I saw a video the other day where they said that as a professional photographer and video maker, they have no intention of "upgrading" until their current camera catches fire. That's pretty accurate. The amount of people who buy a camera on the first day of release and never bother to learn it just amazes me. Just got myself a 7 year old camera and it's great! Does everything I need and more. We should all buy old stuff.
The a7sii also has dual native iso In slog3 its 1600/10000 There is a bug though, you have to bump the iso 1/3 over 10000 and then bring it back down to 10000 and you'll notice the noise clean up drastically
@@SimeonKolev second gain, Sony alpha cameras have always had a second gain Just like how Sony never officially said the A7sIII has a dual native but people keep saying it does A7s has dual native 3200/8000, same bug though where you have to bump it up to 10000 to force it to the second gain and then drop it back down to 8000 to clean it up I tested the A7s, A7sii, a7rii, a6400, a6500 All exhibit the same behavior as the A7sIII which unofficially has "dual native" Every picture profile has a different switching point as the lower base iso is different The way you can see this is by attaching an external monitor, enabling false color, stopping way down to see the deep blacks, and watching the grain closely as you slowly bump up iso You'll notice a turning point where the noise drastically clears up implying a low/high gain Unfortunately this information was never really made widespread so people would shoot low light footage at a higher low gain ISO with tons of noise and then talk trash about the cameras when all they had to do was bump it up to the high gain
I mainly use an A7C and came across a used and scratched A7S for $200. I bought it for my cousin who wanted to get into photography and he ended up not wanting it. It became my secondary camera and I was surprised by how amazing its low light performance is for such an old body. The S2 is apparently better in that regard but for manual focus video purposes it was such a great purchase imo. People definitely sleep on older bodies due to all the marketing that happens around each product release
@@filgiupo4853 yea unfortunately. He ended up grabbing a Nikon with pop up flash and a kit lens. The color science on it is nice but I still feel like he would have enjoyed the a7s more especially with how much more light it gathers over his Nikon
The challenge I’m having is that I think the A7III is optimized for low light astrophotography. But I think for wildlife and shooting, you want more than 24MP.
Still rocking the a7sii here since 2016, I've recorded C0001 to C99999 then D0001 to D99999, currently in the early Es so at over 20,000 video clips. 5 batteries, 4 lenses. Paid for itself many times over. Most important thing is to know how to get the best out of it. Slog2 with a +1.7 ETTR works well.
Hey, quick tip for you as an a7sii user. The 30 Minute recording limit is because of overheating and low performance batteries. What i do, i use an dummy-batterie with and 27000MhA Powerbank and i can literally record until my card is full for hours upon hours. There is no heat whatsoever. The Heat only comes from the batterie
I would recommend against the dummy batteries for two reasons. 1) they can fry your camera because they supply marginally too much voltage. My HDMI doesn't work on one of my bodies and the mic doesn't work on the other because of that thing. 2) if you're in a rush you can make my mistake which was cutting my power supply without realizing I was still recording. at least if the camera battery dies in an a7s it knows to save your file. if you cut power to a dummy battery you will lose your recording. I lost 20min of footage this way.
As a Sony A1 owner… yeah. It’s a little painful. Actually to the point I think I may be switching full time to that sweet sweet FUJI JUICE. Grabbed an XH2S and it’s disgusting how nice that camera is.
Great video dude! The A7siii hype was well justified, BUT a few years in, I’m a disgruntled Sony user ( one of MANY) what are they thinking with just forgetting about us loyal Sony users, with a lack of updates and support is just disgusting!
I've had the a7sii for years now and have used it for both videography and stills... It's a beast!! The only thing I can say is that the battery life sucks balls but other than that - it's still killing it to this day. Epic purchase
Honestly, if it wasn't for the awful battery life (honourable mention would have to be the LCD) , I would probably still been using it as one of my main cams. It still makes an appearance as a B-cam and I'm still always impressed with the quality of the footage.
@@don_at_large Exactly. I use a battery grip plus an external battery because unlike USB-C power delivery, the micro USB cannot keep the battery fully charged... it will eventually be drained. So having 2 internal batteries is actually much better if you plan on having the camera running for extended periods.
There is a trick to get more quality in SLOG with those old Sony cameras - start the video out of SLOG and go in SLOG while shooting ;). There is a bug which makes the internal recording flatter than it should be. I saw this on Gerald Undone's channel. Is that on purpose or a bug... this is for the conspiracy guys to solve. The bug affects only the internal recording, it is much better when you record via HDMI.
I dont recommend doing this Gerald undone is actually mistaken on this The internal isnt flatter than it should be, the external is more contrasty than it should be But this happens on any camera recording externally Ive tested it on various cameras, a7s, a7sii, c200, BGH-1 The issue isnt the internal, its the external I plan on reaching out to Gerald undone to do a follow up so he can warn people with his bigger platform
@@Supercon57 аctually if you compare FS5 and A7s(mark 1) you will see the SLOG2 as it is supposed to look and the washed out version in the A7s internal recording. The problem started there with the first ILCE camera that was SLOG capable. Gerald was right ;). Same with the latest models. If you do the trick SLOG3 is much more gradable in 8 bit than if you shoot it as it is internally. I have to check if the 7M4 is the same, the last cameras I saw doing this was the 7RM3 and 7M3. Compare the SLOG out of the Cinema cameras to the one in the ILCE cameras. Personally me - I think Sony wants us to buy video cameras and they never wanted to make hybrids but the market forced them so they tried to cripple them in many ways.
@@SimeonKolev very interesting conspiracy but I have to disagree here First, the A7si slog2 wasn't "washed out" compared to the FS7 Slog2 Second, if this were the case, then why did Atomos release a firmware update adding the legalize feature to the Ninja V? The feature that Gerald himself boasted about asking for A feature that addresses a widespread issue of external recorders having footage with increased contrast and boosted saturation "breaking log" The issue wasnt Sony crippling 8 bit cameras by making slog too "washed out", that's log The issue was external recorders not taking into account external log recordings needing to be interpreted as a full data signal and not limited
@@Supercon57 the more contrast in external LOG was the same not only on the Ninja but also on any HDMI display. It was coming from the camera like this. I have to find the old video I saw on youtube comparing the FS5 internal SLOG2 with A7s internal and external one. Plus my experience with the 7M3, 7RM2, 7RM3 is that when I shoot both flatter and less flat SLOG2 internally the more contrast version grades way better with the standard LUT from Sony. Now I see that the SLOG3 from the 7M4 comes with more contrast than the one from the 7M3 shot in the normal way. More flatness is not always better. I have to find some time to play with this issue more and make a simple test to show the difference.
@@ZachMayfield It's nearly identical other than the lack of native 4k. I had both. Though, aesthetically, the original a7s is a much better looking camera. It's got a gloss finish and looks a bit more old school than the more ergonomic but ultimately uglier successors. But yeah more or less the same camera.
I bought the a7s2 in 2016 and I've been rotten because I don't know the camera theory until now, but these days I've been taking it out again with the theory study and using it with the 28-70 bundle lens. As you mentioned, I've been looking at several machines recently with the idea of buying new equipment with the leaps and bounds of camera technology. Then I saw your channel and I was able to save a huge amount of money. When you come to Korea, I would like to treat you to a meal. Seriously!
For PHOTOS of course you should and can buy the A7III! 🙂 It saves you 1400-1200€ from buying the A7IV so you can get one or two great lenses with this money without loosing a lot in features and tech from the IV in aspects of photography. Even more since we have lossless "Super Resolution" in Lightroom - so the 24MP is no problem at all anymore 🙂 IF you are a videoguy: go for the A7IV for the 60fps and other new videofeatures 👍
Bought an A7S II last month for £499, ended up returning it. The colours were just too muddy, too much colour noise and matching it up to my SIII was annoying, it was adding at least 20 mins to each project to try and grade to match my SIII. 20 mins per day adds up fast. Also the AF... you don't realise how bad it actually is until you go back to it. It's not usable. I would only be using the SII as a b-cam and I quite often use AF on my b-cams. I came from A6500's. If you rely on it for a paid shoot, it will fail you and for me the cost of reliable AF is worth it to upgrade to a newer camera. The SIII just wasn't worth it even at £499 and I'm going to be picking up another 10-bit soon.
Great video pal. I think the reason why people are getting latest Sony cameras is mainly autofocus. Especially beginner Creators that shoot auto. I think everything else about older camera is fine but I remember my own struggles with erratic AF ruining my videos.
If I had $2200 just for a brand new camera, I'd probably go for the Panasonic S5 II X (or maybe even save $200 with the less expensive S5 II but at the same time forgo the 4K all-intra, the 5.7K ProRes, and the raw over HDMI). If we're talking about older cameras though, the original S5 is going for about half the price (and I'm honestly upset about the depreciation, considering I bought one back in June 2021, but there's an opportunity for a great camera as long as you can survive with the 30-minute limit in 10-bit 4K modes and without fast and responsive AF)
Ok so let me give ya'll a little insight from my perspective. A little bit about me: I am 24 Years old and started with my sony a6300 in 2018. I loved the a6300 because it has alot of benefits, fast AF for example! It also has a similar colorrange like the a7sii. I got my A7sii back in 2021 for just 1000$, with a gimbal, a batterygrip and alot of other stuff I reselled so I got the camera for about 700$ in the end. So I am using these Cameras together to get my ultimate low budget Video/Photography setup. I have several lensen on them because lenses are a little more important to me then having a massive big Camera. I have used both Cameras for shooting Musicvideos, Weddings, Carporns, Portraits. I can really recomment using these cameras especially for the prices. So If you maybe have any further questions i would love to help any of you out! Thanks for the Video, it just showed me what I have and it counters my craving buying a much more expensive Camera. To my Luck the place I will be working will also hand me a Sony a7III which is also pretty neat. What I am looking for in the future is to invest in Lighting equipment and maybe a Camera that can shoot 4K in 120FPS or at least 60FPS, and also 10bit is a huge deal if you want to get more professional. But for beginners either the A7sii or the a6300 are my personal recommendations because you wont find better Cameras to get into Foto/Videography. You, zach just earned yourself a sub, really dig your Videostyle! Beste regards, Jonas
a7s3 got an update recently and its broken. also they now removed percentage for previously approved 3rd party batteries like smallrig. they obviously care about security of my money in their pocket. disgusting
Great video, I just bought one second hand (with Ronin SC) for 550€. What a great camera. I don't know why people would complain about recording limits: with MP4 recording it is always wise to stop recording from time to time to prevent damaged files. I advice this to my students in the first camera lesson.
The camera wars are getting stupid to be honest. It sucks when tons of content creators out there make you feel stupid for purchasing “last years model” or something equally as silly. I used a freaking canon t2i for video up until like 2016 lol. Then I used a Sony rx100 for like 2 months, the first one. Then bought a canon 80d in 2018, and now late last year I got an A7IV. Of course the A7IV makes it easy to get beautiful cinematic footage and all but I was fine using my old cameras too. There’s really no sense in upgrading every year or two years. It turns into a huge money pit. I fell into that during the pandemic when I watched more RU-vid than I care to admit. So many creators only make videos about their perception of what’s bad in a camera, and only spend maybe a minute on the good. Then they end their videos with, “do I think you should get this camera, or wait until the new model comes out with new specs? I think you should wait.” Then a year or two later the “new” model comes out and they say the same thing all over again. So I guess I need to just sit around for eternity “waiting on the next model.” Just buy what you can afford and what suits your needs. Go out and shoot. That’s what’s important. Content far outweighs camera specs. I’d rather watch a channel with amazing content that’s filmed on a phone or GoPro than a channel with boring content thats filmed on a red cinema camera.
You can't advise people what camera to get or not to get... If I want an APSC camera from Sony, I have to exactly buy the one from this year, because it has 10 bit color and other features that greatly improve my footage. See the point? You literally can only advise people if you know what they want and you don't know that. Maybe I could buy last year's full frame camera, but I don't like the extra bulk and weight. And full frame is not objectively better. Its better in some cases and not in others.
I love what this guy is saying about great contents come from the creators’s creative ❤️. I remember how I used a Canon 80D in most of the Music Video productions that we did and produced great results that made an impact to the lives of many people back in the heights of pandemic period. Good gears are great. But it’s not the only thing in content creation. ❤
I’ve been shooting with 2 ZV-e10 bodies since it came out. No complaints other than the crop sensor requiring more lighting. I prefer to shoot as ambient as possible but I’ve restored to using some COB lights.
Mine just died recently :"( It started by some buttons malfunction and now it doesnt even turn on. But after 6 years of heavy usage and professional work, it had a great life! I was always hearing bad comments about the colours, but I quickly realized it was all bs because even in the professional world there are still people that don't know how to shot and edit log footage, which btw is incredibly flexible for being just 8 bit! But for me the 4k 30p limit was a huge bummer even in 2017. You sometimes want/need that slowmotion, and the 1080p is not only lower resolution, somehow also the colors are duller in 1080p with that camera.
Forget the A7SII get a used Lumix S5 for around the same price! It's just flat out a better camera (and much easier to use) in every way! Good video and good message just wanted to put this out into the world!
Remeber in Hollywood they made a horror movie using only sony a7s2 ... it was incredible movie.. never would notice the footage.. unless someone told me.
I think 8 bit is a bit of a deal breaker for me. It works until it doesn't. For example the client wants that daffodil to be the exact same yellow as their logo. Or that beautiful sunset you shot has banding through it.
I went upstairs for a minute and off the cuff, counted 15 Sony cameras withing the past 7 years.If someone does not know this, then they are under a rock. Since the A series, they have been beating the industry up with constant experiments in the form of camera bodies. Rolling shutter is basically someone who has no idea how to hold a camera and move, so they blame the camera. Actually camera movement can be a great effect, yet the deal is, hold it still and steady, like BEFORE IBIS...
Why do most Sony footage I see look as though they're shot from a car through a tinted window (I don't like it but many pros do. I'm not a pro, I guess)? Is it the color science, the grading or the ND filter?
You only get this kind of advice from people who aren't affiliates or ambassadors. It's invaluable. As a deliberate, composed stills shooter i.e landscape, product, street etc I just see no benefit to any latest Sony (any brand) cameras. I had an A7R III back in 2018, sold it in 2019, been through a few different systems and in Dec 2023 have come full circle and just bought a brand new A7R IIIA. It's perfect for my needs and still relevant specs-wise. Content creators with affiliate links always fail to mention that sensor tech for stills plateaued in 2018. There is literally no improvements in image quality between a flagship camera from 2018 (Sony A7R III, Nikon D850, Fuji X-T3 etc) and a 2023 flagship (Canon R5, Nikon Z9, Sony A1, Fuji X-H2 etc). In fact the older cameras still rank higher with DxO Mark, which is almost embarrassing. You're paying for software advancements which might be irrelevant to you. A Sony A1, at 4X the price of the A7R IIIA I bought, gives me literally zero improvements in stills image quality... And yet people get blinded by specs and those pushing new gear, and believe that newer = better. Unless you shoot professional video, hardcore sports and wildlife... Save yourself a TON of money, get an older body which meets your needs (and talent level), and spend your money on good glass which will long outlive your camera body anyway. Appreciate the channel Zach!
Thank you so much making this video!!!😭😭😭 I am the one who is still using a7sII in 2023 for my work! Lots of friends asked me why do I still choose a outdated camera to work, the focusing and the battery… yer it did bother me a bit but who cares? I can still make great videos using this old camera, the ability in low light can still beat most of the cameras in 2023!!
Sony is the exact opposite of Canon. They shove every single feature into every new camera, but waiting forever to update the older (better) models. Canon is famous for the cripple-hammer, leaving out features that could (should) be included.
Stop buying new cameras… learn how to use to their full potential what u have now! Learn how to tell a history, composition etc that’s it’s the important !
Sony are in the business of making and selling cameras. You cant blame them for not supporting the old stuff. They need you to buy new stuff otherwise they dont make a profit, and then they go bust.
I love that you’re using a 2015 camera and showing that it’s not the gear it’s just getting out there and being creative and selling it to clients. I’m still rocking a canon 5D Mark four and getting paid. I’m not concerned about lack of features or dynamic range. I’m getting paid and it’s paid off. My clients could give two shits about what gear I’m using. If for some reason you’re trying to break into our industry, buy some old ass used to gear because it’s not the gear, it’s what you do with it. 🙌🏼
The big strike against the a7S II for me is the lack of phase-detect autofocus. I just don't enjoy using cameras that can't autofocus reliably. 10-bit video is nice but not a requirement. And I know manual focus is the "right" way to do it in video, but it's just so much nicer not having to worry about it. I recently sold my Lumix G85 purely because it couldn't autofocus worth a damn.
Well... but you also get a used a7s III in perfect condition for 1500 (as a 28-70mm lens kit). Maybe that's double the amount of a used a7s II, but also much more value.
I shot a feature length action documentary with a few of these. I needed something I could afford to buy multiple of in case I broke one or two. Luckily this was in 2022 when people these were all over FB marketplace for $900-$1000, so when I inevitably broke one (ironically a dummy battery fried it, not even damage) I was able to buy one the same day in a walmart parking lot for $1k, in the middle of nowhere, North Carolina, while riding in someone else's car. I still have them and use them as my main cameras. As much as I'd love an Fx3 and could go buy one rn I just don't shoot enough to justify it.
I have used Sony, Panasonic, Nikon, Black Magic, and Canon over my career and was loving the a7iii and a6400, but since the Canon R5, R6 and C70 have come out I’ve been going with Canon. Sony has really lost their steam and also haven’t been able to overcome their overheating issues on the cameras that do have them like Canon has. Womp womp. Guess they’re focusing on PlayStations again.
I genuinely don't get who the ZV-E1 is for. Its too expensive for people who's getting into vlogging/semi-pro vloggers, and it doesn't make sense for cine use. Sony really is reaching lately
Preordered my A7sii in 2015 and still have it and use it alongside my a7siii. Agreed that it is a super underrated 4k 24 fps camera. Will run mine until it dies
To answer your vlogging question there is a thriving culture of young women who vlog themselves. Vlogs today focus a lot more on the mundane of life and why it’s beautiful rather than making it seem more exciting if that makes sense. I often see people asking this question and I get confused because vlogging is still thriving, it just changed. Great video with great points tho!😊
If you're confused about Sony's implementation then you don't know Sony. This has been happening for decades. They're a consumer electronics company, not a camera/optical company. Sony's firmware update means...buy our new camera. This will not change and is the Sony Way.
And on top of Nikon and Canon. Where is focus breathing on either which basically breathes new life and features not found on Canon and Nikon. Again where is it? Both those manufacturers are outdated because Sony adds features not found. Like the ability to change aperture when other people walk into a scene. Something that would be a pain to do while shooting on gimbal. Ability to change framing as subject moves off center. Where is that in Canon and Nikon.
@@ZachMayfield Sony has everything planned out already. Trade In old and buy new. That’s what I do. Accept the lost and appreciate the latest features. Grow up. That’s the way world works
I would counter this with the A7Rii, which has been hacked to remove the 30m recording limit, better low light capability, a 42MP sensor, and is about the same price on the used market.
I still love my A7R ii I do not have to many reasons why i should switch to a new one. And im a Photographer who earns all her money from Photoshootings.
Hi Zac, thanks very much for sharing this. I sold my Sony A7s2 years ago, but didn't get around yet to replacing it with an A7s3. As it's been 3 years since the A7s3, Sony should soon soon be releasing the A7s4. Hopefully that will bring down the A7s3 price.
I think the firmware update issue is not only on Sony's side. All other major companies like canon and nikon does it and even makes you pay for it. I believe these features will soon be added to older high tier sony cameras. Sony is just strategically selling these new cameras with the help of the firmware features. The people who use those high tier old cameras are professionals anyways; some dont even need these new features and some can find a workaround. Buying the ZVE1 instead of the a7S3 is a good deal for those people who wants to use it professionally but still starting. A better alternative for video focus than the a7r5 and a74.
those firmware paid upgrades should be illegal..... before sony i owned gh5 and i had to pay for and install V-log on it. this cancer has recently come to car industry too, there are now cars with pre-installed seat heaters but they dont work unless u pay subscription. just ridiculous. theres thing with DJI drones too, ppl made third party app that has active truck for i think mini 2 because drone by itself didnt have it. all this things are capable but companies make it firmware/software wise weak to force us to buy new tech. scummy practices many business use to milk us dry.
Bought the SII in 2015. It’s a complete toy. 8bit, slog falls apart so fast, looks like plastic, has Sony’s old color science, and it’s body will break on you. Hated it.
I'm interested in purchasing a camera that can excel in both still photography and video recording. I'm considering the Sony a7II, and its price, when converted from INR, amounts to $900. What would you recommend for my needs?
Your not missing out much the dci 4k on fx3 is literally just a crop from the top and bottom. Because the 16:9 already captures the full width of the sensor. What would make a difference is open gate
Recently got a bmpcc6k with the sigma 18-35. I had already been using the Sony a6000 with the kit-lens and some vintage lenses for both video and photography. I decided to try the sigma 18-35 on the Sony and honestly except for the fact that it only shoots 1080p the image quality I was getting was incredible. I still find myself levitating towards the Sony more for video even now that I have a blackmagic.
"Sony has been releasing cameras faster than my uncle was released from prison when they found out it wasn't his fault." Sony's only released 5 photo cameras in the past 3 years. 🤨 7 if you count the "A" versions of existing cameras, with the only change from the originals being a different LCD due to parts shortages.
it's an amazing camera until the shutter fails on you and won't switch on! it's a common problem apparently so beware as sony doesn't give a crap about their camera consumers since you know they don't only produce cameras ...
Amazing dynamic range,almost at 98% like Pentax K1 the king,but 1 major drawback for me is that this camera like Nikon and Sony and Fuji does not have anti-dust mechanism,my Canon EOS R has one of this,and in 3 years i have never cleaned the sensor,this is amazing feature.
So that’s basically an A7III with atrocious af and half the battery life. I would 100% recommend a used A7III instead even tho the low light performance is lower
The fx3 still isn't shooting in DCI. It's still using the same width and height of the UHD and just essentially putting bars on top of your original UHD. Essentially its a placebo
Not that it matters but I shoot Canon. I never understood the reason for all the Sony models. And when I had a Sony, I never understood the menu system. So, I guess I’m just too dumb for Sony.
I have a sony a7 and last year i bought a sony a7siii. I found it at a best buy as an open box deal, nearly $1000 off. I was intending to buy the fx3, but when i saw that deal, i figured id jump on it. Ive been very happy with it. So when i heard that youtubers were throwing their a7siii in the lake to buy the zv whatever i was very confused. Why doesnt sony just bring those software features to the a7siii during a firmware update?
Genuine question: if the A7Siii is getting phased out would that mean that the previous A7Sii is in an even worse position for longevity? Im super new to this so forgive me if ive misunderstood
I know this is tricky, so I make this commitment to myself. When Sony upgrade the FX3, that will be my camera, no matter what's out there in the market. Because there's just too many camera. I'll be honest, for my work and what I shoot, the S5IIX has everything I need, but I somehow convince myself that I need that faster rolling shutter, which I don't. I convince myself that I need more dynamic range, which well, would be nice but a necessity? Nahs. So instead of keep comparing everything, I told myself, whatever the next FX3 is, I would buy it. I really want Internal ND and 2-layer transistor stacked sensor though. But you can't have everything. So stop yourself from having analysis paralysis. Commit yourself to something.
