Sony Lounge Thread MKIII (All Sony cameras welcome)

Well had to see if it works, and works with MBv and the DOii.
Had to get used to frame flickr again and exposure is different between the a9.
Still looks initially to be a joy to wield this combo....though after 40 min's fingers
were numb from the cold.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18532551
I should have thought to start this discussion before year’s end, but here is a fun subject to discuss on this GAS driven forum:

What was your favorite/best gear purchase in 2017?

What was your least favorite/worst gear purchase in 2017?

Can be anything from a lens pen to a camera. If you made zero purchase mistakes, just share the purchase that least excited you. I’ll start...

Favorite purchase: Zeiss Batis 135mm. Totally shocked by this, but somehow the lens just really delivers for me time and again. I bought the outstanding 100-400mm GM thinking I’d sell the Batis, but the size, weight, and wider aperture of the Batis won out and I sold the 100-400mm instead.

Made a lot of lens moves in 2017 and don’t regret any of them except maybe selling the CV 65mm (great lens, but just a bit too heavy/big for what I wanted from it).

Worst purchase: Zhiyun Crane. I thought it would be cool to do video, and I thought the Crane would give me smooth footage, but I just had zero patience for mastering it and video just proved too much a distraction from my photography.

Great idea David and now you have me lusting after that Batis 135mm.

Favorite purchase: Sony FE 16-35 GM. This lens has been so versatile for me in completing my paid architecture work. Great performing lens. I also purchased the Loxia 85 and Voightlander 12mm in 2017 but the wide angle zoom gets my pick by a slight edge over the Loxia 85.


Worst purchase: This was tough. I was going to pick my PD Backpack simply because changing lenses with it is a pain but instead I chose the FLM leveling base which I used a few times and found it made my tripod/ballhead combo a bit awkward to use. I think it would work better with a simple clamp instead of a ballhead up top.

Charlie wrote in post #18532575
Best: tough tough pick but I think I'll go with the 12-24 slightly ahead of the R3. Maybe a different answer in a few months, but with the R3, missing SR has been the only flaw, but it's a pretty big one.

Least favorite: CV10, not because I didnt like it, but it was a royal PITA to get it repaired.

It was a tough pick, the FE 12-24 was #2 for me.

mystik610 wrote in post #18532451
Cool shots!

A couple years back when working on my MBA I had access to student tickets for dirt cheap. Not 50 yard line, but lower bowls. I used to bring my camera to games, and it was a lot of fun shooting. Seats down at that level are too expensive, so I mainly just bring wide angles to shoot the stadiums these days lol.

Excuse the non Sony shots:

This was John O'Korn's freshman year....He transferred to Michigan where he was named the starter this season. His last game in his collegiate career was the few snaps he got at the outback bowl you shot.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/iFSA​YU DZ2A4846 by Carlo Alcala, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/iFSs​Wm DZ2A4892 by Carlo Alcala, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/iFPT​bB DZ2A4795 by Carlo Alcala, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/iFPX​V6 DZ2A4746 by Carlo Alcala, on Flickr

That Blue and White looks good!!!! Go Tigers

Best Purchase: Rokinon 135 f2 or Sony 16-35 FE. The 135 f2 for the price is just awesome and the 16-35 is so versatile that it's hard to dislike it

Worst Purchase: Either the FE 50 1.8 or my 70-200 F4.... The 50 because i find that it has focusing issues sometimes in low light and it hunts a lot it seems... The 70-200 because i have had buyers regret since spending all that cash on it and hardly using it....

Oh I forgot the worst purchase.

...... two hoodman eyecups for the a7rii....... lost one one the beach one in the mountains around Tucson. Stupid things just wont stay on.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18532440
Packaging matters yes, we all agree. So if you ever get the opportunity consider
Cardinal Camera and Video...so far at least on packaging (360) they are ahead of how
the big boys have been lately-

I bet I know....and I would pick the spot right next to you...LOL...no thanks on a bowl game for me!

David Arbogast wrote in post #18532551
I should have thought to start this discussion before year’s end, but here is a fun subject to discuss on this GAS driven forum:

Great Idea David...kinda like a year in review of what we spent our hard earned money on...

What was your favorite/best gear purchase in 2017?
The a9. Hands down. It sees a lot more use than I expected, I love the silent mode, I love the speed, the AF and the manageable file size...rather than an R3...I want another a9...

What was your least favorite/worst gear purchase in 2017?
The Sony FE 50 f/1.4. It was so disappointing.


Outside of that...I bought David's old tripod, and Carlo's 70-200...and I am thrilled with both of those...and am looking forward to the new prospects of 2018...I am going to make it my best year yet.

Best Purchase:

a7rIII

Worst Purchase:

This is tough because I was pretty happy with everything I bought this year...including the a9 that I sold. I think the Godox T350s. It's great for the money and the size is awesome but the initial cycle is way too slow and I miss shots because of it.

Not tough questions but tough answers for me.

Favorite purchase: Two items stand out to me and that's the FE 100-400 GM, especially when paired with the Sony 2x extender and the arIII. The more I learn and use the camera, the more I like it.

Least favorite purchase: I can't think of anything off hand that I'm not very happy with purchasing in the past year.

Played with my FE 100-400GM mounted on the a7rIII using off camera flash a bit today.

navydoc wrote in post #18532645
Played with my FE 100-400GM mounted on the a7rIII using off camera flash a bit today.

Hosted photo: posted by navydoc in
./showthread.php?p=185​32645&i=i69516997
forum: Sony Digital Cameras

Hosted photo: posted by navydoc in
./showthread.php?p=185​32645&i=i210877194
forum: Sony Digital Cameras

And that worked well!!

Does anyone have the original A7 SEL28-70 kit zoom lens....??

I like manual for landscape really but for the price of decent, more vintage, zooms I can pick up a "like new" SEL28-70 for £215......

LeeRatters wrote in post #18532707
Does anyone have the original A7 SEL28-70 kit zoom lens....??

I like manual for landscape really but for the price of decent, more vintage, zooms I can pick up a "like new" SEL28-70 for £215......

I wish I had that still. I sold it cause it was too wide on the bottom for the 6500 but now with the A9 I bet that is a good lens!

I really enjoyed everyone's contributions regarding favorite/least favorite gear purchases for 2017. I think it will go down as one of the greatest new-gear years ever. Sony rolled out the a9 and a7R II and a whole lot of amazing glass. Last summer they announced the 12-24mm, 16-35mm GM, and 100-400mm GM - and all three of those amazing lenses were mentioned in your responses. I've never been (and never will) be a fanboy for a manufacturer, but it feels damn good to own a Sony e-mount kit right now - I've never been happier with my gear than right now.

_______________

From my walk this afternoon: a thin layer of ice covers a beaver pond near West Point Lake.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18532440
Packaging matters yes, we all agree. So if you ever get the opportunity consider
Cardinal Camera and Video...so far at least on packaging (360) they are ahead of how
the big boys have been lately-

Hosted photo: posted by MedicineMan4040 in
./showthread.php?p=185​32440&i=i213148562
forum: Sony Digital Cameras

Congrats...