Sony a7 or Nikon D610

[Mike Guevin]

I am looking to upgrade to a full frame camera.I am torn between theses two.I have been shooting with crop sensor cameras for about three years now.I mostly shoot landscape/night stuff.I am not worried about the size or weight of the 610 compared to the a7 as I shoot just a little on the weekends & a little bit before or after work.Has the D610 been free of the shutter oil/dust issue.Was it a major problem on the D600?.I am currently shooting with a Sony a77 & my old trusty Canon T2i.I was recently turnrd on to the D610 and it seems very impressive,plus I can get it for a really good price until the 3rd of January.Any help would be greatly appreciated as I plan on purchasing one of these cameras in the morning.

Thanks & Happy New Year,
Mike

 

[goodguy]

As far as I know the A7 and D610 have same sensor so you are looking at roughly same IQ and Low Light performance.
Both are good cameras but in a way very different.
The AF system on the A7 is less then stellar while the D610 is much better.
I dont think you can go wrong either way but one thing you should consider is lenses.
Sony really didnt invest so far a lot in the lenses that can work on this camera.
You got few zoom lenses but non are fast and I think thats a very important issue.
Nikon can let you use zoom lenses made by Nikon, Tamron, Sigma or Tokina with F2.8 while Sony's fastest zoom lenses has only F4.
Thats a whole stop of light you are loosing and that for me is a BIG deal!
You can use adapters on the Sony and use other lenses but you will have to manual focus with them.
Sony will also work with Canon FF lenses but from what I heard they will auto focus very slow, just not very impressive.
You can use prime lenses made by Sony but if you want telezoom or (like me) like using the comfort of zoom lens then currently Nikon is you camera to get.
The D610 has no real flaws.
The oil/dust issues the D600 had has been fixed on the D610 its great in low light, has great dynamic range, has a very nice AF system and is pretty much an amazing deal in its price range.
Since it has the inbody AF motor then this means it will work with all the AF lenses made by Nikon and many other third party lens maker for the last few decades.
So yeah my money is on the D610


I am sure GRUMPY will pop by very soon to share his wisdom with us so I am shaking in anticipation to hear his holy word.
You can just call him Mr Gloat!

 

[JustJazzie]

The a7 doesn't have a good reputation for low light focusing. The Sony e mount lens's I own for my nex 7 do not have an infanity setting on them, and the screen is incredibly noisy in the dark which makes EVEN MANUAL focusing night shots practically impossible. I'd definitely go for the d610 if I were in your shoes.

 

[jaomul]

You have a Sony and Canon and want csc or Nikon. I am not being smart here but it's very easy to throw money into gear with very little improvements, and jumping system can be just that.

Grant it if you bought a Canon ff any Canon efs lenses are moot. You don't really say what your own cameras don't do for you? Is it high iso or similar. I'd be inclined to sell or trade one system you already own and upgrade with equipment that compliments the second. A great lens can transform your image quality.

If you simply must have full frame pick a system and stick with it then. I would certainly trade what I have then, as having 3 systems of camera is overkill for a weekend shooter. Just my opinion, not worth the paper it's written on

 

[The_Traveler]

tbh, if you are relatively new to photography, it doesn't make too much difference.
choose the one that feels best in your hands and go for it.
Sony A7 does have fewer lenses available now but if it has the lenses you want now, then don't worry about it.

If you are a very occasional photographer with few 'needs' why upgrade to FF?

 

[elemental]

Sony A7 does have fewer lenses available now but if it has the lenses you want now, then don't worry about it.

Yeah, lens availability (in the native mount, at least) is one of the most important differences between these two systems. If you're stretching for the A7, you're not going to like how much the glass costs in comparison to what you can find for FF Nikon. It's not a reason not to, but it's something important to be aware of when making a decision like this.

 

[The_Traveler]

Sony A7 does have fewer lenses available now but if it has the lenses you want now, then don't worry about it.

Yeah, lens availability (in the native mount, at least) is one of the most important differences between these two systems. If you're stretching for the A7, you're not going to like how much the glass costs in comparison to what you can find for FF Nikon. It's not a reason not to, but it's something important to be aware of when making a decision like this.

Elemental is so right on this.
the glass is very good but also quite expensive relatively.
If you are a casual shooter and budget is an issue, the A7 is not a good path for you.
You can use add-on adapters and use virtually any lens but you do lose some of the function.

TBH, unless you are in the grip of severe GAS (Gas Acquisition Syndrome), I suggest taking several deep breaths and rethinking any move.

Try renting a body and lens for a few days and seeing what works for you.