My next Sony body? (suggestions please) (Page 4): Sorry but I could not pass up that challenge. Taken with a Sony old SLR Alpha camera and lens. We posted at the same time! High five...

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Griff wrote:

Peekayoh.

Perhaps you will post a better one of the same, or similar, subject?

Sorry but I could not pass up that challenge. Taken with a Sony old SLR Alpha camera and lens.

We posted at the same time! High five Pete.

That said, Someday I might buy a NEX. Just not the current ones.

Hummer

Griff Loc: Warwick U.K.

Peekayoh.
No hissing on my part.
A most excellent picture.
Could you tell me how you took it please?

StephenVL Loc: Los Angeles, USA

I can certainly relate to your not wanting to move to the Nex system if you have an investment in Alpha lenses. I had a few thousand dollars invested in Nikon lenses when I bought my NEX-5n. Now I have moved up to the NEX-6 and have sold all my Nikon lenses. There are a number of reasons I love the NEX system. The best electronic viewfinder on the market. I used to take a picture and then look at the picture to see if the exposure is right for the details in the shadows etc. Now I can see the effect of the exposure before I take the picture and adjust accordingly. The I love the focus peaking feature when the auto focus is not giving me what I want. And I love that I have a camera that will fit in a coat pocket and still give me the results I look for.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

StephenVL wrote:

I can certainly relate to your not wanting to move... (show quote)

I have read that Nex cameras have slow focus, even relative to Alpha SLR and certainly slow focus when compared to high end Nikon camera. The hummingbird photography I do requires very high speed auto focus. This is the main reason I have yet to make a jump to Nex. (I have come close.)

Do you find auto focus to be noticeably slower than your Nikons? I have a drawer full of old Konica lenses that I would love to try on a NEX. I'm hoping that soon we will see a FF faster focusing NEX. Then I will be able to use ALL my glass with adapters. It sounds like you do most of your focusing manually. I admire and respect that. I understand that focus peaking works wonderfully well. I have the cash earmarked for when Sony makes the NEX I have long been waiting for. I will even buy an E mount lens or two for those times when small camera size is critical.

Peekayoh Loc: UK

Davethehiker wrote:

Sorry but I could not pass up that challenge. Taken with a Sony old SLR Alpha camera and lens.

We posted at the same time! High five Pete.

That said, Someday I might buy a NEX. Just not the current ones.

:thumbup: :thumbup: Dave. Full Frame NEX is coming, so they say.

Edit: The contrast dectect AF is tooooo slow for what you do.

Peekayoh Loc: UK

Griff wrote:

Peekayoh.
No hissing on my part.
A most excellent picture.
Could you tell me how you took it please?

Certainly ...
Sony NEX-7
Minolta MD 100mm Macro lens (not at Macro distance)
Sony F58AM flash gun (needed to freeze motion) on stand
F/16 for sufficient DOF (diffraction is an issue at this f-stop but needs must)
Tripod
Remote release
A garden chair and a helping of patience
RAW to get the best out of the image
Two images blended in PS

StephenVL Loc: Los Angeles, USA

Davethehiker wrote:

I have read that Nex cameras have slow focus, even... (show quote)

The focus speed depends on the amount of light and lens in use as well as the camera in use. That said I generally find that my NEX-6 focuses as fast or faster than any Nikon I have used or my Sony A55. The NEX-6 has a hybrid focus system that uses both phase detection and contrast. My NEX-5N which has contrast auto focus system is very speedy in good light on most subjects. But like most cameras it can have difficulty in low light conditions. I will also note that when using Sony A-mount lenses on the NEX-5n with the EA-2 adapter focusing is also fast as that adapter adds phase detection auto focus.

These are just my impressions and not based on any side by side comparisons.

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

Peekayoh wrote:

Certainly ...
Sony NEX-7
Minolta MD 100mm Macro lens (not at Macro distance)
Sony F58AM flash gun (needed to freeze motion) on stand
F/16 for sufficient DOF (diffraction is an issue at this f-stop but needs must)
Tripod
Remote release
A garden chair and a helping of patience
RAW to get the best out of the image
Two images blended in PS

Does a flash freeze motion any better or worse than a fast shutter speed? I don't have an off-camera flash (or one for my hot-shoe). Is one more appropriate than the other in particular situations?

Peekayoh Loc: UK

Absolutely it does.
Flash duration can be anything from 1/10,000 to 1/30,000th of a second.
You just have to make sure the ambient light level is well below the flash exposure needed.

Photogdog Loc: New Kensington, PA

Peekayoh wrote:

:thumbup: :thumbup: Dave. Full Frame NEX is coming, so they say.

Edit: The contrast dectect AF is tooooo slow for what you do.

Technically, Sony has a FF in the RX 1. For what they're charging ($2800), they should have made it a EVIL so that the user could change lenses. Basically, I think a new NEX is just going to be an RX 1 with an interchangeable lens mount & a couple more bells and whistles.

I have the RX 1 but I'll be damned if I'm going to buy the new NEX just to be played buy a bunch of marketing guys.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

StephenVL wrote:

The focus speed depends on the amount of light and... (show quote)

You make a good point about the "focus being faster when using the EA-2 adapter." How much faster I do not know?!

Peter, Have you used the EA-2 adapter?

Still if they can put Phase detection on the imaging array, provide FF, and IBIS, eliminate losses due to a half silvered mirrors, it will make a NEX-7 with an EA-2 adapter seem like a kluge. I'm waiting. I'm growing old waiting....... :-(

Peekayoh Loc: UK

Davethehiker wrote:

You make a good point about the "focus being faster when using the EA-2 adapter." How much faster I do not know?!

Peter, Have you used the EA-2 adapter?

No Dave, personally I've no interest in the LEA-2.
It does add PDAF to the NEX-7 but it's far from cheap.
Can't see the point really, if anyone needs A-mount lenses, buy the a77.

Davethehiker wrote:

Still if they can put Phase detection on the imaging array, provide FF, and IBIS, eliminate losses due to a half silvered mirrors, it will make a NEX-7 with an EA-2 adapter seem like a kluge. I'm waiting. I'm growing old waiting....... :-(

I don't know how far away Sony is from full On Sensor PDAF but they will have it eventually; how good it will be I don't know. Certainly, in the a99 it is problematic and each lens has to be recorded in firmware to work with the OSPDAF points.

A FF, IBIS, mirror less camera is the next step for the a99, I don't know what will be included in the NEX FF.

Peekayoh Loc: UK

Photogdog wrote:

Technically, Sony has a FF in the RX 1. For what they're charging ($2800), they should have made it a EVIL so that the user could change lenses. Basically, I think a new NEX is just going to be an RX 1 with an interchangeable lens mount & a couple more bells and whistles.....

They couldn't make the lens interchangeable and keep the purity of the concept.
The whole point of the RX1 is that the lens is designed specifically for that Sensor and the exit pupil is very close to it and not possible if interchangeable. Lens correction is built into the camera firmware. The whole thing is designed as a unit and Sony did a great job.

I agree that the FF NEX will be like an IL version of the RX1 but it can't possibly match it for IQ.

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

Peekayoh wrote:

I don't know how far away Sony is from full On Sensor PDAF but they will have it eventually; how good it will be I don't know. Certainly, in the a99 it is problematic and each lens has to be recorded in firmware to work with the OSPDAF points.

A FF, IBIS, mirror less camera is the next step for the a99, I don't know what will be included in the NEX FF.

Forgive me if I appear naive, but what are IBIS and PDAF (I'm guessing the AF is autofocus).

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

planepics wrote:

Forgive me if I appear naive, but what are IBIS and PDAF (I'm guessing the AF is autofocus).

IBIS=In Body Image Stabilization
PDAF=Phase Detect Auto Focus

I know, these damn abbreviations confuse me also! I wish people would take the time to spell out what they are talking about. Sometimes I think they are trying to impress us.

BTW, I read hints today that my wishes for this stuff my soon come true.