Sony Alpha 7 review: Full-frame mirrorless is here

Gas makes me considering purchasing 3rd A7 mk I lol. For £259 from MPB.COM it is hard to beat.

Mar 23, 2023permalink

Still enjoy the Mark I ergonomics and IQ for the most part. Two Panasonic GM1 supplement my higher IQ combo well when want to go light. Great balance between size and IQ in these two systems.

Oct 20, 2020permalink

SteveM2019

I just got one. Even though I'm late to this party and the tech is several years old, I love using it, perfect for what I need. It's especially easy to travel with. I just wish it could do a few things I use a lot on my other DSLR. I like to use the AF button to focus ("back button focusing", before I'm dinged for not using the correct vocabulary), but on my other DSLR I save autofocus using the shutter release button onto one of the custom memory modes on the dial for when I hand the camera off to someone to take my picture. Can't seem to do that on the Sony A7. Instead I have to explain bb focusing to the person, or go into the menu and change the shutter button.

Apr 25, 2019permalink

You can do that using custom dial position setting.

Oct 20, 2020permalink

(unknown member)

Bought it new a few weeks ago with the kit lens. It's a nice camera and I really like the image quality. At these prices it was a no brainer for me. (and I was right).

Sep 7, 2018permalink

Lstevens78

Just purchased for £469 from amazon deal of the day, all stock now gone. No wonder at this price

Mar 26, 2018permalink

espariz

With 28-70 included?

Jun 29, 2019permalink

twostep

For 777 Euros new from Amazon and 100 Euro cashback from Sony this was a true bargain!

Nov 29, 2017permalink

zzzxtreme

"The a7 is able to shoot continuously at just under 5 fps, though the camera will be locked up for 10-20 seconds while the buffer is cleared.". is it fixed with latest firmware?

Oct 11, 2017permalink

maxmarra

i want to upgrade my 60D... i have couple of cheap canon lenses including canon 55-250 stm, sigma 30 1.4 and sigma 17-50 2.8.
i want to upgrade my body to 80D but i wondering should i screw everything and buy sony A7.
at my place A7 is cheaper than 80D (A7 is 900usd - 80D is 1KUSD)
for sure have to buy couple of lenses for sony. my budget is max 1500 USD

Jul 28, 2016permalink

mlupi

Dreadful camera, auto focus is useless, colors aren't even as good as an old Canon Rebel 300D. Only buy it if you want to go manual focus or your shooting targets are static otherwise forget it 70% of the shots will be out of focus. if you plan to take pictures of children forget it :)

Jun 25, 2016permalink

marc petzold

The biggest lie i've ever read here on DPR - i do own the A7, and colors aren't worse then a 2003 way cheap APS-C Beginners Canon DSLR. AF also improved with newer Firmware, but it isn't a sports camera. But it's very good for adapting old, manual focus glass, virtually every lens from the past 50-80 years can be used with focus peaking & a matching, cheap adapter - and works quite well. Horses for courses.

Aug 10, 2016permalink

gohunter

I think that comment from mlupi must relate to the A7R, not the A7. Having had both, the A7R is extremely slow on focusing and yes, I missed a load of shots or got them out of focus. (portrait and baby photography). The A7R is aimed at landscape photographers, so yes, it is aimed at static subjects! As for the A7, the focus is very fast, precise and reliable. Colours are accurate. They may have the same body, but they are two very different cameras when it comes to performance.

Jul 28, 2017permalink

jferguson4

does the eye level viewfinder dim as you stop down a manual aperture lens or does it maintain more or less constant brightness? assuming at least moderate ambient light levels.

Mar 3, 2016permalink

There is a setting that can either reflect the exposure setting or this can be turned off to maintain constant brightness. In other words, if you shoot in Manual mode with fixed iso and settings effect ON, your brightness will reflect the settings i.e. EVF will get darker as you close down aperture. With settings effect OFF the EVF will maintain constant brightness but framerate may get lower as you let less light in. Settings effect OFF is especially useful when flash is used in manual mode or when you want to maintain constant brightness to aid the visibility, especially when focusing manually.

Mar 6, 2016permalink

jferguson4

Hi Vit, thanks for the help. I would be most interested in depth of field effects when stopping down. Clearly this would show no mater what, but I thought the digital display ought to show a bright screen so long as there was enough ambient light, and so it apparently does I also don't understand why manual focus should be difficult although I suppose without the split image finders it might not be as obvious. some of us started out with no rangefinders - had to guess distance.

Mar 6, 2016*permalink

Manual focus can be difficult in low light conditions only when the display can get grainy. Otherwise it is quite easy aided by magnification and focus peaking.

Mar 7, 2016permalink

jferguson4

this is a very thorough review. the trick is to decide whether the things the reviewer was troubled by would be a problem to me. i think things which bother reviewers particularly in the human interface are things which an owner gets used to particularly nutty software menus. i have a car and a tv with menus which never could have been actually used by the folks who devised them, but now that I know them i can sort of ignore their illogic.

Mar 7, 2016*permalink

sonyphotobug

Have had the 7 for about a year now and love it...picked it up for $999

No camera is perfect...but the image quality is much better than my A99 (Old Main, that is my backup now) and the A850 (Old Backup camera).
-Though I do us the A850 when I want some softer pictures

The High ISO (1600 or higher) Image Quality is really helping me out in many different situations:
-Bouncing flash into umbrella instead of my huge portable flashes
-Low light when I cannot use flash
-Flash indoors party and picking up background light

I am sure I will upgrade my camera in another 3 years or so, but I am in no rush with having the A7, A99 and the A850
-Weddings, Portraits and parties (90% of the time)

Feb 15, 2016*permalink

John Ellis

How to get rid of the level in the EVF? I managed to turn it off in the LCD but not in the EVF. And what is the Zebra markings do? What does it have to do with brightness?

Dec 14, 2015permalink

Farouk Khelil

Does the firmware update fixes JPEG image quality

Dec 1, 2015permalink

Glen K Wells

There has been a firmware update 1.02 of whch one of its features was to improve the application of noise reduction to jpgs. It made changes to the high ISO suppression. Still no update to 14bit RAW yet as the version II cameras have had but we can hope.
Overall I have found the camera on V2.00 firmware to be responsive, quick to start up and focus and only a littel behind my Nikon D610 in its high ISO performance in jpg and RAW - maybe 1/2 a stop at most. Switching off Auto Dynamic Range helped with reducing shadow noise.

Dec 18, 2015*permalink

Farouk Khelil

Thank you Glen
I've recently bought an A7 with the original firmware. I didn't fully test it before updating to the v2.00. I noticed a quite improvement in the start up time and responsiveness but couldn't compare the IQ before and after. All in all , I'm happy with it.

Dec 29, 2015permalink

Skinnerrr

How well does this camera support manual focussing and are there any issues working with manual lenses or even adapting vintage manual lenses?

And is it possible to remove the AF Start from the shutter half-press, assigning it to a separate designated button instead?

Nov 15, 2015*permalink

enenzo

I'm using the A7 with old Minolta, Canon and Vivitar lenses and it works perfectly. And yes you can move AF to another button.

Nov 20, 2015*permalink

danydan78

hi guys
I have sony a7 and i have been using canon mount on it with all sorts of lenses but one particular one which is Tamron 18-270 Di II VC LD is acting strange.
it has 2-4 circles not just in viwfinder but even on a photo and it get worse when underexposed

any experiences with this...
thank you

Jan 20, 2015permalink

abortabort

This is a very old question, but in case you haven't got the answer it is quite simple: The 18-270mm is a lens designed for a smaller sensor (APS-C) and it's image circle does not cover the full frame sensor. What you are seeing is a lack of coverage, this can be avoided by either using it in crop mode (the lenses intended format) or using a FF lens instead.

Dec 28, 2015permalink

adrianconst

You guys are kidding right? I don't like Sony but I'm not so blind to say they are a weak company. They produce pretty much every piece of electronics you can think of. Wake up people, Sony is here to stay.

Jan 14, 2015permalink

CityHunter

After a decade of losing money on TVs, and four consecutive net loss-making years, Sony is running out of time and money. I won't buy camera from a company that might not exist anymore soon in the near future.

Dec 16, 2014permalink

straylightrun

lol wut?

Dec 18, 2014permalink

KShape

Look at Apple, they had been suffering for so many years before becoming one of the biggest company in the world.

Dec 29, 2014permalink

maxmarra

and now is 2016 and they are beast of market

Jul 28, 2016permalink

With articulating at horizontal is mechanizm strong enough to hold up Hoodman 3X loupe without supporting with finger?
Thanks

Dec 10, 2014permalink

danydan78

hi
Id like to know something about sony A7
I hear so many great comments and how great this camera is.

i just got one and I have some concerns regarding live view and viewfinder

When taking pictures, the image through the viewfinder or lcd screen is fuzzy/grainy. Especially in darker environments. It's not as bad in bright light conditions. The pictures themselves are perfect and exactly what you'd expect even when viewed on the lcd screen of the camera

could yo tell me if this is on all sony cameras or just A7
could it be coz of lens or do i have to change my settings

thank you

Dec 9, 2014permalink

farabi

yea its not your camera. i had a sony a58 and the images looked grainy from the viewfinder, as soon as i would take a picture and it would review it was buttery smooth and clear. i think it is because of the lower res screen? i could be wrong but its normal :)

Dec 24, 2014permalink

danydan78

thank you for your reply.
thought that Sony a7 is going to be sharp,pin sharp as i have seen so many reviews but seems like you really need just one of the 5 lenses from Zeiss FE lens
what a shame as its nice camera

Jan 20, 2015*permalink

farabi

not exactly there are nice sharp lenses out there which may not beat the zeiss but in terms of price to quality ratio sure does. i have bought the a6000 with kit+55-210 zoom but the lenses i want to add to my collection is either 50mm 1.4 minolta or canon fd, sony 50mm 1.8 so i have a steady and automatic lens for moments i cant fiddle with mf. and samyang/rokinon wideangle lens. that for me would complete the set for a lot of creative photo/video shooting. you dont necessarily have to shell out thousands for pin sharp image.

Jan 21, 2015permalink

snapshtr

I have a NEX-7 and was considering upgrading to the A7. After reading this review I have second thoughts. It's definitely a step up but the improvement in IQ is not as much as I expected, given the significantly larger sensor size.

Nov 12, 2014permalink

enenzo

I would stick with the NEX-7. It's a great camera. I have the A7. And had the NEX-7.

May 22, 2015permalink

ijustloveshooting

built quality term is just a mess in the internet reviews. If something built in metal, it's built is great, if plastic then so so...this is a big bs...From my own lessons learnt, do not take all these comments in the net so serious.

Sep 28, 2014permalink

ijustloveshooting

I've been shooting with nex for two years and started wonder how fuji x systhem is, due to a lot of reviews with huge praises...bought xf35 F1.4, 23 F1.4, xf1024 and two x-a1...for example, sel35 from Sony, outer areas are plastic, bayonet is metal whereas xf35 F1.4 is built all metal, and reviews says great built quality...Let me tell you, two years of sel35 usage, 0 dust spec in the lens, but after two weeks of very careful usage with xf35, there are a lot of dust specks in the lens, on the rear element that can not be cleaned without disassembling the lens. So, very slow and noisy focus system of Xf35 whereas sel35 is light years faster and almost zero noise...Also, xf35 has non internal focusing system, all the fron element moves front and back, moving parts that can be easily damaged if you drop it..So where's the praised built quality?

Sep 28, 2014permalink

ijustloveshooting

So another very praised lens, XF1024, reviews says awesome, terrific, outstanding sharpness, built quality bla bla bla...
Bought it, used it two weeks and shocked to see how cheaper, twice lighter SEL1018 produces sharper, greater photos....In the net, SEL1018 is a good but not great lens, whereas XF1024 is an outstanding Fuji...That's another BS...SEL1018 is definitely producing sharper images across the frame, in the center, a lot better...and none of these overpriced fujis has no weahter sealind, dust sealing etc...so where and what's the built quality?

Sep 28, 2014*permalink

tranlucentFinn

dpreview should test A7 again with 1.02 firmware. Amazing jpeg quality now + starp up times are fast now. I can`t understand bad build quality and ergonomics issues at all. Totally amazing camera. Ony WI-FI sucks, playmemories transfer is Super slow .. I just says "preparing for tranfer for 5-10 minutes bofre transfer starts. I think this is more play memories issue than sony a7 issue. So I put airplane mode on, batteries will last longer too.

Sep 24, 2014permalink

SandyW5

I get very fast Playmemories transfer from my A7, but maybe that is because I have an SSD.

Oct 20, 2014permalink

SamSaveMax

I disagree with DPreview rating on the final word for "Build Quality and Ergonomics & handling"
Build quality is very good to excellent and I wonder why DPreview rated just above average.

Jul 22, 2014*permalink

bluevellet

Because there are better built cameras out there and the A7 pales in comparison therefore it can not be excellent.

Aug 2, 2014permalink

vratnik

because there is Fuji X-T1

Aug 7, 2014permalink

Build quality today need be just good enough to enable the camera to last its likely useful life - which is at best 3-5 years. My Canon F1 is much better built, as is my Leica M4P.

Could the A7 be more robust? - yes - but why? We see no complaints that it is falling apart under even tough use. No D600 type recalls. I recall when the Canon T90 was introduced in plastic - horror! from the brass/machined metal crowd when introduced in 1986. They're still in use today.

For a camera likely to be obsolescent within a decade, it's built very well. It will last far longer than most complainers will care to own it.

Aug 19, 2014permalink

simonmay

Could a Sony Universal Smartwatch 2SW 2 release the shutter of a A7 without an Android phone involved?

May 17, 2014permalink

guyfawkes

@dpreview.

You comment that the distortions can't be turned off in jpeg. But according to my menu structure they can, individually, or completely.

Can you comment, please?

May 7, 2014permalink

Richard Butler

Which page does it say that on - it'll need to be corrected.

Whether you can turn off the correction depends on which lens you mount - some of the lenses are designed with the correction as part of their design, so you can't turn off the corrections for those (the menu option is ghosted-out when they're mounted).

Aug 13, 2014permalink

Since eyesight progressily failing, and ears incresing in acuteness, if i record at 60p, is audio of higher quality tan recording 30p? Often times the sound is more powerful of ear than eye. No reson to use up card space if mainly for audio

May 3, 2014permalink

gravee

No, the audio and video are not tied like that. You change the settings for each separately, I haven't read the full specs on the A7 but I don't think it allows you to change much about how it records audio. If you switch to 60FPS the audio stays the same only the video is encoded differently at the end.

May 20, 2014permalink

ppando

What I'd like to know, is when somebody will make an aftermarket battery grip for the A7/R for say, at least half the price? Anybody know of anything in the works?

Apr 29, 2014permalink

East west,
Any lens that requires use of polarizer to optimize, otherthan specific intended use of polarizer, is certainly a lens i would never purchase.

Apr 28, 2014permalink

eastwestphoto

SEL2870 Lens a kit lens said to be of low quality, WELL NOT so!
1. take the dam Sony hood off.
2. get a 55mm rubber collapsible sunshade
3. Put a 55mm Polarizer filter on, any will do.
4. Screw the sunshade into it , so you can rotate for polarization max effect
5. Use DMF 7x fine focus, in auto or P modes
6. Results will astound you at 24x playback magnify!
why, the cameras AF system is contrast on A7r based and Passive on A7. Contrast increases through a polarizer, so the AF system is faster and sharper.Will DMF mode fine tuning focus, the results are amazing. Its not the lens folks, its the poor skills of the photographer.Regards, Don@Eastwestphoto

Apr 27, 2014permalink

Carl Abela

I'm sorry but I strongly disagree, I know the AF is to blame sometimes for a lens's lack of sharpness. So I tried it manually focused which is a breeze on the A7 thanks to the peaking. This lens is cruddy and soft, end of story.

Plus I don't want to bloody DIY a focus filter in order for a lens to perform properly, that's just plain shoddy. I want to spend more time taking pictures and less time twiddling a polarizer.

Jun 4, 2014permalink

Arindom

I'm Sorry, but I strongly disagree to you Carl. My sony 28-70 is pretty awesome for sharpness, its just that, it requires right light to be sharp enough. I have done some outdoor shooting with this lens, and have received some real sharp images and pretty ok sort of bokeh, well I never expected to have any bokeh from this lens in the first place. You must learn, how to use your camera and lenses first, before speaking about it.

Jun 29, 2014permalink

Aridom, I agree. I found myself shooting with my kit lens a lot last week when I was walking around with my daughter and 10-month-old grandson. I was shooting in restaurants and stores as well as backyards in shade, on playgrounds etc. It is not quite as sharp as my great legacy primes - but shockingly close, given its price.

DxO doesn't get it always right, but they did on the 28-70, even though they mounted it on the not-recommended-by-Sony A7r. It's a vastly better lens than its critics claim, and as DxO noted, arguably a vastly better buy than the 24-70 pseudo-Zeiss.

Aug 19, 2014permalink

SandyW5

I am alternating between my old Hexanon AR 50mm legacy prime lens and the Sony 28-70 kit lens. Love the perfect IQ delivered by the Hexanon (takes me back 38 years!) and love the convenience of the zoom and autofocus of the kit lens, not to mention the IQ which is fantastic.

Oct 20, 2014permalink

Tripodasaurus

I have been looking for a full format camera with a tiltable screen that's in my budget for a long time as tripods don't come up to my eye line. I was hoping this to be it but although the spec sheet says RAW is uncompressed format the conclusion says RAW is compressed and lossy. I'm not sure I like lossy RAW files in case one needs or wants to re edit them etc. Could this be Sony's way of helping to differentiate between this and their other more expensive cameras. I wonder if the A7R does the same.

Apr 22, 2014permalink

vratnik

you're looking for a camera with TIFF support.

Aug 7, 2014permalink

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53341796

Need some serious advice....mostly blind, but still shoot 4x5 of wilderness landscapes,. For many reasons, down to a7 or a7r to pack in with 4x5 for extended exposures/night/quick macro,/60p video....would prefer a mid range zoom a,d one prime. Since the kit 28-70 relatively small in relation to other FF zooms, how poor or good is its IQ? Would a better aps-c zoom on a6000 have just as good print quality as 28-70 on a7?

Mar 30, 2014permalink

marc petzold

The FE 28-70mm Sony "Kitlens" Zoom is way nice, and stands
it's ground well compared to the much more expensive SEL-2470Z Zeiss Lens, see the comparsion for yourself here:

you'll loose 4mm focal length at the wide angle, but the lens
is unbeatable compared to it's low price. (could be bought for
as low as ~250 EUR into german DSLR forum, for example)

Apr 8, 2014permalink

I agree, Marc. People have gushed all over the 24-70 because it costs 3-4x the kit lens, but still needs to be stopped down and limited to a 30-60mm range to perceptibly demonstrate superiority to the kit lens.

The kit has a plastic mount, which makes it lighter and probably more rugged than the metal 24-70, too

I have a 24mm Canon FDn f2 that - wide open - blows the doors off any 24-70 at 24mm at any aperture.

Apr 17, 2014permalink

Marc and mel, thanks. An additional question...if one use identical lenses, even most highly rated prime, on both A7 and A7R, could the difference in IQ be obvious to human eye...who else...in 24X36 print, viewed at approx. 12" away?
Exposures made only on sturdy tripod, approx.1/15th second, ISO 100f16.

Apr 23, 2014permalink

No, the difference is not likely to be visible without serious cropping. I have two 24x36 prints from my A7 and my Nikkor 70-210mm f4/f5.6 AF zoom from the 1990s, and they are razor sharp and noise-free at normal viewing distance (3-4 feet - and "abnormal" 1 foot, too ;-)

Aug 19, 2014permalink

Mike FL

Sony 7 is NO longer a "Weather sealed camera" due to LIGHT LEAK issue.

Mar 19, 2014permalink

chr68

Imaging resourcetest Nikon D800E and Canon 5D Mark III. They also have light leak issues.

Mar 28, 2014permalink

bluevellet

It doesn't refute what Mike said...

Mar 29, 2014permalink

hippo84

A7 is still dust and moisture resistant http://store.sony.com/a7-full-frame-mirrorless-camera-zid27-ILCE7/B/cat-27-catid-All-Alpha-a7-Cameras?_t=pfm%3Dcategory

Apr 9, 2014permalink

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3626724

I thoroughly challenged my A7 (highest ISO, 30 second exposure, bright sunlight, rocking/torqued lens on all four axis) - no leaks.

One of great "chicken little" issues in the history of optics. There is no "proofing" against stupid camera handling.

Apr 17, 2014permalink

Andy Dan

Ok, regarding the posterization...I've downloaded the arw and the uncompressed nef (page 13 of the review, bottom) and put them in lr 5.3. At each file there is a loading time where you can see the posterization effect in both. After loading there is no posterization. Pushed them to +3.8 ev and there is no posterisation in eiter. So, my opinion is that dpreview was using an older lr.

P.S. I use a calibrated Dell Ultrasharp U2413
P.S. Nikon is cleaner in the shadow area on the right but again, a +3 or +3.8 ev is kinda extreme for any raw file imo!

Mar 9, 2014*permalink

F8minnow

Why do reviews of the A7/A7r fail to mention the lack of a correctly working reflective light meter in the viewfinder?

Thanks

Feb 26, 2014permalink

Because the issue your link is talking about is completely pointless. Absolutely doesn't effect the usage of the camera. Here how you can meter the exposure yourself, if the screen is pitch black you are way under exposed. Of it is completely white, you are way over exposed.

Feb 28, 2014permalink

SAEED ZED

good

Feb 21, 2014permalink

Charles Bowers

Not for street shooting or any fast moving situation. Focusing is horrid to non-existent if you want to capture the moment. After spending two weeks street shooting for the most part - all things considered you need to be on a tripod or to have lots of time to focus first. So forget capturing a "moment" that is fleeting. There are still many features that are just plain wrongly done or not thought thru from the standpoint of real world usage. I've had the NEX 5 and NEX 7. The a7 is better from many standpoints but still lacks the focusing capability of even a low end DSLR. Very disappointed. Sony just can't get this line of cameras up to professional standards yet. Too bad. Would love to see them really make a full-frame mirrorless light weight camera be worth the money. But then their lens choices are just weird. What is the world are they thinking. I don't want to put a 2 pound lens on this camera. That totally defeats the go lighter mantra.

Feb 20, 2014permalink

Overmars

Went street shooting with a group last night with the kit lens. It was fantastic. Yep, with the kit lens!
I did not use a tripod. Focusing was dead easy (if you know what you're doing).
If the kit lens can perform as well it did at night, then I have no worries at all about what the FE 35mm can do.

You don't want to put a "2 pound lens on this camera"? Then don't.

Feb 20, 2014permalink

quezra

I always wonder what kind of seriously weird lighting people must be shooting under when they complain the A7 is slow to focus. Sure, it's not D4 fast but it is not miss-your-shot slow either. It's far better than any of the previous NEXes, and practically instant in daylight.

Feb 20, 2014permalink

http://imagepro.photography.com/michaelcline

I didn't know my zeiss 35mm was 2 pounds. Certainly doesn't feel like it. I think Charles comments are just wildly exaggerated. I was taking pics of my daughters on swings yesterday and it tracked them fine. I don't see any difference from my nex6 and my a7 when it comes to focusing.

Feb 21, 2014permalink

dyoon153

Briefly tried hands-on in Sony store. I Liked the compact size and light weight, still being a FF. Overall spec is worth drooling over... but I was a bit disappointed that it didn't feel that durable. Maybe I am spoiled by K-5II...

Feb 19, 2014permalink

urbanplanner

Loving the reviews and specs. My only concern is the focus hunting... I'd love to be able to shoot selfie-interviews without worrying about this problem. Has anyone crafted an electronic focus limiter for these cameras? Even if it's a really binary, crude setup like the old school lenses with a switch? <20 feet, >20 feet? Wouldn't this help a lot?

Feb 19, 2014permalink

ppando

I've had the A7 since January. I was getting tired of lugging my DSLRs around and wanted a compact ILC, but I wanted full-frame and the ability to change lenses. I finally popped for the A7 and I love it! It's going to be my new wedding, portraiture and fine-art camera. Looking forward to getting the battery grip and some fast Zeiss glass for it in the future. This cameral fills the bill for me. Light, compact and full frame. I think it's the future of cameras.

Feb 16, 2014permalink

Mazymus

How would the video on this compare to RX-10??

Feb 14, 2014permalink

InTheMist

Slow to start, slow to focus, bad battery: mirrorless.

Feb 14, 2014permalink

Kivivuori

All technical gitzmos included, but no soul. Sorry.

Feb 13, 2014permalink

Arn

All of the exposure modes (P/S/A) are broken with Auto ISO and even program shift doesn't work. When for example dialing a larger aperture, the camera will only increase shutter speed, it will not reduce ISO.

Shutter speed priority sticks to f/4, even with the 55/18!

Aperture priority will raise the ISO all the way to the maximum before lowering shutter speed under 1/60 with any lens or focal length!

Sony needs to fix this ASAP with a firmware update! I have this working perfectly with every other camera (even my compact cameras RX100 and Canon S95 can do this perfectly right, not to mention all my DSLRs). I don't expect to see this sort of cock ups on a camera of this level. AutoISO is one of the very best features of modern digital cameras, but somehow Sony was able to mess it up here, even though they get it right for compacts.

Feb 9, 2014permalink

Overmars

Only had my A7 a few days.

I've put it on auto ISO and shutter priority, and yes, it does start of on f4. But a bit of moving around (eg. out my window, my book case) and it DOES change.

Yes. Aperture priority when raised to the max produces a lower shutter speed. Doesn't really bother me. Switch to manual.

Not sure if it needs a 'fix' imo.

Still playing with it though. Having fun!

Feb 9, 2014permalink

Arn

I'm glad your having fun, but it doesn't change the fact that Auto ISO on this camera doesn't work at all as it should. I have six other cameras with a fully working AutoISO (in fact I haven't seen a camera in years with this crappy AutoISO). But for some reason Sony messed it up here, even though they got it right with RX100 and RX100II. When I pay 2000€ for a camera (and almost another 2000€ on lenses), I expect a simple feature like this to work.

Feb 9, 2014permalink

I think Sony should allow allow the user to set the min. And Max settings for aperture and shutter speed during these auto modes. Them trying to predict what people want doesn't work. Most people think the 1/60 shutter speed is too slow and allows for camera shake, your the first comment I have seen seen that wants it slower. There anything wrong with that it just shows that we all have different needs. I think must people would want max aperture speed to match the lens attached. So a firmware update where people can customize these settings would be great. For now if I want the max aperture I shoot in manual mode or aperture priority mode.

Feb 9, 2014permalink

Frank C.

why not shoot M-mode and coerce the camera into choosing the correct iso, wouldn't that work?

Feb 10, 2014permalink

I remember my little nikon E? Wonderful apeture priority body, even accepted pro f lenses. Soooo much fun to find a dark scene at night, set it at f22, focus, on tripod, hit the shutter, and maybe an hour later..."click"...perfect exposure. Nikon still says that camera cannot shutter past one second.

Anyway, don't use auto iso, put on apeture priority, set iso in safe range for available light....beautiful images.....or just shoot full manual. Lots of fun.

Apr 23, 2014permalink

Ray Kroll

I am considering purchasing my first full frame camera and like what the A7 kit has to offer in size, Raw photos, HD videos, Wifi and price. I am however concerned about the reviewers comments about the disappointment in JPEG photo quality. In looking at the sample JPEG photos illustrated, as an armature photographer, they look very good to me (compared to what I am used to). Would appreciate feedback from current A7 owners on their experience with JPEG quality.

Feb 8, 2014permalink

I have had my a7 since the beginning of December. I shoot in both Jpg and raw. I shoot jpg day to day of my kids, family, and casual stuff. I got tired of always shooting raw and having to process photos that I was just gonna share on Facebook or with family and friends. So I shoot raw for paid work or shots that are really important to me. That all. Being said, the Jpgs out of the camera work great and look nice. Dpreview comments on the jpg output was mostly regarding the higher iso noise reduction. If you reduce the in camera noise reduction you will get a much better Jpg at higher iso settings. So far I have zero issues with the Jpg output on my a7 although raw is gonna get you better results as usual.

Feb 9, 2014permalink

I should also mention the following about the as well: the camera is really versatile. It being so small and having the nfc feature can take the camera anywhere without it be in convenient and instantly share photos from it with my phone. So I get take the types of shots I get with a high end camera and share them like I shot them with a smart phone. It's really the first ff camera that is practical for everyday use.

Feb 9, 2014permalink

quezra

I summed up my thoughts on DPR's "analysis" of JPEGs here: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3612932

TLDR: All the faults they find are non-issues or trivially easy to correct in-camera.

Feb 9, 2014permalink

Quezra, you say it perfectly in this post. Thanks for articulating it so well.

Feb 9, 2014permalink

Ray Kroll

Thanks for the great feedback Paul and Quezra. Wow what detail and knowledge! You sold me on the A7. Now my only decision will be whether to purchase the kit 28-70 lens or the Zeiss 24-70. Appears I would be getting a $200 break going with the kit lens however I read the Ziess would provide better image quality and stabilization. In your view, for $900 additional cost going to the Zeiss 24-70 am I really going to notice that much difference, as an amature photographer? Or would I be wiser to start with the kit zoom lens and add other Zeiss lenses at a later time?

Feb 10, 2014permalink

http://www.leica-boss.com/2013/12/the-problem-with-sonys-zeiss-fe-sonnar-t-fe-35mm-f2-8-za-sel35f28z/

I would go with one of the primes actually. Go with the 35mm if want to keep it compact and go with the 55mm if you want the best in image quality. The 55mm was rated the second best lens DXO labs has ever tested. Both lenses are great on the A7. If you must have a zoom I would just stick with the kit lens and buy one of these primes to compliment it.

Feb 11, 2014permalink

Ray Kroll

Thanks Paul. I appreciate your learned opinions. They are very helpful.

Feb 11, 2014permalink

sanar

thanks very much for the additional information on jpegs. as an amateur trying to get into photography this level of detail really helps to make decisions on the purchase and im sold on this Sony right now.

May 25, 2014permalink

Docmartin

Any thoughts on this?

It´s not a lens problem as the title suggests but apparently seen with most lenses and more likely a sensor (or processing) Problem.

Feb 6, 2014*permalink

Heaven is for real

Not a big deal. Note the final thought...most impt of all..."This camera system is not for the weak at heart. It’s a little like using a medium or large format system – you have to do a little work to get spectacular results. The FE 35mm f/2.8 is a costly optic, and throws some obstacles in your path. At the same time, it’s astoundingly sharp and the images really do pop and sizzle. It’s got a wonderful, emotional, and interesting look. Is it right for you?"

Feb 6, 2014permalink

http://chromasoft.blogspot.co.uk/2008/01/cornerfix_15.html

Sorry to say it, but I have not experienced ANY issues like these and I have shot hundreds of frames. I never shoot JPEG's so cannot comment on those. Be aware that mounting Legacy Lenses by means of Adapters can give rise to issues such as Colour Shift. This is very well documented, especially with Leica lenses and is nothing new. The problem can be circumvented with a bit of software called CornerFix, see:

If you are not an experienced Photographer you would do well to stay out of this application. Unfortunately, Leica lenses are some of the best optically and if you already own some of these, you will want to crack the issues. Similar problems occur when Leica Glass is adapted to the Sony NEX7. If you are worried, stick to the Sony FE Range of lenses or use one of the Sony A-Mount Range of lenses plus the LA-E4 A-mount adapter.

Feb 6, 2014*permalink

Stefan Zeiger

The RX100 has the same issue. Is it the Sony sensor design or the Zeiss lens design?

Feb 14, 2014permalink

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bajanexile/11433322075/in/set-72157638774329873

Sorry, I have pasted the incorrect link to the single image referred to in Part 2. It should read:

Feb 6, 2014permalink

The Sony a7R E-Mount Camera with Full Frame Sensor (ILCE-7R) - Part 3

Pros:
(1) Extended Dynamic Range, noticeably better than my Canon FF Camera System
(2) Easy to recover hidden detail in shadows
(3) Very good Resolution with appropriate high quality lenses
(4) Excellent EVF
(5) Relatively compact and light VS a traditional DSLR
Cons:
(1) Lack of off the shelf high quality FE Prime Lenses
(2) Quite poor Battery Life. I predominantly manually focus my lenses using Live View, Zoom and Focus Peaking. You can expect ~ 240 Frames from a battery charge
(3) Slow Start Up from Switch On

Hope this is of use to some of you

Steve

Feb 6, 2014*permalink

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bajanexile/sets/72157638774329873/with/12170516174/

The Sony a7R E-Mount Camera with Full Frame Sensor (ILCE-7R) - Part 2

If you do not have the time/inclination to look at all the images then perhaps just open:

It was shot as a Single RAW Frame with Conversion using Sony's FOC Image Data Processor software and saved as a 16-Bit TIFF File in the sRGB Colour Space. Further processing was performed and a B&W Conversion made. Once you have opened the image on Flickr you will see three White Blobs in the bottom right of the Lightbox view. Single Right Click on this and then on "View all sizes" and open the image as the Original Size i.e. at 2000 Pixels in its widest dimension. The detail resolved and the Dynamic Range are very good for a Single Frame capture.

Feb 6, 2014permalink