ST

April 8

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March 23

On 3/20/2024 at 1:58 PM, pm-r said:

The A9III is not going to replace the A1 by any stretch. Just because its new does not mean that it is better than the A1. I also purchased an A9III but will keep both of my A1 bodies. For shooting birds in flight, I feel like the A1 is still the better choice, unless your specialize in shooting humming birds and need to capture their wings in flight. The A9III was a camera pretty much made for the Associated Press, especially for its use at the Summer and Winter Olympics. The A1 is still a fantastic camera that can punch in and still offer a file that is just a few mp shy of what the A9III is cranking out. The answer, of course, is to own one of each!

Thanks for the dose of reality. I was intrigued by the novelty and tempted by the prospect of doing some new things. But it's not as though I have an immediate need to do things only the A9 III can do. Maybe I'll cool my jets and wait to see what the A1 II will do.

March 18

On 3/14/2024 at 7:44 AM, BIRDS AS ART said:

Please explain what you mean by a 240% crop ...

artie

Hi Artie,
Here are a couple of screenshots from Capture One.

This shows how deep I had to crop to get that image.

And this is the export screen that shows that the crop is 243%

Does that help?

I mentioned this crop percentage in my earlier post, to explain why I am concerned about getting an A9 III (24 mp) since I'm used to the A1 (50 mp).

March 6

10 hours ago, tonygale said:

I did this with the a9III and the 300/2.8 GM and 2x extender. I thought the 300mm and 2x worked great. That said the flexibility of the zoom on the 200-600mm is worth a lot to me. The bokeh isn't hugely different because the 300 with the is an f/5.6, not that different than the f/6.3 on the 200-600. The 300mm does have the advantage of being a G Master and crazy fast.

What aspect was crazy fast?

10 hours ago, tonygale said:

I only briefly had the 300mm as a loaner

Thanks for your reply, Tony.

I'm considering the A9 III (mainly for the pre-capture and burst mode).
I took these with the A1 and FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (240% and 194% crops). I wonder if these would have been better/worse/about the same with the A9 III and FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS with 2X teleconverter.

ILCE 600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 125 240% crop

ILCE 600 mm f/6.3 1/4000 sec ISO 2000 194% crop

What do you think?

March 2

Have you used and compared the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS with the 2X teleconverter to the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS for birds and other wildlife?

I'm considering the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS (I already have the 2x teleconverter) to replace the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS.

I've scoured the web but can't find many helpful direct comparisons.

Application, Environment and Background Info

I walk 10-20 kilometres every morning on the southwest coast of British Columbia. It's winter, and in my area that means it's dark and dreary with lots or rain. There are all kinds of birds, from Bald Eagles to Swallows, Hummingbirds and plenty of shorebirds, with many passing through on their migratory paths. I carry an A1 and FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS and an A7 IV with a FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS or FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II for closer opportunities and landscapes.

I'm happy with the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS when the light is good, but I'm in the middle of six months of this rainy season, so I'm usually shooting at 600 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec for stationary subjects, and 1/2000-1/4000 for things on the move. My ISO is often above 6400.

I don't use a tripod or monopod. I'm always on the move.

I frequently crop to 200%.

I rarely do videos.

I don't shoot sports.

The FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS serves me well for large birds like Bald Eagles when the light is good.

Although I'm almost always at the long end (600 mm) of the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS, I use the zoom when a large bird approaches or for distant landscapes.

I don't mind the weight of carrying two cameras with these lenses.

Things I hope to change or improve

Greater agility with a lighter, shorter lens
I struggle to move the lens fast enough to catch swallows and other small birds in flight. I do much better with the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II, but I can't fill the frame with that lens. I can sometimes keep up with those smaller, faster birds, even with the 2x teleconverter, but I still want more reach.
Exploring with the 300 mm, fast prime lens
I like the idea of expanding my photography as I look for subjects I can capture at 300mm at f/2.8 (people and pet portraits outside, musical acts on stage). Although I have tended to use zoom lenses (FE PZ 16-35 MM F4 G, FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS, FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II), I got the FE 50mm F1.2 GM and have enjoyed having to work with the fixed focal length and how that leads me in different directions. I wonder if I would find the same thing with the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS.
Depth of Field and Bokeh
I'm unsure if the shallow depth of field and bokeh will make a big difference for me. But I may find that these attributes present new opportunities like the FE 50mm F1.2 GM.

Here's what I think will happen.

I'll use the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS without the teleconverter on dreary days. I have used the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (sometimes with the 2X teleconverter) for those days.

I'll use the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS with the 2X teleconverter when there's better light.

Expectations of the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS with 2X teleconverter

The focus accuracy and speed with the 2X teleconverter will match or better the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
The image quality will be at least as good as the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
- I'm happy with the image quality using the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II and 2X teleconverter and can tolerate the slightly slower focus speed. I imagine the results will be similar with the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS but at least as good or better than the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
It will be easier to track small birds in flight with the FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS with 2X teleconverter (1675 grams) vs FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (2115 grams). The difference is 340 grams (12 oz) and 5.1 cm in length. That should make a difference, right?

Questions

Have you tried both? What are your experiences? Will you keep the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS?

Are my expectations realistic?

Thanks for reading and thinking about this with me.

January 12

A few shots from an overcast morning, December 29, 2023

ILCE-1 600 mm f/6.3 1/4000 sec

ILCE-1 600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec

ILCE-1 241 mm f/5.6 1/500 sec

January 11

Congratulations @Katrina Thompson!

December 26, 2023

On 12/6/2023 at 9:07 AM, CarolineJensen said:

Is it ISO, aperture, shutter speed, or perhaps light? What part of photography with Sony challenges you the most?

I'm fortunate to have come to photography when modern cameras can handle the ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and even focusing. I started with the A7 IV last summer and got the A1 in February when I realized how much I enjoyed this new pursuit.

With all the technical details handled by the camera, I'm left with finding something to photograph, composition, and, of course, understanding and using light.

I walk outdoors every day, and even in the worst weather, there's usually something to photograph if I keep an open mind. I typically carry two bodies, the A7 IV with the FE 50mm F1.2 GM and the A1 with the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS. If it's dark and ugly, I'll take the A1 with the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II, and I carry the 2.0X teleconverter in case the light improves.

The biggest challenge right now:
Every week, I photograph amateur musicians in a community hall. There is no stage lighting, and the musicians are constantly in motion. There can be up to fifteen acts (solos and ensembles, up to five or six) in an evening. There are no dimmers, so the organizers turn off the main room lights and rely on some track lighting at the rear of the room and some outdoor security lights coming through the windows to illuminate the space.

I recently picked up some small LED lights that the organizers will barely tolerate. They want to maintain the 'ambience'. There are also many obstructions like microphones, microphone stands, and music stands. This makes for all kinds of hotspots and ugly shadows.

In this setting, I use the FE 50mm F1.2 GM and FE PZ 16-35 MM F4 G on the A1. I use Capture One to help with separating the people from the frenetic background.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is, I'm not comfortable photographing people.

I'd be grateful for any comments or suggestions.

December 26, 2023

On 12/20/2023 at 8:42 AM, CarolineJensen said:

Wide angle lenses are usually purchased for the big picture....landscapes, astro and the like. I love the close focusing distance! There is something about a wide angle that gives a 'bigger than life' appearance and makes details pop. I'm a struggling botanical photographer in winter in Minnesota. 🙂 I have a few pansies in my greenhouse that are still alive and I'm enjoying the pink blush this time of year. I'm excited to use the 24 more!

These were shot at f9 and I used an LED mat to light it on my left.

Thanks for sharing these images and for the idea. I checked the minimum focus distance of the
- FE 24mm F1.4 GM is 0.24 m (your lens)
- FE PZ 16-35 MM F4 G is 0.24 m - 0.28 m
- FE 50mm F1.2 GM is 0.4 m
Every year my family has an amaryllis competition. This year, my unlucky choice of bulb has not changed in four weeks. These were all shot at the minimum focus distance according to the focus indicator in the viewfinder, at f/7.1, handheld, illuminated with a couple of small, LED desk lamps.

16 mm (225% crop)

35 mm (120% crop)

50 mm (160% crop)

Thanks, @CarolineJensen,
This was fun.

December 25, 2023

I picked up a Surface Laptop Studio 2 (64GB/2TB), a SanDisk 4TB Extreme Pro portable SSD and a 128GB SDXC UHS-II Card.

I'm deeply invested in the Windows ecosystem, and I'll only use computers that support pen and touch.

The new Surface Laptop Studio 2 is slightly faster than my Surface Studio 2+ (32GB/1TB) desktop for editing, and much faster for video processing.

Since both computers and the SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD support Thunderbolt 4, it's super fast and easy to move files around. I use the SSD for my work in process so it's easy to switch from desktop to portable.

I'm all set for bodies and lenses for now. I'll probably wait for the next generation A1 to make any big changes in that kind of gear.

December 16, 2023

@GoodluckCC
When I got into photography last year, I tried the Capture One Express (for Sony) and liked it. I'm more than happy with the new AI masking tool and the other new features they've introduced in the last year. Their support has been prompt and responsive.

I've compared the built-in noise reduction and found it close enough to Topaz and ON1 that there was no need to buy those.

My original plan was to use Capture One for a year and then try Lightroom. When it came time to renew my annual subscription, I read everything I could comparing the two products and decided to stay with Capture One.

As I mentioned, I took a close look at Topaz and ON1 and didn't find anything there that would tempt me to change.

I shoot mainly wildlife, landscapes, and live music.

I'm out with the camera every day (typically 400-1200 photos). I shoot raw, and I always process each day's photos on the same day.

I hope there's something there for you.

December 9, 2023

On 12/8/2023 at 7:00 AM, Katrina Thompson said:

For me, it's eagles and owls in flight. I feel as though I have had many opportunities as of late, but by the time I get close enough and my settings are ready, they fly away before I get a chance to get that perfect shot with their clear, crisp wings in flight.

Hi, Katrina,

I'm still new to all of this, so take it with a grain of salt.
When I'm looking for eagles, I have the camera set for birds in flight (loosely based on the video below), and I use recall custom hold assigned to a button to override those settings for birds at rest.

That way, it's point and shoot when something interesting flies by. This doesn't guarantee good results, but at least the camera is ready even if I'm not.

ILCE-1 Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G) 600.0 mm ƒ/6.3 1/4000 sec ISO 640

December 7, 2023

Not so scary (taken from across a stream) at 9:07 a.m. on a dreary, overcast day.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
600 mm f/6.3 1/200 sec ISO 3200

November 9, 2023

Ah, a new term (to me), the blue hour. I like it.
I'm out wandering around before dawn often. That was why I got the FE 50mm F1.2 GM. I could have gotten the FE 50mm 1.4 GM, but I wanted every bit of light possible.

These are American Widgeons just taking off as I walked by. It was 6:57 a.m. and raining when I took this. Sunrise was to follow at 8:01, but it was obscured by the clouds.

ILCE-1 FE 50mm F1.2 GM
50 mm f/1.2 1/500 sec ISO 1600

I took this at 7:17 a.m. the same morning.

ILCE-1 FE 50mm F1.2 GM
50 mm f/1.2 1/500 sec ISO 640

This was taken a day or two before at 7:38 a.m., about 20 minutes before sunrise.

ILCE-7M4 FE 50mm F1.2 GM
50 mm f/1.2 1/25 sec ISO 400

A few days earlier, at 6:58 a.m. Sunrise, obscured by the clouds, was to follow about an hour later. ILCE-1 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
200 mm f/2.8 1/500 sec ISO 3200

October 23, 2023

3 hours ago, pm-r said:

I know this can be freaky but this is 100% normal. Some of your other lenses "clunk" too but you may not have noticed. This is totally OK and it's supposed to be like that. Worry not!!!! The 501.2GM is really noticeable but my 85GM, 135GM, and 400GM all do the same thing. There is nothing wrong 🙂. pm-r

Thank you @pm-r
After checking closely, I hear it with my FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II. It's not as noticeable.
All the best.

October 19, 2023

3 hours ago, TrekRover said:

Very cool! Maybe Urban Street? Urban Art?

Urban Art - that works.

October 16, 2023

I'm out of town and wandering in places I wouldn't normally go (downtown urban settings). I don't usually include people in my photos, so I guess these wouldn't be called "Street Photography." I'm not used to using a prime lens, but I'm getting to know the FE 50mm F1.2 GM.

This is a piece of sculpture called Wonderland (link goes to an article)

Taken at about 3:00 p.m., these are different views of the same 10-metre-high sculpture in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

From the inside

Is there a name for this kind of photography?

Posted October 15, 2023 · October 15, 2023

Setting Picture Profile to PP11 (for video) changes the ISO settings available in Aperture Priority mode for stills.
This also happens with other Picture Profiles (e.g., PP7). I don't understand why a setting for video is affecting my options for shooting stills.

I understand that choosing PP11 turns on S-Cinetone and Gamma, and I want that for video. Why does this affect the ISO for stills? You can't set the ISO lower than 125 in Aperture Priority mode. You can in Manual and have the full range of ISO values available.

I can shoot in Manual mode, but I'd like to use Aperture Priority mode for an experiment.
I can turn Picture Profile to OFF, but then I have to remember to turn it on again when I shoot a video.

I read through the A1 manual about Picture Profiles and various articles on the web but didn't find a way to have PP11 and use Aperture Priority mode (with the full range of ISO values available) at the same time.

Can you help?
Thanks.

October 15, 2023

I just picked up a new FE 50mm F1.2 GM.

I noticed that when the lens is not mounted on the camera when I turn over (end over end) slowly, I hear and feel a quiet thunk inside. It's like something heavy inside is moving on rails. It's not a rattle.

I think I feel the same thing when the lens is mounted on the camera (A1), but that seems to stop when I turn on the camera.

I have other Sony lenses, but this FE 50mm F1.2 GM is the only one that does this.

Is this normal?

Should take this back to the authorized Sony dealer where I got it?

Thank you.

October 10, 2023

Twenty minutes before sunrise today, it could almost be a river of lava.

Sony ILCE-1 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
70 mm f/2.8 1/40 sec ISO 1600 EXP 0

October 6, 2023

@CarolineJensen,
Wow, that's a tough challenge. When I first read your post, I thought, "Oh, I should try that." But, in the nine days since, I haven't been able to bring myself to change the Image Quality settings in my cameras.

I'm possessed by the notion that each moment comes by, but once. However, photography gives us a chance to freeze a moment, and if we're lucky, we get it right. That's why I dove into shooting raw, and why post-processing takes more time than my daily camera outings. I like the non-destructive edits and being able to recover detail in the shadows. A great deal of the time, I'm shooting just before and shortly after dawn.

Switching to JPEG (only), feels like jumping without a backup parachute.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
600 mm f/6.3 1/2000 sec ISO 800 EXP 0

Maybe tomorrow. In the meantime, thanks for provoking the thought.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 1000 EXP 0

October 5, 2023

Odd insight - at a family gathering, my sister asked me to turn on "the sound" on the camera when taking group shots. She found it odd not to have the audible feedback when I was taking photos.

Background - I don't use a flash, and I had been wandering around with the FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS, taking candid shots with the silent shutter. Everybody was fine with that, but my sister was not alone when it came to hearing the shutter for group shots. Mind you, I got some of the best shots just after I had taken one, thanked folks, everyone relaxed, and I grabbed a few more.

September 27, 2023

On 9/26/2023 at 4:00 PM, CarolineJensen said:

Have you ever dialed in the exposure manually? I find these tricky situations are easier to tackle if you can dial in things exactly for that moment. I like to set my shutter speed to indicate the style (soft or sharp clouds, movement or not) and then choose my aperture..again to determine the look. The ISO then can be chosen to get the image just the right brightness. I have always struggled with any priority mode!

Hi, Caroline,

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.

I shoot full manual often, but at this time of day, and with the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS, I'm usually set up for birds in flight*, but the conditions change quickly. I noticed the sky and sensed this was a fleeting moment. So rather than turn the Settings dial to Manual, and then adjust Aperture and Shutter Speed, I composed the shot, and turned the Exposure Compensation to deal with the light. I use exposure compensation all the time for wildlife, so it's pretty intuitive for me.

Every day I walk around from an hour or two before dawn until an hour after sunrise. This is my favourite time of day to walk. This habit preceded photography for me, so my approach to light and exposure was shaped by that. I usually start with the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (often full manual), and as it gets lighter, I put the FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS on the A1 and add an A7 IV with the FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS for landscapes. This morning, with the threat of thunderstorms, I opted to stick with one camera.

* Birds in flight exposure settings for me are
Aperture Priority
ISO Auto and adjust the upper boundary to suit as it gets brighter
ISO Min Shutter Speed 2000 (edited)

I use the custom recall settings (1, 2, 3) and custom memory recall assigned to buttons to override customer recall settings.

Cheers!

September 26, 2023

7:17 a.m. this morning - It was overcast and dreary, with thunderstorms in the forecast. I wasn't expecting a sunrise. But there was a brief break in the clouds. The clouds rolled in moments later, obscuring the sunrise.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
200 mm f/5.6 1/2000 sec ISO 100 EXP-2

Notes:

In the early mornings, I often have the camera set to Aperture Priority with ASA Auto (100-10,000), with ISO MIN Shutter Speed set to SLOW.

I could have stopped down the aperture for this shot, but it has been easier for me to think in terms of exposure compensation. I set it to EXP -2.

I could have lifted the shadows in post, but I wanted to leave the trees as silhouettes rather than draw the eye away from the sky.

I'm open to suggestions about this photo. Thank you.

September 26, 2023

My first Peregrine Falcon. I caught this one (my first) at 6:24 a.m. - twenty minutes before sunrise.

ILCE1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 250 EXP 0

A few moments later

ILCE1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS
277 mm f/7.1 1/2000 sec ISO 2000 EXP 0

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