Now amazing Capture One pro 10 is out, and for Sony users the express version is free.
The Capture One 9.4 before it was simply outstanding RAWC, much better than anything from Adobe or Raw Therapy.
Unfortunately, the free version of C1 does not handle Canon, Nikon or Olympus RAW, only Sony or DNG(Pentax and Leica).
So I guess It is another big reason for many of us to choose Sony over anything else. If you use Sony, you can get a full copy of Capture One pro 10 for just 50 USD.
AS far as I am concerned, this is an incredible deal, great Christmas gift for us from Phase One, the greatest company in Photography ever.
I think both Capture One 10 Pro and DXO 11 produce a bit better color than LR CC or LR6 for Sony, Canon,Olympus, or Nikon.
I suspect that Adobe programs are optimized for Canon but even for Canon CR2 files, LR6 and CC are not good enough, never produce the amazing amount details that Capture One 10 or DXO 11 does.
Seriously C Oen 10 pro for just 50 US is an amazing deal. nothing beats it for that price.
Capture One 10 is a much better more serious program than the LR crapware, and the biggest deal here is not need to deal with the Adobe subscription stuff. Many many Adobe users used the license and repaid it to re-activate it, it is really terribly unstable. I had one time could not use it when I was editing my images on site in a mountain area and they say my account is just trial although I paid it for full CC version.
So after coming back from the mountain, I decided to cancel all Adobe CC crap, and I just got Capture One express 8.32 for Sony free,then later in the same month (last April)I upgraded it to the pro version. I could not be happier.
Now, also DXO is offering me a copy FULL copy of DXO 11 Pro version for just 99 USD. I will get that too.
Honestly, there are still times we need Photoshop but I do have full copy of CS6, so I do not need CC anymore, and I've found life without Adobe CC crap is really much more relaxing and easier.
A few months after coming back from Hokkaido with my broken 6D, I realized was kind of missing it. It has technically no real advantage over any of my current cameras, but I kind of miss it.
So I have been checking through my old but not updated 6D images. I have also tested thorough them with some custom made software I bought a month ago from my old friend working as a Tsukuba university practical physicist.
I think I will re-measure it but as far as I remember the numbers I got from my test with the special made program, it was not even half as good as I thought it would be.......and I was deeply disappointed, in fact almost immediately depressed.
I just wish Canon to get its act together and makes a great sensor or even just buy off from Samsung or Renasus, whose sensor patents and designs are, imho, more advanced than that of Sony.
As long as we expose it to the right and or apply so-called ETTR it is fine, but a bit of under or over exposing makes it really bad. This is the reason why some call the Canon sensors like slide film in terms of exposure tolerance and the way we should use our Canons, and I guess I used to be able to some how manage it well to make my Canon look just fine.
But now, I am just too used to shooting my A7 A7R A7M2 A6300 and A7R2 other Sonys, with a couple of stops better dynamic range at ISO100, or more precisely better latitude. So now I tend to intentionally underexpose it to save the highlight, and in the post I lift the shadow up.
I think Sony sensors are like negative film, and Canons are like positive slide film, they are both good and bad , but for most of non-tripod handheld work, Sony has the edge since it allows us to underexpose intentionally to save the highlight and later on we can easily get the hidden shadow data back in PP.
With Sony A7 series I think we do seldom need CPL filters or ND filters, and it is hard to screw the exposure in normal use.
But I think Sony sensor quality is just plain overrated by DPR kind of sites, if any one challenge the assessment numbers or so called reviews they write, we must be labelled as naive fanboy or poor guy in short of cash and defending his old choice hard, or inane technically challenged morons.
Sony sensors are good in harsh day light high DR required scenes,but usually not great at high ISO.
I think many many people deliberately misguided by DPR DXO ,etc and without measuring the sensors in question themselves , just bashing one type of sensors that they dislike or reviews say bad, but in reality there is no such dramatic difference there.
Really, it is not that simple, the 5DS sensor is excellent in many regards, but it can not score well at DXO, and I am sure why the biased DPR guys rated it much lower than the Sony 36mp sensor ignoring the fact it is a very very different type of sensor than the Sony 36mp or 42mp chip, or even very different design than the Canon's own 6D sensor or 5DMK3 sensor.
The 5DS sensor is simply optimized for the best skin tone in a studio or great out of the camera color for landscape, so it has very strong intense color filters. I think it is about 1.6 times stronger than that of the 5DMK3,whose sensor design focus was high ISO or low noise throughout the ISO range, thus used weak thin CFA design.....So the 5DS sensor tends to produce better stronger punchier colors out of the camera compared to the previous Canon with weaker CFA design but at the cost of a tiny bit more shot noise at the base ISO.
I think Sony and its Alpha community is becoming like a fanatic religious group(like young earth creationist group let by Kent Hovind), never even accept or listen to any kind of different voice, opinion and preference, and it seems to be all review communities are misled by them or their excessively loud voice.
If you even mildly pan or hard on any Sony Alpha line camera, they will attack on you, or if you prefer something other than their preferred ones, they call you a troll or a fanboy, to turn the debate into a name calling contest.
It always happens at DPR fora ,especially in the Canon and the Open talk forums, Sony E mount fanboys really act like some sort of cult-worshipers intrude into other forums and bash others choice or force others to believe in Sony cult. If any one says anything good about Nikon, Canon, Fuji or Samsung compared to Alpha 7 line cameras, then they freak out and turn it into a name calling contest(it is always their tech to win any debate there), so it is impossible to logically argue or even talk anything about the A7X with presence of some die-hard Sony fanatics there. It is really that ridiculous.
It is like being in a Catholic church, these real die-hard Sony Alpha 7 fanboys in camera fora never accept any different belief, value or different opinion on any camera. If someone prefer the other sensor manufacture than Sony then they insult his or her technical knowledge or sometimes even his or her personality that they don't even know...........For example a few days ago, some one (obviously a wedding guy) mildly criticized(not even seriously bashed or panned) about terrible battery life of the A7S and he said the real issue for "HIM" was not the terrible battery life itself or having to carry many of tiny, lousy batteries for the Sony, but it was difficult to change it over and over many times without missing many important decisive moments.......I think it is very correct and I experienced it myself many many times, too, as a long time A7 user. But they(A7 fans)got obviously hurt by his comment because it is a fact, and they have to gather to attack on his personally. A few hours later the thread was closed as usual, and it was sad.. Well, I sometimes wonder if there are many kindergarten kids in the camera forums, they are seriously thin-skinned and easily hurt, maybe their self-esteem or pride (more like ego)is totally dependent on their so-called FF cameras? or winning the debate at DPR or some moronic rumor sites like SAR or CR really important for them to keep themselves calm and sane or just alive?
I have now several people asking me about my opinion on A7M2 vs 6D vs D750 issue, and I told them it is a personal choice, and there is no objectively or absolutely better one for every one, and I don't even believe there is any absolutely objective review at all. Then they said I have been intentionally closing my eyes, trying hard not to see the fact Sony is taking over the industry.........if I do not admit it then I have to be called a Canon or a Nikon or a Samsung or a Fuji fanboy, silly to say the least........... A few days ago I criticized about A7RMK2 pricing a bit, and I also said I began to realize how reasonably priced D810 was, and comparing the price of the D810 to the price of my own A7RMK2 or the5DS shows it very glaringly.
Then, a couple of usual Sony fanboys criticized me of being super ignorant about the A7RMK2, and told me that the Sony camera would be like having a great pro 4k cinema camera and a high resolution stills camera in one tiny body, so it is a historic game changer and nothing on the market compete well with it. And according to them the A7RMK2 sensor is really great at high ISO, even slightly better than the A7S or the Pentax 645Z........although all lab test results say otherwise.....I am sure they never used the 645Z if they think the A7R2 beats it.
Well I partly agree with them, but I say it is not a pro video camera, or it is not really innovative cinema camera that replaces real super 35mm pro cinema cameras; the battery life is too short, the heat dissipation issue is really bad, the FF is not suited for serious video, especially for running gun type of event or documentary work, etc. The bigger the sensor the more battery power consuming, and therefore, many of us do not want a FF video camera. In addition to all the above issues, it does not even have dual card slots, and it is a big issue for me and any one using it for serious video work.
But according to them the Red dragon, BMCC , Canon cinema EOS,etc are all immediately thrown into camera coffins by the advent of the Sony A7RMK2 and the A6300.
I think it is getting a bit too ridiculous although I admit it is an amazing camera mostly for stills landscape and studio work, it may or may not replace all, or it may even change the history of hybrid camera world.
But do not forget we all have preferences and different needs, different views on cameras, and sometimes technical numbers or feature set does not matter, sometimes we simply prefer one even if it is just technically a inferior camera or tool, we cannot measure usability and practicality of each system to each of us but it is very important to consider when we choose a new camera system.
That all said though, I think Sony has been right , it is really shaking the conservative camera world, just slowly but surely increasing its market share by introducing a great compact FF hybrid camera system.
Do not forget the biggest sales point of the A7 series is not any specific camera feature or the BSI sensor,etc, but it is being the only one hybrid open mount camera system that takes all mounts lenses,including the A mount lenses,the EF lenses, the F mount lenses with several times more accurate AF than any D-SLR type of cameras.
I think something like below is always happening now:
Some Canon guys buy an A7R2 or an A7M2, with use of adapted Canon lens line in mind and use it for a while with their adapted EF lenses or A mount lenses..
But in a few months, they'd realize they need some native FE mount lenses and buy some Zeiss Batis and Sony Z, G and GM series lenses, then they'd be like fragile insects trapped into a big spider nest. At this point, there is no more way back to Canon or Nikon even if either of these 2 makes something similar to the A7RMK2 in the near future because selling used FE mount lenses is very difficult because the FE lenses cannot be adapted to any other mount system as they have the shortest flange back design.
So, while I think Sony has succeeded converting many Canon guys into FE mount users, I am not sure if it will take over the market entirely so soon. The A7 system is just a temporal stop gap solution for many of us. After a few years it may be completely abandoned just like most of so-called Sony's great innovative products. Remember Mini disc or Memory Stick Duo?
I just think the future is open mount system but it is not the A7 or any Sony or Samsung.
The A7 system prevails for a short time but it will not be able to replace all Canon Nikon fast enough, and the Sony will be overlooking or dismissing minor brand but truly innovative small players emerging out to rival against Sony.
I think something like BMCC or Red of stills will take over the market.....I think the open mount is a dual-edged-sword for Sony it will help Sony to get many many Canon Nikon users temporarily coming to their mount but at the same time give a serious opportunity for a Red-like company to truly invent(not just innovate) something really new to take over the entire industry.....
But in any case I am sure the D-SLRs are dying, I re-confirmed this again in Thailand and Malaysia last year:
I went to Malaysia for work for a few hours(wished I had had more time to spend there shooting around Penang) in last December and then visited Thailand for about several hours(very sad to have just 2 hours there), and I saw the camera industry of SE Asia changed a lot like below.
It changed a lot there these 2 countries. I spent a lot of time in Thailand in 2011 and 2010. Back then, Canon and Nikon were the definite dominant players for sure. Now? I passed several of the chain stores in a few malls in Pinklao, Skumvitt and Platunam area that did not even carry Canon in the windows. Nikon, yes but not many were displayed there either.
Went to a photography trade show in Georgetown, Malaysia, the Nikon and Canon booths were there without any people. The mirrorless cameras, Sony, Fuji(especially popular), Olympus were packed with folks trying and buying.
For now, Canon and Nikon have lost their momentum over here for sure. Let's hope they can come back strong, but I feel it is too late now already.
Everything changes very fast in Asia and anything considered to be uncool cannot sell well there, it is even more drastic in Japan and South Korea, so I believe the sales numbers for CN are even worse there.
UPdate : now, Canon has just announced its new sensor development policy. Canon seems to have built a new sensor plant in Mie prefecture of Japan. It seems like Canon is going on new 65nm process rule and all upcoming Canon sensors will be produced at there.
I think the 1DX2 and the 80D sensors are processed at the new plant.
Sony is still leading the CMOS imaging industry, but giants like Samsung are in close pursuit. Also big players like Panasonic are forming joint ventures with the likes of TowerJazz to offer 12-inch wafer fabrication with state-of-the-art quantum efficiency and dark current performance at 65 nano meters, and additional 45nm digital technology, and added available capacity of approximately 800,000 8-inch wafers per year in three manufacturing plants in Japan, according to TowerJazz.
The stakes are huge. The CMOS image sensor market will reached the historic $10 billion milestone in 2015, according to Yale, and with new applications popping up in automotive, medical and surveillance, while smartphones begin adopting high-definition front facing cameras, the industry is likely to hit the $16 billion mark by 2020. So nobody is just sleeping and Sony has to consolidate its position ASAP, or probably Sony will lose it again just like its short-lived TV business.
UPDATE2: Nikon has just announced a new sensor fab development with Toshiba and it seems like their new sensor design uses very similar AF tech to the DP AF of the Canon EOS M5 sensor without losing almost no amount of light getting into the sensor.
Canon also patented a few new curved sensor designs with Toshiba. Toshiba seems to work as a special sensor designer for many companies rather than producing it themselves now.
And it found out that the Sony's old curved sensor patent is no longer effective, and it was originally a Toshiba patent.
So if Sony really lost the patent to Toshiba , then Sony would have a big problem since Sony would not be able to use the curved sensor tech for their FF camera lines that helps them to design smaller and sharper lenses for the FE system.
UPDATE3: Now, I've just confirmed that Nikon DL series actual shipment date would be next January 17th as planned in last Nikon conference at Nikon D5600 launch. But it may delay even further to next CP+ show in Yokohama Japan(in Feb 2017).
So it is already promised to be a failed product line before the actual launch. I think Nikon is really stupid, I mean I don't think phones or mirrorless killing Nikon but itself, it obtuse marketing killing it.
UPDATE 4: as I said A7M3 will not come until next year..........
However, Sony will announce FS8 or FS7MK2 at Inter Bee 2016......not at Photo Plus NY. So SAR was wrong again.
The FS7 successor will have APS-C sized sensor multi aspect sensor for super 35 output. It has the new processor Sony calls "Front side LSI", which was recently introduced in A99MK2 and A6500. And all of those may just be well specified but never work well as promised by Sony or many moronic Sony shill sites..........
UPDATE5: Many people including myself thought Nikon is dying, if not already dead by now, but in reality Nikon still sells many many more units than Sony and Nikon is now working on new type of sensor design and they may collaborate with Pentax and Olympus to set up a new sensor company. If this plays out well, then Sony will be the loser since they will have no one to sell their mediocre so-called Fullframe sensors any more. And as a result their highend camera prices will go up significantly.
And now Sony has just announced they've just decided to spin off their imaging division and now it is an independent business under Sony corp's supervision, just like their sensor group.....
This means now Sony imaging is not a part of Sony but their subsidiary, and therefore, to Sony device group, the imaging group is just a customer,nothing special, in fact,considering its size of market share in relation to that of Nikon, Sony imaging group is a lower class customer to the device group.
So there is no more reason for Sony device technology to keep the best sensor for in-house use. In fact now Sony device tech must compete with the new sensor company Nikon Olympus Ricoh have just established here and some European sensor designers such as CMOSIS, who makes the Leica SL sensor and M sensor.
And do not forget there is always Canon if Sony does not sell anything to Nikon.........Canon will start selling it and there will be Panasonic and Tower Jazz also........so Nikon will not have any problem choosing sensor suppliers any more.
Sony must sell their best sensors to Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax , or Sony will lose them, Sony cannot choose customers any more.
If Sony is smart, it will not compete with Nikon or Olympus in camera market. After all, Nikon is the biggest customer of Sony.......but Sony also buys steppers from Nikon anyway. So Sony is not dominating the sensor market, or controlling Nikon as many Sony fanboys think..........and the just announced Spun-off of their imaging division makes Sony camera business less trust-worthy........... Sony thinks every business as a short term investment and runs it to make it temporarily profitable and then spins it off.
After that? of course sells it to anyone willing to buy it.........like Sony did with the Vaio PC business, TV business, etc,etc.
That is why no one really trust Sony in the long run, we long term Sony users just use its cameras but always know it is a back-up plan or step-gap solution......
After all no serious camera buyers are as obtuse as many spec-chasers and review sites think they are. None one buys into a big expensive camera system just for an amazing set of features in a body or two...................there are many many more important aspects to a system camera than just a set of great features...
Now even Tamron has sensor division in house and actually they designed the best sensor in the CMOS history and announced it recently. So sensor is becoming a large part of commodity kit. Now any one has the knowledge can design it.
UPDATE6: Now my first 2 copies of FE16-35mm f4 suddenly died and I just bought my 3rd copy of it.........and sadly found it terrible this time.
It is obvious buying any Sony Zeiss FE lens is like picking up an extremely difficult to win lottery ticket..........it might be great but most of times you get mediocre copies of it.
My first 16-35mm f4 was excellent , the second one was even better-almost outstanding, then this third one is literally lousy. I am returning it and get a new copy but I am not expecting to get a better one, I guess I was extremely lucky with my first two copies of this lens........I guess I will force the dealer to exchange my FE16-35mm f4 for the Voiklander 15mm f4.
Sony QC is just terrible, and it is not worth any premium over other cheap off-brand lens maker like Samyang, Tamron and Sigma. In fact, Sony is even worse than Tamron and much worse than Sigma Art series with respect to QC. I have had 4 Tamron VC lenses in EF and F mount and they performed fairly consistent....
I really miss Tamron 90mm macro, now I guess a brand name means nothing when it comes to QC and general after sales support. In fact, Tamron and Voiklander provided me the best service of any lens maker I have ever dealt with. It is extremely frustrating every time I spend more than 110000 yen or 1075 USD, I still have to worry about terrible sample variations.
I think we have to appreciate Roger Cicala's excellent site. He is the only one guy testing more than 5 copies of any given lens. All other reviewers just merely test one copy of each lens.........useless.