thinking about switching

Help me make up my mind.
I shoot mainly portraits for my source of income. I do a bit of skateboarding and stuff on the side for fun but not my main concern.

I shoot a canon 5D Mk III and I'm trying to convert. I hate the focusing and I really like that sony is newer technology and has smaller stuff like the eye focusing etc.

I would have to sell a 5d mk iii, 24mm and 50mm art series but I wouldn't mind listing it super low just to sell it.

I currently have about $3,000 without even selling any of my current gear.

I'd need a 24-70 and a 85mm (prefer art series for sure) for portraits.


Not sure what body I would get. Prefer something close to the higher end since its my main camera.

Battery life and the sensor heating up has always been a concern for me. I heard they get a little more noise when they shoot for a while?

hit me with some info to help make up my mind!!! haha

but seriously, any help is appreciated

For what it's worth, one of the main things that made me interested is the dynamic range. I should a lot of high contrast work so that is one thing that stood out about the A7Rmkii

Have you rented one and tried it in the field to see if it works better? Until you do that, reading specs on paper is just that, specs on paper.
I'm curious in what your issue is with the AF of your 5DIII? Many here on the boards have shot portraits with the body and have no issues. Are you missing focus?

The grass is always greener on the other side. I'd hate for you spend $5,000 plus just to find out the new system doesn't work out for you.

I would obviously rent stuff before I turn around and bought it all. And I'm just not a super huge fan of the autofocusing system. My 6D was OK and never had issues. Recently ran into quite a bit of stuff with the 5D. Mainly just the facial recognition and having issues with the nose and cheeks being in focus but the eyes or not and stuff like that. And I know that can be chalked up to micro focusing adjustments but the same time it's just one of those things to where it's annoying to deal with in the eye auto focus stood out to me as well as the dynamic range I mentioned above. By all means I've shopped on your portraits and have the portfolio to show that focusing is not always an issue but to me it's just one of those things to wear if it's going to be a better situation overall for my actual money maker then I don't mind converting. Not to mention the fact that everyone knows Canon is constantly falling further behind the technology race

I also know that the new Sony cameras are probably going to be announced and released sometime relatively soon and so the only real issue I'm stuck in is the fact that I bought a portrait lens because I actually sold my headshot lens and I just bought one and was hoping to return it and use all of this money to get into something new but I guess if I'm better off waiting then I will just keep this lens for now and just worry about selling more stuff later on. Although I plan on having this camera for a while so I suppose if I got the a7rII it might still go quite a ways farther technology wise until I got a newer generation camera.

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #18301851
Help me make up my mind.
I shoot mainly portraits for my source of income. I do a bit of skateboarding and stuff on the side for fun but not my main concern.

I shoot a canon 5D Mk III and I'm trying to convert. I hate the focusing and I really like that sony is newer technology and has smaller stuff like the eye focusing etc.

I would have to sell a 5d mk iii, 24mm and 50mm art series but I wouldn't mind listing it super low just to sell it.

I currently have about $3,000 without even selling any of my current gear.

I'd need a 24-70 and a 85mm (prefer art series for sure) for portraits.


Not sure what body I would get. Prefer something close to the higher end since its my main camera.

Battery life and the sensor heating up has always been a concern for me. I heard they get a little more noise when they shoot for a while?

hit me with some info to help make up my mind!!! haha

but seriously, any help is appreciated

For what it's worth, one of the main things that made me interested is the dynamic range. I should a lot of high contrast work so that is one thing that stood out about the A7Rmkii

There are a few guys on this forum who have done a very similar swap to what you are considering. I have no experience with the a7rii, but I can tell you that the difference in IQ between my 6D/50 Art and a7r/Zeiss 55 is real. Both lenses are excellent with very little difference in IQ between them other than F-stop--it's the sensor that makes the difference apparent.

That said, the A7rii produces the best IQ I've ever seen this side of Medium format. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm far from the most experience shooter on this thread, but check out the sample threads here. The GM series of lenses really bring out the best in that powerful sensor. IBIS is a definitely bonus.

Enjoy the journey!

And yeah medium format is a whole Nother thing within itself. I even thought about making that swap and I'm to the point where I wish I could do that because it's really where I want to be but I start really picture that being a realistic goal for me right now so Haha
But ya I know they have amazing quality and I don't think that cannon doesn't have good quality but it's just the fact of spending that much money with far less technology and features is kind of what bugs me. I just feel like Sony has a lot more to offer for features and all that stuff and will continue to do so. It's either I get the 5D Mark four or the a7Rii

I made the switch from 5D3 for basically the exact same reason. I spend most of my shooting time doing headshots. Part of "the look" that most of my clients gravitate to is very wide aperture, and the 5D3 was constantly missing. Not by a lot, but by just enough to make whole sets of images worthless. (and this is after using Reikan FoCal to MA all my glass - was infuriating) I took an A7Rii along with me for a couple weeks, shot it alongside my 5D3, and the Sony won.

All that aside though, I'd agree that renting one first is a good plan. It's not for everyone. And it takes some getting used to.

On native glass, I think you'll fall in love with eye-af. (Even works on Sigma lenses with the MC-11 adapter, but I have also seen reviews where they have some problems, like check out the Manny Ortiz video with the 85 Art)

The other thing you mentioned, DR, you'll definitely see a HUGE improvement with the A7Rii over the 5D3. That said though, I also got my hands on a 5D4 for a couple weeks, and it also has huge DR improvements over the 5D3. Not QUITE up to par with the A7Rii, but really close. But no real change in critical focus accuracy at wide apertures that I could find - still missed left and right.

All just my humble $0.02

And this is the exact reason I want to make the change. I really don't mind using native glass. I know zeiss is one of the top and they are the ones that make the Sony lenses? But yeah I have a few people interested in my gear here so I might just kind of play it by ear and return most of the stuff I recently bought until I can actually decide but yeah those minor changes seem to be more than enough to make me want to change. I love Canon and I have always done right by them but I just think it's time to make that change over to newer stuff. In a world ruled by technology I can't be bottlenecked by old stuff

Also, I was thinking about a 24 to 70 and an 85 mm for portraits. What lenses are the most recommended for that? I see 24 to 70 which is about 2100 bucks.
I normally shoot primes but I figured if I'm starting all over I would just get my 24 to 70 for family stuff and 85 for the head shots

50mm for portraits eventually

The 2 biggest adjustments you have to prepare yourself for, in my opinion, is the EVF in general, and color.

The EVF really changes the shooting experience. At first, I didn't like it at all. I felt very disconnected from my scene, like I was looking at my subject through closed circuit surveillance monitor or something. After a little time with the camera though, when I tried out the 5D4, I found that I now can't go back to OVF. Knowing what your shot is going to look like, before you shoot it, is just SO dang useful. No chimping, and finding that the last 5 shots you took are under/overexposed, it's really lovely. But at first it does sort of feel, Idunno, just wrong

Coming from Canon, Sony colors take some getting used to also. I think people who switch over from Nikon seem to adjust quicker to Sony colors than Canon shooters. Canon warms everything up in a very "pleasing" way. (sometimes too much - gals with too much blush, or men with ruddy complexions - the red channel can go nuts on Canon). Sony tends to go a little heavy with greens and oranges I've found. Auto white balance on Sony veers a little too cool for my taste. Some people say Sony is just "more accurate" while Canon artificially twists the color channels to be pleasing... I don't really know the answer, but all I can say is it took me a little time to adjust in post to Sony colors.

(Of course, I'm totally ignoring the obvious "things to get used to"... the menu system, and button placement / ergonomics. Anyone who complains about those, I find ridiculous - that takes adjustment going from any brand to any brand)

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #18301915
Also, I was thinking about a 24 to 70 and an 85 mm for portraits. What lenses are the most recommended for that? I see 24 to 70 which is about 2100 bucks.
I normally shoot primes but I figured if I'm starting all over I would just get my 24 to 70 for family stuff and 85 for the head shots

50mm for portraits eventually

a 24-70 and an 85 would be a dandy starting point I'd think.

I still use my EF 24-70ii all the time, mostly for theatre production shoots. For headshot sessions, I can have back-to-back sessions all day, and the Zeiss Batis 85mm never leaves the camera. Other people really love the Sony 85 G Master. It's creamier than the Batis, but I just love the extra little bit of punch I get from the Batis. (full disclosure, I also have still have the Canon 85Lii for those times when I want/need a bokeh a-bomb, which is another reason I was never overly tempted to shell out for the 85 G Master - but the GM is definitely worth looking at if you really like creamy bokeh) The Sony 90mm Macro is also pretty amazing for portraits actually.

I actually had a mirror list camera for a while so I'm a little used to it. Although it was a Fujifilm but yeah. I also like cooler images so

I think I might keep this in mind. There's have to figure out what lenses I want to do in my pricing budget and all that kind of stuff for an hour but I am in the process of getting rid of a lot of extra stuff so I think I might test one out a little bit but just decide to make the plans I think I might keep this in mind. It's have to figure out what lenses I want to do in my pricing budget and all that kind of stuff for an hour but I am in the process of getting rid of a lot of extra stuff so I think I might test one out a little bit but just decide to make the plunge.

I will definitely keep this in mind. How are used to use the hundred millimeter macro canon L-series for portraits and it was awesome

Also, I love zeiss lenses

I'll definitely check the options out

What are the good primes for Sony? I really love the art series but ya

Nick Aufiero wrote in post #18301851
Help me make up my mind.
I shoot mainly portraits for my source of income. I do a bit of skateboarding and stuff on the side for fun but not my main concern.

skate boarding, or anything moving, and an A7Rii, do not go in the same sentence


5D4 with a new, yet to be released or priced, Sigma 24-70 2.8 OS and a Tamron 85mm 1.8 VC would get my vote


I say all the above as an ex multi 5D3 owner, current 5DSR and 1DXii owner and A7Rii owner.

My second choice would be get a 1DXii with the above lenses

MY 3rd choice would be buy a used A7Rii for portraits and a used 1Dx for skateboarding

I have done enough experiments (yes really I have done them) to know that an A7Rii cannot keep up with a running 6 year old child - never mind a teenaged boy on a skateboard - it is however incredible on DR.

Skateboarding is the least of my worries and I can get a 7D with a rokinon fish for it.

Like I said before my main source of income and focus is going to be portrait work which is why I have contemplated making the change many times before. I enjoy all of the lenses that I have and I really enjoyed cannon and being a DSL our owner but again just feel like my wants and needs are being first more towards mirror less camera is a newer technology.


Maybe I will find a local artist who has one that I could go along with and use

Honestly it's another canon body or the a7Rii at this point.
Just gotta figure out what is the best move