Sony A7 III vs Sony A7R III vs Canon EOSR vs Nikon Z6

Ramesh Sunkara · Nov 20, 2018

Hello Everyone,

I am new here. ( I follow this forum but never posted before). Please excuse me if I missed any rules.
I am an amatuer and a hobbiyst photographer.

I have been learning photography for couple of years and want to up my game now.
I used to use Nikon D5200 but I have a clean slate now (sold my gear)

What am I looking for:
Advice on Camera and System which will future proof me given that am just a hobbyist and I don't know want to make mistake in choosing the right gear as I can't afford to change it later.

My Areas of Interest:
Landscape, Travel & some family portraits. ( I chose 16-35 and 70-200 focal lengths)

After some research I decided on buying Sony A7III but the new release of Canon EOS Rand Nikon Z6 confused me as everyone says that these new systems will have faster and better lens in future.

What confuses me more is the last 3 options cost the same. So I dont want to make a wrong decision.

Just to give an idea about my current skill level: Ramesh S (@thevillageguy) • Instagram photos and videos

n614cd · Nov 20, 2018

Can you clarify what the Sony labels mean on the column on the left?

I am also curious, since I am in a similar situation, except I did not sell my gear yet (Canon 6D and Sigma Art lenses). I have decided to wait a year and see if anything settles out....

Tim

Ramesh Sunkara · Nov 20, 2018

n614cd said:
Can you clarify what the Sony labels mean on the column on the left?

Updated

n614cd said:
I have decided to wait a year and see if anything settles out....

I did waited already for an year and decided to buy this year and I guess it happens next year too, and I dont want to wait any more

D7K · Nov 20, 2018

I would recommend first researching what features are most important for you and why (given you are not invested in any particular kit yet), this should help you narrow down your options. Then look at the comparable features, pro's and cons of the same level camera across the brands, look at the layouts, functions, menus and decide which system (brand) you want to invest in. With respect to "Future proof" - what aspect of that is important? It sounds like you need to do a little more research on exactly what you need and what functions are most important to you, instead of looking across the line of some of the most expensive latest releases and trying to decide what to invest in.

It seems you're leaning towards Sony, Why? What do you think the EOS R or Z6 (or indeed Z7) can offer you above the reasons you initially decided on the Sony?

At the end of the day, it's research research research, but, that's so much easier if you have an idea of what it is you actually need and would like, not simply what you want.

Ramesh Sunkara · Nov 20, 2018

@D7K Thanks a lot for your time and advice. Btw loved you instagram feed.

I did some research but I am sure its not enough.
Following are the factors I looked for:
1. Image Quality (Sharpness)
2. Dynamic Range ( given that I enjoy landscape more)
3. Better Ergonomics ( Good to have, but I can adjust on this over functionality and image quality)

The reason I initially considered Sony was
1. I want to try Mirrorless and Canon and Nikon didn't had viable options until recently
2. Everyone (Youtube, Blogs) had super positive reviews about Sony A7 III
3. I loved Nikon D750 (rented once) but was hesitant to buy years old camera
5. I liked Nikon 850 specs, but not in my reach ( budget wise)

D7K · Nov 20, 2018

Ramesh Sunkara said:
@D7K Thanks a lot for your time and advice. Btw loved you instagram feed.

I did some research but I am sure its not enough.
Following are the factors I looked for:
1. Image Quality (Sharpness)
2. Dynamic Range ( given that I enjoy landscape more)
3. Better Ergonomics ( Good to have, but I can adjust on this over functionality and image quality)

The reason I initially considered Sony was
1. I want to try Mirrorless and Canon and Nikon didn't had viable options until recently
2. Everyone (Youtube, Blogs) had super positive reviews about Sony A7 III
3. I loved Nikon D750 (rented once) but was hesitant to buy years old camera
5. I liked Nikon 850 specs, but not in my reach ( budget wise)

Thanks - Pleased you enjoyed the feed

Couple of more points on what you've said and from my own experience;

IQ is always a factor to look for - sharpness has a lot more to do with the photographer, technique, understanding and also quality of glass than the camera - I took some superb images on my D7000 with a 50mm 1.8D.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet from other reviews (myself included) - Certainly cross reference with other valuable and recommended sources before taking such a big purchase on the back of youtube reviews. Sure they're helpful but often very biased. (Not to say the A7iii isn't a great piece of kit).

When I tried mirrorless (moved from D7000 to A7ii) it was because of the fact that I wanted something smaller, lighter and less conspicuous when out on the street, however, once you start adding the glass to them, there's really not much difference, and I found the a7ii with the 70-200 way more difficult to balance. Mirrorless was not for me, but that's not to say it's not for you, DSLR vs Mirrorless is the new Canon vs Nikon argument, each have their own strengths, and people prefer one or another, for me I prefer the DLSR.

If it's an option, I'd suggest renting or borrowing a mirrorless for a weekend with the lenses you mentioned and see how it is for you, After all - whatever you decided to go with, you're talking about dropping a fair amount of cash and investing in one system or another. Then there's the fact that you don't need to buy the latest release to be future proof, I know many people who are happily still shooting the D610, D700, D750, D800,D810 (I got the 850 because the price difference wasn't that much on a new D810 compared to a new D850). I hope I don't have to replace my D850 for a good few years yet, but I'm sure there will be new iterations of Nikon DSLRs released in that time, my camera does exactly what I want and need and more and so I don't see the need to upgrade.

File size - Shooting RAW on a 46MP sensor is a space hog! My MacBook hates me.

Lastly, look at the overall investment, Good glass costs, and that is the most important thing when investing in a new setup. You can switch up cameras every now and then but if you're invested in a system you can always carry your glass with you to the new body. I found with Sony that the cost of their lenses was higher than I was used to, Yeah, they're nice but I don't believe they're worth so many $$ above competitor lenses of the same focal length / aperture.

Anyway, These are my thoughts at this point, I'm sure there's many more talented folks here that can offer further advice based on their experiences, but in the end, it's up to you to decide, It's a lot of money so choose wisely, based on things that are important to you.

Best of luck! Keep us updated..

Ramesh Sunkara · Nov 20, 2018

@D7K Seriously, I can't thank you enough. Great suggestions I will try to keep this in mind when I pull the final trigger.

n614cd · Nov 20, 2018

I made the choice of Canon back in 2002. This was based on ergonomics, I tried Fuji and Nikon and neither felt right.

So @D7K suggestion to rent and try is a very good one. I would also seriously consider buying used and punting the decision for a year. Here is why, the recently announced L-Mount alliance. This has the potential to give you a choice of three camera companies and be able to keep your lens investment. I have more in my lenses, and when I upgrade in a year I likely will continue that trend. This is why I want to see how others get along adding native support to Canon and Nikon new mounts. How does the L-Mount alliance do? Is there an expansion of choices for lens for Sony?

Tim

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Ramesh Sunkara · Nov 21, 2018

The discussion here was really very helpful, thanks to everyone.

I went ahead with Sony (A7 III, 16-35 F4 and 70-200 F4)

For the benefit on anyone who stumbles here following are the reasons for my decision:

1. I don't want to buy any additional gear in future until this wears out or broken.
Or until I really need something. So there is no need of future proof in the first
place at all. The discussion hear helped me realize that..been bit naive

2. Given that I no need to future proof, I just went with current best option (subjective).
The reason I thought Sony is best for me because

a. Lens Selection:

Only Sony have the native lens I need. Even though Canon R & Nikon Z6
offers native like performance with their adapters, for some reason am not
inclined to use adapters (no objective reasoning, felt its unnecessary step)

b. Camera Body:

Looking at the reviews, I thought A7III still has edge as for Canon & Nikon its just
their first iteration .
I wanted to go with A7R III but due to budget and also for my skill level and my needs I thought 24MP will be enough.

I tried Sony A7III as one of my colleague has it, I didn't liked ergonomics and even the look of it. This may sound super lame but I didn't even liked the EVF ( but I see the benefit of it) . Anyways that's just first use, I can get used to it/adjust a bit if it performs well.

And most importantly, I don't want to wait one more year. Something better always comes.

Thanks everyone again for your participation.

jcdeboever · Nov 21, 2018

When I switched, I wanted a camera similar to a manual slr film camera, in its operation. Aperture rings on lenses, shutter speed dial, and 100% view finder were important for me. I looked at various images from lenses to see its rendering character. I wanted to try and build a standard operating procedure that mimicked my Nikon F, F2, F3 bodies so I was doing the same thing throughout. Fujifilm XT2 was the best choice for my needs. It met all the criteria I was looking for. I wasn't into any brand. At the time of the switch, I was worried about action and sports but with a little practice, it was fine. The camera is a tool, as mentioned above, narrow down what is important to you and make an informed purchase. There will be a better model every year as tech advances. Better images are not always associated with better technology. IMO, technique and how to see are more important to a successful image.