![]() The function button below that brings up frequently needed settings - drive mode, flash, flash compensation, autofocus mode, autofocus area, exposure compensation, ISO sensitivity, metering mode, white balance, Dynamic Range Optimization/HDR, and Creative Style. To the right of the LCD is a thumb-operated switch that toggles its button function between focus mode and exposure lock. Sony's Multi Interface Shoe perches on the huge EVF box. On the top right sits an exposure-compensation dial, programmable button, and power switch/shutter button, along with a mode dial that has the usual manual, semimanual, and automatic modes, two custom settings slots (and you can tweak them from a central location rather than having to resave when you make a change), sweep panorama, and a dedicated movie mode. Sony has advanced the design over the NEX-7, which these models essentially replace - Sony's still selling the NEX-7 but it will likely die once all existing units are gone - and it's substantially streamlined in comparison. I do wish the LCD could tilt down further for easier overhead shooting, though.Īlthough I don't consider the A7R a beautiful camera, in a lot of ways it's beautifully designed it feels very comfortable, with a substantial grip, sturdy dust- and moisture-resistant magnesium alloy body, and enough heft that it counterbalances pretty well with big A-mount or other lenses. Both use the same excellent screens as on the SLT-A99. The EVF and the LCD, though, perform well. The only thing zips along merrily on this camera is the battery-level icon. And while I love the bright, contrasty LCD and huge, bright electronic viewfinder, they contribute to the camera's terribly short battery life given that the camera's targeted at people who photograph a lot. Nothing like trying to be the quiet, unobtrusive photographer only to be outed by that cringeworthy shutter "THWACK!" There's some dispute as to whether or not it causes significant shake from vibration - I didn't find it a huge issue - but there's no denying it's loud. Thanks to peaking and a sharp EVF, manually focusing is relatively easy and fast, though. For instance, its object tracking (Lock-on AF) either pulses repeatedly or picks its own (usually wrong) subject, depending upon your settings. The various autofocus options can be frustrating, as well. ![]() The processing can also hold you up from changing settings or reviewing images, though given the files it's processing that's more understandable. The camera has a faster burst that fixes focus on the first shot, but that means if it doesn't lock correctly initially or if the subject moves - usually why you're shooting burst - you get a whole lotta nothin'. And I'm not sure what the continuous-shooting mode is intended to achieve although it can sustain a reasonable burst of raw or JPEG (more than 30 shots), with autofocus it can only do about 1.2fps. JPEG and raw shot-to-shot times are effectively the same at about 0.4 to 0.5 second. Those are the same results as the company's mediocre ILCE-A3000, which costs a fifth of the A7R. ![]() It runs a not-terrible 0.3 second to focus and shoot in good light, but that rises to about 0.9 second in dim light. And the autofocus doesn't kick in until the camera is mostly booted. It takes forever to start up while 2.2 seconds to power on, focus, and shoot may not sound like much, it translates into a lot of missed shots. ![]() Sony excuses the poor autofocus speed as a sacrifice you make for using contrast AF, but, sorry, we've been seeing fast-contrast AF from Olympus and Panasonic for years. It saddens me that the A7R is slow, loud, and piggy with power. Low-light video also has nice tonality and good saturation. You still have to be careful with your frame rates to prevent moire, but even at 60p it was mostly good, and the general detail definition is quite nice. (note: all images are in the Adobe RGB color space)įurthermore, the video quality is surprisingly good, with only a minimal number of artifacts I usually see from AA-filter-free sensors. ![]()
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