Sony A7r - Love And Hate

[Nathan Wright]

I began another thread a while ago suggesting this camera is great for the sort of work I do: still life audio photography. It is. In fact, I'm selling my D800 as I find this camera's output to be the same for my uses and its ergonomics for the usage in a small still life studio to be perfect.

However, I do not like the a7r.

It handles like a slow mirror less camera: boot up time, delays for the EVF to recognise and eye, delays in previewing an image and switching to the next image, screen black outs, EVF update delays...

It is a camera of delays. I came to digital, like many of you, from SLR cameras. Digital were massive in comparison to even some of the larger non-sports SLRs of the day. The a7r brings back the traditional SLR size, but it puts too much psychosis in between the user and the final image.

Of course that is my opinion.

I love its output, but I hate handling it. Battery drains too fast, the EVF is too low res to focus sharply without using the magnification and again delays. I can forgive all of that when I'm in the studio. But when I'm out and just wanting to enjoy shooting, I much rather bring the X-Pro 1, a camera that is even more fraught with delays, but which is much easier to operate, which has readable menu systems, and organisation to its buttons (which I still think are too many) and a more straightforward approach to photography.

But the images I get out of the a7r are worth it. This is the problem. I am selling all my Nikon gear this week as the a7r suffices for work. It simply doesn't touch the heart- until I see the images it produces. But utility trumps that when all I'm shooting is for fun.

I have written at length my thoughts about the a7r here. I hope that potential purchasers will find it helpful.

 

[Pete Askew]

Thanks Nathan. I would only use one for work and so I'm looking forward to reading your review.

 

[Nathan Wright]

I wasn't adroitly able to define in my review what I need as a product photographer. I found that too hard to do in an article like this. As such the article is aimed at misses and hits and how it hits what I need and how it may or may not hit or miss what others need. But focus is on the layers of operation and tech that get in the way of enjoying the act of photographing. I may put up some more succinct words about how the a7r actually handles in my line of work. In fact, I should have done that first.

 

[Keith Hollister]

Nathan

That may be the most twisted and funniest review of a camera I remember reading - I thoroughly enjoyed it as someone who is not even tempted by the A7r. The comments over on DPR are rather entertaining. I can't say I'm too surprised at your conclusions given my general opinion of Sony's cameras lately. If only Nikon had built a version of this thing with an F-mount instead of the Df. I also understand completely why folks like yourself and Pete are interested in it as a studio tool.

Thanks for the entertainment. I think I'll go have a cocktail (Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon for me - no self respecting redneck drinks scotch )

 

[Nathan Wright]

Keith: I can't believe you sat through the entire thing. I couldn't if I weren't the one writing it. Way too long. But I tend to go on and on so. As for Double Oaked bourbon, I must check something like that out. Scotch/Whiskey and the like are not easy to find here in Japan so I will spend some time looking. If the Df was sized like a typical SLR and used a clever mirror less F-mount system with AF from, say, the Nikon 1, I could see it being what every Digital FM/E user has ever wanted- minus the optics. EVFs simply are not there yet.

And DPReview- haha, it is very much not the place to post reviews like mine as it is divided into fanboy sections. But then again, as a still life shooter, I am a BIG fan of this camera. For everything else, I am not. Japanese readers are more patient with my reviews.

 

[Pete Askew]

I too thoroughly enjoyed it: both entertaining and informative (from a user's perspective). The auto-shutdown when using manual focus would be the killer for me though.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Very entertaining Nathan - good write-up - I read the whole thing without a drink as well!

 

[Hamish Gill]

A most enjoyable read!