Can a Sony a77ii be effectively used as an APS-C camera?

Setter Dog · Dec 2, 2018

Hi Folks,

I'm hoping for some actual user experience input on this thread.

I'm a happy a77ii user but realize the E mount is now the best option for the future. I will not buy more A mount lenses for the a77ii.

I guess I'll have to start using the e mount system, but I do not like the rangefinder style cameras. I have a strong preference for the DSLR style.

It looks like my only option is a full frame camera, such as the a7ii.

Since I am a wildlife shooter primarily, I prefer the zoom of APS-C system and have never been especially interested in full frame cameras.

So my question is, can a full frame a7ii be used basically as an APS-C camera? If so, is it best to use FF lenses or APS-C lenses?

Any comments welcomed!

Thanks,....Jack

Off The Mark · Dec 2, 2018

Setter Dog said:
I guess I'll have to start using the e mount system, but I do not like the rangefinder style cameras. I have a strong preference for the DSLR style.

If you can wait a couple of months, there are strong rumors that Sony will be coming out with a new APS-C camera that will have the form factor of the a7 line of cameras (meaning, NOT a rangefinder body).

Now, rumors are just that; rumors. So anything is possible. But... the belief is that the new aps-c E Mount camera will be something like an aps-c version of the Sony a9, which is the premier sports and wildlife camera for Sony e-mount.

BTW: Shame that Sony appears to have abandoned A Mount and hasn't gotten around to releasing an a77 III. Heck, if they could keep the same body and A mount, put in one of the newer sensors with on-sensor PDAF, take out the mirror, and replace the optical viewfinder with an EVF, I think people would be pretty happy.

Setter Dog said:
So my question is, can a full frame a7ii be used basically as an APS-C camera? If so, is it best to use FF lenses or APS-C lenses?

Sony doesn't really make any wildlife / sports lenses that are APS-C only (at this time). So whether you use an a7 model in aps-c mode, or end up getting a true APS-C body, I would imagine you are going to be buying full frame lenses either way.

Jerry R · Dec 2, 2018

I use my A7 with the 70-200mm f/4 in crop mode. Ten Megs (2.5k x 4k) 12.5" x 20" print at 200 pixel per inch without resizing. Resizing one can get nice 16" x 24" prints.

--
Sony R1, NEX C3 & 5R ,Sony A7.
Lenses: 24mm, f/1.8, FE 24-70, f/4, & FE 70-200, f/4.
Nikon V1 + 10-30 & 30-110 lenses.

Setter Dog · Dec 2, 2018

Very nice shot, Jerry!

Setter Dog · Dec 2, 2018

Off The Mark said:
If you can wait a couple of months, there are strong rumors that Sony will be coming out with a new APS-C camera that will have the form factor of the a7 line of cameras (meaning, NOT a rangefinder body).

Actually, I can wait,...and I hope you are right.

Jack

scrane · Dec 2, 2018

Interesting. I'm waiting for full frame in an a6500 body.

Tim Crammond · Dec 2, 2018

Off The Mark said:
BTW: Shame that Sony appears to have abandoned A Mount and hasn't gotten around to releasing an a77 III. Heck, if they could keep the same body and A mount, put in one of the newer sensors with on-sensor PDAF, take out the mirror, and replace the optical viewfinder with an EVF, I think people would be pretty happy.

Just for the record, a-mount cameras haven't had optical viewfinders or proper 'mirrors' since the a55/a33 came out in 2010. They have a non-moving so-called 'semi translucent mirror' which bounces some of the light up to a phase detection AF sensor and an EVF.

Essentially they're mirrorless cameras with a beam-splitter in front of the main sensor.

Tim

Scott Alan · Dec 2, 2018

Setter Dog said:
Off The Mark said:

If you can wait a couple of months, there are strong rumors that Sony will be coming out with a new APS-C camera that will have the form factor of the a7 line of cameras (meaning, NOT a rangefinder body).

Click to expand...

Actually, I can wait,...and I hope you are right.

Jack

I think that is a great decision. I use to shoot with the A77ii and 70-400 G1 and the A77ii is still a great camera for wildlife.

I now shoot with A7r3 and 100-400mm GM with 1.4TC sometimes when reach is an issue and I can live with F8. A lot of these shots end up using the crop mode as reach is needed and no need for a 42 MP file if I am just going to do a crop in post anyways. The 18 MP files are great. I would be concern with an A73 10 MP file. It is fine for small to medium print but if you do a large print it can be limiting.

For wildlife Sony does not have much in the way of good long lenses for APS-C. You should look at Fujifilm if you want to stay APS-C. They have a great system and some very nice long lenses.

If you want to stay Sony with a focus on wildlife look at the A9 as it has a very fast and accurate AF. It is 24 MP but it manages to use PDAF up to F11 so the 2.0 TC is a good option where as the A7's PDAF is limited to F8. So this gets you to 800mm. Get a used A9 as they are available for a much reduced cost.

Sony just does not have APS-C lenses for wildlife.

Off The Mark · Dec 2, 2018

Tim Crammond said:
Off The Mark said:

BTW: Shame that Sony appears to have abandoned A Mount and hasn't gotten around to releasing an a77 III. Heck, if they could keep the same body and A mount, put in one of the newer sensors with on-sensor PDAF, take out the mirror, and replace the optical viewfinder with an EVF, I think people would be pretty happy.

Click to expand...

Just for the record, a-mount cameras haven't had optical viewfinders or proper 'mirrors' since the a55/a33 came out in 2010. They have a non-moving so-called 'semi translucent mirror' which bounces some of the light up to a phase detection AF sensor and an EVF.

Essentially they're mirrorless cameras with a beam-splitter in front of the main sensor.

Tim

Thanks for the info!!!

Knew about the "beam splitter" mirrors but didn't know / forgot about the EVF.

Now it seems like even more of a mystery that they can't just put in an updated sensor with on-sensor PDAF in an A Mount body. Is it just that the A Mount lenses won't function as well as using the traditional separate AF module and beam-splitter mirror used in A Mount bodies?

Or is it just because Sony believes that mirrorless HAS to be smaller than DSLR camera bodies to be viable?

--
Crashing sucks!!!

Scott Alan · Dec 2, 2018

Off The Mark said:
Tim Crammond said:

Off The Mark said:

BTW: Shame that Sony appears to have abandoned A Mount and hasn't gotten around to releasing an a77 III. Heck, if they could keep the same body and A mount, put in one of the newer sensors with on-sensor PDAF, take out the mirror, and replace the optical viewfinder with an EVF, I think people would be pretty happy.

Click to expand...

Just for the record, a-mount cameras haven't had optical viewfinders or proper 'mirrors' since the a55/a33 came out in 2010. They have a non-moving so-called 'semi translucent mirror' which bounces some of the light up to a phase detection AF sensor and an EVF.

Essentially they're mirrorless cameras with a beam-splitter in front of the main sensor.

Tim

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info!!!

Knew about the "beam splitter" mirrors but didn't know / forgot about the EVF.

Now it seems like even more of a mystery that they can't just put in an updated sensor with on-sensor PDAF in an A Mount body. Is it just that the A Mount lenses won't function as well as using the traditional separate AF module and beam-splitter mirror used in A Mount bodies?

Or is it just because Sony believes that mirrorless HAS to be smaller than DSLR camera bodies to be viable?

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Can a Sony a77ii be effectively used as an APS-C camera?

Setter Dog

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Jerry R

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