Canon 5D Mark IV

https://youtu.be/7WI8rMGT4eg

Strengths of the Canon 5D Mark IV:

Fast and reliable performer with excellent ergonomics and the new touchscreen makes the already smartly organized menu even more accessible.   Dual Pixel AF (not to be confused with the dual pixel RAW) makes live view focusing fast and competent for most situations.Canon's lens selection and reliable track record as a company further highlight the 5D Mark IV as solid choice for serious photographers.I do love that they finally added the intervalometer and time lapse movie modes30MP is a nice resolution, not too large that your system will get bogged down but still allows for decent cropping when needed.

Weakness of the Canon 5D Mark IV:

The Sensor - although this camera and sensor are capable of making beautiful photos it doesn't beat the competition - Nikon D810 and Sony a7R2, and those cameras are a year old or more.Video features - This may not matter to you but those looking for an upgrade from the 5D Mark III as a video shooter or those needing a strong hybrid camera should look elsewhere - The codec is inefficient, the 4K is cropped to 1.74x and you do not have 4K video OUT.

Toss Up:

The CF and SD Cards - My wallet loves the fact that I don't need to buy any new cards but putting technology that it is nearing the end of its life cycle in a camera that won't be replaced for 4 years - feels less forward looking than I want Canon to be.Dual Pixel Raw - this allows you to make very small adjustments to focus after you take a photo using Canon's software.  I have trouble seeing any real differences in my tests and file size doubles.Support this site- Order the Canon 5D Mark IV using the links below.

• B&H Photo: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera with 24-105mm f/4L II Lens $4599.00
• B&H Photo: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera with 24-70mm f/4L Lens $4,399.00
• B&H Photo: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera (Body Only) $3,499.00
• Amazon

Canon 5D Mark IV Custom Button Setup

Canon 5D Mark IV vs Sony A7R2

Sony vs Canon

Camera	Canon	Sony
MP	30 (Dimensions - 6720 x 4480)	42 (Dimensions - 7952 x 5304)
FPS	7.0	5.0
Video	4K with 1.7x crop / JPEG Codec	4K Full Frame / XAVC Codec
Storage	Dual Card - SD and CF	Single SD Card
LCD	Fixed 3.2" Touch enabled	Tilting 3.0"
Viewfinder;	Optical 100% Coverage	Electronic 100% Coverage
FPS	7.0	5.0
Battery Life	900 Shots	290 Shots
Weight	890 g (1.96 lbs)	625 g (1.38 lb)
Body Only Price	$3500 (buy from B&H Photo | Amazon )	$3200 (buy from B&H Photo | Amazon )
24-70 Lens Weight	805 g (1.77 lb)	866 g (1.95 lb)
24-70 Lens Cost	$1750 (buy from B&H Photo| Amazon )	$2198 (buy from B&H Photo| Amazon)
TOTAL COST & WEIGHT	1695 g 3.74 lbs | $5250	1491 g 3.33 lbs | $5398

 Which one would you pick? Go Vote!

OM-D E-M1 Mark II - Most Advanced Micro 4/3

In some ways writing "the most advanced" is a given.. right? This is afterall a new camera, a new flagship camera from Olympus - shouldn't it offer the most advanced set of features to date?  Anyway olympus continues to offer high quality cameras with a huge lenses selection (micro 4/3 standard can use anything by olympus, panasonic and many 3rd party manufacturers)   The latest announcement - not a release yet continues this trend.OM-D E-M1 Mark II Specs

• 20MP sensor
• 5-axis IS
• Lightweight and Weatherproof body
• 15FPS (60fps in electronic shooting) - yes stills!
• 1/80000 max shutter speed
• 4K video
• Fully articulating 3.0" touchscreen
• Focus bracketing and stacking
• Wifi (do I need to list this as a feature in late 2016?) it should be a given)

I few days ago I was having a discussion about the benefits mirrorless cameras offered - one of my points was mirrors are mechanical contraptions that slow a camera down - you have to flip it out of the way to take a photo and if you want to take several photos in a row AND use autofocus between those shots - the mirror must flip up and down and this mechanical process is time consuming.  This new Olympus is an excellent example of what is possible without the mirror - 18 FPS with continuous autofocus turned on.    And the Olympus cameras have offered some of the best AF in mirrorless cameras and the M1 Mark II is likely to continue. And then you have a few more cool features like

• Silent Shutter Mode which completely eliminates shutter noise and all electronic sounds, perfect for wildlife, concert halls, or other quiet environments.
• Live Composite and Live Bulb Modes- watch the image build up on the monitor, allowing exposure adjustment during the shoot.
• Focus Bracketing and Stacking lets you take several photos of a subject and then stack them into a single image with edge-to-edge clarity for For incredible macro shots.

New Panasonic Cameras -

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera

• 16MP Live MOS Sensor Micro Four Thirds System
• 2.36m-Dot Electronic Viewfinder
• 3.0" 1.04m-Dot Swivel LCD Touchscreen
• UHD 4K Video Recording at 30/24 fps
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
• DFD AF System, 4K PHOTO Modes
• 5-Axis Image Stabilization, Dual I.S.
• ISO 25600 and 10 fps Shooting with AF-S

Those looking for a robust, affordable 4K capable system - this looks VERY appealing.Available end of October - Preorder from B&H Photo $897.99 With Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens for $997.99 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 Digital Camera

• 20.1MP 1" High Sensitivity MOS Sensor
• Leica DC Vario-Summilux f/1.4-2.8 Lens
• 24-72mm (35mm Equivalent)
• 3.0" 180° Tilting Touchscreen LCD
• UHD 4K Video at 30/24 fps in MP4
• 5-Axis HYBRID O.I.S.+, 49-Area AF System
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Extended ISO 25600 and 10 fps Shooting
• Lens Control Ring; USB Mobile Charging
• 4K PHOTO; Post Focus & Focus Stacking

An extremely strong competitor to Sony's popular RX100 series but the LX10 provides a faster lens and the Post focus and focus stacking features.Available in Mid November for $697.99 - Preorder from B&H Photo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500 Digital Camera

A true hybrid photo/video machine - equally capable of shooting either while providing some pro level video features.

• 20.1MP 1" High Sensitivity MOS Sensor
• Leica DC Vario-Elmarit f/2.8-4.5 Lens
• 24-480mm (35mm Equivalent)
• 0.74x 2.36m-Dot OLED Live View EVF
• 3" 1.04m-Dot Free-Angle Touchscreen LCD
• DCI 4K Recording at 24.00 fps & 100 Mbps
• CINELIKE Profiles; 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI Out
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity; 4K PHOTO
• ISO 25600 and 12 fps Continuous Shooting
• Manual Control Ring & Built-In ND Filter

With that 1" sensor this isn't going to be amazing in low light BUT the fact that you can get a 20x zoom, 4K cine profile (it will look great straight out of camera) AND pro level quality via HDMI out all for less than $1200 WITH A BUILT IN ND FILTER - this looks like a sweet rig for someone that wants to produce some serious travel videos - everything you need in one package.Available Mid December for $1,197.99 Preorder from B&H Photo Which of these three cameras are you most interested in?  

Panasonic GH5 - 6k Video... Linkbait?

The Panasonic GH5 has been announced - The 6K video that is being passed about as a spec isn't quite true.  Even without true 6K video this looks like a serious step forward for videographers with 4k at 60p and the ability to record 10-bit 4:2:2 (more data is better)The specs we have

• 6K/30p 18mp
• 8mp/60fps burst photo
• 10-bit 4:2.2
• 4K/60p

Body style looks very similar to the GH4.Panasonic also announced further collaboration with Leica together they will be releasing three new lenses8-18mm, 12-60mm, and 50-200mm- all offering f2.8-4.0. Camera and lenses will be available in the first half of 2017Panasonic Press ReleasePanasonic Announces the Development of the World’s First 4K 60p/50p Video Recording CSC Featuring 6K PHOTOIntroducing the LUMIX GH5Panasonic today announces the LUMIX GH5, the world’s first Compact System (CSC) interchangeable lens camera capable of recording high-precision smooth 4K 60p/50p and faithfully reproductive 4:2:2 10-bit 4K video. This premium camera will offer exceptional performance for professional photographers, videographers and emerging photo/video-hybrid creators.The new LUMIX GH5 is scheduled to enter the market in the first half of 2017 and will feature Panasonic’s new ‘6K PHOTO’ offering – an approximately 18-megapixel-equivalent still image extraction from an ultra-high quality video with approximately 9x higher resolution than Full HD. Furthermore, an approximately 8-megapixel equivalent ‘4K PHOTO’ can be extracted from a video shot at 60 fps.Panasonic also announces the new LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT F2.8-4.0 lens series. These announcements demonstrate Panasonic’s dedication to continually deliver outstanding customer value and new culture in photography and film production by developing premium, new-era products and functions.Commitment to innovationThe LUMIX GH5 will allow creative minds to capture their vision with ease and style, and further confirms Panasonic’s commitment to develop incomparable products and functions to address the new demands in photography and film production.Panasonic is committed to the development of innovative digital cameras under the theme “create a new photo culture in the digital era”. The company brought the world’s first CSC, the DMC-G1, to market in 2008 and the succeeding DMC-GH1 achieved the world’s first Full HD video recording in 2009.Professional, versatile 4K videography with freedom and easeThe LUMIX DMC-GH4 has received much critical acclaim since its launch in 2014 and was the first camera to realise 4K 30p/25p video recording. Building on its predecessor’s success, the LUMIX GH5 will offer a new world first: 4K 60p/50p and 4K 30p with 4:2:2 10-bit.Exceptional 4K video recording will be packed into a compact, lightweight design created for videographers to take the camera anywhere and shoot in any location. With the unprecedented video recording performance of the LUMIX GH5, Panasonic aims to elevate its status in the film production industry.Elevating outstanding photography to new heightsThe LUMIX GH5 will dramatically advance the conventional ‘4K PHOTO’ function with ‘6K PHOTO’ that will cut a still image out of ultra-high definition video (4:3 or 3:2 video footage) with approximately 9x higher resolution than Full HD.Silent and unobtrusive with quick focus to capture the moment, the LUMIX GH5 will allow photographers to take advantage of high-speed, long-time high frame rate shooting capability. Unmissable moments can also be saved as beautiful photographs in a higher resolution that complies with larger size of printing by substantially increasing the resolution from 8-megapixel (4K PHOTO) to 18-megapixel (6K PHOTO) equivalent resolution.New LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT F2.8-4.0 lens seriesThe LUMIX GH5 will be featured at Photokina 2016 alongside a new LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT F2.8-4.0 lens series. Achieving both high optical performance and compact size, the LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT F2.8-4.0 lens series will include a new 12-60mm standard zoom lens, an 8-18mm wide zoom lens and a 50-200mm telephoto zoom lens. All lenses will be showcased as reference exhibits at the Panasonic booth.

New Sony Camera a99 II 42MP SLT Camera

And I thought the a-mount was dead!?!? Sony's a mount cameras are a blend of mirrorless and traditional DSLR technology - the mirror is still there - just translucent, letting some light through to hit the sensor - this provides an EVF and phase detection autofocus.

Sony a99 II Brief Specs

• Sony a99II,
• full-frame A-mount camera (yes I was surprised).
• 42 MP
• 5-axis stabilization (4 stops)
• 12 FPS with AF
• 4K video - full sensor and super 35mm

Sony a99II Price - $3,199 - B&H Product page, Preorder soonOn paper this camera looks to match and possibly beat the TOP end cameras from Nikon and Canon - the ones that cost $5000 and more.   This could be a very interesting matchup.The a mount has a decent lens collection, including the longer telephoto lenses I would love to see brought to the full frame E mount.  Honestly I was really hoping for a more serious high end e-mount, maybe an a9 that has been rumoured announced today. This camera - while I am sure will be excellent is sitting at what is now a pretty small market share.  Sony's a mount series sold well initially, especially outside the US, but they let it languish and many serious photographers have moved on.    What do you think?

Canon 5D Mark IV vs Sony A7R2 with 24-70 f/2.8 Lens

Watch the video and share your opinion in the poll below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qheMX75GpKcWhich camera & lens would you rather travel with? Why - answer the poll and leave a comment.[yop_poll id="9"]

Sony vs Canon

Camera	Canon	Sony
MP	30 (Dimensions - 6720 x 4480)	42 (Dimensions - 7952 x 5304)
FPS	7.0	5.0
Video	4K with 1.7x crop / JPEG Codec	4K Full Frame / XAVC Codec
Storage	Dual Card - SD and CF	Single SD Card
LCD	Fixed 3.2" Touch enabled	Tilting 3.0"
Viewfinder;	Optical 100% Coverage	Electronic 100% Coverage;
FPS	7.0	5.0
Battery Life	900 Shots	290 Shots
Weight	890 g (1.96 lbs)	625 g (1.38 lb)
Body Only Price	$3500 (buy from BH Photo)	$3200 (buy from BH Photo)
24-70 Lens Weight	805 g (1.77 lb)	866 g (1.95 lb)
24-70 Lens Cost	$1750 (buy from BH Photo)	$2198 (buy from BH Photo)
TOTAL COST & WEIGHT	1695 g 3.74 lbs | $5250	1491 g 3.33 lbs | $5398

Worlds First - Medium Format Mirrorless 50MP

Hasselblad has announced the X1D-50c Medium Format Mirrorless Digital Camera

• 50MP 43.8 x 32.9mm CMOS Sensor
• 16-Bit Color, 14-Stop Dynamic Range
• Hasselblad Natural Color Solution
• Full HD 1080p H.264 Video at 25 fps
• ISO 100-25600, Shooting Up to 2.3 fps
• Central Shutter: 60 min to 1/2000 sec
• 2.36MP XGA Electronic Viewfinder
• 3.0" 920k-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
• Dual SD Card Slots; XPan & Square Modes
• Built-In Wi-Fi & GPS, USB 3.0 Type C

Cost $8,995 - Preorder from B&H PhotoI am certain this will be a well built camera and it does nicely incorporate a few pieces of modern tech like USB 3 Type C, a viewfinder that I am sure will be gorgeous with 2.36MP and of course a medium format sensor that is capable of giving you extremely shallow depth of field and awesome light gathering capabilities. Is that all worth $9,000 plus you need lenses.  Of which there are only a few hopefully there will be adapters but in general medium format lenses are quite expensive as they need to cover a significantly larger sensor.  Let me know on Facebook - are you interested? A few more photos Hasselblad X1D-50c 

Sony a6300 Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEkuc8X39kQ For the last few months I have been shooting with the a6300 and I am now ready to share my thoughts on this camera. How does it compare vs a traditional DSLR like the Canon T6s/T6i, What does low light image quality look like and is it worth it to upgrade from the a6000?Support our work- use these links for purchasea6300 from B&H PhotoRecommended LensesSony 16 -70 (fantastic all around lens)Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS (great headshots)Sigma 30mm f/1.4 (perfect portraits)Sony 35mm Macro (affordable macro)Recommended AccessoriesFast SD Card 64GBSample images

  

Matt Granger Quits Using Sony

In short he has had a series of pretty terrible repair & support issues which for a pro photographer can be an absolute deal breaker.  Now Matt is in Australia, I have heard from US Sony users that support is much better here but it is something I mentioned in my review of the Sony A7RII.  You can hear all of Matt's thoughts in the video below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apCc5JD4PYs

Samsung NX1 Discontinued at B&H

We have seen the signs, heard the rumors and now here in the US at B&H Photo Store- the NX1 with Lens is listed as discontinued.  It is clear this line of cameras from Samsung is completely dead and done. A real shame - I really liked the NX1 as a camera though I did worry about the ecosystem.   I still miss it's beautiful OLED screen and smart features like over wifi firmware updates.They do still have stock of Body Only models - not sure how long that will last but the price is decent. $1099 Slightly related - Amazon's deal of the day is the older NX3000. For $399 you get the camera, 20-50 and 50-200 lens. This is an excellent deal - just think of this as a point and shoot and it's a fantastic deal with good wifi connectivity and even a cheap tiny prime, 30mm f/2.0 lens you can add for additional portability.The NX3000 is a 20MP APS-C camera that does very well in low light. flip up touchscreen and the ability to take 3D photos (when using a 3D lens) round out the features.  

Sony a6300 Hands-on Review (Draft)

For the last few days I have been in Miami shoot with the Sony a6300, 24-70 f/2.8 GM series and the 85mm f/1.4 GM.  I will have a full video review soon (subscribe to my Youtube Channel to be notified) - below are some thoughts after spending three solid days with the Sony a6300 and shooting 3,000 photos. Sony a6300 Review - The headline features: Redesigned 24MP sensor, Improved AF system (4D Focus) with 425 Phase detection points - almost complete coverage of AF points from corner to corner and improved speed of focus 0.05 seconds. 11fps at high+ mode, 4K including 4k at Super 35mm.a6300 Spoiler Review - This is the best hybrid (photos & video) camera you can buy at this price point: focus is impressive, low light capabilities are some of the best I have seen in a crop sensor and 4K video looks great.   A few small issues hold this camera back from perfection but I would very happy to walk out the door with the Sony a6300 for just about any photo or video task.The Good -Focus system works as advertised, We shot wake boarders, parkour athletes and salsa dancers and I was impressed with the speed and tracking capabilities.  In one example I watched the tracking squares lock on and follow a sprinting, tumbling athlete cross from one corner of the frame to the other. - He moved by people, intersecting objects and it capably tracked him.     When I compare this system to the Sony a7RII or the a6000 I see noticeable improvements and increased intelligence. One of my big complaints about sony is picking the focus point - no touchscreen and no dedicated joystick make it difficult but with the increased smarts the camera selected my subject most of the time and when it didn't a new feature to the a6300 - focus selector, helps.  This allows you to use the directional pad on the back as a joystick to move your focus points without an extra button press.  This does require an extra press to get into the other functions of the directional pad- e.g. ISO, exposure compensation ect. So not perfect but I appreciate the choice.Focus during movies - good, with customizability on speed.  I will have more to say after I send time carefully reviewing all the footage I shot.a6300 Photo Quality - Despite sharing the same MPs (24) as the a6000 they did redesign the sensor, increasing copper blah blah, do you really care. I don't I just want to know the result, and I believe this will be the new king of APS-C low light performance.   I shot 12,800 images that while noise was certainly present it was far below what I expected and I would be happy to deliver those images to a client or bride.(MORE sample Images from the a6300)Video Quality - Very good - more to say soon.  These are good Codecs with S-Log as an option.Body and Handling - Very similar to the a6000- an additional switch at the AEL button allows a little more customizability.   Still can't assign shutter button to start video :(  Bodies construction is upgraded, honestly not sure I can really tell when I hold but it should be more robust.   The EVF is upgraded - nice rubber cup and it is higher quality with NO lag. With image review off I was tracking and shooting wake boarders without issue. Now with mic jack or you can use Sony's hotshoe mic.  Still no headphone port.Features- I mentioned the focus point selector. It's great! Also new option to magnify live view and focus for ultra precise focusing.  120fps full HD video! And of course 4k and cinema 4K - again, this will be the best performing low light camera for photos or video at this price point and honestly you have to spend significantly more to see improvements.  Custom 1 and 2 on the dial are additional nice touches.   Additional customization options in menu too  but. .The Sony menu system - This isn't particular to the a6300 but as these Sony cameras add additional features it becomes harder and harder to find and set all the variables you need for best performance in certain shooting situations. For example AF options are spread out over multiple tabs and pages and it makes it very difficult to find everything you need.  Additionally no favorites tab or customizable page mean if you want to seriously use this camera you will NEED to spend time memorizing the location of menu items.Anemic Buffer - Sure it can shoot 11 fps but that is a short burst and the camera locks up and is all but useless until it finishes writing to the card - this can be very frustrating in some situations.I will have lots more to say in my video- for now I will repeat the line. This is the best hybrid (photos & video) camera you can buy at this price point: focus is impressive, low light capabilities are some of the best I have seen in a crop sensor and 4K video looks great.I plan to compare the a6300 vs the Gh4, the 70D and 80D and it's big brother the Sony a7RII- but really, is it fair to compare a $1,000 camera vs a $3,200 camera?What else would you like to know or see covered in the review?ORDER the Sony a6300 from Amazon  or B&H Photo. Using my links to purchase is the best way to support my work on this channel- I can't continue to do this without your support. Use the links and visit http://photorec.tv/support to learn more.

Sony a6300 Feature Videos

Sony 4D focusing systemSony FAST focusing during videoFocus Trackinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqY0YKmVuD0The new sony a6300 is capable of 120FPS at 1080p

Sony A6300 4K for the Masses

Sony has announced the long awaited successor to the a6000.  The new camera simply called the a6300 does offer some significant advancements worth the wait and a one disappointing features still missing from most of the Sony line.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDpM190WmXcThe Key features of the new Sony

• 24MP CMOS APS-C sensor with copper wiring (same MP as a6000 but upgraded sensor)
• 425-point on-sensor phase-detection AF system (HUGE number of AF points and good coverage out to the frame edges)
• 11 fps continuous shooting (8fps continuous live view) (Same as a6000 but live view continuous is now faster)
• Silent shooting
• Max ISO of 51200 (I expect high ISO in this camera will be excellent)
• 4K video capture up to 100 Mbps (Offering some of the best 4K in an ILC at this price point)
• Sturdier magnesium construction and some weather sealing vs the original a6000

The body is almost identical to the a6000 - same tilting screen, same resolution. Button placement looks identical with the addition of an AEL switch on the back - likely giving you additional customization options similar to the a7 full frame series.

The 11FPS matches the a6000, the improvement comes when shooting live view- up to 8fps with a very short blackout between frames allowing better tracking of moving subjects and the AF system offers a  new 4D tracking system with dynamically activated AF points around your subject and the camera will adjust depending on the motion of the subject itself..   I expect this camera will now match and beat the latest DSLRs in the same price range.4K at 100mbits with oversampling from the whole sensor! What that all means - this 4K footage should be excellent, low noise even at higher ISOs and very sharp.  No additional crop (beyond the standard 1.5x sony aps-c crop) while shooting video which means this camera is going to be much better for some videographers than the double the price Nikon D500.What is disappointing? No Touchscreen. Almost all other DSLRs at this price point offer a touchscreen and despite the smaller size and a few fewer buttons Sony still hasn't offered a touchscreen.  The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is also the same and I didn't love the a6000 EVF- it is a bit dull.   Also much smaller annoyance  still USB 2.0.  USB 3.0 would be nice at this point when you want to transfer files without Wifi or even tethering.No in body image stabilization (IBIS) as some people had hoped - I didn't expect that at this level and price point but if you want that and the small size you need to look at the Olympus or step up to full frame.Overall I expect this camera to sell very well and is likely the first camera to offer 4K and sell as well as it will - basically Sony just brought 4K to the masses.  Expect grandma's birthday party footage to be 4k now ;)The Sony α6300  will be available in MarchPreorder now from B&H Photo Sony a6300 (Body Only) $998.00 | Sony a6300 with 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 LensSony also announced a pile of PRO lenses including a new 24-70 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8 and an 85mm f/1.4. More about the new Sony LensesAdditional Sony a6300 Product Videos and Feature Tours 

4.5 Reasons why the Sony A7R II is not ready for Wedding Photography

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLrHc_4omBw What about the ONE card slot? Scroll down. 4.5 Reasons why the Sony is not ready for Wedding PhotographyOverall I love this camera but the thought of using it as a primary wedding camera is not something I can recommend.

1. File size - Compressed Raw files are 40-60MBs. With the 2.0 firmware update coming in a few days this is going to grow significantly. With no option for small or medium format Raw files you end up with huge amounts of data. It would be nice to have a medium Raw option, that would quickly solve this issue.
2. Speed - Buffer clearing can be slow, even with the fastest of SD cards. Shoot a quick burst of photos and you will be frustrated waiting to review those images.
3. Focus point control.  The Sony A7R II Offers some awesome focus features - eye-detect, face recognition - they work and they work fairly well in many situations but there are still times at a wedding where you need to pick your focus point and you need to do so quickly and efficiently and the pad on the back and the dual dial setup is not efficient.  After two months of almost continuous use I still find it slow and cumbersome.
4. Battery Life - The sony eats batteries like crazy. You can implement my battery saving tips for decent results as a travel and walk around camera but if you are using this as your main wedding camera it needs to be on and ready to go 100% of the time and there is not avoiding the amount of power that is going to take.  You are looking at a battery change every 2 hours. We often shoot weddings that last 10-12 hours.
5. This is the 1/2 point.  Fast Glass. Sony has some excellent lenses. I have been reviewing the 55mm f/1.8 and the 90mm f/2.8 macro lenses and they are so sharp!! There are also faster lenses if you are willing to manual focus but we don't really have anything faster than f/1.8 that autofocuses and we don't have the 24-70 f/2.8 and the 70-200 f/2.8. Sony has promised 8 new FE lenses in early 2016 and I believe some of these will be faster lenses and the 24-70 and 70-200 bread and butter combination. - That's why I only give this a 1/2 issue.

Maybe you expected the one card slot to be on the list.  While we are strong advocates for using a system that provide redundancy and backup of precious wedding photographs I don't believe having only one card slot is a deal breaker or even a BIG issue.  I have had cards fail on me in several different cameras and I have never NOT been able to recover the images. And Sony's database, although annoying to create each time you insert a new card, does provide a good safety net.  I once removed a card while the camera was still writing and although I had to wait 15 minutes as the camera worked to recover the image I didn't lose a single image, not even the one it was trying to write when I removed the card.  I am impressed.Again, I want to stress I love this camera - it is fantastic and I can easily come up with several reasons why it does make an excellent wedding camera and so nicely pushes technology forward in the camera industry.  I will be back to share more along with some of my favorite wedding photos I have snapped so far this season with the Sony a7R II.If you are looking for the ultimate landscape camera- The Sony A7R II is awesome. Buy from Amazon or B&H Photo

Sony A7S II - Review Round-up

Summary: Sony A7S II provides videographers with amazing low light performance and 4K in body recording at significant savings versus Canon.  Preorder the Sony A7S II from B&H Photo | Amazon for $2998.00 - Shipping Oct 16th.Sony has held several press conferences and hands-on demos over the last 24 hours and the reviews are starting to appear.  Form-wise it is identical to the Sony a7RII and A7II. The distinguishing feature of the Sony A7S series is the amazing low light performance.  This is really a video focused camera - read over the new features below to see why the A7RII is still a better hybrid (video and photos) choice for those that need both stills and video.The NEW features of the Sony a7S II

4K video with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in full-frame format (A7S only did 4K to external recorder)

Full HD 120fps recording and 4x/5x slow motion recording (60fps was max at 1080 with A7S)

S-Log3 Gamma and Display Assist Function (The S-Log formats are very flat, makes it difficult to judge focus - With Display Assist Function DAF - you get a graded preview in the viewfinder making it easier to judge focus)

In-camera 5-axis optical image stabilisation (same as Sony a7R II - makes handheld video possible, stabilizes any fast prime you want to use)

Upgraded autofocus system with 169 AF Points (but missing the Phase Detection AF system that gives that Sony A7R II fast and accurate focus with loads of lenses even in low light

Upgraded XGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF - Same as Sony a7R II

Option for Uncompressed Raw files (coming to Sony A7R II soon)- Files are

Preorder the Sony A7S II from B&H Photo | Amazon for $2998.00

New Canon Mirrorless - M10 EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM

Canon announced their new mirrorless camera, the M10. The M10 is Canon's smallest mirrorless camera.Canon M10 Specifications

• 18 MP (maybe same sensor as the T5i (700D)?
• Hybrid CMOS AF II system (same as in 100D)? - Certainly has the same name
• ISO 100-12800 (25,600 expandable)
• Digic 6 Processor (nothing new here)
• Articulating screen 180 degree rotation
• Full manual video control
• Compact 15-45 STM lens

Price - $599 - Preorder from B&H Photo Video | AmazonPrice with 15-45 and 55-200 Lens $849.00 Preorder from B&H Photo Video | Amazon I am NOT excited about this camera. I appreciate that Canon is continuing to produce mirrorless cameras but this doesn't seem competitive against the older Sony a6000 that offers faster focus (how do I know? The Hybrid CMOS AF II system is in older cameras that I have used and reviewed. It isn't bad but it certainly isn't as fast as the Sony a6000 or other mirrorless options from Olympus, Panasonic etc.  I also suspect that this is not a new sensor, rather the sensor that was in the Rebels from last year and again, that sensor isn't bad but it is not competitive with other options on the market.  So what does this camera have going for it? Good question - The Canon name which still means something to some people and it does look quite small but beyond that - not much.Are you excited?  If you could have 1 minute with Canon's CEO - what would you tell him?    

Sony A7R II Review

Video Review

My Review of the Sony a7RII after using for a month, what I love, What I hate and some thoughts if this is the camera for you.https://youtu.be/XhNeWSzsQQUThis is a work in progress. . .  

Helpful Links

Support my work -Buy the Sony a7R II from B&H PhotoI suggest you pick up the small but so sharp 35mm f/2.8 Lens - Buy from B&H PhotoRecommended Accessories:Sony 64GB SDXC - Supports 4K:Spare batteriesUSB Charger mentioned, NP-FW50 Dual Rapid Battery Charger for SonyCharge VIA USB Power from RavPower USB Battery: RAVPower 13000mAh BatterySmall tripod seen in video, used in Iceland: Pedco Ultralight Tripod 

Alternative Cameras -

Taking the features that I love about the Sony -

• Excellent sensor with fantastic low light performance
• Articulating LCD
• Shoots 4k video that looks gorgeous
• In body image stabilization useful for hand-held video and low light photography
• Fast and accurate AF system
• EVF
• Smaller and Lighter (Unless I am packing the adapter and my Canon glass)

As I said in the review - it is difficult to find another camera that does all of this so well but it is expensive and lenses are relatively expensive too*  So if you are willing to sacrifice a feature or two I have some suggestions.Nikon D750 (My review)

• Articulating Screen
• Very good Sony sensor inside
• Good video quality (not 4K though)
• Great price with lots of affordable Nikon lenses to choose from
• Additional Strength - Awesome battery life

Buy the Nikon D750 from B&H Photo for $1,996.95Buy a stabilized lens for your Nikon D750Panasonic GH4 (My review)

• Articulating touch screen
• Excellent 4k video in good light
• Fantastic battery life
• Small and MFT lenses are tiny
• Affordable

Buy the Panasonic GH4 from B&H Photo for $1,397.99 ($100 instant savings)Sony a7II (My Review)

• 1/2 the price of the Sony A7R II but still offers
  • Excellent sensor
  • In body image stabilization
  • Big, bright viewfinder
  • The grip and in hand-feel I like with the A7RII (the bodies are identical)

Buy the Sony a7II from B&H Photo for $1,698.00 ($100 instant savings)

Canon EOS M3 - Stales Snacks for USA

On last night's Photo Mish Mash, our weekly show, I touched on the rumor that Canon was going to focus on mirrorless offerings in 2016.  I was skeptical. Well it looks like they have taken the first steps in that direction and are releasing the EOS M3 in the US.  It has already been available for several months outside the US. The EOS M3 uses the same 24MP APS-C  sensor and Hybrid CMOS III AF system as the  Rebel T6s/ T6i, and features a control dial, an articulating rear screen capable of flipping up for selfies and a flash hot shoe. You need an adapter to use with EF and EF-S lenses though the adapter is certainly affordable at $49.   If you want to stay within the Canon ecosystem, and many photographers do, the EOS M3 provides a decent solution but at $679 body only, $799 with 18-55 EF-M lens - it is priced higher than the comparable Sony a6000. Autofocus is the big question. The Hybrid CMOS II AF system I have in my T6s is decent but noticeably slower than the a6000, especially at tracking- more hands-on coming soon. Subscribe to my Youtube channel to be notified of the full review.Preorder from B&H Photo | Amazon (Shipping in early October)I love the Gizmodo headline "Canon's EOS M3 Is Its Latest Shrug of a Shot at Mirrorless in the US" Emphasis mine.Canon feels late to the party and they are bringing the snacks few people want. Let's hope this is a bridge move and the M4 will really bring a competitive mirrorless model from Canon though they have had THREE versions now where they failed. . . so why should 4 be any different? I also don't believe we will see a EOS M4 until late next year at the earliest, falling further behind in this growing market.Current EOS M lenses

Canon - EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens $399 - Buy from B&H Photo

Canon - EF-M 22mm f/2 STM Lens (Silver) $249 - Buy from B&H Photo

Canon - EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens $349 - Buy from B&H Photo

 

Canon EF-M Lens Adapter Kit for Canon EF / EF-S Lenses $49 - Buy from B&H Photo

Sony a7R Mark II in Iceland

I have now been shooting with the Sony a7R Mark II (a7Rm2) for most of the day here in Iceland (today was the meet everyone, wander about town and get settled into the hotel day, tomorrow (Aug 7th) we head out for some seriously beautiful landscapes.See more images from the Sony a7R II

• AF is very good and improved over earlier Sony models
• AF with Metabones is also excellent though I have seen some confusion, just once actually in lower light- will be testing more.
• Image quality is excellent
• Feel in the hand is wonderful
• The control dials for aperture and shutter speed are smallish and I wish they were bigger and placed more prominently
• 4K video - looks good, I have just shot a few minutes of clips, more soon on this.
• Battery life is terrible, but you can use the camera while charging - so walking around with a USB battery attached to the camera looks silly but gives you much better battery life.

See more images from the Sony a7R IIIf you think you want one now. Put in a preorder now. B&H has over 1,000 preorders and only got a couple hundred in- most camera stores seem to be getting them in ones and twos.Order the Sony a7 R Mark II from B&H Photo VideoRecommended SD Card for Sony a7 R Mark II