I used to be a Nikon D850 diehard, but then I sold all my gear and switched to Sony. On your recommendations. I bought all their lenses. I opened up a credit card so I could afford it all. Then I saw you switched to Canon, so I sold all my Sony gear and went with Canon good thing I had more credit cards to buy all that gear. I used that and liked it but then I saw you got the Nikon Z9. I got nostalgic about Nikon again and switched back to Nikon. My wife and kids left me at this point but I didn’t care because now I have more money to fund my camera gear needs. I realized that I got 99% good shots on the Z9 but missing that 1% upset me so I switched back to Sony. Thanks to you guys I not only have 6 square space websites I also now know exactly which camera system is best for me. Thanks again.
I plan on keeping my D850. I am just not ready to jump on the mirrorless band wagon. If I done video I may choose a mirrorless camera, but DSLRs are great for stills
I feel you. I have two Canon 6D bodies and a 1DXii. Might get a R7 some day but that low battery life.... arghhh. The camera world always takes 2 steps forward and 1 step back.
I loved my D850’s….incredible images….but I can get same quality images with better focusing options in the Z9. Oh, and the 20FPS is SICK…I’ve gotten images I NEVER would have gotten with the D850.
Go to squarespace.com/Chelsea & save 10% off your first website or domain with code “Chelsea" *IMPORTANT* we aren't doing a giveaway, we aren't on telegram, and we will NEVER ask you for money. Please don't get scammed.
Alright. I was prepared to be mad about this switch, because I'm a die hard Canon girl, but I do understand your reasons, and I think clearly you made the best choice for your specific needs. But as a non-professional, "enthusiast" level photographer, I just bought an R6 and am over the moon, so to each her own! :)
I am a professional photographer (with actual WORK as a photographer instead of sitting in front of a camera making YT videos pretending to be a photographer) and I can tell you the R5 and R6 are phenomenal cameras to do professional photography with. Just like many Sony models, Fuji models, hell even Pentax. It's not the gear. It's the person holding it. And these two are just holding it, selling it, buying something new again and nobody ever sees any actual work that they do, except some holiday snaps of birds and their daughter playing some sports. Mom&Pop photography. Don't take them too serious.
I'm like you die hard Canon, used Canon from film days then changed to 350D, 600D, then 6D then 70D. They just work, no need to change them, yes I would like to try the new R5 or R6, but the older cameras still get me the shots I want. The 6D main camera and the 70D for the wildlife extra reach.
For those of us with shallower pockets, the price/performance ratio is very important. The depreciation of the latest top-of-the-range cameras is crippling.
Nice review guys, thanks! But, as a new owner of an A7R IV with 60 meg images, a vertical battery grip I could shoot amazing landscape and portrait in the Dominican Republic all day and night. Only carried one lenses, the 70-200 f4, as I don't need night or astro. This is the best camera I have ever owned. I love it, although I know it wasn't a favorite of yours.
@@jophoto934 No....its not about being jealous. I used to follow Tony when he posted genuinely good reviews but somehow Chelsea though initially was a good sidekick but over time she diluted the content mak8ng Tony's content frivolous like how Ken Rockwel is. Tony used to know stuff but now I don't like his content anymore. Most of the time I see these too and I see Square Space. Jared Polin used to be irritating until I realised he is good with reviews and presents in a manner that is unique to him. Tony and Chelsea are wrong about the Z9 and the A1. I have seen both these cameras at work and never once have I heard that A1 and Z9 users have af issues.....amongst the users that I shoot with.
Still have my R6 since it was available instores. Almost 2 years love it for every day photography but for wildlife i switched to Sony A7IV and 200-600 zoom mostly for the reach and pixel count. Just bought the Sigma 24-70 Art for some grad and prom photos for the Sony. Nice combo but I still find the Canon much easier to use. I dont use my cameras every day sometimes weeks go by and with the Sony i struggle on settings on the fly where the Canon is easier. But thats just my case. Lets see what lenses Canon brings out in the next 6 months. Would love an R5 but thats also almost 2 years old and prices have not dropped.
Hey I have the same combo on for my a7iv. Try the Rolan Pro Camo Sleeve for the 200-600 ads an extra layer of weather sealing. Also change your AF from Wide to center and Small it will improve the AF more since it always focuses on wires or straight lines over the birds unless you are close to them
For birds and wildlife I'll take the R7 with 30 frames per second electronic shutter, pre-capture feature with raw files, in camera focus stacking and 32.5mp for cropping. All at about 1/3 the cost or less of the flagship cameras. I can add an EF 500mm F4 and still be at about the cost of the A1 or Z9 with all of the best features from them that I need the most and not the extra expense of cf cards and larger files.
Whatever Floats your Boat... If making Fake Photos with "Spay and Pray" 30fps shooting, I wonder why not shoot Video, and just take the Frame you like? Then you shoot RAW, so you can Adjust the Crap out of the Crap you shot... If That makes you "Feel Good Inside", its Great that you are having Fun. I do not like to Lie to people who View my Photos... so I do Nothing to them at all. WYSIWYG ... What you see is what you get, right out of the Camera. If I have to go Back to the Same Place, and shoot the Same Birds 100 times to get what I am looking for. At least it is a "Rare Moment" caught in a Photo, and Not a Photo, that is made to look like a "Rare Moment". ... But that is "ME" ... as I do not Lie to people in my Daily Life, and for sure won't in my Photos. If what you do makes You Happy... that IS all that matters. I have been working with Digital Images, in the way of Scanned Film, 4800 DPI since 1988, so I know what can be done to Any Digital Image, and Know when something is being Faked. Especially with Today's Software, there is No Limit as to what can be done to ANY Digital Image. I prefer "Reality" over "Imaginary Fantasy" ... At some point, people have to decide if they are a "Photographer" or a "Graphic Artist". Either Field is Fine with me, but don't tell me a Work of "Graphic Art" is a "Photograph"... Nobody likes being Lied to.
@@cruzinthru8285 There are definitely a lot of "spray and pray" people out there! I have watched them continually blast away when an animal was clearly walking away from them! But it is equally true that a fast frame rate is absolutely necessary to catch that special, unique action shot. A very good professional photographer I know once told me, "If you saw it happen (in an action sequence) you probably missed it!" The same is true in sports photography. No one, NO ONE, is fast enough to hit the button at the exact, perfect fraction of a second. It's impossible. The only way to get that perfectly timed shot is a fast shutter rate. When the action starts you hold down the button. Even with a fast shutter you will often see images right before and right after what would have been the perfect shot! Without it, forget it! Shooting action is all about that perfect moment. Without fast fps, you aren't going to get it. As for the rest, unless you are a photojournalist, or possibly an ad photographer, real estate, shooting for a science journal etc...something like that, photography has ALWAYS been more than documentation. It is an art. Who are you to tell fellow artists what is or isn't "acceptable "? Ansil Adams, one of the greatest landscape photographers of all time, carefully selected films, used filters, spent hours in the darkroom using every tool at his disposal, to create the piece of art that he was after. So much so that he wouldn't allow others to print his work. It wasn't "done" until he said it was! I am absolutely certain that he would embrace modern technology and use all of its tools. As long as you aren't deceiving anyone, like adding things into your photography that weren't there, without copping to it, it's your art. No one tells a painter that they can't make a sunset more vibrant than it was!! Why do people like you want to make photography so boring? "Once you click the shutter, you are done!" Malarkey! It has never been that way!
@@alansach8437 - In my Own Work as a Pro for over 30 years, a Always did ALL of my own Dark Room Work, because I couldn't Trust a Lab to not Lose or Damage my Film, and end up costing me $50,000.00 for the tab for a Location Fashion Shoot, on the Beaches of Bali... Instead, I was one of he Few Photographers on the Planet who Traveled with a Portable Darkroom, and Provided the Client 11x14" Color Prints, made in my Hotel Room, so they can See "yesterdays shoot" at 9:00 AM with Coffee on the Veranda. THIS way, if Something needed to be Changed, like a Different Model for an Outfit, this isn't something they Discovered Two Weeks After we Returned form Bali. BUT... Unlike Ansel Adams, I Print WYSIWYG... No Burning, Dodging, Filters or other "Trickery" done in the Dark Room. My Work is SO Consistent, that I can Depend on not having to Change Enlarger Color Settings, ans I shot Only Slide Film, printed in Ilford Cibachrome... If you are NOT a Good Enough Photographer to do the Same, then HOW can you call yourself a Pro? The "Spay and Pray" biz, having to do with Sports and Wildlife is For Sure a Big Improvement. Yet Another thing making life So Easy any 15 year old Kid can do it, so I have to wonder why People Marvel over a Shot that caught that "Last Second", when there were 30 shots before it, and another 30 after it... May as well take a Frame from a Video. Yet Somehow, back before people who had a Camera that could shoot 30 FPS, some "Real Photographer" were able to catch those Amazing Last Second Shots, in both Sports and Wildlife... just go to a Library and look at an Old Copy of "National Geographic", and you will see what I mean. I am not even talking about "Sports" or "Wildlife" when it comes to "Spray and Pray"... I am talking about people doing Portraits or even Fashion Photography. Have a look at many of the Northrup videos here and you will see it, as well as many others doing the same.... as well as Stacking in Photoshop to Improve Sharpness etc. I watched a Video with One Famous NYC Photographer, who charges $3000.00 to "Common People" who pay their own eay to NYC, so they can follow this guy around all night, while he is doing a Fashion Shoot under a Bridge... There were like 11 people there, at $3000.00 a head = $33,000.00, for them to listen to this jerk Brag about himself all night. Then the True Amazing Part... He gets back to his "Studio" and tosses half a dozen SD Cards on the desk where Two 16 yo kids are playing Video Games, and says... "Make Me Look Good Boys!" ... In other words, after Ripping Off 11 people from Nebraska or wherever, this guy does "Spay and Pray" with his "High End, High Paid Models", and then some 16 yo Kids spend the next two days in Lightroom, "Making Him Look Good"... Sorry Pal... You will Never Convince Me that "Real Photography" is not Dead... all that is left are Fakers and Frauds... Nothing makes ANY Difference Anymore, because ANYONE can do it. Even if you are a 15 yo kid. So Why Bother, when Anything is Possible, and Anyone can do it? What made REAL Photography "Special", what that Very Few People had the SKILL and actual combination of Education and Experience as the basis to Develop that Skill, and Be an Actual Professional. Now, if Anyone with a Cell Phone and Lightroom, can "Call Themselves a Pro", what is the Sense? Advertising Agencies used to Pay Me insane amounts of Money, because they KNEW that Very Few People could do what I did, and Always Delivered Quality. Now that Anyone and Everyone can do Anything with a Cell Phone, and Deliver Quality... Nobody gets Paid well, and the Office Staff can take most of the photos they need. So tell me again how the Improvement in Tech is a Good Thing, when it pretty much wiped out an entire industry, and also Discredited Anyone who actually DID some Fine Work prior to the Digital Age, because People These Days see a "Nice Photo" and think it has Always been as Easy as it is Today... .
I bought the A1 too. I already had Sony glass so the decision was easy but even if I thought about changing I don't know if I could have found a Z9. They are still not in stock at BH. When I was able to hold one a couple of weeks ago (from a friend that owns a camera store) I realized it would not have worked for me any way, it's just too big. I'm a senior (late 60's) wildlife photographer and the A1 is a perfect size and if I want to add a grip, I can do that. With the Z9 it's forced on you. I get it, but it's not for me.
Sony a1 is number 1. Don't forget the people who use a gimbal for videos. They are already cumbersome enough you don't need a z9 brick on top of that. Plus you'd pay for a larger gimbal then a cage for the screen and mike. Goodluck. But that may not be your case tho.
@@xr3217 "A Z9 brick" They're actually quite small and lightweight for a proper pro camera. One of the things that puts me off mirrorless cameras is the uncomfortably small size, which also results in the controls being fiddly to access, not to mention the lack of exterior controls, once again due to them being too small to accommodate all the controls that a nice DSLR has. The Z9 is the only mirrorless I could possibly be interested in owning and it's sad that I would have to spend a huge amount of money just to have a mirrorless Nikon that is comfortable and ergonomic to use.
Sometimes it's not just the camera body that can sway your buying decision. I do primarily nature/wildlife/birds and Sony's 200-600mm lens is glued to my A1. It's such a great pair and so far I have not seen a similar system from Canon nor Nikon. Canon has the 100-500 but the lens is more expensive, doesn't have the same reach and extends externally when zoomed. Add a teleconverter to it and it doesn't retract all the way. Canon should have built a similar lens to the Sony 200-600 IMO. A downside to the A1 is that animal eye detect does not work in video mode and enabling tracking in video mode requires you to touch the back display. Other than those two things, I have no other complaints with the A1. I've had mine for over a year now.
You made a good choice ! I made The switch a month ago from Canon to Sony because I’m doing more wildlife Photos. I live in western North Carolina so I have full access of the great Smoky Mountains national Park. It’s been over 30 years when I pickup my first camera a Pentax k1000 how times change.
Youngster... lol When I was Teaching Photography at a nearby Community College in early 1980's, I pointed my Students toward the Pentax K1000. At the Time, it was the most Bang for the Buck "Manual" 35mm Film Camera out there. I also Filed the Negative Holders for our Enlargers, so that All of the Photos Printed in the Lab, Showed the Sprocket Holes in the Film... So that Everything was Printed Full Frame, and Not a Cropped Image. Crop in the Camera, and NOT in the Darkroom I would tell them... I'm sure they still remember that today. After lots of "Trial and Error"... I also Settled on Sony for Mirrorless Digital. ... Can't Afford an A-1 yet, maybe soon a Used one. :>)
Great Video!! You obviously invested significant time. The test results encouraged me that my R5 is holding up well from a performance and cost perspective. Thanks again.
If wildlife is your favorite topic the A1 is the best choice. For me as a landscape photographer it's the Nikon Z7II with great dynamic range at ISO 64.
The truth is that there's really not "one camera to rule them all." Even if you have an amazing camera like the Nikon D850 it's going to be too big for travel for some people. And if you use the R6 for travel then it's not going to have enough megapixels for wildlife. There's always going to be a compromise somewhere.
@@capturemedia3092 I had to re-read that 3x... If you're too LAZY to spell entire WORDS, people probably won't take you seriously. Furthermore - there will never be "one" single anything to "rule them all." There's always compromises and nuances, personal preferences, and product differentiation. Your statement applies to you, not everyone. Maybe the "z9" will "rule" for you. Is there ONE car to "rule" them all? One anything in anything?
"not enough megapixels for wildlife".. I wonder how the pros in the 90's/early 2000 shot all those amazing wildlife images!? And how they print all those billboard size images. 😁. There is always a compromise you are right but having used those 8mp or even 6mp cameras back then, i feel like there is too much unnecesary time spent over analysing cameras these days. Not enough mp, not fast enough fps, rolling shutter, articulating screen is better then tilt, bad colours yada yada yada...not a lot of shooters these days but we have hordes of pixel peepers.
@@amateurphotographer1096 you know, I really want someone to take the Pepsi Challenge on this issue. I want to see a 20MP image blown up to 48 x 72 and compare it to the same image from a 5DSR blown up to the same size. I know it's an expensive experiment but somebody needs to put an end to the debate once and for all. Tony did this experiment, sort of. But it wasn't real world. It wasn't being viewed at a distance like we would normally view larger prints. Jared Polin has a 48 x 72 in his house but he never said what camera was used to take the shot. Maybe we can ask him.
I watched this series hoping to get some resolution to my next camera purchase. I sold all my previous gear, all Canon glass and a D60 &80 bodies about a year ago. I've been using my iPhone exclusively but it lacks depth of focus and reach for a lot of shots. That being said, always having my camera in my pocket makes it a lot more likely I at least get a picture just not one I'm always proud of in the end. When I started my photography journey nearly 10 years ago, I was excited about the gear, but so far the changeover to mirrorless from the Canon and Sony just have me feeling meh. Chelsea (and Tony) thanks for putting in the work to create these reviews, I know it is a labor of love sometimes.
@@TonyAndChelsea Have been waiting patiently for months to find a new silver x100v in stock somewhere at MSRP :( May just pull the trigger on a silver X-Pro3 instead.
Yes, the camera with you is the best camera. And yes, I'm one of those guys that takes a camera everywhere. My R5, that is. I have it on the passenger seat when I'm driving. I take it to restaurants. It's the best camera that you can hand to a waiter who has that bewildered look at how to use it. And you just say, "tap the screen just like a smartphone" and the waiter comes away amazed at how easy it was. Any camera that gets you out there shooting is the best camera. I've always wanted to take a good camera to a sports arena, but most places don't let professional cameras in or have very strict restrictions. Well, Dodgers Stadium finally loosened up and said you could bring in a 6" lens. Well, 6 inches usually only gets you up to an 85 mm. But because of how compact the Canon RF 70-200 2.8 is (it's 5.75 inches), you can get it by security! And then once you're in there, you can extend it to 200 mm bliss! Or if 2.8 is too rich for your blood and you're happy with the 70-200 4.0, that's only 4.7 inches long! Heck, Canon has a bunch of short lenses now. Heck, the 100-400 is only 6.5 inches long! If the security guy doesn't measure it, you might be able to bring it into Dodgers Stadium. 400mm at a baseball game!
Doesn't the Z9 only have prefocus when shooting JPEG? I understand the R7 has precapture in full RAW. I agree with the R5 rolling shutter issue so I use mechanical on mine. The R7 has 15 FPS mechanical, faster than all of these. When the R1 comes out, I expect Chelsea to switch all over again.
i agree with you. I pre ordered the r7 which will be my back up camera to the R1 whenever that sucker ever releases if ever haha. But the r7 for its price and its similar specs of the r3 with autofocus will be great for wildlife. More noise being crop senor but to be honest it will clear right up in post and i enjoy editing anyways. I currently use the RP and Going from 5 fps to 15 will be insane. And i agree they will switch when the R1 is released lmao
I guess now you need to remove the big "N" for Nikon from your set. I am a Nikon shooter and hope to stay that way. However, in your shoes, I would make the same choice. I would be surprised if Sony doesn't always stay on the cutting edge. They have the largest budget for R&D. The A1 is outside of my budget and I can't get past the inferior screen and evf resolution used in the A7iv. Also the Sony's just feel inferior in my hand. The big body on the Nikon turned me off as well. I know you feel like you are defending your Nikon opinions, but when you say you didn't want to include the new Nikon 800mm pf because it's unfair to the others, but use the more complete lense selection as a plus for Sony, you are not being totally fair. Nikon is giving sports and wildlife enthusiast a great lense lineup.
How can you say that?! Tony and Chelsea used to be all over the D850 because at the time it actually beat out the competition. The same thing can't be said for the Z9.
I agree with Mr. Smukler, I absolutely love the inter reaction between y’all and the info y’all provide. It helps with just the knowledge I learn!!!!! Confusing me sometimes. But I haven’t ever had an other camera in my hands except a Canon!!!! Oh except for a Polaroid my parents got me for my 14th birthday, 50 years ago. I think an artist can be just that artist using whatever they have in their hands. Your videos really excite me as to the good old days!!!! Thanks!!!!!
@Chelsea - I’m interested in Sony 100-400mm G Lense 4.5-5.6. Do you use this(?) I do wildlife and landscape only + occasional video and I’m not sure what body to match it with. Recommendations(?) I’m not an avid bird photographer, rather, general wildlife while hiking, or driving through national parks. Budget is open / flexible but I’m not a business pro so I’m not looking to spend the major $ for 100-400 2.8. + I value lightweight component. Which is why I figure 100-400 instead of 200-600.. Would love your thoughts!
I am at 5:24 on the video and I already know she is going to pick the Sony. When you talk about the Z9 and not liking the build in vertical grip, and how you don't like it and it's to heavy. That is the exact reason why the Z9 is a Pro camera, it already has all that stuff build into the body. One thing I do not like about mirrorless is the small body, and having to add a vertical grip to the camera after the fact. Then at 11:05 Chelsea talks about shooting wildlife "all the time" that just gave it away, she is going... watch the video. lol Bayou Josh made a video on the eye detection on Sony A1 for birding and how it is better than the Z9 in that feature. I like that Josh shoots with both the A1 and Z9. Shows that you can do both and use what works best for each situation. Chelsea, you made the right choice for you. Thanks for letting us see the process and your reasoning behind your decision.
Memory card cost? As usual, you guys did a great job. I appreciate Tony’s calling out the smaller size of the CFexpress type a card. I don’t think he mentioned, though how much more they cost. If you’re going to switch to an A1, they would be also a significant additional investment in the Memory cards. It looks like it would be well more than double the costs for type B.
I disagree with the mention of the CFExpress A cards because, even though I own two CF-A cards for my a1 and a7SIII, I rarely need them. In fact, the codec is so good for 8K video on the a1 that I just need to use the fastest SD cards there are (I forget the rating), so I really don't even need CF A
you all never mention image quality, whats recoverable in the highlights or blacks, all your reviews boil down to is who has the best eye autofocus... I see the look in your eyes everytime someone mentions theD850 and know that nothing appreciable has changed sine then. you all say the best DSLR as if that was a bad word... show me a photo taken with each camera and lets compare
R5 owner here. Absolutely happy with it. My hands will never touch a Sony. That being said, must be nice to be in a position to switch cameras/lenses/etc. as easy as Chelsea does. At these levels of performance, any of the brands she's contemplating will be more than adequate.
whole heartedly agree.... I must mention that in my YEARS watching these channel I have never seen a professional looking photo from Chelsea, only amateurish ones. So a Sony A1 is completely overkill IMHO. A canon R7 would've been enough for her.
@@bngr_bngr I have the R5 and RF600mm f11. Tack sharp at 1/40th, ISO3200 handheld (obviously a lot lighter) and no noise in low light. Image stabilisation is superb. Perfect for me together with a lot of other EF glass and I have no intention of changing.
What about if you can afford those camera. My budget is about 3,000$. Which camera would you choose for wildlife photography. For still and action shots.
OMG not another ditching this and ditching that, all camera manufacturers leap frog their rivals get off the leap frog train and take photos! Looks to me like its all about the gear and the views and do I have the best hardware! Guess people have lots of money to keep changing and lots of time on your hands to put things up for sale. I am too busy shooting....
A1 for me. Has it all. 2nd hand prices make it a real contender. But all the big 3 companies are producing incredible stuff rite now. Great for consumers
But Sony is producing smaller, lighter, and better lenses now (even though people joke at the fact that the smaller FE mount cannot make f1.2 lenses but Sony has proved that the king of current AF 50 1.2 with 50GM)! Also, lots of people bitching no 3rd parties lenses for Canon RF - it stopped Samyang from making RF lenses legally / Nikon Z).
Do you guys see much of a difference between the Z9 120 fps vs just shooting 4K 120 in terms of images quality, besides the HD aspect ratio crop? I see the 12MP jpg as a niche application and for such does the difference between the two options really make it a feature worth talking about? To me the Pre-capture is the most relevant feature the Z9 is offering although jpg is limiting. I would have preferred just a few frames in Raw over 1 second in jpg or choosing between the two.
Thank you guys for all your reviews. It's so hard to switch when you've already invested in glass for a particular brand. I'm not a pro by any means but have been a Canon shooter for years and just feel at home with them. I do think that if I were to switch, I'd probably go with Sony as well. Thank you both for all that you do. PS: Can I buy your R5 from you Chelsea?😄
@@jukeboxjohnnie The "brick" is the biggest turnoff for me as well. I have the R5 and see no reason to switch at all. Combined with the RF600mm f11 I've been astonished at what I can get in low light at 1/40th second and ISO 3200 handheld. I've also never liked Nikon and Sony colours, sure you can mess around in post but I like to see what I captured and not something that looks pretty. Just saying ...
In future Canon and Nikon may as well overcome all their caveats over autofocus, but what they wont get is the range of 3rd party lenses that Sony system has access to. 10 85mm lenses to choose from with each having its own selling point, 35-150 f2-f2.8, pocketable 17-28 f2.8. That's the biggest MSP of Sony for me.
There's absolutely no reason to believe Canon and Nikon won't get that same third-party support; int he case of Canon they'll likely get _more_ third-party support than Sony eventually, since they have wider distribution in regions where third-party products tend to sell better. It is utterly bizarre to think that, after decades upon decades of third-parties making lenses for all systems, that somehow this time around Sony will maintain some kind of exclusivity.
What planet or what are you sniffing it has been proven that the Canon has the best auto focus out . The only thing that you can complain about is the third party lens selection PLus you can use nearly all of the EF l lens to boot on the R5
@@aceflibble there is ample reason to believe that canikon won't get 3rd party support because they explicitly deny they from making lenses. Clearest example is the recent legal threat by Canon to Samyang for reverse engineering their rf mount, after which Samyang removed all their rf glass. On other hand sony has an open mount. Any company can sign an agreement and can make e mount lenses with full knowledge of e-mount system and communication protocols. No reverse engineering. And they perform just like native sony glass barring a 15 fps barrier and no Teleconverter support.
@@aceflibble The problem is that Nikon and Canon are stopping/holding 3rd parties companies like Samyang (which makes probably the cheapest but very good primes for Sony FE) from making their mirrorless version. So there will be a longer wait (remember Sony started mirrorless over 7 years ago which has a head start + Sony openly welcome other making lenses for them. Also, Sony has a stake in Tamron - one of the best lightweight mirrorless options for Sony FE).
@@anulearntech Yes, that's why someone mention Tamron 70-180 is the cheapest with very good quality 70-200 and I said no as it cannot connect to 1.4 / 2.0x (one of the few 3rd-parties limitations for FE mount). That's why Sony released the really great update of 70-200GM2!
18:50 - People get SO emotionally involved with their camera gear choices... it's "weird" to me... Same thing occurs in the car world as well... there's never going to be a "perfect" camera/lens/etc. EVER.
I want to buy Canon because I already have lenses for it, but. . . the only 2 canon's to have I.S are the R5 and 6 😪. Id get the R6 if it wasnt so low M.P. I'd get the R5 if it wasnt so much money.
I bought my R5 as a grey import through a UK based company who have a good reputation and I'd used before. It came with a 3 year warranty through the company for £1300 saving! No brainer.
lol, I was expecting this video is coming but not that soon - switching camera systems more often than many people would switch their phones. In a world of limited resource, I do not consider this a good example.
OK, I'm just going to say this before even letting the video play out: Sony, Nikon, and Canon all have great systems. Match the tool to the job and to how you use that tool. If you can get job 1 done most easily with Canon, but Job 2 with Nikon, then use both if you can afford it. Heck, I've got Sony mirrorless cameras, but still whip out my old Minolta or a Barnack Leica for 35mm. All depends on what I'm trying to do, and where. I'd love a Z9, I'd love an R3, I'd love an A1.
@@Bladeclaw00100 I did watch it all - my point was that any choice of hers was going to be the correct choice... for her. Which is fine. I mean, it's fun to see pros put these things through their paces, and the comparisons are genuinely informative, but the hype is kinda silly when the issue is really low stakes - Nobody is ever brand-locked except by their budgets, and can jump to another system as funds and needs dictate.
I don’t think the switching videos are over, because if the rumored Z8 is as solid as the D850, Chelsea will be making a switching video on why she’s ditching the A1 for the Z8. 😉
The lens does interfere with subject tracking as the limits of focusing could be how small the steps of focus are as well as how fast it makes those steps which can affect the focus. Check out the R5 on the 200 1.8.
In principle, yes. But. When you look closely at the video snippets where it looses tracking, the tracking is lost before the focus moves off. Were this due to the lens being too slow, one would expect it to keep tracking till it drifts too far out of focus. Also this apparently happens even when the bird is flying side-wise, so lens motor speed should not matter all that much.
I do enjoy watching your camera comparisons, you do a great evaluation, though at the moment I am not ready to buy I defensively will be turning to you for an honest evaluation. Thank you again.
bought the A1 when if was released because i already had glass for the A9 and A7r4. this is where most people find themselves making the choice. shoot mainly wildlife and need to reinforce your comment about the A1's EVF. mostly shoot now without leaving the eyepiece. this is crazy good in a lot of wildlife situations.
I don't know. I don't find the EVF good at all. As soon as you hit the focus button everything goes blurry. Just quickly moving the camera makes everything pixilate. I have tried every combination of EVF settings, and nothing really looks good to me. I just don't get why everyone says it's so good...
Although I love you guys the Statement that the F series glass on the Z9 wouldn't affect focus tracking is completely wrong. Let me start off by saying it's not going to change your outcome I am simple saying the slower the lens focus motor can move the slower the tracking autofocus will be because the info coming back into the lens and being calculated by the camera is delayed. Tony you should know this :)
Good choice, one I might have made with fewer economic limitations and access to a closet full of multi-vendor gear. Agree that the K9 with built in grip is a pro/con, but the R3 is closer than the Nikon to a good compromise on size/weight/function. Personally I am waiting for the R5 MkII, if Canon doesn’t screw it up by chasing megapixels. A 45MP stacked sensor and R3 AF would give Canon an A1 killer at
It might sound rude and direct, But you guys have more money than talent. I don't know why you guys keep saying you love wildlife photography but never go on safari or have amazing photographs of action of animals. Finding birds is easy but animals is challenging.
More money than time, too. I look forward to being able to go on safari one day and that will be the next chapter of my wildlife journey. For now, I appreciate what I have: birds 🦅
I would likely make the same choice if I had the money to pick up the A1. I currently use the R5 and A7RIV for mostly nature photography and love the fact that I can do 10 fps with tracking which I couldn't do with a high resolution camera a few years ago. The A1 would just bring it up to the next level with the stacked sensor as I never use electronic shutter on either of these cameras due to the slower readout speeds. The question for me is how much do I want that in terms of how much I would have to spend....who am I fooling, I will likely get it someday soon.
lol.... picking a camera system is difficult. However, after 55years of photography I've found myself with not just a camera but a lens that I really like. I use the Olympus 12-100mm f4 Pro lens on the Olympus OM-1. Light weight, inexpensive, super quality pictures, and incredible versatility. I use this assembly for travel photography.... Yep, just one lens, just one camera body, just amazing. Downside? yep, all the "bad" stuff you two cite for MFT, all the "bad" stuff you two cite for lens options, etc...... but truth be told? I hate changing lenses even though I have all the extreme Oly lenses, I do go for a superwide angle in certain circumstances, I do go for a super telephoto when in other circumstances, I do go for a tripod occasionally, I even once in awhile wish for something not on the camera.... However, the frequency of those "certain circumstances" is "infrequent" and becoming very rare. This combination with all the special computational photography capabilities of the Olympus more than make up for any hardware deficiencies at the outer edge of the photography envelope. If I were a professional photographer I'd follow your advice a lot more. But as a serious amateur who has shot with everything from Rolleiflex, Mamiya, Bronica, Nikon, Canon, and now Olympus.... the current Oly line is quite enough gear for me --- I now spend more time editing and refining images than I do in the initial capture event. I've discovered it isn't the gear that matters for achieving creativity in imaging, it is the photographer ( his/her "eye" and his/her imagination). Suggestion: Do your current "thing" for major dedicated photographic expedition people, and do a second "thing" where you develop a super-light, flexible, and capable kit for travel, exploration, and "everyday" photography. .... and maybe expand your web site to cover editing software? and/or printing software/equipment? Thanks for all you do do though.... :-)
The last time you did this process you sold me on the R5 which I am super grateful for. I absolutely love my R5 and thank you for giving me a lot of great info which helped me make the jump. Enjoy the A1 Chelsea! I will be looking forward to your switch to the R1 :) All the best, Russ
I appreciate all you guys do. I'm glad you did a video like this because there is a lot of deception in camera review videos. Most channels will only get gear if they have a positive spin and you need to get views to earn a living. I see on forums there is strong brand loyalty. Say something bad about Sony, Canon, Nikon, etc they will come after you to defend "their" brand. I think this is because when people invest a lot a money in a brand they want reviewers to confirm they made the right decision. In addition the industry is very frustrating because they don't disclose limitation. Cameras often don't perform as advertised. Each manufacture does it best to make sure it has niche features making it difficult to find something that is a good all around camera. The manufactures don't want to build a camera with the same features as the others and have to directly compete against one another on price. I wouldn't want to have to come up with test and review gear. It sound like it's a thankless job.
Don't forget that Chelsea can do this, because she gets money from this kind of 'reviews'... For normal people, just pick a brand... if you have Sony, keep shooting with Sony, if you have Canon, keep shooting with Canon. It's nonsense to switch like she does, really. The differences are marginal, and for businesses, it doesn't 'gain' you anything to switch, it only cost you money which you don't 'gain' back that easy... Clients don't care which brand you shoot. What Chelsea does, switching camera's that oft, is silly... nice for youtube, but silly in real world.
On the 643rd episode of chelsea saying ‘im switching systems’. Like jesus christ man. Just pick a system and use it. Why not spend time actually making photography/videography tutorials instead of this clickbaity long winded explanation how you have the luxury of changing systems opposed to the 90% of us photographers. Jesus christ. First world problem much?
I am waiting for the APS C version of A1.. which has exactly same AF and performance as A1 but an APSC 33 MP stacked sensor with 30 FPS. That would be a killer camera body Don’t know when they will release it. Also if they also release A9III with 33-36 MP stacked sensor, I would go for that one
You absolutely made the right choice. I was a Nikon digital shooter for over 20 years and whilst they are excellent in so many ways they are so far behind when it comes to autofocus and I would be the first to defend them as a manufacturer.....however.....the difference between Sonys Af systems on cameras such as the A7iv and A1 which I now have are a long long way ahead of what Nikon offer. The Z9 is where Nikon should have been at the start but they are playing catch up all the time. The Z6 and Z7 as good as they were are autofocus failures compared to the Sonys and the Z6ii and z7ii were brought out with promises that they would address issues such as autofocus. They were marginal improvements at best. Its great to be brand centric because photography is not cheap but I for one was blinkered when it came to camera makes thinking there was no one doing things better than Nikon and I was wrong. For now I have made the leap to Sony and 100% think it was the right decision. In the future I may very well change again should Nikon catch up but they need to be careful. Time moves on and so do people.
I find it funny how much this dude hates Nikon. It doesn’t go unnoticed. “The distinct loser.” Plenty of pros out there shooting all these cameras and going with z9 even over Leica cameras. This is such a technical shooter channel. No mention of color science, lens character, or feel.
I have to agree, too technical. I simply prefer Canon colours. The A1 is tempting, the 200-600mm is tempting, I can afford them but I'm sticking with what I've got. R5 and possibly R1 when it arrives next year.
I just love you guys! This is unbelievable that Chelsea is switching again, I love her honesty as well as her great evaluation and very honest and sincere evaluations of her present camera choice. I am always committed to Canon I still have my Canon QL Film Camera that I purchased when I was in the Military. Presently I have chosen the R6 mainly because I am a novice photographer. As I started this comment I really enjoy you guys, i learned so much from both of you and Tony you did a great job on the latest Lightroom upgrades. I did take a big dive and embraced Leica Q2 which I truly love and I know that a lot of people would say I must be out of my mind to spend that much on a camera, however, the results that I get out of the Leica with the 28MM 1.7 lens is really something to believe. Thank you so much Chelsea for your honesty, you make this RU-vid sessions so entertaining.
I liked this review. It's clear that we have at least three valid contenders here, which is a milestone after the white-knuckle ride through the mirrorless transition. I would argue that one key personal question is whether you want to hold a camera away from your eye and look at an unshielded screen, put the camera on a tripod, or hold it up to your eye. That seems to be the most important differentiator. I am very much an EVF user, so the A1 fits my style of use the best. Another differentiator is how much practice you want to commit to when switching to a new camera. EVF use right now means usually that you have to program a lot of buttons and dials and then learn to use them all by feel. This takes time, just like it would take time to learn how to play, say, a guitar without having to look at the frets. For me, I would expect that anyway. For others, it might be a deal breaker. Hopefully, we are getting back to the days when you chose a camera system for the lenses, rather than the camera bodies. I can't say enough about the newer Sony GM primes. I hope (and expect) that other brands are also adopting whatever manufacturing special sauce Sony has been using on these new lenses. For me, it has been a game changer, especially with the 135mm f/1.8 GM. There was a particular very high contrast forest scene that I have been trying to photograph for over 50 years, only to fail time after time. Older lenses always filled the darkest areas with flare that destroyed the colors and textures. With the 135mm on an A1, there it was, finally recorded.
I figured the Northrups would abandon Canon eventually... I'm actually surprised it wasn't sooner. Personally, I love Canon and am thrilled with their equipment.
Thank you both for all your hard work. As always I learn so much from your videos. It is good that you switch systems to help educate the rest of us 📸📸📸😁😁😁
As a Team pair, I can see going with Sony. ...but, as a bird'er you are; I thought for sure you to go Nikon. You can not beat Nikon lenses for long shoots such as 800 pf. ...You never mention custom 1 and 2 auto focus which makes a sticky focusing. ...Nikon z9 is a great sporting camera. 📷
It's a beast, and you can't get any product. Nice camera, but I still think the A1 beats out the Z7 as a sporting camera. EVF is outstanding as is the AF for sports, they both have 30fps, but the buffer is much larger on the Sony.
@@advrider56 as a sports photographer I can’t think of a time I’ve needed longer than a 3 second buffer. What’s more important is how long it takes to clear that buffer.
I think Chelsea is still looking for a new D850esque camera..... I sold off my D850, regret it completely, and Im about to buy it again...NEW......I know this camera will be amazing for another decade. I miss it.....and Chelsea does too!😁
I think you discounted the R3 prematurely. I have both R5 and R3 and wildlife images are at least as good and usually better with the R3. 14bit Raw images at full speed (30 fps) on a stacked sensor so very limited to no rolling shutter. I've too many reviews that dwell on the 24 MP spec but I've tested extensively in a test environment and real world testing and R3 often has better images, even cropped, mostly due to much lower noise. Appreciate the video.
I go Nikon Mirrorless for the Z Mount and resultant Stellar Glass Wow that 400mm f4.5 punches way above its weight announced today >> Nikon have kicked the ball out the Park with their Z Lenses
I find your videos to be the most accurate and honest. I own a z9, z7 II and a Sony R 3. Everything you have said is spot on. I love my nikons but all the points you make on the focusing issues are 100% accurate. The improvements between the z7 and the z9 are truly mind blowing…..but everything you said is true. I truly feel your kind of reviews is waking up Nikon and now they are making a better product….I also owned the first Nikon z7 and your review at the time was the only honest review….thank you. Keep up the great and entertaining work.
I gave the Z9 a good try out for 6 months. Its very very good and probably the best all-round FF mirrorless right now but I've gone with the A1 in the end simply because I major on BIFs. It has the edge in those conditions that challenge AF the most. Small margins but makes a big difference when you shoot day in day out in the most challenging conditions for BIFs.
I played with most of the brands and they're all great but I end up sticking with Nikon because of the raw files and photo image quality. But when it comes to video, I like Canon/Lumix!
I absolutely get this brand jumping. I started out with Nikon, then when Sony launched the a7R3 I jumped ship. Nikon wasn't paying attention to the marked, and I wasn't going to be left behind with shitty tech. But then Canon launched the R5, and it was too good to ignore. And we outsource a lot of our editing, and they have probably based all their presets on Canon files. So my Sony files don't end up looking as good as my colleagues Canon files. So I made the jump to Canon, but I have my Sony gear too. Might as well use which ever system works the best. For instance I do find the eye AF better on the Canon, than my Sony a7R4, and the RF 24-70mm focus so fast I've never seen anything focusing that fast. It's instant. From closest to furthest it's still instant. So impressive. So I'm guess the perfect setup would involve several brands. Albeit that would cost a lot. It's tools of our trade. Haven't tried that alpha 1 though, but it would surprise me if it isn't the best camera at the time. It's just insane. My own opinion of the R5 vs a7R4. EVF is much better on the Canon. Buttons are much better on the Sony. Menus are better on the Canon. Some features, like bracketing is better on the Sony. File sizes are better on the Canon (even adjusted for resolution differences). Dynamic range in high lights seem to be better on the Sony. Sony weigh less. Lenses are better on the Canon. So there's a little on both sides. As of now, keeping both systems. There's still some nice glass on the Sony not available on the Canon.
Nikon paid attention but didn't rush things out. They took their time and are doing it right and with much more future capabilities the others don't have.
@@mraxlrose2959 I disagree. They lost a lot of shooters to Sony. They launched slow zooms and primes. They then launched bodies that didn't come close to the competition. And they barely keep up with mid-range bodies of Sony and Canon with the top dog. If that's doing it right, I'd rather have it wrong. And to be honest Nikon is the smallest of the trio. Without other big income venues. They could very well go bankrupt. Canon is huge. I didn't realize how huge before I checked. They are even bigger than Sony (I'm not talking about the camera division, but the whole company). And Sony is huge too. Camera is just a small part of what they do. But everyone will decide for them selves. And switching system isn't possible for everyone. It's a very costly move. And most won't do it unless it's a very obvious decision to make.
@@tronderikbrekke8792 Nikon came out with stuff before they wanted to because of the criticism. Look at their mount. Look at the new lenses. Firmware updates are easy. They are getting the hardware right. Imagine the size of sensor they can put in qith the size of that mount. The current one doesn't even fill the area. Nikon is also part of a huge company. They have plenty of financial backing.
@@mraxlrose2959 I know, they had to launch something without going bankrupt. They lost so many shooters to Sony. And I'm not saying they can't make something great. Because they most certainly can, but at this time, they are in third place for sure. Canon makes the best lenses, like they've always done, with Sony close behind. Sony makes the best AF system, with Canon close behind. Canon has the best video. The only place I would put Nikon higher up is the ergonomics. But they are slowly getting there. And maybe in a couple of years time, they have caught up with the lead. I actually don't think so, but it's a nice thought. But all that said, I could of course do my job with Nikon cameras as well. I wouldn't be the optimal camera system, but I would of course get the job done.
I make sure to capture your videos because you guys are real. You admit mistakes if you make them, you are not afraid to show humility, and you are knowledgable of the subject matter because you live it, not just because you want the likes. As someone who's trying to make a splash in this industry myself, I commend and appreciate you guys. A friend of mine is a Canon R6 shooter. He loves to bash my Sony equipment and smack-talk the color. I admit, Canon's colors look incredible. But when we were out shooting an airshow, he had to take a break to take his battery out and cool it off. He also had to switch batteries halfway through because he drained one. I shot over 3000 photos on my A1 with the 200-600, and barely tagged 50% of battery ONE in my grip. And that was outside in 95 degree weather in the sun. The camera just performs. And since I took the time to build a preset that updates my A1's colors to be more Nikonian, I'm perfectly happy with this system and do not have plans of switching. Just hoping Sony starts throwing some more interesting lens options out there. An f/2 standard zoom and some diffractive lenses would be a hell of a start.
I would like to try the A1 (maybe I'll rent one), but for now I really love my Nikon Z7ii with Z glass. The Nikon AF is better than I could have ever imagined a few years ago.
Well - maybe not user error for everything. But while you were losing focus on that bird in a prior video on the Z9, I saw dirt on the lens or something as it was searching focus, and you were using an adapted lens (which are reported to be slower (I don't know why)).
Wildlife is important, yet they pretend a camera with these specs doesn't exist: -120fps raws -50fps raws C-AF -pro capture mode -industry leading weather sealing -industry leading IBIS -lightest system with most reach -lowest price tag -fastest animal detect focus acquisition speed bUt we mAkE fAiR cOmPaRiSoNs 🤪🥴
I figure you will change cameras again in a year or so does it really matter? I just wonder if you have tried contacting other nikon shoters that do not seem to have the same problems that you are having? Watching videos from Steve Perry, Hudson Henry, Matt Granger, MortenHilmer, etc? they either are not bother by the same things or have figured out the settings?
