One important factor as a photographer is to keep up with technology. This doesn’t mean a photographer should change gear each time a new model is released, but in due time, it becomes a necessity.
I am proud of myself with the upkeep, maintenance, and cleanings with my gear, I’ve never had to send a camera in for repair or replacements. And believe me, I’ve had my klutzy moments, dropping the camera, and shattering a glass filter on a lens (the lens wasn’t damaged).
I’ve shot my way through two Nikon cameras, and after eight years with the newer of the two cameras, it was time to update. A simple shutter actuation test confirmed it was time, and so began the task of learning all about the wide array of cameras offered. In the last eight years there have been a lot of changes!
Let me also explain that I am a huge fan of brand loyalty. I use the same paper towels my mother did, part emotional, but more importantly, fact driven that they are the best. And it’s easy to be overwhelmed with all the bells and whistles new cameras can offer. But I am a realist, and don’t require the camera that does everything (I honestly feel that will never be invented, lol), but I am very clear about what I need the camera to do.
For my needs, I need a fast, quiet camera that does well with low light situations. The contenders for the mirrorless camera were Nikon, Sony, and Panasonic. There was no Canon, even though their mirrorless line receives rave reviews, and the images are gorgeous. I don’t know, I’ve never had a solid good vibe about Canons, and didn’t want to force myself. With Panasonic, I was impressed with the quality of their point and shoot camera boasting a Leica lens. Some of the images taken on that camera came out better than my trusty Nikon. But Panasonic has partnered with Leica on lenses, so the reality was although the camera was affordable, I wouldn’t be able to afford the lenses. The Sony A9 series has become very popular with amazing features, the ability to shoot 20 frames per second, seems surreal compared to my present Nikon hitting 4 frames per second! This was going to be a tough decision, one that took a few days to really think things through. I took the specs of both cameras and went head to head.
After all was said and done, Sony was the victor. And you know what, I was ok with that. Yes, there was sadness leaving Nikon, cameras and menus that were familiar. Next, I was off to my local camera store to check out the camera in person. The one thing I didn’t count on was a much smaller hand grip to hold the camera. Darn. Nikon’s grip fit me like a glove. Then I found the A7iii, with the better grip. Checked the specs on this camera, and I was good to go. Most of the features of the A9 are on the A7iii, the 20 frames per second is not on the A7iii, I now have 10 frames per second. And I’m ok with that too. I’m coming from 4 frames per second, and this will be a big improvement. If I had 20 frames per second, I fear that I would require too many memory cards. I mean, if I feel I’m really missing something there, I can always trade up.
It was almost two weeks later where I could free up some time in my schedule to take the Sony out and get to know it better. I thought a quick trip to the Philadelphia Zoo would be the perfect spot for an afternoon shoot.
I was hoping to be amazed with its 693 point auto focus, and I was. The sharpness and clarity blew me away. At this time, I’m only working with one lens, Sigma’s 24-70 f/2.8, and the images required some cropping. I cropped a few down to extreme proportions, and still looked good. The big test was the speed. I found the penguin pool, and let me tell you, those little guys move fast, and honestly the camera outperformed the photographer, lol.
