Sony a7 iii - looks to be a game changer

[pierces]

Back to A7 III stuff.

 

 

Updating all the little bits and pieces that go with a camera is a good way to pass the endless stretch of time between pre-order and the nice person ringing the doorbell and asking for a signature.

 

My little nylon battery pouches for the NP-FW50s came so close to fitting the new NP-FZ100 batteries but just missed. Shopping for a new one to hold the batteries but allow ease of access is tough online. Dimensions need to be tracked down at manufacturer's websites (if even available) and math performed to determine fit and clearance. This gave rise to a moment of longing for a brick and mortar store within 50 miles, but it passed quickly. Anyway, I did all that and found one that seemed like it would work and ordered it.

 

The Tenba Reload Battery - Black (636-213)

 

A perfect fit on the first try! There's even a belt loop on the back for attaching to a backpack strap or, of course, a belt.

 

 

Dave

[tommui987]

Very odd. I have no issue connecting, even through an incognito browser page.

 

Try a direct link: http://www.pptphoto.com/

 

Dave

 

Thanks Dave!

Will wait on the articles and will check later on to see when it gets plugged in.

[tommui987]

DAVE:

 

Sorry - while I have a JD, I don't read the fine print - probably didn't have my glasses on!

 

Articles are there - you will be plugging in reviews eventually.

[havoc315]

After you unbox your Sony A7iii

 

http://enthusiastphotoblog.com/2018/04/09/customizing-sony-a7iii/

[pierces]

After you unbox your Sony A7iii

 

http://enthusiastphotoblog.com/2018/04/09/customizing-sony-a7iii/

 

 

Nice checklist.

 

 

I already have a very solid Giottos tripod and ballhead but am interested in the Manfrotto collaboration with Sony and the smaller non-overlapping quick-release plates. As of now, they are only available in a complete BeFree tripod/head assemblies. I expect they will be available separately later.

 

Your opinion of the narrower plate?

 

Dave

[havoc315]

Nice checklist.

 

 

I already have a very solid Giottos tripod and ballhead but am interested in the Manfrotto collaboration with Sony and the smaller non-overlapping quick-release plates. As of now, they are only available in a complete BeFree tripod/head assemblies. I expect they will be available separately later.

 

Your opinion of the narrower plate?

 

Dave

 

Debating whether it’s worth paying $150 just for a narrower plate.... I’ll probably do it eventually.

 

Maybe I’ll see if any of my students want to buy my current tripod in my landscape class.

 

You have your first lenses yet for full frame?

You’re going to LOVE the a7iii.

[pierces]

Debating whether it’s worth paying $150 just for a narrower plate.... I’ll probably do it eventually.

 

Maybe I’ll see if any of my students want to buy my current tripod in my landscape class.

 

You have your first lenses yet for full frame?

You’re going to LOVE the a7iii.

 

 

The 24-105 f/4 G is on order but is backordered. It seems to be a nationwide issue. I've waited this long, so another couple of weeks...will probably kill me. :)

 

Dave

[havoc315]

The 24-105 f/4 G is on order but is backordered. It seems to be a nationwide issue. I've waited this long, so another couple of weeks...will probably kill me. :)

 

Dave

 

So is the A7iii coming today?

 

I'm really curious about your impression compared to the A6300. Forget the difference in image quality. I'm wondering how you feel about the massive change in ergonomics and handling. For me, it's almost painful to go back to using the A6300 in comparison. But you may feel differently.... you might find the A7iii huge and bulky in comparison.

[gambit57]

Mine is scheduled to come tomorrow.

 

Just sold the D750. Hopefully the lenses sell soon.

[havoc315]

Mine is scheduled to come tomorrow.

 

Just sold the D750. Hopefully the lenses sell soon.

 

Congrats. I made the switch from D750 too... still actually have some gear to sell.

[pierces]

So is the A7iii coming today?

 

I'm really curious about your impression compared to the A6300. Forget the difference in image quality. I'm wondering how you feel about the massive change in ergonomics and handling. For me, it's almost painful to go back to using the A6300 in comparison. But you may feel differently.... you might find the A7iii huge and bulky in comparison.

 

No joy. Still shows as "we'll email you when we have a ship date".

 

I have about 1000 years worth of working with menu interfaces of all types as a consultant and never had an issue with the A6000/A6300 after setting the buttons and fn menus. Even the old original NEX interface was useable. (Sucked, but useable.)

 

As for huge and bulky...I just sold my A77 with battery grip. It felt like a boom box when i pulled it out to pack it up.

 

I'll compare them and note my impressions for this thread. It's turning into an A7 series how-to. :)

 

If I ever get the damn thing...

 

Dave

[pierces]

If I ever get the damn thing...

 

 

Got email.

 

Early May.

 

 

*sigh*

 

 

Dave

[havoc315]

Got email.

 

Early May.

 

 

*sigh*

 

 

Dave

 

At least earlier today, B&H had it in stock with the 28-70 lens...

Get the 28-70 lens, it’s only an extra $200. You won’t get the 24-105 for a few weeks anyway. Then sell the 28-70.... even if they flood the market, you’ll get $150-200 for it.

[havoc315]

No joy. Still shows as "we'll email you when we have a ship date".

 

I have about 1000 years worth of working with menu interfaces of all types as a consultant and never had an issue with the A6000/A6300 after setting the buttons and fn menus. Even the old original NEX interface was useable. (Sucked, but useable.)

 

As for huge and bulky...I just sold my A77 with battery grip. It felt like a boom box when i pulled it out to pack it up.

 

I'll compare them and note my impressions for this thread. It's turning into an A7 series how-to. :)

 

If I ever get the damn thing...

 

Dave

 

“usable” is a low threshold... I suspect you’ll find the a7iii much more comfortable to use ... beteeen better grip, larger EVF, ease of moving af point with thumb stick, more direct controls, and not having to check the battery after an hour of use.

[pierces]

At least earlier today, B&H had it in stock with the 28-70 lens...

Get the 28-70 lens, it’s only an extra $200. You won’t get the 24-105 for a few weeks anyway. Then sell the 28-70.... even if they flood the market, you’ll get $150-200 for it.

 

All packages tagged as "pre-order" as of this morning. I must have missed the ten minute window before they sold out.

 

“usable” is a low threshold... I suspect you’ll find the a7iii much more comfortable to use ... beteeen better grip, larger EVF, ease of moving af point with thumb stick, more direct controls, and not having to check the battery after an hour of use.

 

By usable, I mean that the menu never stopped me from finding what I needed to find. Once a camera is set to my liking, I very seldom delve into the menu and often-used options are easy to find since they are on a "well beaten path". I guess I'm not a very demanding photographer. The bristling dials and retro-clutter tacked on to some cameras may make them more attractive to someone who "only shoots RAW in Manual mode" but would provide little if any advantage for my normal use. On any given day, I use the aperture wheel, focus magnifier, autoexposure lock, occasional exposure compensation and even more occasionally, switch from DMF to AF-C. The occasional switch to shutter priority was never an ordeal on any camera I've owned.

 

That said, everything you mentioned above went into the mix that eventually triggered my purchase of the A7III. They are all things that deserve circling on the shopping list but were secondary to the AF performance and image quality.

 

I already own a couple of cameras capable of exceptional images (if I do my job) that I truly enjoy using, so I see the A7III as an opportunity, not an escape hatch. :)

 

Dave

[zackiedawg]

I admit I too never had any issues adapting to and comfortably using the A6xxx cameras - ergonomically, I actually like my A6300 MORE than my DSLRs and SLTs...I've become very comfortable with the button layout and controls customized to my taste. It's probably that I've always used multiple cameras of varying size and layout for nearly 2 decades of digital - regularly swapping between a fat DSLR and a slim mirrorless throughout the day. I think going back and forth often, day in and day out, made me more instantly familiar with shooting on smaller bodies and my muscle memory as to where all the controls were located stays there. Swapping between my A68, A6300, and RX10, sometimes all in the same day, is easier too since all three have customizable buttons, and I've set up most common functions to be in generally the same place on all three cameras. ISO, drive mode, DRO, and the Fn menus are all the same.

 

I've shot the A9 and A7RIII over the past month or two, going back and forth from my A6300 - honestly I was very comfortable with all of them - the A9 and A7RIII bodies just felt like larger versions of the same basic grip and control layout compared to my A6300 - with the only adaptation being the center EVF, which is easy enough for me since my A580 and A68 have central finders.

 

Menus I can like or hate, but as Dave mentioned, in most of my daily shooting, I almost never use menus...I'd say less than 1 time in 100 days of shooting do I need to dive into camera menus. Back in the NEX days, I HATED the menus - DEEPLY. They were truly appaling and for me some of the worst ever foisted upon any camera. Yet, I could comfortably shoot my NEX-5N, because I had mapped all the custom buttons and quick menu to get at all the settings I needed while shooting so I never needed to go into those horrible menus. I could change focus area, focus mode, drive mode, ISO, white balance, aperture, shutter, DRO/HDR modes, flash, AE lock, EV...all right from the camera body or quick menu screen. Once they dumped those horrible menus for those in the A6xxx bodies, I no longer had to worry - I still rarely need to go into menus, but it's nice to know when I do I won't want to punch someone like I did with the NEX menus. And I personally love camera menus with huge, extensive options that go on and on as deep as possible...when I hear some complain about Sony or Olympus menus being too big and confusing, I laugh - because I still remember early Sony menus which had far too few choices and no customization - I'd much rather have too many options in a menu I only need to use rarely when setting things up than too few options in a simple, clean menu I rarely use.

[gambit57]

Congrats. I made the switch from D750 too... still actually have some gear to sell.

 

Thanks. My goal is to put up the remaining stuff for sale today. Turns out I have two flashes. Totally forgot about one. I hope it's in the box cuz I don't see it where I normally keep my camera gear.

 

UPS says the A7iii is supposed to arrive before 10:30AM, but it doesn't show that it's left the depot yet. Only an hour and a half to go. Fingers crossed I'm not waiting around all day.

[gambit57]

It's here! Don't have a lens for it yet so can't really play with it. When I get some time today, I'm gonna go follow Havoc's setup guide and get this baby ready for when the lens comes.

[havoc315]

It's here! Don't have a lens for it yet so can't really play with it. When I get some time today, I'm gonna go follow Havoc's setup guide and get this baby ready for when the lens comes.

 

What lenses you got coming and when?

[pierces]

It's here! Don't have a lens for it yet so can't really play with it. When I get some time today, I'm gonna go follow Havoc's setup guide and get this baby ready for when the lens comes.

 

*sigh*

 

On the bright side, I'll probably get my back-ordered lens before I get my back-ordered camera.

 

Dave

[havoc315]

*sigh*

 

On the bright side, I'll probably get my back-ordered lens before I get my back-ordered camera.

 

Dave

 

Psst.... I believe they have it in stock....

https://www.avcstore.com/brand/sony/digital-mirrorless-cameras/?v=7516fd43adaa

[pierces]

Psst.... I believe they have it in stock....

https://www.avcstore.com/brand/sony/digital-mirrorless-cameras/?v=7516fd43adaa

 

I was tempted enough to try but the website kept dropping me before I even got to the payment point.

 

After I called and checked stock, I developed a "what if I have to return it" phobia when the person answering the phone had to go search for a few minutes to find an English speaker.

 

Patience is a virtue, isn't it?

 

Dave

[gambit57]

What lenses you got coming and when?

 

Just the 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. We use that 90% of the time. We'll just borrow or rent anything else we decided (trying to lighten our load). Supposed to come Friday.

 

*sigh*

 

On the bright side, I'll probably get my back-ordered lens before I get my back-ordered camera.

 

Dave

 

Even the lens is backordered? What did you order?

[pierces]

 

Even the lens is backordered? What did you order?

 

The 24-105 f/4 G

 

Dave

[havoc315]

Just the 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. We use that 90% of the time. We'll just borrow or rent anything else we decided (trying to lighten our load). Supposed to come Friday.

 

 

 

Even the lens is backordered? What did you order?

 

What lenses did you have with the Nikon D750?

 

Would you be willing to answer a bit of a survey, do a write up, on your switch after you have had the camera for a bit?

I'm thinking of doing a blog post of "switcher interviews" -- 1 person who switched from A-mount, 1 who switched from Sony APS-C (Dave), 1 who switched from Canon and 1 who switched from Nikon.

 

I haven't tested the 24-70 GM yet but will eventually. I'd suggest you eventually fill your bag with a couple lighter lenses in addition. Part of the joy of the Sony system is the ability to downsize, at least with certain lenses.