Tag: Sony

Photography Gear For Your First Event/Wedding Shoot – Part II

It is Part II about the photography gear for your first event/wedding shoot. I will discuss the lenses I use and explain why I chose them for my event/wedding photoshoot. Please feel free to check out Part I (The Cameras – Read here) if you have not read it yet.

1. Lenses

Most modern lenses (except for faulty lenses) offer a reasonably good/excellent center sharpness (corner sharpness is not my concern for any portrait shots). Instead, figure out the most frequently used focal length is the highest priority before considering other requirements.

Tips #1
Begin your first few events shoots with a standard zoom lens (e.g., 24-70mm), and use the filter function in your post-processing software (e.g., Lightroom, Capture One, etc.) to find out your most used focal length.

The following list is the lenses I always bring along (primary workhorse) and occasionally pick (supplementary/backup) for all paid photoshoots.

Primary Workhorse

a1. Sony GM 24mm F1.4
a2. Tamron VXD 70-180mm F2.8
a3. Sigma DG DN Art 85mm F1.4

Supplementary / Backup

b1. Tamron RXD 28-75mm F2.8
b2. Tamron VXD 20-40mm F2.8
b3. Samyang 14mm F2.8

Why These Lenses?

I used and tested many lenses before I selected the lenses above to shoot in events, weddings, and lifestyle portraits. There is only one must-have requirement when I look for a lens for portrait shoot – a responsive and reliable continuous AF. The reason is simple. People are moving in the event/wedding most of the time. Continuous AF can better track your moving subjects and capture more sharply-focused shots.

Besides the continuous AF, there are some other good-to-have requirements for consideration:

Flare resistance (some march-in sessions will have a strong backlight and mess up the contrast of your subjects)
Large magnification ratio, e.g., 0.25x or higher (it saves you from having a separate macro lens to shoot the accessories, e.g., rings)
Dust and moisture resistance (you might encounter drizzling during the outdoor photoshoot)
Same filter thread size (it is easier to buy and share filters)

Why Sony GM 24mm F1.4?

GM is the highest-quality lens Sony offers. The AF, optical performance, and built quality are top-notch. Besides, you hardly find GM’s creamy Bokeh rendering in other brand lenses.

Sony GM 24mm F1.4 is my #1 go-to lens for environment portraits and group photos. It is also incredibly useful in a less-spacious place like a hotel room or bride preparation room where it is too restrictive for a 35mm or even a 28mm lens (Yea, I’m talking about Tamron 28-75mm F2.8).

The F1.4 aperture at 24mm offers an excellent background separation from your subject. It renders a silky smooth Bokeh background while keeping the environment recognizable.

Why Tamron VXD 70-180mm F2.8?

This lens is exclusive to Sony E-mount cameras, but you can find the equivalent 70-200mm F2.8 for other brands’ cameras. The 70-200mm F2.8 lens usually represents the best quality lens from the manufacturer. VXD is Tamron’s latest linear motor AF mechanism that offers the highest accuracy and AF speed, and it is comparable to the XD linear motor found in Sony GM lenses.

Tips #2
A constant F2.8 aperture is highly recommended (or a must) for a 70-200mm zoom lens

Using such a telephoto zoom lens gives you the flexibility to have photos from different perspectives in the album – 70mm, 85mm, 135mm, and 180mm.

Why Sigma DG DN Art 85mm F1.4?

The Art series offers the best optical quality performance among the Sigma lenses. This lens even outperforms Sony’s GM 85mm F1.4 in sharpness, Bokeh, and AF. The DG DN is the newer version with a much smaller and lighter body than its older DG HSM version.

Tips #3
F1.8 aperture is an excellent alternative to F1.4 on an 85mm lens. It usually costs half or even 1/3 of the F1.4 85mm lens price.

It efficiently isolates subjects from busy backgrounds and gives a WOW micro-contrast effect. I used my friend’s Sigma Art 85mm F1.4 in a wedding shoot and loved the photo’s look. I eventually bought one for my next photoshoots.

In case you are unaware, using a 70-200mm F2.8 or 85mm F1.4 lens in an event/wedding shoot is constantly debated among photographers. There is no right or wrong. Rent and try them out to decide which lens is more suitable for you.

Why Tamron RXD 28-75mm F2.8?

It was the first F2.8 compact zoom lens exclusively available to Sony E-mount cameras in 2018. Other brand equivalent lenses will be the 24-70mm F2.8.

It rivals the 1st gen Sony GM 24-70mm F2.8 with half the size and weight but at the expense of losing 4mm at the wide end. Besides, it has a softer corner sharpness (As mentioned earlier, I don’t care about corner sharpness in any portrait shots).

Tips #4
Tamron introduced its successor (the VXD version) in 2021 with an improved Bokeh, sharpness, and AF performance.

I have used this lens in numerous seminars, workshops, town halls, and company events photoshoots since 2018, and it never let me down. The 28mm is sufficient in these event venues as there are a lot of space for me to move around. However, 28mm could be restrictive in certain places, e.g., hotel room, bedroom, bride preparation room, etc.

Why Tamron VXD 20-40mm F2.8?

It is another unique lens exclusive to Sony E-mount cameras. Other brand equivalent lenses will be the 16-35mm F2.8. This lens is not a replacement for a 16-35mm lens. The 4mm difference between the 16mm and 20mm is too significant to be ignored.

Tips #5
For a single-camera shooter, a standard zoom 24-70mm F2.8 or even Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 is a better option for an event/wedding shoot.

However, I get it as an upgrade to the Tamron RXD 28-75mm F2.8 for the broader 20mm view and better AF performance. Since I’m a dual-camera shooter, it is not an issue with missing the 41 – 75mm range because I will always pair it with a telephoto lens.

Why Samyang 14mm F2.8?

You may use the 16mm from a 16-35mm zoom lens for similar ultra-wide-angle shots. It is a very situational lens, so there might only be one to two photos (or none at all) from this lens in the whole album. I use it to exaggerate the environment for an epic effect.

Tips #6
When using a UWA lens, you must place your subject in the center of the frame to avoid crazy distortion.

Any Difference Between OEM and Third-Party Lenses?

In short, the differences are unnoticeable in general photoshoots. There are some advantages to using Sony OEM lenses, e.g., a maximum of 30 fps (OEM) vs 15 fps (third-party) burst shoot, exclusive in-camera features, more reliable AF, etc. In fact, most full-frame cameras only support up to 10 fps, and some OEM lens benefits only applies to video recording. By spending a little bit of time and effort, you can get some third-party (Tamron, Sigma, etc.) lenses that offer similar/on-par optical performance as Sony’s highest-quality GM lenses and have a comparably reliable and responsive AF system.

Zoom Lens Or Prime Lens?

A zoom lens is more convenient (and addictive) to use in events/wedding shoots. It saves you from the hassle of swapping lenses and gives multiple perspective shots in your album within seconds (e.g., use the 24mm to capture the environment and zoom in 70mm for the close-up shots of your subjects).

On the other hand, a prime lens generally has a one/two-stop faster aperture (2-stop faster on an F1.4 prime lens over an F2.8 zoom lens) in a more compact and lighter build. A faster aperture lens has better low-light performance and a more creamy Bokeh rendering. It is good to have the option to use F1.4/F1.8 when necessary.

If you are a single-camera shooter, I suggest you use a fast standard zoom(e.g., 24-70mm F2.8 or Tamron 28-75mm F2.8) in your first few events/wedding shoots. It helps you to determine your most used focal length and decide how many fast prime is required. As a dual-camera shooter, I always pair an 85mm F1.4 and 24mm F1.4 fast prime on both cameras. A 35mm fast prime could be broad enough, depending on your shooting location.

2. Lens Caps And Hoods

What Do I use?

The lens cap and hood that come with the lens purchase are good enough. I only put on a lens cap when the lens is in the bag during transportation. However, I always keep the lens hood on the lens during a photoshoot.

Tips #8
Lens hoods are not interchangeable because they are specifically designed for each lens to maximize the lens’ contrast/saturation while minimizing vignetting.

Why?

Put on a lens hood will make the lens looks bulkier, but it has more advantages to do so:

A lens hood will minimize/eliminate the unwanted flaring that could result in a washed-out/low-contrast shot.
Protect the lens from bumping anything
Prevent anyone from accidentally touching the lens front glass element and leaving any fingerprint/stain on it

You may take it off and let the flare spread across the frame for a specific atmosphere/look.

3. Lens Filters

What Do I Use?

I have UV/protector filters from brands like B+W, Tamron, Hoya, K&F Concept, and Nikon. I always put a UV filter on the lens for any photoshoot. I used to be a B+W UV filter user, but the Nikon Arcrest protector has recently earned its place on my primary lenses.

Why?

One simple reason – protection. UV/protector filter offers a quick solution to clean your lens – simply remove it, and you are good to continue the photoshoot. There are two essential factors when I am looking for a UV/protector filter:

Multi-layer coating. A filter with a multi-layer coating tends to have a better light transmission rate. Higher light transmission usually results in lesser light reflexion, brighter color, and better contrast. For example, a filter with 99% light transmission has 1% light reflexion.
The thickness. A thick bezel filter can cause vignetting, especially on a wide-angle lens.

A good UV/protector filter usually has minor/unnoticeable impacts on the image quality. However, different filters behave differently on different lenses. For example, an ultra-wide-angle lens is more prone to heavy vignetting when using a thick filter; a telephoto lens is more prone to softness when using a lower-quality filter (could be a defective variant, a counterfeit, or a worn-out copy).

Tips #9
There are many counterfeit filters in the market. Try to get an authentic filter from reputable retailers.

When you get a new UV/protector filter, test it against the lens without a filter for the contrast in backlight, color cast, sharpness, and internal ghosting. Most multi-layer coated filters from reputable brands (e.g., B+W, Hoya, Nikon Arcrest, etc.) have similar performance (when comparing their same tier of products). Some brands have different tiers in their filters. The more expensive one is generally made of better quality materials, like more rigid glass, more efficient coating, sturdier brass frame, etc. It helps the filter to minimize the impact on the image quality in challenging lighting.

Tips #10
Some manufacturers have a “Protector” version of the UV filters. They are cheaper than their UV counterpart but have similar optical performance.

I recently bought a few entry-level filters for some side-by-side comparison to determine the difference between a cheap and expensive UV filter. I will share the finding with you in a separate post.

Any Other Special Effect Filters?

Yes! There are a few worth-mention filters, but I only use them in casual photoshoots. I prefer to keep my formal shots clean and clear, and there are workarounds to achieve similar filter effects.

Close-up filter. A screw-on type filter acts as an alternative to a dedicated macro lens. It has different multipliers, e.g., +2, +4, +10, etc. The larger multiplier, the higher the magnification effect. Besides, you can stack them to achieve a more significant magnification effect. However, the close-up filter has a limited close-focus distance range that restricts your lens from focusing anything further away. Therefore, you must take it off for regular shooting.

Tips #11
Some non-macro lenses can achieve an impressive 0.5x magnification ratio (e.g., Tamron VXD 70-180mm F2.8), thus reducing the need for a close-up filter.

ND filter. A black glass filter that darkens your exposure. It has different values, e.g., ND8, ND400, ND1000, etc. The higher value, the lower exposure. A professional camera has a native flash sync speed of 1/250s (some cameras only support a slower sync speed at 1/200s or 1/160s). An ND filter allows you to use a fast prime at F1.8/F1.4 with a flashlight on a sunny day.

Tips #12
Use a High-Speed Sync (HSS) instead of an ND filter if your camera and flashlight support HSS. It allows your camera and flashlight to sync at the fastest shutter speed your camera supports (e.g., 1/4000s, 1/8000s).

Blackmist filter. It softens the highlights and renders a dreamy effect. It has different strengths, e.g., 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8. The higher strength, the blurrier effect.

Tips #13
You can achieve a similar soft rendering in post-processing by adjusting the clarity of the highlights using luma-range selection.

Closing Thoughts

The lens is as critical as the camera in a photoshoot. Its focal length, optical rendering (sharpness, contrast, Bokeh, etc.), and AF performance dramatically affects the photo’s overall look and feel. For comfort-wise, you might start with a zoom lens and convert it to fast prime for a specific look when you are more comfortable in an event/wedding shoot.

Everyone has a different vision and preference in lens choice. You may use a 35/50mm fast prime, an F2.8 standard zoom, or a telephoto plus wide-angle lens combo. Regardless of the selection of lenses, the most important thing is to focus sharply on your subjects and capture the precious moment.

Feel free to leave your comments below if you have any doubts or suggestions for the lenses. Besides, I will discuss the accessories I used in events/wedding shoots in Part III (read here). Peace!

Is This Post Helpful To You?

I started this site with the intention of sharing my learning and working experience in photography. It takes significant time and cost to pick up and learn a new gear/technique, and then draft a post to share with everyone. The effort is worthwhile if it helps you and others save unnecessary time and money. I would be glad if you benefit from my content, and you may leave a one-off tip to keep this site running.

Leave a tips ☕

Besides, you may support this site by making your purchase through the affiliated links below. The product price is the same when you use the affiliate link, but a qualified purchase earns me a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mirrorless Cameras – Amazon Cameras
Mirrorless Lenses – Amazon Lenses
SD Cards – Amazon SD Cards
Coiro Dual-Camera Harness – Coiro Official Site
Imagely WordPress Theme – Protography Theme
NextGen Gallery Pro – WordPress Gallery Plugin

Any Link To The Mentioned Products?

As a regular online buyer of photography equipment, I understand the anxiety about getting a fake or faulty product. However, buying from online stores is more convenient and has a more attractive offer sometimes. Therefore, I only recommend two types of product links I generally use for my online purchase:

Official product page, for you to find out more details about the product, and buy from them directly (if applicable)
Amazon page. I recommend to buy the product with the option “Ship from” and “Sold By” Amazon “xx”, where “xx” is a country code like US, SG, JAPAN, etc.

Some product pages are affiliate links. The product price is the same when you use the affiliate link, but a qualified purchase earns me a small commission to support the cost of running this site so I can provide more photography content for free regularly.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mentioned Product Links

Some of the mentioned products in this post are available in the following table (the official site and Amazon page).

Products	Official Site	Amazon
Sony GM 24mm F1.4	Sony	Amazon – Sony
Tamron VXD 70-180mm F2.8	Tamron	Amazon – Tamron
Sigma DG DN Art 85mm F1.4	Sigma	Amazon – Sigma
Tamron VXD 28-75mm F2.8 (I recommend the 2nd Gen as it is a vast improved successor)	Tamron	Amazon – Tamron
Tamron VXD 20-40mm F2.8	Tamron	Amazon – Tamron
Samyang 14mm F2.8	Samyang	Amazon – Samyang

Mentioned Product Links

29 Jun 2023

Photography Gear For Your First Event/Wedding Shoot – Part I

Are you curious about what photography gear to bring for your first paid event or wedding shoot? And the worst, you are the sole photographer for the whole photoshoot. You might hear that the essence of shooting solely is backup. You must ensure you can carry out the photoshoot even if any part of your equipment breaks.

Yea, they rarely break, but the accident does happen in the least expected way. Is it necessary to bring your entire collection of photography gear along? In short, no. I compile the following list to show you what gear I use and why I use them during an event/wedding shoot.

I am a Sony shooter; hence I will always refer to the gear available to Sony cameras. However, the rationale behind this also applies to other brands (I also indicate a general spec/model for other brands). I split this topic into 3 posts to avoid a “mega post”, and I will talk about camera-related items in this post.

1. Cameras

What do I use?

Sony A7 III and A7 IV.

Tips #1
Use the same brand’s cameras in order to share the batteries, lenses, and similar control interface.

Why?

There are a few important factors to consider when choosing a camera for an event and wedding shoot.

A responsive and reliable continuous Auto-Focus system is the highest priority
Dual memory card slots (always have the photo written into two memory cards simultaneously)
Good battery life that can sustain 600 – 700 shots per charge
Good high ISO performance (usable at least ISO 3200. Indoor event/wedding shoots can quickly go up to ISO 12800 or higher to maintain a minimum required shutter speed)
Good range of lens selection from OEM and third-parties.

I believe most modern full-frame mirrorless cameras from any brand can easily fulfill the criteria above. However, it was not the case before the Sony A7 III was introduced in 2018. The earlier generation full-frame mirrorless cameras undoubtedly failed all the above requirements (with a day and night difference).

Tips #2
The same brand’s cameras in the same-generation/one-generation-different usually offer similar image quality and control interface. Therefore, the primary and backup camera is not necessary to be the same model.

Sony A7 III and A7 IV offer indistinguishable image quality despite having 24MP and 33 MP sensors, respectively. I bought the A7 IV for its improved AF performance and upgraded video functions for other projects.

Full-Frame Or APS-C?

In short, full-frame. Full-frame cameras still have an edge over APS-C cameras in the high ISO performance. In order to prevent motion blur, you have to set the shutter speed to at least 1/160s. You will be surprised that many indoor shots will easily hit the ISO 10000 mark with that shutter speed at the F2.8 aperture.

Tips #3
Full-frame Sensor ISO = Crop Sensor ISO * Crop Factor * Crop Factor

Generally, APS-C cameras produce comfortable/acceptable noise at ISO 3200/6400. In contrast, full-frame cameras can comfortably handle noise at ISO 6400/12800. Still, please don’t forget to factor in the crop factor. ISO 3200 on an APS-C camera with a 1.5x crop factor will produce noise level equivalent to ISO 7200 on a full-frame camera (things get more complicated when factoring in the sensor resolution difference, but let’s keep it simple here).

Are Super High Megapixel Cameras Suitable For Event And Wedding Shoots?

I will say no. There are some considerations if you intend to use high-megapixel cameras (e.g., 61MP Sony A7R IV/V) for event and wedding shoots:

The high ISO performance is not as good as the lower megapixel cameras.
It is easier to get blurry photos as higher megapixel sensors amplify everything, like handshakes, movement, and shutter vibrations.
When shooting uncompressed RAW, A 61MP RAW is double the size of a 33MP RAW (135MB vs 70MB) or nearly triple the size of a 24MP RAW (135MB vs 50MB). You need a more powerful workstation for culling, editing, and exporting. A less-than-ideal workstation could significantly prolong the post-processing when handling a few thousand shots for a single session.
If you shoot in burst mode, you need an SD card with a faster write speed (e.g., UHS-II 312 MB/s vs UHS-I 104 MB/s) to prevent the camera from filling up its buffer (the camera will lock you from taking new photos when the buffer is full). Such high-speed UHS-II SD cards cost 4 – 5 times more than the fastest-speed USH-I SD card.
You need more SD cards for shooting and storage space for archival.
The super high megapixel camera is more demanding in lens resolving power. Otherwise, the photo could be soft.

2. Memory Cards

What Do I Use?

Sandisk Extreme Pro and Sony UHS-I SD cards with 64GB or 128GB storage space.

Why?

I use a 128 GB SD card in the camera’s slot 1 as the master memory card for the entire event. I put a 64GB SD card in the camera’s slot 2 as the backup and changed it at each logical event break, e.g., bride’s house, solemnization, banquets, etc.

Tips #4
Smaller storage space SD card could have slower read/write speed. Watch out for the specification when getting SD cards of different speeds.

This setup allows me to:

Use a single master SD card to import all photos
Have a few copies of different parts of the event in case the camera is lost

Tips #5
Please do not delete the photos from the SD cards until your clients receive their shots happily.

In case you wonder, a 128GB SD card is sufficient for a 8-hour full-day event/wedding shoot with Sony A7 IV’s 33MP lossless RAW + medium size X.FINE Jpeg (it can hold approximately 2200 shots).

Tips #6
UHS-II SD cards have a few different read/write speeds. Some are even slower than a UHS-I SD card.

UHS-I SD cards have fast enough writing speed for shooting “MID” bursts in uncompressed/lossless compressed RAW. Interestingly, SanDisk dramatically increases their UHS-I SD card read speed from 95 MB/s to 200 MB/s (it means the speed of transferring a photo to a computer is 2 times faster). As a rule of thumb, always purchase the memory card from a reputable retailer/brand.

3. Batteries

How Many Battery Is Required?

It depends on your camera model and your shooting style. For example, the original Sony NP-FZ100 battery lasts approximately 700+ shots on Sony A7 III and 600+ shots on Sony A7 IV. You usually get more shots when taking burst shoots. However, burst shoot intensity does impact the battery life differently. For example, using the “HI” or “HI+” settings in burst shoot will significantly drain more battery life than the “MID” setting.

I made the following table for a clearer view of the battery usage according to my camera setup.

Event Duration/Type	Sony A7 IV (Mounted with telephoto lens)	Sony A7 III (Mounted with wide-angle lens)
1 – 3 Hours Seminar/ Workshop/ Townhall	1 Battery	1 Battery
6 – 10 Hours Wedding Actual Day	2 Batteries	1 – 2 Batteries, depends on the scenes
10 – 14 Hours Wedding Actual Day	3 Batteries	2 Batteries

Battery Usage Reference

I use a dual-camera setup, with the Lossless Compressed RAW + X.Fine medium-size JPEG written into two SD cards simultaneously and “MID” in burst shoot. I usually bring 6 Sony NP-FZ100 batteries for my two-camera setup on a full-day wedding shoot (around 10 – 12 hours). It is always good to carry extra one or two batteries in case any battery gets faulty.

4. Camera Vertical Grip

What Do I Use?

I use a Sony VG-C4EM vertical battery grip on my A7 IV. A few third-party manufacturers make brilliant vertical grips. Unfortunately, only a few reviews were available for Sony A7 IV’s third-party vertical grips when I looked for one in 2022.

Why?

The vertical grip holds two batteries simultaneously to double the battery life. However, I choose it for another reason – the ergonomics.

I tend to shoot vertically more often when using telephoto lenses. I usually pair an 85mm fast prime or the Tamron VXD 70-180mm F2.8 on my Sony A7 IV. The higher megapixels sensor allows me to have more room for cropping to get a closer look. A vertical grip helps a lot to relieve hand fatigue from the over-arching posture. It can reduce the front-heavy issue if you use a heavy lens on a mirrorless camera body.

Closing Thoughts

It doesn’t matter if you choose Sony, Nikon, or Canon. Modern full-frame mirrorless cameras introduced after 2018 are sufficient for most events and wedding photoshoots. When allocating the budget, you must cater for the primary camera, a secondary (or backup) camera, 2 ~ 3 lenses, 3 ~ 6 camera batteries, 1 ~ 2 chargers, 6 ~ 10 memory cards (recommend at least UHS-I 64GB), some accessories, and a PC/laptop that can smoothly process thousands of RAW photos at one go (if you don’t have one currently).

Choose the one you prefer and fits your budget, then familiarize yourself with the camera. The customized shortcut buttons, continuous AF performance (some brands call AI/Servo/AF-C), and ISO limit (modern full-frame cameras are great at ISO6400/12800). It helps ease your tension during the actual photoshoot as you know your camera is “in-controlled”.

This post wraps up the camera-related topics for the event/wedding photoshoot. Below are the links for parts II and III.

Part I – The Cameras (This post)
Part II – The Lenses (Read here)
Part III – The Accessories (Read here)

Is This Post Helpful To You?

Leave a tips ☕

Mirrorless Cameras – Amazon Cameras
Mirrorless Lenses – Amazon Lenses
SD Cards – Amazon SD Cards
Coiro Dual-Camera Harness – Coiro Official Site
Imagely WordPress Theme – Protography Theme
NextGen Gallery Pro – WordPress Gallery Plugin

Any Link To The Mentioned Products?

Official product page, for you to find out more details about the product, and buy from them directly (if applicable)
Amazon page. I recommend to buy the product with the option “Ship from” and “Sold By” Amazon “xx”, where “xx” is a country code like US, SG, JAPAN, etc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mentioned Product Links

Some of the mentioned products in this post are available in the following table (the official site and Amazon page).

Products	Official Site	Amazon
Sony A7 III	Sony A7 III	Amazon – Sony A7 III
Sony A7 IV	Sony A7 IV	Amazon – Sony A7 IV
Sony VG-C4EM vertical battery grip	Sony VG-C4EM	Amazon – VG-C4EM
Sandisk Extreme Pro SD cards	Sandisk Extrem Pro	Amazon – Sandisk Extreme Pro

Mentioned Product Links

29 Jun 2023

Do You Have To Upgrade Your Zeiss Batis 25mm F2?
In 2022, we have more than ten 24mm prime lenses available for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras. The Zeiss Batis 25mm F2 and Sony 24mm GM F1.4 are currently the two most expensive options in the market, where the Batis costs $1200 and the GM costs $1400.
Is there any benefit to upgrading your current Zeiss Batis 25mm F2 to Sony 24mm GM F1.4? Or should you spend $200 more on the GM for your only 24mm fast prime? Let’s check it out!
(more…)
29 Jul 2022
Is Zeiss Batis 25mm F2 Still Worth The Premium in 2022?
If you own the top-performing lens in 2015 that cost you a thousand dollars, would it be outdated when paired with the latest entry-level full frame camera in 2022? I got the Zeiss Batis 25mm F2 and the Sony A7 MK IV today. How well could the lens keep up with the camera? Is the Zeiss Batis 25mm F2 still worth the $1200 premium in 2022? Let’s check it out!
(more…)
22 Jul 2022
Review – Sony RX0
Introduction
At first glance, you might mistake it for an action camera like GoPro. If you are looking for a better action camera alternative to your GoPro, the Sony RX0 is not the one. Sony RX0 is the first camera that features a 1-inch sensor in such a compact size. The sensor is the same as the Sony RX100 series thus we could expect Sony RX0 would give a similar stunning still image output. Let’s check it out how it performs in real life!
Sony RX0
Key Specification
- 15.3 MP (effective pixels) 1.0 inch stacked CMOS sensor with DRAM chip
- Super slow motion recording up to 960fps/1000fps in NTSC/PAL mode
- Duralumin camera body with waterproof up to 10m (IPX8 equivalent), shockproof up to 2m, crushproof up to 200kgf/2000N
- Zeiss Tessar T* 24mm F4 lens
- 1.5 inches 230K dots TFT LCD screen
- Dimension 59.0 x 40.5 x 29.8 mm (2 3/8 in. × 1 5/8 in. × 1 3/16 in.), weigh 110g
- Up to 16fps continuous shooting (exposure and AF locked at the first shot)
- Up to 1/32000 second anti-distortion shutter
- 25 points contrast-detection AF
- ISO 125 to ISO 12800
- Built-in Wifi and Bluetooth
- Multi-sync camera control via handphones (with PlayMemories install, up to 50 cameras) or Sony camera control box (CCB-WD1, up to 100 cameras), this setup is used to create bullet-time effect video
- 1080/60p internal XAVCS recording
- S-log2 picture profile available
- 4K 30p 4:2:2 10 bit recording via HDMI clean output to an external recorder, e.g., Atomos (recording details obtained from Atomos RX 0 page )
- Micro USB port, Micro HDMI port, and 3.5mm microphone stereo mini-jack
Pros & Cons
Compact and robust built
Waterproof up to 10m!
Still image quality is great, similar as other Sony RX100 cameras
Half-press shutter for focusing
The camera power up pretty fast
Buttons are responsive and provide good feedback
USB power support during shooting
Micro HDMI 4:2:2 10 bit clean output for 4K video recording
3.5mm stereo microphone jack
no internal stabilization (neither optical nor digital)
fixed F4 aperture
slowest shutter speed at 1/4 second
no level indicator
minimum focus distance at 50 cm
no built-in timelapse
no touch screen
the menu is not optimized for such a small screen
120p/100p video recording is only available in 1280×720, not 1920×1080
Camera overheating (less than 20 minutes of video recording) in room temperature, when ‘Auto Power Off Temperature’ set to ‘Standard’;
Body and Design
Sony RX0 is made of duralumin which gives a rock-solid premium feel. It is waterproof (10 m under the water with an IPX8 rating), 2 m shockproof, and crushproof up to 2000N.
Sony RX0 – Front View
Sony RX0 features a fixed F4 Zeiss Tessar 24 mm lens with the Zeiss T* coating. In front of it is the protecting glass panel and two microphones ports.
Sony RX0 – Top View
On top of the RX0 is a power button and a shutter button. The shutter button allows half-press for focusing, which is impressive for such a mini camera. There is a small microphone in between the buttons.
Sony RX0 – Left View
The left side has a blue Zeiss badge and a hole for the wrist strap.
Sony RX0 – Right View
The right side is the battery compartment. The latch is tight, and the compartment door bounces up vigorously when released.
Sony RX0 – Back View
The back has a 1.5-inch LCD screen with a few buttons. The left arrow and dot buttons are customizable. The buttons have good tactile feedback with adequate spacing in between. However, you might have difficulty pressing the buttons if you are wearing thick gloves.
The Ports
On the left side, there is a removable compartment door for extra ports. The compartment door uses the same latch mechanism as the battery compartment. However, it attaches to the camera body with a tiny plastic string. You only need a bit of strength to pull it out, and you will see the ports residing inside.
Sony RX0 – Ports Compartment
There is a micro-SD slot, a micro-HDMI port, a micro-USB port, and a 3.5 mm microphone jack! It is surprising to see the microphone jack on such a mini Sony RX0. Even its larger Sony RX100 VI brother also does not offer the microphone jack.
The micro-SD card slot does not have any dummy-proof insertion. Please take note that the micro-SD card chips shall be facing to the LCD screen.
Sony RX0 – External Cable Protector
You can mount a protector to the ports compartment if you connect any cable to the external device. It prevents the cable from accidentally being pulled and damages the camera.
Sony RX0 – Bottom View
The bottom offers a standard 1/4-inch metal tripod mount hole. It is not something common on a compact camera like this. Thumbs up for the Sony RX0!
Although Sony RX0 is barely a wireless earpiece box size, it is packed with a surprising number of useful ports, buttons, and an LCD screen. The single-piece duralumin body has a smooth, cold, and rigid feel but is light in weight. It seems built to last and withhold the rough use in the tough environment.
Camera Performance
ISO Performance
Raw
I crop the RAW samples for ISO comparison as shown below.
ISO125
ISO200
ISO400
ISO800
ISO1600
ISO3200
ISO6400
ISO12800
The ISO125 to ISO800 shots are clean and clear. ISO1600 and ISO3200 shots are noisier but still retain a good amount of details. ISO6400 shot starts to show color noise, but the details still retain well. ISO12800 color noise is pretty significant and has lost quite an amount of details.
JPEG
As shown below, I crop the straight out of camera (OOC) JPEG samples for ISO comparison.
ISO125
ISO200
ISO400
ISO800
ISO1600
ISO3200
ISO6400
ISO12800
The ISO125 to ISO800 shots are clean and clear. ISO1600 and ISO3200 shots are noisier but still retain a good amount of details. ISO6400 shot is barely usable, and the ISO12800 OOC is quite soft and lost most of the details in the shots.
Let’s see some high ISO shots (ISO2000 or above) below. I apply noise reduction in the Capture One 21 Pro with minor adjustments (e.g., exposure adjustments, cropping, etc.)
I’m happy with the high ISO shot quality after applying the noise reduction in post-processing. It is definitely not comparable to any latest-generation APS-C camera. However, if you are satisfied with the Sony RX100 outputs, you will not be disappointed with the Sony RX0 shots.
AF Performance
The Sony RX0 provides single-shot AF and manual focus when shooting still. The Sony RX0 AF performance reminds me of the Sony RX100 IV, the 25 contrast detection only AF points, 16 fps with AF and AE locked on first shot.
I take the shots below in a cafe, which is a pretty dark environment.
Generally, Sony RX0 focuses pretty fast and accurately in good lighting. However, the AF performance at night is hit-or-miss.
When doing video recording, only “preset focus” and “manual focus” are available. In preset focus mode, you may activate the ‘Near’ option to focus anything from 0.5 m to 1 m. Otherwise, Sony RX0 will focus on anything beyond 1 m.
Dynamic Range
The dynamic range of the Sony RX0 15.3 MP Exmor RS sensor is impressively good at 12.4 EV although it is a 1-inch sensor only.
To enjoy the high dynamic range, we have to shoot in RAW. Let’s check out the dynamic range comparison between the RAW and JPEG from the two sample sets below.
JPEG Edited
RAW Edited
JPEG Edited
RAW Edited
Sony RX0 RAW files preserve an amazing amount of details in both the highlight and shadow areas. As shown above, I can dramatically pull back the overexposed highlight details and bring up the shadow details from the RAW files.
Lens Performance
Sharpness
Full Size Sample Image
Sony RX0 only has one aperture at F4. It means there is no optimal sharpness at any specific aperture. I crop the center and bottom-left areas to test the sharpness.
Center
Center Sharpness
The center area is sharp and shows a significant amount of details.
Corner
Corner Sharpness
The corner sharpness is good too.
Overall, Sony RX0 offers good sharpness from corner to corner. Due to the 1-inch sensor size, the DoF is depth enough to cover foreground and background without losing the sharpness.
Chromatic Aberration
Full Size Sample Image
I crop the center and the top-right corner high contrast area to examine the CA handling.
Center
Center CA
Sony RX0 controls the CA nicely in the center area. No visible CA is spotted.
Corner
Corner CA
There is noticable purple and magenta CA in the corner area. Luckily, we can fix it in post-processing easily.
Distortion
Before Correction
After Correction
The barrel distortion is significant. Turn on the distortion compensation in the camera could correct it properly.
Flare and Ghosting
Sony RX0 Zeiss T* coating controls the flare pretty well. There is no irritating flare across the frame.
Shooting Experiences
The Sony RX0 is the smallest and most compact 1-inch sensor camera I have ever seen and used. The build is rock solid, and it’s so compact and convenient to bring along anytime, anywhere!
Using the Sony RX0 in a restaurant keeps me low-profile. It is quick to take out, take a few snapshots, and put it back into my bag. However, I wish it could reduce the minimum focus distance from 50 cm to somewhere like 20 cm or even closer. 50 cm is somehow an awkward distance for food photography.
Now talk about some shortfalls of the Sony RX0. The first thing I want to highlight is the slowest shutter speed of 1/4 second. Why is there such a limitation on the slowest shutter speed imposed on the Sony RX0?
It eliminates the possibility of long exposure photography, which is a pity for such a gem!
The Sony RX0 does not support any stabilizing, neither optical nor digital. It is almost impossible to get stable video recording footage without the gimbal. The video recording in the standard ‘Auto Power Off Temperature’ mode results in overheating within 20 minutes in an air-conditioned room. Changing the settings to ‘High’ would get over 1 hour of filming time before the battery is drained.
A camera with such a compact size is a perfect candidate for time-lapse photography. Unfortunately, Sony RX0 does not natively support timelapse options like its 3rd generation a7 brothers or the new Sony RX100 VI. What a waste!
I enjoy shooting using the Sony RX0. It became one of my daily cameras without any hesitation.
Bottom Line
Sony RX0 is a creative, capable, and compact mini camera. It packs a similar image quality sensor as the Sony RX100 series in a much smaller and solid camera body.
However, the compact body restricts its capabilities, like the 50 cm minimum focus distance, overheating, and lack of image stabilization. Besides, some features might be enhanced through future firmware updates, e.g., the timelapse function and the longer shutter speed.
Overall, it is a powerful tiny camera with a big room for improvement. Is it a replacement for GoPro? No, Sony RX0 is targeting a different area. It is a solid-built mini camera with excellent image quality, allowing you to use it in unusual places that a normal camera cannot achieve, such as a glass with water, a washing machine, a tank, etc.
That’s all for the Sony RX0 review. I hope you enjoy it and happy shooting!
5 Aug 2020
Review – Samyang 24 mm F2.8 FE
Sony announced its first full-frame mirrorless camera, the Sony A7 in 2013 with 5 FE lenses. Many people criticized that the number of FE lenses was far less than sufficient. More and more 3rd party manufacturers have joined the line to produce Sony FE mount lenses throughout the years. Samyang is one of the manufacturers that produce amazing FE AF lenses at an affordable price. The Samyang AF 24 mm F2.8 FE lens is the latest product in Sony FE lines. It is designed in a compact form that is almost identical to the Samyang AF 35 mm F2.8 FE and Sony Zeiss 35 mm F2.8.
(more…)
27 Aug 2018
Review – Sony RX100 V
Introduction
Sony RX100 V
The RX100 series is well-known for its 1-inch image sensor, high-quality fixed Zeiss zoom lens, and numerous features packed in a well-built compact body since it was first introduced in 2012. In 2016, the fifth-generation Sony RX100 V was introduced with incredible AF and buffer size and improved over the predecessors. Let’s have a look at it now!
(more…)
11 Jun 2017
Review – Sony RX1R II
Introduction
In 2012, Sony announced the original Sony RX1 and RX1R- a surprisingly small form factor compact full-frame camera. Technically, Sony RX1R is a Sony RX1 without an AA (anti-alias) filter. Both of them come with an outstanding Zeiss Sonnar F2 fixed lens and output impressive images from the 24 MP sensor. (You may read my review for the original RX1R here). Although the original Sony RX1R gives impressive output, it still has a lot of room for improvement. After three years of waiting, Sony finally announced the successor – the Sony RX1R II.
(more…)
1 Aug 2016
Review: Sony SEL1670Z APS-C Lens
Introduction
The Sony SEL1670Z has been introduced to the market for some time. It is one of the few Sony native APS-C standard zoom lenses.
The little Zeiss blue badge indicates that this lens is designed to give a high-quality optical performance with the Zeiss T* coating, one Advanced Aspherical element, and one Extra-low Dispersion element.
(more…)
20 Apr 2016
Review: Sony A7S II
Forewords
It was the first post in 2016. I have been working hard to bring a new and fresh look to this website. The camera/lens review will focus on ‘more shots, fewer words’ from this Sony A7S II review onward. I hope you like the new changes 😉
Introduction
When the original Sony A7S came out, it impressed many of us with its amazing low light capability. Sony had introduced the 2nd generation of the A7 series, which is well known for the powerful 5-axis image stabilizer. Let’s check out how the Sony A7S II performs with the combination of a powerful 5-axis image stabilizer.
(more…)
24 Jan 2016
Review – Sony A7R II
Introduction
Sony A7 II was hot stuff when it was announced and launched. So how about the new Sony A7R II? Is it a Sony A7 II with more megapixels count or an original Sony A7R with 5-axis in-camera body image stabilizer only? No. Sony A7R II has packed more than enough features to distinguish itself from the Sony A7 II and the original Sony A7R. Let’s have a quick look at what exciting features it has come along with.
The Sony A7R II uses the world’s first 35mm back-illuminated CMOS sensor. The megapixels count is boosted to 42.4 MP from its predecessor 36 MP. Besides, it has better low light performance than the Sony A7R, thanks to the new back-illuminated sensor.
New BSI Sensor Illustration
The new sensor can output the captured data 3.5 times faster than Sony A7R sensor. With the combination of the 399 AF points and Fast Hybrid AF system, Sony A7R II’s AF speed is 40% faster than its predecessor. The new Zeiss T* coating EVF on Sony A7R II features the world’s highest viewfinder magnification at 0.78x.
(more…)
9 Dec 2015
Hands On Preview: Sony RX100 IV
Sony Singapore introduced two new exciting cameras in its RX series on 2 Jul 2015, the Sony RX100 IV and the RX10 II. Let’s have the hands-on preview on the new Sony RX100 IV!
(more…)
4 Jul 2015