I am currently using a Sony a6000, which I chose in part because of its lightweight and small form factor. I love this camera for this. I’m currently considering upgrading to an a6400 but am realizing that I could also get an a7ii for the same price. The biggest benefit of moving to a full-frame body is improved depth of field and that is of interest to me, of course, the a7ii also has IBIS. Drawbacks of course primarily are that I would need full-frame lenses, which I currently don’t have and the increased heft/size of the gear. What are other factors I should consider? My main uses cases are landscape, macro, and architecture. Any of your thoughts are helpful!
Dunno the Sony system at all, but I can speak specifically to my trade-offs between full frame versus cropped. I treasure the cropped sensors for wildlife images where it results in a little extra “reach” for long lenses. But for landscapes and macro I treasure the extra pixels with a full frame sensor that better allow crops in post processing, as well as detail in enlargements.
I certainly recognize the weight factor, moreso each day with advancing age and the potential for future mobility issues. Dunno your age Chris, but I’m finishing my 7th decade and must face the inevitable changes likely to come with the looming 8th. So far I’ve been limiting my load by more careful lens choices to start a day rather than “bringing it all just in case.” On long walks I find myself more and more carrying a pocket camera rather than SLRs.
In truth I have both cropped and full-frame bodies and my lens array works with both, so I’m not facing added expense when I swap back and forth. I fear that if purchase of my first FF meant I had to buy more lenses, I’d never have done it. But that wasn’t an issue due to my forethought, assuring that any new lenses I bought worked for both. That doesn’t sound possible for you.
I’d go an a7iii. The third edition has much better battery life. You’ll notice better low light performance with the full frame and more detailed prints. I’d also expect the a7iii to have far better dynamic range than the A6000 making your life easier shooting around sunrise or sunset.
I have both the Sony a6500 and the a7rIII, but I started with the a7II. There have been vast improvements in the Sony system over the years so you will notice a big difference in the a6000 and the a6400.
Personally, I prefer the feel of the full frame in my hands as well as the handling and manual operations of the camera are much more intuitive. However, I do feel that you will find some limitations with the a7ii. If possible, you might consider saving for the a7iii which is an incredible camera at an affordable price. If that is not possible, I would recommend the a6400 over the a7ii. While I think you would love the full frame sensor and the IBIS, the a6400 has more advanced technology in focusing and FPS and you won’t have to invest in a new lens lineup.
Hank, Nathan, and Jennifer - appreciate your thoughts. Your suggestions mirror some of my own thinking and I think I’ll be adding an a6400 to my kit instead of jumping into full-frame with the a7ii. Simple is good! I’ll be interested to see what happens to the a7iii prices now that the a7r IV is out, my guess is there won’t be any real impacts immediately. Also, I just noticed that B&H doesn’t seem to offer the a7ii any longer. Again, thanks!
Hi Chris,
I imagine the a7r4 impacting the price of the a7r3 but I’d be very suprised if the a7iii is discounted by this release
Maybe walk around with the extra weight on your tripod and neck for a reality check… Solid advance confidence in the lenses you will be using with it would encourage the purchase. I gained IQ and a unexpected large increase in exposure latitude when moving to FF. It provided more refined post actions and helps to save really bad exposures.
Working with a high end tool somehow raises my own exceptions in myself. Strange. GL
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