Thanks Jose, I will check out your YouTube site in great detail.

I do not recommend a 50:50 solution of Windex and distilled water. The ammonia in the Windex is a corrosive chemical and may damage the electrical board on the printer head. The alcohol is very effective in dissolving the old congealed inks. I would strongly recommend that you purchase a genuine Canon printer head if you need to.

Good Morning:

I own the Pro-1 printer. And, I to have had a problem with my printer head. This unit was sent back to Canon for repair at a cost of $500. May I suggest that you remove the printed head from the printer and soak the head in Isopropyl alcohol for several hours, change the solution and soak a second time. This will not hurt the printer head or electrical contacts. Allow the head to dry on a clean paper towel. The alcohol will dry almost immediately. I have found this an effective maintenance procedure. Please keep us updated if you decide to try my suggestion and does it clear the the printer trouble code. Good Luck!

Good Afternoon:

Yes, the updates are not reversible. That said, I have updated both my A7R and A7RII firmware several times over the years. I have not experienced any adverse operational effects. The Sony updates have only given me better startup time, focusing and other performance enchancements. Both cameras are operating normally. The download instructions must be followed as recommended by Sony.

Best Regards,
Chris

Good Afternoon All:

Sony has issued a firmware update 4.0 for the A7RII. Please visit the Sony website to download their most current update for the A7RII.

Best Regards,
Chris

I to agree that Canon has led over Nikon in optics and some features over the years. That said, Sony is the new thoroughbred in this race. And, competition is good and will only improve the cameras that we all use.

While the dog (a9) now sleeps on the porch at least its now waterproof. The owner cannot be arrested for cruelty to cameras.

Hi:

My ex and I no longer reside together. My life is safe thank GOD.

Hi:

Sony offered the a9 with 24 mega-pixels for the greater ISO rate, less noise and increased tracking speed. The buffer and computer needed this reduction in mega-pixels to achieve the greater ISO, shutter and frame rates. This is just a thing of physics and electronics. My guess is that as Sony continues to perfect their electronics we will see higher pixel counts. Sony is a leader in sensors along with Kodak. Nikon uses Sony CMOS sensors and Leica uses Kodak. Kodak had the first digital camera ever made. I almost bought a Kodak digital camera with 25 mega-pixel camera years back but, my wife at that time would have left me, it was $5K.

Good Morning All:

Let me join the conversation about the Sony a9. I have been a long-time fan and user of Sony cameras (F828, (2) Nex 7s, (1) 7 A7R and (1) A7RII. That said, I was a former Nikon user in my college days and also purchased vintage and mint later Nikon mechanical cameras as a collector. I rarely shoot film any longer. Yet, I appreciate Nikon's legacy and great quality as many of their cameras were in service during the Vietnam war
under the most trying jungle and war conditions and survived well.

I am interested in Sony's newest offering the a9. However, I am prepared to wait and see the shake out from users both professional, enthusiasts and others before making another commitment. My interest here on this site is photography (landscape, architecture, wildlife, and photo-journalism). I 'm not interested in another GAS attack, I've had too many. My thinking is to wait for the next generation of Sony's a9II and see what Sony offers as an upgrade. The a9 is an outstanding camera and puts both Nikon and Canon on notice that the "dog is barking at their door".

Best Regards To All
Chris

Hi cic2:

Forgive me for my earlier incorrect addressing you on the forum on this subject and discussion. The Sigma TC-2 teleconverter is certainly the least desirable solution to doubling the focal length of the 150-600 S lens. I know I have tested it on moon shot photos. The TC-1.4 in good daylight seems to work well if not OK on my A7RII with the MC11 adaptor. Some cameras perform better than others and the Sony A7RII is no exception to the general rule. Due to the 150-600 S lens slower f-stops both of the Sigma TC converters can and have become a problem with low light and auto focus. As I stated earlier there are no perfect lenses. Ideally, I would have liked Sigma to have engineered, designed, and manufactured an f1.4 150-600 S lens. I cannot imagine the additional, size, weight, and cost of such a beast.

Hi ck2:

Agreed, larger prime lenses are better as a rule, and their cost much higher. However, these lenses are at a fixed focal length (400, 500, 800 or 2000mm) which limits the photographer from cropping the in view subject and scene. I personally prefer to crop and frame my photo in the camera to take advantage of the camera's pixel count and resolution quality for final printing. At the time of my purchase of the 150-600 A lens, I also purchased the dock and the new Sigma TC 1.4 and TC 2 teleconverters. The 1.4 is sharper with the 150-600 A lens, while the TC 2 doubles the focal length it has additional loss of IQ. This is the trade-off when using any and all teleconverters regardless of manufacturer, these devices are not optically perfect.

Like you, I agree on the weather and dust sealing. The Sigma 150-600 A lens, in my opinion, is an outstanding lens at the price point, IQ and build quality.

Good Morning Jack:

Let me add my two cents to this discussion. I too own the Sigma 150-600 Sports lens. Prior to purchasing it, I make a visit to Sigma's corporate headquarters on Long Island, NY to calibrate my 50mm 1.4f and 35mm 1.4f Art lenses. At that time I asked to demo the 150-600 S lens on my Sony A7RII. The head of the technical department was kind enough to oblige me. I was convinced that it was a superior lens to my Sigma 150-500 lens. After purchasing the 150-600 S and performing a number of tests I determined that I needed to mount Sigma's dock and calibrate the lens for my A7RII. The calibration took a couple of hours and I kept the test results at the different distances and focal ranges according to the Sigma dock software. Yes, it made a difference in sharpness. That said, no lens is perfect and at the long end of this lens is less sharp. That is not to say that the images are poor or unacceptable just not as sharp as other focal lengths.

The Sigma 150-600 Sports lens is a heavy lens with vibration control and the A7RII has five-axis vibration control. I have tested the lens handheld, gimble mounted, tripod and monopod mounted. As one member stated earlier you need to have a tripod overrated by 2 to 3 times the weight of your camera and lens rig for equipment safety. When the Sigma 150-600 Sports lens is mounted on a tripod or gimble mount and locked down all vibration controls on the camera and lens must be turned OFF to achieve the best sharpness. On a monopod, the vibration control can be left on as there will always be some movement how slight that will benefit from the lens and camera vibration controls.

Regarding weight, the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens weights less. However, it does not have the weather sealing that the Sports lens has or the metal housing. Also, it is not as sharp as the Sigma 150-600 Sports lens. Keep in mind that all large telephoto lens are heavy. My advice is to go to a reputable photo dealer and ask to demo both lenses on the Canon 7D II prior to making your final decision. See what feels right for you in your hands. You may want to rent both lenses for a day or two to give yourself a real world test of weight, sharpness and quality of the sport and contemporary lenses. Quality endures long after the cost is forgotten. Choice what works best for you in quality, cost and the subjects you will be photographing.

Best of Luck on your choice and purchase.

Hello Travel Pics:

I also own the A7RII this camera has different focus settings which you need to understand and master. There are also an eye focus and smile setting in the menu. Once you practice in these different modes you will find your image quality much improved. The A7RII is not really an action camera for shooting wildlife as it only does five fps until the buffer loads.

Good Afternoon Camera Papi:

I to own the original Nikon 50 f1.4 and the 50 f1.2 AIS legacy lenses. My background with Nikon dates back to 1971 in my college days. The 50 f1.4 was the starter lens for Nikon F and FTN's at that time. A couple of years ago when I switched to the Sony Nex 7, A7R and now the A7R II, I decided to purchase several of the Nikon legacy lenses that I could not afford as a student. I have not been disappointed. I like the fact that they are not auto focus or auto aperture, it gives me time to think and setup the shot without relying on modern technology. I am not a machine gun shooter.

That having been said, the Sigma 50 f1.4 Art and their 35 f1.4 are both top of the line lenses that almost anyone will appreciate and laud. I am not a paid endorser for Sigma but I give them their due. The company has made great strides in developing and manufacturing some outstanding lenses.