Heyy everyone,
My much loved 7 year old gh1 is nearing the end of its life - have been saving up for a full frame upgrade and am really excited about this, I just cant choose what to go for! Does anyone out there use either of these cameras and have anything to share about it? Why did you choose the one you did? What criteria should I be thinking about to choose? Sorry these questions are so 101 and thanks for any help! Ta:)
Izz xx
Which version of the A7? Well, it doesn't really matter, the A7RII is the top of the line, the body is twice as much as the A7II and the A7R, and the Canon 6D about the same, perhaps a little less. If your choice is only between those two camera families, I would unhesitatingly recommend Sony. Newer technology all round, far better Video, if that is important, lighter and more compact as mirrorless cameras are, superior Auto Focus. Canon full frame lenses offer a slightly wider selection, but Sony (and other vendors) are filling in the Sony E mount full frame line well. You might run into sticker shock on the lenses though, either vendor, in comparison with the Lumix micro four thirds smaller sensor cameras you are familiar with.
Some claim that Sony customer service is a bit spotty if you have to deal with them. I can vouch for Canon's top-of-the-market customer service, at least in the USA. I have no experience with either in Great Britain.
The user interface of the 6D is probably more user-friendly, and more familiar to many users, the Sony system menus and customization can frustrate new less experienced folks, so if that is an issue...
Watch the battery life of mirrorless cameras. It's a double whammy. First, all that power consumed by the continuous main sensor processing, EVF and the back panel display. Second, the manufacturer trying to save weight by using a significantly smaller battery than a traditional FF DSLR.
Can you try-before-you-buy? Rent that is? For such a major purpose I would really recommend the up front expense.
i like @frankhymus idea about "try before you buy"...
i don't have either of those two cameras, but i have had 3 canons and 2 sony's and much prefer the handling and user-interface of the canons...
i can explain in more detail what i like and don't like (and why) about the cameras i have - but as they are different models from the ones you're looking at i'm not sure that would be all that helpful...
incidentally, have you looked them up on dpreview.com and done the side by side comparison? it may help highlight the differences for you to consider... https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras
incidentally, i know you've done some awesome selfies - neither of those cameras has a fully articulated screen from what i can tell, and for selfies, there is nothing more helpful than being able to see the image you are trying to compose... of course, if you shoot tethered to a laptop the camera screen articulation may not be so important for you, but something to think about :)
@izzyromilly I've never used a Canon 6D myself, but the president of my photo club, a retired pro, has one, as does a very rich friend. My over-riding impression is of how large and heavy it is. With a telephoto lens on it must weigh more than a kilo. Is this practical to carry around outside the house? Maybe if you are going on holiday in the Himalayas and there are sherpas available ... Put two bags of sugar in a bag and hang them around your neck and see if you would be able to walk around with that for a couple of hours!
More seriously, there are rumours on the Internet that Canon will be introducing a full frame mirrorless camera at Photokina, which is at the end of September. Maybe worth waiting a bit before making your purchase. Good luck whatever you choose.
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Some claim that Sony customer service is a bit spotty if you have to deal with them. I can vouch for Canon's top-of-the-market customer service, at least in the USA. I have no experience with either in Great Britain.
The user interface of the 6D is probably more user-friendly, and more familiar to many users, the Sony system menus and customization can frustrate new less experienced folks, so if that is an issue...
Watch the battery life of mirrorless cameras. It's a double whammy. First, all that power consumed by the continuous main sensor processing, EVF and the back panel display. Second, the manufacturer trying to save weight by using a significantly smaller battery than a traditional FF DSLR.
Can you try-before-you-buy? Rent that is? For such a major purpose I would really recommend the up front expense.
i don't have either of those two cameras, but i have had 3 canons and 2 sony's and much prefer the handling and user-interface of the canons...
i can explain in more detail what i like and don't like (and why) about the cameras i have - but as they are different models from the ones you're looking at i'm not sure that would be all that helpful...
incidentally, have you looked them up on dpreview.com and done the side by side comparison? it may help highlight the differences for you to consider... https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras
More seriously, there are rumours on the Internet that Canon will be introducing a full frame mirrorless camera at Photokina, which is at the end of September. Maybe worth waiting a bit before making your purchase. Good luck whatever you choose.