My SONY Experience: PROS And CONS For WILDLIFE
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- I share my initial impressions of the Sony A7IV and Sony 200-600 for wildlife. I share some incredible features I wish we had on Canon and share the struggles I encountered using Sony. I hope you enjoy. Cheers, Duade
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Chapters
00:00 Sony A7IV & Sony 200-600
00:38 Zebras In Stills Mode
02:58 BIF AF
06:20 Sony 200-600 Lens
08:44 Battery Indicator
10:00 Australian Spotted Crake
10:54 Minimum Focus Distance
11:24 Body Customization
13:14 AF Fail = Galah
14:30 Ergonomic Fail
16:20 FPS Unlimited
18:56 33mp Sensor
20:15 Rolling Shutter
20:59 No Audible Shutter
21:18 Conclusion
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Highly recommend the battery grip for the Sony, especially when using the 200-600G
Hi Duade, I am a wildlife photographer as well and also use both system. Canon I use a R3 and R5, Sony use 2 A1 and one A9II.
What I hate with Sony:
1- Almost all lenses don't have Full Time Manual Focus: Only the 400 f/2,8, 600 f/4 and the new 70-200 II have a switch that allow FTMF. There is a work around and is to assign a button on the lens to allow immediately to use manual focusing while turning the focus ring, or assigning a button on the camera to toggle from AF to MF. This is much faster than using the switch on the lens. Is helpful in case the AF is hunting without success, so just to get a little help.
2- IBIS: I find the Sony In Body Image Stabilization less effective than the recent Canon. Especially using video, the Canon is much more smoother and the AF in video I have the sensation is more accurate.
3- About ergonomics: yes is not the best, but for travelling is the best body I ever had, I am an airline pilot and always need to pack tight. I agree using the back (rear) focusing is sometimes not easy, just spend some money on a BG and you will be fine (and the BG gives you more juice for the battery and you can throw into the suitcase).
4- Sony has improved a lot the WB and the colors, but in my opinion there is always a little lack of magenta (which is easily fixed). Is only I am used to love Canon colors.
5- For the AF settings I suggest you to put "lock on" and "release" that is in my experience the best for birds.
6- the most important is that the 400 and 600 GM are very hi price and there is no second hands available around. Neither third party like Sigma that used to do some 500 f/4 are not available still on FE mount. Considering to use metabones or Sigma MC-11 adapter to use EF 500 or 600 doesn't perform so good especially for subject coming in or coming out of the frame. Are ok for still
What I (still) hate in Canon:
1- 100-500 excellent lens but: a pain using the extender (from 300 on and you cannot pack with extender on) and f/7,1. Also a bit too much pricy. I anyway prefer the internal zoom design of Sony (including the 70-200 where you cannot even use extenders).
2- Unacceptable that an almost flagship camera like the R3 still doesn't have the possibility to link the spot metering to the AF point. Something that in Sony you find even in the entry level cameras. I remember I had on EOS 1DxII.
4- Is not possible to assign a button to switch from "animal - car - humans" for the Eye AF
5- The smart controller on the R3 is a nice device but at the end I disable it because was interfering with the back focusing button changing the position of the spot af.
6- On R3 I consider the eye focusing (meaning that the focus point goes where you look) not usable for birds and wildlife in general.
7- Lower degree of buttons and dials customization.
8- as you mention the battery level should have percentage level
9- Still the RF mount is not open to other lens manufacturer even if it works well with adapter and there are plenty of EF lenses around.
Anyway both are excellent camera, and R3 has amazing hi iso capability (better than the equivalent A9II).
I recently bought the Sony A7R iv and the Sony 200-600mm lens. My photography has suddenly improved dramatically. Coming from Sony A77 Mk 2, it was a massive difference.
Are you cropping a lot? I am struggling with the decision between the iv and R iv. Are you missing the bird eye af?
@@Pflichteingabe I don't have any experience with the 2, but I have watched a hell of a lot of reviews, ad the general opinion is that the Riv isn't worth it.
@@Cafl_Music I bought the a7rV and it’s an amazing combo
@@Pflichteingabe Cool! How has the birding been?
As a hobbyist who's only shot Canon, thanks so much for this work. I very much doubt I'll be switching systems, but super helpful to understand the pros and cons of each system.
I have been using an Sony A9Ii with a 200-600 and never had a problem with my hand. What I noticed on the video, you support the camera with your right hand on/under the camera body. I hold almost all the weight of the camera with my left hand, with the palm on the manual focus ring and three fingers on zoom ring. This position balances the camera perfectly and my right hand/palm is not under the body corner. I believe your problem might be the attached monitor that changes the balance. It seems the monitor is a great thing for us viewer but not for your hand.
Thanks for the video.
Great review Duade. Not only do you discuss the specific camera bodies used, but you highlight different attributes (shutter speed, sensor size, buffer clearing, etc) of other bodies in each system. Really well done. I enjoy your reviews and your wonderful bird photography.
From an ML programmer's perspective, the fact that you can select birds means that you can deploy a faster and more accurate model. It's possible because you are solving a simpler task for a model. Also, it is a reason why it makes sense to rely on the user to pick the subject. It allows you to find a better balance between recall and precision. I hope that one-day camera manufacturers will allow us to deploy our models to add more kinds of subjects.
Adding your own models? That could be interesting but there could also be a really high barrier to that!
Regarding having to select birds vs animals explicitly, etc -- that's a good point you make.
My perspective always was that as end-user, you might have a scene that has several different types of objects (a bird, a cat, and a car for instance) and if you let the camera decide, it might pick the bird for you while you wanted to focus on the cat hunting that bird! Or pick the car...
Slava Ukraini. 💙💛
@@TimvanderLeeuw
Героям слава, Glory to Heroes.
Good point regarding multiple subjects in a scene too. The focusing box can be helpful in that regard too.
Also, another point regarding autofocusing algorithms is that you might want to pick a slightly different algorithm for a different focus area size. The input resolution will be different, and it has a direct impact on the performance and the error probability. A smaller input size means a faster neural net. Also, within a smaller area, you have fewer destructions when compared to the same composition with a bigger autofocusing area. Even the same algorithm can work better because the crop-factor will be different.
So, using a smaller focusing area can be beneficial to the photographer because the camera can give us better results while using the same compute power.
Yay! You have my camera setup. Switched a few months ago from Canon. I’m looking forward to more videos about it from you!
Thanks for the information and in field experience. Appreciate hearing what you notice, enjoy, and find challenging. Very informative.
Your videos are always special Duade. I keep visiting your channel for help and find gems (if image too dark turn SW left, if too bright turn SW right). You speak my language and I can't thank you enough. Loved the opening pre sunrise footage, and I get all emotional over dark images (grebe in reeds). You and your channel are a blessing in my life.
Thanks Joan, it is my pleasure and thanks for the ongoing support. Yes, I too love those dark reed shots. Cheers, Duade
Hello Duade! Just wanted to say i love your channel and makes me happy you are getting more subscribers! Your presentations instill in me the peace and quiet the soul needs and experiences while photographing wildlife! I particularly enjoyed your editing seminar at the conference! It helped me start understanding LR and post processing! Thank you for all you do!
Thanks Radu, it is my pleasure and thanks for the feedback, we are very fortunate to have this amazing hobby and this great community here on UA-cam. Take care, Cheers, Duade
I had A9 before Canon gave us the R5. The hit rate is slightly lower than R5. The rear wheel with buttons on Sony seems to be a great idea but on the field, it is annoying because of accidentally pushing the buttons and the settings changed especially if you operating with gloves on.
Agreed with Zebra, battery percentage, drop frame rate at buffer limit for continuous shooting, allowing users to pick 10, 15 or 20 fps on ES.
I've had these two systems for almost 2 years: a Sony ARII with the 200-600 and a Canon 5D IV with a Sigma 150-600 C. While the Sony combo was absolutely good, I had to learn how to shoot literaly with just three fingers holding the camera (my hands were too big for it), and carrying a bunch of batteries with me (almost 5/6 if I wanted to shoot in colder weather). The Canon ergonomics are just what I call "experienced" it makes fun shooting with it and your hands don't hurt afterwards. The battery life was not to compare... yes, one is mirrorless and the other a DSLR, but I now have an R7 and I was shooting this winter in - 10º C for 8 to 10 hours with just one battery. I've decided last year to sell all my Sony gear and stick with Canon, and while both brands are good, I'm anyway very happy with my decision. Great video btw! Greetings, AG.
Thanks for the feedback, very interesting to hear from someone with your experience. Thankfully it does not get that cold here so don't have the same battery issues as that would be very frustrating for sure. I too like the ergonomics of Canon, they do sit well in the hand. Cheers, Duade
Great review, Duade. Looking forward to more reviews on the field with the A7iv from you mate!
Greetings from Scotland. Stunning captures, thanks for sharing
I really appreciate the in depth reviews / comparisons.
Thank you for that great and non biased video showing the pros and cons, and also showing the problems when changing to or between different systems. A pleasure to watch, as always 🙂
Thanks Sigurd, I appreciate the feedback, Cheers, Duade
Thx for that fantastic video. Being a new user with nearly an identical setup (same lens, same extender but with an A 7R III instead of the A7 IV) that was really helpful.
And your birdshots were again amazing (as they always are).
Thanks for the feedback and great to hear you are enjoying your kit, a lovely lens to be sure. Cheers, Duade
Duade
I really love your channel and the content you produce. Very informative without being patronizing or overbearing, and you take great shots which more than validates your opinions!
I have been a dedicated Sony shooter since 2019 when I made the move from Canon and haven’t regretted it a day since. I shoot almost exclusively wildlife (mostly birds) and transportation (primarily aviation and railroad) subjects so I put similar types of demands on my setup as you do. FWIW I’ve adopted a couple of things you might find useful for your Sony rig:
Ergonomics: I highly recommend you give a battery grip a try. I have grips on both my A9 and A7R4 and they are very comfortable. They really don’t add that much weight (even on my A9 + 200-600G setup), and besides making the camera much more comfortable to hold you get the added benefit of an extra battery and the ability to quickly transition to and from landscape to portrait orientation while holding the camera in a more comfortable position. If you don’t want to use the grip you might try a weight lifters or training glove that does not have finger tips on your right hand. It maintains your dexterity for manipulating camera controls while providing a protective layer between your hand and the camera body.
Button Setup:
1. Momentary Manual Focus: I love, love, LOVE the 200-600 lens, but I do find that at times it can hunt for focus when trying to switch from a distant subject to a close one or vice versa, especially in low light or low contrast situations. One feature on my Canons that I really appreciated was the full-time manual focus override which allowed me to quickly manually change the focus of the lens using the lens’ focus ring without having to switch the lens into manual focus and back on the lens body. Unfortuneatley the older Sony bodies like my 1st Gen A9 don’t have full time manual override when in continuous focus mode (at least that I’ve found). To overcome that I’ve programmed the round buttons on the 200-600 to Momentary Manual Focus (called “AF/MF Control Hold” in the A9’s menus). When set up this way when you activate the button the lens temporarily goes into manual focus mode and then reverts to autofocus mode when you release the button. That way you don’t have to toggle manual focus on and off on the lens body, and can go into manual focus mode without removing your eye for the viewfinder. Because the lens buttons are close to the focus ring on the lens, I can quickly shift my left hand back from it’s normal position on or around the zoom ring back to the focus ring, depress the button with my left thumb and manipulate the focus ring with my left ring or middle finger until the lens is generally focused where I want it, then shift my left hand back to it’s normal position while simultaneously releasing the lens button. When I move my thumb off the button the lens/camera immediately goes back into autofocus mode, again without having to manually actuate the switch on the lens. This change has dramatically improved my ability to quicly shift to and focus on subjects that are significant distances apart.
2. Crop Mode: AI is amazing. I now routinely put my A9 into 35mm crop mode (this is about an 11MP image on my 26MP FF camera, but it would be larger on your 33MP body) and then increase the size of the resulting image file using Topaz Gigapixel AI in post to a more useable size. The crop factor of this mode increases the effective field of view of the lens (I think the crop factor of this mode is 1.5 so it simulates roughly a 900mm lens at the long end) without having to use a teleconverter. You don’t get the EV hit from using the teleconverter, and as long as you’ve done a good job of exposure and focus in camera, Gigapixel does an amazing job of increasing the size of the image file with no detectable loss in quality (at least to my 62-year old eyes) at high maginification factors (2X, 4X, 6X, 8X or custom). I’ve programmed the AEL button on the back off my camera (which I never used for it’s intended purpose) to toggle between FF and 35MM crop mode, letting me switch modes very quickly using my right thumb by shifting it form the AF On button (which is programmed for full-time back button focus) where it normally sits just slightly to the right to engage the AEL button. Then I can quickly shift it back to the AF On button again without having to take my eye from the VF. Simular to the Momentary MF tip above, if you use this mode this button setup will increase your speed significantly for making quick shifts of subjects at different ranges.
Keep up the great work!
Regards
Rob Shaw
Thank you for the tips Rob, yes, I noticed the lack of MF override and have programmed a button on the camera to hold whilst turning the focus ring. I will give the button on the lens a try. Great to hear you are enjoying Gigapixel and the crop mode. It can be helpful to increase the size of the subject in the EVF for sure. I really appreciate the effort you took with the comment. Cheers, Duade
Great video & info, subscribed
Welcome!
Another great review Duade. Very interesting on the ergonomics of the different bodies in each system. I have shot Canon for many years myself so it was very interesting to see the Sony. Really well done. Always enjoy your reviews and the wonderful bird photography you provide.
Thanks Bruce, I appreciate the feedback, Cheers, Duade
Nice to see you are coming to grips with your Sony. Great shots especially the Heron and Cockatoo. I also use two systems and it really does my head in swapping between the two. Just getting old I guess :) Cheers.
Thanks for another video full of useful info, Duade. I'm glad you are finding the 1st Sony kit capable and a nice intro into your Sony collection. May you have many great yrs of experiences with it Many wonderful shots presented (as usual!) in this one. Keep up the excellent work.
Take care & may your sessions be good to you there. Best regards ~ Chris
Thanks mate, yes, having a lot of fun for sure, Cheers, Duade
Amazing video. Keep going!
Another great video! I shot two systems for a couple of years. I found that to be very difficult at times. I did enjoy it a lot but it was frustrating when I would hit a button that my muscle memory remembered from the other system. Since I have gone solely to M43 with an OM-1 I feel like I am able to go more in depth with the features of the body. There are some things I don’t love about the OM-1 (only 2 dials) but I can work around those. This is our small bird season here in central Texas and I have mostly been using the Olympus 300mm F4 Pro with the 2X extender for 1200mm equivalent reach at f8. It is amazingly sharp. I almost didn’t buy the 2X as I thought I’d never use it.
Thanks Rod, yes, it can be a challenge for sure, great to hear the OM-1 is working well, I am looking forward to trying it out. Cheers, Duade
5:14 I absolutely love that shot. Also, I do like the way you edited the image. It’s a slightly more exaggerated warmer golden hour look, but that’s perfectly fine. It’s not like you make the background purple. It stays with the feel of the image.
Thanks Duade, I got my every question's answer from your review...
Wow, that zebra feature looks incredibly useful. I've been using the blinkies on Canon per your recommendation and this is like having it in real time. That and the "lower fps as the buffer fills up" are the two features I would most want to see implemented to Canon.
Sony does appear to be a really solid system! This was a very great video Duade, very relevant for a lot of potential buyers. I feel like your user experience is always very hands-on and super relatable.
Btw, I'm a huge fan of how your artistic vision has been progressing. As someone who is still very much a sucker for "ebird" type shots of birds on a stick, watching you think outside the box is incredibly inspiring and makes me want to try new things. Keep up the fantastic work, cheers!
Thanks Simon, yes, it is, I do find the histogram to be pretty accurate in the EVF on Canon but the Zebras are just easier. Lets hope it comes to Canon stills soon. Cheers, Duade
Spot on summary! I also will suggest a grip. Makes holding Sony cameras a lot more comfortable. And 2 batteries will give you a full morning of shooting without worry. I also use Steve Perry’s set-up, it just works for me.
I enjoyed this video. To me it's always interesting to hear from other photographers about what they like and don't like about their gear. Good ergonomics still seems to be one of the few things Sony hasn't mastered. I especially liked the images you had of the two different birds in the reeds. Congrats on the success of your channel.
Today we were filming a great grey owl, that was in the bush. Sony a1 didn't found an eye. Canon r5 found.
Wow! That heron and cockatoo image is stunning. Love what you did ith the color, too -- some might disagree, but photography is much an art as a skill.
When I worked as a photojournalist, I would not have adjusted the color like that. But as a nature photographer now, I am not restrained by that ethical consideration. Yes, I (and you) are still recording images of real things, but we do it as an art based on our own preferences. You've made an outstanding, breathtaking image.
Thanks for continuing to education and inspire, Duade. I admire your work and the skill and knowledge you share with us.
I use the “My menu” menu for everything I want to change. Then these are all easy to find. Just copy the menu setting to this personal menu and that’s it. This together with the customisable buttons and the fn menu means I very rarely go into the main menu. Also I was confused because you are a back button user why you would have to go from the front dial to the shutter button. I always use a battery grip on my A1 and did on my A9 in the past so have never had the pain in the palm issue. It wasn’t for that possible reason though, it was so I have two batteries and can usually shoot all day without running out. I really don’t find the body too heavy with the grip on. About settings I use the three recorded settings options in the menu (not those on the top dial) and allocate these to different buttons, all in manual mode, one for regular back button, one for white birds and one for dark birds in flight, when you haven’t often got time to change settings manually. I also use auto iso on all three.
Another great video Duane! I have used Canon for 3 decades and found my switch to Sony to be rather smooth. I did however spent time reading my manual twice and looked at the video from Steve Perry and Mark Smith. I picked up setting with both of these guys and adopted the ones that worked with my brain. I have a fairly big hand and for me thaïe vertical grip is just great for the extended battery life but mostly for comfort and the vertical grip button access. One way to go around the height of the body but not using a grip is to purchase a what you to be called a pinky extension or just a blend of plate/grip extension. Just me two cents. I just use one system and I can certainly understand the occasional struggles switching from one to the other. Keep those great videos coming!
G'day mate ! Always looking forward to your new episode, and this is yet another well balanced review !
I really love you nearly-collision shot. Your daytime job colleagues might have been tempted to raise their hand and blow the whistle to avoid any accident 😛
And oh yes, wouldn't it be great when we get zebra for stills and unlimited fps in the upcoming firmware for the R5 ??
By the way: congrats on almost reaching the 60k subscribers !!
My favorite feature of Sony is a feature that I don’t know the name of because I last shot sony 3 years ago, but when you manual override to focus, you can set it to punch in at 100% or 200% to set fine focus.
This helps a lot with low light mammals or perched birds in thick branches.
You can also set peaking on that as well then the second you press the shutter to goes back to full view and fire away. This is easy switched off when the light is good.
That is the best implementation of manual focus tools I think.
Just came here to say how absolutely amazing that photo of the Heron and Cockatoo was. An absolute magical catch. Great video.
Thank you very much!
Very interesting. This is the kind of deep dive that is actually helpful since it relates to real world usage. As a happy Canon shooter I could not imagine switching to Sony. A couple of years ago I tried the Sony A7III and I returned it after using it for two days, since I hated the menus and the ergonomics. Tbh the ergonomics alone are a deciding factor for me personally.
I have pretty big hands and put a small rig base plate on the a7iv and it made a huge difference
Great video Duade , congrats for those beautiful pictures. Sorry for your bruised hand. I suggest you get a battery grip to solve this issue. I have my sony A1 with the battery grip and the ergonomics is excellent. cheers from Santiago - Chile
Great video Duade! Some of those minor things like battery percentage and zebras make me happy I've gone with Sony. Also buttons on the rear dial are crucial for me, I have every setting I need configured to a button so I never need to dive into the menu.
I have my AF setup with traditional AF on the shutter button then bird eye on the rear button, it's like dual back button focus but it's not on 2 buttons 😊 also use AF lock on the lens buttons which is handy.
Hello Duade! you can't imagine how much I loved this vlog. I am so tempted by the new Sony Line! It would be great if you can add some videos from that brand and the newer cameras , either Sony IV or the new R V. I loved your photos with the silhouettes! (sorry for my grammar) What about the weight? That's the only thing that worries me. With the full frame sensor, we can crop a lot, I was very used to my Canon 5Dsr + Tamron 150-600. Thank you so much and best for you from Uruguay. Something it may come easy for me is that Fuji has the buttons back and in front, and the wheel dial is the same as well ! , and I was wondering which CF express card are you using? Thank you again !
Duade, appreciate your update and will look forward to your full review. Am still awaiting the rumored new apsc offerings from Sony and maybe Nikon, and will then compare those with Canon R7+100-500 lens combo options. Being able to have a lens system with a zoom that out to 600 on a apsc will be really helpful for our small song birds here in eastern US.
Thanks Craig, 100% agree, a Nikon D500 mirrorless and 200-600 or Sony APSC and 200-600 is what I want also and will likely jump on them when released. I look forward to comparing to the R7 RF100-500 combo. Cheers, Duade
Wow that Spotted Crake photo on the water is amazing! Fantastic shot!
Thanks Samantha, yes, very lucky with that one. Cheers, Duade
Use the fn button for 12 custom functions, that works best for me ! You can also make you own Menu system.
Loved the crake shots, having taken my own very first shots of this species yesterday. As you said, closeness to subject so important for good photos … mine much too distant at about 80m away in a salt marsh!
Lovely review! I find it really useful how you combine the theoretical, on-paper data with in-the-field practice.
Regarding the ergonomics of the sony body I can recommend to check out an L-bracket. I had a similar issue with my A7iii and found that an L-blacket helps without adding the extra weigth of a battery pack. Sure, it still adds a few grams, but I find it to be a good compromise.
Great video as always mate. I have to say that i wish that Canon had a lens like the Sony 200-600mm. Seems like an amazing value for money. All the photos in this video was beautiful, but my favorite was the Australasian Grebe. Just an amazing photo.
Wishing you a grate week.
Cheers, Bjoern
Thanks for sharing the 107+ rule with the Sony zebras Duade! I'm a longtime Sony wildlife and street shooter with an A7iv and an R7 and I knew about the 107+ and was hoping that you knew about it. It's great being able to enjoy the features of my Sony and of the R7 at different times and I can adapt some lenses like my EF300mm 2.8 L + 1.4x to both of them. Happy shooting and best of luck to you!
Hi Duade, Thank you for this very honest and unbiased comparison. This is so refreshing! I use Sony (switched some years ago for size and weight from Canon) but have been watching your videos for some time as they are so good and teach me a lot. For Sony set up I would recommend fellow Aussie Mark Galer. The menu system has improved a lot with the latest cameras and I agree the old system was pretty confusing.
Do you have a video on the use of the screen you have attached to the body or at least the brand?
I wish you continued success so you can get an A1 which is a fabulous camera!
I find it really cool that you are trying out different gear and getting out of your comfort zone :) I had an APS-C Sony before I got my A7IV and I noticed the sharpness of the edge pretty soon, still trying to find the best way to hold it. I went to a store yesterday and I curiously picked up some Canon cams to see what they feel like and I could see the roundess of the lower right edge, that must do the trick! Hopefully Sony will improve on this design going forward. After you've used it for a while I'd love to see a set up guide from you to let us know where you landed as I am still trying to figure out the best way to configure this camera :) Cheers!!
You'll love the battery grip! I purchased one for my A7iii and it's night and day with the grip.
what a shot!!! i wonder what the conversation could have been between the 2 birds. someone make a story with this 😊. Thank you so much for this video
Really enjoy your videos Duade. I've been looking forward to this one because I'm a Sony shooter and I appreciate your perspective. As far as ergonomics you're not the only one to complain about that issue, I have an A1 and I guess my hand was just "built" for that camera because it's very comfortable in my hands. I don't know if a wrist strap would help so you could take some pressure off your palm when you're walking around. You're wrist might not like you though :)
Hey Duade, as always, great video! I was wondering what skin do you have on your RF100-500 lens? I just bought that lens and would love to put a similar skin on it.
Absolutely grab that battery grip, battery life is spectacular and the ergonomics is so much better, ive got large fat hands and with the grip the camera is great. Without it, its very uncomfortable lol I set my A9 up with back button focusing and its been a darling. Love the videos, keep it up!
I really like your videos, Duade. You're an excellent presenter. I own both a Canon R7 and a Sony A7Cii, various lenses. For your sore hand you might want to try a lightweight, fingerless bicycle glove. Padding in the palm will likely provide the relief you need.
I have both systems, I agree with all of your considerations. I think with a simply metallic grip you’ll improve the handle. Love these comparisons because they’re not brand wars
I fully agree! :) I have Fuji as well as Canon Dslr , but I am so tempted to get 1 of those newer Sony!!!!
The battery grip should alleviate the ergonomic issues, I don't think it will add too much weight. Worth looking into for sure
I bought a L bracket which helped a little with ergonomics, but my middle finger was still aching. Got long skinny fingers and Sony's pretty deep indentation on the grip notch made my middle finger squeeze harder to grip ending up supporting the camera weight.
Fixed it by filling in the notched and thickening the grip base with some moldable thermoplastic. Custom grip and super comfy. Guess one good thing having smaller default grip as you can always add to it.
Hi Duade loving the channel very clean advice with your videos as for this one i use the same setup Sony A7iv with the Sony 200-600mm don't get the issue with my hands but i use a Peak Designs strap over the shoulder when out and about works great i also was a Canon for over 30 years but mostly use my Sony now keep up the great work & take care until next time Sam
Very nice review...well balanced
Thanks! Canon shooter and I’m always curious about Sony stuff. Great videos!
Great comparison Duade, as you say there is no perfect system otherwise we would all want it! There is my Menu on the sony that you can use for the settings that you may not remember or use frequently, putting these here makes them easy to find.
Thanks for the tip Kev, I will be sure to set that up. Cheers, Duade
Everyone concentrate on specs and you are the only one I see focusses on real life experience using camera. Love your videos
love your review...i'm a sony a1 user with the 600mm and i love love my vertical grip. it helps with the hand position. yes it ads more weight but for me it's so much better in the hands.
Sony A7RV guys. They changed the exp compensation dial for a normal one and now you can have your iso there or anything else you want. Game changer if you ask me. All basic settings are now between your index and thumb fingers. I literally 95% ditched auto iso because of this tweak and moved the exp.compensation function on the scroll dial in the back for those few times i use it
There is always the crop sensor feature. 600 x 1.5 = 900mm. But you've already figured this out by now since the video is 10 months old as I view it.
Love your photos and you do what you like with them Duade.
Nice video man, i recently got a sigma contemporary 150-600 lens, and i have a canon 650d
Hey what kind of tripod/gimbalhead combo would you recomend under 250? Could you maybe make a video about reviewing some tripods😃
Thank you for the review Duade Paton !
I have the Sony A7RIII and I shoot birding with center screen AF when the bird is moving. And it's a lot of fun configuring the camera (shutter speed, iso, focus, aperture) and planning good sunset as you just showed on this video, considering how old is my camera compared to newer bodies. Bird photography is not easy with heavy gears but it helps me lose weight, haha, but first of all helps with my skills as a photographer.
Your B-rolls of you sneaking upon the bird feeding near the reeds is JAW-DROPPING! How much planning did it require? Astonishing!
Just got lucky with that one, I was at the camera spot when I spotted the bird so starting recording and walked around to get better light angle. Very happy with how it turned out. Cheers, Duade
Great un-biased review. Pretty much in line with my experience with that Sony setup so far. I'll be looking forward to your final opinion on that 1.4x teleconverter on the 200-600mm. Can't find consensus on whether it's better than cropping/upscaling on that lens, and don't really want to spend the $ on renting it. BTW thanks for replying to a comment I made a while back! I was a little star-struck!
I bought a R7 Canon but so far I am not sold. Sony has so many good features! It has been years since I was involved but it does not take long to see the flaws presented.
Definitely worth getting a grip, helps holding and balances better. I have always used 3rd party grip on my cameras, Nikon, Canon, Sony. I use the Mieke grip. Currently have one on my A9 and A6600
Agreed. I never go on an outing without a battery grip. Keeps my battery anxiety under control and the ergonomics are perfect for my hands.
Fellow Australian, Mark Galer has an extensive library of videos, e-books, and seminars on how to set up all the Sony Cameras including downloadable cam-setups. He fully covers memory sets, recall buttons, my menu sets that include BIF, etc. His particular style my not suit everyone but it’s an unbelievable great starting point. I am currently using the Sony A7R V with it’s simply amazing AI tracking abilities that includes human, animal, bird, animal-bird, insects, cars, and plane separate tracking functions that each have an unbelievable 21 adjustments for each selection. A “little complicated” to learn but very effective once you get the hang of it.
Simple small rig baseplate will help. Also, you can change the front & rear dial configuration. Nice bird shots, TBH the a7iv isn’t a birding camera vs A1 but you make it work. For what it’s worth, I’ve shot Sony for 3 years now. I find new things all the time when setting up my menus and custom buttons 😂
Great video Duade! I run Sony 7R3 with 200-600mm and coming from apsc +400mm i agree on your comment about the focal lenght. However with sony its possible to switch to APSC modus, really revovering that focal lenght. If you do need the extra light, that setting may be a good alternative to the 1.4x extender. Cheers from the Netherlands!
That crake photograph in the reeds is incredible (amongst many lovely shots on the new system). Maybe Canon addresses zebras in stills or unlimited FPS in the new R5 firmware update, though that has kind of become everyone's personal wishlist for Canon deficiencies at this point. I know you just got on Sony, but are you considering picking up more camera brands as the channel continues to grow?
Thanks Kyle, yes I loved that Crake shot also. Yes, I am sure zebras in stills will be a firmware update at some point, very useful for many. Yes, I plan on trying all the brands if I can, just a matter of finding time and saving for the gear if I need to buy it myself. Cheers, Duade
As a Sony user, I was shocked to find out that Canon doesn't allow shooting anything until a full buffer is cleared. I'm curious to know what happens if you release the shutter just before the buffer is full, and then press the shutter again before the buffer has cleared.
@@EmilWall G'day, yes that is exactly what we have to do, shoot in short bursts to allow the buffer to empty between shots. It can be very annoying. Cheers, Duade
Great show, thank you.
That is a great piece of kit. The a7iv does seem to have some really nice options that they offer over the R5.
Ref a comment you made on a previous show about camera slings. I've used Black Rapid for almost 10 years and love them. There are cheaper knock-offs but the materials fit and finish aren't as good and I don't trust that because my kit is pretty heavy. I run the 7d with a battery grip and sigma 70-200 f/2.8. (way too heavy at my age).
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always, I have the r7 with the sigma 150-600 and I am buying the same Sony set up that you have, I think they are both wonderful 👍👌🤗
I had issues with how small the Sony bodies are. I purchased a Really Right Stuff base plate and I love it. It added a place to put my pinky. I also put grip tape on it, so it wasn't so smooth and it matches the camera texture. Thanks for the video.
Great video, again, Duade. I particularly like the constructive criticism for Canon. I hope your channel becomes so successful you can branch out to Leica, Hasselblad or both!
14:40 absolutely agreed; it was the first thing I noticed, when I switched from my D500, which was much heavier, but much comfortable to hold😑
Great video as usually, love the eye level shots of the Crake and Grebe. But to make the Sony comfortable get some sort of bracket. I have an R5 with a SmallRig L-bracket adds no weight but makes it even more comfortable as well as it gives the camera some protection.
Thanks Joe, I have ordered the smallrig, Cheers, Duade
Thanks Duade for another great content..I am Nikon user. Thinking a lot to switch but having so many gears I just hesitate to reinvest. this was just the info I was looking for.. and you have given great insight. As rightly said every system have their plus and minus. Will hold on to Nikon for now Hope you keep this channel up for ever. Thanks once again. 👍
I'm glad that overall you seem to be pleased with your Sony experience. I enjoy mine a lot. But cameras are after all just tools. As to the pain in the palm with the Sony, the body is definitely short. I've added an L-bracket (RRS) and extend the upright away from the body a bit and use that as another hand hold spot when carrying the camera. That may be enough for your hand to not experience the pain (The last film camera I owned was the old A2E and I really like the feel of Canon bodies).
I do wish the 200-600mmG had a closer focusing distance but I solved that with the 100-400mmGM 🙂 (bought used btw).
I enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.
Hi Duade. I shoot the same Sony setup as you have for wildlife. Sony camera nomenclature describes the various cameras regarding their best design setup. The A1 does it all, the A9 has speed, As* great video, Ar* resolution, A7 wonderful all around shooting. Also, you can set the shutter sound on or off in the A7; 11/55 setting in the menu. Great shots and nice review of the pluses and minuses of the Sony setup as it has worked for you.
Duade, as always, thanks for the excellent content! To protect your hand from camera edges, try a pair of bicycling gloves. They will pad your palms but leave your fingers free to operate your camera.
I think there are huge pros and cons to all systems, I have been a Canon shooter only so possibly a bit biased but love the feel and certainly used to menus, buttons etc. The ergonomics on Sony has been mentioned a lot and having held a few Sony bodies feel it’s not necessarily ideal for me. But the Sony bodies are fantastic cameras, and the biggest advantage, Len’s and choice of 3rd party choices.
Some great images Duade which proves the one major point, the person using it.
Thanks Gary, totally agree with you, I am not a big fan of how some people are very critical of other systems. They all have their place and the competition is what helps us all. We all have different reasons for the gear we choose and I am just happy and grateful to be able to try these other systems I have never had a chance to play with. Canon will always remain my primary system at this stage. Cheers, Duade
Great vid again!
One additional comment:
I do hold the R and the R5. The R lacks the dial at the back but has a round structure with 5 buttons instead.
I really miss some of those buttons at the R5.
I would really love the Sony layout giving me the buttons and the rotary dial at the same time.
(This was less the issue with the 1Dx (comparable to the R3), there is are more buttons at other places (i.e. 2 at the front close to the lens mount.)
Thanks for the interesting video. I switched from Sony to the Canon RF system and am very happy with it. There are always pros and cons. You have to see what suits you best.
Hi, just a suggestion for the Bird/Animal Eye option, use the C3 button as it is the one gripe I have on this camera , it's not much use where it is when you have the camera up to shoot also you didn't mention the built in crop option that gives you a little more reach , yes you loose pixels but you get the shot. Russ.
Great video and some interesting observations. I also shoot with a Canon mirrorless and Sony bridge depending on where I'm going. One problem I have is small hands and I hate the fact that so many camera buttons are too far away for me to press without over reaching my hand. I have the opposite problem in that some cameras are way too big. None of us are average so how the manufacturers compensate for that is a tough one. At least there are accessories out there to help with improving the grip but you can't shrink a camera body to suit people like me. :)
G'day Duade, I've loved that name of the "Turbo Chook" from first time I heard it several years ago - still haven't seen one though. The Sony 100-400 has a minimum focus distance of .9 metres, and can be used as a pseudo macro lens. I use a battery grip on the A7RIV for the extra battery and vertical grip mode, but mainly for the added depth on the body and better balance with the 200-600. If you don't want to use the battery grip you can get a Smallrig L-bracket with removable side and just use that to extend the bottom of the body. On electronic mode shooting, have you noticed any BIF with really elongated wings? That's a side effect of electronic shutter as the wings move quicker than the sensor readout (certainly happens on my A7RIV with that 62ms sensor readout).
The only thing I somewhat disagree about is the ergonomics. I understand that sony camera are the smallest of the systems and it caters perfectly to smaller hands.
The thing that worried me about complaining about the ergonomics is that Sony might make it less ergonomic for smaller hands if they take the feedback to heart.
The other biggest advantage to Sony is the third party lens. I initially was gonna go for the r5 till I saw the ecosystem price! Not to say the Sony brand lens are any less expensive than Canon but the third party lenses are 98% of the functionality at half the price!
Hi Duade, what you said about the Sony's and other brands continuing to shoot after the buffer fills, that's how it's worked on every Canon camera I've ever owned. On my R7, however, if I change settings one way, it stops dead in its tracks, as you described, but if I set it another way it never stops! It hits the buffer and then shoots in dribs and drabs at a reduced rate which varies (speeds up and slows down). Even though it shoots at varying rates after hitting the buffer, it's still a decent pace. I'll have to check on my camera tomorrow and let you know which settings allow this and which don't.
I subbed to your channel with both my accounts... And tbh I have even watched a few vids with both just to help... I love the content you make ❤
Thanks for subbing!
@@Duade My Honor Sir. I'm still saving to buy my own first gear. I would love to share whatever I Feel is good with you and people in the community and get criticized constructively to learn.
Great video Duade, I think a L bracket won’t help you much with your hand pain just by the way your holding your set up. The monitor add some weight to the back end and your outstretched arms puts weighted pressure in your palm. When you use the EVF you hold the camera differently. The L bracket will help with comfort.
I have set my C1 button to toggle between APSC and Full frame for that little bit of 1.5x reach.
Keep up the good work. I find it interesting to see the difference between systems.
Great Duade, I’ve been waiting for this one. I was after an r5, a7rv or a74, for birds, what would you say has the best all round image quality please using the Sony 200-600 or canon 100-500?
Great video Duade, the only thing I don’t like about the Sony is that I don’t have one but it would probably drive me crazy trying to deal with two systems since I have only shot Canon for the past few years with mirrorless. Don’t know if I’d like the zebras since I’m so used to watching the histogram, I know canon has the blinky but it only applies to jpegs I believe and I only shoot Raw. Photos were great, do you use Jan Wegeners prosets? I’m guessing that if we had a camera with all the features of every camera out there we’d need a wagon to carry it. Thanks again 👀👀
Hi Duade. Great informative video. Thank you for putting it together.
I'm currently trying to save up for a full-frame system as I'm currently using an old 1" sensor Lumix bridge camera (would be much easier to save if I didn't keep booking Caribbean cruises for my wife and I).
I wasn't all that psyched about the A7IV when Sony first announced it a couple of years ago because everyone and their dog was reviewing its video capabilities and not so much on simply taking a photo with it. I have minimal to zero interest in taking videos with my camera, so that kind of threw me back. But now I'm rethinking the A7IV but just ignoring its video functionality.
I'm 99.999% sure that the ecosystem that I'll get into will be with Sony, I just simply need to get the cash together.
Great video.
Cheers from Canada.
Thanks for another great video. I know it won't work with the teleconverter but you can add one extension tube and get a better MFD. I'm sure you knew that just figured I would throw it out there just in case. I use one 10mm tube on my Canon 800mm lens to get a better MFD. Cheers.
Thanks for that, yes, I need to try that in the future. Thanks for the reminder. Cheers, Duade