billnikon wrote:
I cannot speak for others. I never have. The number one knock I have on Sony mirrorless is the size of the camera. For me, I like the balance of my D500, D4s, D810 with my long Nikon fast lenses. I notice a strong front weighting for Sony mirrorless with long lenses. Now the new 400 is supposed to be back weighted so I will reserve judgement on that lens for now until I can put it in my hands on my next trip to B&H. I exclusively shoot wildlife with long lenses hand held. NOW, the Sony 100-400 is OK, but, my Nikon lenses out shoot that lens . Again, this is my experience and not others. Many will agree with you and I am sure for them they are correct. But for me, the front weighting is a problem for me.
Sony has also experienced a hunt for focus from time to time in all of their mirrorless camera's. I shoot with several folks in Florida and even the guy with the new A9 missed a shot because his camera just suddenly lost focus, just for an instance, but he missed the shot that I got. My D500 does not have that issue. So, for me at this time I will stay with my Nikon and Canon stuff. For now. Things can always change.
I cannot speak for others. I never have. The numbe... (
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billnikon I will take you at your word about your personal experiences.
Let me tell about some of mine. I have covered training, and countless games, events, tournaments, playoffs and championships in MLB,NBA,NFL,NHL, MSL, PGA, LPGA, Triple Crown Horse Races, Grand Slam Tennis, Winter and Summer Olympic athletes (including Track and Field, swimming, Ice Skating, Skiing, Gymnastics and more), NASCAR, IMSA, SCCA, IndyCar, Cart, NHRA, X-Games, Pro Bikecycling, and more in over four decades of pro sports shooting. I have had countless published sports shots in newspapers, magazines etc, and have been honored for my sports shots with awards, including from World Press Awards and Pictures of the Year. I have used the best and fastest of the pro cameras and lenses from both Nikon and Canon, including their 400mm f2.8s plus 600mm, 800mm, 1000mm and 2000mm lenses.
In all that time and experience I have had great success with both Nikon and Canon's top pro gear. However I have never had a pro focusing system and pro sports cameras that can match the A9 and A7III. Their 695 Phase detection spots plus 425 contrast detection spots covering 93% of the frame is unequalled by any other cameras by anyone, not by Canon, not by Nikon, not even close. In practical use this focusing system, coupled with the faster-reading stacked front-illuminated sensor in the A9 (so far a Sony exclusive) have resulted in the best acquisition, tracking and autofocusing in both AF-C and Eye-AF ,across the entire frame, of any camera I have ever used. The A7III shares this focusing system with the A9.
The two top sports pros in the video, and other pros were allowed to use this camera/lens combo for nearly a year of testing and shooting under all real-life and intense professional sporting events. They found no issues like what you describe, Could it still happen, yes of course, no system is perfect. And there is photographer error and wrong focus-mode setting choices (for the subject) that could have caused his glitch. You just may be a better and more experienced shooter than the other person.
For me there is nothing about the focusing systems I left when I switched from Nikon and Canon to Sony that I miss at all. I am getting more shots in AF-C and Eye-AF then ever I did shooting the best of Nikon and Canon. Other sports pros report the same.
As far as weight and balance of the Sony cameras vs DSLR from Nikon and Canon. Man, there is NOTHING I miss about my heavier and bulkier DSLR cameras, nothing. And my back and arms dont miss the bulk and weight either. If you feel-the-need for bulk, many pros have just added the full battery grips to their smaller Sony mirrorless cameras, and yet the combo still weighs less than the big boy Nikons and Canons. I think they show the weight difference of the camera/lens combos in the Tony and Chelsea Northrup vid on the new 400mm f2.8/A9 combo. . If you look again, I think both pros in the sports shooter video are using the full battery grips with their Sonys and are having no issues balancing their long lenses. In fact they, like myself, are loving the lighter weight and easier balance with our Sony gear.
No one is asking you to switch out of your comfort zone and away from what works for you. There will always be Sony haters and nit-pickers as folks defend their brand loyalty and turf. Sony is changing the photo world for pros and amateurs, along with Panasonic, Fuji, Olympus, Pentax and others. No longer are Nikon and Canon the only ones with the best tech and the best gear. It is a changed photo landscape, and many pros who make their whole livings with their gear are moving to what gear works best and what gear gives them a distinct edge over the competition . And that for many pros like myself is the best of Sony. Cheers