As for me, Sony is one of the most important pillars of my equipment with Fujifilm, Lumix, Nikon and Olympus.
I have just recently traded my "old" RX100 against IBD IBD, bought the RX10 and HX400V complement and eventually the new Alpha 6000 also have a powerful sensor.
The RX100, RX10 and HX400V are complete solutions with all-to-edge and a single harmonized software, but with very different vocations:
- The RX100 is a very powerful pocket camera but limited to a focal length of 70mm
- The RX100 is massive, but goes to 200mm with a bright character and with the macro-foto also in his element
- The HX400V with its objective up to 1200mm specializes in distant shots, however, require good light and must be focused manually in the long lenses. She has a small sensor and not badly lacks of equipment (not RAW, no microphone jack etc.).
In fact, none of these cameras is really versatile, except the RX10 with its sophisticated Objective.
It is there that intervenes the Alpha 6000 with its APS-C sensor, very well equipped and much faster than the Alpha 7 / 7r.
and much less expensive. In terms of quality, it's hard to differentiate the shots of the Alpha 6000 and Alpha 7, except under the microscope or with oversized enlargements.
But the problem is that Sony has no or few objectives can enhance the performance of boxes as is the case for example for the Fuji X-T1, X-Pro1, the Olympus MDGs, Lumix GH3 and GH4 the Nikon and Canon DSLR ...
For my part, I have the SEL1650 and SEL55210, but frankly, with f / 4.5-6.3 is a far cry from what can offer XF Fujinon 18-55mm (f / 2.8-4.0) or a Zuiko 12-40 (f /2.8) without talking about Leica, Nikon Canon etc. Most of my goals have fixed between f / 1.4 and f / 1.8 even at 85mm. So obviously f / 4.5-6.3 is rather latecomer in 2014 ...
So I got myself a Zeiss 32mm f / 1.8, which allows me to have a fixed lens equivalent to 50mm very versatile.
But a good quality Zoom would be much more convenient for both do not carry around a bag full of heavy lenses to avoid changing lenses in the rain or in the wind and dust.
Then this 24-70mm with constant aperture of f / 4, this is not extraordinary, but represents progress. So I tried, but not for long:
It should first be rapeller as the RX10, Zeiss lens not only has a focal length of 24-200mm but also a constant f / 2.8! And that's not all:
- It focuses on a few cm from the lens
- It now costs less than 800 Euro, including a high performance camera and exceptionally well equipped!
In short to be clear: The SEL 24-70 mm / f / 4 manufactured in Thailand and currently sold for about 1,050 Euro is absolutely overrated and the price is completely fanciful.
But it does not stop there!
Qualitatively, this goal for E-Mount is well below the A-Mount Version manufactured in Japan.
If one takes the trouble to read the ratings and comments customers in Germany or elsewhere, it is full of complaints and dissatisfactions regarding among others,
- Loss of peripheral brightness at wide angle
- Geometric distortions on some focal lengths,
- Lack of sharpness and blur at the edges
- Asymmetrical quality and color accuracy etc.
And since there or there is smoke, there is also the fire, it is not fanciful allegations.
So actually, it's no wonder that my predecessor has questions.
But I'm afraid it is at the beginning of his journey, or Way of the Cross, because losqu'il will have discovered the truth about its objective and cleaned the Wailing Wall with his tears, he can continue with Sony's A7R.
I too have long struggled against the burning desire to buy the A7R. But if we look at the comments of all the experts who do not received wages on expense reports or Sony fees, and although it is still not much to sing the praises of A7R. It is so slow, that it is intended to be used in primary way in the studio or for landscapes where she demonstrated - in addition - excellent qualities.
To speak of a pictorial way, the A7R is an Iowa-class battleship, while Alpha 6000 is a carrier class John F. Kennedy.
So obviously, the SEL Zeiss 24-70 on Alpha 7r is financially the bouquet, the end of a historic fire fireworks!.
Do not suspect me of being anti-Sony. I not only the 4 most current cameras of their game, but four of the latest camcorders and as I said above, Sony is an essential pillar of my equipment, but we must make sense of things and keep judgment ..
