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Ten years ago in 2014, I was using the Sony A6000 and their 70-200mm f/4G lens, shooting SEC football games, and ultimately using only that camera and Sony lenses from wide to 200mm. I was used to being the only person at big games packed with shooters to be using Sony cameras. People would look at what I had on my shoulder and look at me like I was crazy. Because there was no long glass yet, I was still shooting Canon bodies and long lenses for sports. Later, I was able to use my Sony bodies on Canon long glass with the aid of the MC-11 adapter. I had already switched entirely to Sony for all my video production needs but the sports photography was still a mixed bag. When I was shooting the A6000, I didn’t know how it was accomplishing AF in difficult sporting situations, but I knew I was making pictures that I likely would have missed with the Big Two. To be honest, I think I shot Sony for the first two years without understanding how facial recognition worked. When someone finally showed me how to enable eye AF, I was stunned. Since that time, I rarely have anything but a perfectly sharp frame when editing my portrait shoots, and I mean eyes sharp always. On the video side of things, the original A7S still wows filmmakers and still photographers alike when they find themselves shooting in near darkness. The sensor in the A7S is still in use today in the A7SIII, FX3, and FX6 cameras. Many of the shows and movies you watch are shot with that same sensor. The original A7S was launched 10 yrs. Ago in April of 2014, and not one competitor has bettered its performance in low light yet. Just 3 years later the A9 dropped and stunned the world. In my first fifteen minutes with that camera I realized that the DSLR was completely dead. In that moment, I knew my own trajectory was with and through Sony for the future. Then, in September of 2018, just a year later, the 400GM made it’s arrival. When you used the A9 in tandem with the 400GM, all I can say is magic happened. A year after that, the A9II arrived and bettered its counterpart with improved low light and anti-flicker on board as well as a host of other features. A year later, in 2019, the Sony FE600mmf/4GM was unleashed and all bets were off! It was offered at the same time as the FE200-600G lens which offered a sealed internal focus and zoom for just $2000. For those that couldn’t justify the 600GM at $13K, the 200-600G has become a fast favorite for all golf shooters as well as filedsports, pjs, and nature and wildlife photogs. All along during this time, Sony’s people were saying quietly that they wanted to be the #1 pro camera maker in the world, and knock Canon off its pedestal. Those of us that early ambassadors smiled and nodded politely to the Japanese and wondered if they knew what kind of battle they were in for and how unrealistic that likely was. When the A1 launched in January of 2021, even those of us that were used to being wowed by Sony’s engineers and their clever improvements, were unprepared for that presser. 50mp, 30fps, great low light, 1/400th sync with arena type strobes, and anti-flicker that worked at the highest frame rate? It was truly like science fiction in our hands. The A1 was clearly the greatest mirrorless camera ever made at that moment. The specs seemed outlandish and unrealistic but once you got to shoot with one, you we’re all-in. Fast-forward to this year when The A9III showed up. Global shutter was something that was only real in the motion picture industry and from the skunkworks at Red and Arri. The term global shutter was mentioned only by hardcore gear geeks like me, but it seemed years away. I often told people I thought it would be offered first in an APS-C camera format for cost reasons. I was very wrong. But all of a sudden, an almost 25MP camera was announced that was the ultimate band-aid for every issue with electronic shutters that had come before. Even though Sony had already slayed the dragon of anti-flicker with A1, banding was a big problem if you shot in places that had the lights that produced the issue. Now, banding had been banished as well. 120 fps full-frame RAW files with no banding or flicker was now a thing and on top of all that, the camera was amazing in low light. It offered zero rolling shutter for both stills and video shooters as well so that quick pans and shooting tight action was now possible. I think the A9III stunned the industry to it’s foundation when it dropped last Spring. How do you compete with that? The FE300mm f/2.8GM lens is a masterpiece and is likely the fastest AF lens Sony makes over 200mm right now. Paired up with either the A9III or soon with the A1II, the combos will take no prisoners in terms of speed and accuracy and the sheer attack of the initial acquire of the AF. Even the addition of the teleconverters doesn’t slow it down on the A9III. Last week I had the pleasure of shooting with the A1II in NYC at the launch, and then got to take one home with me to shoot an SEC game. The images you have been looking at since the start of this video were all shot with the new body. Many people complain about the A1II not being advanced enough versus the A1. I don’t think that’s quite true. The worst thing that happened to the A1II took place last Spring when the A9III launched. To have a new camera come out after the A9III was always going to be a problem. Nothing that followed the A9III would be accepted easily because the distance A9III traveled was far greater than A1II. I believe the A1II to be the best overall sports camera ever made. I think it is more useful than even the amazing A9III and this video is about me making a case for that statement. While the A9III has the global shutter and 120fps, it’s still only 24.7mp. I have yet to shoot my two A9III bodies at frame rates faster than 30 fps. 30 fps is simply plenty fast for the sports I shoot. If I was at the Olympics, I might opt for the A9III over the A1 to go faster, but honestly, I shoot often at 20 fps depending on the sport. Day to day, I’d trade in the extra fps I never use for the megapixels all day long. When you compare what the A1II sensor offers photographers versus the A9III, it’s hands down a better choice. You can literally crop the snot out of any frame and it will work and hold up. Add the fact that A1II has pre-capture and better low light performance and you have a masterpiece. While there are shooters out there for whom the A9III is the only option, they are few and far between. You’d have to be shooting on strobes in the NBA or NHL a couple nights a week to justify the camera that can shoot at any shutter speed with each pop. Or maybe if you shoot in an arena that has horrific banding issues from TV lights or the LED signage that now surrounds some entire fields and arenas, you could maybe justify the A9III. For everyone else though that don’t shoot on strobes or under weird lighting all the time, the A1II makes more sense. It also allows you to get more out of shorter glass by “punching in (zooming on sensor)” to get the action tighter and using all the real estate of the sensor to do so. Even if you shoot on strobes, the 1/400th sync is an industry best from any shutter other than the A9III, which actually has no mechanical shutter. The fact that the A1II can (and will) be used for landscape work, serious architecture photography, portraits, wedding, event, photojournalism, and for any use where large files are so needed, 50mp is a massive file and more than enough for even advertising and industrial photography. That you can now turn on pre-capture on A1II and look into the past for the frames you would have formerly missed is just an added bonus. Even the modern medium format cameras from competitors don’t compete with the A1II’s smaller files size when it comes to capturing action. No medium format camera has the ice cold lock-on AF that will track and follow a running back through traffic or offer a ballet company’s marketing director 200 frames of one leap of their prima ballerina on stage. Sony discourages me from saying anything negative about competing brands but look at the cost of the R1 versus the A1II and what you get. The R1 cost is exactly in between what the A9III and A1II cost, but without 50mp or a global shutter. I digress. I started this piece thinking back on the last ten years of shooting along with Sony’s ever evolving technology. They are and have been my silent partner and Sony helps me on every shoot I do for clients. To this day, in 10 years and having been through literally every camera they have made to date, I have yet to have a single camera repair. When I need help with a loan, I’m on a first name basis with my Sony Pro rep up in Kentucky. This is not because I have a YouTube channel or that I’m an ambassador. The pro reps know their business is primarily customer service and tech support, something Nikon has foregone to save money when they decimated NPS a few years ago. Sony Pro Service has many reps across the entire country ready to help you with repairs, tech. Questions, and loaners for gear that you are considering purchasing. Looking back, I’m proud to have been an early adopter as a pro shooter back in 2013. My first Sony was purchased used off eBay for $350. It was the A3000, which even Sony would like to forget. The EVF was so bad that you had to use focus peaking on the back screen to manual focus, but the first images from that camera took my breath away. There was all this dynamic range and tone in the highlights and shadows. I was hooked on that first Sony APS-C sensor way back then, and to this day Sony continues to wow me. At this juncture, Sony is the official camera of the NFL, the AP, and the Gannett chain of newspapers. I can’t describe to you how long a journey Sony has made since the A3000 to the A1II. When Sony was whispering about wanting to be #1 in the world in the camera business 8 years ago, I guess they knew what they were talking about! What in the world will they think of next? I’m not sure but I’m ready for more so I’ll just stay in the SonyAlpha buffet line…. Can you pass the mashed potatoes, please?

Hi @NateintheWild! 😃

It looks like the a6700 may only have USB-C and no Micro USB, an adapter like this might work. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1653482-REG/pearstone_usb_type_c_male_to.html

iLCP is excited to collaborate with our friends at The Photo Society on a TPS Presents talk featuring iLCP Senior Fellow Jaime Rojo. Date: December 3, 2024 Time: 12:00PM ET. Register: This event is free and open to the public: tinyurl.com/tpsrojo Jaime Rojo is Spanish photographer with a background in conservation, focusing on environmental stories about wilderness and wildlife. His latest project, “Saving the Monarchs,” was featured as a cover story for National Geographic Magazine. Jaime works globally as a photographer, creative director, and communications advisor for environmental organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and companies. He is a National Geographic Explorer, iLCP Senior Fellow, member of The Photo Society, and trustee to The WILD Foundation. His work has been awarded in competitions such as World Press Photo, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and Pictures of the Year International. This talk will include a live Q&A session moderated by TPS Communications Director Alex Snyder, and TPS will give away a signed print from Jaime at the end of the event. If you haven't already, please register and share here: tinyurl.com/tpsrojo We hope to see you there!

Siena International Photo Awards competition is open until January 9, 2025. Enter here. 2025 World Press Photo Contest open until Friday, 10 January 2025, 13.00 CET. Enter here.

Tough backlighting on this one, but due to the number of safari vehicles jockeying for position of this leopard in Serengeti NP, not much we could do with the lighting.

Thank you so much, @alpha-jessica-a! I'm very excited for this opportunity. 🤩

With other camera, I know we get the live histogram displaying the exposure histogram based on corridors, some show 5, other show 9 etc... My alpha 1 does not display a detailed histogram showing 3-4-5-9 corridors. Can we change the histogram display details?

Got you with the clickbait title....Should include; for underwater photography. But for the moment something different than A71II reviews and Black Friday deals... "Plan your shoot, shoot your plan" — this rings especially true in underwater photography! Once you're submerged, changing lenses is not an option. Unless you're using a compact camera! Compact cameras like the Sony RX100IV and custom housings offer the unique advantage of being able to attach “wet lenses” while underwater. For example, I’ve photographed a 30-foot whale shark and a 2-inch seahorse on the same dive using a compact camera/housing with two wet lenses. Underwater photography can be complicated. You need a waterproof housing for your camera, to capture vibrant, colorful images, you'll need two strobes and/or video lights. Additionally, various accessories are required to connect everything together. It's common for the housing, lights, and accessories to cost twice as much than the camera itself. Costs of Underwater Photography Systems The price for a “semi-pro” underwater photography setup. Full Frame DSLR: $15,000 Micro Four Thirds (MFT) or Mirrorless: $9,000 Compact Camera: $5,500 Traveling with Underwater Photo Gear Underwater photography systems are bulky, and many airlines impose carry-on weight limits, often around 17 lbs. A DSLR system typically exceeds this limit. Here are the approximate travel weights for complete systems. DSLR System: 40 lbs MFT System: 25 lbs Compact System: 14 lbs Compact Camera Pros Versatility Shooting Wide & Macro While Underwater: There are three rules in underwater photography, get close, get closer and get even closer. Using wet lenses you have the ability to switch between wide-angle and macro underwater. This is crucial due to the limited time you have underwater, typically 1-1.5hrs, per dive. Affordability: Compact systems are typically 30%-60% less expensive than DSLR or mirrorless setups. If you flood your housing, rare occurrence, replacing your compact is a fraction of a high end DSLR and quality lens. In fact you can pack two compact cameras, just in case. Size & Portability: Compact cameras are lightweight and easy to handle both above and below the water. They're also easier to maneuver in surf zones and drag around airports. Image Quality: At 20MP the Sony RX100IV delivers excellent image quality for most underwater settings when supported by strobes and/or video lights. Reliability: Fewer buttons and controls mean less chance of malfunctions, especially once the camera is housed. One button not aligned properly in the housing can render the camera useless once you are submerged. Simplicity: Not having to worry about what lens to use on each dive makes things simple and dive guides happy. Every time you open the housing you are inviting problems. Ease of Travel: A compact camera system fits easily into overhead compartments and fit in most camera daypacks. Compact Camera Cons Image Quality: Anything good all-around is rarely “great” at any one thing. While compact cameras offer good quality images, they don’t match the performance of full-frame DSLRs parried with high end 90mm macro or 17mm wide angle lenses. However, Photoshop and good lighting can significantly close the gap. Macro: Some compacts have a Microscope mode for amazing macro, while others require wet diopters. But the working distance to capture images of live subjects can be very tight vs. a good 90mm macro lens. Autofocus: Compact cameras have slower and less accurate autofocus compared to DSLR systems. Flash Speed: The flash recycle time on compact cameras is slower than that of DSLRs electronic triggers, which is a limitation. The compact on-camera flash is what triggers your external strobes underwater. With a compact you can’t just “shoot away” you have to think about when you push the shutter. High ISO Performance: Obviously, compact cameras lag behind full-frame sensors in high ISO performance. When shooting natural light underwater noise can become noticeable. Conclusion After years of shooting with various DSLR and Micro Four Thirds systems, the Sony RX100 IV has become my go-to camera for underwater photography. Its image quality, durability, and flexibility make it an excellent choice for anyone who isn't shooting for National Geographic or have a very large budget. For most underwater photographers compacts offer the best balance of performance, portability, and value. The following were all taken with a Sony RX100 series camera, the majority with a wet lens put on while underwater. More images at: www.aquabluedreams.com

I would Love Sony to be first to implement this function. I am a dedicated user of Sony cameras and currently use the Sony A7R V. I have a suggestion for a new firmware feature that could significantly enhance creative flexibility for photographers. I propose a Shutter Speed Bracketing Mode that maintains consistent exposure across all frames while varying the shutter speed. This mode would enable photographers to capture a series of images with controlled amounts of motion blur, ideal for creative effects in dynamic scenes such as waterfalls, moving crowds, or light trails. Essentially, it would function as an ISO bracketing mode, dynamically adjusting ISO to maintain consistent exposure as the shutter speed changes. This feature could be especially valuable for professional and enthusiast photographers who need to experiment with motion effects quickly and efficiently. Thank you for considering this suggestion, and I look forward to seeing the continuous innovation Sony brings to its camera systems. Best regards, John Stuart

Nice! I'm waiting to see what I can get for my trade-ins! Cleaning up the gear I don't use much. I think the feature I'm looking forward to the most is the raw composite NR stacking!

I have a very simple solution that results in great audio. A Sony ECMLV1 lavaliere mic coupled and plugged into a Sony ICDPX370 voice recorder. Even though this recorder is mono, when using a stereo mic, the saved file is in stereo. What I do then is group the audio and video in post.

Congratulations @RidleyScottFan🙌

Hi, I would like to ask if you have an experience shopping SONY products in Canada from this site: thesonyshop.ca ? Thanks!

I used the a9 iii for some time, and it is the nature of this beast. Global shutter transistors operating at high bursts (compared to previous models) will drain the battery faster. Not to mention, if you frequently use pre-capture and save jpg images (this process must be done in camera and requires power compared to just saving raw data). I used to shoot a single game with a single batter, but with the a9 iii, I go through almost 2 batteries and keep a third in my pocket in case a game goes beyond the original time. And I agree with Trek. Bluetooth must be turned off directly as it's a drainer.

You can attach an external monitor (not a computer). If default settings were left as is, you should see everything on that monitor and be able to change your settings. Smartphones can be used if you have the right peripherals.

Hi everyone! I work for a program of Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute as and we are hiring a conservation storytelling intern! I would love to work with one of you! Learn more here: https://www.vaworkinglandscapes.org/jobs-internships/ If you have any questions please let me know! I'd be happy to talk about it more 🙂

A bit more of an edge of fall to winter type shoot, but I really liked these November sunset photos at our nearby marshy conservation area. I underexposed a bit, but I like the contrast and moodiness of the highlights. The last photo of the stream and trees felt intimate to me.

Great photos on your profile! @bgathany

These are regulatory warnings. They have to be there when using non-OEM electrical parts. Sony doesn't manage or regulate third-party designs and quality control, thus requiring extra precautions from the user in the form of this warning message. From my humble experience as a previous power plant engineer, third-party electrical parts are a risk that is never worth it for electronics. You might save $20-$40, but the damage can be in the thousands, and a lot more if a fire starts. With original batteries, you can hold the manufacturer liable for damages from defective equipment. You might remember the Galaxy Note 4 battery incidents (and the pain we go through at airports thanks to them).

I got one wish true from last year. Now, those two are what I want this year: - A1 ii - A9 iii

Here are two... Underwater Raja Ampat, Indonesia taken with Sony RX100 IV, Nauticam Housing, 2x Sea&Sea D1 Strobes. Mount Baker, WA State, Sony A7RIII, Tamron 28-200mm.

Weekly for creation of new content but editing daily.

I sent my 209-600 lens off for repair for different issue. When I got it back, the focus ring would not turn. Had to trust VERY hard to get it to turn. Now it turns but is way too tight to be effective when needed.

This image in particular captures the essence, the warm cold I feel every single time I go out in the winter, to the mountains, to do astrophotography. It's probably my favorite part of the day, sometimes I even day dream like I did thousand of times when I was a little boy that I'm about to escape earth on a space craft to space, just to enjoy a cup of coffee seeing the milky way like it's supposed to be seen... I love it man, I truly love this photo. It encapsulates so SO much of my life and my subconscious that... It makes me feel deezy.