All Models Its been a while, help please!

Andrew

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I have been inactive for a while and now need some help on helping decide on next upgrade with questions.

Reasons
  • Dislike the A7III Menu, (Hate it).
  • Autofocus is ok, but seeing better AF out there.
  • Slightly bigger Ergonomics on newer models, (no floating pinkie).
  • More MP, better for cropping.

I have concerns with the following;
  • Lack of Sony firmware being regular.
  • Larger MP means bigger files to process in RAW.

Currently toying between;
  1. A7 IV
  2. A7R V
  3. (Gasp now!) Nikon Z6 III

I am also selling my Sony FE 70-200mm F4 as I barely use this, however I am going to try wildlife photography and probably buy the Sony FE 200-600mm.

Notable use cases for the cameras I am tempted towards;
  • Portraits (Family, Parties)
  • Athletics club
  • Landscape
  • Astrophotography (Although I am damn right crap as this but hope to improve in this area (I know the camera wont make me a better photographer!)).
  • Wildlife (Not actually done this, but would make an excuse for me to actually get out and take more pictures), not sure if this has the biggest impact on my camera selections.

I have seen used eBay items like A9 II but not sure if this is a downgrade or if I should maybe opts for A1 and save longer (selling my camera body now before I lose to much value on that).
I have also seen that the mechanical shutter life is less on IV vs R V. No idea?
 
As someone who does mainly wildlife and sport photography, with a little side interest in astro and occasional landscape, a few observations:

My Sony journey started with the A7RIV. Then, because I was looking for a second camera body, I purchased a used A9II from a friend and suddenly found myself almost exclusively using the A9II for wildlife because of the faster focus and getting far more keeper shots than with the A7RIV.

Eventually, I traded up from the A7RIV to an A1 because I wanted the higher pixel count, since you invariably want to crop with the type of wildlife photography I do, where you cannot get close enough even with a 600mm lens (never could get good results with the 1.4x teleconverter, although I know others do) . Obviously the menu on the A1 was also and improvement on the A9II, although that was never such a big issue for me. I was generally very happy with the A1 and A9II combo.

I have also used my wife's A7IV (she does mainly video with it) and still prefer the A9II to that.

Eventually, during a Black Friday sale, I managed to pick up a second A1 body for a reasonable discount and traded the A9II.

The one option you mentioned, that I have no experience with, is the A7RV, which obviously has the improved focusing system, but I think that is unlikely to be significantly better in my hands than the A1. And then obviously: Nikon 🤷‍♂️ : I don't look because I am so heavily invested in Sony glass that I don't want to be tempted.

Bottom line for me: if you can get an A1, go for it. Next best option from my perspective would be the A9II, good for wildlife, sport and astro and probably quite acceptable for portrait where you generally don't crop much (but probably shouldn't give any opinion on portrait photography since I am useless at it). Landscape is the one place where the A9II might fall short, but then only if you want to make large, high definition prints.
 
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