# Does anyone here have an a7s?



## runnah

Looking to pick one of these up as a second video cam and was wondering how people were liking it.


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## jsecordphoto

I don't have one, but know quite a few people who have picked one up either as a 2nd body or just completely switching. Everyone I know loves theirs, minus the terrible battery life


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## runnah

I'd be using it mostly for video. It's either that or the blackmagic cinema 4k.


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## pixmedic

I thought you bought the 5DIII for video?


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## runnah

pixmedic said:


> I thought you bought the 5DIII for video?



Yes but I need to move to 4k.


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## pixmedic

runnah said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> 
> I thought you bought the 5DIII for video?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes but I need to move to 4k.
Click to expand...


pretend for a moment you are speaking to someone completely and utterly ignorant of anything above smartphone videography. what is 4k and why do you need to move to it?


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## runnah

pixmedic said:


> runnah said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> 
> I thought you bought the 5DIII for video?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes but I need to move to 4k.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> pretend for a moment you are speaking to someone completely and utterly ignorant of anything above smartphone videography. what is 4k and why do you need to move to it?
Click to expand...


2x better than HD. (roughy)
Clients are asking for it.


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## IronMaskDuval

I need a 4k camera too. My GPU is sitting around powering a bunch of 1080 monitors. It is sad.


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## pixmedic

Damn.  I remember when "HD" came out and was the "ultimate" viewing experience


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## runnah

pixmedic said:


> Damn.  I remember when "HD" came out and was the "ultimate" viewing experience



Just wait until 8k!

Problem I am running into is the for the a7s to output to 4k I need a $2k external recorder. So with all the extra bits and bobs I am close to $5k. Which puts me squarely in the blackmagic URSA territory.


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## pixmedic

runnah said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> 
> Damn.  I remember when "HD" came out and was the "ultimate" viewing experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just wait until 8k!
> 
> Problem I am running into is the for the a7s to output to 4k I need a $2k external recorder. So with all the extra bits and bobs I am close to $5k. Which puts me squarely in the blackmagic URSA territory.
Click to expand...


I don't know anything about any of this stuff,  but it sounds like at the same price point (ish) you would be better off with the black voodoo thingy since it's a dedicated 4k video camera. Unless you  want the A7 as a backup camera.


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## runnah

pixmedic said:


> runnah said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> 
> Damn.  I remember when "HD" came out and was the "ultimate" viewing experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just wait until 8k!
> 
> Problem I am running into is the for the a7s to output to 4k I need a $2k external recorder. So with all the extra bits and bobs I am close to $5k. Which puts me squarely in the blackmagic URSA territory.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I don't know anything about any of this stuff,  but it sounds like at the same price point (ish) you would be better off with the black voodoo thingy since it's a dedicated 4k video camera. Unless you  want the A7 as a backup camera.
Click to expand...


Well the black magic camera is a massive thing full production style. It's big heavy and requires lots of prep. The a7s is way smaller and requires less setup. 

Pros and cons for sure so I might rent both and see.


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## jsecordphoto

Not sure how the black magic does in low light, but I'm sure you know how absurdly good the a7s performs at high iso.


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## pixmedic

Just buy them both, then go with the black magic and give me the A7


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## dxqcanada

4k Search Results sonyalpharumors


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## waday

@runnah, you'll probably need an 8K soon. 

LG may have just outed an 8K iMac


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## goodguy

runnah said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> 
> Damn.  I remember when "HD" came out and was the "ultimate" viewing experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just wait until 8k!
> 
> Problem I am running into is the for the a7s to output to 4k I need a $2k external recorder. So with all the extra bits and bobs I am close to $5k. Which puts me squarely in the blackmagic URSA territory.
Click to expand...

Why wouldnt you consider the Panasonic GH4 ?

It does 4K internally, true low light isnt as impressive as the a7s but from what I heard its a great video camera.


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## goodguy

waday said:


> @runnah, you'll probably need an 8K soon.
> 
> LG may have just outed an 8K iMac


 
Just out of curiosity, isnt science bringing out better and better TV's and video cameras and we are very close to the point where our eye cant really appreciate it anymore ?
It feels to me like these TV/Camera makers fool us into buying more and more equipment which we really cant appreciate anymore.

If 8K is the next big thing I am sure 16K is already being researched.


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## jsecordphoto

goodguy said:


> waday said:
> 
> 
> 
> @runnah, you'll probably need an 8K soon.
> 
> LG may have just outed an 8K iMac
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just out of curiosity, isnt science bringing out better and better TV's and video cameras and we are very close to the point where our eye cant really appreciate it anymore ?
> It feels to me like these TV/Camera makers fool us into buying more and more equipment which we really cant appreciate anymore.
> 
> If 8K is the next big thing I am sure 16K is already being researched.
Click to expand...


8K RAW Video with the Nikon D800 Made Possible with Quicklapse Technique and a Custom Intervalometer Fstoppers


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## runnah

goodguy said:


> runnah said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> 
> Damn.  I remember when "HD" came out and was the "ultimate" viewing experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just wait until 8k!
> 
> Problem I am running into is the for the a7s to output to 4k I need a $2k external recorder. So with all the extra bits and bobs I am close to $5k. Which puts me squarely in the blackmagic URSA territory.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Why wouldnt you consider the Panasonic GH4 ?
> 
> It does 4K internally, true low light isnt as impressive as the a7s but from what I heard its a great video camera.
Click to expand...


Internally? You need a whopping great batter grip type adapter.


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## The_Traveler

I am reserving a rental A7 S for shooting publicity stills for a theater and hope to be so bowled over that I buy one.


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## unpopular

runnah said:


> Which puts me squarely in the blackmagic URSA territory.



GET AN URSA!!!! Probably wouldn't be very practical, but it will sure make you look impressive.


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## The_Traveler

Just got it by FEDEX.
Small.
Not super fast auto focus acquisition in single shot.

Quite good image and manageable noise in dim light

100% crop iso 12,000


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## rexbobcat

The_Traveler said:


> Just got it by FEDEX.
> Small.
> Not super fast auto focus acquisition in single shot.
> 
> Quite good image and manageable noise in dim light
> 
> 100% crop iso 12,000
> 
> View attachment 102737



Looks great. Doesn't seem as monumentally spectacular as some people were claiming, but still, it's very usable.


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## Solarflare

Uh, the Sony A7s isnt said to be "spectacular" ? Its said to hold up very well until about ISO 50k and when it finally breaks down above that depends upon the person you ask.

At 12k, there shouldnt yet be too many differences to, say, a D810.

Also one guy who testet it compared it to medium format: 





> There is something to the look of A7s files that reminds me of medium format, and the only thing that I can think of that could be at work here are the large individual sensels.


 This very likely refers to low ISO images from the A7s, though.


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## enerlevel

The a7s surely seems to have 2 opinions. Some claim its very good for low light while some say it's just okay...
I see people saying how great nikon d3s or d4s Is for low light and the a7s is actually same if not better but when we talk about a7s solely, I have seen many review say that it is not that great for low light... so not sure whom to believe. 
I had the sony a7 with 24-70f4. Then I trade it for a nikon d600 cause 35 and 50 primes were too expensive for sony. Now I realise the weight and size just doesn't make me want to travel with it anymore...
ThereforE I am thinking to go back to the sony setup but only this time, I wanted to choose between the a7r or a7s... resolution is not alot of problem for me cause I usually don't crop.. but low light performance is no.1 on my list... I have also heard from people that if you resize a7r pics to 12mp. You get somewhat same if not better results than a7s...


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## runnah

Just got my rental unit it.

Pros:
So light and small! I could see loving to carry this thing around instead of a DSLR.
Video is amazing the XVAC S format is seriously good for video users
I like the quasi-retro build/style

Cons:
Even with the $400 adapter using the AF with canon glass is not an option. The focus time is measured in seconds, even on a sunny day the AF hunts and hunts. Strangely each of my lenses worked differently.
The XVAC S format requires you to use a minimum ISO of 3200, which unless you have a 10 stop ND filter, is useless outside.
Button layout reminds my why the retro-look is more about looks than function.

I'll be shooting it all weekend (mostly video) but will have some samples to share.


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## runnah

So far my 50 1.4 is the slowest and my 35 2.0 is is fastest. But that's not saying much! Waiting until dusk to get some high ISO action.


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## runnah

DSC00245 by runnah555, on Flickr




DSC00247 by runnah555, on Flickr


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## Solarflare

enerlevel said:


> I have seen many review say that it is not that great for low light... so not sure whom to believe.


 Um, I thought I've checked the net pretty throughoutly for reviews of the A7s, and I am not aware anyone claims that the A7s wouldnt be great for lowlight ?

Oh, except that constantly grinning YouTube-poster that keeps cranking out really stupid clips, cant remember his name right now.

But that was really the only person. And he came to his conclusing by only comparing ISO 6400 files. But the Glory of the A7s is that ISO 12k, 25k and 50k are still quite useable, when even the D4s starts having real problems with some banding.

The A7s has been optimized by the best sensor producer out there for optimal high ISO performance - and that camera is really good at it.


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