34
votes
How many pictures can you take with a Sony mirrorless camera before the sensor fails?
Unlike a mirrored camera, there is little likelihood of the sensing system
in a mirrorless camera suffering a catastrophic failure so it is really up to your "taste" to determine when a sensor is too ...
- 1,999
18
votes
How should I approach deer to photograph them?
The only ethical ways to get closer is to either use a lens with a longer focal length ("more reach"), or to view them in captivity, such as in a zoo.
Trying to get closer to wildlife will only ...
- 33.2k
15
votes
Accepted
How sharp are RAW photos before processing?
Are RAW images by nature slightly blurry prior to processing? If I open them up in Lightroom and zoom into the photo, my photos are not tack sharp but a bit blurry. Once I process, it comes out ...
- 143k
13
votes
Accepted
What's causing this blow-out of neon lights? (SL2 vs a7c)
Tl;dr: The Sony exposed less, reducing bloom. The Sony's lens plays in a different league. A larger sensor helps.
The first thing to note is that the exposures are not equivalent. The reason the ...
11
votes
Accepted
What exactly does DRO do, and how does it work?
DRO stands for Dynamic Range Optimization. It is designed to fit more dynamic range into images. A single exposure is still taken so you are always limited to the sensor's latitude. However, from what ...
- 103k
10
votes
Accepted
What are STF lenses?
STF stands for "Smooth Transition Focus", and is a Sony-specific* term indicating that the lens includes an apodization filter to create smooth bokeh (out-of-focus blur) — and smooth bokeh is ...
- 143k
9
votes
How should I approach deer to photograph them?
Short version : you need more shutter speed. Crank up ISO, use widest aperture and trade both for shutter speed.
they still either naturally wander off or hop and run away whenever I get within ...
- 6,384
9
votes
Is there any compact full-frame mirrorless camera?
I don't think you'll find what you're looking for, because: bigger things are bigger than small things. Full-frame cameras are bigger than APS-C cameras Medium format cameras are bigger than full-...
- 143k
8
votes
First time - Night Club Photography - what gear do I need?
You're asking for a "quick tip" or two on how to shoot one of the most challenging assignments a photographer can draw.
Photography is the recording of light. The less light there is to record, the ...
- 176k
8
votes
Accepted
Sigma's for Sony can be calibrated with Sigma Docker. What about Sony lenses?
The Sigma dock only works with select Sigma lenses. The lens needs to have the needed firmware to respond to the commands sent by the dock. Even Sigma lenses that are not part of their 'Global Vision' ...
- 176k
7
votes
Accepted
Can I adapt/use a crop lens on an full frame body without vignetting?
It's not an "effect". It's an actual vignette, because the lens's image circle is too small to cover the larger sensor. No adapter in the world will fix this and still maintain the same light ...
- 52.7k
7
votes
How can I automatically convert Sony RAW (ARW) to JPEGs as good as the camera creates itself?
Have you tried using Sony's "Imaging Edge" software?
Most manufacturers' raw developing software opens raw images with the in-camera settings at the time the image was captured applied by default. ...
- 176k
7
votes
How can I preview exposure and autofocus with flash in a low light studio?
You simply cannot preview the exposure of light that does not exist at that moment. You had modeling lights on, which is about the best you can do.
You do not have to use such a dimly lit studio ...
- 18.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Did sensors improve in the last 10 years?
Did sensors improve in the last 10 years?
The best sensors available now are better than the best sensors that were available ten years ago. The sensors in most consumer grade¹ interchangeable lens ...
- 176k
6
votes
Which is a good lens to add to a beginners collection?
Lenses are a very personal decision. Only the new photographer can truly answer which lens they would rather have at this point in time. Why not give them a gift card to B&H or Adorama, and let ...
- 176k
5
votes
Accepted
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each shutter mode of my Sony α7R II?
The silent mode (only electronic shutter) is as it stated, silent. It makes no noise. The drawback of this mode is that the A7R II (and almost all other cameras) do not have what is called global ...
- 204
5
votes
How many pictures can you take with a Sony mirrorless camera before the sensor fails?
The sensor on a digital camera is a solid-state device, and while theoretically degradation is possible, in practice, they last basically forever. Don't worry about it.
On the other hand, the ...
- 143k
5
votes
How can I automatically convert Sony RAW (ARW) to JPEGs as good as the camera creates itself?
For Linux, the following all have GUIs you can use to adjust settings and CLI you can script for batch conversion.
UFRaw
RawTherapee
DarkTable
You may also consider trying the camera manufacturer's ...
- 27k
5
votes
Accepted
Why does A7R II overheat? Is it solved?
All information below is general in nature and may or may not be specifically applicable the the Sony α7R II.
Why does α7R II overheat?
Any electronic device overheats because it generates heat ...
- 176k
5
votes
Switching gear from Canon to Sony
Don't.
All those youtubers you've been watching are either directly or indirectly sponsored by Sony. Don't buy into the hype. If you were to buy a new system, you could just go Sony. But switching "...
- 335
5
votes
Accepted
Sony NP-FH40 not charging well
The answer is probably very simple: The battery is dead.
Lithium-Ion batteries lose some charge when they are stored. The self-discharge rate typically stated by manufacturers is around 1.5–2% per ...
- 5,005
5
votes
What does the T* written in orange refer to?
T* refers to Zeiss T* anti-reflective coatings applied to the Electronic View Finders on Sony Cameras. I believe it first appeared on the Sony A7R II in 2015.
NEW SONY ALPHA A7R II
The EVF gets an ...
- 12.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Why do my photos have such poor quality?
I think the issue is explained by the first four lines of the EXIF information:
Exposure Time 1/2000
F Number 5.60
Exposure Program Program AE
ISO 3,200 Sensitivity Type
For this particular photo ...
- 8,723
5
votes
Which is a good lens to add to a beginners collection?
Easy: A fast prime
A 210mm focal length won't enable a shot that the 135mm can't get with cropping. It's also 50% redundant coverage with the kit lens. Basically, it only bonuses a dim 135-210mm zoom ...
- 412
5
votes
Why is my Godox V860 III-S showing a weird WL/circle symbol?
It means you need to turn WL off on your camera to use the V860 III-S as an on-camera transmitter unit.
The WL setting is for Sony's own proprietary "smart" optical/radio system signalling. ...
- 52.7k
5
votes
Can I damage my camera by using an SD card that has Adobe Premiere projects saved on it?
Unexpected files on a memory card will of course not harm a camera. What harm could they do?
Cameras write files in a predefined structure – see for example Design rule for Camera File system – but ...
- 12.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Can you set a timeout on the Sony A6300's LCD screen?
Yes, it is possible. Go to Menu -> Setup -> Pwr Save Start Time. You can choose there between 30 Min, 5 Min, 2 Min, 1 Min or 10 Sec.
- 1,801
4
votes
Is it possible to switch the Sony bayonet mount on a Tamron lens to Nikon?
Highly unlikely. It's technically possible to convert a lens to work with another brand body, but it involves a lot more than "just" changing out the bayonet flange.
The internal electronics of the ...
- 4,965
4
votes
Accepted
Sony A7 II vs A7R image stabilization
The official number if a 4.5 stop gain from the 5-axis image-stabilization system in the A7 II. This is the difference compared to having no stabilization.
For lens based stabilization, it varies and ...
- 103k
4
votes
Would a lens error cause a camera to NOT power on at all?
It's possible a lens error could do it, but there are several other possibilities that could cause the camera to not power up at all:
In the process of disassembly/reassembly you may have loosened a ...
- 176k
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