Chad Wadsworth Photography

Sony A7 Hands On Review

Christmas came early yesterday when the FedEx man delivered the hotly anticipated Sony A7 to my front door, direct from DigitalRev in Hong Kong. Much has been written about the 24 megapixel full frame A7 and its big brother, the 36 megapixel A7r so I will assume you are mostly up to speed on what these cameras are about and we will treat this piece as a hands on.

Sony A7 - they crammed a full frame sensor in there

A little background: I previously owned the highly regarded Sony RX1, as well as several NEX cameras and still shoot with a trusty Sony A900 SLR so the A7 was a must buy when I first heard it announced. Because the A7 looks to be so versatile, my intention is to use it as both a compact, everyday/travel cam fitted with the relatively small new full frame lenses (FE) and rangefinder legacy lenses, as well as a second body to the A900, fitted with the very cool Sony battery grip and LA-EA4 adapter for Alpha SLR lenses.


The camera ships packaged with little pretension - there is no fancy box or lining, just folded cardboard. Considering these are "bang for your buck" cameras, the packaging makes sense. Removing the camera from the box, I was already aware that the A7 shaves a little cost by foregoing the full metal jacket, instead using a few more high quality plastic bits here and there. The plastic front plate is perfectly matched in finish to the magnesium top plate so unless you rap your knuckles on the plastic, no one will notice. The camera has a very nice heft to it - much lighter than the A900 but heavier than RX1 (with the FE 35mm attached).

Ergonomics are not the best but they aren't bad either. With medium sized hands I felt a bit cramped using the A7 all day. A small camera is always going to be a challenge to grip, and this in-between size is just a bit awkward to hold. I think the Sony battery grip will be a welcome improvement for longer shoots, as well as the inevitable third party grips and plates that will likely be released soon. I did add a leather wrist strap and that seemed to make an improvement - I was probably holding the camera too tightly in fear of dropping it. All the buttons and knobs are of a top notch finish with firm detents but again, some of the control placements are just a bit awkward - for example, the zoom button (c2) is placed on the rear of the top plate, which is inset some from the rest of the back panel, making it a little uncomfortable to press. You can reprogram the zoom function to another custom button if you like but neither of the other button placements make much sense for this purpose.

Sony A7 - Rear Controls

Beyond the zoom button, my biggest gripe with the controls is the spongy feel of the shutter. It is nothing like previous NEX and RX1 cameras and takes some getting used to. By the end of the day I had the feel for it, so just an observation to be aware of. Basically, you'll need to give that shutter button a good push to activate. Another complaint related to the shutter is the noise. Some early reviews have claimed the shutter is too loud but I found it acceptable. Make sure you have the electronic first curtain shutter set to on (it comes that way from the factory) and like the later NEX models, you only hear the shutter closing. Not a big deal. If you need to shoot in quiet environments where the shutter should not be heard, this camera is not for you.

So here we go, time to power up. Click the on switch and wait... wait... wait... ok, a few seconds later this little beast has finally "booted up" and all systems are go. Hold on, this is not going to work - a three second startup is borderline ridiculous for a camera that costs close to two G's. Except that, after that first boot, the camera will either turn back on or wake from sleep almost instantly. I'm not sure exactly what is happening here and will need to spend more time evaluating but the good news is that startup time does not appear to be a concern. If anything the A7 is a big improvement on the pitiful RX1 EVF wake time.

First lens up was the Zeiss 35mm, a beautiful little lens - light but sturdy, basically an upscale NEX optic, similar to the 24mm E-mount but much smaller. I had a good feeling about this one, and was anxious to see how the AF would perform. DANG, it is fast! Using a hybrid on-chip phase detect/contrast detect system, the AF is the fastest I have seen outside of an SLR. The Olympus EM-1 is reported to be quicker but this seems plenty speedy to me, certainly light years ahead of my Fuji X-Pro and the RX1 - what a relief. Over the past couple of days the AF has proven to be quick and accurate in both good and not so good light so initial impressions are holding true. Granted, there isn't a whole lot of glass to move in that optic but still, these results are encouraging.

Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8

Another encouraging moment was when I first looked through the EVF. Natural is an apt word to describe the display and at times it feels as if you are looking through a traditional optical viewfinder - high praise here. With EVFs this good and continually improving with each generation, optical viewfinders are not long for this world. With their ability to display the scene as it will be captured - I think Kirk Tuck refers to this as "prechimping" - there is little need to review images unless you absolutely need to verify focus.

Taking a look at the first snaps captured with the Zeiss 35mm, I was instantly assured that this is a world class sensor and lens combination. The lens definitely has that Zeiss pop and character, maybe not as much as the 35/2 built-in to the RX1, but with a max aperture of f/2.8, that was to be expected. Some might consider the FE to be a compromise but with the A7's  faster 1/8000 shutter speed vs the 1/2000 of the RX1 you can shoot the FE 35mm wide open in daylight, something you can't do with the RX1 without an ND filter. The lens was clearly built to the standard of the 36 megapixel A7r sensor and out resolves everything else I've mounted (except maybe the Contax G 90mm), including highly regarded Leica, Zeiss C/Y, Minolta Rokkor and Olympus OM lenses.

Peep below for a few samples but be warned these are mundane snaps around the house since I have been tied to the home office. Also note that full sized samples can be seen on Flickr here

Sony A7 - Zeiss FE 35mm

Sony A7 - Zeiss FE 35mm

Sony A7 - Zeiss FE 35mm

Sony A7 - Zeiss FE 35mm

Sony A7 - Zeiss FE 35mm

I shot the A7 almost the whole first day without properly configuring it but by that evening I had a pretty clear indication of the settings I wanted access to. The shipping version of the firmware does have a few settings (or lack of) that make you scratch your head but overall, it is a mature UI built on a logical and easy to navigate menu system. I'm sure many will be happy to see the NEX UI banished, hopefully forever. With three customizable buttons, three dials and a rear wheel (defaulted to ISO control), there should be enough customization options to keep most happy. For anyone migrating from an SLR, the dual dial and rear wheel configuration will be immediately familiar and accessible. The physical control layout is an application of modern SLR and mirrorless controls onto a body that is the size of an original Olympus OM film camera. In a way, the A7 is more retro than the Nikon Df, if that's your thing.

So I mentioned shooting the camera the whole day and I know many are concerned about battery life. I was expecting something in the range of 250 shots per battery, about what I got on the RX1, but ended up with 325 images in the can, and that was with considerable image review on the LCD, menu diving and the use of the LA-EA4 adapter pushing and pulling the huge glass elements of the Zeiss 135/1.8. I'm not claiming anything yet but my goal is to eek out 400 shots. With the two battery capacity of the optional grip, and a couple spares, that kind of capacity will get me through a day of festival shooting.

Another way to save the juice is to use manual focus "adapted" lenses on the A7. A good friend loaned me a box of seventeen lenses to play with in addition to my own legacy glass and some Alpha SLR lenses. See below for the whole selection of lenses.

some serious glass

The first adapted lens I sampled was the 40mm Minolta M-Rokkor f/2 for Leica M mount. This diminutive gem was a favorite of mine on the Leica CL rangefinder so I was anxious to try it out on the A7. The M-Rokkor is said to be virtually identical to the Leica 40/2 Summicron and since I had one of those on hand I checked out both. Considering this is a thirty year old lens, it easily hangs with with newer designs and its all metal build quality makes today's plastic SLR lenses look like Fisher Price toys. Resolving power was very good to excellent but you shoot this kind of lens for the unique rendering. No doubt, this one is a keeper and will see considerable time on the A7. The 40mm FOV is a sweet spot in between a 35 and 50 and with a relatively speedy f/2 aperture on a full frame sensor, the bokeh and subject isolation is superb. Note that the Summicron did in-fact perform identically to the Rokkor on the A7. Again, apologies for the mundane test shots. I promise more exciting subjects in a future post.

Sony A7 - Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2

Sony A7 - Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2

Sony A7 - Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2

Another keeper is the Contax G Zeiss 90mm f/2.8 lens on a Metabones adapter. There are few lenses of this focal length as small as the G and its Sonnar design is legendary for creating superior bokeh. The lens did not disappoint on the A7 - blistering sharp with that signature bokeh. My new puppy Bo was a pliant model for the Sonnar shots below. I encourage you to look at these on Flickr at full resolution to see the amazing detail.

Sony A7 - Zeiss Contax G 90mm Sonnar f/2.8

Sony A7 - Zeiss Contax G 90mm Sonnar f/2.8

Sony A7 - Zeiss Contax G 90mm Sonnar f/2.8

Just a couple more lens samples before I wrap up, both excellent. The first is the C/Y mount Zeiss Makro Planar 60/2.8. Having never shot with the Makro before, now I see why this lens is almost universally acclaimed. I took all my test shots with macro subjects and was blown away by what this lens can do. Again, check out the full resolution ones over on Flickr to appreciate the detail this lens and camera can resolve. The last lens in this initial review is the Zeiss Planar 45/2 for Contax G. Many claim this is one of the sharpest lenses produced so I thought it a good candidate for the A7 or A7r. This nighttime test shot may not be indicative of its resolving power but will give you a good idea what kind of bokeh it will render. I'll be taking many more photos with this combination.

Sony A7 - C/Y Zeiss Makro Planar 60/2.8

Sony A7 - C/Y Zeiss Makro Planar 60/2.8

Sony A7 - C/Y Zeiss Makro Planar 60/2.8

Sony A7 - Zeiss Planar 45/2 Contax G

So, 48 hours in and everyone is asking me if I love the A7. Honestly, I have had too many other obligations to give the camera the attention it deserves but I can cautiously say that this camera represents a sea change in the best way. With a 24mp sensor performing at the top of its class, the flexibility of adapting to multiple lens mounts, a compact form factor with highly customizable controls and a natural looking high performance EVF, the A7 and its brother are mythical unicorns that actually exist. These cameras somehow bridge the world between traditional SLRs, mirrorless and rangefinders in one powerhouse package.

I also understand that as a Sony SLR user with a compliment of great Zeiss lenses and some lovely legacy rangefinder and SLR glass, I am more uniquely situated to dive in with the A7 than say a Canon or Nikon SLR owner. Yes, you can adapt those lenses as well but the AF speed will not be acceptable so why bother? The Leica community seems poised to jump onto the Sony bandwagon with the opportunity to use their beloved lenses on a much cheaper camera with an arguably superior sensor but there are concerns about performance with wide angle lenses. In my own tests, even 28mm lenses showed some vignetting and corner smearing so this may be a valid concern.

If you are ready to commit to the new line of FE lenses (15 have been promised over the next 24 months) OR want to use legacy MF lenses of a standard FOV or longer, OR you have or are willing to purchase some truly excellent Minolta, Sony, Sigma or Zeiss Alpha mount lenses with the LA-EA4 adapter, many of which can be had cheaply, then the A7 will reward you in heaps of photo gold. I'll be back again with more posts as I dig deeper into the camera and my lens catalog. I didn't even get a chance here to discuss the LA-EA4 adapter with its phase detect translucent mirror and blazing fast auto focus with A mount lenses. Next time.