Sony A7 and A7R DXO Review - Highest full frame IQ ever.

http://www.thephoblogr​apher.com …ng-wrong-sony-a7-a7r-far/

Slight bummer: They're finding the focus-peaking inaccurate for critical focus using the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4. Oh well, I still hope the EVF will help make the A7/R a great body for MF lenses.

David Arbogast wrote in post #16414765
http://www.thephoblogr​apher.com …ng-wrong-sony-a7-a7r-far/

Slight bummer: They're finding the focus-peaking inaccurate for critical focus using the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4. Oh well, I still hope the EVF will help make the A7/R a great body for MF lenses.

Is anything other than live view perfectly accurate for critical focus at f/1.4? Is this with focus peaking set for high precision, or just the 'standard' setting?

Either way, it's a firmware issue by definition.

David Arbogast wrote in post #16414765
http://www.thephoblogr​apher.com …ng-wrong-sony-a7-a7r-far/

Slight bummer: They're finding the focus-peaking inaccurate for critical focus using the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4. Oh well, I still hope the EVF will help make the A7/R a great body for MF lenses.

I'd take opinions with a grain of salt, maybe a box full, because:

Source: Steve Huff - Day 2

The A7 and A7r do amazingly well with the Sony FE lenses as well as Leica M mount glass from 35mm and up. The Voigtlander 35 1.2 II is doing mighty fine on the A7 or A7r and I prefer using it on these cameras over using it on the Leica M. It is easy to focus using the EVF and Focus Peaking and I can MF faster than I can on my M.

....

The A7R and Zeiss Otus 55 1.4 – A BEAST of a lens but man oh man..this is the finest 50-ish focal length I have ever shot with in regards to sharpness. Once I process RAW files I will post some crazy crops. Wide open, this is quite a bit sharper than the Leica 50 Lux ASPH on my M. But it is manual focus, large and $4000.

Catching action using the EVF and Manual focus was not an issue with this combo, even at 1.4

This was written by Steve Huff, who is a huge MF nut and veritable Leica fanboy, and who was part of the same group as the other guy who said the manual focus isn't accurate.

Before getting upset about anything you hear, stop and ask yourself - am I on the internet?

Kolor-Pikker wrote in post #16415453
I'd take opinions with a grain of salt, maybe a box full, because:

This was written by Steve Huff, who is a huge MF nut and veritable Leica fanboy, and who was part of the same group as the other guy who said the manual focus isn't accurate.

Before getting upset about anything you hear, stop and ask yourself - am I on the internet?

1. How do you get "upset" from my phrase "slight bummer"?
2. The link I referenced did not contend that manual focusing on the A7/R isn't accurate.
3. He did opine that the focus-peaking feature, which is just a visual aid - used for mostly for video - was not as accurate as he had hoped for still photography.
4. I shoot MF Zeiss lenses all the time with my Canon cameras, which don't have focus-peaking, so even if this person's opinion proves accurate, so what? It would be a very minor issue at worst; a very slight bummer.
5. It is good that Steve mentioned he was pleased using focus-peaking on the A7R and I agree that his opinion carries more weight, but I don't see his positive comments necessarily at variance with the other guy's statement that "When it comes to focus peaking, the accuracy isn’t perfect."

^^We can always use Small HD monitors.

jdizzle wrote in post #16415651
^^We can always use Small HD monitors.

Since the camera uses an EVF rather than a DSLR optical viewfinder, isn't it possible to zoom in to pin the focus (typical LiveView focusing procedure)? If so, that will likely be my preferred workflow for challenging/demanding focusing scenarios (shooting near subjects with wide apertures) regardless of focus-peaking accuracy.

And if the focus peaking aid does prove insufficiently accurate in particularly demanding scenarios, it still should be a very useful aid for less demanding subjects/scenes.

And speaking of the EVF: making it an OLED display was a great decision on Sony's part. I upgraded my SmallHD field monitor from the dp6 to the AC7 OLED and that was a very nice upgrade from an image quality standpoint. Excellent color rendition.

David Arbogast wrote in post #16415638
1. How do you get "upset" from my phrase "slight bummer"?
2. The link I referenced wasn't saying that the manual focus isn't accurate.
3. He did opine that focus-peaking feature, which is just a manual focus aid - used for mostly for video - was not as accurate as he had hoped for still photography.
4. I shoot MF Zeiss lenses all the time with my Canon cameras, which don't have focus-peaking, so even if this person's opinion proves accurate, so what? It would be a very minor issue at worst; a very slight bummer.
5. It is good that Steve mentioned he was pleased using focus-peaking on the A7R and I agree that his opinion carries more weight, but I don't see his positive comments necessarily at variance with the other guy's statement that "When it comes to focus peaking, the accuracy isn’t perfect."

Well, on the internet, a slight bummer can and will invariably be blown out of proportion many times over. I do hope you spotted the hyperbole in my post.

Kolor-Pikker wrote in post #16415835
Well, on the internet, a slight bummer can and will invariably be blown out of proportion many times over. I do hope you spotted the hyperbole in my post.

Indeed. Hyperbole is what photography forums are made of.

David Arbogast wrote in post #16415716
Since the camera uses an EVF rather than a DSLR optical viewfinder, isn't it possible to zoom in to pin the focus (typical LiveView focusing procedure)? If so, that will likely be my preferred workflow for challenging/demanding focusing scenarios (shooting near subjects with wide apertures) regardless of focus-peaking accuracy.

And if the focus peaking aid does prove insufficiently accurate in particularly demanding scenarios, it still should be a very useful aid for less demanding subjects/scenes.

And speaking of the EVF: making it an OLED display was a great decision on Sony's part. I upgraded my SmallHD field monitor from the dp6 to the AC7 OLED and that was a very nice upgrade from an image quality standpoint. Excellent color rendition.

I've never used an EVF. So, I'm not sure.

I'm excited. I'll be picking up one and still holding on to my canon. One for the studio and one for the field.

jdizzle wrote in post #16415881
I've never used an EVF. So, I'm not sure.

The answer is yes, at least that's how it works on my Nex6 - focus peaking for most shots, magnified view when I need to be completely sure or when peaking doesn't cut it (e.g. low contrast low light settings). Peaking is great for 90% of shots, though.

Amamba wrote in post #16416018
The answer is yes, at least that's how it works on my Nex6 - focus peaking for most shots, magnified view when I need to be completely sure or when peaking doesn't cut it (e.g. low contrast low light settings). Peaking is great for 90% of shots, though.

Thanks. I'm sure that a lot of landscape and macro shooters will appreciate that.

Jeesh !

If I had the extra cash I would go for the A7R in a heartbeat! The ability to use all my existing Canon glass on this wonderful new Sony is just a dream come true. Zeiss 21/2.8 + Sony A7R = Perfection !

And I am also seriously disappointed with Canon lately, if they don't come up with a improved DR, high MP body by next summer (2014), I can surely see myself upgrading to Sony. And I don't want it to be size of 1D-series...

Tmuussoni wrote in post #16418066
Jeesh !

If I had the extra cash I would go for the A7R in a heartbeat! The ability to use all my existing Canon glass on this wonderful new Sony is just a dream come true. Zeiss 21/2.8 + Sony A7R = Perfection !

And I am also seriously disappointed with Canon lately, if they don't come up with a improved DR, high MP body by next summer (2014), I can surely see myself upgrading to Sony. And I don't want it to be size of 1D-series...

Precisely. Nor the price of 1D-series.

But I fully expect Canon to launch their D800 (D900?) / A7R "competitor", as a $7.000 big ass 1D. And then they'll market it with words like "amazing, groundbreaking, revolutionary", e.t.c.

Tmuussoni wrote in post #16418066
And I am also seriously disappointed with Canon lately, if they don't come up with a improved DR, high MP body by next summer (2014), I can surely see myself upgrading to Sony. And I don't want it to be size of 1D-series...

Is it about that rumor regarding the Q2 2014 Canon 1-series that'll replace the 1DX? CR mentioned the 1Dx will get a price drop, but this new camera will likely be 2 grand more anyway. That's well over a year away, for a bigger camera, for a lot more money, that no one even knows will be good yet.

Get the Sony if it's features and usability float your boat, the AF is nowhere near DSLR performance after all, especially with an adapter on. (unless it's the Sony adapter and A mount glass) For tripod shooters, the A7r is a dream come true, but it wont be half bad hand held either, and the 55mm 1.8 is looking to be an incredible lens from all the previews... A mini-Otus, but with better bokeh.