Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Mary K on March 01, 2018, 11:36:43 am

Title: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: Mary K on March 01, 2018, 11:36:43 am
I am considering the purchase of an Arca-Swiss Universalis. I will need to purchase a mirrorless camera to work with this system, so I’m considering the purchase of the Sony A7RII or A7RIII.

I will only be shooting in manual mode while using magnified live view to focus, so I would like to know if there would be any advantage to using the A7RIII over the A7RII while limiting my photography to manual focus using live view?

When using TS-E lenses with my Canon 5DSR I use live view to check focus by magnifying to 16x. When using the tilt function I magnify to 16x and check different focus points several times while adjusting tilt and focus until I have achieved the desired result.  Would this means of achieving focus be easily accomplished  with the A7RII-III camera, and would it work just as well on either model?

Thanks, Mary
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: Wolfman on March 01, 2018, 02:25:31 pm
Hi..... If you want to save a few dollars I would get the A7rll considering how you shoot. I think the A7Rll is about $2300. & the lll is $3200.   You are getting the same sensor basically. I don't think you are losing a lot with the ll unless you shoot a lot of action.
Doesn't sound like you do.
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: hogloff on March 01, 2018, 04:13:52 pm
If you want to save even more money, pick up an A7R which can be had for under $1,000 used.
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: Telecaster on March 01, 2018, 04:21:32 pm
The A7riii's enhancements are in EVF resolution, improved battery life (more potent batteries, that is), dual SD slots, AF performance and the new multi-shot mode. Unless you feel you might benefit from multi-shot I'd suggest going with the A7rii.

-Dave-
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: DP on March 01, 2018, 04:36:08 pm
I am considering the purchase of an Arca-Swiss Universalis. I will need to purchase a mirrorless camera to work with this system, so I’m considering the purchase of the Sony A7RII or A7RIII.

I will only be shooting in manual mode while using magnified live view to focus, so I would like to know if there would be any advantage to using the A7RIII over the A7RII while limiting my photography to manual focus using live view?

When using TS-E lenses with my Canon 5DSR I use live view to check focus by magnifying to 16x. When using the tilt function I magnify to 16x and check different focus points several times while adjusting tilt and focus until I have achieved the desired result.  Would this means of achieving focus be easily accomplished  with the A7RII-III camera, and would it work just as well on either model?

Thanks, Mary

in fact I am thinking to sell my like new A7R2 (mark II) for $1700 all inclusive (included are : L base plate, LCD screen protector applied, 2 original and 4 extra batteries and extra dual batteries charger, original box w/ its content, etc)... shipping from Western PA (insured/tracking - included in price)...

just saying, pardon my shameless plug here
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: HywelPhillips on March 02, 2018, 11:59:19 am
For your use-case, it sounds like an A7Rii will do you just nicely. But avoid the A7R (mark one) - it has shutter shock issues compromising sharpness at some shutter speeds, and the IBIS is just so damned useful if you ever want to shoot off tripod- and even on tripod, in the wind with a telephoto lens on a less-than-totally stable base.

I've bought an A7Riii to supplement my A7Rii because of the increase battery life, improved AF, touchscreen and joystick for focus point selection and other little improvements which count for the bulk of my professional work. I don't see any great step-up for landscape, especially not in MF on a tripod- the improvements are mostly ergonomics, it's the same sensor.

The A7Rii is a little fussy and fussy to operate but capable of absolutely outstanding results. 

Cheers, Hywel Phillips
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: Mary K on March 02, 2018, 04:35:43 pm
Thanks to everyone for their input. I appears that the Sony A7RII should work fine for my needs. DP, I'll keep your offer in mind if I decide to go down this road.

Best to all,
Mary
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: TimoK on March 04, 2018, 05:40:43 am
Thanks to everyone for their input. I appears that the Sony A7RII should work fine for my needs. DP, I'll keep your offer in mind if I decide to go down this road.

Best to all,
Mary

I too have same kind of considerations. Now I'm shooting landscapes with Cambo Actus and Canon 6d. With Actus I'm quite satisfied but with Canon not so much. I'm tempted by Sony's better resolution and DR.
A forum member E.J.Peiker has written a good review of R7mkIII in wich he compares mkIII and mkII. He also has a review of mkII from 2015. Both worth of reading: http://www.ejphoto.com/articles_page.htm (http://www.ejphoto.com/articles_page.htm) .He gave the link in another discussion.

Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: Rob C on March 04, 2018, 07:49:23 am
I don't think it's particularly wise to buy older tech. unless old cameras have something the newer model in the range does not. You never know what your future tastes and/or opportunities will be, so why be less prepared? Price, spread over a sensible ownership period that ignores tiny changes will make a higher original cost feel more acceptable when you are looking back at your decisions.

The only time I ever stepped backwards with cameras was when I ended up trading a Nikon F4s for a new, older model F3. Why? Simply because I couldn't get the 4 to load properly first time. It embarrassed me, and I had no need for that exciting experience. That aside, the 4 was a better machine.

Rob
Title: Re: Sony A7RII or A7RIII
Post by: ErikKaffehr on March 04, 2018, 04:05:57 pm
Hi,

I am using an A7rII and do some work as you describe.

The improvements with the A7rIII are substantial, but more about usability than image quality. It seems, though, that Sony has achieved a minimal improvement in DR on the A7rIII.

My take is that the A7rIII is the clearly better camera. In your application it may matter very little. So you can go with either.

The A7rII offers 12.5X image magnification, I would assume that it may be actual pixels. That works reasonably well.

Best regards
Erik


I am considering the purchase of an Arca-Swiss Universalis. I will need to purchase a mirrorless camera to work with this system, so I’m considering the purchase of the Sony A7RII or A7RIII.

I will only be shooting in manual mode while using magnified live view to focus, so I would like to know if there would be any advantage to using the A7RIII over the A7RII while limiting my photography to manual focus using live view?

When using TS-E lenses with my Canon 5DSR I use live view to check focus by magnifying to 16x. When using the tilt function I magnify to 16x and check different focus points several times while adjusting tilt and focus until I have achieved the desired result.  Would this means of achieving focus be easily accomplished  with the A7RII-III camera, and would it work just as well on either model?

Thanks, Mary