I completely agree about the difference between the X-T2 and later cameras. I owned the X-H1 and X-T3 and was never as happy with the build quality of them. I also struggled with the worms issue with those two later cameras and it fundamentally put me off Fuji, even though I liked the lenses and the controls for the most part. I have owned a lot of different brands and basically if I want a tool that does the job exceptionally well, there are few that can beat the A7r range, right from the II through to the V. That being said, I am currently back using a 5D Mark II and a new camera to me, the 5DSr for my landscape shots. There is something about the larger resolution of the 5DSr and similar cameras that is hard to beat, but fundamentally I love the colors from the entire 5D range and I like the feel of the camera and controls. It's about what makes you happy to shoot with. Enjoyed the video and will look for more :) John Pouw NZ
I've been shooting Sony since 2013. A7rii, a7riii, and the a7r5! Sony paved the way for full frame mirrorless cameras! I've shot Nikon and Canon dslr's! But I loved the Sony system from the get-go! I was tempted to get the Fuji xt3 at one time just for the fun of it. But never did it! I love the medium format cameras of Fuji, but the weight fact changed my mind!!! Because I love landscape and wildlife photography, I carry the a9 and the r5 with me at all times. Because of the autofocus and high resolution, I shoot the r5 for wildlife 75% of the time!!!! It has done a fantastic job with birds in flight, and I can crop all I want!!! I don't shoot video at all. The r5 is amazing with infrared! I use a 72 infrared filter and manual focus! The high-resolution view finder is perfect for this!!! This may be my last camera as I'm 70 years old now. 40 years of photography, and I have loved every minute of it.
Canon I have never got on with ergonomically. Nikon still has a relatively limited lens selection. The Z8 and a7Rv are similar specs but at the time I purchased the a7RV was significantly cheaper. I had shot Nikon for 15 or so years before Fuji, I felt that it was time to try Sony I actually did an entirely unscientific comparison video between the GFX50 and the a7RV and found them to be extremely close in image quality
I'm a Sony user myself. I've liked the retro look of Fuji cameras but couldn't justify investing in a second system. For me one of the strengths of the Sony system apart from the tech just working is the lens options. I only own one GM lens myself and if I'm honest I think they are overpriced. There are so many great options though, especially from the likes of Tamron, Samyang, Sigma and more recently Viltrox. Sony raw files seem to work well with any processing software.
Thanks for commenting, all the points you have made were very much those that drew me into the Sony system. In particular the OEM and third party lens choices. The raws certainly seem to play well with Lightroom which was not always the case with Fuji X series
My photographic history would appear to be similar to yours - (however I'm 17yrs ahead of you in age!) My reason for changing from an X-H2 to Sony A9, was all down to improving autofocus & availability/choice of telephoto zoom lenses - I'm not a videographer but needed a better camera/lens match for taking pet & wildlife images. I even found the evf experience better when using my old Leica R manual focus 24/35/60/135mm lenses - although I agree the menu system on the mark 1 version of the A9 takes some getting used to! Surprisingly I've found manipulation of JPEGs, relatively easy, and even after using the Fuji film simulations for 12 years, I found I could easily match or better the results with the A9. In any event the A9 + 70-200 F/2.8 GM mkii, works far better for me than the X-H2 + XF 50-140 F/2.8, & even if heavier, feels better balanced. For when I want a wider lens I use the excellent Sony Fe 20-70G F/4. or for when a lighter combo is required, I borrow my wife's old Leica Q.
Yes, autofocus and lens selection are a real draw for the Sony system, certainly one that helped me decide. A lot of my YT videos were shot using Fuji's and nearly every shoot I would have to re-do some of the to camera elements due to focus hunting. It was incredibly frustrating. Tomorrow I will do my first to camera piece with the Sony.
I recently got the A7CR and 24-105, couldn’t quite afford the A7RV at the time. I absolutely love the combo, but am a little jealous of the bigger brothers EVF. The ability to crop in these 60MP files is so nice. My old camera was the Sony SLT A65, their ambitious 24 MP, translucent mirror APS-C camera from 2011. Looking back, what I find amazing is how that mid-level camera from 2011 had the same pixel density, a slightly higher resolution EVF, faster FPS, in-built GPS, an in-built flash and some fun features like panorama-sweep and twilight mode. All missing from the more expensive A7CR released 13 years later. My phone now does the GPS portion through Bluetooth, but I miss being able to remotely trigger a flash without having to buy another controller. The low light performance of the larger sensor (and not losing half a stop to the translucent mirror) more than makes up for it - shooting anything over ISO 6400 was simply terrible. I’m also hugely impressed by the crazy auto-focus Sony has now. Just a bit strange to lose some features after 13 years of technological improvements… I wonder what we’ll have in another decade?
Good luck with your transition! I made a similar transition to Sony a couple of years ago (Sony A7R4, not the R5) and, honestly, I couldn't be happier that I did. Regarding Sony 'colour science', I've found that to be a complete non-issue. It's not a sensor issue, it's a profile issue. Simply create custom camera profiles using your Calibrite Colorchecker and you'll be amazed at how beautiful Sony colors can be. My previous Nikon and Fuji cameras had no colour advantage that I can see.
Thank you! So far I have been pretty happy with the colour right out of the box. I don't shoot a lot of people so skin tones are generally not an issue, but thanks for the tip on creating a custom profile, I will have a look into that
I use A9 for longtime and now a7cR ,Everyday people around me always said fuji color the best and sony color suck but I take photo for client and no one complaint about color so I think any color doesn't matter if you take raw photo but the AFC is the most important for the job My friend use xt4 and always miss focus 😢 consider move to sony soon
When I shoot my UA-cam videos on the Fuji, I nearly always had to reshoot some elements due to autofocus problems. It was very frustrating. I never shot the Fujis in RAW so the film simulations were irrelevant to me also. So far I have no issue with Sony colors
I look forward to seeing how you get on and if it mirrors my journey. Just had delivered my Sony A7RV and 24-105 lens. I am leaving behind Fuji and Hasselblad and expecting this one system to replace the two!
Seems we are on a very similar journey. I loved the GFX but as a hybrid photographer the lack of decent video plus it's sheer bulk made it a very specialised tool. The A7Rv seems to tick all the boxes of both systems. I believe the GFX and Blad share the same sensor.
@@JasonRowPhotography definitely not wrong. It does everything super well. I just like using the Fuji mostly for street photography, and if I go to an event, the film simulations are a nice touch to add some soul into the shots. That said, if I want razor sharp photos and really anything else, I reach for the Sony.
When Fuji started production out of China, the quality definitely dropped a bit. I have a made in Japan Fuji XT3 that is still superb. All my recent Fuji's have not been as good. Interestingly, the quality of the Sony's has been improving with every new iteration. The A7IV and A7RV have really come on full speed these days. It's taken me over 6 weeks to become comfortable with the switch, but it's going to be ok...
Yes, I went from XT2 to XT4 and there was a noticeable difference in build and material quality. I have been pretty impressed with the a7RV's body, although the top dials feel a little lightweight. I am off on a 5 week trip today so will have plenty of time to bond with the Sony.
I think you’ll be very happy with the Sony system, especially for image quality. You can really push those Sony RAW files around and maintain image quality! Enjoy your new camera!
I am intrigued that you now find that after using the GFX50S the image quality of the APS-C sensor is lacking. Obviously you get about a stop extra dynamic range in the GFX and the A7R5, but you also have a fantastic portfolio with the X-T2, a camera that has almost a stop less DR than the X-H2. Sometimes once you have tasted the fruit of what is possible you realize that you don't want to be without it anymore, even if you did great without it for years :) Good luck with Sony, there is a very big lens selection to work with with great third party options as well, so it is interesting to see what choices you make and why.
It's kind or more about the image aesthetic rather than any deep dive. The look on the X-T2 felt really nice, on subsequent cameras not as nice. It's nothing I can point to exactly other than to say the GFX really highlighted it for me. Then there was the build quality and the fact that my shutter button failed on the X-H2. Also sometimes change for change sake is a good thing creatively.
I’ve been procrastinating over buying an A7Rv and am also considering all the 61 megapixel cameras. The things which attracts me to Sony are the LCD and viewfinder which seem to be best in class. It was interesting to listen to your story. I don’t know if it’s just your newness with the Sony but I thought the colours in your Fuji images were preferable. Thanks for this, i’ll follow your progress. In the meantime I’m going to continue to procrastinate!
Hi, thanks for your comments. Indeed the LCD and viewfinder are in a class of their own. Regarding the colours, I think most of the Fuji images I posted were shot in the golden or blue hours, whereas the Sony was shot in normal daylight. I will be doing a more like for like video between both Fujis and the Sony a7Rv sometime in the coming months. That should give a better indication of the colour science on both systems.
There are lots of ways to get good colour from the Sony if you don't like the colours you are getting. I've been using cobalt image base profiles when editing raw images instead of relying on software default profiles like for example Adobe colour.
I am very curious to hear how the Sony compares to the Fuji. I am in a similar situation where I sold all my Nikon FF gear because of the bulk and started shooting with an XT20, which I got just for travel. I love how much I can get out of this camera (one image made it onto a book cover). But it's now a little outdated and laggy. Do I stay with Fuji, maybe get the XH2 (I rented the XT5 for a trip and wasn't excited), or do I move back to FF? I have read and watched so much about Sony and briefly played around with the A7IV and just loved how it felt. This is my current first choice despite the lower resolution of the EVF and screen. The A7RV is not out of the question, though I worry about file sizes.
I would say if you can afford it, go with the a7RV. It's quite a step up, especially the viewfinder. The RAW files sizes are large, 130mb on uncompressed, however they do compressed lossless, and compressed APS-C giving a 26mp RAW image. I have not tried these yet but will make a video about them in the future.
@@JasonRowPhotography There are no dial s like in older Fujis and the file size of 100Mpx kills my Macbook M1. Also the old GFX sensor seems more pleasent.
I shot Fuji for 7 years and last year I switched to the a7Rv as a main camera and an a7Cii as backup and video rig. No regrets. Biggest advantage? Two words: tracking autofocus.
Thanks, there will certianly be some more videos detailing my experience with the Sony. I am doing an big Asia trip next month, so that will definitely give it a work out.
Same story here, after eight years of Fuji I sold it all and went with Sony just over a year ago. I liked the early Fuji models but the newest Fujis are cheaply made and suffer from poor AF unfortunately.
Yes, the build quality has definitely declined. The X-H2 was ok, but having a shutter button fail was kind of the last straw for me. The X-T4 felt very tinny
Any Lens paired with this camera is amazing. That over 9 milion dots, huge viewfinder is amazing thing. Plus all APSC lenses works with native 26mp in crop mode, its like 2 cameras in one.
@@JasonRowPhotographyI can recommend 20mm 1.8 G lens it’s amazing value. Also old used 35 1.8 or 55 zeiss 1.8 are really great. I just got 35mm 1.4 GM and this is another level;) but it’s quite expensive I’ve got just very good deal;)
I still love my Xh2! I’m glad you’re enjoying your Sony! Sony makes great cameras. I enjoy the film simulation stuff and I don’t quite have the need for the level of image quality you’re aiming for.
I have switched couple months ago from Fuji X-H2S and X100VI to Sony A7IV ;) and it’s great so far. The viewfinder is bad… LCD is also bad, but when I check photos on my monitor there is magic;) even very old lens is so sharp that I often have to lower clarity;) autofocus just works, buttons and wheels work great. It’s really workhorse not as fun as X100VI but I shoot always raw and like to edit so for me it’s ok
The X100 series are great cameras, when I have the money I might re-invest in a used one. I agree on the viewfinder of the a7IV, it was poor compared to the X-H2. The a7RV though is on another level at 9million dots (although not all the time)
Unrelated, but the fact that you went to Ukraine to get your cat made me so happy and restored a little bit of my faith in humanity. Thanks for sharing.
We had had from a kitten and had not seen her for 18 months. When war broke out we had to leave her with my wife's mum. Once we had settled in the UK, it was always the plan to go and get her.
I have the desire to switch from x-h2 to sony a7rv. Can you tell me if it's worth it? Is the quality of the files really better? Can you make a comparison? The Sony menu scares me a little. Is it so complicated? Thank you
For me, it was definitely worth it. The autofocus alone makes it so much more usable but add in the better image quality, even in low light its win win. As for the menus, yeah they are different from Fuji and I did struggle at first. Jared Polin from Fro Knows Photo did an really good video run through of the Sony menu system, it helped me a lot
I'll be interested to watch your progress as well as pick up tips on using the 𝛼7r5 video mode! I have mostly stuck to the camera mode so far. My primary interest is in wildlife, but I rarely carry a tripod on my hikes... Video without a tripod at 600mm looks a bit silly 😂 There's been a few times where I was able to lay on the ground and get good results with video free-handed I only own the 200-600mm lens so far, so landscape stuff has been mostly out of the question. That'll be my next investment... something to cover the 20-100mm range
I will certainly be looking at the video a little deeper in future videos. The interface for video is a little clunky, especially changing frame rates.
Totally agree with you, the X-T2 was the best Fuji in terms of build quality. The X-T5 feels like a toy next to it. Too light (in a bad way), fragile, poor paint, …
It's such a shame, Fuji cameras have great ergonomics and excellent picture quality, but as they have become more popular, their quality control and build quality has suffered. The X-T4 was a significant downgrade in build to my X-T2 and while the X-H2 wasn't quite as bad, it's shutter button failed within one year. The Sony build quality is not perfect, the dials also seem lightweight but the body feels much sturdier.
Thank you for sharing your experience, looking forward to the comparison videos. The A7R5 and also the A7cR are really interesting cameras. I am not so happy about the card slots, not liking the CF type A at all. Other than that, very tempting…
Glad you liked the video. I am the opposite when it comes to the card slots. They run both SD and CFe-A in both, unlike the Fuji which had one SD and one CFe-B meaning for backup shooting you had to have a CFe-B card. Sony threw in a 160gb CFe-A card with my deal so that softened the blow a little
Great decision dude. In fact, I don't care if you changed from Fujifilm to a potato, the fact you left Fuji, is the good part. I wasted a decade on Fuji cameras, with each iteration, hoping that things would improve. They held back my business, my creativity and my enjoyment of photography. Only when I swapped over to Nikon Z 2 years ago that things improved. I couldn't believe how gorgeous my images were (no muddy looking images from low-light and high ISO, trying to pull up the shadows), no jerking around with crappy AFC, and my clients raved about the results. I could go on, but I'm still filthy with myself for bumming around with Fuji so long. Good luck with the Sony - it looks great!
Thanks, I was becoming increasingly disillusioned with Fuji. The GFX range is superb but it highlights the issues with the X Series. So far no regrets going to Sony.
The worm issue with Fuji cameras is actually an adobe problem I’ve use Capture one and never had any worm issues with my Fuji files I use an xpro 3 previously xh1 xt2 x100t x100f but and the big but I’m considering moving away from Fuji to either Nikon or canon ff sensor I was previously a canon user 5dmk 2 7d 550d might end up jumping ship lol
True, although it's difficult to believe that Adobe and Fuji have not sat down over these many years and tried to work this problem out. I have looked at Capture One and it is an excellent program but firstly Adobe give the Photographer's package for free and secondly I have a catalogue of 100k plus images tied up in Lightroom. Nikon are certainly knocking it out of the park at the moment. The z8 was very tempting but the lens selection for Sony is probably what swayed it for me.
Another old dog (pre-2000 film photographer) who also moved into hybrid capture and does not change system very often; Nikon to Fuji to L Mount and currently L Mount for video plus A7RV with a trinity of Tamron zooms for photo. It was a bit of a no-brainer for me as an admirer of both the Leica Q3 and Sigma FP-L as in I wanted a higher megapixel lens platform with no compromises when it came to; IBIS, articulating LCD, twin card slots etc. The A7RV was the obvious choice so picked up a ‘like new’ used one at a good price. A couple of minor teething issues but it’s all fallen into place since. Criticisms? Well none actually, it’s just superb!
My initial Sony impressions have, like you, been very positive. I must admit hankering for a Q3 but I really cannot justify it at the moment. Beautiful camera.
I have dabbled in Sony before for video purposes but always found them a bit lacking. The colour used to be quite bad but that seems now mostly resolved. The build could have been better as could the ergos and the low res rear LCD’s have always been a bit of an issue for me. The A7RV is the first camera I feel where it all came good. I did look very hard at the interchangeable lens alternative to the Q3, the A7C-R, but too many ‘weaknesses’ such as the single card slot and lower res, less articulating rear screen. Sold on the A7RV though and my only disappointment was that no current batch editing software re. noise reduction such as Topaz or DXO PureRaw, will accept Sony Medium Raw. Compressed raw I find is an acceptable alternative.
Yes, I am very much of the same opinion. I spent a good amount of time handling the a7IV with the X-H2 and the X-H2 felt superior, especially the LCD and EVF. The a7IV EV was very poor. The a7RV however feels better built and the EVF is very impressive. I also like the dual SD/CFExpress combo in the Sony being able to use either card in either slot is excellent. On the X-H2 one slot was CF Express B only, requiring an extremely expensive card just for dual card back up. I also love the way the LCD can flip out and reverse for vlogging but tilt up from the body as well - ideal when shooting from a gimbal. When I bought the Sony I got a Sony 160GB CFExpress car thrown in for free, on top of £600 in summer rebate deals and a WEX sale on the 24-105, giving me savings well over £1k on the normal price.
Sorry that you couldn’t get the best out of your Fujifilm equipment. I am a Sony shooter, from the first A7R to the latest, but I love taking pictures with my Fuji X-H2S. It has never failed me and the video is far superior to anything from my Sony cameras. In fact I am in the process of deciding between either upgrading one of my Sony cameras to an A9III or getting a GFX100S II. The GFX100S II seems like a great complement to the X-H2S. As far as the A7RV; it’s not considered a very good video/hybrid camera. This is primarily due to the very slow sensor readout. The best video quality is 4K APSC mode, and even then rolling shutter is an issue. That’s the reason I didn’t bother upgrading my A7RIV to the V, they use the same very slow scanning sensor. If you are interested in the Sony system, I would think the A7IV is a better hybrid camera with the A9III being the one with no compromises.
Thanks for your comment. I can't comment on the X-H2s as I never had one, but for me the X-H2 at 40mp felt like a step too far. Especially when compared to the image quality of the GFX50s. I am aware of the rolling shutter issues of the a7RV but very little of the video work I do involves fast pans. As a travelling hybrid photographer I think the Sony a7RV is the best on the market now for image quality and good enough video
The best camera I ever had was the sony rx100. Now I have only a cheap smartphone. I wonder how would be my feeling if I suddenly have a Sony A7V? Would I be blown away?
Thank you for a wondeful video Jason. I started with Fujifilm XT10 almost 9 years ago and stayed with the Fuji system since then. Right now I got XT5 and GFX 50 SII and just got (yesterday actually) a Sony a6700 - and I am super impressed with it. I got it predominantly for video, but the autofocus performance and quality of the image is amazing. It's so amazing that I actually was thinking whether I want to keep my XT5 now. And now your video popped up in my feed :) Very curious about comparision that you'll make!
Thanks for your comment. Ironically it was the GFX that made me realise that I was not 100% happy with the X-H2 image quality. That and Fuji's declining quality control and build quality, Good luck with the a6700, it something I might look at as a back up camera
I very rarely do any fast pans, it’s not my style. I won’t be shooting 8k where it’s bad and if I do need to move the camera fast, I will use the APS-C crop mode
Interesting Story…ive recently had enough from Sonys Colour science/contrast matrix (crazy greens, the wrong blues, supertstrong red and orange pushes). Almost went to Fuji (very good colours even in Post they respond well) but ended up with Nikon (to my own surprise)…after 4years with Sony ive loved their Function and technology but disliked the process: the results required such heavy work before they looked good… Nikon and Fuji just deliver better colours, albeit it differently. Fuji leans hard into a Film look, but striggles to do modern and clean, Nikon absolutely owns modern and clean, and can do filmlooks as well (mostly because the Highlight Rolloff is the best ive ever seen)… Price and Shooting experience are the reason i keep an eye on Fuji, but they truly shouldve gone fullframe years back…its a shame they didnt… As you said: Sony „ticks all the boxes“…technically these cameras are superb…but the results really require a TON of work… not sure if this switch will work out for you… i hope it will for your moneys sake…
@@doogieham i did (a7s3 and a7m4), and while i agree that it got better (the images lean much less into purple shadows now), its still THE hardest colormatrix in Lightroom for me to get good results. If the Light is optimal there are no isses (mainly weddings and Portraits is what i do), but in suboptimal mixed Light it becomes very tough to get natural looking tonality without breaking the raw file (hsl in LR can create weird artefacts when used heavily, thats what i encountered) … Sonys are amazing tools, but the results never excited me beyond technical achievement (superb AF, superb reliability and small size, i even like their handling a lot)…but it has a soulless vibe when shooting and like i said, the colours often require so much more work…
@@JasonRowPhotography oh sure, thats very true, skintones were the main culprit. Nature scenes or animals were fine…unless theres green tho, but that responds better to corrections then the reds which are very hard to correct in comparison…
I sometimes thought about switching systems but you really don't get a lot for used gear. Since I shoot weddings I have double of a lot of the stuff I own. It's just a headache to switch.
Interesting Story…ive recently had enough from Sonys Colour science/contrast matrix (crazy greens, the wrong blues, supertstrong red and orange pushes). Almost went to Fuji (very good colours even in Post they respond well) but ended up with Nikon (to my own surprise)…after 4years with Sony ive loved their Function and technology but disliked the process: the results required such heavy work before they looked good… Nikon and Fuji just deliver better colours, albeit it differently. Fuji leans hard into a Film look, but striggles to do modern and clean, Nikon absolutely owns modern and clean, and can do filmlooks as well (mostly because the Highlight Rolloff is the best ive ever seen)… Price and Shooting experience are the reason i keep an eye on Fuji, but they truly shouldve gone fullframe years back…its a shame they didnt…
I shoot only RAW, the Sony colour is as good if not better than all the Fujis I have ever shot. The image quality is closer to the GFX than the XT/XH and then there is the autofocus, which just works. If you shoot just JPG then yes the Fuji colour science is decent but it becomes more or less irrelevant when shooting RAW, therefore, each to his own
Wanted to love Sony but unfortunately the Scottish wet weather and the terrible SONY after sales service made it impossible to stay with the company. They are obviously not camera centric and really don’t care once they have your bucks (this from experience). Fuji UK have so far been good and honered after-sales work when needed. I worked with both systems and the Xtrans sensor issues were easily accommodated. It did try hard with Sony but in the end it was more bother than it was worth. This might have been my experience only but from a professional standpoint I couldn’t afford the down down time and needed a working system. It’s not been perfect with Fuji but ok so far. Hope you get on well with Sony it wasn’t for me but I do know pros who swear by the system 👍
I completely agree about the difference between the X-T2 and later cameras. I owned the X-H1 and X-T3 and was never as happy with the build quality of them. I also struggled with the worms issue with those two later cameras and it fundamentally put me off Fuji, even though I liked the lenses and the controls for the most part. I have owned a lot of different brands and basically if I want a tool that does the job exceptionally well, there are few that can beat the A7r range, right from the II through to the V. That being said, I am currently back using a 5D Mark II and a new camera to me, the 5DSr for my landscape shots. There is something about the larger resolution of the 5DSr and similar cameras that is hard to beat, but fundamentally I love the colors from the entire 5D range and I like the feel of the camera and controls. It's about what makes you happy to shoot with. Enjoyed the video and will look for more :) John Pouw NZ
I've been shooting Sony since 2013. A7rii, a7riii, and the a7r5! Sony paved the way for full frame mirrorless cameras! I've shot Nikon and Canon dslr's! But I loved the Sony system from the get-go! I was tempted to get the Fuji xt3 at one time just for the fun of it. But never did it! I love the medium format cameras of Fuji, but the weight fact changed my mind!!! Because I love landscape and wildlife photography, I carry the a9 and the r5 with me at all times. Because of the autofocus and high resolution, I shoot the r5 for wildlife 75% of the time!!!! It has done a fantastic job with birds in flight, and I can crop all I want!!! I don't shoot video at all. The r5 is amazing with infrared! I use a 72 infrared filter and manual focus! The high-resolution view finder is perfect for this!!! This may be my last camera as I'm 70 years old now. 40 years of photography, and I have loved every minute of it.
Can I ask a pair of questions?
Why did you choose Sony? Why not Nikon or Canon?
How Sony raw files compares with the GFX ones?
Canon I have never got on with ergonomically. Nikon still has a relatively limited lens selection. The Z8 and a7Rv are similar specs but at the time I purchased the a7RV was significantly cheaper. I had shot Nikon for 15 or so years before Fuji, I felt that it was time to try Sony
I actually did an entirely unscientific comparison video between the GFX50 and the a7RV and found them to be extremely close in image quality
I'm a Sony user myself. I've liked the retro look of Fuji cameras but couldn't justify investing in a second system. For me one of the strengths of the Sony system apart from the tech just working is the lens options. I only own one GM lens myself and if I'm honest I think they are overpriced. There are so many great options though, especially from the likes of Tamron, Samyang, Sigma and more recently Viltrox. Sony raw files seem to work well with any processing software.
Thanks for commenting, all the points you have made were very much those that drew me into the Sony system. In particular the OEM and third party lens choices. The raws certainly seem to play well with Lightroom which was not always the case with Fuji X series
My photographic history would appear to be similar to yours - (however I'm 17yrs ahead of you in age!)
My reason for changing from an X-H2 to Sony A9, was all down to improving autofocus & availability/choice of telephoto zoom lenses - I'm not a videographer but needed a better camera/lens match for taking pet & wildlife images.
I even found the evf experience better when using my old Leica R manual focus 24/35/60/135mm lenses - although I agree the menu system on the mark 1 version of the A9 takes some getting used to! Surprisingly I've found manipulation of JPEGs, relatively easy, and even after using the Fuji film simulations for 12 years, I found I could easily match or better the results with the A9.
In any event the A9 + 70-200 F/2.8 GM mkii, works far better for me than the X-H2 + XF 50-140 F/2.8, & even if heavier, feels better balanced.
For when I want a wider lens I use the excellent Sony Fe 20-70G F/4. or for when a lighter combo is required, I borrow my wife's old Leica Q.
Yes, autofocus and lens selection are a real draw for the Sony system, certainly one that helped me decide. A lot of my YT videos were shot using Fuji's and nearly every shoot I would have to re-do some of the to camera elements due to focus hunting. It was incredibly frustrating. Tomorrow I will do my first to camera piece with the Sony.
I recently got the A7CR and 24-105, couldn’t quite afford the A7RV at the time. I absolutely love the combo, but am a little jealous of the bigger brothers EVF. The ability to crop in these 60MP files is so nice.
My old camera was the Sony SLT A65, their ambitious 24 MP, translucent mirror APS-C camera from 2011. Looking back, what I find amazing is how that mid-level camera from 2011 had the same pixel density, a slightly higher resolution EVF, faster FPS, in-built GPS, an in-built flash and some fun features like panorama-sweep and twilight mode. All missing from the more expensive A7CR released 13 years later. My phone now does the GPS portion through Bluetooth, but I miss being able to remotely trigger a flash without having to buy another controller.
The low light performance of the larger sensor (and not losing half a stop to the translucent mirror) more than makes up for it - shooting anything over ISO 6400 was simply terrible. I’m also hugely impressed by the crazy auto-focus Sony has now.
Just a bit strange to lose some features after 13 years of technological improvements… I wonder what we’ll have in another decade?
Is rhe EVF really that bad. That is the only ting that keeps me from buying this camera. I do primarily travel, family, and landscapes.
Good luck with your transition! I made a similar transition to Sony a couple of years ago (Sony A7R4, not the R5) and, honestly, I couldn't be happier that I did. Regarding Sony 'colour science', I've found that to be a complete non-issue. It's not a sensor issue, it's a profile issue. Simply create custom camera profiles using your Calibrite Colorchecker and you'll be amazed at how beautiful Sony colors can be. My previous Nikon and Fuji cameras had no colour advantage that I can see.
Thank you! So far I have been pretty happy with the colour right out of the box. I don't shoot a lot of people so skin tones are generally not an issue, but thanks for the tip on creating a custom profile, I will have a look into that
I use A9 for longtime and now a7cR ,Everyday people around me always said fuji color the best and sony color suck but I take photo for client and no one complaint about color so I think any color doesn't matter if you take raw photo but the AFC is the most important for the job
My friend use xt4 and always miss focus 😢 consider move to sony soon
When I shoot my UA-cam videos on the Fuji, I nearly always had to reshoot some elements due to autofocus problems. It was very frustrating. I never shot the Fujis in RAW so the film simulations were irrelevant to me also. So far I have no issue with Sony colors
Good Choice! I am using the Sony A7CR with the Tamron 20-40/2.8 for Street und Urban Photogaphy.
Sounds like an excellent combination
I look forward to seeing how you get on and if it mirrors my journey. Just had delivered my Sony A7RV and 24-105 lens. I am leaving behind Fuji and Hasselblad and expecting this one system to replace the two!
Why not the 20-70? The 24-105 is pretty old and a little soft on the high res sensor.
Seems we are on a very similar journey. I loved the GFX but as a hybrid photographer the lack of decent video plus it's sheer bulk made it a very specialised tool. The A7Rv seems to tick all the boxes of both systems. I believe the GFX and Blad share the same sensor.
I have both the x-t5 as well as an A7rV . They’re both great cameras tbh. Just different use cases for me, personally.
For me, the A7RV replaced the GFX50s for image quality and the X-H2 for video. It means I can do everything I want with the one camera
@@JasonRowPhotography definitely not wrong. It does everything super well. I just like using the Fuji mostly for street photography, and if I go to an event, the film simulations are a nice touch to add some soul into the shots. That said, if I want razor sharp photos and really anything else, I reach for the Sony.
When Fuji started production out of China, the quality definitely dropped a bit. I have a made in Japan Fuji XT3 that is still superb. All my recent Fuji's have not been as good. Interestingly, the quality of the Sony's has been improving with every new iteration. The A7IV and A7RV have really come on full speed these days. It's taken me over 6 weeks to become comfortable with the switch, but it's going to be ok...
Yes, I went from XT2 to XT4 and there was a noticeable difference in build and material quality. I have been pretty impressed with the a7RV's body, although the top dials feel a little lightweight. I am off on a 5 week trip today so will have plenty of time to bond with the Sony.
I think you’ll be very happy with the Sony system, especially for image quality. You can really push those Sony RAW files around and maintain image quality! Enjoy your new camera!
I am intrigued that you now find that after using the GFX50S the image quality of the APS-C sensor is lacking. Obviously you get about a stop extra dynamic range in the GFX and the A7R5, but you also have a fantastic portfolio with the X-T2, a camera that has almost a stop less DR than the X-H2.
Sometimes once you have tasted the fruit of what is possible you realize that you don't want to be without it anymore, even if you did great without it for years :)
Good luck with Sony, there is a very big lens selection to work with with great third party options as well, so it is interesting to see what choices you make and why.
It's kind or more about the image aesthetic rather than any deep dive. The look on the X-T2 felt really nice, on subsequent cameras not as nice. It's nothing I can point to exactly other than to say the GFX really highlighted it for me. Then there was the build quality and the fact that my shutter button failed on the X-H2. Also sometimes change for change sake is a good thing creatively.
I’ve been procrastinating over buying an A7Rv and am also considering all the 61 megapixel cameras. The things which attracts me to Sony are the LCD and viewfinder which seem to be best in class. It was interesting to listen to your story. I don’t know if it’s just your newness with the Sony but I thought the colours in your Fuji images were preferable. Thanks for this, i’ll follow your progress. In the meantime I’m going to continue to procrastinate!
Hi, thanks for your comments. Indeed the LCD and viewfinder are in a class of their own. Regarding the colours, I think most of the Fuji images I posted were shot in the golden or blue hours, whereas the Sony was shot in normal daylight. I will be doing a more like for like video between both Fujis and the Sony a7Rv sometime in the coming months. That should give a better indication of the colour science on both systems.
@@JasonRowPhotographyI’m really looking forward to your comparison video, Jason.
There are lots of ways to get good colour from the Sony if you don't like the colours you are getting. I've been using cobalt image base profiles when editing raw images instead of relying on software default profiles like for example Adobe colour.
I am very curious to hear how the Sony compares to the Fuji. I am in a similar situation where I sold all my Nikon FF gear because of the bulk and started shooting with an XT20, which I got just for travel. I love how much I can get out of this camera (one image made it onto a book cover). But it's now a little outdated and laggy. Do I stay with Fuji, maybe get the XH2 (I rented the XT5 for a trip and wasn't excited), or do I move back to FF? I have read and watched so much about Sony and briefly played around with the A7IV and just loved how it felt. This is my current first choice despite the lower resolution of the EVF and screen. The A7RV is not out of the question, though I worry about file sizes.
I would say if you can afford it, go with the a7RV. It's quite a step up, especially the viewfinder. The RAW files sizes are large, 130mb on uncompressed, however they do compressed lossless, and compressed APS-C giving a 26mp RAW image. I have not tried these yet but will make a video about them in the future.
The GFX50S is my big love, I tried out the new GFX100S II but it was not the Fuji spirit for me.
That’s interesting, was there anything specific you didn’t like?
@@JasonRowPhotography There are no dial s like in older Fujis and the file size of 100Mpx kills my Macbook M1. Also the old GFX sensor seems more pleasent.
Yes I went for the M2 Pro Mac Mini due to the GFX50s files.
I shot Fuji for 7 years and last year I switched to the a7Rv as a main camera and an a7Cii as backup and video rig. No regrets. Biggest advantage? Two words: tracking autofocus.
There certainly seems to be a trend of some Fuji photographers going to Sony. From my own initial impressions, I have made the right choice
@@JasonRowPhotographyDoing this switch this coming November
@@grflow8400 I hope your experience is as good as mine
I am looking forward seeing the comparison in the future. Been debating to jump for a couple of years now. Will keep an eye out for your vids 😊
Thanks, there will certianly be some more videos detailing my experience with the Sony. I am doing an big Asia trip next month, so that will definitely give it a work out.
Jesus sometimes i didnt ear what you are saying i was mesmerized with some of the photos that was apearing on the screen, really nice work 👌👌
Thank you so much for your kind words
That 03:54 picture.....i really loved it😍
It’s called Prebends cottage, in Durham England
Same story here, after eight years of Fuji I sold it all and went with Sony just over a year ago. I liked the early Fuji models but the newest Fujis are cheaply made and suffer from poor AF unfortunately.
Yes, the build quality has definitely declined. The X-H2 was ok, but having a shutter button fail was kind of the last straw for me. The X-T4 felt very tinny
Sony 50mm f1.4 GM paired with this camera is amazing :) also the Sony 24-70 GM ii is the best lens Sony has ever made. 😊
Any Lens paired with this camera is amazing. That over 9 milion dots, huge viewfinder is amazing thing. Plus all APSC lenses works with native 26mp in crop mode, its like 2 cameras in one.
A fast prime is definitely on the list, the 24-70 was a little out of my price range for the moment
@@JasonRowPhotographyI can recommend 20mm 1.8 G lens it’s amazing value. Also old used 35 1.8 or 55 zeiss 1.8 are really great. I just got 35mm 1.4 GM and this is another level;) but it’s quite expensive I’ve got just very good deal;)
The 20 f/1.8 was one that I am looking at. The used selection of lenses is fantastic, so I am definitely keeping my eyes open for some bargains.
I still love my Xh2! I’m glad you’re enjoying your Sony! Sony makes great cameras.
I enjoy the film simulation stuff and I don’t quite have the need for the level of image quality you’re aiming for.
Enjoy the XH2, it’s an excellent camera
I have switched couple months ago from Fuji X-H2S and X100VI to Sony A7IV ;) and it’s great so far. The viewfinder is bad… LCD is also bad, but when I check photos on my monitor there is magic;) even very old lens is so sharp that I often have to lower clarity;) autofocus just works, buttons and wheels work great. It’s really workhorse not as fun as X100VI but I shoot always raw and like to edit so for me it’s ok
The X100 series are great cameras, when I have the money I might re-invest in a used one. I agree on the viewfinder of the a7IV, it was poor compared to the X-H2. The a7RV though is on another level at 9million dots (although not all the time)
Your photographs are beautiful
Thank you so much
Unrelated, but the fact that you went to Ukraine to get your cat made me so happy and restored a little bit of my faith in humanity. Thanks for sharing.
We had had from a kitten and had not seen her for 18 months. When war broke out we had to leave her with my wife's mum. Once we had settled in the UK, it was always the plan to go and get her.
I have the desire to switch from x-h2 to sony a7rv. Can you tell me if it's worth it? Is the quality of the files really better? Can you make a comparison? The Sony menu scares me a little. Is it so complicated? Thank you
For me, it was definitely worth it. The autofocus alone makes it so much more usable but add in the better image quality, even in low light its win win. As for the menus, yeah they are different from Fuji and I did struggle at first. Jared Polin from Fro Knows Photo did an really good video run through of the Sony menu system, it helped me a lot
I'll be interested to watch your progress as well as pick up tips on using the 𝛼7r5 video mode! I have mostly stuck to the camera mode so far.
My primary interest is in wildlife, but I rarely carry a tripod on my hikes... Video without a tripod at 600mm looks a bit silly 😂 There's been a few times where I was able to lay on the ground and get good results with video free-handed
I only own the 200-600mm lens so far, so landscape stuff has been mostly out of the question. That'll be my next investment... something to cover the 20-100mm range
I will certainly be looking at the video a little deeper in future videos. The interface for video is a little clunky, especially changing frame rates.
Great video… what type of computer are you using to process those large photo files?
Thanks. I am using an M2 Pro Mac Mini. It more than deals with the Sony files
Totally agree with you, the X-T2 was the best Fuji in terms of build quality. The X-T5 feels like a toy next to it. Too light (in a bad way), fragile, poor paint, …
It's such a shame, Fuji cameras have great ergonomics and excellent picture quality, but as they have become more popular, their quality control and build quality has suffered. The X-T4 was a significant downgrade in build to my X-T2 and while the X-H2 wasn't quite as bad, it's shutter button failed within one year. The Sony build quality is not perfect, the dials also seem lightweight but the body feels much sturdier.
Thank you for sharing your experience, looking forward to the comparison videos. The A7R5 and also the A7cR are really interesting cameras. I am not so happy about the card slots, not liking the CF type A at all. Other than that, very tempting…
Glad you liked the video. I am the opposite when it comes to the card slots. They run both SD and CFe-A in both, unlike the Fuji which had one SD and one CFe-B meaning for backup shooting you had to have a CFe-B card. Sony threw in a 160gb CFe-A card with my deal so that softened the blow a little
Great decision dude. In fact, I don't care if you changed from Fujifilm to a potato, the fact you left Fuji, is the good part. I wasted a decade on Fuji cameras, with each iteration, hoping that things would improve. They held back my business, my creativity and my enjoyment of photography. Only when I swapped over to Nikon Z 2 years ago that things improved. I couldn't believe how gorgeous my images were (no muddy looking images from low-light and high ISO, trying to pull up the shadows), no jerking around with crappy AFC, and my clients raved about the results. I could go on, but I'm still filthy with myself for bumming around with Fuji so long. Good luck with the Sony - it looks great!
Thanks, I was becoming increasingly disillusioned with Fuji. The GFX range is superb but it highlights the issues with the X Series. So far no regrets going to Sony.
The worm issue with Fuji cameras is actually an adobe problem I’ve use Capture one and never had any worm issues with my Fuji files I use an xpro 3 previously xh1 xt2 x100t x100f but and the big but I’m considering moving away from Fuji to either Nikon or canon ff sensor I was previously a canon user 5dmk 2 7d 550d might end up jumping ship lol
True, although it's difficult to believe that Adobe and Fuji have not sat down over these many years and tried to work this problem out. I have looked at Capture One and it is an excellent program but firstly Adobe give the Photographer's package for free and secondly I have a catalogue of 100k plus images tied up in Lightroom.
Nikon are certainly knocking it out of the park at the moment. The z8 was very tempting but the lens selection for Sony is probably what swayed it for me.
Another old dog (pre-2000 film photographer) who also moved into hybrid capture and does not change system very often; Nikon to Fuji to L Mount and currently L Mount for video plus A7RV with a trinity of Tamron zooms for photo. It was a bit of a no-brainer for me as an admirer of both the Leica Q3 and Sigma FP-L as in I wanted a higher megapixel lens platform with no compromises when it came to; IBIS, articulating LCD, twin card slots etc. The A7RV was the obvious choice so picked up a ‘like new’ used one at a good price. A couple of minor teething issues but it’s all fallen into place since. Criticisms? Well none actually, it’s just superb!
And my daughter is 2nd-3rd year at Durham so 👍
My initial Sony impressions have, like you, been very positive. I must admit hankering for a Q3 but I really cannot justify it at the moment. Beautiful camera.
A stunning place to study for sure.
I have dabbled in Sony before for video purposes but always found them a bit lacking. The colour used to be quite bad but that seems now mostly resolved. The build could have been better as could the ergos and the low res rear LCD’s have always been a bit of an issue for me. The A7RV is the first camera I feel where it all came good. I did look very hard at the interchangeable lens alternative to the Q3, the A7C-R, but too many ‘weaknesses’ such as the single card slot and lower res, less articulating rear screen. Sold on the A7RV though and my only disappointment was that no current batch editing software re. noise reduction such as Topaz or DXO PureRaw, will accept Sony Medium Raw. Compressed raw I find is an acceptable alternative.
Yes, I am very much of the same opinion. I spent a good amount of time handling the a7IV with the X-H2 and the X-H2 felt superior, especially the LCD and EVF. The a7IV EV was very poor. The a7RV however feels better built and the EVF is very impressive. I also like the dual SD/CFExpress combo in the Sony being able to use either card in either slot is excellent. On the X-H2 one slot was CF Express B only, requiring an extremely expensive card just for dual card back up. I also love the way the LCD can flip out and reverse for vlogging but tilt up from the body as well - ideal when shooting from a gimbal. When I bought the Sony I got a Sony 160GB CFExpress car thrown in for free, on top of £600 in summer rebate deals and a WEX sale on the 24-105, giving me savings well over £1k on the normal price.
Like the white horse one
Thank you, it was taken in the New Forest
Sorry that you couldn’t get the best out of your Fujifilm equipment. I am a Sony shooter, from the first A7R to the latest, but I love taking pictures with my Fuji X-H2S. It has never failed me and the video is far superior to anything from my Sony cameras.
In fact I am in the process of deciding between either upgrading one of my Sony cameras to an A9III or getting a GFX100S II. The GFX100S II seems like a great complement to the X-H2S.
As far as the A7RV; it’s not considered a very good video/hybrid camera. This is primarily due to the very slow sensor readout. The best video quality is 4K APSC mode, and even then rolling shutter is an issue. That’s the reason I didn’t bother upgrading my A7RIV to the V, they use the same very slow scanning sensor.
If you are interested in the Sony system, I would think the A7IV is a better hybrid camera with the A9III being the one with no compromises.
Thanks for your comment. I can't comment on the X-H2s as I never had one, but for me the X-H2 at 40mp felt like a step too far. Especially when compared to the image quality of the GFX50s. I am aware of the rolling shutter issues of the a7RV but very little of the video work I do involves fast pans. As a travelling hybrid photographer I think the Sony a7RV is the best on the market now for image quality and good enough video
The best camera I ever had was the sony rx100. Now I have only a cheap smartphone. I wonder how would be my feeling if I suddenly have a Sony A7V? Would I be blown away?
If you know how to handle a7rV and could afford a proper lens, you would be blown away ;-)
Thank you for sincerely words, I am a fan of all brands and want to away from giant GFX100
G lenses are superior
Fujifilm do some very fine lenses but that can be inconsistent
Thank you for a wondeful video Jason.
I started with Fujifilm XT10 almost 9 years ago and stayed with the Fuji system since then.
Right now I got XT5 and GFX 50 SII and just got (yesterday actually) a Sony a6700 - and I am super impressed with it. I got it predominantly for video, but the autofocus performance and quality of the image is amazing.
It's so amazing that I actually was thinking whether I want to keep my XT5 now.
And now your video popped up in my feed :) Very curious about comparision that you'll make!
Thanks for your comment. Ironically it was the GFX that made me realise that I was not 100% happy with the X-H2 image quality. That and Fuji's declining quality control and build quality, Good luck with the a6700, it something I might look at as a back up camera
A7RV is basically a X-H4 of the future for twice the price but made available today.
In other words two generations or about 8 years ahead but with a bigger sensor and video autofocus that actually works
the Fuji gives me so much more functions that I would definitely need 1 or 2 more cameras beside the A7r
I am intrigued as to which extra functions the Fuji has over the A7RV? Perhaps slightly better video codecs and frame rates but what else?
A7rV for video? Maybe, but only without any panning 😅
I very rarely do any fast pans, it’s not my style. I won’t be shooting 8k where it’s bad and if I do need to move the camera fast, I will use the APS-C crop mode
Interesting Story…ive recently had enough from Sonys Colour science/contrast matrix (crazy greens, the wrong blues, supertstrong red and orange pushes). Almost went to Fuji (very good colours even in Post they respond well) but ended up with Nikon (to my own surprise)…after 4years with Sony ive loved their Function and technology but disliked the process: the results required such heavy work before they looked good… Nikon and Fuji just deliver better colours, albeit it differently. Fuji leans hard into a Film look, but striggles to do modern and clean, Nikon absolutely owns modern and clean, and can do filmlooks as well (mostly because the Highlight Rolloff is the best ive ever seen)…
Price and Shooting experience are the reason i keep an eye on Fuji, but they truly shouldve gone fullframe years back…its a shame they didnt…
As you said: Sony „ticks all the boxes“…technically these cameras are superb…but the results really require a TON of work… not sure if this switch will work out for you… i hope it will for your moneys sake…
I’m curious if you shot on the A7RV or A7IV. The colours really improved with the release of these cameras and that’s what drew me back to Sony.
@@doogieham i did (a7s3 and a7m4), and while i agree that it got better (the images lean much less into purple shadows now), its still THE hardest colormatrix in Lightroom for me to get good results. If the Light is optimal there are no isses (mainly weddings and Portraits is what i do), but in suboptimal mixed Light it becomes very tough to get natural looking tonality without breaking the raw file (hsl in LR can create weird artefacts when used heavily, thats what i encountered) …
Sonys are amazing tools, but the results never excited me beyond technical achievement (superb AF, superb reliability and small size, i even like their handling a lot)…but it has a soulless vibe when shooting and like i said, the colours often require so much more work…
Not finding the RAWS are needing a ton of work at the moment, nor the video, but I guess it's very dependant on what you are shooting
@@JasonRowPhotography oh sure, thats very true, skintones were the main culprit. Nature scenes or animals were fine…unless theres green tho, but that responds better to corrections then the reds which are very hard to correct in comparison…
I sometimes thought about switching systems but you really don't get a lot for used gear.
Since I shoot weddings I have double of a lot of the stuff I own. It's just a headache to switch.
I must admit the depreciation of Fuji cameras was a factor in my move.
Interesting Story…ive recently had enough from Sonys Colour science/contrast matrix (crazy greens, the wrong blues, supertstrong red and orange pushes). Almost went to Fuji (very good colours even in Post they respond well) but ended up with Nikon (to my own surprise)…after 4years with Sony ive loved their Function and technology but disliked the process: the results required such heavy work before they looked good… Nikon and Fuji just deliver better colours, albeit it differently. Fuji leans hard into a Film look, but striggles to do modern and clean, Nikon absolutely owns modern and clean, and can do filmlooks as well (mostly because the Highlight Rolloff is the best ive ever seen)…
Price and Shooting experience are the reason i keep an eye on Fuji, but they truly shouldve gone fullframe years back…its a shame they didnt…
Sony does not have and will never have the same colors as Fuji, the quality of Fuji is not much worse than Sony, therefore, to each his own
I shoot only RAW, the Sony colour is as good if not better than all the Fujis I have ever shot. The image quality is closer to the GFX than the XT/XH and then there is the autofocus, which just works. If you shoot just JPG then yes the Fuji colour science is decent but it becomes more or less irrelevant when shooting RAW, therefore, each to his own
Wanted to love Sony but unfortunately the Scottish wet weather and the terrible SONY after sales service made it impossible to stay with the company. They are obviously not camera centric and really don’t care once they have your bucks (this from experience). Fuji UK have so far been good and honered after-sales work when needed. I worked with both systems and the Xtrans sensor issues were easily accommodated. It did try hard with Sony but in the end it was more bother than it was worth. This might have been my experience only but from a professional standpoint I couldn’t afford the down down time and needed a working system. It’s not been perfect with Fuji but ok so far. Hope you get on well with Sony it wasn’t for me but I do know pros who swear by the system 👍