[Leica] My next Leica camera is a Sony A7

[Sonny Carter]

Depends on how you shoot too. With that camera, I found the 35 zeiss and my 35 summilux more appropriate lenses for fast work than the 50.  Don't get me wrong, the 50 is a great lens.  Sony just issued new firmware that reportedly speeds both lenses' performance. Haven't tried it yet. 

Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 1, 2014, at 9:08 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Depends on what you use it for - I found the Sony A7R + 55mm f1.8
> Zeiss (which I had with me on demo for a week) so slow in operation
> that it was fairly useless for even street photography. Great lens,
> and great images when you nail it though.
> Cheers
> Jayanand
> 
>> On Sun, Nov 2, 2014 at 4:24 AM, Paul Roark <roark.paul at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Why the a7 instead of the a7R?
>> 
>> Did you get their Zony 35mm f/2.8?
>> 
>> Paul
>> www.PaulRoark.com
>> 
>>> On Sat, Nov 1, 2014 at 3:49 PM, Frank Filippone <red735i at verizon.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Looking for the ideal camera:  Lots of pixels, EVF, accepts Leica glass if
>>> possible, AF when I need it, MF and attendant focusing aids otherwise, not
>>> $8K, takes SDHC cards, great and dependable metering system, Full Frame,
>>> not
>>> a cropped sensor, etc.  Built in flash is a bonus.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> What got me hooked was the EVF, and especially the enlarged EVF.... It is
>>> addictive to be able to focus with a magnified view.   I noticed this on
>>> the
>>> Fuji XE-1 I have, but the time delay from pushing the button and something
>>> happening was too long .  Maybe a XT-1 or XE-2 would have fixed that, but
>>> then I would have had a cropped sensor, and I am a WA type of person.. Not
>>> a
>>> great combo.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I have an M9.  It is a great camera, but focusing is not optimum.  Lenses
>>> over 90mm are really hard to compose as the VF is pretty much a Hail Mary
>>> at
>>> that stage.  Some would say, go buy an M(240).  It offers a similar set of
>>> specs as I want.  Easy to say, hard to part with the money for the M(240).
>>> And the next iteration of Leica is bound to be yet another $1K.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I just received my new Sony A7.  Had a cheapo Leica M to Sony mount adapter
>>> hanging about, just in case I eventually bought the A7.  Slapped on a 50
>>> ASPH Lux.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The benefit of more pixels is primarily the ability to NOT carry a long
>>> lens.  You crop the image.  Saves weight.  Saves money ( no lens to
>>> purchase
>>> ).  I was not terribly into the pixel count issues, it is a nice side
>>> benefit as I very rarely carry a long (over 75 or 90mm) lens.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> When the opportunity presented itself, I decided to try out the A7 over the
>>> XT-1.  ( used, thanks to Doug, and his friend)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The image quality, with the A7 + Cheapo ( $12) Adapter + that LENS!!! And I
>>> am just blown away with the resolution.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> At roughly 200 yards, at F2 ( and probably 1/8000 of a second) I was able
>>> to
>>> distinguish a hawk sitting on the electrical poles near the house. For
>>> reference, the hawk was most likely 12-15 inches tall.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> At about 6 yards, same exposures setup, I was able to distinguish the marks
>>> on the head of an old, crusty, 6 penny nail in my fence. Focus accuracy is
>>> astonishing.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Metering is superb.something Leica's pseudo spot meter lacks.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> There is basically no delay from pushing the button to getting the shutter
>>> to open.  Even in magnified focusing mode.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> This kind of change does have its downsides.. My LR V4.4 will not read the
>>> Sony files, but Adobe DNG Converter fixes that;  There is no in camera
>>> correction for vignetting nor "distortion" ( as if Leica's pride and joy
>>> mainstream lens needs too much); there is no EXIF file data to remember
>>> which lens you had on at any time ( which would not be at all important
>>> except for operations of vignetting and distortion correction.)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The camera does not have the same solid feel as a Leica ( any Leica short
>>> of
>>> the CL and maybe the P+S models).  It will probably die faster than a M3
>>> would.. Then again..
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I need to become more familiar with the operational buttons, and menus,
>>> however, I was able to get the camera working a bit more like I want it.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I wish more than ever that I had a fleet of Leica R glass, but not a single
>>> one was ever in my kit.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> It is not going with me tonight to shoot some fun fotos of a adult birthday
>>> party.  No twinkle flash.  Then again, nothing really is ideal.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Frank Filippone
>>> 
>>> Red735i at verizon.net
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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> 
> _______________________________________________
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