On the day the Sony a9 was announced, I said it was a sports camera without sports lenses. Still, part of me secretly hoped that with the right adapter, I could shed my Canon bodies and just take my lenses over to the Sony ecosystem. This video shows what the current state of affairs is.
There's no arguing that the Sony a9 is an amazing camera. However, it's clearly made to compete directly with the Canon 1D X Mark II and Nikon D5, both of which are supported by a rich catalog of the sort of extreme lenses pros who typically use these bodies have a need for, namely wide-aperture supertelephotos. Unfortunately, Sony is lacking in that exact department, but many of us (myself strongly included), have been eagerly waiting to see how the camera performed when adapted to the Canon and Nikon supertelephotos. The video above from Dan Watson is a very practical look at how autofocus and shooting speeds perform when adapted. The answer seems to be that progress is definitely being made, but for sports and wildlife shooters, it's probably not quite there yet, though that's a personal call. In fact, Sony just released a firmware update for the LA-EA3 adapter, which does increase continuous tracking burst speed to 10 fps. Nonetheless, it's clear that native lenses perform best on the a9, and whether adapted lenses are good enough depends on your specific needs.
[via Canon Rumors]
Nikon D5/Canon 1DX II are bread winners. Proven & reliable, they get in, focus, and take a shot long before the a9 has even initialized. Sony is a former TV manufacturer trying to displace established and trusted photography names since the 50s. Nothing wrong with that. Competition always yields better product for the end user. I just wouldn't put the a9 in the same league as the aforementioned. It's a toy with a point-and-shoot battery, and a body to match. I don't see any sports pros replacing their $100k+ camera+lens systems they've come to rely on for decades with an unproven contender, flaunting features few care for, a non existent pro support network, and a very-VERY limited lens lineup - all because the body itself is a few grams lighter. Have you seen these sports rigs? Weight is not the name of their game.
Sony has spent a good penny on this camera's marketing, early reviews, and paid pro-endorsements. But money can only take your reputation so far. Most of it takes time, trust, and integrity.
I just upgraded my Nikon D4 to the D5, and the focus (and focus tracking) are honestly, beyond belief. I can shoot with my 105mm f/1.4, wide open, from 30 feet away, and the subject is razor-sharp, every time, even while moving.
The general "gearhead" focus is on features and specs. And for this reason, the a9 is winning the hearts and minds of photo-geeks and bloggers everywhere. 20fps this, ISO that, etc. However, the industry doesn't revolve around such a limited number of parameters.
Sony will remain the perfect family vacation camera system to me anyway. For anything else, I believe there a much better tools for the job.
Agreed except for the family vacation part. :-) I like Sony for its ability to identify people I don't want to talk to. I'm sure they're nice people but I don't give a rat's ass about their gear or want to talk about mine.
Well said
'The general "gearhead" focus is on features and specs. And for this reason, the a9 is winning the hearts and minds of photo-geeks and bloggers everywhere. 20fps this, ISO that, etc.'
^^ No way man, it's that silent shooting, eye detection, no viewfinder blackout, tilting screen, awesome video. We see high-tech gadgets all day and couldn't care less. We sold the D5 within a few weeks and never thought about it again. You can try to dismiss the a9 by making it about numbers and features, but for me it's about how the a9 feels and works. It gets what you want in focus and does its job instantly, all the time.
We still have DSLRs for when we need the big glass, but using them feels like going back in time, like I'm shooting film again.
It remains to be seen how the build will hold up over time. Canon and Nikon flagship cameras are the result of decades of evolution and experience. The overheating issue on the A9 is completely unacceptable on a flagship model as well, ESPECIALLY when they've released several models earlier that exhibited the same issues, over the course of several YEARS. They are either not learning from their mistakes, or not caring about it because they know gear geeks will put up with it just to be the first kid on the block with a new toy.
Professionals need gear that works day in and out exactly as you expect it to and rely on it for, and can take a beating and keep going.
I've always heard, "follow the money." You make a living "selling" videos to geeks. That makes it difficult to take your word for anything.
I think it mainly is about personal prefference in a lot of cases. People like different things. But sure I also belive the D5 and 1dx are more tough and so. But I would not dissmiss the a9 as a toy or family camera. Its an amazing camera that I think suits a few people well. But it does lack some really long glass. However there is not everyone that needs that and the new 2.8 zooms does cover the range for a lot of people.
"Sony will remain the perfect family vacation camera system to me anyway. For anything else, I believe there a much better tools for the job."
That is a pretty broad statement. But I figure you have used the A9 and A7R2 and they did not work for you.
I went from Canon to Sony last year. So far no problems and I am much happier with the Sony files, and Zeiss Glass over the Canon. But I do not shoot sports, so at this point I would think for people who shoot sports, the Canon and Nikon would be the best pick if only for the legacy glass.
While we can fully and totally blame Sony for not releasing proper pro long telephoto lenses with the a9 (idiotic move) should we blame them for how their cameras perform with smart adapters and non native lensew ? It seems silly...
Also this very issu has been the bane of ALL of the smart adapter: Metabones, Commlite, etc. With the A7 different camera models.
In Brian Smith's blog I read a press release from Sigma stating they are working the bugs out, it was published in May
If the A9 gets flack for this then, geez, the rest of mirrorless cameras must be put under nuclear attack?
I'm a D5 shooter and have no complaints. However, I've watched this video from a very successful NYC Wedding photographer and 17 year Nikon guy (not paid by Sony) who dumped his D5s for an A9. Granted, he doesn't need a 300 f2.8 for weddings (and the lack of long sports glass is a legitimate complaint against the A9.... for now), but he spent a lot of his own money to make the switch.
Note: he says he kept his D810 and he found enough faults with the A7 bodies NOT to standardize on them.
It's an overly long discussion but it goes into a fair amount of detail of how a an A9 works in a professional situation. If Nikon people want to doubt Nikon pros moving to Sony, it's worth a listen if only to get a sense for how far mirrorless has come and where Nikon (and Canon) need to go.
https://www.facebook.com/TheBrenizers/videos/10155419039873522/
I would personally welcome a mirrorless pro Nikon body that I could use along side my flopping mirror bodies, with Nikon weather sealing and D5-like AF. Maybe in 2018?