DXO: Sony a9 Sensor Review: Game changer?

By Louis Ferreira | Published: June 16, 2017


It looks like DPReview’s hit piece on the a9 has now been disproved by a second testing site DXO and it validates Photonstophotos results, which further proves what a great resource they are for early in-depth measurements. The Sony a9 is a very unique camera in my experience and there really is nothing like it at the moment. It’s not for everyone, but buyers should feel secure in their investment if they get a camera that doesn’t overheat. I hope we get a clear resolution to the quality control issues. I will continue to harp on them until I am no longer seeing new reports of defective cameras on the market. Hopefully, the photographers with bad cameras turn them in soon and frequently until they get good cameras. In the mean time, you can enjoy DXO’s conclusion below and read the full review here.

Conclusion
No stranger to pushing the boundaries of digital camera design, Sony has delivered a powerhouse of a camera in the a9, which far outstrips the performance capabilities of most mirrorless cameras to date.

The a9’s key specifications, including the 20fps burst shooting with full AF/AE tracking, no EVF blackout, near-complete autofocus frame coverage, and silent operation, are going to be seriously attractive to any and all professional action photographers.

To help facilitate the super-fast performance, the a9 has taken a step back from the monster resolution of the A7R II, but its 24.4Mp chip should suffice for most, and overall its image quality is outstanding.

The Sony a9’s sensor ranks as one of the best we’ve tested at base ISO, with consistently good scores for dynamic range and color depth, and exceptional results for noise. At those crucial mid to high ISO sensitivities for action photographers, image quality is also excellent and on par with flagship Nikon and Canon sports DSLRs.

For the very best image quality, the A7R II offers better results for color, as well as almost twice the sensor resolution, but it isn’t a sports camera and can’t compete for performance against the a9, so they’re intended for different markets.

With a big body-only price tag of $4,500, the Sony a9 is squarely in the pro category, going head-to-head with the top-end Canon and Nikon DSLRs. With many pros already heavily invested in lenses and accessories for those systems, it’s going to be a tricky (not to mention expensive) to switch, but the Sony a9 has both the performance capabilities and image quality that make it a seriously tempting proposition.

Canon and Nikon should be very worried about the Sony a9 easily dominating both the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5. Sony’s glass selection is only getting better and their support for AF Canon and more glass is getting better too. Even my TechART PRO works very well with the Sony a9, nothing quite like AF-C Leica M glass on a modern body.

Join our Sony a9 Owners Group, also follow the Sony a9 Page to get more tailored news on Facebook and follow SonyAddict on Facebook and Twitter.

Sony a9 Action Shooting Kit: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Sony a9 Accessories Kit: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Sony a9: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Sony FE 100-400mm: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
a9 Battery Grip: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
a9 Battery NP-FZ100: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
GP-EX1 Grip: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
MQZ1 Battery Charger: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Posted in Sony a9| Leave a comment

Samyang 35mm f2.8 AF

By Louis Ferreira | Published: June 15, 2017

Samyang is launching another AF lens to be sold under the Rokinon name in America as the Rokinon AF 35mm f/2.8 FE with the catch phrase tiny but mighty. Early image samples are impressive. You can find some on their website here in addition to the video above, which compares the lens with the more expensive Sony Zeiss 35mm F2.8 Sonnar T FE ZA.

Rokinon AF 35mm f/2.8 FE:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Sony Zeiss 35mm F2.8 Sonnar T FE ZA:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

 

 

 

Posted in 3rd Party Lens| Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Apertus AXIOM Beta Interview by Cinema5D

By Louis Ferreira | Published: June 14, 2017

Cinima5D recorded a lengthy interview with AXIOM project leader Sebastian Pichelhofer. AXIOM is an open source camera project that lets you assemble your own camera. You can build an APS-C, 2/3, and 4/3 camera from their kit, but they are only beginning to deliver some of the promised stuff from their crowdfunding now, so it might take a while for them to deliver a complete package.

Keypoints by Cinima5D

  • Over 500 people backed their successful Indiegogo campaign
  • Magic Lantern was assigned to develop the “color science” behind the camera
  • The camera will actually have a few “color science options” to choose from, making it possible to change “film stock” at the click of a button
  • The philosophy of building a “Lego-type camera” hasn’t changed. One will be able to mix and match between different components like lens bayonets, sensor types and such
  • Two kinds of camera enclosures are in the making: a “Lite” 3D-printed version for users who need it now, and a robust version made of aluminium that will serve the majority of future users
  • The guys at Apertus are looking at an SD RAID recording solution for their camera, where users can swap the cards according to their needs themselves
  • EVERYTHING is open to the community to inspect and check, from cost of materials to the actual development status. See full details at the Apertus site here

If you’re interested in the project you can read more here. There is also sample footage from t camera available the here.

Posted in Press releases| Leave a comment

DPReview: Sony a9 Takes Home The GOLD and More Thoughts on The a9

By Louis Ferreira | Published: June 14, 2017


The Sony a9 took home a gold award just like the GFX, even though DPReview had a critical opinion piece about the camera that stirred up a lot of controversies, which was also similar to the GFX. DPReview is developing a bit of a pattern here. There is also no mention of the overheating issues, which some have experienced.

ProsCons
  • Newly designed 24MP sensor offers incredible speed
  • 20fps silent burst shooting with 60 AE/AF calculations per second
  • 693 AF points, will focus down to -3EV with an F2 lens
  • No blackout when shooting with electronic shutter
  • Drastically improved battery life
  • High-res electronic viewfinder with 120fps refresh rate
  • Increased direct controls, better feedback on most buttons and dials
  • E-shutter offers 1/150s shutter rate, only 1 EV behind 1/300s mechanical
  • Banding in artificial lighting barely an issue over DSLRs, since e-shutter is only 1 EV behind mech shutters
  • Dual SD card slots
  • Ethernet, flash sync ports
  • Rolling shutter well-controlled
  • Oversampled 4K footage
  • Full HD at 120fps
  • Improved menus (including a My Menu), customizability
  • Improved overall responsiveness
  • USB charging
  • Base ISO dynamic range lags existing Sony full frame cameras
  • Battery grip all-but-required for comfortable use with larger lenses
  • Lock-On subject tracking still less dependable than Nikon 3D Tracking
  • Only one SD slot is UHS-II
  • Default color response improved, but still behind competition
  • Shooting uncompressed Raw drops burst speed to 12fps
  • No lossless compressed Raw option
  • Auto white balance can struggle under artificial lighting
  • Won’t sync with flashes in e-shutter; max frame rate with flash is 5 fps
  • Poor solution for AF assist in dim light
  • No picture profiles or S-Log in video
  • Center Lock-On AF in video is archaic, unreliable and cumbersome
  • Cannot enter menus while buffer is clearing
  • AF-ON and AEL buttons need more travel
  • Memory Recall modes, while improved, are still not comprehensive
  • USB 2.0 for file transfer

The Sony a9 isn’t a camera for everyone, but I am disappointed that DPReview didn’t address the potential quality control issue that led to the overheating controversy. They let someone write a big opinion piece about nothing and then completely ignore an issue that will affect potential purchasers. Poor quality control is something that everyone should be aware of and blog/sites that are simply trying to sell cameras over trying to provide consumers with valuable purchasing information should be called out.

The Sony a9 is a great camera, but you might have to exchange your camera a few times during the 30 day exchange period in order to find a properly functioning camera. Hopefully, quality control will get better as time goes on, but Sony really needs to get on top of this, because I am still coming across reports of people with “new” overheating cameras.

Join our Sony a9 Owners Group, also follow the Sony a9 Page to get more tailored news on Facebook and follow SonyAddict on Facebook and Twitter.

Sony a9 Action Shooting Kit: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Sony a9 Accessories Kit: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Sony a9: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Sony FE 100-400mm: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
a9 Battery Grip: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
a9 Battery NP-FZ100: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
GP-EX1 Grip: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
MQZ1 Battery Charger: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

 

Posted in Sony a9| 4 Comments

Protect Your Investment With easyCovers For The Sony a6500/a6300

By Louis Ferreira | Published: June 13, 2017

The easyCover camera case protects your camera while it is fully functional. It protects against bumps, scratches, sand and dust. Whether hiking, fishing or just enjoying a calm afternoon outdoors, your camera is secure. Included is a screen protector that prevents your valuable LCD display from getting scratched

It is available in black and camouflage for the a6300 and now new for the a6500

Black a6500
B&H Photo / Amazon

Camouflage a6500
B&H Photo / Amazon

Black a6300
B&H Photo / Amazon

Camouflage a6300
B&H Photo / Amazon

Posted in Accessories, Sony a6300, Sony a6500| Tagged | Leave a comment

Metabones EF to E Mount Adapter Version 5 Notice of Release

By Louis Ferreira | Published: June 12, 2017


The fifth generation Metabones adapter will be released in Japan June 17th. Metabones started shipping the new adapter in the United States in volume last month and it can be ordered from B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

Translated Release Below:
METABONES’s new “EF → E” mount adapter announced

The mount adapter “MB_EF-EBT 5” for the new METABONES “EF lens – E mount camera” was announced.
Notice of sale of Canon EF Adapter Version 5 “MB_EF-E-BT5” with electronic contact for Sony E mount made by METABONES
  • METABONES (Metabornz) ‘s Japan Agency Jue Ltd. will release the Canon EF adapter “MB_EF – E – BT 5” with electronic contact for Sony E mounting in Japan.
  • Release is June 17, 2017. The price is scheduled for 60,185 yen (tax excluded).
  • “MB_EF-E-BT5” is an adapter that can mount the Canon EF lens on the Sony E mount camera.
  • Based on the feedback from the old model Version 4 “MB – E – E – BT 4”, various functions were added and reviewed from the design. Custom function buttons that can newly allocate more than 50 functions, rubber gasket protection to prevent dust and moisture from penetrating the sensor, protect the sensor, LED indicator to notify the operation of the adapter, in-lens image stabilization mechanism and in-body image stabilization mechanism It has a changeover switch to control.
  • It corresponds to autofocus, EXIF information, camera shake correction etc etc by electronic contact as before.
  • Flock coating employing felt material reduces reflection of light entering the adapter and reduces flare.

Via digicame-info

Posted in 3rd Party Lens, Accessories| Leave a comment