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Thread: Incoming Brandt’s Cormorant with SONY A9

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Default Incoming Brandt’s Cormorant with SONY A9

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    This image was created on January 27, day 2 with the SONY gear. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 244mm) and the beyond remarkable Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera.ISO 3200: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at a quarter after eight in the morning in the shade of the building behind us.

    This image and the three that followed immediately in the same series are much sharper than similar images that I made in the same situation with comparable Nikon gear. A situation where Canon failed miserably for years by producing images that were sharp only on the feet. I find it hard to understand how the A9 tracked so beautifully and accurately when, according to my friend, the venerable Arash Hazeghi, "These cameras also do not have predictive focus tracking ..."

    I'd be glad to send the RAW file to anyone who contacts me via e-mail so that you can judge the IQ and sharpness for yourself. No PMs please :)

    You can see the next three images in the series along with my comments in the blog post here.

    As for the image, don't be shy; all comments are welcome.

    with love, artie
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    No expert here, but those eyes in that light coming straight at you. Looks super sharp to me. When I was looking at the A9, I saw one sequence on the internet with geese in thick fog and light rain. Every frame tack sharp. I was amazed it could even track at all. When the rumors are even canon (the old stodgy and behind everyone else maker) is going full on mirrorless (all new lense releases within next couple years will be for RF mount). Mirrorless is coming on faster than we think. I also read all optics(regardless of maker) will make quantum leap due to the ability to put the back elements so close to sensor. Enjoy the ride...

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    I also think that we will all be shooting mirrorless at some point. Love that you are spearheading the change and are so open with your findings. Gimme a lighter d850 type camera with 15 frames per sec, better AF and better ISO and I don't care what brand makes it. It is just a tool to make images. This image has an angelic like quality to it and the blurred wing tips add to that. I do not like the colors at all. Also converted with Capture One?

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    Lifetime Member Mike Poole's Avatar
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    A mixed bag for me this one. I like the incoming pose, and I always like a bit of wing movement as long as the head is sharp for the extra dynamism. If I'm being honest Im not seeing the usual IQ I've come to expect from your shots - clearly the head is in focus but it doesn't look razor sharp to me.

    I've never seen this species in real life, but from other photos I've seen it appeared more black as opposed to the blue/green hues I'm seeing here. I'll happily accept that could be down to lighting conditions though

    I also agree that one day we'll be using a lot more mirrorless, so whilst I can't afford to switch right now, I'm interested to see where this camera takes you

    Mike

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    The colors look really wonky here. Head is nice and sharp but not tack sharp.
    Gail

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    Hey Artie, nice pose!

    The IQ isn't great for me either. The head looks crunchy and not tack sharp in this one, looks as if the RAW was soft and there is a ton of noise... Agree with Issac re. the strong blue cast...not sure what you are doing. As I said -and I am sure others will agree- you need to use a calibrated desktop monitor if you want your image to show up correctly for others. send me the RAW I'll open it up and might be able to tell what happened.

    I had the same Canon equipment as you did and I never had an issue with it nailing a shot like this, it wouldn't get it 100% of the time but I had plenty of keepers....:)
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    Arash, Yes to the BLUE cast. And the noise. This was processed on the first day I used the Sony gear. The sand BKGR should be tan. But the original is sharp. That is why I offered to send the RAW file. Then you can process it and teach me how.

    with love, artie
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    Sure send me the RAW
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    Love the curled up wing tips and the incoming pose. Agree with the others about the color.

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    Hi Artie, I agree with others who have commented on a blue cast to the image. Also if this is near full frame I think your images with Nikon and Canon gear were better, I think the image lacks fine feather detail. I am wondering if you received the new computer display that you mentioned? Thank you for sharing.
    Last edited by Joseph Przybyla; 02-04-2019 at 08:17 PM.
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    I am frankly puzzled by all of this.. Why do you care to even attempt BIF?
    This is way below your level,,,
    I am never going to be Arash and I am 65. I am not sure why you try?
    I think shooting mirrorless is the future and you can certainly produce excellent
    Sony images.
    This is not one...
    Dan Kearl

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    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    I looked at Artie's RAW. Artie's processing is actually quite good, I wasn't able to do much better....The problem here is that the RAW itself is "crunchy". When I look at 100% I am not seeing much FFD (fine feather details) it looks very smooth, even with very little sharpening in C1P the beak and the pouch look crunchy to my eye. If I turn off the sharpening completely (0) then it looks very soft. The best I could get is the above. I tried to raise the darks but there isn't much there besides noise.... it still looks sharpened as opposed to sharp....

    From this it is hard to say if the lacking quality is from soft focus, soft optics, noise or all of the three. The ISO is not that high (3200) for a flagship large pixel camera.... Overall IMO it doesn't hold a candle to the Canon 1DXII/Nikon D5/D850 or the like. Quality just not there to my liking, maybe a better test is to shoot at ISO 400 in better light to see if the focus is really sharp or not...

    at 240mm the cormorant must have been quite close




    yours truly


    here is the 100% crop...best I can get

    Attachment 179857
    Last edited by arash_hazeghi; 02-05-2019 at 12:56 AM.
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    I should also mention Artie's image is almost a full-frame shot (FF shown below) with little cropping, so the loss of IQ isn't from crop.


    Name:  Artie_FF.jpg
Views: 391
Size:  229.9 KB


    For comparison I post a typical image from the Nikon D850, granted it is better light but you get the idea of "per pixel sharpness" and find feather details, even when the bird is less than 10% of the full image, and at 850mm the bird was much farther

    full frame image


    not an easy subject for AF, bird very small in the frame, high contrast waves in the BG. In this instance if one were to shoot with a mirror-less it would focus on the waves in the BG.

    Name:  DC.jpg
Views: 365
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    100% crop, Capture One pro default settings.

    Name:  Dowitcher.jpg
Views: 691
Size:  596.1 KB
    Last edited by arash_hazeghi; 02-05-2019 at 12:54 AM.
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    Head of the cormorant looks significantly softer than the dowitcher.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dankearl View Post
    I am frankly puzzled by all of this.. Why do you care to even attempt BIF?
    This is way below your level,,,
    I am never going to be Arash and I am 65. I am not sure why you try?
    I think shooting mirrorless is the future and you can certainly produce excellent
    Sony images.
    This is not one...
    Hi Dan, I am completely puzzled by your comments :)

    You can start by explaining this one: Why do you care to even attempt BIF?

    with love, arite
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    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Jeez, I am sure that I posted a color-corrected version of this yesterday and would swear that I saw it along with my comments. IAC, here it goes again. I will address the rest of the comments after my swim.

    with love, artie
    Last edited by Arthur Morris; 02-05-2019 at 03:27 PM.
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    Lifetime Member Mike Poole's Avatar
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    You put it in your other SONY thread!

    Mike

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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaac Grant View Post
    Head of the cormorant looks significantly softer than the dowitcher.
    I disagree but it really does not matter because you are comparing apples and oranges. A tiny in the frame subject covered by a ton of d-o-f as compared to the head of a large in the frame bird flying right at the camera quite quickly, that from an under-exposed ISO 3200 image.

    Give me a break.

    with love, artie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Poole View Post
    You put it in your other SONY thread!

    Mike

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    Thanks Mikey. Senility is a terrible thing.

    with love, atie
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    Sorry as much as I would like to agree I don't. Excellent details and image quality are excellent details and image quality. The rest does not matter. It either is or it isn't. For instance, I have found the d850 to be much noisier than the 1dx/1dx2 I shot for so long. I do not like the results at all above ISO 1600 and even 1600 needs to be perfect or nearly perfect exposure. For that reason I am in the market for a d5 or d6. That and of course the faster frame rate and AF advantages. The higher ISO shots just do not have the same image quality with that camera. Maybe the Sony just is no good at ISO 3200. I guess time will tell.

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    the repost is better but now a touch too grey/pale...noise also got worse

    head looks even more oversharpened and crunchy to my eye.... nothing you can do when the RAW isn't sharp. I'd give up on this one and try another day I am sure you will get better ones
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    Arash, How can I get better ones if I am using SONY garbage ha ha, if I do not use a large external monitor, and I an not nearly as talented or smart as you?

    with love, artie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    Arash, How can I get better ones if I am using SONY garbage ha ha, if I do not use a large external monitor, and I an not nearly as talented or smart as you?

    with love, artie
    Hey Artie, I think you already have the images that all of us aspire to, not sure how you can get any better, I am still drooling over the emperor penguins! ... I was just saying for someone of your caliber this image is a bit sub par...

    As for Sony, I don't think it matters what I think about it...You have to like it not me and I am sure you will get some great images with it, as you did with Canon, Nikon and would do with Olympus, Fuji, Pentax, you name it :)

    cheers!
    Last edited by arash_hazeghi; 02-05-2019 at 08:54 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by arash_hazeghi View Post
    Hey Artie, I think you already have the images that all of us aspire to, not sure how you can get any better, I am still drooling over the emperor penguins! ... I was just saying for someone of your caliber this image is a bit sub par...

    As for Sony, I don't think it matters what I think about it...You have to like it not me and I am sure you will get some great images with it, as you did with Canon, Nikon and would do with Olympus, Fuji, Pentax, you name it :)

    cheers!
    Thanks Arash. The above is a bit softer and more accepting than SONY is garbage ha ha.

    with love, artie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaac Grant View Post
    Sorry as much as I would like to agree I don't. Excellent details and image quality are excellent details and image quality. The rest does not matter. It either is or it isn't. For instance, I have found the d850 to be much noisier than the 1dx/1dx2 I shot for so long. I do not like the results at all above ISO 1600 and even 1600 needs to be perfect or nearly perfect exposure. For that reason I am in the market for a d5 or d6. That and of course the faster frame rate and AF advantages. The higher ISO shots just do not have the same image quality with that camera. Maybe the Sony just is no good at ISO 3200. I guess time will tell.
    I appreciate your honest comments even though I disagree with all of them. See today's blog post herefor an underexposed ISO 3200 image. My understanding is that the "noise" that you are seeing in high ISO D850 images is what I call "high pixel noise" that NeatImage cleans up beautifully. Here is a great D5 for you at a great price:

    Nikon D5 DSLR camera body with Dual XQD Slots

    Arthur Morris is offering a barely used Nikon D5 in excellent to near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $5,496.95. The sale includes the original box and everything in it including the front lens cap, and insured ground shipping via United Parcel Service.
    Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 (please leave a message if no answer).

    You can save a cool $1000 by grabbing Nikon’s blazingly fast, top of the line professional digital camera body right now. It was the D5 autofocus that switched me from Canon to Nikon in point three seconds … artie
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    Quote Originally Posted by Isaac Grant View Post
    Sorry as much as I would like to agree I don't. Excellent details and image quality are excellent details and image quality. The rest does not matter. It either is or it isn't.
    ps: Since excellent details and image quality are excellent details and image quality and the rest does not matter I'd love for you to comment on my post here.Arash already copped out on that one.

    with love, artie
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    I already commented on the gull and guessed what gear and program I thought it was processed with. Also the focal length. Looks like I was the only one who did...

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