? Pentax K-3 Mark III, early 2021

Before that? Pentax K-1 II (their second FF DSLR), in early 2018

Before that?? Pentax KP in early 2017

I think you get the picture now. 

[MrSMW]

Carnage on Shoot 01

Second Rode WG2 was DOA

At least I knew about this in advance…

Within the space of 10 mins, damaged my video workhorse Sigma 28-70 and totally destroyed my stills Tamron 28-75, plus A7 baseplate.

Managed to soldier on with the Sigma for video but could have switched to a 20-60 but it’s going to need to go into repair ASAP.

Just had to order a new Tamron though and then see if this one can be fixed as the lens came clean off the mount.

Had to switch early to the 10-40 which is a bit wider than I’d have liked but hey ho, nothing like a baptism of fire.

The damage was all caused by the Cotton Carrier system and first thing when I get back will be switching back to my previous twin set up of harness plus Spider Holster.

The harness system means you cannot drop a camera. The Spider Holster takes the weight off your shoulders/back and on to your hips and stops the cameras swinging around as they tend to with a harness.

Lessons learned 🤑

Otherwise GREAT set up.

[Thpriest]

Shit! That’s a real bummer on job! That’s when clients are glad they have hired a pro, there’s alway plan b or c and more kit.

[MrSMW]

6 hours ago, Thpriest said:

Shit! That’s a real bummer on job! That’s when clients are glad they have hired a pro, there’s alway plan b or c and more kit.

Yep, just one of those days when it went a bit tits up for a while and would indeed have been unthinkable without options.

But for 5 minutes, I had lost both my principal video unit AND my sole photo unit.

Resolved it pretty quickly and making a few adjustments going forward, mainly in how those units are attached to my person…which was the weak link here.

Tried a new carrying set up and it didn’t work and the only way to discover that was on a real job.

Hey ho, no matter where you are at, there are always lessons to be learned!

[MrSMW]

And speaking of having the gear, wedding a couple of weeks ago, band turns up and sets up.

I ask them if I was correct in observing they did not bring any lighting. At all. And it's a pretty dark room with near zero lighting and what there is is hardly 'disco' lighting.

They confirmed I was indeed right and with these "overseas gigs we don't have enough room in the van for lighting".

OK. You told the couple this?

Well, no...

Well luckily for me, I have 2 bigger plugin lights on tall stands and 2 smaller lights with 'disco light' settings and so for the duration of me being there, ie, the first set, there was lighting.

After their first set, I cleared up and cleared out.

What they did after that, I have no idea, but it probably wasn't good...

[MrSMW]

Well the Sony A7RV gets to stay. For now at least...

It was always going to be a close cal between it and the new Z6III but I think I made the right choice.

Had a pretty poor first shoot experience with it the other week when it got dropped and the Tamron 28-75 was sheared off it's mount and then shooting medium raw which 'everyone' recommends turned out to be shit.

All medium raw did, other than saving some storage space and make the files slightly slower to process, was remove colour & detail and caused an utter trash low light result. Don't believe everything you read on the internets...

OK, 61mp uncompressed raw is overkill for about 90% of my work but there isn't another combination of body & lenses, this compact & light, with this kind of performance.

DR is higher than anything I have previously used and that is a big thumbs up.

Low light capability on my most recent shoot was a concern after the previous week as these higher MP cameras are not renowned for being low-light monsters, but actually, it passed muster on the basis of using DXO PureRaw which I always use anyway.

I would however like a faster lens than f/2.8 for lower light stuff and though it's a brute, that new Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 is looking mighty tempting for this purpose...

Please please please Sigma, make a sibling to it such as say a 45-90mm f/1.8 and I'm set for the rest of my career.

No S9 yet, - that won't be here until towards the end of the month, but the Lumix set up are not any kind of concern as they just do the business.

[MrSMW]

Well that went tits up...

First the fact that 26mp medium raw is not compatible with any current batch editing software which meant shooting everything at 61mp which was not the plan.

Then the thing keeps locking up. Or rather not switching on at random times forcing battery out, battery in, which is hardly ideal at key moments. It has happened now 2-3 times on each of the 3 shoots I have used it on. Not good enough.

Plus it just is not as good in low light as the Nikon Zf/Z6II or any of my 24mp Lumix cameras. It just isn't.

So I'm returning it and selling everything Nikon and Tamron.

For what?

My trusty fave camera of all time, my S1H which has a ridiculous trade in value of around €700.

OK, I need to buy a couple of lenses and I have to compromise on my stills camera set up going back to between 2.5/3kg in my hand, but it also puts €6k+ back into my account.

Lesson learned. L Mount is just the best system for me so I need to stop dicking about with any and everything else.

Samyang 35-150mm f2/2.8 arriving next week in time for my next shoot and Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 on preorder for my indoor and low light lens.

Oh well, I tried.

S9 arrives tomorrow and was going to replace one of the S5II's which in turn replaced the S1H which was going to be sold, but it's simply a case of repurpose the S1H back into being a stills camera, a role it has fulfilled before superbly. And will once again.

Maybe an S2R or S2H next year, but for the rest of this one, probably not.

S5II x2 in a static role for video + S9 run & gun + S1H stills. Done. For now...

[Ninpo33]

At $1200 open box already on the S9 I'm about to scoop one up too. Digging the "Asia only" silver on Japanese sites but will probably just go black to match the S5iix. At $1,000 this will be an awesome C-camera for me and a pocketable little beast. 

[MrSMW]

And then he went and did another 180 🤪

Went back and tried the S1H + battery grip + over 1kg lens and...just no.

I wanted to get away from that for very specific reasons.

I thought, maybe I could go back, but no, I just can't.

Well if I had to as in if there was no other choice, I could, but there are there options.

I've wrestled with it for a few days and in the end decided to stick with the original plan.

That is for video, I am covered. Not a single thing that I want or need. Rien, nada, nuffin.

It's the photo side where I have had the biggest issue, but other than the very occasional random lock up issue on the A7RV, it's just the best tool for me combined with the trinity of Tamron 20-40, 28-75 and 70-180.

I had to send the Samyang 35-150 back. It's just too big and heavy and that's just not for me anymore.

The arrival of the S9 also helped put things in perspective because although that is purely a video unit for me..and I am still waiting on the cage just to give it some grip really, it confirmed that smaller and lighter combos is my direction.

I also worked out a better way to make the 61mp A7RV work for me in that I chose it principally because it would give me the option to shoot uncompressed 61mp raw files for the max quality, but also at the turn of a dial, 26mp medium raw files which would be 85-90% of my work. Except no batch editing de-noise software will touch those files which is not something widely reported and unless you experience it and then go looking for the info...

Anyway, I have reset the thing for full uncompressed raw as a setting, compressed raw as another and uncompressed crop mode as a third and flitting between those 3 modes, will reduce my file and storage size to around 40% (compared with only having to use the full 61mp uncompressed).

Every time I think I've finally nailed it, there's something, but this time, I believe I have...

Lumix is now a 2.5 year old system for me and my only concern (very slight) is potential overheating on the S9, but I suspect that is going to be extremely unlikely based on my use case.

I've used the Sony on 3 jobs now and whilst I had a few teething issues, I think as with most tools, if you can get past a certain point, it becomes to come together. I think I just had to ride out that learning curve plus the medium raw thing was a big disappointment.

The thing that finally convinced me though was I had to go back to edit the final job I shot on 24mp Nikon and though those files are easier to work with SOOC, they are not on the same level as the 61mp Sony files ultimately.

Sorry for wasting everyone's time 😘

[Geoff_L]

1 hour ago, MrSMW said:

Sorry for wasting everyone's time 😘

Ahah, absolutely not! Haven't posted here for a while, but I visit and read every day. And I have to say I enjoy following your journey/"péripéties" (plus, being a French myself and living abroad, there is something nice to spot your little "expat rants" 😁 ).
It reminds me I'm not the only one to be completely entangled in these gear considerations! I've been without a camera for the past 3 years, except my phone and my wife's LX100 and A6600 I can borrow from time to time (I'm compensating in the meantime with audio stuff, using my Zoom F3 and AT BP4025 + Clippy EM272 for nature ambient sound).

And now that I have spared enough money to afford new gear, I'm conflicted between my past experience and what I want, like you with your S1H example. The cameras I used for the past 10 years were X-T2, GH4, Z6 and Pana S1. My experience and my use case (photo + video, often in the mountains) asks for lightweight gear and limited footprint. Loved my S1 for all it's qualities, but it was a pain to use due to the size and weight and resulted in it often left at home. The cameras I enjoyed the most using were X-T2 and Z6. So now, I'm eyeing either a Z6 iii or a Z8, like really, but the size of Nikon lenses + Z8 deter me a bit. Yeah, I almost bought the Z8 with the EU rebates, but decided against after reading my field notes from my last "expeditions", finding myself complaining too much about the S1 size and weight 😆And reading your experience now with the S1H, I'm glad I did not choose this path.

If I rationalize a little and look at my needs, Sony makes the most sense, especially with the new 16-25 f2.8 and 24-50 f2.8 zooms (+ the primes, the new 70-200 f4 macro v2 etc.). But I'm not a fan of using my wife's A6600, and the joy to shoot is really far from what I recalled with Fuji and Nikon. I also eyed Canon, with the R6 ii, but only the 70-200 f4 is interesting to me, their lens line-up lacking, amongst others, wide-angle primes (like the Viltrox 16 1.8 for Sony and Nikon, or even the 20mm 1.8 primes in both mounts).

So, yes, it helps me reading your brainstorming and back and forth!

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, Geoff_L said:

So, yes, it helps me reading your brainstorming and back and forth!

It’s the main reason I post, ie, if my experience shared helps someone else with their own deliberations, then it was a worthwhile effort.

Re. cams & glass, right now if from scratch, I’d put the Z8 and Z6iii up near the top, except for the lenses. 

By the sounds of it, like me, you’d rather have more compact zooms and no one really makes them except Sony, Tamron and Sigma.

Sony bodies offer the most options because they can use all 3 natively.

I really like the idea of the A7cii or r, but the reality is, especially the r, other than outright size & weight (and price), the A7RV is just better everywhere really whether it be rear LCD articulation and rez, the EVF, handling, twin card slots. And used, the prices are not too bad.

It’s always some form of compromise in the end but right now, other than perhaps cost, the A7RV with compact primes is an exceptional option.

Just don’t shoot medium raw in low light 🤪

[MrSMW]

19 hours ago, Geoff_L said:

So now, I'm eyeing either a Z6 iii or a Z8, like really, but the size of Nikon lenses + Z8 deter me a bit

Z6iii + 28-75mm f2.8 Tamron now available in Z Mount?

This was my workhorse, but adapted on the Zf and my only criticism was that the handling of the Zf, even with one of the available grips, was not great, plus the lack of in camera corrections using non-native lenses.

The Z6iii fixes all of that.

The Z8 also with the added benefit of being able to punch in even harder.

For my needs, a 28-75mm on a 24mp sensor means it cannot be a ‘one and done’ set up as the focal length is too short for certain situations.

The A7RV makes it almost though with only a couple of scenarios as in crop mode, it’s a 26mp ‘40-110’ with equal quality to a 24mp FF sensor camera.

The Z8 with 45mp sits somewhere in the middle but for me is not quite enough to be ‘one & done’ and I think I’d go Z6iii myself between the two.

100mp would be my ideal. Not because I need 100mp because I don’t really need 60, but for that ability to have a compact ‘one & done’ camera and lens combo with a true 2x crop mode turning the 28-75 into a ‘50-150’ f2.8

I looked really hard at the Fuji GFX100 series and though I really like the body, there are no lens options unless I push the size & weight back up.

I was hoping that Nikon might replace the Z7ii with a Z7iii but there does not seem to be any sign…

[IronFilm]

On 7/23/2024 at 8:11 PM, MrSMW said:

Went back and tried the S1H + battery grip + over 1kg lens and...just no.

4 hours ago, MrSMW said:

there are no lens options unless I push the size & weight back up.

Seems that you really want something lighter/smaller..... have you consider Nikon 1? 😉

(am kidding, am kidding)

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

Seems that you really want something lighter/smaller..... have you consider Nikon 1?

You jest, but a few years back, I did, as an alternative to a Go Pro with the Backbone rig and lens options but in the end went for a Sony RX100V which I shot all my video on for a year but ended up changing it for it’s bigger brother, the RX10ii.

It truly was a case of pull it out of my back pocket to shoot with or have on a lightweight freestanding monopod.

The simple reality though was 35+ Celsius French Summers either in direct sunlight or in that back pocket!

I think if I’d kept it in a small portable cool bag, it could have worked!

I wouldn’t go back now but super compact options have huge appeal!