Sony Alpha a7R vs. Sony 7R

Sony 7R; The world’s first Full-frame MILC

 Introducing the world’s first full-frame, mis-labeled MILC…

Now this is a camera. A camera with promise. Likely, the last camera you will ever need to buy. And the fact that it is inaccurately labeled doesn’t diminish that. But if you believe this to be the next generation of Alpha-series cameras, you are only partially right. You need to add a little something that will set you back about another $350.00.

The Actual Sony Alpha a7R, with the LA-EA4 Alpha-Mount Lens Adapter

Now this is the true Sony Alpha a7R. The Alpha part referring to the fact that this camera will accept Minolta A-Mount and Sony A-Mount lenses. By itself, the a7R only accepts the new E-Mount lenses. So, it’s not really an Alpha-series camera. At least not by the original definition.

But when you add this neccessory, it’s also no longer a MILC; the Sony LA-EA4 contains a translucent mirror just like the current true A-Series Camera, the Alpha SLT-A99. And translucent or not, this makes it not a MILC.

Once you understand that, what this whole setup becomes is a very versatile camera system indeed. As a MILC, it’s small and has that chunky, ’70s-style SLR body. And thankfully it employs a viewfinder, although not an optical one. But at 2.3MP, I’m fairly confident that it will bring the EVF experience close enough to the OVF to make this camera a practical alternative to the DSLR as we know it. As much as I hate to admit it, the days of the OVF are numbered, although I sincerely hope I never see that day. Which is why my money is still on a Nikon D800e for now.

As an SLT (with the addition of the LA-EA4) it becomes a little bulkier, and something resembling the first generation of autofocus film cameras, which is basically what this adapter is all about; True Phase-Detection autofocus. Without it, the a7 and a7R employ a hybrid Contrast/Phase detection system, which to me speaks compromise, and in a somewhat different class.

Now, about the E-series lenses. They come in two flavors; the E, and the FE. FE lenses allow you to realize the advantage of the full-frame sensor, while E lenses do not have the coverage to fill a full frame, much like using a Nikon DX lens on a full-frame camera such as the D800, D610, D4 or F6. So, when you buy the a7 or a7R, you’ll need to buy either new lenses, or buy the LA-EA4. It’s fairly apparent that with this new product, Sony is merging the NEX and Alpha lines. So, the Alpha designation becomes more about “high end” than an homage to the Minolta A-Mount lens legacy.

For me, the Nikon devotee, it’s just too much of a coincidence that the a7 comes in two versions; 36MP with no AA filter and 24MP with AA filter.  Just like the Nikon D800e and D610 for which Sony also supplies full-frame sensors. So here I must make a little price comparison:

Full-frame 36MP
Sony Alpha a7R + LA-EA4 $2646.00
Nikon D800e $3,297.00

Full-frame 24MP
Sony Alpha a7 + LA-EA4 $2,046.00
Sony Alpha SLT-A99 $2,798.00
Nikon D610 $1,997.00

So, the Sony Alpha a7R/LA-EA4 outfit is a good value, but a little challenging to buy glass for. The Nikon D610 on the other hand is the least expensive entry point and will get you access to most Nikon manual focus and auto focus lenses made since 1959, no adapters or extra bulk required.

There’s another option too, the Nikon D800, which has the AA filter. This will get you full-frame 36MP, but at a cost of about $2,997.00. And from what I’ve read, the difference between the two is negligible.

Size Comparison to Nikon D800 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
All full-frame, but very different sizes.

Now, if you’re a rangefinder fan, Sony also has two other offerings; the RX1 and the NEX-6. Both are very rangefinder-like, one sporting a fast, fixed, 35mm lens, the other an interchangeable lens and a high-resolution electronic viewfinder.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1; Full-frame, fixed lens

 The RX1 is a little more rangefinder-like in appearance, and tries to compete with the Fujifilm X100; only it can’t because it has no viewfinder. Because it’s a closed system, the size of the sensor is really not that much of an issue.

Sony Alpha NEX-6; APS-C, interchangeable lens, plus a viewfinder (EVF)

The NEX-6 on the other hand is sort of a hybrid between an SLR body and a rangefinder, but has that nice left-mounted viewfinder. It however, has interchangeable lenses and so gives the X100 a run for its money. And it will work very nicely with Sony A and E -series lenses, and with other manufacturers lenses as well with an optic-free adapter.

But the bottom line is, the Alpha a7R is a damn nice camera. And if I my first SLR was a 1977 Minolta XG7 instead of a 1976 Canon AE-1, I would probably be pre-ordering one by now. I guess I’ll just have to wait for Nikon’s version.