Electronic / silent shutter of the Sony A9 / A9ii vs Sony A7iii / A7Riii
Both the Sony A7iii and Sony A9 / A9ii offer a silent / electronic shutter. Just like the Nikon Z6 and Z7 and Canon EOS R. But there are specific differences which might affect your decision about which camera best suits your needs.
What sets the Sony A9 (B&H / Amazon) apart from any of the other cameras mentioned, is that it is very resistant to banding in some artificial lighting. The sensor readout is (as far as I can figure out) 1/160th of a second, while it is 1/40th for the Sony Read more inside...
There has been such an increasing buzz in the past few years, you'd easily think this is all hype. And you would be correct, at least partially. I mean, masterful works of photographic art have been created over the years with lesser cameras than we have available today. There are several things which make the experience of using mirrorless cameras different than DSLRs. Whether these differences add up to advantages that make a difference, will depend on your needs as a photographer.
So what then would be the advantages Mirrorless Read more inside...
Silent Shutter / Electronic shutter vs mechanical shutter
I “accidentally” bought a new camera recently. I had no real intent to. This is going to be a long story ... or a short review. The story starts when I dropped the small camera Fuji X-T20 (affiliate) that I use on a gimbal. While it was still in for repairs, so I went in to my local camera store, to see what I could rent for a gig that upcoming weekend.
I idly asked to see the new Fuji X-H1 (affiliate) ... and the moment I tripped the shutter, I knew this was the camera I had been looking for. It has the Read more inside...
That crazy bokeh there is via the Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 (B&H / Amazon), taken at widest aperture, giving this wafer-thin depth of field. Even though this is a new lens, I would classify it as a classic or vintage lens. It is manual focus, and gives that delicious look to images exactly because of that DoF and bokeh. In terms of the composition, I like how the blue lights in the foreground is echoed by the same lights in the background.
How this photo session with Anastasiya came about ...
My friend, Parker J Read more inside...
B&W infrared photographs have a distinct look - green foliage go white and blue skies go dark. Then there are the unusual tonality when some things are unexpectedly darker or brighter than you expect. This is all part of the adventure of shooting with B&W infrared. The most typical B&W infrared images that you tend to see, are the landscape images with the ghostly white foliage. My own preference is to explore New York with my B&W infrared camera. The imposing cityscapes of NYC, and the random opportunities make it Read more inside...
Yes, that's a Sony mirrorless camera - the Sony a7ii (B&H / Amazon). It's mine. No, I didn't switch to Sony. I still use Nikon DSLRs as my main camera system, and I can't see that changing in the foreseeable future. But I did buy this Sony A7ii. (I also bought a Fuji X-T20 as my walk-about camera.) But this Sony will be my "project" camera. I have a specific intent with it - to use any of the huge array of interesting vintage lenses. Some of these older lenses distinctive optical qualities - most often in how Read more inside...
The Fuji X-T2 (B&H / Amazon) is one of the most likable cameras I have ever handled, and up there with the best cameras. Ever. Fuji made immediate impact with their Fuji X-100 camera, which had sexy retro appeal, especially with the optical viewfinder. Since then, Fuji has released cameras which retain that kind of appeal, which culminated two years ago in the Fuji X-T1 - a camera which also really impressed me, as mentioned in my review: Fuji X-T1 camera.
Now we have the Fuji X-T2 which in some ways, is a considerable jump up from the Fuji Read more inside...
Pentax used to have a slogan that said simply, 'Just hold a Pentax'. Such was their confidence that they could win you over with a Pentax SLR. Just hold it, feel it and you will already like it. A lot! For me, that mantle could be placed on Fuji these days. With the X-series cameras, they've built up a range of cameras that are very appealing. They look good. They feel good ... and they give stunning results.
Yes, I am somewhat of a Fuji fanboy. But then, I love quality products. I'm a fan of that. My walkabout camera is the sexy Fuji X100s that I carry Read more inside...
Sony is still on fire with their new camera releases. There is the delicious full-frame compact Sony RX1 (Amazon). (Read my review of the Sony RX1). For a relatively long while, the best compact camera on the market was the Sony RX100 (Amazon) which was improved with the Sony RX100 II (Amazon). The full-frame Sony A99 DSLR also received great reports. So no doubt about it - Sony makes great cameras.
Another trend that has gained momentum in the last year or two - Mirrorless cameras. Without the bulk of the mirror and Read more inside...
One of the most compelling cameras in recent years, was the Fuji X100. It had a slick retro look, solid build, and some interesting features such as the hybrid optical viewfinder. The camera looked quite sexy slung over your shoulder, and felt great in your hands. But it had a few flaws. Sluggish handling at times, and more crucially, erratic auto-focus. It tended to grab the background when focusing in low-contrast light. I loved my Fuji X100, but eventually sold it because of these frustrations.
Well, the Fuji X100 was updated with the Fuji Read more inside...
