Mind == Blown

Mind (equal) Blown

Well, I finally did it. I made the move to Full Frame Mirrorless.

..and I'm never going back.

It isn't like shutter mirrors have been a particular inconvenience to me. I've never had one fail, even after doubling the expected shutter actuations on my D7000 and handily exceeding it on my D90 before that. My D800 has been a trooper. The file sizes don't bother me, the images looked great, the workflow was fine.

I just wanted something.. else.. (and I found it)

As a user of the Sony NEX 3, NEX 5, NEX -7, whose APS-C sensors have done very well, I've been seriously impressed with what Sony Alpha (ahem, Minolta) has been doing there. The A77 was a nice feeling camera and I liked it.

The NEX-7 solved a lot of problems for me. It was a super portable, awesome camera with interchangeable lenses. Light enough to attach to a telescope, versatile enough to throw in the car with very good performance in most cases. (Except, that I still am annoyed by hot shoes and I wanted it to be full frame)

When the A7r was announced I tried to not take in the media, knowing it would interest me and I'd probably buy it. I held off, until recently.

The catalyst is, I found myself at a crossroads. I liked the 36 megapixel images of the D800 but found the size and bulk of it and the 14-24mm to be somewhat limiting, in that I very often didn't just grab it as I went out the door... I also wanted a D4. A camera for landscapes and stuff (the D800) and a camera for people, recitals, (the D4) - something that could take photos in a dark room with usable results.

The upcoming A7S solves it for me. I can't really share how I know but I will just say this..

The A7s will be a game changer.

So, this week I finally resigned that I'm done with Nikon. Not that I don't like them or that I'm unhappy with them, this camera has been like my third child. It is just that it makes sense (for me) to replace the D800 with the A7R and go with the A7S when it comes out as my D4 alt. One set of glass, boom.

So, I've been playing with the A7R for a bit and I'll just one line it and say:

I'm impressed!

If you want to find a review on a Sony A7R or Sony A7S, I'm sure can Google it up and find one. Just don't have time to commit to writing one for the A7R (plus there are millions out there) but I may write one for the A7S when it comes.

Sure, I don't think anyone will stop me at Disney, recognizing my gigantic Nikon and complimenting me on it (or hating me for it) and I'm sure people will be off-put by it's lack of professional-looking-ness.

To that I say, most respectfully, pffft.

.. In case I haven't talked you out of the world of mirror-flippy cameras, here is mine, for sale on eBay:

www.ebay.com/itm/181425356979?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&a...

www.ebay.com/itm/181425368309?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&a...

www.ebay.com/itm/181425369026?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&a...

and here's the craigslist ad:

mobile.craigslist.org/pho/4491024961.html

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It is a sad day, in a way but new toys and tools are always fun!

So, this shot was taken with the SEL18200 on the A7R, in FF mode so it had plenty of barreling that I then cropped out.   It was shot RAW, indoors at 400 ISO, manual focus.    I used a handheld flashlight to bring some light in but couldn't achieve much faster shutter with anything on hand / didn't feel up to bringing out the Bees (and I was actually washing dishes at the time, this is my burger - grill plate under the faucet in my kitchen sink :)