Introduction
I often get requests related to which lens should I choose, which lens is best, will I make better photos with a A7RIV or A1or A9or A7IV …
There are as many answers as photographers. Choosing bodies and lenses is a matching process between
- You : your skill level, your style of photography, your willingness to carry stuff, your budget
- What is available in the market : biggest and more expensive gear means “in general” more quality, more features, more heavy
Not everyone need the best in each domain. If the camera is too complex or the lens too heavy and you don’t use it, it is worthless. The best camera will always be the one you have with you and that you can use without requiring you to think 5 min what are the right settings
Before covering which material I currently own I will explain in Chapter 1 what were the consequence for me of the jump from A7RIII to A7RIV as this upgrade has forced me to revisit every lens of my kit
In chapter 2 I will explain which gear I have (end 2019), why did I choose them, and in which situation I am using them. This kit is quite high end and targeted to experienced users or professionals.
In chapter 3 I propose you some alternative kits of body+ lenses
In chapter 4 I am describing which is my day to day bag for each type of scenarios: professional work, travel, sports…
In next chapters I am covering some accessories like flashes, microphones…
- Upgrade from A7RIII to A7RIV the consequences…
- Body and Lenses
- Alternative kit for different profiles of photographers
- My Bag
- Flashes
- Microphones
- Others
- Conclusion
1 Upgrading to A7RIV : consequences
The A7RIV is a much more demanding body than any others Sony cameras : lenses are suffering a lot and I had to revisit which lens do I keep , which ones do I replace or wait for a new lens to come out
After having retested around 150 lenses here
Sony FE 28mm F2, was good and inexpensive but was replaced by the marvelous Sony 24mm F1.4 GM
Sony Distagon FE 35mm F1.4 Zeiss : has a superb rendering but was not at all at ease with the 61Mpix, it was replaced by the Outstanding Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art
Sony Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 was still very good wide open on A7RIV but the Sony 50mm F1.2 GMwas clearly better on A7RIV
The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM excellent on A9 , very good on A7RIII was not satisfactory on A7RIV , I replaced it with the excellent Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art
The Sony FE85mm F1.4 GM was replaced by the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Arti
There are also a few newcomer in in my kit
- Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM : the ultimate portrait lens for outdoor photography
- Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro Art : the ultimate macro lens
- Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS : Certainly the best zoom lens as of end 2021
- Voigtländer 65mm F2 Macro Apo Lanthar : The sharpest lens ever on Sony A7RIV , surpassing the 135mm f1.8GM
- Lomography Petzval 55mm F1.7 MkII (Art lens)
- Samyang 45mm F1.8 AF : excellent little lens when I do not have enough space with my 50mm
- Lensbaby Sol 45mm F3.5 (Art lens)
- Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS (excellent telephoto lens when my 100-400 is not enough)
2 Bodies & Lenses
- Sony A1
- Sony A7RIII + grip VG-CE4M
- Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G
- Samyang 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye
- Sony FE 16-35 mm F2.8 GM
- Sony 24mm F1.4 GM
- Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art
- Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art
- Samyang 45mm F1.8 AF
- Lensbaby Sol 45mm F3.5
- Sony Planar T* 50mm F1.4 Zeiss
- Lomography Petzval 55mm F1.7 MkII
- Voigtländer 65mm F2 Macro Apo Lanthar
- Sony FE70-200 F2.8 GM
- Sony FE85mm F1.4 GM
- Sony FE 90 f2.8 Macro G OSS
- Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS
- Sigma 105mm F/1.4 DG HSM Art
- Sony FE 100-400mm GM OSS F4.5-F5.6
- Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM
- Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
- TC1.4 & TC2.0
- Sony PZ E 18-105mm F4 G OSS
by clicking on any of the underlined title you will be directed to my test of the corresponding gear
2.1 Sony A1 +grip VG-CE4M
My new workhorse for holidays, sports, family photography and my backup for studio work
and my preferred camera for video with it s 4K120p
2.2 Sony A7RIV + grip VG-CE4M
My Main camera used for my professional work : I am shooting mainly models in studio with flashes strobes and indoor with natural light
You can have a look at my work here ( ! Not safe for work / contain nudes )
Its sensor allows for the highest quality possible, best dynamic range (largely superior to A9) and the 61Mpix resolution allow to make prints of any size (e.g. 1m x 1,5m sometimes for exposition)
During my shootings, I am now using both a A7RIV and a A1 to avoid changing lenses all the time
I have a full grip on both bodies as I shoot a lot in portrait mode
I upgraded from the A7RIII mainly for the AF and ergonomics but so far find the A7RIV much less versatile than the A7RIII as it requires better lighting conditions to really benefits from its 61Mpix..
2.3 Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM
This is the ultimate lens for Architecture and Landscape photogrpahy
The lens gives excellent results and is quite light. The only issue being its front lens and fixed lens hood that prohibits the use of tradition ND filters
You need to use special filter with it like the NiSi S6 filter holder for Sony 12-24 F2.8 GM
2.4 Samyang 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye
An rectilinear fisheye with excellent sharpness over the entire frame
2.5 Sony FE 16-35 mm F2.8 GM
The best landscape zoom you can get
2.6 Sony 24mm F1.4 GM
The best Sony prime lens together with the 135 F1.8 GM : outstanding sharpness and bokeh and excellent AF
2.7 Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art
The best standard zoom you can get and the only one capable of resolving the 61Mpix of the A7RIV , much better performance than the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM or the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD
2.8 Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art
The best 35mm you can get with outstanding sharpness and bokeh , build like a tank. It is same weight and size as a Sony 135mm F1.8 GM !
2.9 Samyang 45mm F1.8 AF
2.10 Lensbaby Sol 45mm F3.5
An Artistic lens with a very good sharpness in the centre and excellent bokeh
2.11 Sony 50mm F1.2 GM
The best 50mm you can get , outstanding sharpness and bokeh,
2.12 Lomography Petzval 55mm F1.7 MkII
An Artistic lens with a very good sharpness in the centre and excellent bokeh
2.13 Voigtländer 65mm F2 Macro Apo Lanthar
The sharpest lens you can get for the A7RIV , suppressing the outstanding Sony 135 F1.8 GM
but it is a manual lens (with EXIF transmission)
2.14 Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II OSS
My favorite for outdoor portrait, or public events, concerts,
In studio/indoor work, I prefer the prime lenses, they are less bulky and have aperture <2.8 that allow to be more creative and to focus more accurately & faster in studio low key setup. I don’t like the easiness of zoom to compose my scene
21.5 Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art
I use the 85mm for more close portraits or when I need to narrow the angle of view in the studio to hide the wall/ceiling of the studio
Excellent to outstanding results on the A7RIV ,
2.16 Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro Art
This lens is one of the sharpest lens available in the market, maybe too sharp for portraits!
2.17 Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS
One on the best portrait / flower/ plants lens with a wonderful bokeh, but its apodization filter make it work like a F5.6 in term of light performance, ISO is often above 2000 for indoor work, so mostly to be used for outdoor shooting
2.18 Sony FE 100-400mm GM OSS F4.5-F5.6
The sony FE100-400 is a very impressive lens. It is really tack sharp at all focal length and all apertures. It supports without any issue the TC1.4 and TC2.0, whereas the 70-200GM with TC2 show clear drop of quality
It is now my favorite telezoom for travelling, wildlife, birds and sports
2.19 Sigma 105mm F/1.4 DG HSM Art
A monster in term of size and weight but a unique bokeh
2.20 Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM
The best Sony prime lens together with the 24mm F1.4 GM : outstanding sharpness and bokeh and excellent AF
2.21 Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
An excellent telephoto lens at a reasonable price with outstanding / excellent sharpness and that does not extend when zoomed from 200mm to 600mm
2.22 TC1.4 & TC2.0
TC1.4 can be used without any doubt on all compatible lenses (70-200 f2.8GM, 100-400 GM, 200-600 G, 400 F2?8GM , 600 F4 GM)
TC2.0 is to be reserved for the 400 F2.8 GM or the 600 F4 GM as you see too the sharpness decrease on the other lenses
2.23 Sony PZ E 18-105mm F4 G OSS
A very useful lens for video work used with A1 or A7RIV in APS-C crop mode: I get an insane 27-157mm with power zoom that allows for smooth zoom
To complement this I also have
1.14 Sony RX1R +EVF
For some quick shoot indoor with family or when I go walking in the city without any preconceived ideas, I like to only take the RX1R which is very discrete, offers excellent result with its 35mm F2 and force me to compose my scene
I have also bought an ND filter to be able to shoot outdoor in sunny situation at F2. Its max speed of 1/2000 sec being sometimes limitative
1.15 Sony RX100M4
When I can take any bag with me, or if I am going outdoor to do some sports, go to disneyland, restaurants, I have always my Sony RX100M4 with me
It is a very capable camera with a high quality lens. I had the RX100, RX100M2 and now the upgraded since 18 months to the M4 for its 4K capability (having invested in a Sony UHD 65″ TV)
2 Alternative Kit for different profiles of photographers
Obviously not everyone need full frame and high end, so here are a few configurations I recommend to friends, clients according to their profile
- Smartphone user
- I want a better quality than my smartphone but not bigger than it and not too expensive
- RX100M3 or M4/5/6/7 if you have a 4K TV
- Travel beginner user :
- I travel often and like to zoom to take animals, distant subjects, I don’t want to bother carrying and changing extra lenses, this is too complex for me
- RX10M2 or RX10M4 that offer the eye AF for animals
- Enthusiast user with limited budget
- I want to be able to get better photos of my family than with my smartphone
- I am ready to learn a little bit about lenses, aperture, ISO…
- Sony A6000 + kit lens
- Sony E 50mm F1.8 OSS or the Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN Art to get nice portrait with blurry background
- Medium or advanced users who want small cameras, 4K video or want to shoot wildlife
- Sony A6400 or 6600 (if you shoot sports, birds..)
- Depending of your needs you will want to complement the kit with either prime lenses like the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary, Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN & Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN
- or if you want excellent zoom you can get the Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G + Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
- Full Frame budget user
- I want the best possible quality, get nice blurry background, I master or ready to master key concepts of photography
- The A7III or A7II + Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens + Yongnuo 50mm F1.8 + Yongnuo YN 35mm F2S DF DSM + some vintage manual lenses
- Full frame medium budget user
- I am an enthusiast user who need a best all around camera . I want fast AF, good ISO, a good zoom and some good prime lenses reasonably priced
- Sony A7IV +
- Sony FE 35mm F1.8 + Sony Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 + Sony FE85mm F1.8
- Sony FE 24-105 F4 G OSS Best all around Zoom in the Sony line up or
- Sony FE 70-200 F4 G if you need a telephoto (but won’t be sufficient on a 42Mpix sensor)
- Sony Vario Tessar T FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS for Landscape photographers
- Advanced user or professional
- As from this stage you should be experienced enough to compose your own kit
- The A7RIII or A7IV is the best compromise in term of resolution AF speed it is excellent in low light and level of detail is excellent
- The A7RIV requires much more attention and is only surpassing the A7RIII in specific scenarios mostly outdoor. It requires higher shutter speed and only the best lenses can resolve the 61Mpix. The AF is superior to the A7RIII thanks to the Tracking AF mode but stay largely below the A9 / A1 / A7IV
- The A1 is the top of the sony bodies in term of AF speed and best behavior with artificial light (avoiding banding) , no blackout, rolling shutter… and will ideal for sports or weddings. It is also th east advanced for video work and the one with the highest resolution
- The A9 will be more for sports shooters only willing to have 24Mpix instead of 50Mpix of the A1
- Pick any of the lens of my kit corresponding to your needs
- Video user
- A7SIII or A1 or A7IV (with breathing compensation)
- Some manual lenses and/or
- Sony lenses with Aperture control on the lens like the
- A power zoom
- Zoom
- Canon User
- Start with the Sigma MC11 and your Canon lenses and then progressively sell them and invest in Sony Lenses
3 My bag
3.1 Studio work
My travel for studio work is a Think Tank Airport Derby Roller It can roll and be carried on the back
For lighter work I used the Lowepro flip side series : I have the 200, 300 and 400 depending of the lenses I need to cary
I used my 2 bodies equipped with Peak design anchors to attach the strap of my choice
The 2 bodies are in general with the
- Sony 24mm F1.4 GM
- Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art
- Samyang 45mm F1.8 AF
- Sony 50mm F1.2 GM
- Lomography Petzval 55mm F1.7 MkII
- Voigtländer 50mm F2 Apo Lanthar
- Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art
- Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM
Bag for travelling
3.2 Travelling
When Travelling in general I only take
- the A1 with grip extension and 2 lenses Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art and 100-400GM
- the RX100M4 as complement
- An iPad Pro 128Go or a laptop to backup my Raw photos
- An insurance for my gear
Obviously depending on the nature of the trip I could also take the macro lens or, the 12-24 F4 G if I need to do a lot of landscapes
I have several Lowepro bags that allows me to either transport
- A1 + Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art + Sony FE 100-400mm GM OSS F4.5-F5.6
- A1 + Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art + some food water, clothes, travel guide
- A1 + Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN Art
3.3 Ad Hoc mission
For some specific events I could take any of the appropriate lens in my bag from the 12-24mm to the 200-600mm : it all depends of what I think I will need.
I don’t like to carry all my gear “just in case of” and be tired to cary them and loose the pleasure to take photos.
3.4 Street photography
I like to discretion and 35mm focal length so I usually take my Sony RX1R for this
3.5 Sports / Leisure time
I take the RX100M4 with me
3.6 Accessories
Whether it is in the studio or during travels, I usually take the same set of accessories
- I have obviously 1 spare battery + 1 charger
- The necessary kit to clean lenses or blow dust from sensor
- A small speaker with me to put some ambient music for the models anywhere I need to shoot
- All lenses are protected with either Sony Zeiss Protection filter or a Hoya HD protector filter
3.7 Memory cards
I use dual card slots with
- On A7RIV : 3 x Sandisk 128Go 300Mo/sec with a Lexar 256GB 1000x if I run out of space
- On A1 : Dual CFexpress Type A card : 160 Go
3.8 Smartphone
An iPhone XS Max 512Go : what for ?
For Studio work
- To communicate with models via Facebook messenger
- To take some Backstage of the light setup, fun scene with models
- To manage my Model Releases : I used the Easy Release app, that contain all my model release templates and allow models to sign contract on my smartphone
- Lightroom Mobile : used to show moodboard during shooting. I am also use it on iPad pro or iPhone to progressively select the retained photos of the shoot
- Lumu power as lightmeter (will be subject to a dedicated test)
During Travels
- Playmermories app for Geotagging mainly during travels. I don’t use a lot the remote possibility or the phone transfer
- Google maps
But also
- Sony Support (all user guide, firmware announcement)
- Alpha Library : full library of specs, accessories compatibility
- Display from adobe (online portfolio coming with Adobe Creative Cloud for photography)
4 Flashes
- My wireless flash configuration is based on 2 Godox V860 and V1 / AD100Pro / AD200
- For on camera flash I use the Godox V1
5 Microphones
For my video work I have mainly 3 mics and an external recorder
- New Sony ECM-B1M for A7RIV. /A1
- Sony KLR-K3M
- Rode Video mic pro: for high quality directive recording (using traditional mic-in entry on the A7/A9)
- Rode Lavalier microphone for interview
- Zoom H5 for external recording
- Rode Wireless Go II
ECM -B1M
XLR-K3M
6 Others
- Tripod, monopod : I have 4 tripods and 2 monopods, most of them from Manfrotto and several heads : standard, ball head, micrometer head, video head
- Video cage rig, external field monitor (subject of a future article),
- A Gimbal : Zhiyun Crane 2
- Several Studio flashes (Elinchrom) + some continuous light, light modifiers
- Intervalometer for time lapse (since Sony suppressed the Playmories Camera Apps..)
- Pelican Air Case (to store my material)
- ND, Grad, Polarisation filters
- Some other cameras
- NEX3N for my daughter
- NEX5 converted to infrared
- Fuji instax Square, Instax Wide, Instax Mini
- Impossible I-1 (Polaroid like)
7 Conclusion
The perfect gear for you will be the ones you will be at ease to use, can afford, can carry with you and that correspond to your favorites photographic styles (travel, portrait, macro, landscape….)
In term of lenses don’t dream, there is no one lens fitting all usages with max quality, low weight, low price (a 12-400mm F1.4 at 500 euros and 500 gr does not exist!)
So ask yourself questions to identify what you really need, read tests, try out in shops or with some friends, ask (wise) questions in forums or group
In a next Article I will describe my post processing workstation .
Knowing you spend more time in general to post process and view photos on your computer than to take them this is not an area to under invest if you have serious gear
Any questions don’t hesitate to post a comment !
Categories: Photographie, Sony
You use 135mm 1.8 zeiss with LA-EA4? Or did you sell it?
I sold it
Hello, I find your article to be useful and helpful. I have a Sony a7 II with the kit lens.
Do you recommend the Tamron f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 Lens for family portrait?
Which flash gun is better?
Godox v1, Sony HVL-F32M, Godox Ving V860III, Sony HVL-F43M, Rotolight Neo 2.
I can’t found your article about the Godox V1. Is the Godox v1 a good choice for All Types of photoshoot?
Thank You, Kyle.
Which Tamron F2.8 : there is the 20mm, 24mm , 35mm ? I would go for the 35min ; 50or 85 are more suited for portrait
for flash yes the Godox V1 is a good choice for all type of photoshoot
I’m referring the Tamron 24mm F2.8 for family portrait.
Is the sharpness on the Tamron 24 f2.8 corner are the same as Tamron 35 f2.8?
Thank you for your portrait recommendation on the 35mm, 50mm and 80mm lens.
Très intéressant merci.
Je vous ai rencontré au photodays (test du 85 1.8 FE), c’est chouette de voir votre activité. Je pense switcher vers ce bel A7 III avec le 85mm 1.8 FE (on verra pour ce bokeh très circulaire parfois).
model of the pelican case, please?
1605 Air
Dear Marc,
that’s a beautiful blog you have.
I wonder if you could give me your 2 cents on some Sony service issue I am having, or having some direct channels to notify Sony their service problem.
I’ve been struggling to get my Sony-Zeiss lens repaired by them. Thorough the last 4 months or so, I couldn’t even get Sony to properly repair the lens.
I posted the story on reddit here https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyAlpha/comments/9h6270/advice_needed_lens_sal50f14z_wobbles_what_should/
If you could at least advise what my next step should be, it will be appreciated.
Thanks
Sony Support services are organized locally in each country . I know only the one in Belgium and had no problem with them. So can’t help unfortunately
Why is the 70-200mm f4 not sufficient for a 43mp camera? I have it on my a7iii atm and the results are really great. ( looking in to upgrading body on the long run )
Because on a 42mpix camera the result at f4 are not optimum you need to close down to get very good results
Marc, Thanks a ton for your extremely informative blog. I am graduating from a Canon G16 which i have used to get comfortable with manual settings. This, i have used for over 5 years and feel ready to switch to a mirrorless. Narrowed down to A7III. However dont see any reviews from your end on this model. If you have, please share. To start with, i plan to go with just a Zeiss 50 mm prime lens to get my hands dirty. For other purposes, i will rent lenses till i can save some money. Please do share your views on A7III
The a7iii is an excellent body for the price , depending of your needs the a9 can go even better in term of af speed especially with the newly announced firmware with real time tracking. The A7riii is the ultimate in term of resolution with also better evf than a7iii. Personally I have the a9 and a7riii but a7iii will be already excellent for 80% of usual needs
Marc, first thank you so much for your extremely useful blog. How do you manage color calibration and have some recommendations ?
with a Spyder 5 but I have an iMac 5k 2018 and it was almost perfectly calibrated form the start
Hi Mark, I have seen that you are in the facebook group sony a7riv. I have also seen your excellent work with the lenses, as well as your work in the studio. But on this page I see that you use A9 and A7R III. Don’t you use the A7RIV to work? I am in doubt between the A7RIII and the A7RIV. But in the Facebook forum many problems of focus and iso noise have been commented. I take photos in concerts of classical music (low light in theaters and outdoors), landscapes and portraits. In my city I have no possibility to rent the cameras to try them and I don’t know anyone so they can lend them to me. I have seen that you have a lot of criteria in the answers and that is why I would like to know your opinion. Thanks a lot.
I need to update the article I have now a7rIV and a9
While a7rIV is better in term of ergonomics af speed , it is much more difficult to use it require higher speed more light . So for indoor a7riii or a9 will be much better. A7riv will be better for landscape or outdoor portrait only
Selling my 16-35mm F4 which I love, but probably won’t hold up on the A7R IV which is incoming, for either the 12-24mm F4 G or the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art. I see you chose for the 12-24mm, why did you choose it over the Sigma? Great guide by the way.
I had the 12-24mm long time before I tested the Sigma 14-24
and when comparing both I found that the 2 extra mm at lower end where making a huge difference in term of possilbity offered by the lens and ere much more important than the 1 stop gain in aperture
hi mark, i finally bought the a7riv. Now I am in doubt whether the TC 2x is good for the 200-600. I want to buy the 200-600 but I don’t know if I should also buy the TC 2x. I want to use it for sunsets and moons with a subject in the foreground such as a building and the moon or sun looking very large. do you recommend for these jobs?
Sorry Mark, I had not seen that you have an excellent review on the blog. By downloading the images and analyzing them I have come to a conclusion on whether or not to use the 2x teleconverter for photos set or moon and sun rises. Thank you.
Hello Marc. Really excellent site and resource for Sony users, thank you.
Are you still happy with the Sigma 24-70 F/2.8 instead of the 24-70 FM lens with the A7Riv please?
Do you find the Sigma has more internal dust than you’d expect please? I’ve seen a few reports on Fred Miranda (https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1661225) about this that have made me hold back..
My ideal for the A7Riv would be the 24-70GM but I accept that it is probably ideally paired with a 42mp body and not sufficiently sharp at 61mp.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
I checked mine : no dust
Hello Marc,
First of all : Merry Christmas ! I just bought a SONY HX60 camera. I wish to buy a flash to put directly on the camera. Which one among all those you described on this blog would you suggest ? ( please, with a ranking list four the five most suitable, if possible).
As mentionned, it must fit directly on the Sony HX60. Thanks in advance for your reply, or also replies coming from other Bloggers. I wish you also a wonderful New Year’s Eve despite Covid.
I would recommend sony Hvl-f20m or Godox v350s (little big bigger but more évolutive)
you don’t have enough gear.
I know this post is old since then I have increase and have around 60 lenses in 7 Pelican cases (no joke)
Hi Marc – What lenses work best with the Sony a1? Specifically looking for 24-70 f2.8; 35m f2.8 or better; 70-200 f4 or better
FYI I changed my gear in keeping with your guidelines for the a7RIII and a7RIV
What is your relationship with Sony ie good that you are suggesting non-Sony lenses over Sony where warranted
Thank you- Bob
depends if you are looking at reaching 30fps or not : For the 24-70 F2.8 the sigma is the best one for the moment. 70-200 : The Tamron 70-180 F2.8 is currently the best one. small 34 : The Sigma 35 F2 DG DN or the Samyang 35 F1.8 are excellent
Hey Marc – Thanks for your response! your 7RIV best lens chart is my bible – and I am hopeful that you produce one for the a1 shortly.
I do have a question – some of my fellow 7RIV shooters swear by the Sony lenses and say that you are an ‘influencer’ ie not to pivot to other lenses based on your 5 levels (by the way, do you prioritize the lenses within each category ie is the Sony 20mm F 1.8G the best of the very best?)
Tell me how this all works – ie who pays the bills – ie cost of purchasing and thoroughly testing all of the lenses etc – Hope this is a fair question and will remain a fan even if you cohoe not to respond – But do tell me if/when the a1 Chart will be out – Thanks for all you do for us photographers! rg
I have contact with most manufacturers and they send me the lens free for testing but I need to return them. Except some small Chinese manufacturer where I do not need to return lens as cost of shipping back via ups to China maybe too much vs value of the lens
I also have contact with shops that lent me for free some lenses when I do not have contact with manufacturer
None of the manufacturer can see the review before publishing or can modify them
Most recent sony are truly excellent but you see some like 85gm , 70-200 f4, 24-70gm quite low
I try to have a ranking across categories so a 20mm will only get to outstanding if it is truly outstanding. For a same focal length I compare always with the best ones tested and then rank them 1croos grade but cross check with other lenses of similar grade to ensure consistency
Outstanding need really to have outstanding grade mostly and be excellent wife open
For an excellent grade it is ok to have very good wide open if you reach excellence when you close by one stop
Etc…
So not purely mathematical but I try to get it as much as consistent as possible
Chart for a1 being in middle of a7rIV and a7riii I will not do a specific ones
And will use the one of a7rIV
I may write an article on best one for a1 taking into account the 30FPS
Hey Marc – got it – makes sense – so, end of day, my a1 is on it’s way – which specific lenses would you guess would work best with it in the 24-70 and 35mm categories? I purchased the Sigma 24-70 and Tamron 35mm at the top of your a7RIV chart and kept my Sony 24-70 GMaster f2.8 and Sony 35mm Distagon f1.4 GM lenses – Many thanks!
For my a1 I use sigma 24-70 f2.8 and sigma 35 f1.2 , 50 f1.2 gm , sigma 85 f1.4, sony 135 gm, sony 12-24gm sony 20g, sony 24gm, sigma 105 f2.8 macro but also voigtlander 50f2 apo lanthar and voit 65f2, voigt 110 f2.4, sony100-400 sony200-600
If you really need the 30FPS then stick to 35gm and 24-70gm
Thank you! be well/bob
What I am missing on this site is:
– Information on useful good A-mount lenses, both from Sony as from MInolta, that can be used on the current Sony bodies, e.g. the 500mm reflex e.a.
– Information on the quality levels of old Canon FD lenses that still can be used on the A7-series.
May I suggest to add these categories.
It would be never ending and time consuming to find back and test all a mount all canon fd all canon ef all Pentax all….
This is why I limit to native e mount
Thank you very much Marc for all the high quality work you do on this blog. The two lenses I have purchased for my a6000 were highly influenced by your reviews (18—105 E PZ and Samyang AF 12mm f/2).
From your perspective, for someone who shoots mostly in manual focus a wide variety of themes (astro photography, street, architecture, travel) do you see any value in upgrading from the a6000 to any newer members of the APS-C family?
Thanks again for all your effort in maintaining this site.
No reason to upgrade
Bonjour Marc,
j’aurais une question sur l’A7RIV, j’ai remarqué depuis l’arrivée du 150-600 Sigma que l’AF 4D ne fonctionne pas avec les animaux, c’est normal ou c’est une limite avec une optique autre qu’un Sony (j’ai regardé avec le 70-180 Tamron même chose)? Ce serait quand même sympa de la part de Sony d’ajouter au moins l’eye-AF pour les oiseaux sur ce boitier, parce que pour les petites espèces même en spot flexible c’est une galère pour qu’il accroche l’oiseau plutôt que la branche où il est posé, c’est quand même toujours la dernière version de la gamme A7R et elle n’a pas eu de mise à jour depuis plus d’un an ^^.
L’eye af animaux peut parfaitement fonctionner avec des optiques tierces , mais concernant ces 2 optiques l’AF est leur point faible . L’A7RIV n’aura sans doute pas la mise a jour pour les oiseaux, ni pour les menus, il faut un proceseur plus puissant pour cela
Hi Marc,
First of all – fantastic blog. Love to read your comprehensive tests and comments. Please keep going on.
Secondly – after years of APSC, I am now a proud owner of a A7iv. The widest lens I have is the Sony 16-35 f2.8, which I love for its make, sharpness and versatility. For some special landscape I would however like to go a bit wider. Down to probably 12. For long exposure I own the Rollei 100mm ND filter holder and filter sets and believe (no, I know), these wont help me at all with any of the two Sony 12-14 available. What is your recomendation if I intend to stay with the 100mm filters? Laowa? Samyang? Zeiss? Prime – yes. AF – not neccessarily.
Thanks, Joerg
I would go For Sony 14mm F1.8 that allow with some adapter to use 100mm filter (see also my blog for the test of The Sony 44mm)
I fou don’t need filter then the Samayang 12mm fisheye , delivers very good results https://sonyalpha.blog/2018/01/30/samyang-12mm-f2-8-ed-as-ncs-fisheye/
Why do you prefer using a9 and a7r IV and not A1?
I don’t : I don’t see where you read that
I prefer A1 then A7RIV
Marc, if you had to choose a medium tele today between the new 70-200GM MKII vs. the 100-400GM for the A1, which would you choose and why? Thanks!
I would take the 70-200 mk2 much better optically , f2.8 for portrait, lighter and still giving very good result at 400mm
If I was doing mostly sports and need to zoom in out constantly between 100 and 400, I would still go for the 100-400
Hello, my name is Christian. I shoot with the jurassic SonyA7R with Voigt 35 APO, Zeiss/Sony 55 and a vintage Zeiss/contax 135 mm. Basically I am just after high quality. So all other apart like AF, battery life etc etc. Do you think the quality of my pics would improve a lot using a newer model like a7rIII or a7IV? Talked to a guy in the camera store and he told me that A7R has a unique natural look, just afraid it will all look more digital if I upgrade. At the same time I want sharp and clean images. I have some struggles at times. Basically I am interested in, if the sensor is sooo much better in newer models? Sounds like I shoot jpg but I don’t. just raw. But just want the optimal base to work from 🙂 You have probably gone through all models 🙂 Christian Azu
I went from a7r to a7rii to,a7riii to a7riv and a1
The a7rIII was really the best bzlance in term of image quality , high iso and not crazy demanding for optics like a7riv
So i would h-go for a a7riii if i was you
Hello, Mr. ALHADEFF.
I can contact you following your article FTP/ PC Remote wireless transfer on MacOS with Sony A1/A9/A7x” because I have problems to connect my SONY A 9 M2 to Wifi Direct via FTP mode.
In your article you specify that it is possible to choose the connection mode on Wifi direct, I attach hereafter your sentence: FTP connect method – How to connect: Wifi Direct , Wifi access point , ethernet, USB
But personally with my box I only have Wifi access point and ethernet?????
Can you explain to me how to get the Wifi Direct that interests me greatly, working in places where I have no other possibilities and the cable is not very convenient!!!
Waiting for your response,
Thank you in advance because Sony doesn’t find the solution.
Good to you
B.F. Herbint
My e-mail address: h.bf@skynet.be
Sorry but this would require hours of retesting as I don’t do this often
Hello Mr. Alhadeff,
thank you for your answer, but I am surprised because it only takes a few minutes to see if it is possible to transmute FTP via Wi-Fi Direct ??? Having contacted Sony, I cannot get an answer, which is why I turned to you as you had written an article on this transfer mode which interests me enormously. Could you examine if this is really possible please as I am currently in dialogue of the deaf with Sony.
Thank you in advance, waiting for your response.
B F Herbint
Bonjour Marc,
Je suis assidûment ton blog et c’est pour moi une référence.
Deux questions sur ton materiel:
– quelle marque de valise de transport avec mousse intérieure type bagage cabine pourrais tu me recommander?
– Il sort sans cesse de nouveaux boîtiers. Envisages tu de changer ton A7RIV contre le nouveau A7RV ?
Merci encore pour ton excellent travail.
A bientôt
Cédric
en vrai valise sur roulette j’utilise le Tenba Roller : https://sonyalpha.blog/2019/10/02/tenba-roadie-hybrid-roller-21/ sinon des valises Pelicase classique
Je ne comptes pas changer car j’ai A1 et A7RV et le A1 reste supérieur au A7RV point de vue rafale , perf en obturateur électronique et jusque 1/32000 et pas de rolling shutter. LEs nouveaux modes AF n’améliorent pas les résultat pour ma pratique