Hi Andrea, As a full time photographer, making my living from Sony cameras I am delighted with Sony’s recent strides forwards with the a9 and a7r mk3 cameras. But I can still only use them on a tripod. For hand held work that lasts any length of time I am stuck with the a99mk2.
So here is my dream Sony full frame camera.
I do not mind if it has the sensor and processor from the a9 or the a7rmk3, both are more good enough to make a living from. What is important is that the right hand grip is moved 5-7mm away from the lens mount so that larger hands may fit in the gap whilst using GM lenses….
Just my 10 cents worth. Best regards and keep up the stellar work, Jim
It’s not the first time we hear Sony owners complain about this. The grip of course helps a bit but folks with large hands still feel uncomfortable.
Lensbaby announced a new SOL 45 lens which you can preorder as A-mount or E-mount version at BHphoto and WexUK. This is the introduction from Lensbaby:
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Welcome to the Sol Step by Step guide. Designed to make sure you get the most out of your new go-to creative companion, no matter where your journey takes you.
Sol 45 works on Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Sony A, Pentax K, and Fuji X cameras.
Sol 22 only works on Micro 4/3rds cameras, which include Olympus & Panasonic cameras.
Both lenses create images with a sharp circular area of focus, surrounded by smooth blur and bold bokeh. These lenses offer a creative way to isolate your subject, frame them in one-of-a-kind bokeh, and give your photography an entirely new kind of look & feel. Shooting with Sol is a bit like looking through a portal into another universe, as you’ll see the effect as you look through the lens. It may make you slow down just a bit, and think about your photos differently.
Sol’s 45mm is the full frame focal length. Please consider your camera’s crop factor (often 1.5 or 1.6) in calculating the equivalent field of view on your camera. At a 1.5x crop factor Sol 45 has a 67mm field of view and a 1.6x crop factor it has a 72mm field of view.
Sol 22 has a 22mm full-frame focal length. It will be a 44mm equivalent field of view on a Micro 4/3rds camera.
No matter the degree of crop on your crop sensor camera, Sol 45 and 22 provide enough blur that you will still get plenty of effect in your images.
Sol has a fixed aperture of f/3.5 which provides a good balance of brightness, and size of the sharp area of focus.
Getting set up:
Before you get started, you will want to get your camera set up for Sol. If you don’t shoot manual focus very often, you’ll want to make sure your diopter is properly adjusted so that what you see through your viewfinder matches your own personal eyesight – so what you think looks in sharp focus, actually is. (If you don’t use the viewfinder but just use the LCD, you don’t need to worry about this step). Most cameras have a little dial or slider next to the viewfinder. Put a straight lens on your camera and point it at a blank, neutral wall. Rotate that little dial back and forth until the grid and any digital read-outs on your screen come into sharp focus (don’t worry about the wall). Now you can be confident that what looks in focus through the viewfinder, really is.
You’ll be able to shoot on either Manual or Aperture Priority (AV) mode and still have your camera choose the right shutter speed for a properly exposed image. You WON’T get a properly exposed image if you shoot in Auto or other modes. Some older Nikon cameras’ light meters may not read and set a proper exposure for you. If that happens, just take some test shots and check the image on your LCD to make a decision on the proper exposure.
Once the diopter set for your eyesight and the camera in the correct mode, it’s as simple as Tilt. Focus. Shoot.
How to Tilt:
There’s a small lock symbol on the Sol lens body. When engaged, your circular area of focus will be in the center. To move the focus off-center, rotate the lens away from the locking symbol. Tilt the lens in the direction you want to focus – keep in mind, it won’t be sharp until you rotate the focus ring which is your next step.
How to Focus:
Focus is controlled by the FRONT MOST ring. Simply rotate to focus.
And, Shoot!
Sol Bonus Feature
For those looking to get even more creative with their bokeh, Sol 45 and Sol 22 feature Bokeh Blades. These blades sit in front, but out of the way of the lens. Simply drag them in front of the lens with your finger, and your bokeh – the bright spots in the out of focus area of your image – will take on texture based on the shape & orientation of the blades. You can change the orientation of that texture (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) by rotating the entire blade mechanism. To do this, rotate your focus so the optic is situated all the way down into the lens. Then push the base of the hinged arms in whichever direction you want to rotate the mechanism.
In most cases, the textured bokeh effect will be more pronounced when you have a subject closer to the camera, and a lot of bright out of focus highlights in the background, as in the images below.
That’s it! Now it’s time to start creating with your brand new Lensbaby Sol 45 or 22.
The Dutch photographer Gustav Kiburg tested the new Sony 400mm f/2.8 FE GM lens (preorder at [shopcountry 73492]. You can download a full set on those Wetransfer links: We1 and We2. Gustav writes:
My first hours with the new Sony 400mm 2.8 GM Yesterday i had the chance to try this new beast , the new 400mm 2.8 GM and the Sony A9 are built for speed. So i had the idea , to go to the greyhound race track , to try this combination. The dogs are so fast , the 400mm and the A9 had no problems with it, its a very light combination , and its superfast , all picture,s are taken at F2.8
tekst serie two (we2 files)….. LOCK ON tracking Sony 400mm 2.8 GM + A9 superb…. I tried the AF lock on with the NEW 400mm 2.8 GM with the A9 , and i can really say its superb the dogs go really fast , before you now it , they past you , they run 350 meters in 20 seconds If you look to the dogs , i lock on the black dog , and it follows and stay with the black dog, on the end the white dog is in front of the black dog ,but it stays on the black dog , even you see a tiny piece of the black dog .
To see these images in highe resolution download them here: We1 and We2.
First Look of the “Bokeh Master” Sigma 105mm f/1.4 Art Series Lens (Lensrentals).
Sony RX0 sensor review: Tiny and clever (DxOmark).
SMC Pentax 135 f2.5 – Smooth and solid (Theweekendlens).
a7RIII exposure strategy — manual settings (Jim Kasson).
Manfrotto Befree GT Carbon: The Little Tripod that Could (Explora).
The real Sony RX0 predeccessor was this Qualia 016 announced exactly 15 years ago! The original price was $3,200 but you still have to pay $800 to get it [shoplink 72636 ebay]used today on eBay[/shoplink].
Key specs:
2.1-megapixel 41mm f/2.8 lens (FF equivalent) 4x digital zoom 0.55″ color LCD Size: 69.1 x 24 x 16.8 mm (HWD) Sony Memory Stick Duo flash card optional 1.4x telephoto and 0.7x wide angle conversion lens Price $3,200
